TURBINE

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ANSWERS FOR PILOTS

Tax time
It’s that time of year when Americans face filing taxes. If
you own or rent an aircraft that you use for business, you
may want to review your eligibility for possible deductions
for the 2011 tax year. The small business jobs and tax bills
Upgrade to AOPA Plus membership of 2010 included provisions that may be advantageous for
Show your commitment to general aviation by upgrad- aircraft purchasers who used their aircraft at least 50 percent
ing to AOPA Plus—our newest membership option. For for business. Also, for those who upgraded aircraft equip-
just $99 annually, you’ll continue to receive the same ment, the two main provisions of the bills include modified
great benefits you’ve come to expect from AOPA, plus extensions of the bonus depreciation program and the
additional services members have asked for: a dedicated IRS Section 179 expensing option. Find out the details in
phone line to the Pilot Information Center, invitations to this month’s Answers for Pilots (www.aopa.org/members/
select webinars and regional events, and advance screen- answers0212). As you would expect, even small tax code
ings of Air Safety Institute courses. In addition, you will details are significant. AOPA legally cannot and does not pro-
also get a special membership card and certificate, and vide individualized tax advice—you’ll need to contact a tax
10 percent off the AOPA Legal Services Plan or Medical professional for that—but the association can help you find
Services Program. Upgrade to AOPA Plus online (www. one. Give us a call Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.
aopa.org/plus) or call 800-USA-AOPA (872-2672). Eastern time, 800-USA-AOPA (872-2672).

AOPA PILOT • 1 • FEBRUARY 2012

FEBRUARY2012 VOLUME 55 | NUMBER 2 | www.aopa.org/pilot

COMMENTARY DEPARTMENTS
4 President’s Position
Building our pilot 6 Hangar Talk
The story behind 108 Fly by Wire
Index of advertisers.
community. the story.

20 Letters
10 AOPA Media 112 Pilots
Stuart Powell.
Honoring the Stories with enhanced
Tuskegee Airmen. content.

24 Waypoints
Into the night. 12 AOPA Action
Keep flying: Free online
course, no AME.

26 Proficient Pilot
Critters.
36 Pilot Briefing
Private space race

28 Safety Pilot
Spin cycle.
gets new entrant.

30 License to Learn 104 Never Again

Xs, fences, and cows.
False confidence.

32 Pilot Counsel 107 Fly-Outs

Big Bear City Airport.
FAA reexamination request.

34 Fly Well
Is it a bird? Is it a plane?

On the cover: Mike Fizer photographed the

Look for this icon throughout Cessna Conquest I over Columbia, South
the issue to see Enhanced Carolina, to accompany Peter A. Bedell’s
Digital Edition features. story “Gentleman’s Choice: Cessna
Conquest I,” which begins on page T–4.

On these pages: Chris Rose photographed

Follow us: the Percival Provost in Culpeper, Virginia, to
Facebook.com/aopapilots accompany Dave Hirschman’s story “Fine
twitter: @AOPA_Pilot Englishman,” which begins on page 52.

AOPA PILOT • 2 • FEBRUARY

MAY 2009 2012
FEATURES
58 76 89 Avionics: Pilot Friendly
Touch-screen FMS and exceptional graphics.
By Dave Hirschman

89 93 Technique: Wind Warrior

Best practices for takeoffs and landings
on windy days. By Dan Namowitz

41 Rally GA: Pay Up

Fortifying against a user-fee threat.
By Sarah Brown
97 Wx Watch: The Problem with Pireps
Icing pireps and published intensity levels can
prove misleading. By Thomas A. Horne

44 Budget Buy: Classically Quick Cover story

A look inside the Mooney M20E.
By Ian J. Twombly
101 Products: Anywhere Map Septa
Robust portable GPS.
By Ian J. Twombly

52 Percival Provost: Fine Englishman

Restored to bring back memories, the Provost
delivers more. By Dave Hirschman

58 Flying Wild in Alaska

Reality show brings GA into the living room.
By Julie Summers Walker

64 On Brand-New Wings
We launch an airliner on a lifetime of flying.
By Thomas B. Haines

TURBINEPILOT
16 PAGES OF BONUS CONTENT FOR
THE TURBINE OWNER-PILOT

T-2 Cessna’s Conquest of the Turboprop Market

Special section for the turbine inclined.
By Thomas B. Haines

T-4 Gentleman’s Choice: Conquest I

Tried-and-true perfect turbine-powered
airplane for family and small business.
By Peter A. Bedell

72 B-Ball to Biplane
Former NBA player now pilots biplanes.
By Jamie Beckett T-13 Fueling Traps
Proper fueling is the crew’s responsibility.
By Cyrus Sigari

76 2012 Tougher Than a Tornado Sweepstakes:

Water Dog
A seaplane rating takes the Husky from fun T-14 Mentoring Matters: Iced Up and Fast
Contaminated wing equals fast approach.
to sublime. By Dave Hirschman By Neil Singer

82 The Bird and the Leprechaun

Wrong Way Corrigan and his favorite bird.
By Barry Schiff
T-16 Logbook Entry: Commentary
What buyers want. By Randy Groom

AOPAAOPA
PILOT • 3 • •FEBRUARY
PILOT 3 • JUNE 2012
2009
PRESIDENT’SPOSITION BY CRAIG FULLER
AOPA PRESIDENT

Building our pilot community

W hen AOPA’s founders In order to confront the challenge of a declining

pilot population, much more of my focus in 2012
first gathered at Wings will be on these and other success stories. We sim-
ply must build our pilot community to survive. I’d
Field outside of Philadelphia be discouraged if there were no good examples of
people doing that today—but the reality is that there
almost 73 years ago, they were are outstanding examples of aviators who are build-
ing our pilot community. To the extent that we can
part of a small but growing both celebrate and help replicate their success, we
will be securing our future.
general aviation community. As private aviators As I’ve discussed before, in 2009 we began an
flying rapidly evolving general aviation aircraft, in-depth, two-year look at the flight training situa-
AOPA President
they recognized the need for an association to Craig Fuller is the tion in America. Upon learning that between 70 and
protect their interests, their freedom to fly. proud owner of a 80 percent of student pilots never become private
Today, AOPA exists to protect that very same Bonanza A36 and pilots, a number of us were alarmed. Our research
freedom from those who would tax and regulate an Aviat Husky. and a year of interacting with the flight training
us into the history books. We have always fought community have given us keen insights into what
for our freedom to fly, and we will continue to do increases the likelihood of success when it comes to
so. With your help, we are very good at winning the battles in flight training. And, one important element is establishing and
Washington, D.C., and in the states. However, as we entered building into the process a sense that there is a pilot community
this new year, I was struck by the overwhelming evidence that to welcome a new aviator. Flight training programs that hold
just fighting the fight will not be enough. evening gatherings, weekend cookouts, and other social events
to build a pilot community are more successful.
In 2012 we will focus on this and other elements that contrib-
We want to make sure that we give ute to successful flight training—indeed, we’ve identified more
than 40 factors that help determine success. We want to share
those thousands of individuals what works with the broadest possible audience, and we want
to make sure that we give those thousands of individuals inter-

interested in learning to fly the very ested in learning to fly the very best chance to become pilots.
If building a sense of pilot community is important in flight
training, it may be even more important when we focus on how
best chance to become pilots. to keep people flying! So, as we examine the factors that contrib-
ute to a successful flight training experience, we will also focus
on how the pilot community can be strengthened to support
What concerns me most today is less the threat from a gov- individuals who become private pilots.
ernment that is sometimes too domineering, but rather the Whether out in California with Plus One Flyers or in other
stark difference between our numbers today and those of the communities across the nation where a few hundred flying
past. In 1939, when AOPA was founded, the general aviation clubs exist, we find clear patterns of success. We are working
pilot population was small, but it was growing. Today, we are now to analyze recently completed research into what makes
seeing a continuing decline in our numbers that has been successful flying clubs. Soon, we will share these findings and
going on for two decades! invite you, our members, to share your views and experiences.
There is no one issue causing this decline, and thus there As with our flight training effort, the purpose here will be to
is no one solution. But, what we have learned during the past recognize and honor programs that build our pilot community.
few years is that there is a strong sense of community among Our future depends on the success of many to build the
pilots. And where you find a strong pilot community, you find pilot community. At AOPA, we want to do everything possible
aviators of all ages and ranges of experience. to advance and accelerate the process. You will read more about
During my travels over the past few years, I discovered a this exciting undertaking and I am hopeful that you will join us,
successful flight training program in Nashville that seems to for if we do not dedicate ourselves to expanding our numbers
be thriving in the toughest of economic climates. I met with and strengthening our community, who will? I honestly believe
hundreds of the 900-member Plus One Flyers in San Diego, a we have no option. I also believe we can succeed!
flying club that operates dozens of aircraft out of four separate
locations. Email AOPA President Craig Fuller at [email protected].

AOPA PILOT • 4 • FEBRUARY 2012

One heart Three legends

N AVI T IM E R C H R O N O M AT TR A N S O C E A N

With its Manufacture Caliber 01, Breitling has created the most reliable, accurate and top-performance
of all selfwinding chronograph movements – entirely produced in its own workshops and chronometer-
certified by the COSC. A perfectly logical accomplishment for a brand that has established itself as the
absolute benchmark in the field of mechanical chronographs.

BREITLING.COM
HANGARTALK
Visit us at www.aopa.org/pilot
The story behind the story publisher Craig L. Fuller

“The old Mooneys have always been one of my dream associate publisher/
airplanes,” says Associate Editor Ian J. Twombly. editor in chief Thomas B. Haines
“Not in the P–51 sense, but more as in an airplane I editor at large Thomas A. Horne
managing editor Julie Summers Walker
could actually afford to buy and own one day. But for
technical editor Mike Collins
years I’ve heard people say that, in essence, their only
senior editors Dave Hirschman
redeeming quality is speed.” Twombly finally got his Alton K. Marsh
chance to fly a Mooney M20E and find out the truth associate editors Jill W. Tallman
for himself for his report, “Budget Buy: Classically Ian J. Twombly
Quick,” which begins on page 44. “No question the air- editorial and production
assistant Sylvia Horne
plane is relatively fast. But I do think maybe some of the administrative assistant Miriam E. Stoner
luster wore off for me as four of us tried to squeeze ourselves in the aircraft and contributors Peter A. Bedell
my knees ended up jammed firmly into the panel. I had to laugh as the owner Kathy Dondzila
took a minute to explain the order in which we would have to embark, if ever Mark Kimberling
we planned to get it done properly.” Bruce Landsberg
Rod Machado
Barry Schiff
Given the long lives of airplanes, when one is birthed John S. Yodice
and takes to the skies for the first time, it’s a big deal.
Editor in Chief Tom Haines recently got to participate design director Michael E. Kline
in the launch of a really big deal—the delivery flight art director Jill C. Benton
art director Elizabeth Z. Jones
of a shiny new Boeing 737-700 for Southwest Airlines
contributing designer Adrienne R. Rosone
(“Brand New Wings,” page 64). “As we flew away
digital media specialist Chris Delisio
from Boeing Field in that pristine new airplane, I felt
senior photographer Mike Fizer
honored to be involved in a flight that launched an
photographer Chris Rose
airplane that will be flying for decades to come,” says
Haines. “The employees of Boeing and Southwest clearly have a great deal of advertising director Carol Dodds
respect for one another. They really seem like a strong team. And I was amazed advertising production
at how many GA pilots I ran into from both Boeing and Southwest. They are manager Brenda D. Ridgley
truly passionate aviators.” advertising sales and
marketing manager Liz Tarver
online advertising
“I spent a delightful fall afternoon in Washington, manager Michael Wilcox
D.C., with Flying Wild Alaska reality show star Ariel advertising coordinator Donna Stoner
Tweto,” recalls Managing Editor Julie Summers Walker advertising representative
(“Flying Wild in Alaska,” page 58). “The lovely young The Orison B. Curpier Co., Inc.
woman was fun, very pretty, and extremely thin; I won- East: 732-946-0130
Central, International: 607-547-2591
dered how she stayed warm in Alaska without so much South Central, West: 214-789-6094
as an inch of insulation. It was a blustery day and I had Member Assistance 800-872-2672
to send her back to her hotel room for a jacket.” Tweto’s AOPA Pilot editorial 301-695-2350
Advertising information/production 301-695-2368
bubbly and slightly ditsy personality masks reality, says Facsimile 301-695-2180
Walker: “This is a very smart, very savvy young woman with a goal—to be a star. E-mail AOPA Pilot [email protected]
Her determination helped launch the Discovery Channel reality show and I can Address changes www.aopa.org/coa-form.html
only imagine that it has helped in her flight lessons, which were chronicled in the All manuscripts and contributions should be accompa-
show’s second season. But no amount of determination on my part could get her nied by stamped, addressed return envelopes. Reasonable
to reveal if she passed her checkride—I have my prediction, but we all have to wait care will be taken in handling manuscripts, but the maga-
zine assumes no responsibility for material submitted.
for the final episode, which was scheduled to air on January 20.”
Copyright 2012, Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association.
All rights reserved. No part of this monthly publication
Believe it or not, more different types and models of may be reproduced or translated, stored in a database or
airplanes have been built than automobiles, and it has retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by electronic,
been author Barry Schiff’s goal to fly as many of them mechanical, photocopying, recording, or other means,
except as expressly permitted by the publisher; requests
as possible. “It is no secret,” he says, “that I love get- should be directed to the editor.
ting checked out in new (to me) airplanes. Each one
To have the latest general
is educational, provides new experiences, and offers aviation and AOPA news
insight into a unique design philosophy.” One of his delivered to your desktop,
latest models to fly is the Curtiss OX–5 Robin (“The subscribe to AOPA ePilot, a free e-mail newsletter. As a
subscriber you will receive weekly issues of ePilot as well
Bird and the Leprechaun,” page 82). “This airplane as special editions when information vital to your flying is
is particularly special because of its cantankerous, available. To learn more about AOPA ePi-
lot, view a sample issue, or subscribe, visit
water-cooled V-8 Curtiss OX-5 engine and because one was used by Douglas AOPA Online (www.aopa.org/members/
‘Wrong Way’ Corrigan to make an incredulous flight across the Atlantic Ocean. epilot.html).
He was the last of the widely acclaimed pilots to make such a journey.”
PRINTED IN THE USA

AOPA PILOT • 6 • FEBRUARY 2012

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 The Most Respected Name in Pilot Certification

AOPA board of trustees

Airline Placement.
chairman William C. Trimble III
treasurer Neel Hipp

Lawrence D. Buhl III Darrell W. Crate

Seniority is Everything – Get There First with ATP Matthew J. Desch Craig L. Fuller
Burgess H. Hamlet III Paul C. Heintz
R. Anderson Pew James G. Tuthill III

president
Craig L. Fuller

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executive vice president
Robert H. Moran

chief financial officer

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AOPA PILOT • 8 • FEBRUARY 2012

800-255-2877 • [email protected]
 WHAT PART OF ‘ORIGINAL’
DON’T THE OTHER GUYS UNDERSTAND?

HAWKER XP R: THE ONLY 400 AND 800 UPGRADE WITH FULL FACTORY SUPPORT.

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Plus— This icon indicates additional features in the Enhanced Digital
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instant access to a video, slideshow, podcast, or other rich content. To learn
how you can enjoy the Enhanced Digital Editions on any computer and your
iPad and iPhone, see aopa.org/digitaleditions.
u Stories with enhanced content

Classically quick
Looking for an affordable steed that
belies its age with remarkable speed
and a miserly fuel burn? Associate
Editor Ian J. Twombly discovers that
the 40-plus-year-old Mooney M20E
fills the bill for a Budget Buy without
sacrificing those attributes. Fly along
in this online video.

On brand-new wings Water dog Flying wild in Alaska In addition: View an AOPA
Editor in Chief Tom Haines What could be better If you haven’t tuned in to Live interview on icing strat-
likes aircraft of all shapes than those big fat tires on Discovery Channel’s egies, an AOPA Live video
and sizes—witness his the 2012 Tougher than a homage to flying in Alaska on user-fee threats, and a
first time at the controls Tornado Husky? How about and its reality show video on how to use our new
of a Boeing 737-700 in this floats? Dave Hirschman featuring the affable Tweto iPad app for AOPA Pilot and
online video, which chron- discovers the joy of seaplane family, view this video Flight Training magazines.
icles the sale and delivery flying in an Aviat Husky in clip of a segment of the
of the newest member of this online video. popular aviation-themed
Southwest Airlines’ fleet. show, Flying Wild Alaska. Plus— View the
iPad app.

AOPA PILOT • 10 • FEBRUARY 2012

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AOPAACTION COMPILED BY KATHY DONDZILA

What AOPA is doing to keep you flying

Keep flying: Free online course, no AME

I
magine if every time
you completed a flight
review you also took a
free online course about
medical self-certification
that allowed you to continue
flying—using your driver’s
license as the baseline of
health.
That could become a six months to five years,
reality if the FAA accepts a depending on the class of
request that would allow In order to use a driver’s medical and age of the pilot.
pilots to use their driver’s license, AOPA and EAA are The online The rest of the time they
license and medical self-cer- proposing that pilots would course, which self-certify prior to each
tification to fly aircraft of 180 have to complete a medi- would be developed by the flight that they are medi-
medi
horsepower or less and carry cal self-certification online Air Safety Institute, would cally qualified,” said Kristine
one passenger. AOPA and course every 24 calendar be open to all pilots and Hartzell, AOPA manager
the Experimental Aircraft months in addition to explain the self-certification of regulatory affairs. “This
Association are working to determining that they are steps along with the pilot’s would follow the same
extend the driver’s license medically fit before every responsibilities associated principle, using a driver’s
medical from sport pilot flight. To make it easy to with certifying fitness for license, completion of the
privileges to include pilots remember to take the course, flight. online course, and self-
flying recreationally in pilots could align it with their “Pilots visit the aviation certification in lieu of the
slightly larger aircraft. flight review dates. medical examiner every medical certificate.”

NATIONAL
BARR is back: Privacy rights restored that would limit an opera- “NBAA and its mem-

P ilots can again protect

private data about air-
craft movements from being
istration who recognize the
importance of assuring a
measure of privacy protec-
tor’s ability to request that
his or her aircraft’s informa-
tion be blocked from public
bers thank the leaders in
Congress for taking action
to address our industry’s
publicly released. tion to individuals operating dissemination. long-standing concern that
Congress restored the their own aircraft,” said Proponents of BARR curtailment of the BARR
Block Aircraft Registration AOPA President Craig Fuller. argued that releasing infor- program represents an inva-
Request (BARR) program in “We are pleased to have mation to the public such sion of privacy, a competitive
November. Privacy advocates the BARR program back in as the aircraft’s altitude, threat to businesses, and a
in Congress and the general operation.” airspeed, destination, and potential security risk,” said
aviation industry had been The dismantling of BARR estimated time of arrival NBAA President Ed Bolen.
fighting for the restoration of was met with bipartisan invades privacy, poses a EAA filed a friend of the
BARR since the announce- opposition in Congress. security risk to those on court brief in support of
ment earlier this year that Many representatives board, and threatens the the suit. EAA President and
the program—which allows and senators voiced their competitiveness of U.S. CEO Rod Hightower said,
participants to block their opposition to the change in companies. “We appreciate the efforts
N number and associated letters to the Department of NBAA led the initiative of those in Congress who
flight information when Transportation, and two bills to restore BARR, and AOPA acted to preserve the privacy
flying IFR—would be limited to restore the program began joined the association in rights of aviators within
to those who could prove a making their way through taking the fight to court, the BARR program. We also
“valid security concern.” each house of Congress. The petitioning the U.S. Court applaud the efforts of those
“On behalf of our AOPA appropriations bill that led to of Appeals for the District of within the aviation commu-
members, we thank those the program’s reinstatement Columbia to invalidate the nity who worked together
in Congress and the admin- cut off funding to anything new limitations on BARR. on this important issue.”

AOPA PILOT • 12 • FEBRUARY 2012

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AOPAACTION

NATIONAL ACTION
Emergency Assistance Plus not just for dire emergencies
Study seeks clearer EA+ helps in many ‘routine’ emergencies
picture of GA airports

A OPA and other industry

W
groups are working with hen you’re away
the FAA as it develops a new from home, any-
classification system for thing that disrupts
general aviation airports. travel can be an emergency,
The agency is conducting a but you don’t have to be
year-long study that seeks critically ill to take advan-
new, expanded GA airport tage of the many benefits
categories for use in a of EA+. EA+ comes to the
national integrated systems rescue for serious medi-
plan. cal situations and death
The study, which began in while away from home, but
January 2011, is considering EA+ does so much more
replacing the two current for those emergencies that
classifications—general could best be described as
aviation and reliever—with simply annoying. EA+ is
as many as five that would on your side to help track down lost lug- With EA+ on your side, an “annoying”
provide more definition of gage. EA+ also helps with lost documents: emergency will be solved as simply as
airport services and activi- passport, driver’s license, visa, and lost or making one phone call.
ties in the National Plan of stolen credit cards. There’s no better time to join EA+. It’s
Integrated Airport Systems EA+ will also smooth the way with a “no simple, and you can apply online (www.
(NPIAS). Airports included limit” emergency cash transfer assis- aopainsuranceproducts.com/). For just
in the NPIAS are considered tance—against a valid credit card. This $89 for an individual and $109 for a family
significant to national air service is particularly valuable when out- plan, you can’t go wrong. You may not con-
transportation and therefore side the country, where toll-free numbers trol when an emergency strikes, but you
eligible for federal airport may not work. can be prepared when it does.
improvement grants.
“Adopting additional AOPA’s Medical Services Plan comes to member’s aid
classifications would parallel
the method by which the
FAA categorizes commercial-
W hen prostate cancer grounded Jim Anderson, the impact was great. He is an aerial
photographer, so he lost his flying privileges as well as the way he earns his living. His
surgery had gone well, he was on his way to a full recovery, his tests were clean, and it was
service airports,” said Greg time to get his medical back.
Pecoraro, AOPA vice presi- When his doctor told Anderson he was fit to fly, he contacted AOPA as a member of the
dent of airports and state Medical Services Plan. A staff member told him she would check on his status. At that time,
advocacy. she also gave him a phone number so he could call as well. According to Anderson, he “bad-
A final report is expected gered” the FAA a few times while several weeks went by. Anderson called AOPA again. That
to contain a complete and day, he was told by an AOPA Medical Specialist, “Let me make a call and I’ll get back to you.”
categorized list of almost He reports, “In less than a half-hour, my fax machine rang, and there was my medical. Without
3,000 airports, and detailed a doubt, AOPA knew the right person to call to get my medical cleared so I could fly again.
descriptions of the new “I don’t know how much longer I would have had to wait without AOPA’s Medical Services
categories. That information Plan.” His advice for other pilots? Anderson says, “I tell them about AOPA and the Medical
also will appear in the 2012 Services Plan. I’ve been healthy all my life, but things happen.” Anderson is back to playing
NPIAS report to Congress, to basketball three days a week and he’s back flying—and earning a living.
be published in the fall.
AOPA’s focus in discuss-
ing the study with the FAA tant for the report’s final “The FAA intends for this appreciated the FAA Airports
has been to emphasize the version to make clear that to be a useful tool to help team’s willingness to include
importance of every kind of each of these airports makes tell an individual airport’s us in their discussions and
GA airport in the national an important contribution story as well as explain what provide us with opportuni-
airports system. AOPA staff to aviation and its home GA provides for the nation,” ties to comment on the study
told the FAA that it is impor- community. Pecoraro said. “AOPA has as it takes shape.”

AOPA PILOT • 14 • FEBRUARY 2012

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3
1
AOPAACTION
2

STATE AND LOCAL ACTION

1 Maine5 The 2012 state

Tax repeal quickly reaps rewards legislative session:
Word has gotten around that pilots flying eight professionals who recently landed new
by the numbers...

46
to Maine need no longer fear the taxman, jobs at Oxford Aviation in Oxford, Maine.
and aviation business is booming. The 2011 Horowitz currently employs 48 mechanics
repeal of a notorious air- and ar tisans, with plans
craft use tax that once to hire 20 more. The line
targeted out-of-state visi- of aircraft awaiting resto-
tors, along with adoption ration and overhaul in the
of full exemptions to taxes company’s 45,000-square-
on aircraft parts and ser- foot shop has doubled since The number of state
vice, has begun to change the depth of the recession, legislatures scheduled to
lives. In November, New with work now scheduled go into session this year.
Mexico A&P mechanic Lee five months out instead Texas, Montana, Nevada,
Bitsilly’s 13-month drought of two. Horowitz, who and North Dakota only
of aviation employment joined forces with AOPA convene every other year.
ended with a call from in a long-running battle to
Oxford Aviation President repeal the taxes that drove
Jim Horowitz. “I wanted to pilots, business, and jobs
get back to work so bad out of the state, said the
that when Jim offered to tax repeal turbocharged an
bring me up, I packed my industry recovery now in
work clothes and other progress. “It takes away
things and just took off,” Bitsilly recalled. In the disincentive to have more work done
December, Bitsilly, 48, was hard at work on a while the plane’s in Maine,” Horowitz said.
Cessna 340A restoration project, giving the With the tax law changes, Maine vaulted
pressurized twin turbo a new lease on life just from being among the most hostile states
as Horowitz gave the veteran mechanic a new toward aviation to being “as competitive as
lease on his aviation career. Bitsilly is among anywhere else in the United States.”

93,525
2 Ohio
Cincinnati warned against closing Blue Ash Airport
News reports that the city of Cincinnati may abandon its support of Blue Ash Air-
port—and possibly defy FAA warnings about use of funds from a sale—are meeting
The estimated total
a strong response from AOPA and local pilots. “This is just wrong. Cincinnati made
number of state bills to be
commitments, and now they’re backpedaling,” said Bill Dunn, AOPA vice president filed across the country
of airport advocacy. “The aviation community is going to fight this.” Dunn, in a letter throughout the year.
to Cincinnati Mayor Mark Mallory, noted continuing news reports suggesting that
the city “is seriously considering closing” the airport on the northeast side of the
Cincinnati area. The airport is located beneath a Class B airspace segment with a
FAST AND FURIOUS

24
floor of 5,000 feet msl and a ceiling of 10,000 feet. One report by an area television
outlet attributed to City Manager Milton Dohoney comments to the effect that the
decision about the airport turned on low revenue production. Dunn’s letter, as well as
pilots interviewed by local news media, countered that claim, citing a 2006 economic
impact report crediting the airport with contributing $6.9 million annually to the
area’s economy. Additionally, the city of Blue Ash has set aside $2 million to assist The number of days the Wyoming
with funding the airport’s reconfiguration. Cincinnati has also refused to accept legislature is scheduled to be in
nearly $500,000 of FAA Non-Primary Airport Entitlement funds allocated to Blue session. This is the nation’s
Ash Airport. AOPA “will take any and all action we deem necessary to protect this shortest scheduled state legisla-
JOHN HOLM

important general aviation airport,” Dunn said in his letter to Cincinnati’s mayor. “It’s tive session. Several states will
unfortunate that Cincinnati apparently doesn’t see the overall transportation and convene for the entire year.
economic impact value of Blue Ash Airport.”

AOPA PILOT • 16 • FEBRUARY 2012

3 Washington
Aircraft ‘luxury’ tax resurfaces in Washington state,
not among governor’s recommendations
As Washington state lawmakers shortfall—might ultimately pass,
grappled in a special session with multiple grassroots organizations
another huge budget shortfall, are still pushing targeted taxes
numerous revenue ideas have on the wealthy. One such group,
surfaced from various groups the Economic Policy Institute,
and organizations—including a is reported to be urging scrutiny
luxury tax on aircraft—to bring of “luxury taxes” on yachts and
the budget into balance. During private aircraft. “Private aircraft
the fall special session, Gov. Chris have, unfortunately, been caught
Gregoire presented lawmakers up in a lot of symbolic rhetoric
with a supplemental state budget emanating out of recent protests
containing “more than $2 billion in and discussions regarding income
spending cuts, reductions to local inequality. Yet, the irony is that
revenue sharing and fund transfers luxury tax proposals like these may
to leave a $600 million reserve.” take aim at so-called corporate fat
Gregoire’s three-phase fiscal plan cats, but at closer glance actu-
does not include a tax on aircraft. ally hit middle-income aircraft
However, a 10-percent luxury tax mechanics and other middle-class
on GA aircraft was on the list of industry workers the hardest,” said
revenue proposals that have been Mark Kimberling, AOPA director of
reviewed, but not recommended state legislative affairs. The special
at this time. In the current charged session concluded with more than
atmosphere of street protests and $500 million in budget cuts, and no
More than just airports
continued economic stagnation, tax increases yet agreed upon. The Pilots have come to expect AOPA’s advocacy
local news coverage has specu- legislature will continue to take on behalf of America’s 5,300 public-use air-
lated that while possible broad aim at the remaining $1.5 billion ports. As part of that effort we have recruited
tax increases—such as a half-cent shortfall during this year’s regular a corps of Airport Support Network volun-
increase in the sales tax to ease the session. teers nearly 2,500 strong to aid in that effort.
But in recent years, AOPA has gone beyond
the pavement to help champion very dif-
ferent landing places. Working with other
“Luxury tax proposals may take aim at allies in general aviation, our work on behalf
of backcountry airstrips, seaplane access
so-called corporate fat cats, but actually to a variety of waterways, and heliports has
hit middle-income mechanics and others broadened AOPA’s horizons. It has given us
the hardest.” the chance to apply what we have learned
with traditional airports to other exciting
public-use landing sites—places where
many of our members fly.
It is hard to appoint an ASN volunteer
for a place where you cannot base an
aircraft, but that doesn’t mean we don’t get
plenty of help from pilots who care about
accessing these locations. All we need are
some local allies who are familiar with the
site and passionate about protecting it to
make a difference.

For more information on learning how to volunteer

for AOPA, visit AOPA Online (www.aopa.org/asn).

AOPA PILOT • 17 • FEBRUARY 2012

 AOPAACTION

AIR SAFETY INSTITUTE

Are you a pilot-philanthropist?

W
hat if you woke it’s no surprise that GA is • Preserving and improving too late. Make a tax-deduct-
up one day to threatened now more than community airports ible charitable contribution
hear that general ever before. • Growing the pilot in support of the AOPA
aviation as we know it had Enter the AOPA Founda- population Foundation’s initiatives now
ceased to exist? What if it tion (www.aopafoundation. • Educating the public on (www.aopafoundation.org/
was not a terrible nightmare, org). Through dedicated the benefits of GA donation); you can also
but indeed a fact—too late pilot philanthropists—and As an individual pilot become a life member
to fix? With a declining pilot you can be one of them—the philanthropist, your support of AOPA (www.aopa
population, a student drop- AOPA Foundation is able to of these strategic initiatives foundation.org/life).
out rate of 70 to 80 percent, fund efforts to address the provides an opportunity to
airport closures, declining four key initiatives critical to ensure your legacy—GA’s leg-
funding, and a media that the future of GA: acy—is a strong and vibrant
sensationalizes accidents, • Improving GA’s safety one. Don’t wake up when it’s

Show me how I can help

Just about one year ago at the Grand Strand North Myrtle Beach
Airport in South Carolina, a new, instrument-rated pilot missed
an approach, clipped a tree, and crashed into a local mobile
home park, killing both the pilot and a woman in an RV.
Within days of the accident, the tragedy was compounded
by media and the public, who got in the game calling for the
airport’s closure. A region well served by GA for years was at risk
of losing an important airport.
The AOPA Foundation—responding immediately to the ac-
cident—held a safety seminar open to all local pilots and the me-
dia. Through this effort, the foundation dispelled the sensation-
alist claims being made by non-aviation experts in the media, ASI SAFETY SEMINARS
preserved a local airport, and provided valuable safety resources February 6 Little Rock, AR
to the area’s pilot population. February 6 Germantown, TN
February 7 Nashville, TN
February 7 Fayetteville, AR
Improve GA’s safety: Share ASI’s safety programs February 8 Bethany, OK
February 8 Maryville, TN
February 9 Wichita, KS

S afety education and

research are paramount
to help support every
tion’s initiative to improve
GA’s safety. Through your
generous contributions, the
online safety courses, safety
webinars and seminars,
Flight Instructor Renewal
February 13 North Las Vegas, NV
February 15 Northglenn, CO
February 16 Colorado Springs, CO
aspect of the AOPA Founda- nonprofit pilot education Courses, safety quizzes, February 20 Ocala, FL
and safety organiza- Real Pilot Stories, Acci- February 20 Eugene, OR
February 21 Portland, OR
tion known as the dent Case Studies, the ASI February 21 Tampa, FL
Air Safety Institute accident database, and February 22 Ft. Lauderdale, FL
(ASI), a division of the analytical reports—the list February 22 Seattle, WA
AOPA Foundation, can goes on. ASI’s programs are February 23 Melbourne, FL
February 23 Spokane, WA
fund important work created to help nurture safer
February 25 Puyallup, WA
serving all pilots—not pilots and an enhanced GA February 26 Puyallup, WA
just AOPA members. safety culture; please spread February 28 Greenville, SC
You’ve come to know GA safety education by February 29 Peachtree City, GA
these free or low-cost sharing ASI’s programs with
Tentative schedule; visit the
programs as award- fellow aviators and student website (www.airsafetyinstitute.
winning interactive pilots (www.airsafety org/seminars) for information.

AOPA PILOT • 18 • FEBRUARY 2012

LETTERS

Honoring the Tuskegee Airmen

M ike Collins touched my heart with his article “Honoring the Tuskegee
Airmen” (December 2011 AOPA Pilot). Lt. Col. William Holloman III
of the famed 332nd Fighter Group was a the three eulogies. After the services the Airmen, but, by the end of the article
dear friend and passed away in 2010. Bill family came up to me, thanked me, and I was convinced it would be doing the
was a national treasure. Prior to his pass- marveled that I had told a couple stories same thing in its new home. I will look
ing, he was looking forward to climbing that they had never heard. It was the nic- forward to visiting the new museum
back into a Stearman. est compliment, because I had done my when it opens and seeing the Stearman
Collins was spot on in referring to job in recording these little tidbits that displayed front and center.
these pilots as “Red Tails.” When I first Bill confided. Suzanne Dortch, AOPA 1091771
met Bill, purely by accident, I was stand- Gene M. Fioretti Cincinnati, Ohio
ing in a line and turned around to see Renton, Washington
this diminutive black man wearing the The HBO movie Tuskegee Airmen is
red-billed cap. The excitement took I just wanted to thank you for the great an important part of the high school
me aback but I gained my composure article on the Spirit of Tuskegee. I enjoyed aerospace/aviation course I teach at
and the courage to ask, “Are you a Red it tremendously. Not only was it well Lake Placid High School, in Lake Placid,
Tail?” His response was an affirmative. written, it was especially moving when Florida. It is important for our youth to
We talked for about five minutes and Collins described how Mr. Quy was so understand the challenges and sacrifices
from then on it was just a wonderful sad shutting down the engine for the last so many made and the results that came
relationship. We traveled together twice time. I found myself tearing up, too! You from the efforts at Tuskegee.
for weeklong trips to the National World want so much for an airplane like that to Before I show the movie—in a class
War II Museum in New Orleans. Bill was keep flying and bringing history and joy and school that has a large percentage of
a speaker at one conference and a World to people around the country who want minorities—I will do a role play with the
War II veteran representative for Wash- to remember and honor the Tuskegee students in the class about World War II
ington state at another. military assignments. All the girls are
When Bill died, it was a true honor to assigned as nurses,
be asked by the family to deliver one of the Hispanic boys

AOPA PILOT • 20 • FEBRUARY 2012

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 LETTERS
Dogfight: For the holidays
as mechanics, the black males are It’s good to see you guys agree on
cooks or stewards, the white males pilot something for once (“Dogfight: For the
candidates. Holidays,” December 2011 AOPA Pilot).
This gets a strong reaction, “You can’t My only quibble would be the compari-
do it, Mr. Rousch!” This leads to some son of West versus East Coast controllers.
very meaningful class discussions about For the most part you are right, but
individual rights and opportunities, and the notable exception is Jacksonville
what a person needs to do to reach their (Florida) Center—those guys are consis-
goals in life. I then show the film, and tently as friendly, cordial, and helpful as
follow up after with more discussions. any I’ve encountered anywhere.
Thank you Captain Quy for making this Steve Leonard, AOPA 419129
tribute, well done! Atlanta, Georgia
John Rousch, AOPA 6878866
Lake Placid, Florida The LSA Starfighter
Very nice article on Flight Designs CTLS
River dance (“The Last Starfighter,” December 2011
Thanks for the trip down memory lane AOPA Pilot). However, at $160,000, I
(“Challenges: River Dance,” December believe this will be out of the reach of at
2011 AOPA Pilot). I trekked to Alaska least 80 percent or more of the potential
and combined a lengthy vacation with LSA pilots.
a seaplane rating add-on this past Sep- I have seriously looked at the pur-
tember. There were many high points chase of an LSA but find that most are
of the trip—and, of course, flying ranks well more than $100,000. I believe that
right up there. I did my seaplane rating most of the available LSA are over-
with Alaska Floats and Skis, and had a equipped with all the glass/electronic
great time. gadgetry. What use is it to have IFR capa-
In retrospect, it would have been less bility in an aircraft that is not certified to
anguish (since I’m not a mariner) to fly in IFR conditions?
have reviewed FAA-H-8083-23 (which I applaud AOPA and EAA for petition-
is available for free download from the ing the FAA to allow pilots to use a valid
web). Other than that, the twice-daily driver’s license to fly up 180 horsepower,

ACQUIRE YOUR CFI’S training with a checkride on the fourth

day was a blast. I had scheduled a couple
day, VFR. I also note that recently the
LSA industry is unhappy with this new
FOR ONLY $299500 ! of days extra for a retest, but since that
was not necessary, I did flight-seeing
initiative. The LSA industry is going
on about losing potential customers if
American Flyers operates the most instead before continuing on with the the FAA were to agree to this new peti-
respected and cost effective Instructor rest of my trip. tion. Frankly, I would suspect that the
program in the industry. Our CFI Academy Suzanne Collins, AOPA 5677743 AOPA/EAA expanded use of driver’s
provides instruction to secure both your Virginia Beach, Virginia license medical will have little or no
CFIA and CFII certificates within 30 days. impact on LSA future sales. I say this
I just finished reading Jill Tallman’s because, at the current prices, I would
piece and was left with one question. suspect that the LSA industry’s potential
The quote: “...fired up the 85-horse- customer base is relatively small and will
power Continental” left me wondering remain unchanged going forward.
if Mr. Sweikar has an electric starter Good luck to CTLS. Since I live in
on N43459? I assume he does. On my Hawaii, access to a LSA is nonexistent.
H 10 Hours Dual Aircraft 65-horsepower Taylorcraft, N43909, I Mark K. Crawford, AOPA 4551049
H 120 Hours Ground and Practice Teaching must use an Armstrong starter (hand Captain Hook, Hawaii
prop it)! If that were the case with
H Unlimited Programmed Learning
N43459, Mr. Sweikar would have to stand I’m still a student pilot and don’t have
We will teach you what you need to know on the float to prop it from behind, and much flight time yet, but I took a lesson
to qualify for nearly any flight instructing do a tricky dance to get in the pilot’s seat. in a CTLS once, and, for sightseeing and
job in the world… and maybe equally John E. Malene, AOPA 1082435 pure pleasure, I haven’t been in anything
as important, you’ll be ready to teach Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio that matches it.
immediately upon graduation. Personal Jill Tallman responds: Stan Sweikar’s The article states that “Sport pilots
attention. Quality education. Proven results. Taylorcraft does indeed have an electric can’t fly…above a cloud layer, but there’s
starter, for the very reasons you mention. nothing keeping private pilots…from
But he’s no stranger to hand propping, flying…over clouds.”
and demonstrated it for us on land I agree that sport pilots are not
when we shot photos of the airplane for permitted to do so. FAR 61.315(c)(13)
Call Mike Simmons the article. specifically provides that sport pilots
at 800-282-9595 or
email him at [email protected]
AOPA PILOT • 22 • FEBRUARY 2012
may not act as PIC of a light sport air-
craft “without visual reference to the
surface.” I wonder, though, whether
private pilots are permitted to fly above
the clouds, even if they are not instru-
ment-rated and even if they are flying
an airplane that does not have the
equipment that FAR 91.205(d) requires
for IFR flight.
Was the statement meant to apply to
pilots who are not instrument-rated, and
to the CTLS which is not yet equipped
for IFR flight, or was it meant to apply
only to instrument-rated pilots and air-
planes that are IFR-equipped?
Lon Sobel, AOPA 6481318
Santa Monica, California
Al Marsh responds: The statement in
the article meant that if a private pilot
bought a CTLS, that pilot could legally
fly above clouds, as long as he did not
encounter IFR conditions on the way to
the top of the layer—or on the way down.
While a private pilot is not prohibited
from flying above a cloud layer, doing so
is not always a good idea.

Tattoos in the air

I just had to respond to the negative
letters in the December issue regard-
ing “Tattoos in the Air,” and the one
in particular from a writer criticiz-
ing the “motorcycle element of sport
aviation.” My response is get a life!
I have been a pilot for 40 years and
am also an owner and rider of a
Harley Davidson Road King. It’s not ille-
gal nor immoral to be a biker.
I have a tattoo from my Marine Corps
air wing days and scores of my friends,
both male and female, have tasteful
tattoos. I also know many airline
pilots who have tattoos and if they
are tasteful and not extreme, I see no
problem. I thought the article was inter-
esting and moved on to the next in the
magazine.
I feel these complaints come from the
snob element of aviation. They do have
a right to their opinion and I do respect
that. In return, this is my opinion being
voiced!
John P. Dainus, AOPA 462899
Fort Myers, Florida

We welcome your comments. Address

letters to: Editor, AOPA Pilot, 421 Avia-
tion Way, Frederick, Maryland 21701.
Send email to [email protected]. Please
include your full name, address, and
AOPA number. Letters to the Editor
may be edited for length and style before
publication.

AOPA PILOT • 23 • FEBRUARY 2012

WAYPOINTS BY THOMAS B. HAINES
EDITOR IN CHIEF

Into the night

A s soon as we sat down to IFR en route charts show off-route obstruction

clearance altitudes—all of which should be con-
brief the flight I knew I had sidered minimum altitudes at night unless you are
certain of the terrain around you).
underprepared. “So there’s With the briefing complete, we launched from
Manassas, Virginia, in my Bonanza for what was my
nothing else we need to know first nighttime proficiency flight that included air
work—after more than three decades of flying. The
about flying into Maryland ILS approach to Virginia’s Charlottesville-Albemarle
Airport started out just fine under the bright Decem-
Airport tonight?” Adrian Eichhorn probed after I ber moon. As the glideslope needle slid down to one
had pointed out that according to the sectional the Editor in Chief dot high, I selected gear down and instead of the
3,000-foot runway has lights. Just the fact that he was Tom Haines flies expected groaning of the gear motor, all I got was a
asking the question confirmed to me that there was his Bonanza A36 red indicator light. (Sigh.) As a Bonanza owner and
something else we needed to know. Eichhorn didn’t on assignment BPPP instructor, Eichhorn knows all the tricks. He
leave me hanging for long before flipping open the for AOPA—day or had pulled the gear motor circuit breaker, located
night.
Airport/Facility Directory to point out the note in just ahead of his left knee—or at least that was what
very small type that prohibits nighttime takeoffs and I hoped had happened. We had agreed that I was on
landings at the small airport just south of Washington, D.C. OK, my own; I was to operate as if he weren’t there. No way was I going
so that’s one very good reason not to go there this evening. to troubleshoot a gear failure while sliding down a glideslope into
Eichhorn, a CFII, aircraft owner, and airline pilot, confessed the night. I keyed the mic, confessed the anomaly, and asked the
that he knew the details so well because he had once been tower controller for a climb and vector away from the airport to
forced to leave an airplane at the airport years earlier after he troubleshoot. I declined his offer of a flyby to check the gear, sus-
and a friend landed there at night. After a thorough chewing pecting that if I sacrificed my right shoulder muscles to the Gear
out by the airport manager, they left the airplane there until Crank Gods that the electrons would once again flow success-
the next day. The tidbit is just one that Eichhorn shares during fully. Sure enough, after I had struggled to crank the gear down,
a night flying seminar he frequently gives at Beechcraft Pilot the push of the CB magically restored the system, and the gear
Proficiency Programs (BPPP), AOPA Summit, and other pilot retracted as it should. But as I caught my breath after the laborious
gatherings. Night flying safety is a passion of his, developed after cranking, something didn’t look right. The airplane was rolling to
a friend and experienced pilot died in a night flying accident. the left, airspeed picking up. I leveled off and noted that the auto-
Eichhorn is a big fan of the A/FD when it comes to night pilot was suddenly dark. Obviously the gremlin in the right seat
flying. He says it is the only source that carries a complete had discovered the autopilot CB. A voice in the dark announced
reference to types of lighting systems and other nighttime that it wouldn’t be working again for the rest of the night.
nuances necessary for safe flying. We all learned to rely on The second attempt at the ILS approach went without a
the A/FD as instrument students, yet frequently pilots ignore it hitch, the gear lowering as it should as we slid through the
as they gain experience, relying on other information sources. smooth night air. After the missed approach, we headed for
But with more than a dozen types of approach lighting systems a nearby VOR to do some air work. Stalls, steep turns, and
and numerous variations of those, no source but the A/FD pro- emergency descents in the dark. While especially challenging
vides complete information. Even then, few pilots understand at night, I was helped by a moon so bright we could pick out
the nuances of one type of system versus some others. “Airport details in the fields below well enough that we felt we could
lights are like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re safely choose a landing spot if we had to. I would hope to be so
going to get. But most important, do the lights work?” he asks. blessed in the case of a real nighttime emergency.
“Always check notams before a night flight. A failed PAPI may And that was just the beginning of our nighttime adventure.
be an annoyance during the day; it may be critical at night.” By the time the approach lights back at Manassas slid under-
To help pilots prepare for night flights, Eichhorn uses an neath the wings, I was tired, but confident in my night flying
acronym he created: NIGHT. Notams (check Notams D for —and anxious to fly some more.
airport lighting outages and changes); Illusions (Aeronautical
Information Manual Chapter 8 discusses them); Glideslope To download a copy of Eichhorn’s Night Flying safety card,
(unless you know the area well, consider not landing at night which includes all sorts of night flying tips, go online (www.
at an airport that doesn’t have an electronic or visual glide- aopa.org/pilot/nightflyingsafetycard). E-mail the author at
slope); How do I control the lighting systems? (Refer to the [email protected]; follow on Twitter: tomhaines29.
A/FD); Terrain (VFR charts show maximum elevation figures, twitter.com.

AOPA PILOT • 24 • FEBRUARY 2012

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PROFICIENTPILOT BY BARRY SCHIFF

Critters

W henever receiving my When navigating in certain parts of Africa, the

competition for airspace can be ferocious. The
new copy of Plane and congestion is not caused by other aircraft. Rather,
there are squadrons of birds so great in number
Pilot, I almost always flip first that they darken the sky. Hooded vultures, ham-
merkops, laughing doves, pintailed whydahs, and
to the last page of the maga- slate-colored boubous can appear out of nowhere
with no respect for rights of way.
zine for my visit with Budd Birds, of course, can be a problem anywhere.
There often are so many large, predatory birds in
Davisson, one of my favorite aviation writers (and the vicinity of Salalah, Oman, that the approach
a regular contributor to Flight Training magazine). Barry Schiff has plate for that airport contains a permanent warn-
He always seems to touch my aviation soul and flown 325 different ing. Bird activity at Comox, British Columbia, can
sensitivity in a way that few writers can. Last Sep- types of aircraft be particularly intense when ceilings are low. The
tember he wrote a delightful piece about when a during 59 years of birds apparently recognize the hazards of flying in
wily coyote had staked out territory on a runway flying. foul weather and ground themselves accordingly.
and forced significant arrival and departure delays This is more than can be said about some pilots.
at the busiest single-runway airport in the country. Africa is an entomologist’s delight. Flying bugs
In addition to putting a smile on my face, Davisson’s col- there can be larger than gas caps, and colliding with one quali-
umn reminded me of my general aviation flying in Africa, a fies as a midair collision. Flying beetles can be so massive that a
place where wildlife encounters can affect aviation operations saddle and a type rating are needed to fly one. I won’t comment
perhaps more frequently and dramatically than anywhere else. on the size of mosquitoes in Africa except to say that they can
When planning to land at the dirt strip serving the Londolozi drink morning tea faster than we can. It also pays to bring along
Game Reserve in South Africa, for example, I had been cau- a metal fly swatter because using a plastic model or a rolled-up
tioned to be alert for a family of warthogs living in the bush newspaper only gives some of these insects renewed confidence.
adjacent to the runway. This necessitated making a low pass The problems created by the animal kingdom do not neces-
that served the dual purpose of ensuring that the warthogs sarily end after landing. You never know what sort of creature
weren’t strolling on the runway and to alert someone at the might greet you upon opening the cabin door, which is why it
nearby lodge to pick us up at the “airport.” This obviously is pays to carry plenty of food and water. You never know how long
not an inconvenience. What red-blooded pilot could possibly you might have to remain on board.
object to making a high-speed, low-level pass? Unanticipated difficulties also result from leaving your air-
The warthogs were there, as if on cue, but the ugly creatures plane parked unattended at an unfenced strip. Hyenas, for
thankfully scurried away. example, love to chew on—and will destroy—rubber deicing
Clearing a runway of four-legged critters usually requires boots. Gnus (not another joke) love to chomp on fiberglass wing
only a noisy, low pass, but when clearing impala, it is important tips. Lions have been known to enjoy chewing on an aircraft
not to split the herd. Otherwise, the ewes and rams might cross tire. Playful antelopes can perforate aluminum panels with their
and re-cross the runway in a confused attempt to reestablish horns, and water buffalo can convert an airplane to a heap of
the herd. You also must keep a wary eye on the sidelines when trash in less than a minute.
approaching to land. The pilot of a Cessna 414 once failed to Some insects can build nests in an airplane so fast that thor-
adequately inspect the strip at MalaMala and paid the price by ough preflight inspections are mandatory even following a short
ramming a giraffe that had begun loping across the runway just ground stop.
as he was about to touch down. His right wing sheared outboard In certain parts of the world, pilots also know that Snakes on
of the nacelle, and the animal did not fare well either. a Plane can be far more horrific than just the title of a movie.
Like the coyote in Davisson’s column, some animals do Two bizarre references to how the animal kingdom impacts
not scare off easily. While once approaching a landing strip aeronautical planning involve a pair of notams I have been
inside Tanzania’s Ngorongoro Crater, I made a low pass in a given. The first was when destined for an airport in central
Piper Arrow to chase away a grazing gnu (wildebeest). The Africa. It read, “Caution. Braking action nil account worms on
ungainly looking antelope, however, was undaunted by my the runway.” The second notam applied to a grass runway in
sudden intrusion. As I circled the strip for another pass, a new New Zealand. It stated matter of factly, “Caution. Braking action
gnu came into view, and two gnus on a runway are bad news. nil account sheep.” I had to think about that one.
(Sorry. I couldn’t help that.) Fortunately, the animals soon
sauntered off and abdicated the runway. Visit the author’s website (www.barryschiff.com).

AOPA PILOT • 26 • FEBRUARY 2012

SAFETYPILOT BY BRUCE LANDSBERG
PRESIDENT, AOPA FOUNDATION

Spin cycle

S tart an argument in any sterilized airspace in which to maneuver vertically

is a smart safety precaution.
hangar merely by asking if Last fall I had the opportunity to fly with Bill
Finnigin, a well-known aerobatic instructor based
spins should be mandatory for out of Annapolis, Maryland, in his Pitts S–2C. Bill
arranged for an aerobatic area over the Frederick
the private pilot certificate. airport for about 45 minutes from 7,500 to 1,500
feet. The Potomac Tracon assigned a squawk and
The FAA decided to drop spins rearranged arrivals into Dulles and Baltimore. This
resulted in little inconvenience and a much safer
from the flight check in 1949 on the basis that pre- operation for all. There was also a VFR notam advis-
venting spins in the first place was far better than ing of rapidly falling aircraft above the airport.
AOPA Foundation
learning to spin and recover. The prevention logic President Bruce We thoroughly briefed the flight, which included
is that if the aircraft never stalls, it can’t spin. There Landsberg has a laptop video of exactly what I would see, what
has been a decline in spin-related accidents over the more than 6,000 the aircraft was doing, and how to recover. There
years, so the concept seems to have worked—and flight hours. are three phases in spins: entry or incipient, fully
yet, every year a number of pilots stall and spin in at developed, and recovery (or impact, if recovery is
low altitude, and the arguments start all over again. unsuccessful). During entry, the aircraft falls off on
Should spins be reintroduced to the flight test? My view, a wing and pitches steeply down during the first turn. Once the
which is shared by a number of very spin-experienced CFIs, is spin is stabilized, the rotation rate speeds up.
no. We simply do not have the training infrastructure to support The first maneuver was a normal spin. In all my prior train-
system-wide spin instruction. There is considerable consensus ing I’d never gone more than about three turns or so. That was
that more accidents would occur in the spin training than from always just enough to get stabilized, but we averaged about 10
actual inadvertent spins. But should pilots have exposure to to 12 turns on each maneuver, which burned through about
spins? In my view, yes. How’s that for a political answer? 4,500 feet of altitude while Bill and I discussed what was hap-
My introduction to spins as a primary instructor was brief pening and why (altitude is your friend). Next was a flat spin
but met the spirit of the regulations. A few students periodically where power was introduced and the nose rose above normal
tested my skills, usually during a power-on stall. The Cessna spin attitude. This can also happen if the center of gravity is too
150s we flew would swap ends rapidly and rotate. Recovery was far aft and the nose does not fall through in the stall. It may be
straightforward, but you needed to know the drill—power off, unrecoverable, although in this case it was simply a matter of
ailerons neutral, opposite rudder, neutralize or push the eleva- reducing power to idle and once the nose came down, a normal
tor forward, recover from the dive, and thank the student for recovery was executed.
livening up the lesson. Then proceed to explain why the aircraft To induce an accelerated spin, the stick is held back and
had departed controlled flight, how to avoid that, and let’s try moved counter to the spin—something that a panicked pilot
again. I also resolved to do a better job briefing and demonstrat- might do by attempting to recover with ailerons. Bad idea!
ing that the rudder rules. Stalls and approaches to stalls were, The rotation rate speeded up significantly, but recovery was
and should be, thoroughly reviewed. achieved by neutralizing the controls and recovering from the
Let’s talk about training infrastructure and why mandatory dive. In recovering from this right-hand spin I came out of the
training would be difficult to implement nationwide. Spins, dive in a right turn. My eyes (and Bill) told me that we were
being aerobatic maneuvers, have increased risk over normal still turning right, but it took about 10 seconds for my brain
flight. There are roughly four parts to managing that risk. We messages to unscramble what my inner ear was erroneously
recommend an instructor who has had more than just an intro communicating as level. Full-blown vertigo is nasty stuff and
to spins and is proficient in doing them in the make and model not something typically experienced in a simulator.
in which you’ll be flying. The International Aerobatic Club has A couple of unusual attitudes finished the ride. Should
an excellent instructor training program. The aircraft must be pilots, other than CFIs, have some exposure to spins and other
properly certificated and maintained. unusual attitudes? I think so, but under carefully controlled
Personally, I prefer an aerobatic machine that’s hard to circumstances. The instructor should let you do most of the
break and spins and recovers easily, no matter how ham-fisted flying and be sensitive to individual physiological differences.
the pilot. Excellent maintenance is essential. Some of the old Spin training builds confidence and aircraft-handling skills, but
warhorses that serve well as primary trainers are not up to my competent stall education will also keep you out of a deadly
standard for spin practice. Parachutes, and a way to rapidly exit low-altitude encounter. There are tens of thousands of pilots
the aircraft, add extra confidence.Finally, having reasonably out there who have never spun and are flying safely.

AOPA PILOT • 28 • FEBRUARY 2012

 “Pass Your Written - Save $300
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LICENSETOLEARN BY ROD MACHADO

False confidence

I remember sitting on a run- if the 10 Commandments only spoke of what you

can do, then you’d need a lot more than 10 of them
way with a flight review to cover every acceptable behavior. That’s a lot of
stone, and someone will be burning the midnight
student, years ago, waiting for bush just to etch all those possibilities. That’s why
eight out of 10 commandments speak in terms of
a takeoff clearance. The cross- what you shall not do (in my church it was actu-
ally six you shall not dos and four give it your best
wind was exceptionally gusty shots). By knowing the limits of your capabilities
and refusing to exceed them, your confidence in
and strong that day, so I asked the fellow if he those abilities becomes much more authentic.
thought his skills were up to the challenge. With Aviation writer The question is, how might you learn about
apparent complete confidence, he replied that Rod Machado took the limits of your skill and abilities if you haven’t
he would have no issue with the winds. Fine with his private pilot put them to the test? There are a few ways to
me. So we lifted off, and promptly began to track checkride with the determine this. You might simply guess at your
diagonally to the runway. With nearly every nasty legendary Amelia capability to perform confidently. Yes, sometimes
Reid.
gust and accompanying wing dip he’d blurt out, people like Whoopsman guess wrong. More often,
“Whoops!” followed by commentary such as, however, they guess correctly. After all, if I know
“Didn’t see that coming” or “That one was nasty.” I’ve handled a direct 10-knot crosswind, it’s not much of a
How is it that a person can be so sure of his ability and stretch to assume that I might successfully handle one at 12
be so wrong about it at the same time? Over the years, I’ve knots, especially if I’ve had a chance to practice in 10-knot
known more than a few pilots sporting a similar level of false crosswinds for some period of time. With a little common
confidence about their abilities. In most instances, their false sense, it’s possible to guess well.
confidence was based on an assumption of what they thought You can also consult others you’ve flown with and ask
they could do, with very little understanding of what they them to make an assessment of your piloting ability. If you’ve
couldn’t or shouldn’t do in a given set of circumstances. recently flown with an instructor or another experienced pilot,
In the case of Whoopsman, I have no doubt that he had then either of these individuals might be able to offer some
successfully mastered crosswinds of lesser intensity in the insights into the practical limits of your skills.
past. He hadn’t, however, grappled with gusty crosswinds Finally, there’s simply no better way to know your limits
of this magnitude. So his false confidence was based on the than to do an experiment to discover them. Sometimes you
extrapolation of a skill he did possess into an area where he just have to put yourself to the test to see what you’ve got
was no longer in possession. Without knowing the limits of his under the hood. This often means testing your skills under
ability, he falsely assumed he had the gift and chops to handle the supervision of a capable flight instructor. It’s why I would
the drift and drops. have encouraged my student to fly if he were reluctant-to-
Had his confidence level been balanced with an under- unsure of his ability to handle gusty crosswinds on flight
standing of what he couldn’t do (based on his and the airplane’s review day. Even if he discovered he couldn’t handle a 20-knot
aerodynamic limitations), he would have more accurately crosswind, at least he’s learned an equally valuable lesson
appraised his ability to handle such aggressive winds. Know- about the limits of his skill. Ultimately, if you don’t actually
ing only what you can do tells you very little about what you do it, then you really don’t know it and have no right to claim
can’t or shouldn’t do. While the former offers the confidence confidence about it.
to act in a specific situation, it’s the latter that prevents you Keep in mind that an overconfident pilot often has an
from adopting a level of false confidence so often associated enlarged ego and his presence is frequently revealed by state-
with unsafe behaviors. ments such as, “Who is the greatest pilot…and why am I?” A
Let’s assume that my flight review student knew he couldn’t falsely confident pilot can have a perfectly normal ego, but is
handle direct crosswinds greater than15 knots and/or gusts often ignorant about the limitations of his or her skill level.
beyond 20 knots (I’ll show you in a second how he might know That’s why a well-rounded pilot (or an oval-shaped one) who
this). His declaration of being able to handle crosswinds under understands what he can do—along with what he can’t or
those conditions would be an authentic expression of confi- shouldn’t do—has a much more accurate definition of his and
dence. No self-deception there. his airplane’s true capabilities.
The reason it’s important to have some idea about the limits That should give you real confidence.
of our abilities is quite simple. What you can do tells you one
thing; what you can’t do tells you many things. For instance, Visit the author’s blog (www.rodmachado.com).

AOPA PILOT • 30 • FEBRUARY 2012

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PilotCounsel By john s. yodiCe
aopa seCretary

FAA reexamination request

I try to offer guidance to pilots the FAA request was unreasonable in that he was
asked to complete a “soft field takeoff,” even though
on how to deal with the many the airfield at issue was frozen at the time.
An NTSB hearing was held on the pilot’s appeal.
different FAA enforcement After hearing the evidence, the NTSB law judge
determined that the FAA had a reasonable basis
matters that I see in the admin- for requesting that the pilot complete a reexami-
nation. On a further appeal from the law judge’s
istration of the AOPA Legal decision, the full NTSB affirmed the judge, stating
“it is well-settled that the board’s inquiry into the
Services Plan. That’s not because most pilots will reasonableness of a reexamination request is a nar-
experience some trouble with the FAA—most won’t. Yodice and row one,” and that the FAA “had a reasonable basis
However, some significant number will, and we can’t Associates to request respondent complete a reexamination.”
tell in advance which ones will. administers So, the pilot remained grounded until he passed an
A recent enforcement decision by the NTSB the AOPA Legal FAA reexamination, or appeals to a higher court.
reminds me that there is one situation in which Services Plan for The pilot obviously felt that the FAA was unrea-
members.
pilots innocently but unnecessarily aggravate a sonable in its request. Because of the narrowness of
problem because they lack the legal expertise on the “reasonableness” issue on an NTSB appeal, as
how to handle it. It has to do with responding to an FAA request the NTSB tells us, these cases are hard to win. As an alternative,
that a pilot submit to reexamination of his or her pilot qualifica- what I usually recommend is that a pilot faced with a reexami-
tions. Such a request is legal, always unwelcome, many times nation request take the letter to his or her flight instructor and
unexpected, and seldom felt justified. My experience has shown ask to receive flight instruction specifically on the matter to be
that a refusal to be reexamined is more troublesome than the tested, as specified in the request. The letter should specify an
alternative that I usually recommend. exam tailored to the incident or accident that precipitated the
It is true that under the law, the FAA request must be “rea- request. In reviewing many, many FAA requests, I only see a few
sonable.” Indeed, in the case I will describe, the pilot certainly inappropriately broad requests that ask for a complete private
felt that the request was unreasonable. Rather than submit, the
pilot took the FAA to court—actually an appeal to the NTSB.
The facts are that a pilot of a Cessna 177B struck a wire fence
attempting a takeoff from a frozen private airstrip. He was
pilots innocently but unnecessarily
unsure what happened. He thought maybe he could have hit
a crosswind. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The pilot aggravate a problem because they
and his passenger were unhurt.
The FAA decided that the incident warranted reexamination lack legal expertise.
of the pilot. According to the FAA, the pilot “failed to maintain
directional control and establish a climb sufficient to refrain pilot checkride, or a complete instrument checkride, or the like.
from striking a fence and this conduct resulted in substantial The pilot should ask his or her instructor to detail the instruc-
damage to the aircraft.” tion given in the pilot’s logbook. Then, the logbook should be
The FAA sent two letters to the pilot requesting that he presented to the FAA inspector at the time of the reexamination.
appear for a reexamination of his competency to hold his cer- This procedure accomplishes two objectives. It shows to
tificate. The pilot failed to appear as requested. As is usual in the inspector a positive safety and compliance attitude on the
such a failure, the FAA issued an emergency order suspend- part of the pilot; and it evidences to the inspector that an FAA
ing his pilot certificate pending a successful completion of a certificated flight instructor has found the pilot competent on
reexamination (“emergency” meaning he was grounded imme- the matters to be tested. I have never seen this procedure fail.
diately, prior to any opportunity to defend himself). The pilot If it happened, it is rare. On the other hand, I have rarely seen a
appealed the order to the NTSB, as he had a right to do. The successful appeal to the NTSB challenging the reasonableness
pilot explained that he had completed a flight review with an of the reexamination request.
FAA designated pilot examiner, feeling it should satisfy the reex- If a pilot faced with a reexamination request needs more
amination request. The FAA did not agree. Under the required detailed guidance, the pilot should seek professional help by
procedure the reexamination must be conducted by an FAA air calling the AOPA Legal Services Plan (301-695-2257), or the
safety inspector from an FAA Flight Standards District Office, AOPA Pilot Information Center (800-872-2672), or his or her
not a designated pilot examiner. The pilot also contended that aviation lawyer.

AOPA PILOT • 32 • FEBRUARY 2012

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FLYWELL BY DR. JONATHAN M. SACKIER

Is it a bird? Is it a plane?

W ho didn’t love Superman Various infections, autoimmune diseases, diabe-

tes, chronic dry eye, or prior surgery may disqualify
and his alter ego, Clark you, as does participation in high-impact sports.
Operation should be deferred during menopause
Kent? Flying was my favorite or until eye growth is complete (over age 18). Insur-
ance rarely covers this surgery; although expensive,
superpower, followed by X-ray in this economy prices have dropped.
Performed as an outpatient with oral sedatives
vision, depicted by laser beams and local anesthetic drops, surgery is painless,
although pressure and dimmed vision occur
shooting out of Superman’s eyes. If you cannot see from application of instruments and while star-
Lois Lane in peril from a hundred yards without ing at a light facilitating laser positioning. LASIK
Dr. Jonathan M.
spectacles and want to explore options, pop into an Sackier is a (laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis) is most com-
alley, pull your undies over your trousers, and zoom surgeon and monly performed. First, a corneal flap is lifted,
off to see an ophthalmic surgeon to consider laser private pilot having been cut with blade or laser, rather like
eye correction. With advertisements proclaiming, living in Virginia. a trap door, exposing the internal corneal layer.
“Perfect vision or your cash back.” I thought it time Laser pulses—programmed from preoperative
to shed light on the therapy. evaluation—reshape tissue, changing refraction
The human eye is marvelous; light penetrates the wind- characteristics. A clicking sound is heard during laser firing;
shield (cornea) at the pupil, an opening in the iris, which some say they detect a singed-hair aroma. The flap is replaced
changes shape rapidly adjusting for lighting conditions. Inside, and the patient discharged wearing an eye patch and with eye
the lens thickness varies depending on how light needs to be drops prescribed. Other rarely used options include radial or
bent (refracted), further focusing images. An inverted picture photorefractive keratotomy (RK or PRK), where corneal slits
is projected on the retina, thence to the brain via the optic are cut or a technique used where laser induces shape change.
nerve where it is flipped right-way up allowing you to see that Many have both eyes treated at the same time; others choose
tall building you need to leap over. Our eyes have other cool treatment one eye at a time. Recovery is swift with analgesics
equipment—lids offering protection from debris, windshield relieving discomfort and irritation. Avoid eye rubbing, which
washers, and muscles providing mobility. can have negative consequences.
Problems seeing distant taxiway signs imply nearsight- No therapy is risk-free, so ensure you are fully informed.
edness (myopia)—the eye is too long for its optical system. Perfect uncorrected vision may not result, requiring eyeglasses
Others cannot see close up (hyperopia), while corneal warp- postoperatively and, if formerly myopic, you may find near vision
ing (astigmatism) causes distortions in the horizontal and/or deteriorates necessitating reading glasses; eventually, visual
vertical planes—the kind you see, not fly. All can be addressed keenness may regress. Quality and acuity must be considered,
with eyeglasses or contact lenses. Overnight “training lenses” and some will develop dry eye, requiring treatment. With age,
(orthokeratology) improve sight but are not comfortable or accommodation failure develops (presbyopia), impairing near
acceptable for all patients. vision. Monovision correction by contact lens or laser involves
If you pursue activities such as flying, skiing, scuba diving, or one eye set up for reading, the other for distance. However, depth
others requiring good sight, eyeglasses or contact lenses may perception and image quality suffer. If considering laser monovi-
not suit you. If avoiding outer lenses appeals, consider laser sion correction consider a contact lens trial period first.
refractive surgery. Gary Crump, AOPA’s director of medical certification, stated, “All
Find a good eye surgical practice, talk to others, and research FDA-approved refractive procedures are FAA allowable.Postopera-
web assets such as the FDA and consumer-scoring sites. tively,self-grounduntilrecoveredandvisualacuitystabilizes,meeting
Ascertain your doctor’s experience and results, but do not be standards for the class of medical privileges being exercised. The
pressured into going ahead. Some centers engage ophthalmol- FAA requests, but does not require, Form 8500-7 Eye Evaluation
ogists to evaluate your suitability. If you wear contact lenses, completed by the treating eye doctor, submitted after vision has
switch to glasses for several weeks before examination to pre- stabilized.Alternatively, present it to the AME during your next FAA
vent lens-induced corneal shaping interfering with accurate physical allowing office issuance, assuming no other issues.”
surgical planning. Assessment includes measuring degree of Do your homework, put your glasses on, and read the fine
correction required, building a 3-D map of your cornea, and print. For some people, quality of life is enhanced.
measuring its thickness; if too thin, surgery is not safe. Pupil size I appreciate the advice I received from Dr. John Corboy.
is noted and if too large, surgery may not be recommended as
halos around bright lights or double vision may ensue. Email the author at [email protected].

AOPA PILOT • 34 • FEBRUARY 2012

PILOTBRIEFING BY ALTON K. MARSH
For breaking news see AOPA Online (www.aopa.org)

Private space race

gets new entrant

T ired of getting into orbit the same

old way? Relief may be coming
from Stratolaunch Systems, a col-
(SpaceX); and “a state-of-
the-art mating and integra-
tion system allowing the
laboration between Microsoft co- carrier aircraft to safely carry a booster
founder Paul Allen and Burt Rutan, weighing up to 490,000 pounds.” That
the designer of aircraft and spacecraft, component will be built by aerospace
in a project that will merge a Rutan- engineering firm Dynetics, said the an-
inspired design with certain hardware nouncement.
and engines from Boeing 747s to The aircraft, to be powered by
create a huge airplane that will launch Systems to “develop the next generation six Boeing 747 engines, will have a
rockets into orbit during high-altitude of space travel” after the 2004 flight of gross weight of more than 1.2 million
flight. SpaceShipOne became the first flight of pounds, and a 380-foot-plus wingspan,
But don’t rush off and cancel your a manned, privately funded rocket flown requiring a 12,000-foot-long runway.
$200,000 reservation (booked through beyond the atmosphere of the Earth. “The airplane will be built in a
“your local accredited space agent”) They were accompanied at a Seattle Stratolaunch hangar, which will soon
for a suborbital flight on Richard Bran- news conference by Stratolaunch board be under construction at the Mojave,
son’s Virgin Galactic spaceline just yet. member and former NASA administra- California, Air and Space Port. It will
Not because of any code-sharing tor Mike Griffin. The venture’s president be near where Scaled Composites built
arrangements, even though the two and CEO is Gary Wentz, formerly a NASA SpaceShipOne, which won Allen and
services will operate from the same chief engineer. Scaled Composites the $10 million
spaceport in New Mexico. It’s more “I have long dreamed about taking Ansari X Prize in 2004 after three suc-
a matter of timing: There’s no hurry, the next big step in private space flight cessful suborbital flights,” it said.
with the Paul Allen craft not scheduled after the success of SpaceShipOne—to Launching directly into orbit from
to make its first flight for five years— offer a flexible, orbital space delivery high altitude “will mean lower costs,
and with Branson’s project, based on a system,” Allen said. “We are at the greater safety, and more flexibility and
second-generation Scaled Composites dawn of radical change in the space responsiveness than is possible today
design, also in early development launch industry. Stratolaunch Systems with ground-based systems,” the an-
(although taking bookings for passen- is pioneering an innovative solution nouncement said, adding that the ca-
gers and scientific projects). that will revolutionize space travel.” pability of making quick turnarounds
In both cases, the ventures demon- The product of Allen’s enterprise will “break the logjam of missions
strate that private enterprise is forging will be a mobile launch system that queued up for launch facilities and a
ahead to fill the vacuum left when includes the carrier—the largest chance at space.”
NASA’s space shuttle program ended aircraft ever to have flown, Allen First will come unmanned pay-
several months ago. said—under development at Rutan’s loads, with human flights to follow
On December 13, Allen and Rutan company Scaled Composites; a multi- “after safety, reliability and operability
announced that they had reunited via stage booster manufactured by Elon are demonstrated,” the announcement
Huntsville, Alabama-based Stratolaunch Musk’s Space Exploration Technologies said. —Dan Namowitz

AOPA PILOT • 36 • FEBRUARY 2012

PILOT BRIEFING

1954 Aerocar offered for

$1.25 million
There are very few Aerocars left from the
1950s and 1960s, when inventor Molt
Taylor hoped to put airplanes on the high-
way as well as in the air: One of them is for

THE BEST HEADSET

sale for $1.25 million.
Courtesy Aircraft (courtesyaircraft.

BELOW THE BLADES

com) in Rockford, Illinois, is brokering
the sale of Aerocar N101D, most recently
owned by Greg Herrick and on display at
the Golden Wings Flying Museum at Ano-
Based on the design of the best-selling aviation headset
ka County/Blaine Airport, 10 miles north
in the industry, the H10-13H is the number one helicopter
of Minneapolis. It is listed by the museum
headset in aviation. Outfitted with advanced comfort
as part of the collection. The aircraft was
features and built to withstand the rigors of helicopter
serial number three and won a United cockpits. Whether you choose a standard noise attenuating
States type certificate. or Electronic Noise Canceling model, you’ll experience
The one for sale has folding wings that crystal clear communication and quieter flights.
are towed behind the car in transit on the And because we also offer the
road. It also features a horn and a rear- broadest selection of helicopter
view mirror. It is a two-place aircraft with headsets in the industry, you’ll
a single Lycoming O-320 mounted over be sure to find the right model
the rear wheels. It could be a noisy hand- to fit your needs.
ful on the road and a handful in the air,
as well. It wasn’t fast, couldn’t lift much
weight, but won fame for successfully
flying and driving. Call 800-298-6235
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W W W. D AV I D C L A R K . C O M

AOPA PILOT • 37 • FEBRUARY 2012

+HOL$'B$23$B[LQGG 30
PILOT BRIEFING

Cessna adds inspections

for aging aircraft
Cessna Aircraft Company will add
inspection procedures to its service
manuals for aircraft built between 1946
and 1986 to detect signs of problems
common to aging aircraft. The inspec-
tions will focus primarily on signs of
corrosion and airframe fatigue.
The supplemental inspection pro-
cedures affect 100- and 200-
series aircraft. Inspections for the
200 series have already been added, Czech Sport Aircraft offers lower-cost trainer
while supplemental inspections for Flight schools are the targeted mar- ery parachute. The aircraft carries 30
100-series aircraft will be added in ket for the SportCruiser Classic, a gallons of fuel (29.6 useable).
Czech-built Light Sport aircraft that is The SportCruiser Classic is
April 2012.
equipped with an analog instrument equipped with a traditional six-pack
“The supplemental inspection panel to bring the introductory price of instruments: attitude indicator,
program we’ve developed is primarily down to $119,500, including trans- heading indicator, altimeter, airspeed
a visual process aimed at support- portation and document charges. It is indicator, rate-of-climb indicator, and
offered through U.S. Sport Aircraft in turn-and-bank indicator. It has analog
ing the continued airworthiness of
Fort Pierce, Florida. engine gauges. The avionics package
aging airframes,” said Beth Gamble, Other than a different paint scheme, includes a Garmin SL40, Garmin aera
Cessna’s principal engineer for it is identical to the SportCruiser, the 500 GPS, Garmin GTX 327 transpon-
airframe structures. “Through this flagship model that can reach prices of der, and a PS Engineering PM 3000
$150,000 to $160,000 with avionics op- intercom. Adjustable rudder pedals
education effort, we hope to answer tions that include a glass cockpit. with toe brakes, electric pitch and
most questions before we release the Options available on the Classic aileron trim, and an ELT are standard
revised service manuals. We encour- model include an IFR training package equipment. Also standard is day and
for $6,000, and a $4,200 ballistic recov- night VFR lighting.
age owners to check in with their
local Cessna service affiliate at the
appropriate times to have the manda- Mike Goulian wins top airshow performer award
tory inspections completed.” Airshow performer and past national aerobatic Unlimited Class champion Mike
Goulian has won the airshow industry’s top award given for making the greatest
The criteria for initial visual inspec-
contributions over the past year.
tions will vary by model and aircraft Goulian becomes only the seventh air-
age or hours of operation. Cessna show professional to be awarded all three
authorized service providers will of the airshow industries’ top honors: the
ICAS Sword of Excellence, Art Scholl Me-
have special training and access to morial Showmanship Award, and the Bill
specific equipment for the inspections Barber Award for Showmanship.
and for repairs, if required. Goulian, author and coauthor of two
aerobatic training books, operates an FBO
“Corrosion and fatigue are inevita-
at Bedford, Massachusetts. He competed
ble but with early detection and prop- in the Red Bull race series worldwide be-
er maintenance, severity and effects fore those races were put on hiatus for
can be minimized,” Gamble said. “The safety concerns. In addition to winning the
Unlimited national aerobatic competition earlier in his career, he also won the
new inspection requirements we’ve
Advanced national championship.
developed are very simple, and are Off the tarmac, Goulian is known for his efforts to promote the airshow indus-
based on visual inspection that can try and improve airshow safety. He is known for being generous with his time not
be done quickly by a trained inspector only with sponsors, but also with fans.
With him (second from left in the photo) when he received the award were his
during an annual inspection.” wife, Karin, and daughter, Emily.

AOPA PILOT • 38 • JANUARY 2012

 TEST PILOT BY BARRY SCHIFF

1. Why is it a good idea to manually 7. Following massive bombardment,

move the flight controls through their 35,000 U.S. and Canadian troops
full range of motion before starting the stormed ashore at Kiska in Alaska’s Aleu-
engine? tian Islands during World War II. Explain
why only 21 troops were killed during this
2. True or False: A turbojet-powered assault.
airplane with a true airspeed of 460
knots is flying through cumuloform
clouds containing supercooled
water droplets. Because the 1,000-hour goal is a
ambient (static) air tempera- lifetime achievement
ture is -10 degrees Celsius,
the pilot should anticipate Ninety-three-year-old Ike Kibbe want-
structural icing. ed to end his flying career with 1,000

3. Which of the following is hours, so last year he took to the

correct? skies to make the dream come true.
a. The Republic P–47
Starting with 965 hours, he hired
Thunderbolt was called “the
jug” because its barrel-shaped instructor Sue Shambeau and began
fuselage reminded some of a jug.
flying out of Martin State Airport at
b. It was called “the jug” because its
radial engine had so many cylin- Baltimore. He landed at every airport
ders, or jugs. within an hour’s flying time from
8. An airplane has wings that are washed
4. What is the maximum deviation al- out. This means that Baltimore, including one—Clearview
lowed for a general aviation compass on Airport in Maryland—that is located
any given heading? a. the bugs have been removed from
the leading edges. on a steep hill and has a runway less
5. From reader Willis Irons: What was the b. the wings’ angles of incidence have than 2,000 feet long. On September
first municipal (city-owned) airport in the been reduced.
United States? c. the wings’ angles of attack have 17, he made his goal, logging his
been increased. 1,000th hour on a flight from Balti-
6. A pilot wants to make a nonstop d. the wings are at least partially
more to Lock Haven, Pennsylvania,
flight from the United States to Africa. stalled.
The shortest such flight would depart where he once worked as a volunteer
from
at the Piper Aviation Museum. He has
a. Florida.
See answers on page 40
b. Hawaii. been a pilot since 1940.
c. Maine.
d. North Carolina.

Record awarded to Maryland students

A record for human-powered helicopter flight has been certified of May 12 and the 11.4-second flight of July 13, which now su-

by the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale for two flights persedes the first. Gamera was designed and built by a team of

made by University of Maryland students and Judy Wexler, a some 50 students at the university’s Clark School, and piloted

lightweight but powerful bicyclist. The students, some of them by Wixler, a biology student. The team is currently working on a

now graduates, built a machine they dubbed Gamera and set new vehicle in pursuit of the Sikorsky Prize. The new vehicle will

world records earlier this year for flight duration and flight dura- be lighter and more efficient than the original. The team hopes
JOHN HOLM

tion with a female pilot. The FAI certified the 4.2-second flight to have it completed in early 2012.

AOPA PILOT • 39 • FEBRUARY 2012

PLUG & PLAY-NO PAY! PILOT BRIEFING

French company flying

luxury amphib
A French company named Lisa is devel-
oping a luxury Light Sport airplane that
can land on water, snow, or runways.
It’s named Akoya (uh COY ya) and car-
ries two people. Its wings fold for stor-
age on land or, the company says, it can
Forr a limi
limited
miite
ted time
ted tim you can upgrade your What you get: fit onto the back of your yacht—if you
Garmin* GMA340 audio panel to the all s )NTELLI6OX® AUTOMATIC 6/8 SYSTEM WITH
happen to have one. It can go 680 miles
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new PS Engineering PMA8000 series s $IGITAL 2ECORDER BUILT IN FOR QUICK PLAYBACK on 18 gallons of gas and costs $411,000,
audio panel at absolutely no cost for the of radio receptions
but that includes pilot training for all
installation! s -ONITOR -ODE DESIGNATES PRIMARY RADIO TO
mute secondary radio three types of landings and three years
This offer is valid only for PS Engineering s #ELLULAR 4ELEPHONE )NTERFACE CONNECT of maintenance. Lisa expects to certify
iPhone, iPad, or other devices
PMA8000 series audio panels purchased s /PTIONAL "LUETOOTH® - connect wireless it to U.S. light sport standards in early
between November 1, 2011 through devices 2012 and make the first deliveries by
February 29, 2012. Free installation applies What you don’t get: An invoice September 2012.
only to the removal of the Garmin GMA340 for the installation! While it is powered by a 100-horse-
audio panel and installation of the power Rotax engine, there are plans for
PS Engineering PMA8000 series. an all-electric version. Fuel cells burn-
ing hydrogen and oxygen, like those
in the now-grounded space shuttle,
will power an electric motor in cruise
flight. For takeoff, solar cells on the
CALL NOW TO wings will add extra power.
LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS
To find the dealer nearest you: PROGRAM: 800-427-2376
www.ps-engineering.com
ww ps engiineeriing com TEST PILOT ANSWERS from page 39
* GARMIN and GMA340 are trademarks of Garmin, Ltd. PS Engineering, Inc. is not affiliated with Garmin, Ltd. in any way.
1. Engine noise and vibration can mask
problems (such as cable or pulley snagging
and rasping) associated with the primary flight

Anytime.
controls.
2. False. At that airspeed, the air temperature
Anywhere. immediately ahead of the aircraft is increased
30 degrees by compression. This results in a
Anyway. total air temperature of +20 degrees, which is
too warm for structural icing to occur.
3. Neither is correct. The P–47 was the larg-
est and heaviest fighter ever powered by a
single reciprocating engine and was regarded
as a “juggernaut” or “jug.”
4. 10 degrees. If using a particular piece
of equipment on board the aircraft causes
deviation in excess of 10 degrees, a warning
placard must be conspicuously displayed in
the cockpit.
5. The Tucson Municipal Flying Field opened
in 1919. It was four miles south of Tucson on
the Nogales Highway, present location of the
rodeo grounds. The city’s airport was moved in
1925 to what is now known as Davis-Monthan
Air Force Base.
6. c. If you don’t believe it, look at a globe of
the Earth.
7. There likely would have been many more
casualties had the Japanese actually
occupied the island as had been believed.
Print, online or mobile, 24/7, 8. b. Airplane designers wash out or twist
we’re here with everything some wings so that the tips have smaller
angles of incidence than the inboard wing sec-
that keeps you flying. tions. This improves the stall characteristics of
a wing by ensuring that inboard wing sections
stall before the outboard sections do, thus
improving lateral control and stability.

Trade -A-Pla n e. c o m • 8 0 0 . 3 3 7 . 5 2 6 3
AOP AOPA PILOT • 40 • FEBRUARY 2012
 TURBINEPILOT
A SPECIAL SECTION FOR THE TURBINE OWNER- PILOT

Table of contents
T–2 Cessna’s Conquest of the Turboprop Market
The workmanlike turboprop gets the job done
T–4 Gentleman’s Choice: Cessna Conquest I
Tried-and-true Conquest I makes a perfect
turbine-powered airplane for family and small business
T–13 Fueling Traps
Proper fueling is the crew’s responsibility
T–14 Iced Up and Fast
Landing speeds and distances in light jets
can increase dramatically when the wing is contaminated
T–16 Logbook Entry: Commentary
What buyers want

AOPA PILOT • T–1 • FEBRUARY 2012

1202p_TurbineOpener.indd T–1 1/6/12 11:40 AM

 TURBINEPILOT
A S PEC I A L S EC T I O N FO R T HE T U RB INE OWNER - PILOT

Cessna’s Conquest of the

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Cessna est I
The workmanlike turboprop gets the job done
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st I | Fueli
A
ng Foul-
OPA owned a Cessna Conquest for some 20 years start-

Ups | Icy
ing in the early 1980s. It was the first turbine airplane I

Approac
ever flew. Over the years, I was always amazed at how it

hes | Ga
soldiered on, day after day, mission after mission, with rarely

rmin’s
a squawk or hiccup. Even today, I continue to be surprised at

G2000
just how reliable turboprops can be. As with the Conquest,
Fueling
their systems are robust and reliable. F
IT’S THE oul-Ups
CREW, S
Fly the Conquest once and you’ll recognize it as a Cessna Icy App
TUPID
p. T—13
roache
product—not the fastest or most glamorous in the air, but EATING U s
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great handling, a comfortable ride, and good performance. Touchs
WAY, F
AST p. T–14
creen
And, as longtime contributor and airline pilot Pete Bedell G2000 FMS
FLIGHT O SIMPLIF
IES
relates in “Gentleman’s Choice: Cessna Conquest I” on PS p. 89

page T–4, the Conquest continues delivering that same

sort of value some 25 years after the model went out of
production.
Like many other turboprops, the Conquest uses pneumatic deicing boots
to protect the flying surfaces. In “Mentoring Matters: Iced Up and Fast” on page T–14,
author Neil Singer reminds us that the performance penalties for using boots can be sig-
nificant. And especially in light jets and turboprops, pilots need to understand what boots
can—and can’t—do in various icing situations.
When it comes to fueling turbine airplanes, many pilots just place the fuel order and walk
away. Good practice? Probably not. In “Fueling Traps” on page T–13, experienced jet pilot
Cyrus Sigari shares a couple of fiascos that highlight why fueling shouldn’t be taken lightly.
Finally, longtime aircraft manufacturing and sales executive Randy Groom gives us some
perspective on what it is that customers want from their airplanes. In “Logbook Entry: What
the Buyers Want” on page T–16, he relates how the emergence of new types of airplanes has
dramatically changed the options available to buyers in the twenty-first century.
If you’re someone who has recently made the transition from pistons to turbines or likes to
think such a transition might be in your future, read on. These special edition pages are for you.
Only a small subset of the AOPA membership gets this special Turbine Edition—those
whom we believe have an interest in reading about
higher-end aircraft. In this monthly special edition you
get all of the content in the standard editions, plus these
extra pages. If you would rather not receive this edition,
just let us know at: [email protected]. We’re
happy to switch you back to the standard edition.
I hope you learn some new advanced flying tech-
niques and a little about turbine operations in these
pages. Let us know what you think at [email protected].
—Tom Haines, Editor in Chief

AOPA PILOT • T–2 • FEBRUARY 2012

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 TURBINEPILOT
A S PEC I A L S EC T I O N FO R T HE T U RB INE OWNER - PILOT

An easy-to-fly and reliable step-up turboprop

BY PETER A. BEDELL

Cessna’s Conquest I is one of the easiest transitions to turbine power for any multiengine,
instrument-rated pilot. The airplane is born of the 400-series line of twin Cessnas, known
for its easygoing flight manners, comfortable cabin, and gen- Eagle piston twin and the Conquest mostly end there. The
erous baggage bins. It is an ideal turboprop for an individual Conquest is powered by two 450-shaft-horsepower Pratt &
or small company with the need to transport as many as six Whitney PT6s instead of 375-horsepower geared Continental
passengers at 250 knots as far as 800 nm. piston engines. Plus, the 425 is substantially beefed up and uti-
The Model 425 Conquest I, dimensionally, is the size of a lizes more robust systems. Early versions of the 425 were called
421C Golden Eagle. But the similarities between the Golden Corsairs until a max takeoff weight increase to 8,600 pounds

CESSNA CO
Gentleman’s Choice:

PHOTOGRAPHY BY MIKE FIZER

AOPA PILOT • T–4 • FEBRUARY 2012

ONQUEST I
AOPA PILOT • T–5 • FEBRUARY 2012
TURBINEPILOT
preceded a move by Cessna to call it the charter certificate. Full-fuel payload of
What owners have to say Conquest I. All 425s have been converted N425EA is 697 pounds (no crew), or four
Montreal businessman Jean Delangis to the higher-gross-weight configura- people and no bags. Tanks-full range
stepped up from a Cessna 414A piston tion of the Conquest I. The Model 441 is approximately 1,200 miles. With six
to the 425. “From a reliability stand- Conquest, a larger model powered by adults, range would fall to about 700 nm
point, there’s no comparison between Honeywell (Garrett) turboprops, was with reserves.
the two airplanes,” said Delangis. “It actually introduced first in model year The 425’s cockpit is laid out well and
was definitely worth the added cost 1978. It was then renamed Conquest II has excellent visibility. Most Conquest
of the turbines.” Delangis owned the after the Corsair was renamed Conquest cabin seats are arranged in a four-place
Conquest for 10 years and used it for I. Cessna built 236 Conquest Is between club with two additional seats in the
business and family trips. In those 1981 and 1986. back, one of which is a side-facing belted
10 years, he could think of only two Eagle Aviation of Columbia, South potty. Cessna’s “wide oval” cabin biases
delays he took for maintenance items, Carolina, granted AOPA Pilot the use of more toward elbow room than cabin
and the longer delay was one hour. its Conquest I for the photos you see on height. Once seated, it’s a comfortable
Aircraft Spruce and Specialty Co. these pages. N425EA is a 1981 model, ride for those in back.
President Jim Irwin worked his way up which was originally a Corsair. Eagle Baggage loading is a snap with the
the Cessna single and twin lines to a uses N425EA on the company’s Part 135 giant nose baggage bin accessible by
425. “The Conquest has been a reli-
able, high-performance, cross-country
aircraft that has exceeded my expecta-
tions in every way,” said Irwin. He flew
the airplane with the stock engines and
the American Aviation Speed Stacks
for about 1,100 hours before doing
the Blackhawk conversion. “True air-
speed in the flight levels with the stock
engines was about 250 KTAS,” said
Irwin. At 3,700 hours and in need of
new engines, Irwin asked around and
heard nothing but good things about
the Blackhawk conversion. He took
the plunge and retained the airplane’s
original, lighter three-blade propellers.
“Climb after takeoff is now 2,000
fpm and since higher power settings
can be maintained during climb without
reaching ITT temperature limits, the air-
craft continues to maintain respectable
climb performance through the flight lev-
els,” says Irwin. “I plan for a fuel flow
of 500 pounds for the first hour and
400 pounds per hour thereafter. Most
flights are made at FL200 to FL250,
and sometimes higher for long trips or
to top weather. Cruise speed with the
Blackhawk conversion is 265 KTAS. The
aircraft is easy to fly, reliable, comfort-
able for passengers, and plenty fast for
the missions we fly.” —PAB

AOPA PILOT • T–6 • FEBRUARY 2012

three doors. It can swallow skis, golf on the model. On the single-engine It can be awkward for pilots who just
clubs, and other awkward cargo as side, there’s the Socata TBM series, secured the cabin door to squeeze up the
heavy as 600 pounds. The aft baggage which promises faster speeds on sig- aisle after all the passengers are seated
(opposite page). Once everyone is seated,
area holds 500 pounds in the pressur- nificantly less fuel, but load carrying
however, the 425 is a comfortable ride.
ized cabin. Unlike the piston-powered suffers. Small jets like the Eclipse,
Cessna’s “wide-oval” cabin cross section
400-series Cessnas, there are no wing Phenom 100, and Cessna Citation biases toward elbow room rather than
lockers. Mustang also make worthy—but far headroom. The side-facing seat in the
Competition for the Conquest more expensive—competitors. rear doubles as a potty. Unlike the
comes from many fronts. Among the Blackhawk Modifications Inc. holds piston-powered Cessna 421, the Conquest I
legacy twins, the Piper Cheyenne and STCs to modify the Conquest I, as well has a significant dihedral built into the
Beechcraft King Air C90 provide simi- as its Beech and Piper competitors, with horizontal stabilizer (below). Since the
larly priced multiengine competition. PT6 engines that maintain their rated stabilizer is within the propwash, once
The C90 is a little slower and pricier power to much higher altitudes. In all power is pulled off for landing, much of the
airflow over the tail stops—making landings
than the Conquest, but it has a bigger of these airplanes, owners can expect
challenging for the unaccustomed.
cabin and more useful load. The Chey- about a 20-knot increase in cruise
enne IA, II, and IIXL are similar in size speeds above 18,000 feet and better
and price but a tad slower, depending climb performance. N425EA is outfitted

AOPA PILOT • T–7 • FEBRUARY 2012

TURBINEPILOT

SPECSHEET
1981 Cessna Model 425 Conquest I
Current Market Value: $750,000
Specifications Limiting and Recommended
Powerplants....450 shp Pratt & Whitney PT6A-112 Oil capacity, ea engine ..............................9.2 qt Airspeeds
Recommended TBO ..........................3,600 hr Baggage capacity ........ 600 lb nose, 500 lb aft VMC (min control w/critical engine inoperative)...
Propellers .............................McCauley 3-blade, .................................................................92 KIAS
full feathering, reversible, 93 in dia. Performance VSSE (min intentional one-engine operation) .....
Length.................................................35 ft 10 in Takeoff distance, ground roll................2,400 ft ............................................................102 KIAS
Height ................................................... 12 ft 7 in Takeoff distance over 50-ft obstacle... 2,800 ft V X (best angle of climb) ...................... 102 KIAS
Wingspan.............................................. 44 ft 1 in Accelerate-stop distance..................... 3,885 ft V Y (best rate of climb) ......................... 115 KIAS
Wing area ............................................. 225 sq ft Accelerate-go distance .........................3,465 ft VXSE (best single-engine angle of climb)..105 KIAS
Wing loading................................... 38.2 lb/sq ft Max demonstrated crosswind component ....... V YSE (best single-engine rate of climb).. 111 KIAS
Power loading ......................................9.6 lb/hp ...................................................................24 kt VA (design maneuvering) .....................157 KIAS
Seats..............................................................2+6 Rate of climb, sea level.....................1,861 fpm VFE (max flap extended 15 degrees)...175 KIAS
Cabin length......................................... 10 ft 7 in Single-engine ROC, sea level .............. 357 fpm VLE (max gear extended) ......................175 KIAS
Cabin width ............................................ 4 ft 7 in Cruise speed/endurance w/45-min rsv VLO (max gear operating) .....................175 KIAS
Cabin height........................................... 4 ft 4 in (fuel consumption, ea engine) VNE (never exceed) .............................. 230 KIAS
Empty weight, as tested ...................... 5,500 lb @max cruise power, 1,900 rpm, 20,000 ft..... VR (rotation) ............................................98 KIAS
Max ramp weight .................................. 8,675 lb ..........................268 lbs/hr (536 pph/40 gph) VS1 (stall, clean)......................................90 KIAS
Useful load, as tested .......................... 3,175 lb @ max range power, 1,600 rpm, 30,000 ft ... VSO (stall, in landing configuration).......84 KIAS
Payload w/full fuel, as tested..................697 lb ..........................188 lbs/hr (375 pph/28 gph)
Max takeoff weight............................... 8,600 lb Service ceiling..................................... 33,400 ft All specifications are based on manufacturer’s
Max landing weight............................... 8,000 lb Single-engine service ceiling..............17,200 ft calculations. All performance figures are
Zero fuel weight .................................... 7,000 lb Landing distance over 50-ft obstacle ............... based on standard day, standard atmosphere,
Fuel capacity.......... 372.8 gal (366 gal usable) ..............................................................2,482 ft sea level, gross weight conditions unless
2,498 lb (2,478 lb usable) Landing distance, ground roll.................. 952 ft otherwise noted.

AOPA PILOT • T–8 • FEBRUARY 2012

The Conquest I’s instrument panel (below with the Blackhawk engines and handily Along the way, the engines reached their
and opposite page) is well laid out and has outperforms any stock Conquest. critical altitude (the point at which they
room for anything a pilot desires. Like many Our test flight loaded three adults, become temperature limited as opposed
legacy turboprops, the panel is a mix of old 2,000 pounds of fuel, and some photo- to torque limited) at approximately 22,000
and new technology. Cockpit visibility is graphy equipment aboard Eagle feet—about 4,000 feet higher than the
excellent as well. One of the 425’s best Aviation’s Conquest—about 500 pounds stock engines. In fact, on our test flight,
assets is the massive nose baggage
short of maximum takeoff weight. the power levers hit the stops before the
compartment (bottom) that can swallow
golf clubs, skis, and other awkward cargo, Like most piston airplanes and their engines reached the temp limit. With the
totaling as much as 600 pounds. The nose required magneto checks, the Conquest Blackhawk engines, climb rates of 1,000
can be accessed by three doors to facilitate pilot has to check the autofeather sys- fpm or better are possible well into the
easy loading of awkward items. Protocol for tem prior to flight. flight levels.
many Conquest pilots is to lock the doors On a slightly warmer than standard day, We topped out at 270 KTAS at a
whenever they are closed, for added our takeoff roll required about 12 seconds density altitude of 25,600 feet, which
protection against inadvertent openings to reach rotation speed of 100 knots. Ini-
in flight. tial climb rate was about 2,000 fpm. ATC
cooperated by giving us a direct climb to
FL250, which was reached just 18 minutes
from brake release—something a stock
Conquest could only dream of doing.

AOPA PILOT • T–9 • FEBRUARY 2012

TURBINEPILOT

Eagle Aviation’s Conquest I is equipped with PT6A-135 engines

installed under Blackhawk’s STC. It can maintain takeoff power
into the low 20s, greatly increasing speed on high-altitude
flights. The Conquest I has split flaps, which create only drag,
not lift—so it’s possible for the 425 to get into runways it can’t
get out of. American Aviation’s Speed Stacks (right) pull triple
duty by looking good, keeping exhaust soot off of the airplane,
and adding a few knots.

is about 20 knots faster than the stock anyway. Pulling the props back to 1,700 in a Conquest, which can see 5,000 feet
airplane at that altitude. Fuel burn rpm reduces noise and fuel burn while per minute in the descent.Flaps and
was just under 500 pounds per hour or sacrificing a little speed. gear can be deployed at 175 KIAS, which
about 72 gph. Cabin altitude was just Descending in the Conquest is a piece makes keeping up with the flow at major
more than 9,000 feet, meaning flight of cake. If needed, just pull the power airports easy. It also will fly slowly. With
above FL260 may require supplemen- to idle and push the nose over. If you power on at a light operating weight,
tal oxygen. Most 425s are not RVSM were late on an ATC crossing restric- N425EA flew confidently at 75 KIAS with
approved, so FL280 would be the limit tion, you could probably still make it the gear and flaps extended.

AOPA PILOT • T–10 • FEBRUARY 2012

 With the four-blade props especially,
when power is pulled to idle and the
blades go flat, the airplane slows down
very quickly.

accordingly. At sea level with a full load, turboprops affects the Conquest I. It’s
plan on runway lengths of 4,000 feet or a massive job requiring removal of the
more—or 3,000 feet when light. wings and tail to inspect the attach fit-
Conquest Is have a short list of warts tings and look for corrosion. The big
specific to the design. It’s a fun airplane task has been reported to cost in the
to hand fly, but changes in power and $200,000 range. Whether the airplane
airspeed require trimming of pitch and has been through this inspection can
yaw to keep the airplane flying straight. greatly affect its value.
The stock torque gauges are notori- Blackhawk’s aforementioned con-
ous for headaches if air is introduced version costs $610,000 and installs
to the wet-line system. Many have new PT6A-135A engines in exchange
been swapped for digital versions that for your old -112s. There are credits
eliminate the problem. The retractable for unused hours toward TBO of the
landing lights, which look just like those trade-in engines. Digital torque gauges
on a Cessna 195, cause airframe rumble add $10,000 to the bill. Blackhawk con-
when they are extended at speeds over verted six Conquests in 2011 and claims
about 200 KIAS. This also reduces bulb to have modified more than 20 percent
life. Many owners use a self-imposed of the fleet.
speed limit of 175 KIAS for the lights, American Aviation’s Speed Stacks
since that speed coincides with the limit exhaust stacks do triple duty of adding
speeds for gear operation and the first a few knots to the cruise speed, keeping
notch of flaps. The electric motors that exhaust soot off the airplane, and are
power the lights up and down often quit more aesthetically pleasing compared
as well. Overall, the 425 is a poorly lit air- to the stock exhaust stacks.
plane on the exterior. Late-model-year SimCom Training Centers offers 425
425s are equipped with beacon lights as training at Orlando, Florida; Scotts-dale,
well as wing-tip recognition lights as a Arizona; and Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas.
marked improvement. The DFW location has a Level 6 FTD
The split flaps are of little or no value (flight training device) with full motion
when it comes to takeoff performance, while the other locations use fixed-base
On landing, fly the Conquest right leading some prospective buyers to the simulators. Initial training ranges from
down to the runway and flare just King Air, which can use its more effective $5,820 to $8,320, depending on which
slightly, as it is pitch sensitive in ground flaps on takeoff. Finally, because of the simulator you choose. Recurrent courses
effect. The Pratts’ power comes off strong resemblance to piston-powered range from $3,520 to $5,260.
unevenly in the flare, leading to some twin Cessnas, 425 owners need to be While the costs may be daunting,
last-second footwork to keep the nose mindful their airplanes are fueled with owning a turboprop such as a Conquest
pointed down the runway. With the four- Jet-A, not avgas. brings added safety, performance, and
blade props especially, when power is For an airplane no longer in produc- reliability to their owners (see “What
pulled to idle and the blades go flat, the tion, the Conquest is well supported Owners Have to Say,” page T–6).
airplane slows down very quickly. This from the factory and several shops Legacy airplanes that are beyond 30
also blanks some airflow over the tail, around the country. And if you’ve never years of age prove their value to hundreds
requiring a little extra nose-up pitch at owned a turboprop, prepare for some of owners every day. And until there are
that moment. With experience, Con- significant costs. TBO of the PT6A is suitable new airplanes to replace them,
quest pilots learn to anticipate all these 3,600 hours, and owners typically bud- airplanes such as the Conquest will
last-second corrections. If not, the beefy, get about $200,000 each for overhaul. remain valuable machines.
trailing-link gear will likely smooth Hot-section inspections occur at 1,800
out your arrival. With effective reverse hours and ring in around $20,000 each. Pete Bedell is a first officer for a major air-
thrust, Conquests can get into short A Supplemental Inspection Document line and co-owner of a Cessna 172 and
strips that they can’t get out of, so plan requiring heavy inspections for aging Beechcraft Baron.

AOPA PILOT • T–11 • FEBRUARY 2012

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AOPA PILOT • 5 • DECEMBER 2010
 TURBINEPILOT
A S PEC I A L S EC T I O N FO R T HE T U RB INE OWNER - PILOT

Fueling traps
The crew is ultimately responsible BY CYRUS SIGARI

I
’ll be the first to admit that I’ve been 100LL-powered aircraft as turbine opera- up until we’d burned off enough fuel.
a bit lazy during an aircraft fueling or tors still fuel Jet-A powered aircraft using 3. Have the linemen find some large
two. The fact is that airplanes have self-serve fuel pumps. buckets and manually drain the
caught on fire, run out of fuel, received Always supervise fuelers. It’s easy to get fuel tanks using the fuel drains until
contaminated fuel, or been overfueled complacent when it comes to supervis- we had emptied out enough fuel.
countless times because of improper ing fueling of your aircraft. I was flying a 4. Leave our two least-favorite passen-
management and oversight of aircraft Citation CJ3 with a friend from California gers behind.
fueling by the flight crew. Here are two to Florida with a stop in central Kansas. As we were in no rush, and we cer-
recent experiences that emphasize crew When we deplaned at our fuel stop, the tainly weren’t going to break the rules nor
responsibilities when fueling aircraft. other pilot and I discussed the fuel load- hurt anyone’s feelings, we decided to go
Inspect the fuel gun and look for the ing and gave it to the fueler. As we had with option three. Thankfully, the FBO
emergency shutoff before you start. In a full load of people onboard, we didn’t had a number of large 15-gallon tubs that
September 2010 I was getting ready to have the luxury of topping off, so we gave could be used to capture the fuel once we
compete in the U.S. National Aerobatic a very specific fuel order that would keep activated the fuel drains. With the tubs
Championships. I joined my coach and a us under maximum gross takeoff weight placed under each wing, and the drain
number of other competitors for a train- for our next leg. We went inside the FBO valves locked open (by pushing the valve
ing camp in El Reno, Oklahoma. On the to use the facilities, check weather for open and twisting one-quarter turn), we
last flight of the second day of training, our next leg, and grab that obligatory were pleasantly surprised by how quickly
I pulled up to the fuel pump to top off chocolate chip cookie sitting on the the tubs were filling up. About 10 minutes
my Pitts S–2C. My coach and a number FBO counter. By the time we got back after we started the draining process, we
of the other competitors had joined me at outside we were surprised to find that were exactly at our desired fuel state.
the fuel pump and started the postflight the fueler had overfueled us by about Don’t get lazy. How carefully you man-
critique process while I was fueling. 60 gallons or about 400 pounds, which age your fueling experience can set the
As I realized that I was approaching put us well over gross. After the wave of tone for the success or failure of your next
full fuel, I released the fuel trigger expect- anger/embarrassment passed over us, it flight. Don’t take it lightly.
ing the pump to stop. To my surprise the was time to figure out what to do:
pump continued to run, so much so that 1. Pretend the overfueling didn’t Cyrus Sigari is president and co-founder
when the fuel tank hit full, a two-foot gey- happen, and take off over gross. of jetAVIVA in Santa Monica, California.
ser of fuel shot out of the fuel filler hole, 2. Fire up the airplane, taxi to the run-up He is a type-rated instructor pilot in the
soaking me, the airplane, and the people area, and sit with the throttles powered CE-510, CE-525, EMB-500, and EA-500.
around me. Not knowing what to do with
a fuel gun that was stuck on, I pulled the
gun out of the tank and gently placed it
on the ground to avoid causing a spark. I
ran to the fuel pump station about 20 feet
away in search of the emergency shut-off
switch, which I activated immediately. I
was in shock and I was doused in 100LL.
The smallest of sparks would have set my
airplane and me ablaze.
A loose screw in the fuel gun trigger
mechanism had jammed the fuel trigger.
Now I always inspect the fuel gun and
look for the emergency shutoff switch
before starting a manual fueling pro-
cess. This lesson is not limited to pilots of

AOPA PILOT • T–13 • FEBRUARY 2012

TURBINEPILOT
VALUE. PERSONALIZED. FRIENDLY.

Iced up and fast

Contaminated wing equals fast approach
BY NEIL SINGER

W
inter operations in light jets by the presence of residual ice, so must
present a series of problems VREF be increased. A higher approach
not encountered during fair speed logically means more runway will
weather. Most are related to the chance be needed to stop the aircraft.
of encountering in-flight icing, and the Making matters worse, in some cases
associated risks of operating a contami- a reduced flap setting is mandated when
nated aircraft. Even the systems that are landing with airframe ice, causing a fur-
designed to protect the pilot from icing ther increase in VREF. This partial-flaps
hazards can present their own complica- setting is used to protect against the
tions to flight planning; the stall protection possibility of a tailplane stall; higher
system can be one such example. flap extensions increase the work the Business Jet Training
Both the Embraer Phenom 100 and horizontal stabilizer must do, as well as
Cessna Citation Mustang use inflatable increase the angle of attack encountered Beechjet 400
deicing boots on the leading edge of the by the tail. Both increase the risk of a Hawker Beech 400XP
wing and tail to remove ice; both also tailplane stall, so the increased landing Mitsubishi MU-300
lower the angle of attack at which the speed of a partial-flap landing is some- Hawker 400/700/800/800XP
stall warning system will activate. This times deemed an acceptable tradeoff. Citation I/II/SII/V
means the aural stall warning will acti- Looking at some examples of the Citation Bravo/Encore/Ultra
vate at a higher speed than usual. effect of “ice speeds” on performance
Citation CJ/CJ1/CJ2/CJ3
In the case of the Phenom, the higher calculations, a Mustang landing at a
Learjet 20/30/55
stall speeds are kept for only as long as sea-level airport at 0 degrees Celsius
the boots are actively running. Because and max landing weight will see the Eclipse 500
of this, the pilot is not to turn off the approach speed rise from 94 KIAS to 112 Falcon 20
boots until all ice is off the aircraft, even KIAS, and the runway required increases Westwind I/II
if the boots are no longer needed. For the from 2,290 feet to 2,780 feet. A Phenom Dornier 328 Jet
Mustang, the stall protection remains 100 in the same situation will have VREF
in “ice mode” even after the boots are increase from 101 KIAS to 124 KIAS, and Turbo ro Training
Turboprop Trainin
deactivated, and the pilot must use minimum runway increase from 2,699
another switch to disable the higher stall feet to 4,408 feet. These increased run- Pilatus PC-12
speed warnings. This also is only allowed way numbers are only an effect of the Socata TBM 700/850
when the aircraft is clear of ice. higher approach speed; they still are Piper Meridian
This early stall warning has an effect predicated on a dry runway surface. JetPROP DLX
on landing performance. Approach Of course, if the aircraft has ice on it
King Air 90/100/200/300/350
speeds in jets are flown at or above VREF, during approach and landing, there is a
Cessna 425/441 Conquest
which is calculated based on the actual chance the runway could be contami-
aircraft landing weight so as to provide a nated. If this is the case, things get much Mitsubishi MU2
30-percent margin over stall speed. As the worse very quickly. Runway required Turbo Commander
presumed stall speed has been increased for a light jet can increase to more than Cheyenne I/II/IIXL/III/400
8,000 feet with the Jetstream 41
combination of higher Saab 2000
approach speed and
the reduced brak-
ing of a quarter-inch
Piston Training
g
of snow on the run- Beech Baron/Duke
way—making most Twin Cessna 300/400
GA airports unsuit- Piper Malibu/Matrix/Mirage
able for landing, and
Piper Navajo/Mojave/Seneca
requiring careful pre-
flight planning. Aerostar
Piper Saratoga
Neil Singer is a Mas-
ter CFI and a mentor
pilot in Cessna and
Embraer light jets. 866.272.8618
AOPA PILOT • T–14 • FEBRUARY 2012 simulator.com
© 2011 SIMCOM Training Centers. All rights reserved.
 1,500 FT. ON DOWNWIND.
RUNAWAY TRIM.

SECONDS TO REACT.

-Dr.
--D
Dr.r. A
Alfred
lfrre
lfre
lf ed T
Tr
Tria
ria
ia and
annd
d his
hiis
h is daughter
daau
ugh
ghtte
er T
Ta
Taylor
ayl
yloorr
Kiin
K
King
ngg Air
Airr O
Owner/Pilot,
wn
w ne
err/
/P
Pil
ilo
ott, SIMCOM
SIMC
SI
SIMC
MCOOMM Custome
Cus
ust
sto
tome
mer

“I’m alive today and so is my family because of

of the
training I received at SIMCOM.”
“When we experienced electric trim runaway and a strong
pitch-up in our F90 King Air so close to the ground, I had
seconds to react to keep the airplane under control. Because ause
I had practiced this failure in the simulator at SIMCOM, I kneww
what to do. With my family on board and my daughter helping ng
with control forces from the right seat, we quickly and correctly
ctly
stabilized the condition and landed. Practicing in the simulatoror
what you can’t in the actual airplane is the life-saving value off
turboprop training at SIMCOM. It’s what saved us on that day.” y.” VALUE. PERSONALIZED. FRIENDLY.

At SIMCOM, training is not just about “checking the box.”

It’s
t’s about preparing pilots for real world flight operations.

View a video of Dr. Tria describing their

in-flight experience at simulator.com.
866.272.8618
© 2011 SIMCOM Training Centers. All rights reserved.
 TURBINEPILOT

LOGBOOKENTRY | COMMENTARY BY RANDY GROOM

PRESIDENT, GROOM AVIATION LLC

What buyers want

W hat do turbine aircraft King Airs or any of the jets. Even so, many pilots and
most corporate flight departments at that time were
buyers consider when holding firm to the requirement for twin-engine
redundancy in a turbine aircraft.
evaluating one aircraft versus There was another big motivator on the minds of
many turbine aircraft prospects: the idea that they
another? My experience sug- could buy a turbine airplane for under a million dol-
lars. This ambitious concept, chiefly pioneered by
gests that motivations have Eclipse, captured the imagination of thousands of
would-be turbine buyers. Other start-up manufac-
changed over time and will Randy Groom turers attempted to jump on the same bandwagon.
has more than But the cost of developing and manufacturing a new
continue to evolve. 10,000 flight
hours.
aircraft set in and these new start-ups flamed out,
leaving a trail of disillusioned investors and order
When I was a young pup working for Beech in the holders. The damage that was done by this unfor-
1980s, I attended various sales schools and had access to some tunate chapter has left a hefty (and perhaps appropriate) dose
great mentors. The schools outlined that selling was pretty cut of skepticism of all new aircraft start-ups.
and dried. An aircraft’s value could be graphically presented, Apart from the very light jet (VLJ) debacle, the first decade
with price on the X axis and a composite of speed, range, and of the new millennium started out with a bang. The entire
cabin size on the Y axis. Wow, that seemed easy—too easy. My industry was soaring to new heights, and turbine aircraft of all
mentors said that there were a lot more emotional triggers at segments were selling well. Then, of course, the curtain fell in
work, such as ramp presence, image, and, of course, percep- 2008. Backlogs started to evaporate, and light and mid-size jets
tions of safety. Here’s the surprising thing: Fuel efficiency wasn’t stopped selling. Washington made matters worse by demoniz-
mentioned as a priority. “Turbine buyers don’t care about fuel ing corporate aircraft. But interestingly, turboprop sales—both
burn,” was the common refrain from the experienced salesmen. singles and twins—held on. Buyer motivations were changing
In the early 1990s, however, things started to change. More to place greater value on operating costs and efficiency. And
and more owner pilots were moving up from piston engine many corporations wanted to get away from the negative
airplanes to turboprops and light jets. These new customers stigma associated with corporate jet ownership.
did seem to care about fuel burn. That was helpful to those So what is the outlook for the future? As the United States and
of us selling turboprops. But then Cessna answered with the much of the global economy continues to struggle, buyers will
Williams-powered CJ series and seriously narrowed the gap in clearly focus on getting the most value for their aircraft invest-
fuel efficiency and operating costs. ment. Efficiency and operating costs will play a larger role in
Then, in the mid-1990s, things got even more complicated aircraft selection, along with the traditional measures of price,
with the growing acceptance of the single-engine turboprops. speed, range, and cabin size. This will create opportunities for
As a King Air salesman at the time, I recall being very dismis- those aircraft manufacturers that can squeeze the most aero-
sive of the relevance of these new entrants. After all, who in the dynamic and powerplant efficiency out of their products. It will
world would spend $2 million to $3 million for an aircraft with also create a real opening for the introduction of a single-engine
only one engine? I recall one King Air demo where we took a jet, propelled by the increasing acceptance of single-engine tur-
prospect considering a single-engine turboprop out over the boprops. This is a tough time for the general aviation industry.
ocean. Then we shut one engine down and said, “OK, now But for those manufacturers that have the vision and commit-
where would you be if this happened to you in your Pilatus or ment to invest now in new, efficient aircraft, the future will be
TBM 700?” incredibly bright.
Well, it turned out that was rather poor salesmanship. That
customer bought the Pilatus, and the single-engine turboprops Randy Groom has more than 30 years’ experience in the general
continued to carve out larger chunks of the market. In fact, they aviation industry and has been on the senior leadership teams at
seemed to be expanding the overall market as many new buy- Beechcraft, Piper, and Piedmont Hawthorne Aviation. He is the
ers were showing up that we had never even heard of before. president of Groom Aviation LLC, a consulting firm exclusively
The singles were offering customers the ability to enjoy tur- focused on GA. He is the proud owner of a Beech Bonanza and
bine aircraft reliability and safety, but with lower fuel burns than an Aviat Husky.

AOPA PILOT • T–16 • FEBRUARY 2012

 PAY UP
mary icon

ernate Icon
ed in places where we
nt to recognize AOPA
cause the connection
y not be evident)

User-fee proposals keep turning up

BY SARAH BROWN

I
magine paying $25 per landing, $15 for a flight service The United States’ aviation system relies primarily on
briefing, or $50 to utilize an ILS approach. With avia- a time-tested system of excise taxes, with a smaller con-
tion user fees, any stage of flight could have a price tribution from the general fund. Those taxes—currently
tag. In countries around the world, this system of 19.3 cents per gallon of avgas and 21.8 cents per gallon of
charges for use of the airspace system has piggybacked on noncommercial Jet A—are included in the amount charged
taxes to make flying prohibitively expensive. Some pilots for fuel, and that revenue goes directly to the federal gov-
stop flying. Some fly less. Some never learn to fly at all. ernment, without a costly bureaucracy to administer fees.

Plus— View the video.

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY CHRIS ROSE AOPA PILOT • 41 • FEBRUARY 2012

These taxes are easy to collect and enabled more charges on users of the to administer and collect the money
provide an equitable distribution of system. And fuel taxes began to creep than what they actually get back in.”
costs—if you fly farther, you use more higher, too, so pilots ended up paying The change provides relief for
fuel and pay more in taxes. GA groups both ways. pilots who don’t fly frequently, but it
even have agreed to an increase in the Now, in addition to the fees asso- only helps to a point: As soon as $501
tax rate to ensure that GA continues to ciated with their flights, pilots pay accrues, a pilot owes the full $501. And
pay its fair share to keep the airspace for everything from having a medical now that the collection bureaucracy
system running smoothly. But user-fee certificate processed (in addition to has been established, it’s unlikely Aus-
proposals keep turning up. the doctor’s fee) to renewing a secu- tralia will shed its elaborate system of
Proposals to add these new charges rity access card for certain airports. fees. “The damage has already been
to the mix have resurfaced many times For many, it’s simply too much. “They done,” Reiss said.
over the last two decades, each time look at it and they say, ‘All this is get-
warded off by the efforts of AOPA, oter ting too expensive,’ and so they quit Threats at home
aviation organizations, pilots, and allies flying,” Reiss said. While Australian pilots have been coping
in Congress. But the threat continues: Australian GA groups are now with the reality of a user-fee system, GA
With the U.S. national debt climb- focused on either curbing the grow- pilots in the United States have fought to
ing above $15 trillion, lawmakers have ing bureaucracy or circumventing it in keep the blight from our shores. User-fee
recently been under pressure to find proposals have taken many forms over
new revenue sources. For those who the years, put forth by presidents from
don’t understand the contributions of both parties, and others—including at
GA or the potentially devastating effects one time the FAA itself. The most vocal
of burdening the industry with large proponent of user fees recently has been
new costs, aviation is an appealing tar- Even if many GA the White House.
get. AOPA remains vigilant against new
proposals, working on Capitol Hill and flights initially were President Barack Obama’s budget
request for 2010 proposed $9.6 billion
throughout the nation to make sure GA’s
voice is heard.
exempt from the fee, in new user fees in 2011, increasing to
$11 billion by 2014. Congress roundly

The fees down under

the bureaucracy that rejected the proposal; more than 100
members of Congress told the presi-
In Australia, pilots pay by the mile for
air traffic control services, and are
would administer, dent in a letter that the policy would
be a “nonstarter,” and authorization
billed for each landing or practice collect, and process bills passed by the House and Senate
approach. AOPA-Australia President eschewed user fees in favor of estab-
Phillip Reiss said an hour-and-a-half fees could easily lished fuel taxes.
flight in a Cessna 182 might gener- The administration’s 2011 budget
ate $23.50 Australian (about $24.05) expand them to other request left out any mention of user
in ATC service charges—in addition fees, but that didn’t mean the idea
to the landing fees assessed by indi- types of aviation. had been put to rest: The President’s
vidual airports. On a recent flight to Plan for Economic Growth and Defi-
renew his instrument rating in the cit Reduction, submitted to the Joint
Piper Twin Comanche he flies for busi- Select Committee on Deficit Reduction
ness, he used the ILS at Tamworth in or “Super Committee,” outlined a pro-
central New South Wales but did not order to continue flying. Pilots who fly posal “to establish a new mandatory
land; he later received a bill for $56.87, for pleasure have found respite in the surcharge for air traffic services. This
he said—plus a 10-percent tax on the less-regulated and less-costly realm of proposal would create a $100-per-
fee, bringing the total to $62.50. recreational and sport aviation; while flight fee, payable to the FAA, by
How did Australian aviation get to regular GA flight hours have decreased, aviation operators who fly in con-
the point where even government fees membership in Recreational Aviation trolled airspace.”
have surtaxes? When the government Australia (RA-Aus), an organization T h i s p ro p o s a l w o u l d e x e m p t
replaced much of the fuel levy with whose mission is to “foster, encourage military aircraft, public aircraft, recre-
user fees in the 1990s, many pilots wel- and develop safe Recreational Aviation ational piston aircraft, air ambulances,
comed the change: Why not shift the in Australia with minimum bureau- aircraft operating outside of controlled
burden of paying for air traffic control, cracy and minimum cost,” grew from airspace, and Canada-to-Canada
they reasoned, to people who used the 3,600 in the mid-1990s to more than flights, but the vagueness of the word-
services the most? The fuel tax—at the 9,600 in 2011. ing could leave most GA operators
time, more than 50 cents a gallon— AOPA-Australia scored a significant vulnerable. “Controlled airspace”
would virtually disappear, ostensibly victory for GA overall in 2011 when the could refer to anywhere one might
making flying more feasible for the government changed its system of en be subject to air traffic control. And
average aviator. route charges to exempt pilots from the idea of exempting “recreational
Not so, Reiss explained. “Bureau- the charges if they accrue less than piston aircraft” introduces a level of
cracies grow, and so the costs grow,” $500 per year. AOPA-Australia was bureaucracy beyond even the landing
he said. The bureaucracy that was able to negotiate the concession, Ross tally and mile count seen in Australia:
established to collect and bill flights explained, because “it costs them more Someone would have to determine

AOPA PILOT • 42 • FEBRUARY 2012

the purpose of each flight and bill for
it accordingly.
Even if many GA flights initially were
exempt from the fee, the bureaucracy
that would administer, collect, and
process fees could easily expand them Pilot Says Claroxan Has Sharpened
to other types of aviation—and other Albert Miller - Retired Army Sergeant
His Short and Long Range Vision

“I
services. If the government already noticed Albert Miller is a retired Army sergeant. I decided to get right back on the Claroxan
tracks how many landings you make, when He has been a faithful Claroxan user program. Soon after, I got signed off to
for seven years. We took some time
what’s to stop it from charging for turning base to talk to the 60-year-old aviator about operate a complex, high-performance
airplane. It was quite different from the
each one? And the charges could grow. I could pick his experience with Claroxan, the once planes I had own. So much was going
Additional fees would bypass the con- up the VASI
daily tablet for vision improvement. on and the plane ew so much faster,
much easier...” I have been ying for eight years. I am a by the time I had a chance to process
gressional budgeting process, allowing private pilot working on my instrument anything other than just ying the air-
rating. I carry a third-class medical and plane, my instructor and I were 20 miles
the new bureaucracy to charge more y for the joy of ying. I feel that taking from the eld. Luckily, since I had been
without a vote in Congress. Claroxan has sharpened my short and taking Claroxan I could pick up ground
long distance vision. It has also helped reference points to orient myself to go
As the Super Committee reviewed my peripheral vision, which is instru- to the practice area, or make it back to
the president’s and other lawmakers’ mental in picking up relative objects at the eld.
night. Here is the way I see it: I don’t care When returning to the eld for landings,
proposals for reducing the deficit, how good your vision is, it can always Claroxan helped me big time. I noticed
AOPA worked to arm key members of get sharper. when turning base I could pick up the
Congress with the facts about avia- I knew it was really working for me VASI much easier and knew which
when I had to discontinue using it. I had adjustments I was going to have to
tion user fees. Dozens of members of to take some medication, and to err on make on nal. After making the turn to
the safe side I decided to stop using my nal approach, I was consistently on
the House GA Caucus, more than 100 daily dose of Claroxan. After 60 days a better glide path and didn’t have to
members of Congress, and 23 sena- without it, I noticed a dramatic drop make as many pitch and power adjust-
in my long-range visual acuity. Read- ments to maintain the red over white
tors signed three separate letters to the ing and picking up ground reference descent glide path.
committee or the president warning of points from the air were much harder Thanks Pacic Health,
than before. Albert Miller – Vancouver, WA
the crippling effect of per-flight user
fees, and a broad coalition of aviation
organizations cautioned that propos-
Call 855.820.4055 or visit www.CLAROXAN.com to learn more.
Copyright ©2012 Pacic Health, Inc. All Rights Reserved. www.PacHealth.com
als to increase charges on all aspects of These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.
This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
aviation “would lead to significant job
loss across all sectors of the industry
and the nation.”
2JQVQITCRJD[$QD4WDKPQ

The Super Committee failed to

produce a deficit-reduction proposal
ő4GſPGF[GVDTWVKUJŒ #12#1PNKPG
by its November 2011 deadline, butSharper.indd 1
Always Get 12/13/11 10:20:55 AM
pressures to find new revenue sources
remain. User-fee proposals are bound
to resurface. As of December, the
House and Senate had yet to agree on
a long-term FAA reauthorization bill,
and the Obama administration’s next
budget is set to be released in Febru-
ary. Hopefully neither will contain
proposals for damaging user fees, but
AOPA is preparing for the possibility.
The specifics of proposals vary, but
the effects are the same: User fees
would cripple GA with untenable costs
and create a federal collection bureau-
cracy that is bound to grow. AOPA
1.800.474.9714
www.GCA.aero

continually works to educate lawmak-

ers and opinion leaders about GA’s 1.3
million jobs, $150 billion yearly con-
tribution to the U.S. economy, and
the potentially devastating effects of
stifling GA activity with excess charges.
A strong understanding of GA among
lawmakers will continue to help for-
tify GA against the next user-fee threat,
from wherever it may come.

Email the author at sarah.brown@

aopa.org.

AOPA PILOT • 43 • FEBRUARY 2012

GCA-11-022.OneSixthHorizontal.indd 1 12/27/11 11:34 AM
 Plus— View the video.

AOPA PILOT • 44 • FEBRUARY 2012

 BUDGET BUY

Q CL ASSIC A LLY

UICK

The Mooney M20E is a

good performer at a good price
BY IAN J. TWOMBLY

S
ince its beginnings, the Mooney name has been synonymous
with speed. Pilots like to go fast, and Mooney marketing knew
that—and has played up the speed credentials for practically
every airplane to ever come out of the Kerrville, Texas, factory. But
today is a different day. The factory is more or less closed, the painful

PHOTOGRAPHY BY CHRIS ROSE

AOPA PILOT • 45 • FEBRUARY 2012

Under the category of “beauty is in the eye of
the beholder,” styling and some functions on
the old Mooneys are either unique and quaint
or annoying and dated.

reminder of a once-in-a-century reces- Most recently—that would be four years

sion. Our go-fast, spend-fast culture ago—Mooney only produced long-body
has been ousted and replaced with the models. But in the 1960s, it offered both
words of politicians such as austerity the short body and long body. The M20E
measures and debt ceiling. Now it’s cool was the powerful short-body version, but
to talk about low fuel burn and miles per as a result of some design tradeoffs, they tificated competition and there’s no
gallon—in an airplane! Ironically, old are a great value in today’s market. question it wins in the performance
Mooneys are still relevant, even in this Mooney’s speedy M20E should have category. We flew Jens Scott’s 1964 M20E
monetarily induced malaise. The four- been nicknamed the “Yeah, but.” It is for this report. Scott bought his airplane
decades-old Mooney M20E (and most fast, almost surprisingly so. It is also very a little more than a year and a half ago
of the other Mooneys, for that matter) is efficient. Yeah, but, it’s fairly tight inside. for $58,000. For that he got an airplane
a modern efficiency champion. Yeah, but, there are a few expensive with original paint and interior, but an
The Mooney M20E is a 200-horse- maintenance issues. Yeah, but, they are updated panel with an S-Tec autopilot,
power, fuel-injected, four-seat version somewhat pricey for what you get. Yeah, Garmin GNS530, and digital engine ana-
of the company’s “short-body” models. but, there are a few basic design flaws. If lyzer. His airplane also has pretty much
Mooney took the popular concept of you can get past the “yeah, but,” it is an every speed mod you can get, with the
one wing design and one or two fuselage exceptional performer and at the top of exception of a few gap seals. A more
options with different engines to the the pack when it comes to going fast on typically equipped M20E from that era
extreme. Look at a Mooney on the ramp the least amount of fuel. goes for around $36,000.
and it’s sometimes hard to tell if it’s two With all this Scott says he pulls the
years old or 20. That one wing has more or The good power way back and plans on 145 knots
less been the mainstay of the entire line. Start to compare the M20E to its cer- while burning 7.5 gallons per hour.

AOPA PILOT • 46 • FEBRUARY 2012

Those numbers are so silly they seem
made up, and perhaps they are. We SPECSHEET
couldn’t reach that on our test flight, 1964 Mooney M20E
but we were at gross weight, down low, Price when new: $18,450 Price as tested: $58,000
and it was a warm day. In those con-
ditions we were seeing more like 135 Specifications
knots on 7.5 gallons an hour. Either Powerplant ...........................Lycoming IO-360-AIA @ 65% power, best economy, 7,500 ft..................
way, those are great numbers and result Recommended TBO ............................. 2,000 hr ...................... 150 kt/4.2 hr (65 pph/10.9 gph)
in about 18 nautical miles per gallon in Propeller .......Two-blade Hartzell constant speed @ 55% power, best economy, 7,500 ft ...............
a no-wind situation. Length.......................................................23 ft 2 in .........................141 kt/5.1 hr (56 pph/9.3 gph)
It’s surprising that Scott, the owner Height ......................................................... 8 ft 4 in Landing distance over 50-ft obstacle .... 1,550 ft
of a racetrack and a former profes- Wingspan......................................................... 35 ft Landing distance, ground roll......................595 ft
sional race-car driver, would fly at such Wing area ................................................. 172 sq ft
a leisurely pace, but it does help to keep Wing loading....................................... 14.9 lb/sq ft Limiting and Recommended Airspeeds
noise in the cockpit down (a common Power loading ....................................... 12.8 lb/hp V X (best angle of climb)..............................70 KIAS
complaint of passengers, he says), and Seats...................................................................... 4 V Y (best rate of climb)................................91 KIAS
obviously he’s burning less fuel. There Empty weight, as tested .......................... 1,681 lb VA (design maneuvering) ....................... 115 KCAS
is another reason to fly slower, however. Max gross weight...................................... 2,575 lb VFE (max flap extended) ........................... 87 KCAS
The M20E has the odd paradox of want- Useful load, as tested ................................. 894 lb VLE (max gear extended)........................ 104 KCAS
ing to spend most of its life in the yellow Payload w/full fuel, as tested..................... 582 lb VLO (max gear operating)
arc. Push the airplane up past 20 inches Fuel capacity, std............... 52 gal (52 gal usable) Extend.................................................. 104 KCAS
down low, and you will accelerate— 312 lb (312 lb usable) Retract ................................................. 104 KCAS
Baggage capacity ........................................ 120 lb VNO (max structural cruising).................130 KCAS
VNE (never exceed) ................................. 164 KCAS
Jens Scott’s M20E is a study in contrasts.
The modern panel (upper left) and the new Performance VS1 (stall, clean)..........................................67 KIAS
cowling (below) seem at odds with the Takeoff distance, ground roll....................... 760 ft VSO (stall, in landing configuration)...........57 KIAS
vintage step crank to the left of the pilot Takeoff distance over 50-ft obstacle ..... 1,300 ft
(left). Rate of climb, sea level........................ 1,120 fpm
Max level speed, 2,500 ft........................... 168 kt All specifications are based on manufacturer’s
Cruise speed/endurance w/45-min rsv, std fuel calculations. All performance figures are based
@ 75% power, best economy, 7,500 ft ............... on standard day, standard atmosphere, sea level,
........................ 159 kt/3.7 hr (73 pph/12.2 gph) gross weight conditions unless otherwise noted.

AOPA PILOT • 47 • FEBRUARY 2012

You have to look no further than the small Power Boost lever below the panel (above) to see tic about seeing it done well, although
evidence of Mooney’s obsession with speed. The straight wing tips and rectractable step those looking for modern conveniences
are two signature old-school Mooney traits (upper and lower right). might think otherwise.

The bad
And then there are the “yeah, but” things
quickly—into the yellow. In fact, at full out of room before you run out of useful you can’t ignore, the most critical of
throttle and level flight, we were pushing load.” He’s developed an expert’s touch which is probably space. If you are sit-
redline while flying at 2,500 feet. Clearly at packing for longer trips, even going so ting in the front seat with someone
you could fly all day long in the yellow far as to seek out perfectly sized pieces behind you and you are anything above
arc, and it’s not as if Mooneys are out of luggage that fit snugly like a puzzle. average height, you will be jamming
there shedding parts, but it’s a bit of an His airplane has a useful load of approxi- your knees into the panel. The back seats
uneasy feeling nonetheless. mately 900 pounds. That allows for four aren’t much better. Scott says the air-
That abundance of power also makes adults while carrying less fuel, two plane has a 200-mile fun radius. That’s
itself evident in the climb. When his adults and two children almost anytime, the distance he can take his friends and
airplane is light, Scott says he can eas- and two adults and lots of bags with full family where they still think it’s really
ily reach 1,500 feet per minute off the fuel. But considering the low fuel burn cool and don’t mind being squished.
runway, and average 1,000 feet per and 52 gallons, there’s no doubt it will fly Beyond that, however, the water at the
minute to 10,000 feet. In our test, we longer than you can sit in the seat. beach just isn’t as inviting.
were climbing solidly at 1,000 feet per Under the category of “beauty is in Published dimensions can be terribly
minute off the runway. He also says he the eye of the beholder,” styling and misleading, though. Most people would
can, “Fly as high as I want.” And forget some functions on the old Mooneys are consider the Bonanza to be pretty large
about the cooling problems of other air- either unique and quaint or annoying inside, but headroom can be an issue
planes with this sort of speed. We were and dated. There are curtains on the side for some. Likewise, the short-body
showing cylinder head temperatures of windows, and a step that retracts with a Mooneys are almost the same length as
around 300 degrees. Scott says the only hand crank. The gear is operated manu- the early Cherokees, but you don’t hear
concern is an occasional high oil tem- ally via a swinging lever called a Johnson too many people complaining about
perature, which comes down easily with bar. Raising the gear makes the pilot look those. The only way to know how well
a cruise climb at 115 knots. If he needs as if he’s operating a steam engine. A big you will fit is to sit in one. Keep an open
more power, Scott can engage the Power swinging motion takes the large lever mind and you may be surprised.
Boost, a knob below the panel that, from flat on the floor between the front Looking on the bright side, you’ll
when pulled, allows air to bypass the seats to sitting in a clip vertically under likely fit better after your maintenance
filter. The result is a one-inch increase in the panel. Good operators can get this costs thin your wallet. Like many older
manifold pressure, and bragging rights. done in one big swoop. Newbies struggle airplanes, the M20E has its problems.
Useful load is another area where the against the air pressure and curse the One of the worst gremlins is the propel-
airplane is strong. Scott says, “You run thing. There’s something almost roman- ler hub airworthiness directive. If the

AOPA PILOT • 48 • FEBRUARY 2012

AOPA PILOT • 49 • FEBRUARY 2012
propeller is the stock two-blade Hartzell, Some people also have trouble landing The market
it requires an eddy current inspection with the rubber doughnut gear. If you There are a number of M20Es on the
every 100 hours. Assuming your shop come in fast and force it on the runway, market in a wide range of conditions.
can perform this, it’s not too expensive, the airplane can bounce and get into If you’re looking for a fixer-upper,
but it’s obvious how it could become a pilot-induced oscillations, although you can find one of them for around
hassle. Big-ticket items include leaking seemingly not as easily as the long-body $25,000. The average asking price is
fuel tanks and corrosion. versions. roughly $52,000 with standard radios
It’s not uncommon for the old wet- The rubber doughnut gear is one and a T-configuration panel. According
wing tanks to seep, weep, or leak. Having of the many styling points unique to to Vref (www.aopa.org/members/vref ),
them resealed is many thousands of Mooneys. The vertical tail is another. an early M20E with standard radios, no
dollars, and not exactly optional main- When you see a stock M20E on the speed mods, and a mid-time engine
tenance. Corrosion is an issue on all ramp it looks like a dated airplane. should fetch $36,000. A premium air-
older airframes, leaving you with the The large, open-mouth cowling and plane with a Garmin GNS530W, the
possibility of a scrapped airplane. Key the somewhat vertical windscreen are 201 windscreen, and a nice autopilot
to avoiding many of the expensive items throwbacks to another time. Thank- should be $52,000.
is a thorough prepurchase inspection. A fully, modifications to update the The Mooney is hard to put in a
few shops around the country special- windscreen and cowling are preva- class with competitors because it’s
ize in Mooneys, so it’s not a bad idea to lent. One of the most popular mods unlike most airplanes. It’s faster than
start there. is often called the “201 windscreen.” a Cherokee, Piper Arrow, Cessna Car-
It would be convenient to say the That refers to the fact that it’s designed dinal, or Cessna 182, but smaller than
M20E is a wonderful flying airplane after the Mooney M20J 201. It is a sin- a Bonanza F33. If speed and efficiency
that does justice to its good looks. But gle piece and has much greater slope are your goals, and space isn’t as much
the reality can be otherwise. Thanks than the original. of an issue, an M20E is hard to pass
to a unique curved aileron, the force The original panel is also consider- up. And besides, none of those other
required in roll is considerably higher ably dated. Its non-T layout and old airplanes is cool enough to have a
than you would expect. Some owners radios scream for an upgrade. And for power boost.
swap out ailerons for this reason, but whatever reason, many airplanes on the
for those airplanes that have the origi- market today feature somewhat ancient Email the author at ian.twombly@aopa.
nals, expect to build some muscles. panels. org.

Love it or hate it, the Johnson bar landing-gear control is a fixture in older Mooneys (below). It sits next to the hydraulic flap control, which
sticks below the panel. The easy access to baggage continues in the same form today (bottom right). The door handle was redesigned in
later models (below right), probably in an effort to wring out another knot.

AOPA PILOT • 50 • FEBRUARY 2012

AOPA PILOT • 51 • FEBRUARY 2012
 Proper
Percival Provost nglishman

An airplane that’s an
all-around good sport
BY DAVE HIRSCHMAN

T
he Percival Provost is an odd
object of anyone’s affection.
It’s big, ungainly, and impos-
ing—and it seems strangely in
conflict with itself. Does it mean to be
sleek and agile as its flat wings and big
ailerons suggest, or slow and awkward as
its fixed landing gear, open wheels, and
boxy canopy indicate?
For owner Mike Dale, however, such
contradictions are beside the point.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY CHRIS ROSE

AOPA PILOT • 52 • FEBRUARY 2012

AOPA PILOT • 53 • FEBRUARY 2012
 The former Royal Air Force cadet At Jaguar, he pioneered crossover The 550-horsepower, 4,300-pound
first soloed in a Provost in the early promotions between the automo- (max gross) piston Provost was designed
1950s, and that connection matters tive and general aviation industries. in 1948 to demand proper handling that
more than the airplane’s quirky shape He donated a new Jaguar for the EAA’s would indentify weak students right
or performance specs. Flying the Pro- Young Eagles auction, installed Jaguar away. By drumming them out of flight
vost marked a turning point in Dale’s interiors in Hawker Beechcraft King Airs, training early, the RAF focused scarce
life when he realized he could overcome and displayed Jaguars at EAA AirVenture resources on students more likely to
his doubts and fears, and do what others in Oshkosh in 1992—a practice that con- make it through the tough program.
told him he couldn’t. It showed him the tinues today with successor Ford Motor Dale made it, but not easily. He dam-
strength of his own will, and it’s a tangi- Co. aged the landing gear of a Provost during
ble reminder that real life can far exceed “It’s a common misperception that a flight with the training squadron com-
his own ambition and imagination. car companies sponsor aviation events mander and was told he’d be gone in two
“I was 18 years old, homesick and as some sort of charity,” he said. “Don’t weeks or less. His replacement instructor,
airsick, when I first encountered a Pro- believe it. I can tell you that Jaguar did Jaroslav Sodek, was a Czech RAF vet-
vost, and it used to terrify me,” says Dale, very well at Oshkosh. Our car sales eran of World War II and spoke English
76, in a melodious English accent that at the event more than paid for our poorly. But he went to bat for Dale and
remains prim and proper despite hav- sponsorship.” convinced higher powers that Dale had
ing lived in the United States for four Dale flew a Stearman to airshows what it took to successfully fly fighters.
decades. “Flying this airplane made me around the United States in the 1990s In the late 1980s, Dale began searching
believe, for the first time in my young and served on the EAA board of direc- for a Provost to buy, but few of the air-
life, that there was planes had survived
anything to me. It was in flying condition. He
my first real experi- finally found a proj-
ence at achieving ect—the last piston
something that I seri- Provost ever manufac-
ously doubted I could tured—and had it sent
do. It created a lifelong to Kampel Enterprises
hunger to re-create in Wellsville, Pennsyl-
that delightful, elusive, vania, in 1990. Larry
and fleeting sense of Kampel, renowned for
accomplishment.” Stearman restorations,
and his technicians
Grounded fabricated an almost
Dale was two weeks new aircraft during the
from becoming an next eight years. Each
active-duty fighter wing contains 30,000
pilot in de Havilland rivets, and the hard-
Vampires when he ware is a mix of metric
was suddenly stopped and English sizes.
by an insurmountable The quality and
medical obstacle. complexity of the
A genetic inner-ear workmanship is stun-
condition (since surgically repaired) For owner Mike Dale (above) the Provost ning, and Dale keeps a photo scrapbook
disqualified him from military flying. marked a turning point in his life and was of the airplane’s rebirth that documents
He was crestfallen but redirected the key to his future success. The restored the entire painstaking process.
his energy to the automotive industry, airplane is almost identical to the one in Dale’s wife, Mary, an enthusiastic
which he soloed as an RAF cadet. Flying
and that led to positions at the Don- proponent of his quixotic, costly, multi-
over the Virginia countryside (right).
ald Healey Co., British Motor Corp., year quest, had her name stenciled on
a move to the United States, and auto the right side of the aircraft, followed by
racing—where he became a production tors. Today he focuses on aviation the letters A.A.G.S., a designation that
car national champion in the 1970s. His endeavors closer to his home near Cul- stands for “All-Around Good Sport.”
success on the track and at motivating peper Airport (CJR) in rural Virginia, Dale has flown the airplane about 500
racing teams eventually brought him to where he helps organize the facility’s hours since its 1998 maiden flight, and
Jaguar, where his talents in marketing annual airshow. it was named a Reserve Grand Cham-
and business strategy propelled his rise pion that year, the first time it appeared
to president of Jaguar North America. He Provost production at AirVenture. His hangar at Culpeper is
retired in May 2000. Percival produced about 460 piston Pro- stocked with a supply of spare Provost
Dale began general aviation flying vosts, and they were used primarily in parts, and he habitually uses the Inter-
in the 1970s while still racing cars and the United Kingdom as military trainers net to troll the planet for more. When the
owned a Cessna 177RG, then a Stearman in the 1950s and 1960s. Then they were Irish air force retired its Provost fleet, he
biplane. He has logged about 3,500 civil- replaced by a jet version of the Provost purchased assorted parts that included
ian flight hours and earned instrument that was the mainstay of RAF training for extra cylinders, magnetos, air pumps, a
and multiengine ratings. the next 30 years. frame to make new canopies, and more.

AOPA PILOT • 54 • FEBRUARY 2012

AOPA PILOT • 55 • FEBRUARY 2012
 “I’ve got 10 sets of piston rings,” he Flying the Provost
Cockpit details including the canopy
said. “I think I have just about everything If the red, white, and blue rondel and jettison handle, throttle quadrant, and
I need to rebuild an engine if I have to.” ornate crown painted on the side of the leather stick grips (above, left to right)
There’s a Commemorative Air Force Provost aren’t enough to convey its Brit- are all refurbished original equipment. The
squadron at Culpeper, and Dale occa- ish origins, the words stenciled onto the draggy paned canopy and open wheels
sionally flies formation with the group’s wing for ground handlers provide more (opposite page) show the design wasn’t
T–6 and BT–13. Dale said the restoration clues. meant for high speed.
cost for the Provost was about four times “Do Not Tread Here” is painted next
his most pessimistic estimate. to the wing walk (instead of the shorter
“It was a ridiculous amount of money American “No Step”). And the relatively
to spend on something that’s a pure wordy phrase “Fill to Just Below Filler
amusement. But I don’t regret it. I have a Neck Only” warns not to overfill the
great time with this airplane. It suits me.” wing tanks.

AOPA PILOT • 56 • FEBRUARY 2012

 The geared Alvis Leonides radial Runway 4 and launches into a clear, cool the harsh conditions or rough use that it
engine turns a maximum 3,000 rpm sky. The Provost doesn’t require flaps for was designed to endure. Dale flirts with
with a reduction drive that reduces the takeoff, and a cruise climb with full fuel the temptation of someday owning a
constant-speed prop to 2,200 rpm. The and two people aboard nets 100 KIAS and Stearman again because he enjoys the
prop also turns the wrong way for Ameri- a climb rate of 1,000 fpm. historic, open-cockpit biplanes and the
cans, requiring left rudder on takeoff and “I could double the climb rate with full community of pilots and craftsmen that
during climb. Rudder trim is set slightly power and a steeper pitch attitude,” he animate such airplanes.
left, even in cruise, because the Leonides said. “But I want to baby this engine as “I came to flying because I love the
engine is more powerful than the origi- much as possible.” machines,” he said. “I stayed for the
nal, and the designers chose not to alter He climbs to 4,500 feet for a series of people.”
the fixed angle of the vertical stabilizer. loops and rolls.He enters rolling maneu- One of the many remarkable people
A full-swivel tailwheel and weak vers at 140 KIAS and looping ones at 160 Dale flew with was John Butterly, a for-
pneumatic brakes (that have a habit of KIAS. The airplane indicates 142 KIAS mer RAF instructor and a British Airways
overheating) require getting the tailwheel in high cruise, and 130 KIAS (and 25 Concorde pilot. When Butterly asked
off the ground quickly during takeoff. gph) at the economy setting. Stalls are Dale why he didn’t wear his RAF wings,
It’s a big step up to the wing, and step- straight ahead at 74 KIAS at idle power Dale told him about the medical issue
ping into the cockpit requires putting with flaps up. The roll rate at full deflec- that blocked him from completing flight
both feet on one of the side-by-side seats. tion is slightly more than 90 degrees per training just prior to graduation.

There’s a four-point harness, and a col- second, and the airplane has inverted Butterly told him he would have
orless steam-gauge cockpit with period fuel and oil systems that allow up to 30 received an “above average” rating on
directional gyros that turn the same way seconds of upside-down time. The push- his formation flying based on the multi-
as a wet compass, and cageable attitude rod ailerons and torque-tube elevator airplane flight they had just concluded.
indicators. A gauge in the top center of are silky smooth and well balanced, and A few weeks later, a package arrived at
the instrument panel shows the pneu- the authoritative rudder requires timely Dale’s home containing a certificate for
matic pressure available to operate the footwork to keep the ball in the center. meeting the standards required by the
flaps and brakes. The brakes are actuated The Provost flies 90 KIAS on final and 80 RAF and a set of actual wings. Dale now
by a bicycle-style hand grip on the stick. over the fence. The engine has an auto- wears them on his flight suit.
The RAF fighter tradition requires matic mixture control and requires no Dale’s Provost is the only one of only
pilots to know essential items by mem- adjustments. a half-dozen or so in airworthy condi-
ory, and all engine starts and pretakeoff With the prelanding checklist com- tion in the world. It’s the only one of its
items were done in quick succession. “In plete, Dale touches down smoothly on kind registered and flying in the United
a scramble, we didn’t use cockpit check- the main wheels at about 75 KIAS. He States, and he doubts anyone will build
lists,” Dale said, “and that carried over works the rudder actively as the airplane another because it makes no economic
throughout our training.” decelerates and applies brakes sparingly sense—and few share the personal his-
Dale has his own cheat sheets in the at about 20 knots. He uses about 2,500 tory with the design that he does.
cockpit, and his hands flow from left to feet of runway in a normal landing in “I have no inclination of ever selling
right as he primes the engine, rolls the calm winds. The sight of sunlight glinting the Provost because the airplane and its
canopy closed, and starts the Provost. from the silver wings and rondels makes restoration mean so much to me per-
Taxiing requires deft rudder taps and a lasting impression.“It’s a sight I never sonally,” he said. “It represents a pivotal
quickly clenching and releasing the hand tire of,” Dale says. point in my life. And on top of that, it’s a
brake. Dale is careful not to squeeze too damn fine airplane.”
often so that the brakes stay cool. One of a kind
Runup is conventional, and as soon The Provost receives loving care and Email the author at dave.hirschman@
as the oil is warm, Dale lines up with regular maintenance and isn’t subject to aopa.org.

AOPA PILOT • 57 • FEBRUARY 2012

FLYING WILD
ALASKA
IN

AOPA PILOT • 58 • FEBRUARY 2012

 Plus— View the video.

WHAT IF there was a

television show that show-
c a s e d g e n e ra l a v i a t i o n
flying? Maybe set in a rug-
ged place where pilots would
be challenged by weather,
treacherous terrain, lack of
amenities, and extreme cold?
And perhaps there’d be a lot of
drama because of the weather
challenges; a cool pilot, who is
their revered leader; a happy,
hardworking family; and
maybe some humor from an
offbeat heroine?
It’s been done.
A reality show showcases GA flying
BY JULIE SUMMERS WALKER
PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF DISCOVERY CHANNEL
AOPA PILOT • 59 • FEBRUARY 2012
 Flying Wild Alaska is Discovery Thanks to Ariel to swing onto (it was right in front of
Channel’s answer to an aviation prayer: Ariel, a bubbly, happy, star-struck her); she became a fan favorite because
a show that reveals the excitement, teenager in early 2005, headed to Hol- of her “where’s the pole?” episode.
drama, and community that exempli- lywood with a dream. She was playing Ariel and Baynard then put their
fies general aviation. But thanks really volleyball on Venice Beach when the skill heads together to create a reality show
have to go to that ditsy heroine—Ariel and antics of the athletic and beautiful for Ariel. For two years the pair pitched
Tweto—who, in her quest for a TV career, young girl caught the eye of the pro- show ideas with Ariel as the star, until
got her hardworking pilot-centric fam- ducer of the reality show Wipeout. Ariel Discovery Channel focused on Ariel’s
ily starring roles in one of Discovery was well known for her athletic prowess family background. It was the gritty
Channel’s most successful new shows. in Unalakleet. She was a wrestler (co-ed) reality of life and flying in Alaska that
It wraps up its second season in January. and won a district title. She played bas- attracted the network, says Discovery
Flying Wild Alaska chronicles the ketball across the United States and in Channel Vice President of Communica-
day-to-day life of the Tweto family in Europe. She was also a cheerleader and tions Joshua Weinberg. Ariel grabbed at
the remote Alaskan village of Unal- medaled in the Seal Hop, a native Alas- the opportunity and begged her father
akleet (population 700). Jim Tweto is kan event. She also wasn’t shy. to consider doing the program. Even
chief operating officer of Alaska’s larg-
est regional airline—Era Alaska. It’s a
commercial operation that employs
“Pretty soon I realized that if I wanted
more than 120 pilots and flies cargo, to explore [Alaska], I had to have an
groceries, pets, supplies, people—and
dead people—throughout northern airplane.” —Jim Tweto
Alaska. Its headquarters is at Ted Ste-
vens International Airport in Anchorage,
and Unalakleet is one of the hubs. The So producer Tommy Baynard asked though Jim and Ferno Tweto were hardly
company has more than 75 airplanes her to compete on Wipeout, an extreme the camera-seeking types, they agreed to
and handles everything from commuter “sports” show that puts contestants do the show for their daughter.
flights to off-airport bush flying. on a giant obstacle course with wacky “I’m a proud father,” says Jim Tweto.
The Tweto family—Jim, his wife, obstacles like huge mud-covered balls “I’ll do whatever I can for my daughter.”
Ferno, and daughters Ayla, Elaine, and and slippery ropes over slimy water.
Ariel—are pilots (Ariel is taking flight Ariel appeared, ran the obstacle course, A GA pilot
instruction during the second season) but was tripped up at the end when she Jim Tweto grew up in Minnesota play-
and all work for the company. couldn’t find the pole she was supposed ing hockey. He was good enough that
the University of Alaska offered him an
athletic scholarship. When he got to the
forty-ninth state, he fell in love. With
Alaska, with his future wife, and with the
best way to see the state—GA flying.
“The mystique of Alaska really got
me,” says Tweto, who learned to fly in
his early 20s. “I kept looking to the west
[from Anchorage] and thinking gee,
what’s over there? Pretty soon I realized
that if I wanted to explore, I had to have
an airplane.”
Looking west took him to Unalakleet,
where he met Ferno. Her father owned
a small airline in Unalakleet. But when
Tweto decided he wanted to stay in the
village, he started by building fishing
boats. He named his company Gussik
Ventures—gussik means “white person”
Jim Tweto’s in the Eskimo language. Tweto’s boats
relationship with were adopted by the locals, and in the
his exuberant 1980s he built nearly three-quarters of
daughter, Ariel,
the fishing boats in the region.
and their love of
flying are the basis In 1984, with his commercial cer-
for the popular tificate, Tweto started flying for Ferno’s
reality show. His father and, after the couple married,
favorite aircraft is they started their own company. With
his Cessna 180 just a Cessna 185 the young couple ran
(right), making a the company from their small apartment.
classic Alaskan In 1990 the Twetos merged with Hageland
off-airport landing. Aviation and then in 2008 with Era Alaska.

AOPA PILOT • 60 • FEBRUARY 2012

 With more than 30,000 hours, was the luckiest man that day—the ELT “I really had to emphasize that from
Tweto is an accomplished pilot. And, worked and everything happened the the beginning. And we had to review
although he can—and does—fly any- way it was supposed to after a crash,” everything. It was a little easier the sec-
thing in Era’s 70-aircraft fleet, his he says. He suffered a compression frac- ond season, because they understood
favorite is his Cessna 180. ture of his neck but was back at work in more, but it’s nice not having them here.
“The 180 is a nimble little airplane,” a couple of months. They’re all very nice people, but when
he says. “I fly it 300 to 400 hours survey- they leave I realize how much time they
ing for fish and game and really enjoy Is it real? take up,” he says. “I’m no different off
surveying for salmon at 200 to 300 feet. Although Tweto was willing to do what camera than on, and all of this is not that
It’s got big tires and a big engine so I can he could for his daughter, he was not exciting to me because I live it every day.
land pretty much anywhere I want.” willing to compromise the safety and After that first week, I never even saw the
Several years ago Tweto was flying reputation of Era and its pilots. The first cameras.”
solo and crashed his Super Cub. “It was season he spent a lot of his time explain- “We couldn’t do what we’re doing
a bad decision on my part, it was com- ing rules and regulations to the nonpilot without Jim,” says Co-Executive Pro-
placency. I miscalculated the ridge. I film crew. ducer Grady Candler. “It’s his knowledge

AOPA PILOT • 61 • FEBRUARY 2012

of what’s going on that makes this work.
Jim loves Alaska and loves what he does.
But I know he’d probably prefer not to
be on TV.”
In fact, both Ariel and Candler relay
stories of her parents traveling outside
of Unalakleet and being recognized by
people who have seen the show. It makes
both of them very uncomfortable.
“It amazes me. People every day
are emailing, calling, writing us. Older
people share their memories of Alaska.
I could spend hours on the phone lis-
tening to their stories. People have a
fascination with Alaska,” Tweto says.

Lights, camera, action

The camera is on the family and the pilots
24 hours a day during the filming, which
lasts about three months. The only time
the camera doesn’t record is when one
of the cast members uses the restroom.
Ariel—who is taking flight instruction in
this season’s episodes—says she’d retreat
to the restroom for a little cry sometimes
when she was frustrated after a challeng-
ing lesson. But being the only nonpilot in
her family hadn’t bothered her because,
with her father, she “always flew.”
“If you want to go anywhere in Alaska
you have to fly. I have been so lucky
because so many in my village never get
to go anywhere because they don’t have
the access like I do. And my dad and I
would fly and I’d say, Let’s stop down there
and see what’s there, and we could,” she
says.
Her instructor has been one of Era’s
pilots, John Ponts. “Pilots are such
characters,” she says. “Ponts is like my
brother.” (That’s for any of you viewers
who wondered about a possible romance
between Ariel and her instructor.)
The final show of the season, which
was to air on January 20, reveals whether
Ariel gets her certificate.

Life in Unalakleet
In addition to the flying, the pilots, and
Ariel, another star of the show is Unal-
akleet and its inhabitants. Jim Tweto is
passionate about the local community
and giving residents the opportunity to
fly for Era.
“Those who learn to fly are guaranteed
the chance to fly for us,” he says. “About
20 percent of our pilots are local. We put
the effort into the local guys because this
job is hard. Pilots have to be resourceful.
They’ll fly 100 miles and make five to six
stops to the villages. They’ll have to round
up the passengers, deal with weather, and John Ponts is one of Era’s 120-plus pilots and is Ariel Tweto’s flight instructor. He has been
always be thinking ahead.” quoted as saying the series is “airplane porn.”

AOPA PILOT • 62 • FEBRUARY 2012

 Era Alaska is the real deal, with more than 70
aircraft ranging from the de Havilland Dash-8
to the Beechcraft 1900D and 1900C, a
Cessna Caravan, and C-23 Sherpa. It carries
from one to 37 passengers and cargo up to
6,000 pounds. The airline serves some 100
communities across the state.

The pilots featured on the show were matches. The teachers fly, too,” Candler out here and on the traditions and
not prearranged. So much footage is says. “Then the pilots have to prepare conditions.”
filmed that the stories that emerge from for the cold, dark nights—it’s been “They tend to over-dramatize it a
the editing process determine who light for 24 hours and then they have little,” says Jim Tweto. But Candler says,
appears other than the Tweto family. to regain their night skills.” “They do it every day—like an ice river
Overseeing the content of the show, The aircraft are equipped with small landing—and we have to remind them
Candler is in the field the entire time “lipstick” cameras, but often a cam- it’s not routine.”
the show is filmed. Season one was eraman flies along. “Every seat costs Flying Wild Alaska is a hit with pilots
filmed from the end of August until the money. We don’t want to take money and nonpilots—and its most avid audi-
first week of December. The dramatic away from the airline,” Candler says. ence is men (it’s Discovery Channel’s
changes in the temperatures—from “The shooters are the producers—one number two show for male viewers
60 degrees Fahrenheit to minus 15 person does the job of three people. Jim after Gold Rush).
degrees—and the effect on life in Unal- is our line of communication. We have At presstime, the series had not yet
akleet were key parts of the story line. three teams of five people and we’re been scheduled for a third season.
“In the fall, Jim did a lot of off-airport spread across northwest Alaska, which If it does, it will begin filming in the
work, taking hunters out into the bush is the size of Texas.” summer of 2012. Jim Tweto had better
in the 180. Then school started and “I think the show is pretty honest,” rest up.
the ‘kiddie hauls’ began. All of the vil- says Ariel. “There are a lot of miscon-
lages are so remote that the kids have ceptions about Alaska and the show Email the author at julie.walker@aopa.
to fly to basketball games and wrestling sheds a good light on the problems org.

AOPA PILOT • 63 • FEBRUARY 2012

On brand-new
wings An airliner’s first day on the job
BY THOMAS B. HAINES

F
rom the second-story window, I peer out at the pristine, new airplane
gleaming on the ramp just below. A small tree and some shrubs frame
the scene and the thought occurs to me that this is as close as that
airplane will ever get to any vegetation—if all goes as planned. You
see, this is a working airplane that, once turned loose from the delivery cen-
ter, will spend the next couple of decades racking up hundreds of thousands
of hours moving the likes of Aunt Millie and Uncle Fred from one miles-long

PHOTOGRAPHY BY CHRIS ROSE

AOPA PILOT • 64 • FEBRUARY 2012

Plus— View the video.

AOPA PILOT • 65 • FEBRUARY 2012

 The life of a legend
The Boeing 737 is sort of the Douglas
DC–3 of modern times. Starting out
as an airliner, the DC–3 soldiers on
in commercial and private service
more than 75 years later. The 737,
while much younger, already has a
long and storied history. Developed
in 1965 and first delivered in 1967,
it is the most produced jet airliner
of all time, with 6,970 having flown
away from the Seattle factory.
As the model heads toward its
fiftieth birthday, production rates
continue to accelerate. As of late
2011, the 737NG airplanes were
emerging from the factory at the
rate of 31.5 per month, but Boe-
ing has a goal of reaching 35 per
month in early 2012; 38 per month
in the second quarter 2013; and 42
per month in the first half of 2014.
At something around $60 million
apiece—you do the math on whether
the program has been a success for
the legendary company.
Southwest Airlines in December
2011 placed the largest order in
Boeing history when it signed up
for 208 737s with a list price value
of some $19 billion. The 737 MAX
represents 150 of the orders. The
order secures Southwest as the
launch customer for the 737 MAX,
a new variant powered by the CFM
International LEAP-1B engine that
promises reduced fuel burn and
lower CO 2 emissions. In all, Boe- strip of pavement to another. And while,
ing has 900 737 MAX airplanes with any luck, all of those days will be
on order from 13 customers plus plain and uneventful, this day is special.
another 6,600 737NG orders in the For today N967WN, a shiny new Boeing
pipeline. Even at 42 per month, that 737-700, leaves her Seattle, Washington,
will keep the production line busy for birthplace and begins a life of service
years to come. --TBH that will have her crisscrossing North
America and perhaps beyond for years
to come. When I’m retirement age, this
girl will still be at work.
Today, instead of a jetway and throngs
of people waiting to board, tugs and fuel
Bert Seither, chief pilot for Southwest trucks scurrying around below, it’s just an
Airlines’ Baltimore-Washington International airstair and the seven of us from the air-
base, shows the author differences in how line and AOPA Pilot on the ramp, staring
the Boeing 737-700 (above) is constructed up at the shiny purple, red, and orange
compared to the all-new 787 Dreamliner. paint scheme that shouts Southwest
The wheel wells of the 737-700 are Airlines. Buying a $60 million airliner is
chockablock with plumbing and systems a surprisingly low-key affair, at least if
that need careful checking during the you’re Southwest buying it from Boeing.
preflight—especially on a brand-new
The two companies have been close part-
airplane (top).
ners for decades, with Southwest only
flying 737s for most of its 40-year history.
A few documents are reviewed and
signed during breakfast and then, in

AOPA PILOT • 66 • FEBRUARY 2012

this case, Bert Seither—chief pilot for
Southwest’s Baltimore-Washington
International base—formally accepts
the airplane and is handed the pink
temporary registration form, just as if
he were buying a Cessna 172.
Regarding that price, the negotiated
price between Boeing and its airline
customers is a closely held secret; even
Seither says he doesn’t know what
Southwest pays, but most agree that the
price off the lot is around $60 million.
Whitewalls extra. Among the documents
Seither, a U.S. Naval Academy grad and
former F–14 pilot, signs is one stating
Seither (above on right) seals the deal with
that he will not do any low flybys of the Bruce Light, Boeing’s delivery director for
field. Apparently, some customers have contracts (above on left) at the delivery
in the past been known to make victory center. With Seither’s signature, the new
passes over Boeing Field on the way out 737 (below) belongs to Southwest Airlines.
of town. “I find it so hard to believe that
pilots would do such a thing,” Seither
deadpans as he signs the form.

Free to move about

Many airlines have elaborate procedures
and multiple acceptance flights before

AOPA PILOT • 67 • FEBRUARY 2012

 taking delivery, but Southwest—Boe-
Six degrees of separation ing’s largest customer—accepts the
Logan, Indiana Jones, and me word of Boeing test pilots that the air-
plane is tiptop. In exchange for the trust
I’ve never met Logan Davis, but I and simplicity of the process, Boeing
have him to thank for the opportu- delivers each Southwest airplane with
nity to be involved in the delivery of a a full tank of gas. With 6,875 gallons on
brand-new Boeing 737 to Southwest board, we are truly “free to move about
Airlines. Everyone at Southwest and the country.” Instead, we briefly con-
Boeing was amazingly friendly and sider absconding with the airplane to a
helpful. All of the employees I’ve met beach in Mexico.
at both companies seem to have a Seither and today’s co-pilot, David
remarkable can-do attitude and a real Newton, a senior manager of Nextgen
respect for customers. Everywhere I Airspace in Southwest’s Operations Coor-
turned at either company, I ran into dination Center, at the company’s Dallas
AOPA members—active GA pilots, all headquarters, do a thorough preflight
of them. And while the trip was one of the new ship—or at least as thorough
of the more memorable ones of many as you can when most of the airplane is
memorable experiences that come untouchable because of its height. As we
with this job, I would be happy if this one had never materialized. You see, Logan’s move around the towering airplane, Sei-
life and mine only intersected because he is sick—really sick at times.
The 11-year-old son of Southwest Airlines pilot A.J. Davis, Logan has been strug-
gling with Ewing sarcoma—a rare bone cancer—for several years. Round after
round of chemotherapy has finally kept the disease at bay, at least for now, but the
chemicals have also damaged his kidneys.
Like many boys his age, he has developed a fascination with larger-than-life
characters and especially with Indiana Jones, the recurring character played by
Harrison Ford in the film series by Steven Spielberg. In fact, I’m told that Logan
can recite all of the lines from all of the movies. He’s a big fan.
If you’ve been following along for the past couple of years, you’ve noticed that
Ford is an enthusiastic pilot and frequent supporter of AOPA causes. Knowing
that, Southwest pilot Garrett Woolley contacted me to see if I could arrange for
an autographed photograph to brighten Logan’s days. I contacted Ford and Logan
was delighted to get his signed photo.
The series of phone calls and emails to arrange for the photo led me to get to
know Bert Seither, chief pilot for Southwest at BWI. Here’s a guy who seems to
treat his staff of pilots as if they were family. He and the 900 Southwest pilots at
the BWI base, and the rest throughout the company, are heavily involved in sup-
porting Logan and his family through this ordeal.
Through the friendship, Seither asks me if I would like to be involved in picking
up a new 737. Of course, I hesitate about a nanosecond on that one. Making the
arrangements took nearly a year and we invited Ford to go along, but unfortunately
he couldn’t make it. While in Seattle for the delivery, Seither holds his phone up
for me to see. There’s an image of a round-faced little boy grinning ear to ear as he
holds a signed photo of Indiana Jones.
So, while I had a remarkable trip and I was blessed to get to know some really
caring people at Southwest and Boeing, I’d trade it all for Logan not to ever see
the inside of a hospital again. Feel better soon, little man. —TBH

AOPA PILOT • 68 • FEBRUARY 2012

With the pink temporary registration slip
in hand, our fearless crew of pilots is ready
to board the new airliner. How many pilots
does it take to fly a new 737? All seven
on this flight were pilots, including (left
to right) the author, Diane Newton, David
Newton, Bert Seither, and Chris Rodriquez.
Missing from the photo are AOPA Live
Executive Producer Warren Morningstar,
also a pilot, and AOPA photographer Chris
Rose, a student pilot.

ther contrasts the 737-700, which is the standards—except for one thing, the
first of the Next-Generation 737s, to the coffee pots. Apparently Southwest has
all-new 787 Dreamliner we had toured struck a better deal with a coffee pot
earlier in the day at Boeing Field and company on its own, so those will be
which we had seen under construction installed in Phoenix, our destination
at Boeing’s factory at Paine Field the day today and one of only two Southwest
before. The mostly composite 787 has bases that accept new airplanes into
complex aerodynamic shapes on the the fleet. And the lavatories—let’s just
wings and the wing root, unusually scal- say they will never look or smell this
loped engine nacelles to reduce noise, fresh again. Boeing supplies the TP and
and relatively few fasteners. In fact, the the Southwest-branded liquid soap. You
787 has some 1.2 million fewer fasten- get a lot for $60M.
ers than most other Boeing models. By
contrast, the new mostly metal 737 seems Take your seat
small and, well, old in design. The wheel Today, I can sit anywhere I want—abso-
wells are pristine and tidy, but contain lutely anywhere. At first I try out 16B, a
much more hardware, plumbing, and middle seat, just for grins. On this flight,
systems gear than the 787 wheel wells. however, the middle seat is not the
With the captain satisfied that all of most uncomfortable one in the house.
the pieces his employer paid for were in So while I could lounge in the aisle or
the right places, we take a few requisite window seat of my choice, I instead opt
photos and climb the airstairs. I feel a bit for the least comfortable seat onboard,
like we’re in a space shuttle as a Boeing the folding jumpseat behind Seither
employee closes the door from the out- and Newton. While uncomfortable, it
side and the airstairs are backed away. provides the best view and, for a pilot,
I stand in awe of a sight I’ve never is the place to be—short of the left seat,
seen before—a completely empty air- of course.
liner cabin; 137 empty blue-and-tan Tugged away from the delivery cen-
seats that have filled the cabin with that ter, Seither and Newton start the big
new-leather smell. Usually my view at CFM 56-7B turbofans and we’re soon
this point would be the back of some guy waddling down the taxiway. With no
who is bumping down the aisle bang- passengers or baggage aboard, we are
ing the knees of fellow passengers with well below the maximum takeoff weight
his oversized carry-on bag. Meanwhile, of nearly 155,000 pounds. So it’s not sur-
other Southwest passengers already prising that the young airplane leaps off
seated (having scored the coveted “A” the runway and we rocket skyward like
boarding passes) are averting my eyes, the space shuttle.
hoping that I will bypass the empty seat With no schedule to keep or con-
next to them. nections to make, we take advantage
Short of magazines in the seatback of all that free fuel and head southwest
pockets, the new cabin is completely toward Reno, Nevada, where we make
configured by Boeing to Southwest’s a few practice RNP approaches. New-

AOPA PILOT • 69 • FEBRUARY 2012

ton has been the lead developer in the the 737’s wings is significantly greater guide the big airplane onto the pave-
airline’s aggressive move toward flying than the entire wingspan of my Bonanza, ment and we taxi through the terminal
these new types of approaches that have I am not surprised to find that the 737 maze to a back corner of the airport
the potential to reduce fuel consump- flies like, well, an airplane. It is easy where Southwest has a maintenance
tion, as well as noise and air pollution. and pleasing to fly with nicely balanced facility. Before deplaning, I stop at the
Airplanes equipped with the “required control forces. Boeings have always had top of the stairs to pat the fuselage, the
navigation performance” gear can fly the reputation of being pilots’ airplanes dazzling paint scheme hard to look at
complex, curved approach paths that and the 737 is a fine example of that. The in the bright sunlight. Next door in the
will also allow access to terrain chal- 737NG airplanes offer a host of enhance- maintenance hangar, an older 737 with
lenged airports even in bad weather (see ments over the Classic 737s that date its slightly oxidized paint looks a little
“Turbine Pilot: RNP Primer,” December back to 1967, including glass cockpits, forlorn next to our prize.
2009 AOPA Pilot). The procedures can autothrottles, and automatic braking. No. 967, as she’ll be known in the
be flown so precisely that the approach But it’s surprising what they don’t have, Southwest fleet, was put into service a
paths can snake through canyons lead- including WAAS GPS (thus no ability to few days later, once the maintenance
ing to mountain airports, improving fly an LPV approach), satellite weather, crews had loaded all of the airline-spe-
safety and access. Southwest’s newer or georeferenced digital en route and cific software and installed those coffee
737s all have RNP gear and autothrottles approach charts shown on panel-mount pots. Look for her when you’re out and
that make flying the approaches a snap. screens—things that are becoming rou- about riding the airlines. Let her know
We sit back and watch as the autopilot tine in even light GA airplanes. While the I’ll be checking in on her regularly.
flies the RNAV (RNP) Y approach to Run- all-new 787 does show digital approach
way 16R at Reno/Tahoe International. plates and taxi diagrams on built-in Email the author at thomas.haines@
The approach path arcs between moun- screens, they are not georeferenced to aopa.org; follow at Twitter.com/
tains to deliver the airplane to 16R. I find enable the ship’s own position to be tomhaines29.
it somehow unnerving to watch the shown on the chart—a handy feature.
thrust levers automatically moving fore
and aft to keep the airplane precisely on Reality check The spiffy new flight deck of the 737-700
airspeed throughout the procedure. Our plans to escape to Mexico scrapped, includes an abundance of screens, head-up
As we tool along farther to the south- all too soon Phoenix shows up on the display, autoland capabilities, and
west, I slide into the right seat for a little horizon and we begin our descent into autothrottles—all a far cry from the
stick time. Although the span of one of the busy airspace. Seither and Newton original 737 first delivered in 1967.

AOPA PILOT • 70 • FEBRUARY 2012

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AOPA PILOT • 72 • FEBRUARY 2012
B-ball to biplane
Big airplane
for a big guy
BY JAMIE BECKETT

T
he oversized biplane waddles off
the grass strip, slips up onto the
paved ramp, and does a surpris-
ingly graceful half-turn before coming
to rest in front of a shade tent beside the
perimeter fence. On closer inspection it
becomes apparent just how big this baby
is. The upper wing spans an impressive
45 feet. Built in the roaring 1920s, before
aviation’s Golden Age introduced sleek
lines and jaw-dropping speed, the New
Standard D–25 is a sight to behold with
its mass of struts and wires bracing the
airframe. Four passengers climb down
from the front cockpit. A family has just
experienced open cockpit flying for the
first time—together.
The airplane is owned and operated by
Waldo Wright’s Flying Service in Polk City,
Florida. It was built for barnstorming, and
that’s exactly how it’s being used today.
This flying time machine is oversized in
every dimension, which is why the whole
family can clamber up the lower wing,
step into the gaping front hole, and strap
in for an adventure. “We had three gener-
ations of one family fly with us yesterday,”
says ground operations chief Jill Manka.
“It’s really something to make it possible
for a father, a son, and a grandfather to all
fly together like this.”
The flights take place at low altitude.
The airspeed indicator, which is a low-

PHOTOGRAPHY BY MIKE FIZER

AOPA PILOT • 73 • FEBRUARY 2012

tech Johnson type attached to a wing decidedly casual, and surprisingly open the word spread to the administration.
strut, rarely exceeds normal highway as he discusses his earliest memories of That landed him in the principal’s office,
cruising speeds. Visibility out the front aviation. “I didn’t really like flying,” Lock where dubious adults were slow to accept
is good. The scent of oil mixed into the said. “I didn’t like the turbulence.” the possibility that a 10-year-old kid who
breeze coming through the prop makes The son of an aviation mechanic and claimed to have been visiting one of the
the experience reminiscent of the time pilot, Lock recognizes how fortunate his most acclaimed test pilots in the world
period when the New Standard was con- upbringing was. “You know, when I was might be telling the truth. In a phone
sidered a new aircraft. a kid my dad took me to Chuck Yeager’s call to Lock’s parents, his father told an
house,” said Lock. He accompanied his incredulous administrator, “Actually, he
Who’s Waldo? was there yesterday.”
As the propeller winds to a stop and the Lock can also remember playing in
soft ticking sound of heat escaping the the bones of a dilapidated Stearman
cylinder heads replaces the mechanized “I wanted a biplane when he was 6 or 7 years old. It was a
marvel of the 225-horsepower Wright rusted and battered pile of parts then,
model J-6-7 radial engine up front, Waldo I could fit in,” sitting in the corner of the family hangar
climbs out of the rear cockpit—and he is
as oversized as the airplane he flies.
Lock said. in California. “My grandfather helped
build the wing ribs for that airplane,”
At six feet, 10 inches tall, Waldo is a The New Standards said Lock. After years of part-time effort,
giant of a man. He holds his right hand
high, encouraging young riders to, “Slap
are big enough the Stearman took shape and ultimately
returned to flying. Today it sits on the
me five, man!” The children either jump to fill that bill. ramp in Polk City beside Waldo’s two
in a vain effort to reach his hand, seven New Standard biplanes. “That airplane
and one-half feet off the ground, or mar- gave me the experience I needed to do
vel at the size of their pilot in silent awe. what I do today.”
Waldo Wright is a character, the inven- father to deliver an airplane that Yeager
tion of Rob Lock, a native Californian was borrowing from another pilot. He Above average
who relocated to central Florida in order recalls meeting the iconic test pilot, as Hauling passengers aloft in an open-
to continue and expand on what can only well as Glennis Yeager, the woman who cockpit biplane isn’t a run-of-the-mill
be described as a peculiar professional is immortalized on the nose of the X–1 occupation. But then, Lock has never
history. Although he is in his mid-40s, rocket plane. He remembers seeing been an average guy. Prior to owning
Lock appears younger—possibly because the Collier trophy in the corner of the and operating the largest biplane ride
he still carries himself like a deluxe ver- Yeager’s modest home, too. As he told business in the United States, Lock
sion of a California surfer. He’s tall, blond, the story to his friends around school, made his living in the fast-paced, elbow-

AOPA PILOT • 74 • FEBRUARY 2012

With his all-American good looks and big build, Rob Lock easily
adapts to the role of his character “Waldo Wright” and to his big
New Standard biplane, both of which fly passengers back to a
bygone era.

throwing, sneaker-squeaking business fifty-first, in the third round of the draft. “I During a 1996 trip to Sun ’n Fun in
of basketball. had to guard guys like James Worthy [Los Lakeland, Florida, he saw a New Stan-
“The two things I wanted to do when Angeles Lakers], Bill Laimbeer [Detroit dard in the air, hopping rides from the
I was a kid: I wanted to play in the NBA, Pistons], and Larry Bird [Boston Celtics].” grassy infield. That experience flipped
and I wanted to be a commercial pilot,” After the NBA, he spent eight years the switch, and Lock began an eight-year-
he said. “I got to do both. Lucky, I guess.” playing in the European leagues, where long restoration process that brought
Lock was a standout basketball player he found himself competing in Italy both of his basket-case New Standards
in high school. In the summer after his across the court from players like Joe to like-new condition.
sophomore year his skills on the court “Jelly Bean” Bryant, the father of Los He isn’t finished yet, though. After
became apparent. He was invited to Angeles Laker Kobe Bryant. finding a set of classic Edo floats and
attend a basketball camp in Santa Bar- Lock hung up his sneakers at the rela- buying them, Lock found one of a hand-
bara, California, called Superstar Camp, tively youthful age of 30. After nearly a ful of remaining Travel Air E-4000s and
where college scouts gathered to see decade of living on a separate continent sent it through a complete restoration.
the best West Coast players. Most of the from family and friends, he was ready The floats have now been mated to the
nearly 200 players there were going to to come home. “Sometimes it’s time to Travel Air, which allows Waldo Wright’s
be seniors, while Lock was just prepar- move on in life,” he said. Flying Service to provide its customers
ing to enter his junior year. “I would Through it all, aviation remained with something that hasn’t existed in
look up into the stands and see all these a focus. “When I first started playing the general aviation marketplace for a
college coaches there, like Dean Smith basketball, I started buying airplanes,” long while—anyone care for an open-
[University of North Carolina], and John Lock said. First he bought a Waco, then cockpit biplane ride off the water? The
Thompson [Georgetown University], and he bought another, and then a third. Travel Air sports a cozy two-passenger
I was just like, ‘wow!’” He composed him- That led to the purchase of the two New front cockpit, so you can take someone
self and by the time the camp wrapped Standards. special along.
up, Lock had been named to the All-Tour- In explaining to a potential customer
nament team. New home the difference between their flight to
“Toward the end of the week I called Lock had never actually seen a New Florida in an airliner and the experience
my father and he said, ‘You have a bunch Standard when he bought the two he can share in the New Standard, Stea-
of mail here.’” Lock came home to 20 let- restorations that he’s based his com- rman, or the Travel Air, Lock says, “That’s
ters from colleges across the country. “At pany on. He knew the front cockpits transportation, this is flying.”
that point it was like, I’m going to go get a had room for four passengers, which Waldo Wright’s Flying Service is
scholarship and go play basketball.” would make them the perfect machine located in central Florida halfway
Lock attended the University of Ken- for hopping rides. His first impulse was between Tampa and Orlando. Visit the
tucky on a basketball scholarship. He personal, not professional. “I wanted a website for more information (www.
graduated with a degree in marketing, biplane I could fit in,” he said. The New waldowrights.com).
and took the next step into playing pro- Standards are big enough to fill that bill.
fessionally after school. In 1988 the Los He fits just fine inside the pilot’s roomy Jamie Beckett is a writer and flight
Angeles Clippers drafted him. He went rear cockpit. instructor living in Winter Haven, Florida.

AOPA PILOT • 75 • FEBRUARY 2012

 Water dog Taking a Husky to the lake
BY DAVE HIRSCHMAN

T
he small attach points on the side
of the AOPA 2012 Sweepstakes
Tougher Than a Tornado Husky
are easy to overlook and have no real
bearing on the way the airplane flies
day to day.
But those fittings are part of a float-
plane kit that gives the Tornado Husky
the potential to open up a whole new
world of water flying for its winner.
The factory fittings simplify the
installation of straight or amphibious
floats for flying on and off the water.
And the Tornado Husky, with its excel-
lent power-to-weight ratio; hard-pulling,
constant-speed prop; long endurance;
and stable, low-speed handling has all
the attributes of a world-class seaplane.
To find out more about the Husky’s
water capabilities—and what it takes for
a land pilot to gain a seaplane rating—I

PHOTOGRAPHY BY MIKE FIZER

Plus— View the video.

AOPA PILOT • 76 • FEBRUARY 2012

AOPA PILOT • 77 • FEBRUARY 2012
Mechanical indicators on the floats (right) traveled to Flagler County Airport (XFL)
and a lighted advisory system on the panel on Florida’s Palm Coast, home of Ryan
(below) show gear positioning, a critical
Aviation. The company is owned by Tripp
factor for amphibious airplanes. Gore Lake
(bottom) provides a scenic practice area on
Wacker, a veteran floatplane instructor
the grounds of Flagler County Airport. and FAA-designated pilot examiner who
bailed out of an airline flying job because
he “wanted to come to work every day
wearing shorts and flip-flops.” He owns
a Husky A–1B on Wipline amphibious
floats and offers intensive two- and three-
day courses that take pilots of varying
experience levels to private, commercial,
or ATP seaplane ratings.
Dan Nichols, a CFI and IA with more
than 1,000 hours of dual given in the
Ryan Aviation Husky, led me through the
flight and ground training during two
strenuous, educational, and thoroughly
enjoyable days that showed some of the
possibilities available to floatplane fliers.
“There are things you can do, places
you can go, and experiences you can
have flying floatplanes that are simply
unavailable in any other form of flying,”
said Wacker, who has been instructing in
seaplanes at Flagler County since 1989.
“I’ve traveled to remote lakes in Canada
that were so far off the beaten path that
floatplanes were the only practical way
to get there. The adventures you can
have in these airplanes are difficult to

AOPA PILOT • 78 • FEBRUARY 2012

CFI Dan Nichols (above left) demonstrates some of the emergency equipment in the
seaplane to the author. Pumping water out of the floats (right) is an essential part of each
pre- and postflight inspection.

imagine for pilots who are limited to

hard-surface runways.”
The float-equipped Husky is still a
Big and tall
responsive, well-balanced airplane.
A Husky on amphibious floats is 10 feet,
6 inches tall, and towers over wheeled
versions—even the Tornado Husky with four green lights for land operations, Ground handling in the amphib Husky
its oversized tundra tires. And the fact four blue lights for water takeoffs and is far simpler than in the tailwheel variety.
that the amphib has four wheels like a landings, and a red light that lets the The airplane is level, so the nose doesn’t
shopping cart just looks wrong to land pilot know when the electromechani- block the forward view, and visibility in all
pilots accustomed to seeing three. cal landing gear motor (housed in the directions from the commanding height
The most important part of the airplane’s aft battery compartment) is is great. The nose wheels free caster, but
amphib preflight inspection is purging turning. The system contains an aural steering is smooth and positive using dif-
water from the eight compartments on warning system (female voice for water ferential braking.
each float using a hand pump. The pro- landing, and a male voice for land) and With full flaps (30 degrees) and the
cess eliminates unnecessary weight and mechanical indicators. Husky at its maximum gross weight of
dries out the inside of the metal floats, The lights, aural, and mechanical 2,200 pounds, acceleration is steady and
which also are plumbed with hydraulic gear position indicators on the floats the airplane gets to its 55-mile-per-hour
and electrical lines. Then there’s a whole themselves may seem like overkill, but rotation speed in just under 1,000 feet
series of additional cables and pulleys to it’s absolutely imperative for the landing (80 degrees Fahrenheit, 10-knot quarter-
inspect, as well as retractable water rud- gear on an amphibious floatplane to be ing headwind, 35-foot elevation). Once a
ders (linked to the regular rudder) that in the proper position during every take- positive rate of climb is established, it’s
steer the airplane on the water. off and landing. A gear-up landing in a time to start raising the manual flaps,
Other essentials for floatplane flying— land airplane is regrettable but seldom then the landing gear.
such as an oar, anchor, and inflatable life fatal—but an amphibian’s gear-down An 80-mph climb results in a 900-fpm
vests—are mostly foreign to land pilots. landing in the water can be disastrous. rate of climb to pattern altitude, and we
The amphibious floats add 325 The start-up and taxi procedures are continue climbing westbound to 1,600
pounds to the empty weight of the air- virtually identical to any wheeled Husky. feet. The floatplane indicates 100 mph
plane and reduce the Husky’s payload. The only significant difference is that on in cruise (23 inches of manifold pres-
With two adults (400 pounds total) and land the pilot must ensure that the land- sure and 2,300 rpm), and it’s much more
about 15 pounds of gear, we’re limited ing gear handle is in the down position stable in roll than wheel-equipped ver-
to 18 gallons of fuel to keep the Husky before turning on the master electrical sions. The floats and ventral fin require
below its maximum gross weight. switch. (There are no squat switches in more rudder to lead turns, and the roll
Once inside the cockpit, the instru- the amphibious floats, so putting the rate is noticeably reduced, but not dra-
ment panel itself is little changed except handle in the Up position would raise matically so. The float-equipped Husky is
for a gear advisory system that shows the gear right away.) still a responsive, well-balanced airplane.

AOPA PILOT • 79 • FEBRUARY 2012

 Stalls break straight ahead with the “We’re faster than just about any as possible. Once the airplane is “on the
flaps up or down, and the wing (with- speed boat on the water,” Nichols said. step” at 45 mph, the ailerons have enough
out vortex generators) gives plenty of “The Husky is such a fantastic float- authority to raise the right float. With the
aerodynamic stall warning. plane, the biggest danger to pilots is drag reduced, the airplane quickly accel-
Ryan Aviation uses two lakes for the overconfidence.” erates to 55 mph and is ready to fly.
vast majority of its flight training. Gore We also practice simulated engine-out
Lake lies on airport property, and it looks My turn landings that require steep descents to
small enough from the air to be a golf Sitting in the water at one end of the preserve enough speed to flare just above
course water hazard. It’s actually 3,000 tree-lined lake, I can say with authority the water (“You want the lake to fill your
feet long and is located just short of the that I’m not overconfident. In fact, the windscreen during the descent,” Nichols
approach end to Runway 6. Air traffic towering pines on the opposite shore said. “Anything else is too shallow.”)
controllers in the Flagler tower allow seem terribly close. But even on a warm Each scenario is novel and fast-paced,
the Husky to operate below the usual afternoon, our calculations tell us the and flying over the big lake and its natural
traffic pattern for land-based airplanes. airplane will need just 1,750 feet to clear areas hints at the possibilities for future
Crescent Lake, an expansive piece of 50-foot obstacles. The airplane acceler- floatplane adventures. As we pass a few
water with a tree-lined island and miles ates quickly, leaps out of the water, and feet over a vacant shoreline, schools of
of marshy, undeveloped waterfront, is easily vaults over the trees. fish jump out of the water. An osprey
about 12 miles west of the airport. The next morning we fly to Crescent hunts nearby, a late-season flock of geese
Nichols demonstrated the first land- Lake for glassy water takeoffs and land- makes its way south, and several bald
ing at Gore Lake, and the experience of ings. Glassy water landings, in which eagle nests fill the tops of leafless trees.
touching down lightly on the water, slow- pilots must land with little or no depth “You’d never know any of these things
ing, then settling in was delightful. On a perception, are the most hazardous for even exist when you go over in the flight
warm, dry Florida afternoon at a lake floatplanes, and realistic conditions levels,” Wacker said. “This kind of flying
inhabited by ducks, egrets, and at least make the practice especially challenging. puts you right there in it.”
one osprey, the scene was completely Heading southeast toward the shimmer-
entrancing. Once the Husky finished ing glare of the rising sun, we set up a What it costs
its transition from air to water mode, constant airspeed (65 mph) and shallow A private or commercial seaplane rating
Nichols introduced idle, plow, and step descent rate (150 fpm), and hold it all the costs $1,500 at Ryan Aviation if everything
taxiing; docking; and a “confined-area way to touchdown. Glassy water takeoffs goes perfectly. That covers four hours
takeoff,” a circular, high-speed taxi that require lifting the right float off the water of dual instruction in the amphibious
becomes a takeoff when the airplane before the left to reduce surface friction Husky, ground training, and a one-hour
encounters its own wake. and get the airplane airborne as quickly checkride.

AOPA PILOT • 80 • FEBRUARY 2012

 Ryan also offers a more involved Adding floats to a Husky can range nearby lake—an ideal altitude for float-
ATP seaplane course as well as dual widely in cost. A new set of straight plane pilots to see objects on the water,
instruction in an amphibious de floats offers the advantages of being as well as winds and obstructions.
Havilland Beaver.Flight time in the lighter, mechanically simpler, and far We take off from Runway 11, turn
amphibians is logged as complex less expensive than amphibious floats. downwind, and are quickly cleared
aircraft experience, and Wacker encour- Straight Wipline floats for a Husky carry for the first of multiple approaches to
ages commercial students to combine a retail cost of $30,000 new, and instal- the lake. The flight portion of the exam
the complex airplane experience lation is an additional $5,000. A new includes normal, rough water, and
required for the commercial certificate set of amphibious Wipline floats costs glassy water takeoffs and landings as
and seaplane training and get both rat- about $47,000, and the installation is well as a simulated power-off approach
ings at the same time. more complex and costs $8,600. It can and landing, various forms of taxiing,
take about two weeks to install amphib- docking, and practice go-arounds.
ious floats on a Husky for the first time, I feel well prepared by the previous
but subsequent changes between floats training flights, yet still manage to
and wheels can be done much more insert a few boneheaded blunders.
quickly. P.K. also makes amphibious (Note to self: Make sure the carb heat
floats for Huskys with a higher retail is cold before starting a takeoff!)
price of $49,000 but lower installation But the best part is the water flying
costs of $3,000. demo that follows.
“Amphibious floats make it possible AOPA Senior Photographer Mike
to fly seaplanes without the logistical Fizer is on the lakeshore with cam-
hassles,” Wacker said. “You can put in eras and a radio, and Wacker puts on
anywhere, so pilots who don’t have the a precision floatplane demonstration
luxury of lakefront property and a dock that shows real mastery. “How about I
can still get their feet wet.” touch down on one float at the edge of
the lake pointing right at the camera?”
The checkride he asks, then performs the maneuver
Wacker administers the ground portion flawlessly. It’s the flying equivalent to a
of the seaplane examination with a dis- pool hustler calling and then sinking a
armingly casual style, but he’s always series of difficult shots. For 45 minutes,
probing for weakness. If a student knows Wacker runs the table.
weather and wind patterns, he’ll quickly When it’s over, Wacker emphasizes
move on to water regulations and buoy that, perhaps even more than other
markings, subjects the U.S. Coast Guard pilot certificates, a seaplane rating is a
veteran and former commercial fisher- license to learn. And few pursuits could
man knows cold. be as sublime as exploring the finer
Once in the airplane, he banters with points of floatplane flying, an endeavor
air traffic controllers at the busy air- that combines the best of the nautical
port where Embry-Riddle Aeronautical and aeronautical.
University flight students fill the traffic
pattern. The controllers limit the Husky Email the author at dave.hirschman@
to 500-foot-agl traffic patterns at the aopa.org.

AOPA PILOT • 81 • FEBRUARY 2012

AOPA PILOT • 82 • FEBRUARY 2012
 CURTISS OX–5 ROBIN

The bird and the

leprechaun
A legendary airplane and the man who made it famous
BY BARRY SCHIFF PHOTOGRAPHY BY MIKE FIZER

IN 1927, TEXAS-BORN DOUGLAS CORRIGAN was a relatively new pilot who worked for Ryan
Aircraft in San Diego as a welder and mechanic. This is when Charles Lindbergh selected Ryan to
build the Spirit of St. Louis. Corrigan was instrumental in building the Spirit and his image appears
in many of the photographs taken during its construction.

AOPA PILOT • 83 • FEBRUARY 2012

 Inspired by Lindbergh’s success, Cor- An instructor can center himself on both
rigan became determined to someday rear seats and have access to a removable
emulate his hero and fly to Ireland, his control stick, throttle, and rudder pedals.
ancestral homeland. In 1933 he pur- The Robin originally had three doors, one
chased a derelict Curtiss OX–5 Robin for for each person, but the door on the left
$325 for that purpose. was eliminated on later models. There is a
25-gallon fuel tank in each wing, but total
In 1928, aviation pioneer Glenn Curtiss fuel load usually is limited to 30 gallons
believed that the open-cockpit biplane with three people on board.
had likely run its course and developed Early Robins were powered—that’s
a closed-cabin monoplane, his first seri- an overstatement—by the Curtiss
ous attempt to manufacture civilian OX-5, water-cooled, 90-horsepower, V-8
aircraft. He called it the Robin, a contin- engine. It was the first mass-produced
uation of his custom of naming aircraft engine in the United States, and thou-
after birds. The Curtiss Aeroplane and sands had been built during the Great
Motor Company built four examples at War. Curtiss still had 1,150 of them in
its Hammondsport, New York, factory inventory, as well as a large supply of
and then established a new facility, the parts. These were leftovers from when
Curtiss-Robertson Airplane Manufac- Curtiss built the Curtiss JN–4 “Jenny,”
turing Company, near St. Louis. The first the ubiquitous U.S. Army trainer. It was
production Robin rolled off the assembly also the least expensive engine on the
line there on August 7, 1928. It was a gen- market. At one time a brand-new OX–5
tle airplane well-suited for flight training sold in the crate for only $20.
and became an immediate success. OX-5s were so plentiful that they were
Paraphrasing Henry Ford and William used on a wide variety of postwar aircraft,
Piper, the Robin could be purchased in including Walter Beech’s early Travel Air
any color as long as the wings were yel- 2000, the Laird Swallow, the Waco 9, the
low, the fuselage burnt orange, and the American Eagle, and others.
trim black. The OX-5 had a possibly undeserved
The pilot sits alone in a wicker chair. reputation for unreliability because of the
He has plenty of side and head room, way it was maintained and the conditions
thanks to the boxy cross-section of the in which it was operated. Eventually,
fuselage, a shape chosen for its ease of though, the inventory of OX-5s became
construction. Two passengers sit side by depleted, and subsequent models of the
side behind him and are a bit squeezed. Robin were equipped with more power-
These rear seats, however, can be ful, more reliable radial engines.
staggered slightly to provide each pas- Starting an OX-5 can be an involved
senger with additional shoulder room. process: 1. Bang the 16 intake and exhaust

The wicker pilot’s chair (above) is uncomfortable, but satisfactory for short flights. The
distinctive, forward-looking side windows that go almost to the floor help to compensate for
poor over-the-nose visibility during ground operations. The narrow, 30-inch landing-gear tires
are from an antique automobile.

AOPA PILOT • 84 • FEBRUARY 2012

AOPA PILOT • 85 • FEBRUARY 2012
 SPECSHEET

Curtiss Robin
Base price: $4,000 in 1928

Specifications Performance
Powerplant ............. Curtiss OX-5 water-cooled, Takeoff time ............................................ 7-9 sec
valves with a piece of wood to ensure 90-hp V-8 Rate of climb, sea level........................450 fpm
than none are sticking; 2. Spray the Typical TBO ............................................ 300 hr Max level speed, sea level.................... 99 mph
valve guides and pushrods with a lubri- Propeller (metal) ................. 94-in Curtiss Reed Cruise speed (75% power).................... 84 mph
cant (because they are not lubricated in Max allowable engine rpm............... 1,400 rpm Fuel consumption (75% power)................ 8 gph
flight); 3. Grease each rocker-arm assem- Length.................................................25 ft 10 in Oil consumption (75% power) ............... 2 qt/hr
bly (using a grease gun); 4. Open the fuel Height ................................................... 7 ft 10 in Max range (full-throttle, no reserve).... 608 sm
valve to fill the gascolator and carbure- Wingspan......................................................41 ft Max range (1,120 rpm, 80% of maximum) .......
tor; 5. Drain the four carburetor bowls to Wing chord .....................................................6 ft .............................................................. 850 sm
eliminate the risk of water; 6. Flood the Wing airfoil ......................................Curtiss C-72 Endurance (full-throttle)..................... 6.1 hours
float chamber (from inside the cowling Wing area ............................................. 265 sq ft Endurance (1,120 rpm, 80% of maximum).......
using a needle valve); 7. Pull the propeller Wing loading..................................... 8.2 lb/sq ft ......................................................... 10.7 hours
through eight strokes to ensure that each Power loading ....................................24.1 lb/hp Fuel consumption (full throttle)............ 8.2 gph
cylinder has compression—the moan- Seats.................................................................. 3 Fuel consumption (1,120 rpm, 80% of maximum)
ing noise made by the bearings sounds Cabin length........................................... 7 ft 8 in ......................................................................4.9 gph
as though you are waking a beast from Cabin width ............................................ 2 ft 8 in Service ceiling..................................... 12,750 ft
its slumber; 8. Lower the choke lever on Cabin height........................................... 3 ft 9 in Absolute ceiling .................................. 16,650 ft
the instrument panel; 9. Raise another Empty weight......................................... 1,480 lb
lever to open the radiator shutters; and, Max gross weight...................................2,173 lb Limiting and Recommended
10. Turn on the single Scintilla magneto. Useful load ................................................693 lb Airspeeds
As someone “props” the engine, the Payload w/full fuel....................................393 lb VS1 (stall, clean)...................................... 44 mph
pilot simultaneously cranks the ignition Max takeoff weight................................2,173 lb
booster. With a little luck, the cantanker- Max landing weight................................2,173 lb
ous V-8 comes to life, and the sequentially Fuel capacity.................. 50 gal (50 gal usable) All specifications are based on manufacturer’s
opening exhaust valves make a delightful 300 lb (300 lb usable) calculations. All performance figures are based
rhythmic chorus of popping and crack- Oil capacity..................................................16 qt on standard day, standard atmosphere, sea
ling. There is also lots of banging and Coolant capacity........................................... 8 qt level, gross weight conditions unless otherwise
black smoke. You then adjust the choke as Baggage capacity ....................................... 25 lb noted.

AOPA PILOT • 86 • FEBRUARY 2012

The water-cooled Curtiss OX-5 landings in a crosswind are challenging The flight for which the Robin is best
V-8 engine (left) does not have because the rudder is blanked out by the known, however, probably is the one
rocker (valve) covers to protect fuselage when lowering the tail. made by Douglas Corrigan.
rocker arms, valve stems, and Recommended speeds for the Robin
valve springs. The instrument
are not published, but it lifts off at about After working for Ryan, Corrigan became
cluster (below right) contains
the altimeter, tachometer,
35 mph. Climb and approach seem to a skilled pilot and attempted to become
oil-pressure gauge, and work well at 50 mph, and cruise speed is an airline or military pilot. His applica-
water-temperature gauge. about 60 mph. (There are no color-coded tions were rejected. He was color-blind
The airspeed indicator is above markings on any of the instruments.) and lacked a formal education.
the cluster. The Depression and competition from He spent considerable time and effort
newer types of aircraft brought produc- rebuilding his old Robin. He also installed
tion of the Robin to a halt in 1930 after additional fuel tanks; substituted a five-
the oil and coolant (distilled water and a 750 had been built. More than 300 had cylinder, 165-horsepower Wright J6-5
dollop of soluble oil) warms. A minimum OX-5 engines. radial engine for the OX–5; and named
coolant temperature of 140 degrees is On June 4, 1935, brothers Fred and his airplane Sunshine.
required for takeoff. With a maximum- Al Key (the “Flying Keys”) took off from Beginning in 1935 Corrigan spent
allowable engine speed of 1,450 rpm, Meridian, Mississippi, in a Wright Whirl- three frustrating years trying to obtain
the OX-5 is a slow-turning, high-torque wind-powered Curtiss Robin named permission (required in those days) to
engine, allowing for an unusually long, Ole Miss and landed (with the help of fly his airplane to Ireland, but the Bureau
94-inch, high-thrust propeller. It is so aerial refueling) 27 days, 5 hours, and 34 of Air Commerce always found a reason
slow that you get an uncomfortable feel- minutes later, breaking the world endur- to deny approval, especially after Amelia
ing during takeoff that the engine is not ance record. Earhart’s disappearance in 1937.
delivering enough power.
Interestingly, the OX-5 will run happily
and vibration-free on either bank of cyl-
inders should one of its two carburetors
become fouled.
The radiator is in the nose, and the
cowling is louvered to assist in cooling.
Only the right fuel tank has a gauge, and
it is under the wing root where fuel flows
out of the tank.
Visibility from the cockpit is good
thanks to an abundance of windows
and a skylight. The distinctive forward-
looking side windows that go almost to
the floor help to compensate for poor
over-the-nose visibility during ground
operations. The narrow, 30-inch main
landing-gear wheels (antique automo-
bile tires) are eight feet apart and provide
excellent ground stability.
The Robin originally had no brakes
and was equipped with a steerable tail
skid that swiveled with rudder move-
ment. Later models, though, had
heel-operated brakes and steerable tail
wheels.
The flight controls are sluggish and
contain lots of system friction. Pull the
stick back to raise the elevator on the
ground and it stays raised. The airplane is
a workout in turbulence, partly because
of its 41-foot wing span. Pitch trimming
is accomplished by moving a long han-
dle (the “stabilizer adjuster”) from notch
to notch, which makes fine trimming
impossible.
Over-the-nose-visibility is poor during
landing but excellent peripheral vis-
ibility from those forward-looking side
windows and slipping helps quite a bit.
(The Robin does not have flaps.) Wheel

AOPA PILOT • 87 • FEBRUARY 2012

 Corrigan eventually decided to make who had taken off from New York and !NAGIRROC YAW GNORW LIAH (read it
a nonstop flight from Los Angeles to disappeared over the Atlantic. backwards).
Roosevelt Field in New York, and on When asked how he kept his wings The moral of this story might be that
July 8, 1938, he broke a world record in clear of ice, he said that he used a it is easier to obtain forgiveness than
the process. His announced goal was to long pole to scrape off the ice. No one permission.
then take off from nearby Floyd Bennett questioned how he could do this in Corrigan was the last of the widely
Field and return nonstop to California. a 100-mph slipstream or how he man- acclaimed pilots to fly the Atlantic, the
On July 17, the 1,500-hour barnstormer aged to reach the tops of the wings. end of an era. He flew for the U.S. Army
took off and disappeared into the fog, Nevertheless, Corrigan became an during World War II, became a test pilot,
ostensibly heading for Los Angeles. His instant national hero and a favorite son and eventually retired in Santa Ana, Cali-
only map showed the route from New of the Irish. His flight became the hoax fornia, where he died on December 9,
York to California. Corrigan instead of the century. 1995, without ever having changed his
headed across the Atlantic Ocean for a The Bureau of Air Commerce imme- story. Well preserved, his Curtiss Robin
rendezvous with destiny. diately suspended his pilot license, but was in the garage.
The next day he landed at Baldonnel only for those few days when he was on The immaculately restored Robin on
Airport in Dublin. Perhaps with a touch a ship returning to America. these pages was manufactured in 1928
of blarney, Corrigan said, “I left New York Corrigan was given a ticker-tape (serial number 45) and shipped by rail to
yesterday morning for California and got parade in New York City that attracted the Curtiss Flying Service (a flying school)
mixed up in the clouds. I must have flown more people than saw Lindbergh 11 at Mines Field, now known as Los Angeles
the wrong way.” The plucky pilot said that years earlier. The short, red-headed International Airport. It was purchased
his primary compass had leaked and leprechaun of a man became instantly in 2002 by Walter Bowe and Bud Field,
that he had to use his back-up compass, known as “Wrong Way Corrigan,” and who restored the airplane in Livermore,
a 20-year-old, wartime relic that was was the delight of the country. A year California. NC76F spent its entire life in
mounted on the floor. In looking down at later he starred in an RKO movie, The California until 2008 when it was sold
the instrument, he said that he must have Flying Irishman, and authored a book, to George Jenkins, owner of the Eagles
followed the wrong end of the needle, a That’s My Story. Most of the gifts given Mere Air Museum (www.eaglesmere
“mistake” that was to have continued for to him were compasses. airmuseum.org) in Laporte, Pennsylva-
28 hours and 13 minutes. He claimed that President Franklin Delano Roosevelt nia, where it flies regularly.
he ended up in Ireland by pure chance. told Corrigan that he didn’t doubt his
Officials in Dublin showed him a news- story for a minute. The New York Post Visit the author’s website (www.barry
paper article about an unknown pilot printed a front-page headline that read, schiff.com).

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and flight control enhancements meant magnetometer, and many of the inter- a Home key that can bring pilots swiftly
to avoid unintentional stalls and spirals nal components on the G1000 and G2000 back to the starting screen, and a Back
(electronic stability and protection or are interchangeable. But there the differ- button that lets us undo the last wrong
ESP) all sprang from the G1000 platform. ences end. The G2000 has larger screens thing we did.
Now, Garmin’s G2000 is about to enter (14 inches diagonal instead of 10.4), and I recently got to fly with the G2000
the new-aircraft marketplace through its gets its commands through a touch- in a single-engine Cessna that Garmin
launch customer, Cessna (and its single- pad flight management system, or FMS has been using as a test vehicle, and

AOPA PILOT • 89 • FEBRUARY 2012

AVIONICS
Grant Wittenborn, a company flight test
engineer, patiently led me through the
process.
The first thing pilots are sure to notice
is the significantly larger display size of
the 14-inch screens. Equally noticeable
is the improved screen resolution that
comes from a higher pixel count, and
improved map drawing software allows
for a refresh rate the company says is five
times faster than the G1000.
The touchscreen FMS uses many of
the same symbols as the GTN series (and
Garmin’s aera line of portables), so it’s not
intimidating for first-time users familiar
with other Garmin equipment.
“Just touch what you want to change,”
Wittenborn said as we prepared to
launch from Runway 18 at New Cen-
tury Airport (IXD), the company’s home
base in Olathe, Kansas. A high overcast
allowed for good VFR conditions, but not
for long as a rain-, snow-, and lightning-
filled winter weather system approached
from the southwest.
I used the dual concentric knob to
enter the ATIS and ground control fre-
quencies (sorry, old habit), and then
switched to the touchscreen for tower
and all other radio tuning. Entering a
flight plan was straightforward (the sys-
tem uses an alphabetical keypad instead
of a QWERTY keyboard), and a series of
magenta and white course lines appeared
on the MFD.
We had decided in advance to use
the autopilot as much as possible and A split-screen multifunction display (MFD) allows the G2000 to show as much information
focus on programming the G2000 dur- as a three-screen system. The MFD (top) displays a moving map as well as a georeferenced
ing the flight. So I preselected 3,000 feet approach plate. The satellite datalink overlays XM weather on the full-screen moving map
as a target altitude and set Wichita’s Mid- (above).
Continent International Airport (ICT) as
the destination. Pressing the Takeoff/ and activating it—the exact same steps armed the approach—and the autopilot
Go Around button on the throttle lever introduced more than a decade ago on information was displayed at the top of
brought up the flight director bars, and the GNS 430/530 series. the PFD screen, just as on the G1000. We
once we were airborne and climbing, a Wittenborn was unusually quiet in intercepted the final approach course at
single touch of the AP button on the auto- the right seat and, rather than provide a sharp, 60-degree angle and the airplane
pilot control panel allowed the magic to step-by-step instructions, he showed off rolled out precisely on course. Then the
take over flying duties. A single press of the intuitive nature of the new system by autopilot collected the WAAS GPS glide-
the Nav button put us directly on course. assigning tasks and letting me find my slope and flew smoothly and precisely
Even though the G2000 is a two-screen way through them. Our first change of down to our preset minimum descent
system, a split-screen function on the plans came when, instead of continu- altitude while I jockeyed the throttle
MFD allows it to behave like a three- ing to ICT, Wittenborn said to divert to and set the prop, mixture, and flaps for
screen system. nearby Ottawa, Kansas (OWI), and set up landing. An aural warning system gave
I split the MFD between the moving for a GPS approach to Runway 17 using audible callouts at 500 feet and upon
map (with XM weather that showed the vectors to final. reaching minimums.
colorful weather blob headed our way) Unlike the G1000 (and GNS 430/530) There, as briefed, we executed the
and a georeferenced approach plate which removes all but the initial and final missed approach—and the G2000 made
(showing the ILS approach to Runway approach fixes from the MFD screen this normally hectic phase of flight
19L at ICT). Entering the approach was a once an approach is activated, the G2000 remarkably sedate. I simply pressed
simple matter of touching the Procedure preserves the intermediate intersections. the go-around button and advanced
key, selecting the approach, then loading I put the autopilot in heading mode and the throttle. The autopilot remained

AOPA PILOT • 90 • FEBRUARY 2012

engaged and followed the flight direc- the G2000 flew the entire approach start- I can relate—during our 30-minute
tor command bars, the magenta line ing at the initial approach fix. Despite flight, I had to resist the urge to reach
on the MFD showed the first leg of the a 27-knot crosswind at 3,000 feet, the out and touch the G2000 PFD and MFD
missed-approach procedure. Simply autopilot crabbed into the wind and our screens with my fingers. The touch-
pressing the Nav key allowed the autopi- ground track was arrow straight. screen FMS reinforces the habits the
lot to fly the entire missed approach and “Most of the pilots flying this system iPad, aera portables, and GTN series
enter the hold. (In most G1000 installa- for the first time can work their way have already instilled. (Garmin offers
tions, the autopilot disengages when the through an IFR approach with little or no an educational iPad app that simulates a
Takeoff/Go Around button is pressed, coaching,” Wittenborn said. “We found GTN screen and allows users to practice
and automatic waypoint sequencing is that to be true in our human factors lab, hitting the right keys at home.)
suspended.) and it’s also true in the airplane.” The G2000 with its graphical, touch-
In addition to handling the flying After our flight, Wittenborn told a screen FMS is simpler to use than the
chores through a built-in autopilot, story of his 2-year-old son learning how G1000 with its multiple layers of chapters,
the G2000 also allows pilots to control to play Elmo cartoons on his dad’s iPad. subchapters, pages, and subpages. G2000
the intercom, heater, air conditioner, After he mastered the trick, the boy kept menus are “shallower” and allow users to
audio panel, and even video cameras (if walking to the family’s television set and escape becoming trapped in digital dead-
installed) from the FMS screen. pressing the screen, expecting to be able ends—good for those of us who don’t
We returned to Olathe and made a to command the TV to show his favorite fly glass-cockpit airplanes every day.
GPS approach to Runway 18. This time, cartoon. Garmin won’t say how much the
G2000 costs since the company only sells
it to new-aircraft manufacturers. It also
won’t tell the price difference between
The G2000 MFD screen can be split (below) so that it offers two views; here it shows the the G1000 and G2000, so the value equa-
engine page and moving map. The PFD screen (bottom) displays GPS-derived synthetic
tion is impossible for regular consumers
vision with color-coded obstacles designed to increase pilot situational awareness.
to fully know. The G2000 isn’t available
for retrofit. But there’s no question the
G2000 is a powerful avionics suite, and
that it’s much friendlier to pilots than its
predecessor.
The company also must overcome a
built-in tension in its relationships with
manufacturers for the G2000 to succeed
in the marketplace. Garmin is seeking
to standardize its products for greater
efficiency, while manufacturers go to
great pains to differentiate their prod-
ucts to potential buyers. For example,
the Cirrus Perspective and Embraer
Prodigy panels are both G1000s, but
the aircraft firms have their own highly
customized and branded user inter-
faces. Although Garmin is sure to offer
software modifications for individual
aircraft manufacturers, the company has
invested heavily in its touchscreen FMS.
Garmin is aiming the G2000 at a nar-
row niche of high-end, piston aircraft. But
it’s easy to see how the G2000 could be
attractive to flight schools specializing in
airline training because they could allow
students to use an FMS throughout their
training. And the G2000 is more than
capable enough to take up residence in
turboprops and jets—even though Gar-
min offers even more robust G3000 and
G5000 systems for those aircraft types.
Add a touch-screen FMS to the list of
things you never thought you’d see in a
GA cockpit—but really liked once it got
there.

Email the author at dave.hirschman@

aopa.org.

AOPA PILOT • 91 • FEBRUARY 2012

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 WI NSom
etim DW Technique

e s th
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BY
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You just made the best landing of your flying life.

So how come no one’s applauding?
The passengers sit stone-faced as you taxi clear of the runway,
hold short, and run the list. Suddenly gusts rock the airframe.
Someone aboard invokes a deity to break the stunned silence, and
nervous laughter follows. Soon, awkward one-liners and crash
jokes are being exchanged in the cabin.
Discouraging. As the saying goes, no good deed shall go
unpunished.
Little do they know that this was no day for a pilot to pander
to layman expectations of tires squeaking onto pavement in a
touchdown so silky that a sleeping child would fail to rouse.
Ugly is beautiful on days like this. Anyway, the ugliness is only
skin deep.
You reach over to retract the flaps out of habit, only to remem-
ber that the flaps were never extended during this wild approach
in 30-knot winds gusting to 40-plus from directions varying from
a direct headwind to a substantial crosswind.
That wind variability made it hard to estimate a gust factor to
add to your airspeed as the book says to do. So you took an aver-
age value and tacked it onto your approach speed, for better or

PHOTOGRAPHY BY MIKE FIZER

AOPA PILOT • 93 • FEBRUARY 2012

 worse, and then turned your attention Now, about the flaps (and why you
back to getting down, firmly and under didn’t use them—or if you did, why
control, on the centerline, and pointing you should consider not using them
in the right direction. That was all that next time). Flaps, as the old knowl-
mattered. And you did a masterful job. edge test question stresses, steepen
Interesting to reflect on just how your approach, increasing the angle of
much of your decision making occurred attack—and therefore, drag—without
on an unconscious level. Now that you requiring a power or airspeed change.
have time to do a post-mortem on your But that’s the enemy of maximizing
decisions, think about why you did control at approach airspeeds. There’s
what you did. You’ll find yourself recall- the added concern about a possible
ing your earliest days of primary flight go-around, and the sink that abruptly
training, and the introductory lessons retracting flaps could cause.
on basic aircraft control. Still, some pilots opt for partial flaps
In those days of presolo innocence at times like this, despite understand-
you learned that on a windy day, ing the reasons to avoid them. Some

It’s not really an ugly landing; it just seems

that way to a layperson who expected a
ballet and got a wrestling match instead.

when conditions are changing rapidly, who don’t practice no-flap landings in
instantaneous and accurate aircraft calm conditions cite bad memories of
responses to your control inputs are prolonged floats down the runway
essential. There are two ways to get a caused by their being reticent to use
big response from the aircraft. One is to enough back-elevator to slow down
fly at a normal approach airspeed and with flaps up before entering ground
configuration, decelerating as usual, effect. But a long float is unlikely on

:LQJ;3UR and applying bigger and bigger control

deflections to maintain control in the
a day like this, when groundspeed is
probably going to be pretty low in the
)RUL3DG capricious winds.
Even if the wind doesn’t beat you
strong (mostly) headwind.
The low groundspeed is your ally in
6\QWKHWLF9LVLRQ when you run out of control authority another way: The ground roll will be
)RU in that scenario, forget about accuracy short, reducing the time during which
with that method. Remember from your your aircraft decelerates through the
days practicing slow flight how drasti- poor-controllability airspeed range.
cally responsiveness to control pressures On reaching taxi speed, use full con-
decays as airspeed is reduced, and how trol deflections to keep the upwind
the drag induced by aileron deflection wing down—and the tail, too, once you
interferes with precision? There you sit, taxi off the runway turn, and encounter
stomping on pedals and slapping the any tailwind component during ground
yoke back and forth, just to maintain the operations.
status quo—let alone correct any error.
Wind shear or turbulence could induce Flatter, faster, better?
a mush, a stall, or a drop-in. A word about takeoffs in this kind of
Far better idea: Keep your speed near-gale weather: First, there should
up, for the added control that efficient be a good reason for going—and there’s
airflow over ailerons, elevator, and rud- no claiming the element of surprise that
der provides. Hold the pitch attitude may serve to mollify some of those pas-
lower than normal, right to touchdown. sengers who got to witness your landing
Then, rather than letting aerodynamic under these conditions.
braking bring down the nosewheel in Assuming there is a good rea-
good time, lower it yourself, and let son—such as, you are an air taxi pilot
the pavement do deceleration’s dirty departing on a revenue flight with the
:LQJ;3UR6XEVFULSWLRQLV\HDU
work. It’s not really an ugly landing; it boss watching from the office win-
6\QWKHWLF9LVLRQ6XEVFULSWLRQLV\HDU just seems that way to a layperson who dow—the same attention to the detail
expected a ballet and got a wrestling of avoiding excessive angle of attack
+LOWRQ6RIWZDUH//& match instead. applies here, too. Accelerate promptly

ZZZKLOWRQVRIWZDUHFRP
AOPA PILOT • 94 • FEBRUARY 2012
through the mushy-control phase, and
wait for that nice firm responsive feel-
ing on the controls before attempting
to rotate. That’s not just to make sure
that once you are off the ground, you’ll
stay off (although that would be reason
enough). The other governing dynamic
here is to be able to control downwind
drift in any crosswind. That’s especially
important if you are departing from a
strip bordered closely by trees or other
obstacles.
Not that you’d ever try to get away
with something like this, but on your
next flight review or checkride, don’t
try to pass off a too-flat, too-fast land-
ing as an attempt to beat a blustery
breeze when the wind is blowing just a
few knots. It won’t fool the lady or gent
with the clipboard who’s sitting next
to you. Better to just admit that you’re
rusty and promise to go out and prac-
tice real soon.
As penance for even considering
such a ruse, go ahead and take this
one-question quiz: Can you think of a
circumstance in which it would actually C

be advisable to use the faster-than-

usual-approach technique in no-wind M

conditions? Y

The answer is “Yes, with ice.” CM

Emerging from icy clouds after an

instrument approach, or fleeing to the MY

safety of a runway after an encounter

with freezing drizzle or rain, it’s hard to
CY

CMY
When your mission is critical,
know what kind of airfoil you are flying,
and when it will decide to surrender its
aerodynamic properties. And if you
K

trust the Lifesaver . ®

subscribe to the belief that the cockpit

makes a poor classroom, it’s even worse
as a research lab. From experience, be
assured that you would be amazed,
really amazed, at how little ice it takes When the panel goes dark,
on an airfoil’s leading edge to make a Mid-Continent Instruments’
stall horn sing at moderate-to-high Lifesaver ®, with a built-in
approach airspeeds (see “Wx Watch:
The Problem with Pireps,” page 97). emergency battery, powers on —
Landing under that scenario, one key for one full hour. Trusted by Air
difference will be your groundspeed, Methods’ Air Medical fleet, the
which will have no headwinds reducing
Lifesaver ® provides unparalleled
it as you near the runway. On landing,
you will have to be nimble—an accept- dispatch reliability and ensures
able risk, considering the alternative of consistent performance in
an abrupt, possibly asymmetrical stall. demanding helicopter environments.
Still unhappy about being panned by
your passengers after that magnificent
OEMs select this rugged unit as
landing? Lifesaver ® a perfect primary or standby
We’ve all been there. Maybe there’s 4300 Electric Attitude Indicator indicator. If your mission is critical,
some consolation in that. look to Mid-Continent Instruments.
Dan Namowitz is an aviation writer and
flight instructor. He has been a pilot since

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1985 and an instructor since 1990.
KANSAS 8 0 0 . 8 21. 1212
AOPA PILOT • 95 • FEBRUARY 2012
C ALIFO RNIA 8 0 0 . 3 4 5 . 7 5 9 9 www.mcico.com
WXWATCH
Plus— View a video about icing
strategies.

The problem with pireps

‘Trace’ and ‘light’ icing: No problem?
BY THOMAS A. HORNE

L et’s get this out right up front: Pireps are a

valuable source of information that can be
indispensible for safe flight planning— A pilot calls in an icing experience, but
The automated digital data service (ADDS)
website’s current icing potential (CIP)
pages (above left) show a high probability of
icing arcing north of a low pressure system
over Oklahoma. However, the pirep symbols
and can help prevent weather-related it takes time for the report to be pub- overlaid on the map show but two reports,
accidents and incidents. They should lished and read. In the meantime, the both of them over eastern Kansas—one
be checked before each flight, and icing conditions reported may have for light icing, one for negative icing. The
CIP shown here is for the 7,000-foot level.
rechecked for late-breaking news via worsened, or vanished altogether. On
Pireps are plotted on single-altitude CIP
Flight Watch on 122.0 MHz when in the the other hand, the conditions may charts if they are within a 1,000-foot band
air. That said, are there any problems have remained the same, which is what above and below the posted altitude, and if
with pireps, especially the icing pireps you’d expect when clouds are wide- they were reprted within 75 minutes of the
that most affect our winter flying? The spread, associated with a well-defined chart’s valid time. This is good, because it
answer is yes. While icing pireps may weather system, and trackable by satel- validates the CIP information, but not so
have value, there are some pretty serious lite imagery. good because they are few in number,
caveats that all pilots should understand. Another big problem has to do with over-represent airliners, and a lot can
cloud layers. Was the pilot making the happen in just a few minutes. ADDS’ pirep
Transience pirep flying in a layer, and unaware page (above right) shows reports from later
in the day.
An icing pirep is a very fleeting thing. of clear, ice-free conditions above or

AOPA PILOT • 97 • FEBRUARY 2012

 Re
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12

The next 50 years

By Craig Fuller, IAOPA President
The International Council of Aircraft Owner and Pilot Associa- work closely with the government and non-government organi-
tions was formed in 1962 to provide a voice for general aviation zations that would restrict or abolish our activities.
in the International Civil Aviation Organization, then predomi- IAOPA and its affiliates are currently working on a variety of
nately oriented toward airline interests. Now celebrating its issues at the international and national levels to create a bright
fiftieth anniversary, IAOPA represents more than 450,000 pilots future for GA/AW. These efforts include: Reduction of com-
and aircraft owners in 69 States, and enjoys observer status in munications, navigation and surveillance equipment to an
not only ICAO but other supranational organizations such as absolute minimum for operations in the airspace; Preservation
Eurocontrol and EASA. IAOPA was formed to “Facilitate the and promotion of local airports and aerodromes; Elimination of
movement of aircraft internationally, for peaceful purposes, unjustified services and access fees; Rationalization of security
in order to develop friendship and understanding among the requirements to meet national goals while preserving freedom
peoples of the world.” This mission has expanded to promote, to fly; Reduction of regulatory requirements to an essential
protect, and preserve both GA and aerial work activities around minimum; Improved safety for GA activities and third-party
the world. The perennial and universal needs of GA and aerial entities.
work focus on a simple idea: the need for fair and equitable Individual AOPAs are actively engaged in advocating on
access to airports and airspace at an affordable price. However, behalf of GA/AW with government regulators, politicians,
contained within this statement are many and varied issues: media, and the general public. The resulting awareness has
• Since most GA operations are conducted under VFR, access to created a greater understanding of the need for and value of
adequate amounts of “lightly” controlled airspace is essential. GA—an understanding that will permit us to grow and prosper.
This is especially true near major metropolitan areas where Several emerging nations of the world are discovering the
terminal control areas restrict and complicate access. benefits of GA and will bring tremendous growth to its ranks.
• Airports and aerodromes are most important to GA users The current estimated 350,000 aircraft and more than 1.5 mil-
since prohibitions and restrictions to their access greatly reduce lion GA pilots will grow significantly in coming years.
the utility and flexibility afforded by this form of aviation. The future of worldwide general aviation is bright. Yet, all of
• Fees, whether they are for air traffic services, airports, licenses, this will require the work of our existing and prospective mem-
or handling agents, significantly increase aircraft operating bers to secure the present and reach for the future.
costs, again reducing the utility of general aviation. Our best ally in the contest for scarce resources is man’s
• Additional access restrictions in the form of equipment and fascination with the concept of flight. That man can fly is a
training requirements imposed on GA operators. If an operator continually engaging and renewable prospect, even for those of
must install a PRNAV, Mode S transponder, 406 MHz ELT and us who have been privileged to be involved with this activity for
ADS-B, the equipment costs may approach or exceed those of more years than we would care to remember. We must exploit
the basic airframe and engine. Excessive training and repeti- that fascination within the general public to extol and advertise
tive pilot currency and medical examination requirements may the pleasures and benefits of flight. This must be done on a
make GA economically impractical. personal and collective basis. You can make a difference when
• The slow and inexorable disappearance of GA aerodromes. you: Take a neighbor flying to allow them to share your passion
Land developers and environmentalists act from very powerful for flight. Reach out to civic organizations and the media to
political bases, making them formidable foes. Unfortunately, provide perspective and balance to reports about GA. Tell others
they frequently fail to understand and consider the economic about GA and how it contributes to your life and the life of your
and social contributions made by general aviation. community.
The list of obstacles may seem daunting. Yet we continue to World forecasts for GA anticipate either flat or very slow
prevail. This is because of the indomitable spirit of pilots who fly growth over the next decade. Yes, we have significant forces
for their own enjoyment and utility. Organizations such as the opposing us, yet we can prevail. Join together to broadcast your
national AOPAs provide a point of focus and a collective voice commitment to general aviation. There are blue skies ahead,
for those who would fly. It is these organizations and others that and we must navigate toward them.

www.iaopa.org FEBRUARY 2012

AUSTRALIA DENMARK KOREA RUSSIA
AOPA-Australia, Hangar 600, Prentice AOPA-Denmark AOPA-Korea AOPA-Russia
Street, P.O. Box 26, Georges Hall NSW c/o Ikaros Fly Aps 1288-1 BoJung, Kihung Lenigradsky pr.
2198, Australia Att: Joergen Poulsen Yongin City, Kyonggi-do 37, bldg 9, office 609
e-mail: [email protected] Lufthavnsvej 20 Roskilde Airport Korea 446-913 125993 Moscow, Russia
Tel: 61 2 9791-9099 DK4000, Denmark Tel: 82 31 897 2081 Tel: 7 495 926 7038
www.aopa.com.au Tel: 45 46191155 Fax: 82 31 897 2408 Fax: 7 495 989 2012
email: [email protected] email: [email protected] email: [email protected]
AUSTRIA www.aopa.dk www.aopa.ru
AOPA-Austria, Julius Meinl-Gasse 3-7 LUXEMBOURG
A-1160 Wien (Vienna), Austria EGYPT UPL-AOPA Luxembourg, P.O. Box 675 SAUDI ARABIA
Tel: 43 1 48860 1217 AOPA-Egypt L-2016 Luxembourg AOPA-Saudi Arabia
email: [email protected]; P.O. Box 5739 G. D. of Luxembourg Al-Khozama Center
www.aopa.at Heliopolis West 11771 Tel: 352 30 63 6313 First Fl., #11
Cairo, Egypt email: [email protected] P.O. Box 14166, Riyadh 11424
BELIZE Tel: 2 012 310 5323 Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
AOPA-Belize, P.O. Box 64 email: [email protected] NAMIBIA Tel: 9661 2191003
San Ignacio, Belize, Central America AOPA-Namibia, Box 31843 Fax: 9661 2191004
Tel: 011 501 824 4878 FRANCE Pionierspark,Windhoek, Namibia email: [email protected]
email: [email protected] AOPA-France Tel: 264 61 236630 www.sac.com.sa
6 rue Galilee email: [email protected]
BERMUDA 756116 Paris, France SOUTH AFRICA
AOPA-Bermuda Tel: 33 1 4720-0911 NETHERLANDS AOPA-South Africa
7 Richmond Road email: [email protected] AOPA-Netherlands Suite 20, Private Bag X 30
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Tel: 441 295 7500 8241 AC Lelystad Tel: 072205973
email: [email protected] GERMANY The Netherlands email: [email protected]
AOPA-Germany Tel: 31 (0)23 711 4467 www.aopa.co.za
BOTSWANA Ausserhalb 27, D-63329 Fax: 31 (0) 84 229 6569
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c/o Kalahari Flying Club, P. Bag SK2 Tel: 49 6103 4 2081 www.aopa.nl AOPA-Spain
Seretse Khama Airport email: [email protected] Aeropuerto de Sabadell, Edificio
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email: [email protected] AOPA-New Zealand Tel: 34 934 590 346
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Paulo - Sp CEP 01318-002 - Brazil Tel: 30 210 6180954 email: [email protected] AOPA-Sweden (SPAF)
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1000 Sofia, Bulgaria Services Ltd. Ogle Aerodrome email: [email protected] AOPA-Switzerland
Tel: 359 2 988 2652 East Coast Demerara, Guyana www.aopa.no Steinstrasse 37
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AOPA-Pakistan Tel: 41 (0) 44 450 50 45
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Association (COPA), 71 Bank St. P.O. Box 1647 Lahore 54000,Pakistan www.aopa.ch
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Canada K1P 5N2 email: [email protected] email: [email protected] THAILAND
Tel: 613 236 4901, ext. 102 AOPA-Thailand, Thai Flying Club
Fax: 613 236 8646 ISRAEL PANAMA Bang Phra Airport
email: [email protected] Israeli Association of General AOPA-Panama Sri Racha 20111, Thailand
www.copanational.org Aviation (IAGA) P.O.Box 0843-01272 Tel: 66 38 777348
P.O. Box 840 WTC, Panama City email: [email protected]
CHILE Kfar Shmaryahu, 46910 Israel Republic of Panama www.thaiflyingclub.com
AOPA-Chile Tel: 972 9 951 6660 Tel: 507 263-8899
Miraflores 178, 21st Floor email: [email protected] email: [email protected] TURKEY
Santiago, Chile www.aopa.org.il AOPA-Turkey
Tel: 56 2 4852000 PHILIPPINES Abay Kunanbay Cad. No: 6/15
email:[email protected] ITALY AOPA-Philippines Kavaklidere 06700
AOPA-Italy Airlink Building, Domestic Road Ankara, Turkey
CHINA Aeroporto Milano Bresso Domestic Airport Tel: 90 (312) 426 27 14
AOPA-China,Rm 1610, Building #1 20091Bresso Pasay City, Philippines www.burakhavacilik.org.tr
KunSha Center, #16 South XinYu- Milan, Italy Tel: 632 854 5441
anLi Road, SanYuan Bridge Chao Tel/Fax: 39 02 665 01485 email: [email protected] UKRAINE
Yand District, Beijing P.R. China email: [email protected] AOPA-Ukraine
100027; Tel: +86-13811692263 www.aopa.it POLAND Str. Vyhovskiy 29A
email: [email protected] AOPA-Poland Lviv, Ukraine 79 022
www.aopa.org.cn JAPAN Lotnisko Warszawa - Babice ul.Gen. email: [email protected]
AOPA-Japan S. Kaliskiego 57 lok. 11, 01-476
COLOMBIA 1-1-1-320 Todoroki Warszawa Poland UNITED KINGDOM
AOPA-AAG Colombia Setagaya-ku tel/fax 00 48 22 685 54 81 ext. 170 AOPA-U.K
Autopista Norte Km 16 Aeropuerto Tokyo 158-0082, Japan email: [email protected] 50a Cambridge Street
Guaymaral, Bogota, Colombia Tel: 813 3705-3498 www.aopa.pl London, SW1V 4QQ, England
South America email: [email protected] Tel: 44 20 7834 5631
Tel: 57 1 6761498 www.aopa.jp PORTUGAL email: [email protected]
email: [email protected] AOPA-Portugal www.aopa.co.uk
KENYA Aerodromo Municipal de Cascais
CYPRUS AOPA-Kenya 2785-632 Sao Domingos de Rana UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
AOPA-Cyprus, P. O. Box 25118 P.O. Box 40813, 00100, Nairobi Portugal AOPA-U.S.A., 421 Aviation Way
1307 Nicosia, Cyprus Kenya Tel: 351 21 842 1300 Frederick, Maryland 21701 U.S.A.
Tel: 357 22676751 email: [email protected] Fax: 351 21 842 1304 Tel: 1 301 695 2000
email: [email protected] www.aeroclubea.net email: [email protected]; www.aopa.pt www.aopa.org
WXWATCH region on the mid-morning in question
(December 2, 2011). All of those were
below? Conversely, was the pilot flying from regional airliners climbing to or
above or below layers, and therefore descending from their cruise altitudes.
reporting ice-free conditions? Here’s And turbine-powered airplanes aren’t
where real-time mention of any lay- affected by icing in the way most piston-
ering would be of great help to pilots powered airplanes are, mainly because
planning on climbing or descending in they have the deicing systems capable of
the area—but not all pilots include this dealing with some ice situations.
information. The solution to this data sparsity—to
Sure, comments such as the follow- have more general aviation pilots fly-
ing are helpful: “UA OV CLE 180030/ ing in the lower levels of the airspace
TM 1415/FL090/ TP E170/ TA M07/ system, making tons of reports—pres-
ICG LT-MOD MIX 100-080/RM DURD” ents obvious risks. For those of us flying
( Translation: Over the Cleveland airplanes not certified for flight into
180-degree radial, 30 nm; Time 1415Z; known icing (FIKI), one look at the sky
Flight Level 090 [9,000 feet msl]; Type: and the thermometer and we’d stay on
Embraer E170; Temperature minus 7 the ground.
degrees Celsius; Icing, light-to-moder- Just because we may not have enough
ate mixed, 10,000 to 8,000 feet, Remarks: timely icing pireps at the altitudes we
During Descent) The location, time, plan to fly, and along the routes we’ve
altitude, aircraft type, and temperature planned, doesn’t mean we’re helpless.
are mentioned. So is the icing type and Area forecasts mention cloud layers and
intensity. tops. Satellite imagery tells us the extent
But as complete as it is, a pilot plan- of cloud masses, and infrared imagery
ning a flight out of, say, the Akron/ can infer cloud top heights. Skew-T log
Canton, Ohio, area with a takeoff time P charts can infer the vertical extent
of 1500Z can’t count on the same con- of potential icing clouds by showing
ditions. This pilot doesn’t know if the temperature/dew-point spreads aloft.
conditions still persist at those altitudes, Freezing-level charts show temperature
for example; if that altitude band was contours aloft. Winds aloft informa-
layered or not, or if the cloud tops were tion also includes temperatures aloft.
at 10,000 feet or higher. A lot can happen METARs and TAFs can give cloud base
in an hour. and layer information, as well as surface
As it turns out, another helpful pilot temperatures.
in the vicinity did turn in a pirep with But real-time or even near-real-time
tops information, saying they were in information on icing setups? Icing
the clear at 13,000 feet just a half-hour pireps can often fall short, even though
earlier. So there’s some confirmation on they’re considered the gold standard for
that one bit of data. But there were just verifying forecasts. But they’re the best
three icing pireps in the entire Lake Erie we’ve got, warts and all.

Air Safety Institute’s Icing Safety Advisor

There is a ton of information out there
addressing icing issues. But perhaps one
of the most concise sources of advice
comes from the Air Safety Institute
(ASI). To view or download a pamphlet
that touches upon virtually all the bases
of this complicated subject, visit the web-
site (www.aopa.org/asf/publications/
sa11.pdf). You’ll see a 16-page document
that covers everything from atmospheric
conditions conducive to icing, to strat-
egies for avoidance—and escape—to a
discussion of ice-protection systems. And
yes, icing pireps and intensity levels are
also covered. It’s one of a series of ASI’s
free Safety Advisors, brought to you by
general aviation’s most comprehensive
source of information and advice.

AOPA PILOT • 98 • FEBRUARY 2012

Subjectivity
Another shortcoming of icing pireps
has to do with pilot perceptions of
intensity. The Aeronautical Informa-
tion Manual (AIM) declares that icing
intensities fit in four categories: trace,
light, moderate, and severe. Go to the
AIM’s Chapter 7-1-21 for the full pas-
sage on icing pireps.
To review, trace ice is defined as
“just perceptible. Rate of accumulation
slightly greater than sublimation. Deic-
ing/anti-icing equipment is not utilized
unless encountered for an extended
period of time (over one hour).” Say
what? This advice seems to go against
the traditional warning to exit icing con-
ditions as soon as they’re encountered.
After all, if you stay in “trace” icing con-
ditions long enough, you can build up WILL HIS $100
HAMBURGER SEEM
dangerously large accretions.

Icing pireps can often

LIKE A BARGAIN?
It might once he discovers what his insurance
fall short, even though may not cover.
they’re considered Learning about the “hidden” exclusions in your insurance
policy can add insult to injury after an accident. Instead
the gold standard of being covered, it seems like you’re stuck holding
for verifying forecasts. the bill. That’s why Avemco Insurance Company’s
comprehensive coverage has been a pilot favorite for
the past 50 years. If an accident occurs, you can get:*

Light icing’s definition wades a • Up to $5,000 in legal • Coverage even if an

little further into the issue. This level costs if the FAA brings annual, medical, or flight
of buildup “may create a problem if certificate enforcement review accidentally
flight is prolonged in this environment action against you for a expires mid-term
(over one hour). Occasional use of covered accident
de-icing/anti-icing equipment • VFR to IMC accident
removes/prevents accumulations. It • Total loss payment coverage
does not present a problem if the [ice
protection] equipment is used.” There’s
based on the total • Plus increased liability
the magic one-hour rule again, plus the insured value options available!
assumption that ice protection equip-
ment is aboard.
With moderate icing, the rate of
buildup “is such that even short encoun- If $100 hamburgers seem like a bargain to
ters become potentially hazardous and you, then it’s time to discover an exceptional
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reduce or control the hazard. Immediate
flight diversion is necessary.” *Not all coverages or products may be available in all jurisdictions. The
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You get the feeling that these defi- coverages will vary based on local law requirements and the terms and
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nitions were made with larger, more not amend, or otherwise affect, the terms and conditions of any insurance
policy issued by Avemco. In the event that a policy is inconsistent with
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mind—those that come with complete A subsidiary of HCC Insurance Holdings, Inc. ADS0082 (12/11)

AOPA PILOT • 99 • FEBRUARY 2012

 WXWATCH
ice protection gear and FIKI approval.
For the rest of us, all these intensity
definitions boil down to just one recom-
mended plan of action: Do everything
you can to avoid icing, and escape it
as soon as possible should icing be
encountered.
Here’s where perception and judg-
ment come into play. What one pilot
may describe as light icing, another may
call moderate. Complicating matters
further is that different airfoils and air-
planes accrete ice differently. Airplanes
with smaller leading-edge radiuses
(think Mooney) are much more efficient
at collecting ice than those with big, fat,
more rounded leading edges (think Piper
Aztec). What’s more, areas of the airplane
not covered by ice protection systems
continue to accumulate. So although
bleed-air or pneumatic deice leading
edge panels may be free of ice, other parts
of the ship (nose, vertical, and horizontal
stabilizer tips, wing/fuselage junctions,
antennas, et cetera) still pack it on. This
creates a lot of drag, which slows the
airplane, which in turn means a higher
angle of attack in order to maintain alti-
tude, which in turn means building ice
on the unprotected undersides of the
wing, which in turn means higher stall
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for FIRC Schedule behavior. And this is with ice-protected,
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Private/Commercial - $429 Instrument/CFII - $429 CFI Refresher Clinics $189 (FAA Approved) FIKI-approved airplanes!
• 800-257-9444 - www.aviationseminars.com • So for most of us flying unprotected
AK Anchorage Feb 4-5 P,C FL Orlando Feb 25-26 I MO Kansas City Mar 3-4 P,C SC Columbia Feb 4-5 P,C
AL Birmingham Mar 17-18 I Pensacola Feb 11-12 I St Louis Mar 17-18 I TN Memphis Feb 25-26 I
airplanes, the iron rule remains: If you
AZ Phoenix Feb 25-26 P,C
Phoenix Mar 17-18 I
Tampa Feb 11-12 P,C
Tampa Mar 10-11 I
MS Jackson Feb 18-19 I
NC Charlotte Feb 4-5 I
Memphis Mar 10-11 P,C
Nashville Feb 11-12 P,C
see any ice beginning to form, immedi-
CA Anaheim Feb 4-5 I GA Atlanta Feb 11-12 I Raleigh Feb 18-19 P,C TX Austin Feb 4-5 I ately execute your escape plan. You do
Anaheim Mar 17-18 P,C IA Des Moines Feb 18-19 I Raleigh Mar 10-11 I Dallas Feb 25-26 I
Bakersfield Feb 11-12 I ID Boise Feb 25-26 P,C NE Omaha Feb 4-5 I Dallas Mar 3-4 P,C have an escape plan, don’t you? Maybe
Redlands Feb 25-26 P,C Boise Mar 3-4 I NH Manchester Feb 25-26 P,C Houston Mar 10-11 P,C
Redlands Mar 10-11 I IN Indianapolis Feb 25-26 P,C NJ Somerville Mar 3-4 P,C San Antonio Feb 11-12 P,C it’s to descend to a warmer altitude.
Sacramento Mar 10-11 I KS Wichita Feb 11-12 I NY Albany Feb 11-12 P,C UT Salt Lake City Feb 18-19 I
San Diego Feb 11-12 P,C MD Baltimore Feb 25-26 I OH Cincinnati Feb 4-5 I Salt Lake City Mar 10-11 P,C Maybe it’s to perform a 180-degree turn.
San Jose Feb 11-12 P,C ME Portland Feb 4-5 P,C Cincinnati Mar 17-18 P,C
CO Denver Feb 11-12 P,C Portland Mar 3-4 I Columbus Feb 11-12 P,C
Maybe it’s to land immediately, if terrain
CT Oxford Feb 4-5 P,C MI Detroit Feb 11-12 I OK Oklahoma City Feb 18-19 P,C PLEASE CALL FOR and other variables permit.
Oxford Feb 11-12 I Kalamazoo Feb 11-12 P,C OR Portland Mar 3-4 P,C FUTURE DATES
Oxford Mar 17-18 P,C Kalamazoo Mar 3-4 I Portland Mar 10-11 I AND LOCATIONS Don’t have an escape plan should
FL Fort Lauderdale Feb 4-5 I MN Minneapolis Feb 18-19 P,C PA Allentown Feb 25-26 P,C
Fort Lauderdale Mar 10-11 P,C Minneapolis Mar 17-18 I Lancaster Mar 10-11 P,C icing be a possibility? Then you shouldn’t
Jacksonville Feb 25-26 P,C MO Kansas City Feb 25-26 I Pittsburgh Feb 4-5 I
Jacksonville Mar 17-18 I P=PRIVATE C=COMMERCIAL I=INSTRUMENT AND INSTRUMENT INSTRUCTOR have taken off in the first place. Anything
SUNDAY NIGHT TESTING IN MOST CITIES - VISIT OUR WEBSITE FOR MORE DATES AND LOCATIONS
but press on in icing conditions. And
anything but apply AIM-think to any
SIGTRONICS VOICE ACTIVATED ice you may observe on the airplane.
STEREO INTERCOMS It’s disconcerting to think of a pilot in
a piston single flying along with a bead
SCI-S 4 and 6 Place of ice along his wings, thinking, “It’s
Pilot / Crew Isolate just trace ice. I should be on approach
into Spokane (or Buffalo, Traverse City,
FAA TSO Approved
or other well-known ice boxes) in just
Dual Volume 45 minutes, so I’ll be OK.” Fly in it long
and Squelch
enough, and trace ice can become light,
Controls
then moderate, then severe.
Five Year Warranty
Complete Hardware Email the author at tom.horne@aopa.
Package Included org.

Sigtronics Corporation • 909 305-9399 • www.sigtronics.com AOPA PILOT • 100 • FEBRUARY 2012
PILOTPRODUCTS BY IAN J. TWOMBLY

Anywhere Map Septa

You won’t need the manual
The first question to ask yourself when
looking at a dedicated GPS unit at a price
point of anywhere more than about
$600 is, why? With Apple’s iPad offering
so much aviation utility, it would seem
that many higher-end GPS devices have
lost their relevancy. The reality seems to
be otherwise, with robust sales reports
coming from multiple places. And after
testing Control Vision’s Anywhere Map
Septa, I can see why.
The Septa features a 7-inch screen,
weighs in at 19.2 ounces, and has a and easy to operate, and the processor
resolution that matches that of the com- keeps things moving along at a respect-
petition. Power the unit on and you’ll able pace.
discover various operating modes for There are only two head-scratching
flying and driving. When the Anywhere features to the unit. One is Pocket
Map software is selected, the base map Plates, Control Vision’s answer
pops up and gives the options that to airport diagrams, approach
we’ve come to know and expect from a plates, arrivals, and depar-
high-end GPS. The map’s strong points tures. Access to these is
include sectionals, IFR charts, base branded separately because
maps, and rubberband flight planning. it feels as if you move to a dif-
There are some nice additional features, ferent piece of software to view
such as glide radius rings, a nice night them. A button in the menu takes you
display, VNAV computing, fuel prices, from one mode to the next, but once route via airway or anything else, forget
and on-screen flight plan and tracking there, you are basically stuck unless it. You’ll have to go Direct To, and then
data. Weather and TFRs can be down- you abort your way out with said but- either manually enter the waypoints via
loaded via WiFi, or continuously with an ton. A more seamless integration would identifier or rubberband them in via the
XM antenna and subscription. allow for a better experience. The other map.
Everything except for power and drawback is flight planning. If you only Even though the menu system is log-
brightness is controlled with the touch ever fly Direct To, then it works great. ically designed, and using it is so easy
screen. The buttons are sufficiently large But if you want the unit to compute a you don’t even need the manual, per-
haps the unit’s strongest point is how
it mounts in the cockpit. A big device
Hamilton Khaki Flight Timer such as this requires a good mount, and
The new Khaki Flight Timer from American watch maker Hamilton is part time- Control Vision has an answer for most
piece, part logbook. Fantastic craftsmanship, beautiful style, and numerous any situation. A quick pop-in harness
functions define the watch. It features a quartz movement, sapphire crystal face, grabs the unit, cools it with an integrated
and a leather band. The digital display can be used as a timer and a logbook for fan, attaches it to a ball joint that can be
up to 20 flights. mounted to a yoke, and charges it with a
Pros: cigarette plug. It’s the cleanest setup I’ve
• Great styling seen from a unit.
• Useful functions Pros:
Cons: • Nice, clean cockpit setup
• None • Feature-rich dedicated GPS unit
Price: $1,445 • Cheaper than the competition
Contact: www.hamiltonwatch.com Cons:
• Separate approach plate access point
• Flight planning engine
Price: $1,495, but sales come often
Contact: www.anywheremap.com

AOPA PILOT • 101 • FEBRUARY 2012

 PILOTPRODUCTS

Apps of the month

WolframAlpha Garmin training app
As a pilot you are no If you have a new Garmin GTN750 and an iPad, help
doubt also someone is on the way. Garmin recently introduced a training
who looks up every time app aimed at helping GTN750 users better understand
you see an airplane. and learn the system. According to Garmin, the app
With WolframAlpha replicates the experience of the panel-mounted unit,
you can now know the making better transfer of learning possible. Given that
exact position, altitude, both the iPad and the unit are touch screen, the com-
flight path, type, and pany says it’s a seamless experience.
registration informa- Price: $24.99
tion of that airplane. Contact: www.garmin.com; Apple App Store
WolframAlpha is actu-
ally a powerful access
to everything from star
charts to sports facts, so
chances are you’ll play
with it for much more
than airplanes. When
you download it, simply
type in “flights overhead” and you’ll see the list. And if you
want to save the money, the website has the same informa-
tion, albeit not as well optimized.
Price: $2.99
Contact: www.wolframalpha.com
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NEVERAGAIN BY MEL CALVERT

Xs, fences, and cows

I n 1952, with my four-year-old Luscombe 8E that I had just purchased for

$800—a lot of money for a recent graduate of officer candidate school at
Fort Benning, Georgia—I was on cloud tanooga at a cruise speed of 105 mph The flight was beautiful. I arrived
nine before I even took off from the with maybe two hours to spare. Sure, I exactly as planned and made a perfect
grass strip at King’s School of Aviation in could have waited until daybreak the three-point touchdown for the first time
Columbus, Georgia. next day, but I had a student certificate ever on a concrete runway. What a rush!
I had just filed a flight plan (by phone, in my pocket and almost 30 hours logged While refueling, and after closing my
of course) for a VFR trip to Lovell Field (travelling alone) and I wanted to go now. flight plan, I pored over my sectional
in Chattanooga, Tennessee. My final Both Jack and Dean Allen King had told and saw the symbol for an airstrip only
destination was to be the grass strip at me that I was one of their better students, 100 miles or so farther north, right on
Harrison, Ohio, my hometown. I only (now, they wouldn’t tell that to all their my route of flight. Looking at my watch,
had enough daylight left to reach Chat- students, would they?), so I went. I decided I had plenty of time to spare to
reach that strip. Why not take advantage
of the beautiful weather and the perfect
10-knot tailwind, and spend the night
sleeping in my Silver Bullet? So what if
I didn’t have nav lights or more than a
tower frequency in my crystal radio? I had
landed just fine with the green light at
Chattanooga, and I was sure that the air-
port ahead didn’t have a tower, anyway.
As the sun sank slowly behind a moun-
tain and the shadows deepened in the
valley below, the runway came up dead
on the nose and I began the approach.
Wait a second! Why are there huge Xs over
the approach apron? Why are there cows
roaming all over the field? And why are
there fences crossing the runway every
hundred yards?
I climbed and circled in the rapidly
waning daylight until I could hardly make
out the ground. If there was another
runway, someone had camouflaged it
beautifully. I pulled out my chart, and,
in the fading last minutes of light, I saw
the symbol for an airport a few miles up
the valley whose circle overlapped the
railroad directly beneath me and head-
ing north.
But hold on just a moment. In all the
circling, am I heading north or south?
Since I couldn’t quite make out the com-
pass, I had to undo my seatbelt, and,
leaning forward with my nose right on

Plus— Listen to an original

SARAH HANSON

Never Again story.

AOPA PILOT • 104 • FEBRUARY 2012

 YOU’VE GOT YOUR WINGS,
WE’VE GOT YOUR EARS.

There are three important reasons pilots prefer Zulu.2 ANR headsets: Nothing else
©2012 Lightspeed Aviation

drowns out fatiguing engine and background noise more effectively. Nothing else
delivers the same level of communication clarity. And nothing else is this comfortable
after hours in flight. Period. For more information call 800-332-2421 or log onto
LightspeedAviation.com/AO1. Quiet and clarity never felt so comfortable.
NEVERAGAIN be stripped of his license, his airplane, of here level enough to land in. They
his commission, and what remains of been trying to get me to sell to put in a
it, I could see the big “N” floating right his dignity. So be the judgment of this strip but I still got to think about it for a
where it should be. After settling back, I court, and if I had my way you would be bit. Good thing you picked that field. I
looked down and, of course, the railroad paraded through the streets with a sign just cleared trees outa the one next to it,
track was nowhere to be seen. hanging around your neck reading, Idiot yesterday. Fulla stumps!”
I remembered a tip my multiengine of the Century. I spent the rest of the night in a small
and multi-thousand-hour pilot Uncle No way can I let that happen. The hotel; paid the taxi driver to pick me up
John Calvert had given me. “If you ever Silver Bullet is performing beautifully, at daylight, and showed him how to give
find yourself flying at night and your I have at least two-plus hours of fuel me a prop; took off; and landed without
radios go out, climb! As long as you can remaining, and I can see lights in all further event. More than 2,000 hours
see lights in front of you, you’re OK!” directions. Perhaps a straight stretch and five airplanes later, I still carry the
Climbing as fast as I could, calling of highway… ah, there’s one with just memory of that flight. And I will also
“Mayday, Mayday!” on my one-crystal a few cars going in a straight line for at never forget my Boy Scout training, “Be
“radio”—in a pitch at least one octave least a couple of miles…get down a little prepared.”
higher than my normal speaking voice— closer, drag the highway…hold it! There
I finally reached an altitude from which is a field beside the road! Mel Calvert, AOPA 1078212, is a private
I could see the lights of two large cities. I flared out a little high and thought I pilot who lives in Batesville, Indiana. He
One was to my left at about 40 degrees would never touch down, but I did, and is the author of How I Quit Smoking and
and one at the same angle to my right. rolled to a stop about 90 feet from a barn. Lived to Tell About It.
OK, the one to my left is obviously After I had stopped shaking, I climbed
Louisville and the one to my right must out of the airplane and spotted a path
be Lexington, which is on my course leading through the trees to my left. I Never Again Online
to Cincinnati. I will proceed to followed it down a little ravine, across a
Podcasts
Lexington. creek, and up the hill, and came out of
Hear this and other original “Never
Then began my paranoia: A student a clearing to see an old farmhouse with
Again” stories as podcasts every
pilot, flying an airplane with no lights the old farmer sitting in an old rocking
month (www.aopa.org/pilot/never_
and no nav instruments, who lands at chair puffing on an old pipe.
again) and download audio files free
a municipal airport at night, anywhere “I heard you circling around up there.
from our growing library.
in the United States of America, shall You picked the only field within 40 miles
 FLY-OUTS BY GERI SILVEIRA

Big Bear City Airport

Where there’s a mountain of things to do

B
ig Bear City Airport (L35) is the is a destination in itself—there are two
gateway to year-round activities. restaurants and a saloon in the terminal
Located in a wide valley ringed by building. Next to the pilot’s lounge, the
the peaks of the San Bernardino Moun- Barnstorm Restaurant serves American
tains, Big Bear City Airport is a hop, skip, fare. Upstairs, the Mandarin Garden fea-
and a long climb away from the Los tures Chinese cuisine and Diamond Lil’s
Angeles Basin and its surroundings. At Saloon offers a taste of the old West.
6,752 feet above sea level, Big Bear City For those who venture off the air-
port, there’s plenty to do. In the winter, small town is known for its excellent
Snow Summit is a popular place to ski shopping and dining.
Want to know more? and snowboard, and it’s a short cab ride Flying into Big Bear City Airport takes
• Pattern altitude: 8,000 feet away. When the weather is warmer, hik- some planning. There can be a big dif-
• Fuel: Said to be the cheapest ing, mountain biking, swimming, and ference in temperatures between the L.A.
around boating are in season. Visitors who take Basin and Big Bear. Dress accordingly.
• Transportation: Cab, bus, the 22-mile scenic drive around Big Bear The runway is more than a mile long, but
rental cars Lake often stop at picturesque Fawnskin, on hot days, density altitude can reach
• Airport information: a stagecoach stop in the 1800s. more than 9,000 feet. Get out your POH,
bigbearcityairport.com No matter what the season, many and run the numbers to make sure you
• Mountain flying tips: people visit Big Bear Village, about five can get in—and out of—one of Califor-
bigbearcityairport.com/pilots/ miles west of the airport. This quaint nia’s most scenic airports.
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A vintage B–25 at Big Bear City Airport’s 2011 air fair (above). Snow Summit ski area (inset).

AOPA PILOT • 107 • FEBRUARY 2012

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AOPA Pilot magazine (ISSN: 0001-2084), February 2012, (Vol. 55, No. 02), is produced and distributed monthly by AOPA Membership Publications, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of the
Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, 421 Aviation Way, Frederick, Maryland 21701. Distribution restricted to AOPA members, those in aeronautical education (faculty and schools),
libraries, and the news media. U.S. membership dues are $45, of which $18 is for an annual subscription to Pilot and $2 is a voluntary contribution to the AOPA Foundation permanently
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AOPA PILOT • 108 • FEBRUARY 2012

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AOPA PILOT • 111 • FEBRUARY 2012

PILOTS BY JAKE BELL

Stuart Powell
S
tuart Powell’s first job was as a part-time line boy Powell has owned some type of airplane for most of the past
at Goodall Field, just south of Danville, Kentucky, half-century, ranging from an Aeronca Champ and an Ercoupe
where he took flying lessons in the afternoons and to a number of Cessna 172s and Piper Archers. His true pas-
would occasionally taxi a Piper J–3 Cub around the field sion has been at the helm of the Danville airport board, where
on the evenings when the manager left him to close. He he has served as chairman since 1968. “I’ve enjoyed trying to
got a little faster each night and would sometimes get air- build an airport for the community. I’ve never been able to
borne, chopping the throttle before the tires of the perky totally quench my thirst for helping develop it,” he said.
yellow Cub got too far above the grass. Powell has fought annexation and overseen the exten-
Powell soloed in sion and paving of
March 1945, when runways, the con-
he was 16, in the
good old days when
“I thought you had to be dead to have struction of hangars
and ramps, and the
tube-and-fabric tail-
draggers ruled and
airports named for you...I fooled them.” installation of an
AWOS and local-
fresh young pilots izer, among other
would bootleg beer into the dry county in J–3 Cubs. The twinkle projects. Most recently, he helped design and procure money
in Powell’s eye indicated that he, of course, has no first-hand for the construction of a new two-story airport administra-
knowledge of that. tion building. The building’s modern construction and clean
Now 83, Powell can be found bustling around his Ford design echo Powell’s own professional appearance and his
dealership six days a week. Although selling cars has been desire to create a first-class airport for his community.
Powell’s livelihood for the last 62 years (he has been doing In 1993, Goodall Field was renamed Stuart Powell Field in
business with Ford Motor Credit longer than any other dealer commemoration of his then-25 years as chairman of the air-
in the world), he still has a hard time staying away from port board and his unending support of the facility.
the airport that he has watched grow from an open field “I thought you had to be dead to have airports, tall buildings,
into a modern general aviation facility over the past or bridges named for you,” said Powell. “If that’s the case, they
70 years. thought I was going out the door, and I fooled them.”

PABLO ALCALÁ

AOPA PILOT • 112 • FEBRUARY 2012

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