Sep
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ATLANTIC FLYER © 2013 • 27 Years In Publication
• From Maine To Florida • In over 1,200 Locations
IN THIS ISSUE: SToRIES: 2013 AIRShow CALENdAR GENESEo: BACk To ThE CoRE NASCAR SoARS INT NEw hAmpShIRE ExTENdEd FLIGhTS: FILING muLTIpLE VFR LEGS FAThER oF ThE 747 RECEIVES ACoNE AwARd ELLIoTT SEGuIN BIG BomBERS ComES To mAdISoN, wI mAkING A FLYING BuSINESS FLY BoEING NS2 STEARmAN ThE GoLdEN AGE oF AVIATIoN - Book REVIEw REFLECTIoNS oF oShkoSh wISCoNSIN wING ANd BLuE BERET AT oShkoSh mY FAmILY’S oShkoSh AdVENTuRE CApTAIN dAN TETERBoRo AIRShow GREENwood LAkE AIRpoRT AIRShow
FuN STuFF: ChECkpoINTS CLASSIFIEd AdS CARTooNS: ChICkEN wINGS, SmILING JACk
BLUE SKIES!
ber
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September 2013
STELLAR AVIONICS SERVICES LLC Chester Airport (SNC) Hangar #1 59 Winthrop Rd, Chester, CT 06412
September 18, 2013 6:00-8:00pm This seminar will highlight the features and benefits of ADS-B, as well as the GTN series, G500/600 and the latest in portable units. Seminar Savings Bucks will be available. Refreshments will be served. RSVP 860-322-4244 stellaravionics@gmail.com
AtlAntic Flyer Our Mission The Atlantic Flyer newspaper strives to be the “Voice of the General Aviation Community.” We are committed to publishing news and topics of interest to our readers. Editor/Publisher Brian Columbus - brian@atlanticflyer.net
28th Annual
Simsbury Fly-In & Car Show
Sunday, September 15, 8 am – 3 pm Simsbury Airport | 4B9 | Simsbury, CT | Rain Date Sept. 22
Contact Us Atlantic Flyer c/o Prop Jockeys, LLC 4 Research Drive Suite 402 Shelton, CT 06484 Tel: (203)458-3348
• Hundreds of antique, classic, LSA, homebuilt, warbird, ultralight & other aircraft
Checkpoints, Stories, Photos & Comments can be submitted via email: editor@atlanticflyer.net
• Over 500 antique
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Copyrights Atlantic Flyer is published by Prop Jockeys, LLC. Copyright 1985-2013 by Prop Jockeys, LLC. All rights reserved. Reproductions or distribution of all content is prohibited without written permission from the publisher. Check us out online at www.AFlyer.com, Facebook & Twitter
• Whitehead replica–flight before the Wright brothers? • Formation flying • Aviation exhibits
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Columns 04 06 08 10 12 14 16 30
ANTIQUE ATTIC: GILLES AULIARD BIG SKY: K EN KULA SAL’S LAW: YOUR LEGAL EAGLE: SAL LAGONIA, ESQ AIR TO GROUND: ROSE MARIE K ERN HOT AIR, WINGS AND FLYING THINGS: JIM ELLIS EVAN FLYS: EVAN ISENSTEIN-BRAND BEYOND THE CROWD LINE: WAYNE GAULDIN BYDANJOHNSON.COM
Information & Classifieds 16 20 20 34 36
AIRSHOW CALENDAR ACCOMPLISHMENTS LEARN TO FLY - FLIGHT SCHOOLS CLASSIFIED ADVERTISEMENTS CHECKPOINTS
Features 11 13 25 26 28 29 32 33 37
MAKING A FLYING BUSINESS FLY BOEING N2S STEARMAN (PT-17) THE GOLDEN AGE OF AVIATION: BOOK REVIEW REFLECTIONS ON OSHKOSH WISCONSIN WING AND NATIONAL BLUE BERET MY FAMILY’S OSHKOSH ADVENTURE TEACHER OF THE YEAR MYSTERY AIRPLANE CAPTAIN DAN
Airshows 22 TETERBORO A NICE LITTLE AIRSHOW 24 GREENWOOD LAKE AIRPORT SHOW
Cartoons 19 SMILIN JACK 20 CHICKEN WINGS
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Antique Attic
September 2013
by Gilles Auliard
For the last couple of years, the Geneseo Airshow seemed to have lost its focus, trying to be everything to everybody and forgetting the recipe that made its success. However, this year, thanks to some forward thinking and beneficial circumstances beyond the reach of the 1941 HAG team, the show returned to its core business, delivering seven solid hours of Antiques, Classics and Warbirds flying. Following a general trend that started some years ago, 2013 saw the number of participating airplanes down, and the expected star of the show, Jerry Yagen’s straight out of a lengthy and pricy “restoration” -in fact ground up rebuildabsent. As you all well know, this had nothing to do with the organizing team, as the airplanes of the Military Aircraft Museum collection are in limbo, and the wildest speculations about the museum’s future circulating. Only time will tell... This, however, did not lessen the pleasure of participating in one of the premium events in a shrinking field.
There were a few firsts at Geneseo, including the B-25H s/n 43-4106 “Barbie III’, which, unfortunately did not participate in the weekend show. Owned and operated by the History Flight, Inc. of Marathon, Florida, this is only flying example of a rare H version of the famous Mitchell.
Geneseo: Back to the Core schedule was threatened by weather conditions.
installation of the solid 75 mm canon nose of the airplane. After 10 years, the airplane was ready to take to the skies again, and has been operated as a fully flyable warbird since. In 2009, Historic Flight, Inc. acquired Barbie and currently offers the opportunity to fly aboard the last B-25H. The aircraft is painted in the colors of the B25H “Barbie III” as flown by Lt. Col. Robert T. “R.T.” Smith in 1944 with the 1st Air Commando Group on the China-Burma-India Theater of WWII. Other newcomer at Geneseo was Mark Murphy’s P-51D “Quick Silver”. This P-51D Mustang is a celebration of our nation’s armed forces. Every part and every aspect of the paint represents those who have served, and those who gave the ultimate sacrifice. None-the-less, the real show stopper was the Canadian Warplane Heritage Avro Lancaster in its first appearance at Geneseo for many years. Second only to the Lancaster was the Vintage Wings of Canada’s Hawker Hurricane Mk 4 painted in the colors of RAF 6 Squadron, “The Flying Tin Openers”, which operated the Hurry in the “tank- busting” and ground attack role, equipped with four 20 mm guns. Many Canadian pilots flew the cannon-equipped tank-buster variant with 6th Squadron on operations in North Africa.
Built at the North American plant in Englewood, California, in 1943, 4106 was the #2 prototype for the “H” model of the B-25, of which 1,000 were built. In the early 80’s a group of enthusiast acquired the airplane with the goal to display it at airshows. A ground up restoration process was started, that included the reThe Hurricane never gets the credits it deserves in the outcome of the Battle of Britain and is overshadowed by the sexier Spitfire, represented at Geneseo by the Vintage Wings of Canada Mk XIV model. As it seems to be a tradition at Geneseo, the weather varied from 100 % low clouds to bright, sunny skies, with temperatures reaching the 90’s on Sunday and what seemed to be 100 % humidity. However, at no point, the airshow
The spectacle was well worth the admission price as all of the airplanes accomplished a minimum of three racetracks centered on Geneseo’s runaway, with, at time, some pretty fancy maneuvers. Some of the pilots had found their groove on Sunday, showing some nice flying attitudes, presenting the airplane they owned or were entrusted with under its best profile. With the streamlining of the schedule, some of the most awaited warbirds participated in two different in flight displays, sometimes including an aerobatic show as a single or pair.
Most salient was the Lancaster, which participated in the bomber segment, and a six-merlin engine formation. This was sometimes wrongly referred to as the Battle of Britain flight- with the Spitfire and Hurricane of opposite wingtips and the P-51 “QuickSilver”, which presented a very polished display. Every show around the world is perfectible, but the 2013 Geneseo Airshow inched closer to perfection than ever before. Keep up the good work.
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Messages from the Publishers The Atlantic Flyer was started by Jackie Lampher 28 years ago as a way to share her passion for aviation. Initially it was a oneperson operation with Jackie flying airport to airport around New England looking for stories. It was hard work, but it allowed Jackie to do what she loved, fly. As a grass roots publication the Atlantic Flyer grew quickly by word of mouth, rapidly expanding from 8 pages to 24 as the paper provided a way for aviation enthusiasts to connect. Over the years Jackie expanded circulation from Maine to Virginia. During this exciting time for general aviation the paper grew as fellow pilots joined with Jackie in flying airport to airport hand delivering copies of the Atlantic Flyer to waiting pilots and advertisers. The paper appeared in businesses, airport lounges, restaurants, flight schools and anywhere aviators gathered. The Atlantic Flyer very quickly became the forum for pilots to share their love of flying. There were stories written by WWII vets and first time flyers, all eager to share their passion. Over the 20 years Jackie owned the paper it became the place to go for local aviation information and entertainment. Richard and I bought the Atlantic Flyer from Jackie in 2005. We have made dynamic changes to the paper. There was a major redesign of the publication in 2007. We changed to a full color format with better quality paper that is stapled and trimmed, and we updated the web site. The distribution increased to over 1,200 locations from Maine to Florida, with subscribers from every state and Canada. We have enjoyed new writers and columnists, including 11 year old Evan (who is now in High School), distinguished veterans, aviation business owners and experts from aviation related fields. One of our favorite relationships is with someone we have never had the pleasure to meet face to face. Wayne Gauldin has been our “airshow guru”. Wayne has graciously included us in his email gang for several years now. He has helped us grow our connections in the airshow industry to the extent that we have been able to publish one of the most comprehensive airshow lists available. Thank you so much Wayne it has been a pleasure working with you. We also would like to thank all of the columnists and writers that have supported the Atlantic Flyer in so many ways. We know that your work is at the core of each and every issue. Richard and I would like to express our heartfelt thanks to Gilles Aulliard, John Cilio, Jim Ellis, Herb Hill, Dan Johnson, Rose Kern, Ken Kula, Sal Lagonia Esq, Michael Sullivan, and Phil Worley. Richard and I have decided its time to change our pace as we move forward. We are very excited about the man who has stepped up to continue the Atlantic Flyer legacy. It is our belief the he will take the Atlantic Flyer to the next level. His enthusiasm and passion for aviation will serve him and the publication well. Blue Skies Richard and Sandy
I am proud to introduce myself as the new publisher of Atlantic Flyer. For nearly 30 years, this publication has heralded the news and culture of general aviation throughout the eastern United States. During this time, the Flyer has showcased the people, places and planes of GA from Maine to Florida. I am honored to take the controls from Richard & Sandy Porter after nearly ten years of their outstanding work as publishers of Atlantic Flyer. For those of us lucky enough to be a part of GA, we know it’s more than just a hobby, sport or business. It’s our community and an integral part of who we are. As a licensed private pilot for more than 20 years, I have been inspired by my experiences in aviation. Whether flying a cross country into new airports or taking a short hop in the practice area, the thrill of taking flight remains constant for me. I started flying when I was just 15 years old and my passion for aviation has only grown over time. Now that I have a family of my own, I’ve recognized the importance of passing general aviation’s legacy onto the next generation(s). It’s no secret that the pilot population has decreased, cost of flying has gone up and airports across the country have gotten quieter. But the magic of flight remains. The general aviation community has made good strides in recent years to re-tool the identity of GA and appeal to a wider audience. My personal goal is for Atlantic Flyer to continue being the “Voice of our General Aviation Community”. Along the way, there will be changes to the look and feel of our print and online editions to enhance the experience of our readers. We will also be adopting social media as a tool to reach new audiences and provide better exposure for our advertisers. The future of general aviation is bright and as a community we can continue to grow and reach new heights. So as we begin this journey, I want to personally invite you to contact me with your input and feedback. Please let me know how we are doing or what you would like to see next from Atlantic Flyer. In the meantime… Let’s go flying! Brian Columbus brian@atlanticflyer.net
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September 2013
The Big Sky
by Ken Kula
NASCAR Soars Into New Hampshire
When I was an air traffic controller and traffic management coordinator working at the FAA’s Boston Center, a pair of NASCAR auto races held at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway would affect us each year. Three airports near the race track... Laconia, Concord, and Manchester New Hampshire, would draw a larger than normal number of aircraft to our airspace. They’d be carrying race teams, owners, officials and spectators up to New Hampshire for the weekend event. Cessna Citations, various Lears, Hawkers and Falcons. Laconia and Concord airports could attract more than 30 aircraft each, with Manchester hosting a handful more. Of note was an idea by Roush Fenway Racing to purchase and dedicate some Boeing 727s as team transports for their NASCAR efforts; these were the largest jets in town in a sea of “heavy metal”. Soon, other teams were sending converted regional airliners, including the 19 seat Beech 1900 or even 30 seat Embraer 120s too. Most of these aircraft would fly up to the area on Thursday and Friday, and remain until the race finished on Sunday afternoon. Around supper time after the marquee race ended, a steady stream of aircraft departed the three airports and proceeded south westbound to destinations such as Concord, Statesville, and Charlotte NC, where many of the teams were based.
Twenty years ago, each race would attract over 100 aircraft between the three airports. Aircraft would be a mix of turboprops such as Beech Super King Airs, Mitsubishi MU-2s and the occasional Piper Cheyenne, and jets like
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Fast forward fifteen years or so, and some things have changed during the race week. There are fewer aircraft staying each weekend (although the amount of flights seem to be steady at around 100). Personnel at both Concord Aviation Services and Laconia’s Sky Bright FBOs expected 15 to 20 aircraft each, remaining over the second weekend of July 2013 when the New Hampshire Motor Speedway’s Camping World RV Sales 301 race was held. Manchester’s Wiggins Airways expected even less, but all three still note that the race weekends are among their busiest weekends traffic-wise for the year.
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Fewer aircraft doesn’t necessarily mean fewer passengers though. A new breed of aircraft is being used to transport race teams from their homes, and larger aircraft such as Saab 2000 turboprops have 45 seats, compared to the 19 and 30 seat turboprops that were popular crew transports during earlier years. Larger corporate jets, such as Citation Sovereigns and Canadair/ Bombardier Challengers make one trip instead of two with smaller jets that seat less passengers. Even Roush Fenway Racing has traded their old -100 Boeings into larger -200 series with more capacity. Another trend seems to be that instead of making one trip and parking the plane, many shuttle flights are made with one or two aircraft. The use of fractionally-owned jets by officials and executives keeps fewer aircraft overnighted at the three airports too.
Looking at a radar scope and watching the planes depart New Hampshire, it was always fun guessing which aircraft contained which driver. In the old days most call signs contained the NASCAR number and driver’s initials in the call sign, but it isn’t that easy to decipher today. Team names take the place of driver’s initials, and security sometimes dictates that a call sign has nothing to do with whom is aboard. Sometimes a team sponsor lends it’s aircraft to help airlift people , and using a fractional operator hides identities too. Whoever’s aboard the aircraft, and whomever owns it isn’t a concern to air traffic controllers... its trivia and not operational necessity. But twice a year the skies over New Hampshire got a little busier than normal, and a bit more interesting as the NASCAR teams arrived and departed around their race weekends. Thanks to Lee Avery at Sky Bright and David Rolla at Concord Aviation Services for some of the information in this article.
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Get Ready for Summit Around my office, the excitement is building as we prepare for the AOPA Aviation Summit in Ft. Worth, Texas. This year we’ll gather from October 10-12 to enjoy all the best that general aviation has to offer, including the latest products and services, educational opportunities, and, of course, the chance to spend a few days among our fellow pilots, sharing ideas and enjoying camaraderie.
In the exhibit hall you can get hands-on with the latest technology in avionics, simulation, aviation apps, pilot gear, and more from some 400 exhibitors. You’ll also have the chance to check out dozens of new and classic aircraft on display at AirportFest.
If you’ve been part of a past AOPA Summit, then you know just how exciting this event can be. But I’d like to extend a special invitation to those of you who may not have made it to a Summit yet, especially those of you who live in the middle of the country. This is a great year to experience Summit while we’re centrally located in Ft. Worth—a city with lots to do for the whole family.
And of course, there will be plenty of opportunities to socialize with friends new and old as you enjoy some famous Texas barbecue, take in the rodeo, or indulge in a traditional pancake breakfast.
Summit 2013 will be our most interactive event ever, designed to help you make the most connections, find the most answers, and get the most enjoyment from your three-day visit. With new learning experiences, including seminars on using in-flight video and workshops on upgrading your panel, you can explore whatever aviation topics interest you. We’ll hold seminars on medical issues, fun destinations, buying your first aircraft, legal and tax matters, enhancing your IFR and decision making skills, air-to-air photography, and dozens of other topics for the way you fly, or want to fly. It’s not just a chance to listen and learn, it’s also a chance to get expert answers to all your questions.
We’ll even have a special free concert from country music star Aaron Tippin on Thursday night. Space is limited, so be sure to sign up early.
For even greater depth and breadth of experience, we’ll be joined by the American Bonanza Society, which will hold its annual gathering in conjunction with Summit for the second consecutive year.
And, of course, we’ll talk about serious issues, too. General Aviation leaders, including FAA Administrator Michael Huerta, will be on hand to answer questions, discuss the challenges we face, and look ahead to the future. You can register and start making your travel plans online at www.aopa.org/summit. Hope to see y’all in Texas!
Craig L. Fuller AOPA President and CEO
*For more information on the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association and the issues that affect your flying go to www.aopa.org today.
20 Years of AOPA Insurance This month we are celebrating a milestone—the twentieth anniversary of AOPA Insurance Services. On the one hand, it’s hard to believe that we’ve been offering insurance to pilots for two decades. On the other, it’s the most natural thing in the world that your association would be here to serve your aviation insurance needs and it seems like something we’ve always done. When I think of this 20-year milestone, I can’t help thinking how much my own life has changed during that time. I’ve worked in different industries, lived in different homes, and owned or flown a range of aircraft from jets to Bonanzas to my current Aviat Husky. At each stage my flying has changed, too. There have been times when I’ve flown mainly for pleasure and personal transportation. At other times flying has been a critical part of my professional life. And, of course, the past 20 years has made me older, and I’d like to believe wiser, as well. No doubt your life has also transformed in the past 20 years. Perhaps you’ve raised a family, bought your first aircraft, or returned to flying after a hiatus. Maybe you’ve moved around the country or the world, started a business, or retired to enjoy the good life. Whatever your situation, we recognize that it changes. And that’s why our AOPA Insurance Services offerings have also changed and grown over the years to meet the needs of pilots of all types. Whether you fly a technically advanced aircraft or an antique, whether you rent or own, whether you are part of a flying club or have your own fleet of business aircraft, AOPA Insurance Services is here to help you get the right amount and type of coverage.
But we do more than insure your airplane. We also recognize that pilots have other special needs. Many life insurance policies won’t cover pilots or do so only with numerous exclusions and high costs. And what if you’re over 50? Then getting life insurance as a pilot can seem next to impossible. But we know that pilots over 50 are not only safe fliers, they have more to protect. That why AOPA Insurance Services has special programs just for older aviators. Flying is part of a lifestyle that often includes travel, sometimes locally and sometimes far afield. That’s why we offer special emergency assistance programs to cover unexpected expenses and get you specialized care if you have an emergency far from home. Everything from medical evacuation, return of your aircraft, and travel assistance for you and your companions can be included in your tailored emergency assistance plan. You’ll get peace of mind knowing that you and your loved ones will be taken care of when you’re away from home, whether you’ve flown your own aircraft or traveled commercially. Because AOPA Insurance Services is a brokerage, we work with Arated partners to bring you the best coverage. Today, we have 18 partners who specialize in meeting the needs of pilots. And because we’re part of AOPA, we recognize the importance of being your advocate when it comes to finding the right insurance. It’s hard to tell what changes each of us may face in the next 20 years, but you can count on AOPA Insurance Services to be out in front, using the latest tools and technology, as well as our personal understanding of what it means to be a pilot, to serve your changing needs. Find out more about AOPA Insurance Services and how we can serve you at insurance.aopa.org.
Page 8
September 2013
SAL’S LAW: YOUR LEGAL EAGLE FM @ Email Sal, it has been some time since we heard that the FAA was looking into changing its medical procedure. Those of us with minor cardiac problems wait patiently, hoping to fly again. Has there been any progress since these protocol changes were called for? Sal’s Law: FM, keep that pulse going as the FAA has indeed convened several panels of cardiology experts to discuss recommendations for changes in heart related flying rules. The panel has returned recommendation with the regard to such things as heart attacks, bypass surgery and stents. They most recently have dealt with the issues of permanent and prophylactic pace makers. For the most part it would appear that their recommendations call for shorter waiting times before certification. Currently, an airman must provide numerous medical tests, conducted to FAA standards, and wait long periods of time before re-certification will be considered. With advances in medical science, those waiting times may very well be reduced, which is good news. The recommendations now go to the Federal Air Surgeon’s office for approval and promulgation into law. And the beat goes on! DM @ 1N7 I am a student pilot and about half way through my basic private pilot course. My intent after completion is to use the pilot license for recreational flight only and not fly at night or in bad weather. My instructor tells me that I must complete a segment of training for night flying. Is there a way that I can complete my training without the nighttime hours and a restriction for day flight only? Sal’s Law: Hi, DM. I am also a student pilot. In fact we should all be student pilots forev-
er, since we learn something on every flight. As to your night time hours question, if you wish to earn a private pilot certificate you must log and receive instruction in numerous maneuvers, including night flight. 14 CFR 61.109 refers to section 61.107 for a list of required maneuvers. Each applicant must have three hours of night flight training. The one exception to this rule is found in Section 61.110 which refers to students who are trained in Alaska. Since there are periods of time in that state where the sun never sets, the requirement can be waived and a pilot license issued with a restriction. That restriction can then be removed once the applicant has exhibited the requisite hours whenever night time is again available. This was a practical exception that was necessary to address that issue. It’s similar to the thinking along the lines of private pilot instrument experience. While you may never plan on flying in the clouds as a newly minted pilot, it still could happen and in a pinch you need to know what to do. Or if we didn’t like slow flight training we can just ask for an endorsement to never go slow!?! Yeh, I guess you get the point. DT @ HPN I am in the process of selling an aircraft to a private buyer and as you have often suggested we are using a formal sale agreement and escrow services. In the agreement we refer to the aircraft delivery in “as is” condition. Since the start of negotiations, there have been small but negative changes to the condition of the aircraft. The potential buyer is complaining about these changes but I am pointing to the “as is” provision. We are both looking for some advice on this issue. Sal’s Law: DT, the term “as is” in contract law is often misunderstood. It does not mean, whatever I give you is what you get. What it
more properly means is what you saw when you contracted to purchase the item, is what you will get. A good example is the GPS on the aircraft. If the sale is “as is” and on the day you reached an agreement the GPS was working, it has to work on the date of transfer, with normal wear excepted. Normal wear would include the expiration of the data base. Similarly, if six months passed from contract to transfer and there was some additional wear on the tires, that’s to be expected. If the tire is damaged, that is beyond “as is” and a new tire must be provided. Contract terms are very complicated and must be adhered to carefully. We call it the “four corner” rule, meaning what appears between the four corners of the contract, will control. Best you seek professional services when buying or selling any aircraft to avoid these issues. Blue Skies all! Sal Lagonia Esq., is an Aviation Attorney, Professor of Aviation Law and expert safety consultant who is a frequent speaker on aviation safety issues. Questions and speaking requests may be sent to Sal@LagoniaLaw.com or to his main office at 914-24
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Page 9
The Niagara Aerospace Museum The Niagara Aerospace Museum is pleased to announce that it has reopened to the public at its new facility at the Niagara Falls International Airport, located in the former terminal building on Saturday, June 29 at 11:00 AM. The Museum’s operating hours are from 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM Wednesday through Sunday. Group tours and special events are available by appointment. The Museum is dedicated to preserving the rich aviation heritage of Western New York, and
showcases the aviation and aerospace history of Bell Aircraft, Consolidated Aircraft, CurtissWright, and many other companies that were once a vital part of this region. The Museum collection includes artifacts, aircraft, helicopters, and rockets that represent over 100 years of Aviation from the Wright Brothers through the Space Program. On display you will see a 1917 Curtiss Jenny, early Bell model 47 helicopters, the Bell P-39 Airacobra and the Rocket Belt. The space gal-
lery includes the Apollo lunar ascent engine and a NASA EECOM control station. If you are flying into the airport and require assistance, please contact Niagara Falls Aviation at 716-298-9307 and their courteous staff will assist you with any requirements you may have. For more information, please contact the museum at 716-297-1324 or visit our Facebook page and website at www.wnyaerospace.org.
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Page 10
September 2013
“Air To Ground” by Rose Marie Kern Pilots planning to fly for an extended period of time frequently need to choose whether to file several flight plans or one long one. Which is better? The answer depends on the situation and, to some extent the reason flight plans are filed to begin with. VFR flight plans are optional, with a few exceptions, such as when you fly across the Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) on the U.S. border or through a VIP Temporary Flight Restriction. The VFR flight plan was created to help pilots in an emergency because it gives Flight Service and the Rescue Coordination Center (RCC) the information needed to find an aircraft if it does not arrive at its destination at the projected time.
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How to Give a Pilot Report That is Truly Appreciated
Filing a VFR round robin or any extended flight plan, requires a decision as to how long you want to wait before help is sent if, for some reason, there is an emergency causing an unexpected landing. For extended flights of several hours, pilots will usually land for fuel, but often include the fuel stop in the estimated time en route. If you file a flight for five hours—including the 30 minute fuel stop—search and rescue (SAR) will not begin until 30 minutes past your estimate time of arrival at the final destination. If the aircraft has a problem within the first hour of the flight causing an unexpected landing or an accident, a physical search will not begin for another four and a half hours. The first two hours of SAR do not include a physical search. This time period is used in calling the destination airport, every airport for 50 miles either side of the flight planned route and all air traffic facilities to see if anyone has had contact with the missing aircraft.. Now assuming that you landed alive but injured in a snow covered wilderness only an hour after departure, the military and the civil air patrol will not be launched for over six and a half hours. Statistics show that the sooner help arrives the greater the chance of survival, especially during weather extremes. If you really do not like filing multiple legs, then be sure to contact some branch of air traffic along the route several times. If you can get flight following with Center during a portion of the flight then they will have a computer track that we can use in SAR. If you call radio or flight watch for a weather update or a pilot report, there will be a record of your position. This narrows the search corridor considerably. There is reluctance on the part of some pilots to file multiple legs, primarily because they are concerned that they will forget to activate or close each one. They are embarrassed if they go home to a panicked mate because flight service called to ask if they have heard from you, or if the FBO manager has to remind you to call. If this is the case, you may try a mnemonic device to trigger your memory. A popular option is to set a cell phone or other alarm device to the flight plan’s ETA. When it goes off it will remind you to call Flight Service. Also, this is the one area where Flight Service loves cell phone numbers. When you are filing your flight plan, list your cell phone along with your other contact information and that will be one of the first things we try to call to determine if you have arrived safely. Most of the time flight service closes flight plans after calling the destination airport and discovering that the aircraft is on the field. Frequently the pilot never even realizes that he forgot to call us. This is easy when a tower or FBO is open, a little more difficult at a remote airport at night because the local police have to be dispatched to drive out and inspect the ramp. What is difficult for us is when an aircraft lands at a remote field when no one else is around and gets hangered – then we cannot find it as easily. The preference, from the point of view of those who are responsible for Search and Rescue is for pilots to file multiple shorter flight plans rather than a one long one. Should an accident occur, this will not only begin the search faster but also limit the amount of terrain needing to be covered. SAR is generally for 50 miles either side of your filed route of flight.
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The number one priority of flight service is safety and service to the pilot. Help us help you by filing multiple legs of your journey to ensure that SAR can more rapidly target your likely location in the event of an emergency. Rose Marie Kern has worked in ATC for over 30 years. You can ask Rose a question by contacting her at author@rosemariekern. com.
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Page 11
Making a Flying Business Fly: “Loving Making a Living” “Now that is one happy couple”, I thought to myself as I walked to my car after an afternoon visit with Dick and Kathy Hordon. Happy together, happy in their business, happy in their chosen life. Dick, Kathy and son Rich operate Four Star Aviation in North Andover, MA, a family business that has prospered for almost four decades in the economic rollercoaster of aviation. Weathering the seasonality and cyclicality of the FBO business has called for a smorgasbord of services that has changed over time, mirroring the changes in general aviation over that period. Timing is everything in business as well as in flying and that timing challenge hasn’t escaped Four Star, which is right now faced with adapting to dramatic changes in order to escape a profit squeeze. “Now you can’t leave the ground without talking to four people. And finding a grass field is getting harder and harder, particularly one in an area where there are enough people to support the business.” And this is the heart of the dilemma for Dick and many other business owners: Smallness and autonomy versus size and viability. Ask him what Four Star does now and he’ll tell you: Aircraft maintenance, storage, sales, fueling Aerial photography, survey and banner towing Financing and appraisal Accident investigation But significant changes in the industry are forcing him to adapt. Light aircraft maintenance, flight training, aircraft financing and a successful remote sensing business are among the casualties, along with moving from the “lovely grass strip” to bustling Lawrence Municipal Airport (LWM), a tower-controlled, municipally-governed jet-capable field 30 miles north of Boston. Four Star has seen a fall-off in light aircraft maintenance paralleling a decrease in the number of light aircraft. “The industry is destroying more airplanes than we’re producing”, says Dick. Additionally, better parts manufacturing economies are forcing a shift to “remove and replace” rather than “repair” maintenance. This reduces the billable hours for the FBO and shifts more of the maintenance dollar to the replacement parts manufacturer. Still, parts garner 30 points, which pays the lights and rent. Flight training is the “work end of the business” for Dick. More flight training equals more management workload, finding instructors and then replacing them as they move up the aviation food chain, ferrying aircraft and carrying more aircraft inventory. It feeds the rest of the business, but is it essential? Maybe not, as Dick has cut back from fourteen aircraft to a handful, including the Cessna 206 he uses solely as an aerial survey and photography platform.
Dick is a traditionalist, upset that so few CFI’s (“one out of a hundred”) have tailwheel experience. “90% of accidents are caused by loss of directional control on takeoff and landing,” which Dick attributes to the sloppy habits tolerated by tricycle trainers. “Tailwheels teach you what your feet are for!” How about aircraft financing? “Way too competitive”, says Dick. Too many providers of an essentially undifferentiated service equals too little margin. In contrast, Dick was able to build a unique airborne remote sensing business, creating an innovative marriage of GPS, computer controls and infrared cameras upon which he built an aerial photography service as well as a camera accessory sales business. However, the extensive travel conflicted with the core business, big government contractors dominated the market and even law enforcement got nervous when Dick became a witness to things they didn’t want known, so he sold that business after ten years. Accident investigation is, happily, sporadic, but “sporadic” won’t keep the lights on. However, every cloud has a silver lining and growth in the light jet market is significant, offering a new business opportunity to an FBO at a mid-size, jet- and instrument-capable field. Independent FBO’s are hard-pressed to get big iron contracts, but the smaller corporations and wealthy entrepreneurs are now moving up to jets, and Dick is moving with them. “Little airplanes are a lot of fun,” says Dick, “but you work for every nickel you make on them. You put seven or eight hundred gallons of fuel into a jet and you’ve just made a week’s pay in three-quarters of an hour.” “Fuel ‘em and store ‘em” is the new mantra. Bigger hangars are under construction, a ramp expansion project is in the works and a focus on night fueling is fueling a new surge in revenue. Ironically, “just-in-time” manufacturing in a cost-conscious Detroit is spurring this growth. As car manufacturers trim their inventories, they make themselves more dependent on their suppliers, many of whom are in Four Star’s local area. When the call goes out for an ASAP shortorder, the planes fly in to LWM at any hour to respond, and when they do, Dick responds with Jet-A and jet catering. “We’ve become a mini freight-center. It’s profitable and it’s fun!” However, basing is crucial to consistent fuel sales. The good news is that congestion at a major jet airport nearby is forcing new jet owners to look for a basing alternative, and if Dick has his way, he believes he can lure them as well as some established owners to his LWM facilities. He credits AOPA’s FBO Directory, as well as a revamped Four Star web site, with being his best source of corporate transient and basing
business, and points to AvFuel, his fuel supplier, as being a superb marketing partner and responsive supplier. “You can’t do it alone”, says Dick, “and AvFuel has been great to us.” What about the challenges the industry faces? Dick sees the biggest challenge as the public’s love/hate relationship with aviation. People are “in love with airplanes” conceptually yet they worry about noise, crashes and now terrorism. Insurance post-9/11 has become a big issue, with subrogation against renter pilots arising as a recent phenomenon for FBO’s. In response, Four Star has shifted insurance costs to renters/ students by requiring hefty renter pilot insurance coverage and to themselves by self-insuring higher hull deductibles. Dick thinks that the public relationship can be improved by getting the community involved with the airport and being responsive to complaints. The good news is that there are “always people who want to learn to fly”, according to Dick, and this is borne out by a steady diet of walk-in traffic. Converts range from “kids to grandmothers,” with word-of-mouth and the Yellow Pages the best source of this traffic, again along with his website. Radio advertising doesn’t seem to get the draw it used to, for a reason that seems a little ominous. Four Star advertised on an “oldies station” that reliably yielded new students from a demographic linked to ‘50’s and ‘60’s music. That station is still an “oldies” station, but they shifted the definition of “oldies” to the ‘70’s, and new student traffic fell off. Does that mean that the love of flying is less infectious in more recent generations? What’s been the value of the business to you, Dick? “It’s allowed us to raise a family, put the kids through college, own a nice house in a nice town, buy properties in other parts of the country and have fun doing it. It’s been a great education. It teaches you about every aspect of life. I’ve had to learn about weather, runways, finance, law, leases, politics, training people, managing people, fixing airplanes, fixing the Coke machine, how you build a building, how you repair the plumbing, the list goes on and on. It’s more than flying. You have to be multitalented.” An obvious challenge is balancing this diversity with a focus on the essentials. Dick agrees that can be tough, but clearly this family has achieved the American dream. When asked about the attributes it takes to be successful in this business, Dick and Kathy put at the top of their list the need to be “flexible, committed, tenacious and inventive.” Any advice for people entering such a business? “Go into it with your eyes open, it’s not a 9-to-5 job and remember, you’re in business to be in business!” Sage advice for making a living in any business, even one you love. By Thomas C. Browne
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September 2013
Hot Air, Wings and Flying Things by Jim Ellis “Father of the 747” Awarded 2013 ACONE Godfrey L. Cabot Award systems for extreme reliability and redundancy. You could come home on a single system if necessary. There were over 1500 747s built. He said pilots love to fly the 747 (and there was at least one 747 pilot in the audience at the Harvard Club who would attest to that). Boeing is still building the 747-8. It is still a prime mover for freight.
The Aero Club of New England, the oldest Aero Club in the western hemisphere and the second oldest in the world, annually presents the prestigious Godfrey L. Cabot Award to individuals or groups who have made unique, significant, and unparalleled contributions to advance and foster aviation or spaceflight. Past recipients of the award have included Igor I. Sikorsky, Gen. James Doolittle, Gen. Charles “Chuck” Yeager, and Frank Robinson. The Cabot Award ceremonies, held at the Harvard Club in Boston on June 7, awarded the 2013 Godfrey L. Cabot Award to Joseph F. Sutter. Sutter is known as “The Father of the 747” for his leadership of the 4500 man engineering and product development team that guided the 747 through initial airplane definition, detail design, flight testing, certification, and entry into service. After receiving the award including a small trophy which he can keep (his name will be inscribed on the large Godfrey L. Cabot Award trophy) and an inscribed silver Paul Revere bowl, Sutter gave a talk describing his life with Boeing, the development of the 747, and the state of airliner design in general. Sutter grew up in Washington State not far from the Boeing Seattle home. He said he grew up living near municipal airports. He saw the first Boeing 314 Clipper flying boat flying, flying right over where he was. He said the plane flew inland. The first 314 Clipper only had a single tail, and couldn’t turn around. It landed at a lake to the east in interior Washington State where they added a larger tail. He said that the Boeing Stratoliner was the first pressurized airliner ever built. The prototype crashed. He studied Aeronautical Engineering at the University of Washington. He went into the Navy in World War II hoping to be involved with aviation, but was assigned to sea duty on a destroyer escort. After the war he joined Boeing in 1946. He said his reasons for going to Boeing were that they said they were going to build airliners and intended to stay in the business. A second reason was that they spent their own company money to build a transonic wind tunnel. He worked on almost all of the early Boeing jetliner programs, working his way up from junior engineer to eventually being Executive Vice President in charge of all Boeing commercial airplane engineering and product development. Sutter said the 707 was the start of what we today call air transportation. The 707 was the first airliner that could make money flying at a decent ticket price. When asked how the 707 was named, he replied “I was a lowly junior engineer at the time. I heard that a Boeing Vice
President of Engineering’s wife named the 707. She just pulled it out of the air.” The 727 was built in the 1960s. It was a jetliner that could get into and out of LaGuardia Airport in New York City; Washington National in Washington, DC; and Midway in Chicago. The 727 program lasted nearly 50 years. The 737 was originally designed as a short haul jet. Working on the 737 program, Sutter developed the scheme for putting the jet engines under the wings (competing Douglas DC-9s and European British Aircraft Corporation and Fokker designs had two engines mounted on the rear fuselage). He got an award from Boeing for his efforts: A check for all of $50. In 1965, Sutter was in the middle of the 737 program when he was asked to do studies on a big airplane. Juan Trippe, head of then very powerful Pan American World Airways, wanted a bigger airplane than the 707 to lower ticket prices. The result would be the 747. Sutter said in those days the airlines had very good engineering departments, which challenged the manufacturers and contributed to the design of new airliners. The prevalent thinking at the time was that it would be a narrowbody double deck airplane. Sutter’s team decided it had to be a good freighter if it was to be successful. They proposed a single wide deck design. They had to build a mockup to sell the design. Within Boeing, Sutter was competing for resources with the Government-sponsored SST program. The SST program took all the young engineers, and left him with engineers who were “long in the tooth”. Eventually, the experienced design team would be so successful they would be known as “The Incredibles”. Sutter said all aircraft design is a compromise. He said “the 747 achieved the Golden Compromise”. It was designed as both a passenger airplane and one capable of flying freight. Several hundred freighter versions were built. One of the strengths of the airplane is its reliability. Being such a large airplane allowed quadruple
Sutter said the two people he felt were most responsible for the 747 were Juan Trippe and Bill Allen. Juan Trippe started Pan Am and made it one of the world’s most powerful and successful airlines. Bill Allen ran Boeing. Sutter said “he listened to us engineers”. Sutter said he feels they were really the “fathers of the 747”. He said at one point, Trippe said to Allen “You build it, and I’ll buy it.” Allen replied “If you’ll buy it, I’ll build it.” The 757, 767, 777, 787 are all twin-engine designs. Sutter said that with new very reliable engines, now is the day of the two-engined airplane. He said the 777 is the prime mover for most long haul flying. He said the 787 reduces fuel consumption by 20%. When asked what is the next step, he replied that it is hard to predict. (But he seemed somewhat pessimistic.) He said that we have done nothing to increase the speed of the airplanes. He said that there were attempts in both the 1970s and 1990s to improve airliner design. He said the 1990s effort did not improve significantly on the 1970s results. He said the days of supersonic flight are still way out in the future. He said that Emirates Airlines operating out of Dubai and others operating out of the Middle East with their oil money now rule the skies. Sutter has an obvious disdain for competing Airbus Industries designs which rely more heavily on computer control than Boeing airliners. On the design of airliners, he said “Airplanes are wonderful machines, but they are never forgiving.” He said that “Boeing airplanes are designed so the pilots are always in command.” He said “Pilots are not always right. But it is better to have a half qualified pilot than a half qualified computer.” Looking back on meeting Charles Lindbergh (while Lindbergh was a consultant to Pan American), Sutter said “I met Charles Lindbergh about three times. We had a meeting at HQ when we were trying to sell more airplanes to Pan Am. He came to Seattle twice when we were designing the 747. I spent an hour with him discussing airplane performance. He had only one thing in mind, which was getting the best airplane.” In conclusion, he said “The (Cabot) award is something I didn’t expect, but I’m grateful for it.”
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Fun and Interesting Airplanes and Whirlybirds: Boeing N2S Stearman (PT-17) Synopsis: The Stearman is a fun aircraft no matter who you are. Big, slow, open cockpit biplane that almost anyone can recognize. I got the chance to fly the Stearman during my last trip to Florida and it really made my trip.
to either a high performance fighter such as a P-51 or a bomber. After the war it was used widely throughout the U.S by civilians for barnstorming, agricultural jobs and private use. A good amount of them are still puttering around air shows today.
Just standing around it brings joy to the average aviation geek, as pretty much all of them hold substantial history. Flying it: The aircraft taxis quite similar to most tail draggers, but once it’s time to fly, it’s something you won’t forget. Advancing the throttle on takeoff, a good amount of right pedal is required as you’d expect, but then you wait. There is no need or rush to push the nose forward and get up on the mains as you still won’t see anything. So you wait for her to come up when she’s ready, once she’s up you rotate and accelerate in ground effect for a little while before climbing out. Once you get to cruise turns are interesting, you turn to the right and there isn’t much difference from any other tailwheel, stick and rudder, coordinated turns. To the left, all you need is aileron and the engine and prop do the rest. PFactor, precession all that fun stuff pretty much takes care of the adverse yaw. Didn’t do much aerobatics past 60° steep turns and some steep lazy eights, but even those are unforgettable. I swear the aircraft could turn around in 100 feet in a steep turn. Landing... the best part. When coming in for a landing, Mother Nature decides whether you’re going to have an uneventful day or vice versa. I was lucky enough to get a headwind and a grass strip; things can get real sticky on pavement or in a crosswind. She
Where I flew it: Fantasy of Flight, in Polk country Florida.
3-points like a dream on grass but I’ve been told but wheel landings are a necessity on pavement or in a crosswind, or both. Pros: Easy takeoff, easy landing on grass. Open cockpit can never get old. If you have insurance, chutes and certification aerobatics are possible! Simple! I don’t recall touching anything but throttle, pedals and stick (few exceptions) Lots of history! Fly it by ear! (Or nose) when the aircraft is on the verge of stalling you can smell the exhaust, and it’s not subtle either. Tons more! Cons: Better hope the wind will stay down the runway. Long-range navigation I assume would be difficult (and cold!) Can be a little sluggish at lower airspeeds. It is very slow! (Could be a good thing depending on the person) Visibility can be an issue, as in you can’t see a damn thing. History: The Stearman was a primary trainer for the navy starting in 1935, and the Army air corps in 36. It proved to be a great trainer as it was quite rugged and forgiving. Students were expected to solo the Stearman in 7-12 hours of training, which is a little optimistic but most rose to the occasion. It was generally the first aircraft a cadet flew in his journey
Basically a mecca for aviation fans, an awesome museum (aircraft restoration center as they call it) that 90% of the collection is airworthy or on it’s way to being airworthy. They have tons and tons of classic aircraft, including 2 flying P-51’s, an airworthy B-17, a flying Fokker DR.1 replica (My favorite) and countless others! They have daily flight demonstrations and when I was there they were flying the Fiesler Storch. The Stearman flights are provided by Rob from Waldo Wright’s Flying Service. They also have a 5 seat new standard bi-plane and a Waco that full acros are allowed in. My instructor was Rob Lock. For more information: http://www.fantasyofflight.com/ http://www.waldowrights.com/ Bio: Robert Pinksten is a 17 year old dual rated (fixed and helicopter) private pilot with time in all sorts of aircraft ranging from Bell 47 helicopters to T-6 Texans. If you’d like your aircraft or flight school featured by Rob, contact him at rob@robcanfly.com, or on twitter @robertpinksten. Videos of the flight are on www.robcanfly.com.
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September 2013
After we put the big motor in my Dad’s Swift
Elliot Seguin The Reno Air Races are full of really great people and one of the nicest is Elliot Seguin.When I met him he was racing a very cool Cassutt called Wasabi in the formula class. How nice is he? Well, since he lives way down in Mojave we couldn’t get together for a face to face interview. So he answered all my questions and did a ton of writing to do it! He’s a great guy and a lot of fun. So here’s our interview. How did you get into flying? I came from a flying family. My father is a private pilot; going to the airport when I was growing up was a big deal. All the kids in the family learned to ride their bicycles at the airport, on the taxiways in front of the hangar; the first time I drove a car it was on the airport. The first Saturday of the month was our EAA Chapter 55’s monthly meeting. After the pancake breakfast when the meeting would start I would go out to the creek between the taxiway and the runway and catch frogs and crayfish, this was well before the 9-11 airport restrictions. It was pretty cool, I would be all covered in mud and an airplane would land and I would have a front row seat, just me and the cat tails. Were you interested in airplanes as a kid? Definitely, as far back as I can remember I alternated from airplane designer and fighter pilot for career of choice. From when I was about 6, the highlight of the summer would be when our EAA chapter would have its yearly dawn patrol/air show. My dad took pride in parking the airplanes that would be landing for the pancake breakfast and taught me to do the same. He would make sure I got an orange vest and the orange sticks necessary to convince a pilot that a young kid was actually telling them where to park their airplane. Since my dad didn’t think I was big enough for Oshkosh yet (he made the trip to Mecca yearly), this was my biggest aviation event of the year. When I was 8, I got to direct a Ford Tri-Motor and a DC-3 to park, and I was pretty sure that was the coolest thing that had ever happened. When I was 8 I got to go to Oshkosh for the first time. My old man wasn’t sure I would be able to handle it so he had a buddy fly me in the day before he was planning to fly the swift home. It was a really big deal to be able to go. I knew that if I complained or got too tired or whatever the opportunity would not arrive again. The rules were I carried the backpack in exchange for being able to come along. I got a ride in with a family friend in a 172 and
as we came over lake Michigan I remember the airplanes reflecting in the sun as far as I could see. On short final I was looking out the right side of the airplane as we landed on 27, I remember seeing not one but two DC-3s parked down by Basler and having to contain myself (didn’t want to talk on the intercom that close to landing). That year I got to sit in a real P-51 down in the warbird area and saw the GeeBee from the movie The Rocketeer. I guess I performed up to the task because my dad let me fly in with him the next year and spend the full three days he had planned for the event. I remember watching Jon run his speed trials and Bohannon do the time to climb, ever since then Oshkosh has been like a family reunion for me. Was there something special that happened? I think a big part of how my aviation interest ended up, centered on the fact that my dad flew a Swift. When I was in middle school we repainted it and replaced the 125 Continental with a 210 Continental. The airport I grew up at didn’t have anything like that at the time; so this little fighter-looking plane (that as far as I was concerned might as well have been a Mustang) was a big attention getter at the airport, and I picked up on that. I think it focused my interest on speed and high performance airplanes. Another factor must have been that Reno was during the school year and was on the other side of the country, which meant that when my dad went (three times that I remember), I wasn’t invited. The event was able to grow in my mind. My dad would bring back pictures and he had a couple books on the races and that was all I had to work with. I think that and the sleek lines of his Swift turned Reno and air racing into an obsession that has led to my current predicament. By the time I first made it to Reno (as a crew member on Nemesis in 2005) the bug was already dug in. What made you decide to get involved in air racing? I was in Mechanical Engineering school in New York; I was wrenching at a Triumph shop during the school year and building PT-17s and T-6s for a gentleman named Dave Groh back in Michigan during the summer. I had been doing this kind of work on the side since high school. I remember the first time I saw a manual (I think it was for a 1340), it had ‘Restricted’ typed on the top of each page; I came home from work that day and told my dad about how I was working on classified stuff at the shop. The way I saw it that ‘Restricted’ warning proved that a 1340 wasn’t far from a 3350 and, well, 3350s race at
Reno - so basically I was working on Rare Bear. My Dad isn’t an engineer, but he taught me from a young age that the airplanes that mattered had round engines and tail wheels; he hasn’t ventured far down the long road with a Bearcat on the other end, but he was able to step back and look at the big picture for me back then. He told me “no one is ever going to pay you as an engineer to work on WWII aviation”. At the time it was tough to hear, but those words created the itch that got me here. I sat down and made a list of the coolest modern aviation companies I could think of. The two companies at the top of that list were Nemesis Air Racing and Scaled Composites. The Sharps responded to the letter I wrote them almost immediately; I picked up the phone and Trish was on the other end (talk about a direct connection to Reno). I flew commercial to Mojave for my spring break to meet the Sharps and confirm it wasn’t just a dream. I spent that week in the same hangar as a real Reno Racer (I had still never been to the races). As soon as the semester was over I drove from New York to Mojave and joined team Nemesis. If there is a machine that could stir an interest in the sport it’s the NXT and if there is a team the Sharps would be leading it. After the summer of 2005 there was no question I was going to be spending a lot more time in Mojave. What is it like to be in a race at Reno and can you describe a Reno race lap? Racing at Reno is intense, dangerous, way cool, but mostly its flying. High risk aviation is about managing that risk while sorting and analyzing large amounts of data efficiently. Whether its flight test, combat, or Jon turning a 400mph lap: it takes every bit of concentration you can give it. If you could find the course blindfolded, there would be systems to manage; and if your head was always in the cockpit managing systems, you wouldn’t be able to keep track of the other racers. That is the overwhelming characteristic of racing; the guys that are really moving are also really busy. Which is why a guy like Jon has such an advantage, he has won more races than anyone on the planet and just like anything else, the more times you do something the easier it is and therefore the less bandwidth it takes to do. Racing Wasabi is about building that account of racing experience. I am still learning what a race lap at Reno should be like, and the beauty of a slow airplane
With my Dad, and the hardware after my first race week as a pilot.
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is you get lots of time to learn. The formula course has two turns and two straights. Turns are a very big part of all racing; I find that the actual task of flying the airplane is the most saturating on this part of the track, particularly the beginning of the turn. The straights become the chance to do everything else - look for traffic, check the engine, etc. It’s very easy to get consumed by a particular task and loose track of the other pieces of the puzzle. For instance, rolling out of pylon 3 and on to the back straight, you look down to check your oil pressure and you’re trying to remember what it read the last time you checked it. Next thing you know you look up and you’re late to start to roll into 4, which means you’re wide on 5 and pulling more Gs (which can be very disorienting); now you’re going to be tight on 6 so you have roll back out of the turn early to save the pylon then roll back up to line up for the straight. All that trouble because of a second glance at an oil pressure reading (and that’s at only 180mph). The Reno Air Races are amazing to be at but the coolest thing for me is to get to know great guys like Elliot. Next time you’re at the Reno Air Races - and you better go - be sure to stop by and say hi to Elliot!
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Until then, be sure to visit his very cool website! Take a look at his new ride! http://wasabiairracing.blogspot.com/
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September 2013
2013 Airshows Please be sure to check for up to date information about the airshow of your interest by checking their website. Many last minute changes are possible. Shows with lines through them have been cancelled. Dates Name
Location
Websites
8/28 Milwaukee Airshow Milwaukee, WI www.milwaukeeairshow.com/ 8/28 Rotary Brantford Charity Air Show Brantford, Ontario, Canada www.facebook.com/pages/Rotary-Brantford-Charity-Air Show/111992042168784 8/30-9/1 Watsonville Fly-In & Air Show WVI Watsonville, CA www.watsonvilleairshow.org/ 8/31-9/1 NAS Patuxent River Air Expo NHK Patuxent River, MD 8/31-9/1 Rockford AirFest 2013 RFD Rockford, IL www.flyrfd.com/airfest.html 8/31-9/2 Cleveland National Air Show BKL Cleveland, OH www.clevelandairshow.com/ 8/31-9/2 Canadian International Air Show YYZ & YT Toronto, ON www.cias.org/ 9/6-8 SkyRaid Over South Jersey Medford, NJ www.facebook.com/SkyraidOverSouthJersey 9/7 Fort Scott Airport Day FSK Fort Scott, KS http://fortscott.com/september.php 9/7 Wings Over Waukegan UGN Waukegan, IL www.waukeganairshow.com 9/7 Vail Wheels & Wings Show EGE Gypsum, CO www.vailautoshow.com/wheels-and-wings 9/7-8 Catalina Air Show and Festival AVX Avalon, CA www.catalinaairshow.com/ 9/7-8 Restigouche County Air Show CYCL Charlo, NB http://villagecharlo.com/ 9/7-8 Chippewa Valley Airshow EAU Eau Claire, WI www.chippewavalleyairshow.com/ 9/7-8 Wings of Freedom Air Show SDY Sidney, MT www.sidneymt.com/events/airshow.asp 9/8 Cape Air Kirksville Air Fest IRK Kirksville, MO www.kvairfest.com/ 9/13-15 WACO Fly-in & Homecoming 1WF Troy, OH www.wacoairmuseum.org/ 9/13-16 National Championship Air Races RTS Reno, NV www.airrace.org/eventOverview.php 9/14 Lycoming County Balloonfest & Air Show Hughesville, PA www.lcrotary.com/ 9/14-15 Great State of Maine Air Show BXM Brunswick, ME www.greatstateofmaineairshow.us/ 9/14-15 Owensboro Air Show OWB Owensboro, KY www.owensboro.org 9/14-15 Wings Over Gatineau-Ottawa Gatineau, Quebec, Canada http://envol.vintagewings.ca/ 9/15 Roar at the Shore Airshow Ocean City, NJ http://oceancity.schultzairshows.com/ 9/19-21 NAS Oceana Air Show NTU Virginia Beach, VA www.oceanaairshow.com/ 9/21 Wings & Wheels at Wendover ENV Wendover Airfield, UT www.wendoverairbase.com 9/21 Lake of the Ozarks Air Show H21 Camdenton, MO www.lakeoftheozarksairshow.com/ 9/21-22 Winston-Salem Air Show INT Winston-Salem, NC www.wsairshow.com 9/21-22 California International Airshow SNS Salinas, CA www.salinasairshow.com/ 9/21-22 Neosho Sound of Madness Airshow EOS Neosho MO http://neoshoairshow.com/ 9/22 Hagerstown Wings & Wheels Expo HGR Hagerstown, MD www.wingsandwheelsexpo.com/ 9/28 Millville Aviation Celebration MIV Millville, NJ www.millvilleairshow.com/ 9/28-29 NAS Pt Mugu Airshow NAS Pt Mugu, CA www.cnic.navy.mil/Ventura/index.htm 9/28-29 Chennault Intern’l Gulf Coast Air Show CWF Lake Charles, LA www.facebook.com/pages/Chennault-International- Airshow/429611537094790 9/28-29 Memphis Airshow NQA Millington, TN www.facebook.com/pages/Memphis-Airshow/162138703834434 9/28-29 Wichita Flight Festival AAO Wichita, KS www.wichitaflightfestival.com 10/4-6 MCAS Miramar Air Show NKX San Diego, CA www.miramarairshow.com/ 10/5 Livermore Airport Air Show LVK Livermore, CA www.cityoflivermore.net/citygov/pw/airport/openhouse/default.asp 10/5 Warbirds Over Paso Paso Robles, CA www.ewarbirds.org/airshow/ 10/5 Wings & Wheels - Georgetown GED Georgetown, DE www.wings-wheels.com/ 10/5-6 California Capital Air Show MHR Sacramento, CA www.californiacapitalairshow.com/ 10/5-6 Vero Beach Air Show 2013 VRB Vero Beach, FL http://veroairshow.com/ 10/5-6 Salute America Air Show 2013 PUJ Dallas, GA www.pauldingairshow.net/ 10/11-13 Texas Antique Airplane FTW Gainsville, TX www.texasantiqueairplane.org/ 10/12-13 Biplanes and Triplanes Virginia Beach, VA www.militaryaviationmuseum.org/airshows/ww1-airshow 10/12-13 San Francisco Fleet Week SFO San Francisco, CA www.fleetweek.us/ 10/12-13 Commemorative Air Force Airshow MAF Midland, TX www.airsho.org/ 10/12-13 Amigo Airsho BIF El Paso, TX www.amigoairsho.org/
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I’m pleased to announce that the Board of Trustees has selected Mark Baker as the fifth president and CEO in AOPA’s nearly 75–year history. Throughout the past several months, the board searched for a pilot with true passion for general aviation and depth of involvement in the community. We were also looking for an experienced and seasoned business leader. Not only does Mark bring 35 years of involvement in the GA community as a pilot, he also has decades of experience in leadership positions in the home improvement industry, a business focused on the kind of service that has always been a hallmark of AOPA. A native Minnesotan, Mark became a pilot in his twenties. The pilot community and his close flying friends are the reason you can find him at an airport or a seaplane base nearly every weekend. Over the years, as Mark continuously added new ratings, he would fly his wife, Vickie, and four children (plus a cat and a dog) in a Bonanza on the weekends, enjoyed hangar flying with buddies in Minnesota and found some of his greatest enjoyment in encouraging his relatives and friends to also learn to fly.
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An aircraft owner and an AOPA member since 1987, Mark has logged more than 7,500 hours of flight time. He enjoys flying everything from light seaplanes to turbines to helicopters, but his favorite airplane continues to be his Piper Super Cub. His love of flying is infectious: Not only did Mark encourage his father to learn to fly, but two of his sons–in–law have earned their pilot’s certificates and his own son will become a pilot soon as well. He also enjoys flying Young Eagles and donating time and resources to the Experimental Aircraft Association. In his professional life, Mark worked his way up through the home improvement business and acquired a sharp focus on customer service that will translate well to a membership association. Most recently, he served as CEO of Orchard Supply Hardware Stores Corporation, a leading retailer of home improvement and garden products. Mark also served in executive roles at Scotts Miracle–Gro Company, Gander Mountain Company, The Home Depot and other companies in the industry. Mark’s retail experience is an important asset. He looks forward to gathering feedback from our members and then focusing resources on the areas that most benefit GA pilots and increase the value of membership. Mark also believes this approach can be useful in increasing participation by AOPA’s members in the association
and driving GA flight activity. His experience in reaching customers will give new energy to AOPA’s goal of expanding the pilot population and encouraging activity and involvement by today’s pilots. Mark will succeed Craig Fuller, who earlier this year informed the Board of his intent to move on to other opportunities. I want to say a special thank–you to Craig for his efforts. He served as a formidable advocate on behalf of the general aviation community, helped to forge partnerships with other aviation associations and provided important guidance at a challenging moment in our history. We wish him well as he moves on to the next stage of his distinguished career. Mark is to take office on September 6, 2013, following formal appointment by the Board of Trustees at the Annual Meeting of Members in Frederick, Maryland. Please join me in welcoming Mark to AOPA. As always, thank you for your membership and your commitment to GA. Great things are ahead, and we are happy you will be there with us. Sincerely, William C. Trimble Chairman, AOPA Board of Trustees
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Beyond the Crowd Line
September 2013
brought to you by
Wayne Gauldin
Big Bombers Come to Madison
The Commemorative Air Force’s bombers arrived at Truax Field on July 25th to begin a public event that ran from Friday through Sunday. During the four day layover, tours and rides were offered as a fundraiser for the CAF. Other World War II CAF aircraft joined the big bombers Friday. The aircraft were en route to Oshkosh, WI to be part of this year’s Experimental Aircraft Association’s annual AirVenture. “Diamond Lil”, a B-24 bomber, was already parked on the tarmac having arrived the day before due to a need of some minor problems that needed attention. Thursday was scheduled as a Media Only event conducted at Wisconsin Aviation with the help of local EAA chapter 93.The highlight of the day provided an opportunity for a person who purchased a ride on either the B-17 Flying Fortress or B-29 Superfortress to take advantage of a once in a lifetime opportunity. The two bombers were scheduled to arrive from the Rockford Airport at noon. People who arrived early witnessed the approach of the first airplane – the B-17 “Aluminum Overcast” – about 11:00 a.m. Although Rockford I south of Truax Field, the Flying Fortress was spotted to the north. As the bomber got nearer to the field, the sun could be seen reflecting from its silver fuselage. People with cameras started taking pictures. The roar of the four Curtiss-Wright 1820 engines increased as the first arrival mad a circling left banking pass over runway 18. More pictures were taken. The B-17 passed from view as it headed east disappearing behind Wisconsin Aviation building. It reappeared in the north and as it completed the circuit it lowered its landing gear. After a smooth landing and completing the landing roll, the World War II bomber turned off the active runway, shut down its outboard – number one and number four engines - and taxied to its assigned place on the tarmac in front if “Diamond Lil”. Still more pictures were recorded. With all four propellers still, the Flying Fortress looked like something sitting on an English airfield in 1943. It was not until the crew started to emerge from the airplane carrying modern gear that the illusion was broken.
Now it was time for the Superfortress. Eyes searched the skies. After a few more minutes, someone shouted, “There she is!” pointing to the north. The spec grew and grew. The unmistaken form of FIFI, the only flying B-29, came into view. Cameras started taking pictures as the B-29 circled the field completely and came in from the north on final for its landing. The procedure was similar to that of its sister ship – the B-17, but on a grander scale. When the Superfortress taxied to its place on the tarmac, shut down its four rebuilt 2,200 horsepower R-3350nWrightCyclone radial engines, the media was allowed to go out on the feld to take close up photographs. Later, the passengers along with their family and friends joined the media. More photos were snapped as reporters interviewed the passengers and crewmembers. Finally, it was time to board the planes. The crowd returned to the terminal and watched as first the B-17 started its two cleared the bomber to taxi on to the active runway, “Aluminum Overcast” made its final checks and started its take off roll. Since it carried far less weight then during wartime, it was airborne less than halfway down the runway, “Aluminum Overcast” made its final checks and started its take off roll. Since it carried far less weight than during wartime, it was airborne less than halfway down runway 18. It slowly climbed out on its sight seeing flight around the Madison Capitol. A very similar procedure was followed with the B-29. Since “Fifi” is the only Superfortress flying, the news media focused most of its attention on that sirplane. The local evening television news as well as the local newspapers featured the event. Now on to Oshkosh and the EAA AirVenture. Story and photos by Lad Vrany
When the Big Bombers paid their visit to Madison, 91 year old Jack Jerred, a Madison resident, was fortunate to “hop a ride” on Fifi... Fifi is the B 29 in the tour, the real centerpiece, and the ONLY one in the world still flying. Jerred is a World War 2 vet who had lots of experience on Big Bombers. He was stationed in Colorado from 1943 to 1945 as a B 24 pilot instructor. During those years, Jack never served abroad and thus saw no combat, but he has some Hair raising tales to tell about his days as an instructor. After 1800 flying hours in a B 24, Jack was transferred to B 29 pilot training....he had 15 hours of time in the larger heavier bomber. For Jack, it was a fantastic nostalgic experience and “pure fun”, although a very bumpy ride. He and others aboard, were in the air 25 minutes flying around Madison. Jack is a member of the EAA chapter who sponsored the Madison stop. The Big Bombers moved on to Oshkosh following the stop in Madison. They then proceeded on their “West Coast” tour to include Duluth, Fargo and on to Denver. The Tour is under the direction of one very busy lady from Kansas City named Kim Pardon. Story by Wayne Gauldin Photos by Lad Vrany
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September 2013
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A flying club or aero club is a not for profit, member run organization that provides its members with access to aircraft. Some clubs also provide flight training, flight planning facilities, pilot supplies and associated services, as well as organizing social functions, fly-ins and fly-outs to other airports and so forth. Most flying clubs own and rent small general aviation aircraft. However some clubs also exist to provide access to more specialized aircraft, such as vintage planes, aerobatic planes, helicopters and gliders. There are two types of flying clubs - equity flying clubs, and non-equity flying clubs. In an equity flying club, each member of the flying club “buys in” to the club and owns a share of all the club’s aircraft. The member then pays both monthly dues, which cover the fixed costs of ownership (hangar, insurance, annual maintenance, etc.), and an hourly rate for his use the airplanes in the club. In a non-equity flying club, the members do not own a share of the aircraft. Members may still pay an initiation fee (usually much smaller than an equity flying club), a monthly fee to help cover the fixed costs, and an hourly rate to use the aircraft.[citation needed] If you are already a member of a flying club and want Atlantic Flyer readers to know more about your organization... contact us for info about getting into the paper. Mail@AtlanticFlyer.net.
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239-430-9220 Shawn@eaa-fly.com www.eaa-fly.com Maine Southern Maine Aviation Sanford Regional Airport (KSFM) 199 Airport Road - Main terminal Sanford, ME 207-324-8919 wwwsouthernmaineaviation.com
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Westfield Flight Academy-BAF 111 Airport Road Westfield, MA 01085 Twitchell’s Airport & Seaplane Base 413-568-5800 (3B5) - 40 Airport Road www.fivestarflight.com Future Flyers of CT Turner, ME 04282 New Hampshire 94 Wolcott Rd Contact: Dawn or Dale Twitchell Concord Aviation Services Simsbury, CT 06070 www.twitchells3B5.com 71 Airport Road 860-819-3717 Concord, NH 03301 Massachusetts http://futureflyersct.com/ 603-228-2267 Alpha One Flight School Premier Flight Center - HFD 246 South Meadow Road www.mv.com/ipusers/confbo Hartford-Brainard Airport Plymouth, MA 02360 Green River Flight Center 58 Lindbergh Drive 508-747-1494 11 Aviation Drive Hartford, CT 06114 Keene, NH 03431 Berkshire Aviation Enterprises,llc Contact: Gary Ciriello 603-352-2599 (GBR) - 70 Egremont Plain Rd. www.PremierFlightCt.com Great Barrington, MA 01230-0179 Florida Hampton Airfield GreatBarringtonAirport.com Europe-American Aviation Tail Wheel Instruction Diamond Brilliance Flight Center Beverly Flight Center 9 A Lafayette Road 200 Aviation Drive N, Suite # 6 West Side North Hampton, NH 03862 Danvers MA 01923 Naples, FL 34104 603 397-0367
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North Carolina ISO AERO SEVICES 1410 North Kerr Ave Wilmington, NC 28405 910-763-888 Pennsylvania Gateway Aviation 1730 Vultee Street Allentown, PA 18103 Contact: Bradley Snyder 610-797-7942 Brad@gateway-aviation.com www.gateway-aviation.com Rhode Island North Central Flight Center North Central Airport (KSFZ) 300 Jenckes Hill Rd. Smithfield, RI 02917 www.ripilot.com 401-413-4093 South Carolina Ellsworth Aviation 764 East Smith Street Timmonsville, SC 29161 843-229-4845 www.instrumenttraining.com
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September 2013
Teterboro - A Nice Little Air Show Right Near the “Big Apple” It’s 98 degrees today, mid-July, in New York City, the “Baked Apple”, and WCBS Radio just announced that the “Thunderbirds” are starting to practice again after a “Sequester Stand-Down” since mid-March for all flight operations. It may be that after September some remaining air shows may actually get some Military participation when the new Fiscal Year begins. Stand By, Stay Tuned air show fans. We actually may get some real military planes at some shows soon - maybe. However, right now, with the “Sequester” still firmly in place, air show chasers will have to look a little harder this summer as a result of many air show cancellations due to the Budget Sequester. Oh sure, we could have all gone out to Oshkosh – what is it – 10,000 planes and 300,000 people? Unless you want to sleep on the grass, you needed to have made a reservation one year in advance for a room or even a place to park the Winnebago. In the northeast we all remember those Super Shows, all local shows, where you did not have to drive 12 hours to get to. I sure remember those big shows: “Willow Grove, South Weymouth, Griffiss, Otis, Syracuse, Hanscom, Brunswick, Plattsburgh, Pease”. But these shows are all gone too. And it was not for Sequestration. It was because of another government plan called “BRAC” – the Base Realignment and Closure Commission. The BRAC Law became the death knell for many northeast Air Bases and their air shows. Sure, some of the air bases became “Trade Ports” for regional air cargo centers like Pease and Griffiss AFB. Pease even did recently three years of decent air shows as a private operation with some good military participation. Now we “Air Show Junkies” have to go looking a little harder for a good air show. Well, on Fathers Day Weekend, June 15th, I took a ride over the George Washington Bridge and guess what? I found an air show, kind of hidden away in a place called Teterboro, New Jersey. Sure it was small, even though its location, Teterboro Airport, is pretty famous. But before we walk through the “Wings and Wheels Air Show”, here is a little information on Teterboro Airport (TEB) to kind of set the stage. This show was a “Ground Show” on the ramp because TEB is so important to NYC that TEB could not economically shut down for even a few hours for a “Flying Show”. Corporate operations continued although at a reduced tempo for a Saturday. The reason: TEB is the only major airport within eyesight of the Empire State Building reserved for company corporate operations. TEB is the oldest operating airport in the NY / NJ area. It was designated by the FAA to be a “Reliever Airport” to solely focus on removing the smaller and slower aircraft (private and corporate) from the regional air traffic that would cause major congestion at the Port Authority’s three commercial airports in NYC: LGA, JFK and EWR Newark. Aircraft operations in 2010 included 153,250 take offs and landings at about 434 per day. 2006 was a peak year with
199,199 with 545 per day. There are currently 172 aircraft based at TEB. Operations include 61% transit, 37% air taxi, 1% military and 1% commercial with a 100,000 pound gross weight limit. Numbers are always fun, so here are few more: The airport consists of 827 acres of which 90 are hangars and FBO’s, 408 are aeronautical and 329 are actually undeveloped. There are 23 FBO hangars (572,000 sf), 2 large office buildings (134,000 sf) and additional office and airport support space (252,000 sf). Runway 6-24 is 6,015 x 150 feet and runway 1-9 is 7,000 x 150 feet, both roughly north-south with the ideal approach from the north and low to avoid Newark inbounds. Newark inbound traffic on a north inbound track is west to east with a right turn over Giants Stadium 10 miles to the south of TEB so New York Center will have a good 15 mile separation on both north-south inbound traffic. On January 15, 2009, Teterboro was an alternate landing site for Capt. Chesley B. “Sully” Sulenberger in his successful emergency ditching of US Airways Flight 1599 to Charlotte after a severe bird strike out of LGA at 1,500 feet, truly a “Miracle On The Hudson”. All runways have High Intensity Runway Edge Lights (HIRL), a modern Instrument Landing System (ILS), a Medium Approach Lighting System (MALS-R), a Precision Approach Path Indicator (PAPI), Runway End Identification Lighting (REIL), Touch Down Zone Lights (TDZ), a Visual Approach Slope Indicator system (VASI), centerline lights and grooved runway surfaces and Noise Abatement Procedures. The Port Authority recently installed an “Engineered Materials Arresting Systems” (EMAS) at the ends of the runways to slow down over-runs or take-off aborts. This technology, which was pioneered by the Port Authority and the FAA, is comprised of a bed of specially designed aerated cement blocks. These blocks crumble under the weight of an aircraft enabling a plane to stop safely and quickly in an emergency over-run. The first installation at TEB was at the north end of runway 6-24 near Route 46 in October of 2006 at the site of that Challenger Jet over-run in 2005. A new FAA Control Tower was built to the east in 1975 that replaced the original 1950’s Tower to the west. A new high-tech Control Tower is now being planned and will open in 2017. Teterboro has an amazing aviation history as well. Teterboro Airport, called the “Cradle of the Golden Age of Aviation”, has been around (per Henry Holden’s book) since 1916 and at one point was considered the busiest airport in the USA with “1,000 daily movements” (vs. a projected 200,000 for 2013). In 1917, Mr. Walter C. “Teter” purchased the swampy property with the airport first opening officially in 1919. In 1910 Frederick Kuhnert was the first to buy 20 acres for his custom 14-passenger plane called “Kuhnert’s Ferryboat” but a tornado destroyed it before it flew. By 1912 the “Kunher Aerodrome” had “weekly air shows” (Wow!). In 1918 the Wittman family bought the Meadowlands Flats from Teter and opened the “Wit-
tman-Lewis Aircraft Company”, converting 75-100 DH-4 aircraft into postal service planes. Wittman later in 1920 built the “Barling Bomber”, a 3-winged, 10-wheel, 6-engine bomber that at one time was the world’s largest airplane, but was ultimately rejected by the US Army Flying Service. That contract cancellation forced Wittman to lease their existing plant to none other than Mr. Anthony Fokker, the world famous Dutch aircraft designer, famous in WW1 as the builder of aircraft for Manfred “Red Baron” Von Richthofen’s red tri-plane (Snoopy, take note!!). In 1925, Fokker opened the “Atlantic Aircraft Corporation” in the old Wittman Hanger and in the next few years many Fokker Tri-Motors were built right here at Teterboro., until Knute Rockne died in a Fokker F-10 when a wing fell off. In the 1920’s and 1930’s many record setting flights flew from Teterboro. In 1926 Richard E. Byrd and Floyd Bennett flew a Fokkner F-VII tri-motor to the North Pole and back in 15 ½ hours Also in 1926 Juan Trippe formed “Colonial Air Transport” (CAT) based at Teterboro for scheduled mail and passenger service with Fokker VII’s. In 1927 Juan Trippe founded “Pan American World Airways” from CAT with a Teterboro-built Fokker F-VII. (Pan American later became the Operator of TEB in the 1970’s.) In those days there were many contests for long distance including the Atlantic and many from Teterboro and Floyd Bennett Field in NYC after Lindberg’s famous first flight from NYC’s Roosevelt Field. One crazy flight was when Clarence Chamberlin flew a mail flight off of an 80 foot runway (Flight Deck!) off the liner “SS Leviathan” to Teterboro to do the worlds first Ship To Shore Mail Delivery. Teterboro almost closed to become a Race Track during the Great Depression. The Fokkner Factory became a dance hall. But then the Bergen County Police started the world’s first flying police force out of Teterboro in the 30’s. Later, in 1937, Vincent Bendix built the new “Bendix Aviation Corporation” at TEB and for a while the name changed to “Bendix Airport”. In 1943 voters changed the name back to “Teterboro”. In 1939 TEB became the base for the Goodyear Blimp “Mayflower” for the NY Worlds Fair. In 1941 former USMC pilot Fred Wehran bought the airport to make it into a Cargo Airport but later in WW2 the USAAF made it into a military base. In 1946 TEB was released back to Wehran and he built the first modern Control Tower near Atlantic Aviation FBO (still there!). Atlantic is now a huge FBO on the west side of the field. Realizing that TEB was becoming a major Corporate Airport, the Port Authority of NYNJ (Owners of LGA, IDL and EWR) purchased TEB from Wehran $3.0M and made many modern improvements. In 1952, the world famous TV personality Arthur Godfrey, who based his DC-3 at TEB, was accused of “buzzing the Tower” in a very low pass (just like Tom Cruise did with his F-14 Tomcat in “Top Gun”) and lost his pilots license for 6 months by the FAA. In 1970 the PA signed a 30year Agreement with Pan Am World Airways to operate the Airport. In 2000 the PA resumed full
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responsibility to operate again TEB. The last flying air show at TEB was in 1973 that drew 25,000. In 1975 the FAA Control Tower moved to the east side of the field and the “New Jersey Aviation Hall of Fame and Museum” took over the top three floors of the old Tower. In 1990 the Museum moved to a new facility at the east side of the field adjacent to the new Control Tower. The AHOF Aviation Museum now had property and started acquiring some aircraft besides small aviation memorabilia. It now has two beautifully restored aircraft: a Grumman OV1A Mohawk from the Vietnam War and a Sikorsky HH-52A Coast Guard Helicopter from the 1970’s. It also has a Bell-47, HH-13 “MASH” helicopter, an AH-1G Huey Cobra, an authentic Martin 202-A airliner, a Convair 880 Flight Deck, a Lockheed “LASA-60” Bushmaster, a Scorpion 1977 Experimental Helicopter, a “Mars Observer” Satellite Spacecraft Mock-Up, a “Glide-Mobile “Ultra-Light, a “Rutan Quickie” (designed by Bert Rutan with no horizontal stabilizer but with a front canard), a 1996 Walter Fire and Crash truck from the Morristown NJ Airport and finally a number of WW2 military vehicles. The “Wings and Wheels Expo 2013” was hosted by the “New Jersey Aviation Hall of Fame” and drew over 10,000 people this year. The gate to the air show ramp was right near a large FBO Hanger for exhibits and the ramp was right near a main taxiway and the Hold-Short. It gave everyone a close up view of the executive jets taxing by. Hanger 1 was filled with many aviation exhibits. It featured WW2 Vets including Pearl Harbor, Tuskegee Airmen, Ex-POW’s, Women’s Air Service Pilot (WASP) Jean Cruz, soldiers involved in the capture of Saddam Hussein, exhibits from the Air Force Historical Association, Civil Air Patrol, Great Dane Dog Rescue, aviation memorabilia, vendors, and of course, 5 beautiful young lady models selling new Warbirds Calendars. There was a lot of activity on the Ramp besides airplanes. There was a stage set up to resemble a USO WW2 Stage from December 6th, 1941. The “Victory Belles” – Dianna, Laura and Rebecca – three pretty young ladies in red, white and blue short uniforms – gave a rousing Broadway-like performance of 1940’s “Big Band” and Patriotic Songs. There was a number of WW2 Army vehicles near-by that added to the WW2 setting. Then there were the “Wheels”; lots of classic cars from the 1920’s to the 1970’s. I had three favorites; a classic rare 1950 yellow “Checker Cab”, a beautifully restored white open cab “Good Humor” truck and a 1953 GMC Ahrens Fox fire truck from the Moonachie Fire Dept. that survived the Hurricane Sandy flood but needed extensive restoration. I know we all like airplanes, but there were two special cars that would excite the most avid plane lover: 1) the “Black Beauty” from the Green Hornet TV Show – a souped up 1966 Lincoln Imperial and 2) the actual black “Batmobile” from the original “Batman” TV Series
– a 1955 Lincoln “Futura” Concept Car now insured for $1.0 Million. Both cars are owned by Dan Rodriguez of Wykopff, NJ, who treats them with ever loving care. Teterboro Airport rolled out two of its newest special monster pieces of snow fighting equipment for runway snow removal. The newest and most complex is the VAMMAS three-unit trailer combine – the main front truck has a high angled plow; it tows a large rotary sweeper which in turn tows an airjet hot air blower. The VAMMAS PSB 5500 is 70’ long, 12’ high and 24’ wide. The plow and rotary broom are 24’ each. The rear airflow jet blower blasts out air at 250 mph wind speed with an air volume of 24,000 cubic feet / minute. The plow, rotary broom and jet blower each have their own trailer and engine. This thing is quite a weapon against snowstorms! Later the Port Authority “Pipes and Drums Bagpipers” led a parade of Veterans, re-enactors and army trucks for a “Salute To Veterans” Presentation. Yes, there were some re-enactors but the best one was a re-enactor of Japanese heritage dressed up as an Imperial Japanese Officer with a Jap WW2 flag standing on the side of the Aichi D3A “Val” Japanese Dive Bomber. This guy was right out of “Hollywood Central Casting” and looked like he came from the movie “Bridge Over The River Kwai”!
Then there were the planes, quite a few good ones for a small show. (The military planned to bring in like last year an F/A-18E, an E-2C, an A-10 and a last look at a EA-6B Prowler but there is this thing called “Sequester” and, well, you know the rest.) The star of the Show had to be the B-17G “Yankee Lady” from the Yankee Air Museum in Michigan. It was offering unforgettable 20 minute “Crew Rides” for 12 on each flight down the Hudson River, past the Verranzano Narrows Bridge near Sandy Hook and Lower New York Bay, all for only $450.
When they started up those four big Wright-RCyclone turbo-supercharged radial engines you knew you were hearing the distinctive sound of a B-17 “Flying Fortress”! The fully restored US Coast Guard Sikorsky HH-52 was towed over from the near-by NJ AHOF Museum and was quite an attraction. Dassult / FalconJet has a large FBO here and they contributed a brand new Falcon 2000 Executive Jet. NetJets brought over a new Cessna Citation X twinjet. Another big plane here today was the restored USAF C54E (DC-4) “Spirit Of Freedom” that participated in the Berlin Airlift from 1948 to1949. It is based at Miller Field in Toms River, NJ. The Owners are currently restoring a C-97 at the “Historic Aircraft Restoration Project” (HARP) at Floyd Bennett Field in Brooklyn and it should be ready for the air show circuit in 2014. There was also that Aichi D3-A “Val” Japanese Dive Bomber. This aircraft was famous as a WW2 carrier based aircraft that was one of the first to bomb Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, by attacking Wheeler Army Field and destroying 140 US P-40’s and P-36’s on the ground – 2/3 of all US planes. Later the Val took off and excited the crowd with a low pass fly-over. The “American Air Power Museum” in Long Island’s Republic Airport brought over their shark-nosed P-40 Warhawk and their C-47 Dakota with white and black D-Day “Invasion Stripes”. There was an SNJ-5 (T-6) “Six of Diamonds” which had a dog photo Nose Art called “Truman, the Son of Chester”. Other aircraft included: a Bell Jet Ranger II helicopter, a Czech Aero L-29 Delfin Jet Trainer, a fiberglass push-pull Rutan Defiant, a silver and yellow wing 1946 ERCO Ercoupe 415 that was actually sold in 1945 in the Men’s Dept at Macy’s Dept Store for only $2,665 (really!). Finally, there was the continuous executive jet traffic moving along the taxiway right near the fence line. Certainly, a good time was had by all, and amazingly, the George Washington Bridge was only 5 miles away! Great Little Show! Story and Photo By Bill Sarama
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September 2013
THE 2013 GREENWOOD LAKE AIRPORT AIRSHOW With the amount of air shows drastically reduced both in numbers and in size as a result of US budget cuts that prevented both the Blue Angels F-18 and Thunderbirds F-16 from participating in any shows in the United States for 2013, more focus was placed on some of the smaller regional air shows that would help fill in the gaps for aircraft aficionados. One of these smaller shows in which I had the opportunity to attend was the Greenwood Lake Airport Air Show held during a three-day period in mid-August (16th, 17th and 18th) located in the rural area of West Milford, New Jersey. This show featured display aircraft on the ground and various stunt aircraft and pilots during the actual air show itself. Because the airport has a moderate length runs, certain aircraft such as the vintage SNJ trainer aircraft dual had to take off from another location and then fly over Greenwood Lake airport with various stunts such as vertical climbs and crisscrosses with each other. Stunt performers included Kirby Chambliss, Bill Gordon, Greg Koontz, Ken Russo, Gary Ward, the Iron Eagles, the Northeast Raiders and others. I had made the trip via car from Long Island to northern New Jersey, and once I passed through the chaos of the New York City bridges, the traveling was quick. West Milford is a very quiet area and it is a credit to the community that they are able to put all of the logistics together for a three-day events. I recognized a number of displays such as the C-47 and the B-25 (Miss Hap) that flew in from the American Airpower Museum on Long Island near where I work. By getting there early on Friday morning, I was able to get some nice unobstructed photos of the aircraft and go inside the C-47. Once the air show itself started, I found myself working hard to catch up in shooting photos as the individual aircraft performed various maneuvers such as vertical climbs and crisscrosses. I would estimate that there were hundreds of folks taking photos, some with fairly fancy setups, some with cellphone cameras. I find that these airshows are great for the digital camera photographers and when it is a good sunny day with some clouds, the sky presents a good background for photo taking. The weather was exceptional for the first few days of the air show which made for great photos for those who attended! One of the interesting aircraft that flew was the FLS BD-5J Microjet piloted by Justin Lewis, a former Navy pilot with current experience with the Arkansas ANG flying the A-10C Warthog. The BD-5J jet was originally offered as a kit back in the 1970s but only two still exist currently. Because of its speed, the aircraft was particularly difficult for photographers to shoot and click. All performers took care to maximize
their stunts such that they would be in full view of the crowds. Having attended different shows in the Long Island area where the aircraft are based in airports with fairly long runs way, it was interesting to see the differences between them and a smallerscale show like the Greenwood Lake show. The latter will feature aircraft that are customized stunt aircraft that have maximum lift capability and they can easily take off at rapid climbs, even with a smaller runway. The future of air shows using military jet performers for the next year of 2014 remains uncertain. The Blue Angels have released a tentative schedule for various areas, including my hometown area on Long Island for the Jones Beach Air Show in May. I really hope that funding is allowed for some of these shows next year. Major headliners help the economy of these areas and in addition, it is important for the pilots to get their training. I can see that a number of states were impacted severely with these cancellations. An area like West Virginia would have received a boost in its economy from the Blue Angels visiting in 2013. The state of Florida typically has several shows associated with the different military bases located in the state during the course of the year and this year of cancellations reduced the amount of shows and open houses in this state to less than a handful. Thus if things continue the way that they are, the smaller shows that do not have current military aircraft will continue to be important in the future.
The Iron Eagles performed various stunts which included significant amounts of smoke trailing from the aircraft.
The FLS BD-5JMicrojet, piloted by Justin Lewis has just landed on the runway.
A pair of vintage SNJ Texan aircraft headed by Kevin Russo fly in formation over Greenwood Lake airport. A Soviet-manufactured jet engine L-29 aircraft was another one of the aircraft that was on static display. This aircraft has “experimental� markings applied to it.
Attendance for Friday was very good with many patrons bringing chairs and cameras. 1940s-era music was provided the musical trio, the Victory Belles.
Story and Photos By Ken Neubeck
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The Golden Age of Aviation: Book Review In the last two years two books have come out dealing with the exact same subject. The Big Jump: Lindbergh and the Great Atlantic Air Race, Richard Bok, 2011 and Atlantic Fever: Lindbergh, His Competitors, and the Race To Cross The Atlantic, Joe Jackson, 2012. I read the Bok first and just recently discovered the Jackson. While both are all-absorbing and fascinating, I would definitely recommend the Jackson for being the more comprehensive, inclusive, entertaining and thought-provoking. Roughly between WWI and WWII the country became caught up in the romance, science and potential economic value of flight. Here barnstorming, wing walking, buzzing and dead reckoning became commonplace terms. On one side, it was a toddler learning to walk, youth experiencing life by throwing caution to the wind and taking risks. On another side, it was measurement, performance and calculated trial and error contributing to expanding knowledge and increasing understanding. On a third side it was time, distance, load and economics. This triangle sat in the middle bordered by a jazz age and roaring twenties and market crash and depression. Add in a new media uncertain of its powers to create heroes and gods and a public vicariously craving the same and you have a sense of the context for these books. Previous to this period there were memorable flights. The first crossing of the Atlantic by air took place as a Navy flying boat NC-4 limped into Lisbon in May, 1919. In June, 1919 Alcock and Brown complete a grueling non-stop flight between Newfoundland and Ireland. In May, 1924 Raymond Orteig renewed his $25,000 prize offering to anyone who would fly nonstop between New York and Paris. While he had offered the prize 5 years earlier, aircraft engines were not to the point of sustaining a cross ocean flight at that time. The books are centered around this race to collect the Orteig Prize. Attracted to the flame and its ultimate glory came any number of well known and lesser known experienced aviators and aircraft designers/builders. They included two WWI French aces, Rene Fonck and Charles Nungesser; Navy flyers and explorers, Richard Byrd and Floyd Bennett; an Italian long distance record setting pilot, Francesco de Pinedo; a Midwest farm boy and former mail pilot, Charles Lindbergh, along with a host of other noted aspirants including Clarence Chamberlin, Noel Davis, Stanton Wooster, Francois Coli, Charles Levine, Bert Acosta, Bernt Balchen and George Norville. The planes, large and small, bi-wing and single wing, fabric and metal, single and multi-engine, with a crew or solo pilot, included Sikorsky’s S-35, Bellanca’s Columbia, America, American Legion, White Bird, Old Glory, American Girl and Ryan’s Spirit of St. Louis. During this time records are set: Lindbergh sets a solo record San Diego to New York and Chamberlin and Acosta set a world endurance record aloft. While flights
arrive and depart from any number of airports, including Langley Field, Virginia and Le Bourget, France the epicenter is Roosevelt Field, Long Island. The books reflect on the dual angst and the potential divisiveness of competition with the brotherhood of flying and shared danger. While Lindbergh wins the prize the books are of so much more. Jackson takes us to each competitor (as well as those who set the stage earlier and those who followed up with their own attempts) from birth to death in an arc of passion and wonderment, compulsions and meticulousness, senseless risk and bravado, crashes, injury and death to success, worship and adulation. And all the while taking a look at the by-standers and string-pullers as well – the millionaire underwriters, the aircraft designers and builders, the newspapermen, mothers and wives, and the general public here and abroad who helped build the tension, competitiveness, allure and adulation. It was an age of emerging women’s liberation as well and they were not to be undone. Ruth Elder would survive a crash at sea and go on to star in Hollywood and Amelia Earhart, well, we know Amelia making the first solo flight of the Atlantic by a woman as well as leaving her exclamation mark at the end of the Golden Age of Aviation. This period of some 18-20 years, was a giddy head-long joyride as America savored its new unfolding role in the world, as the world got smaller, as people came to realize the risks, dangers and loss of life, and as by 1939 regular passenger flights across the Atlantic become the norm. The hope initially was to usher in a new era of peace on the wings of flight. Within a short while, even though delayed by ‘Wrong Way’ Corrigan’s ironic flight, it became evident with the shadows of war descending across Europe and Asia that this was not to be. The plane, liberator of the soul could also punish and devastate us. These books, particularly Jackson’s, are tough to put down while at the same time not wanting to finish. While they are a trip through time exploring the events, machines, people and culture of another time they fundamentally remain relevant in a practical way today. After all who would want to miss sensing the aura of the daredevils, pioneers and visionaries with the wind in your face, the personal pleasure of a low level cross country, pilotage, and the satisfaction of landing at a new small airport? These books capture that spirit along with relating the hard realities of the untried and untested, the wiles of nature and the often cruel demands of fame. Review by Howard Fisher
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September 2013
Reflections on Oshkosh 2013 Preparing for the trip to Oshkosh for AirVenture 2013 I got a note from the editor that struck me as particularly insightful. Addressing the staff who would be attending she noted that everyone will experience Oshkosh differently. Trying to edit hundreds of photos down to something that would fit the space available it became clear that my photos reflects a very small view of this grand aviation event. This then is my best effort to present not just the aircraft and people, but to capture the spirit of Oshkosh. With fond memories of Oshkosh 2013, and looking forward to 2014, come along on this brief photo reflection.
without question the homebuilt movement. The homebuilt area still enjoys a prominent position on the field and attracts a nonstop stream of visitors. I always marvel at the ingenuity and craftsmanship displayed by homebuilders. is very efficient and if you are lucky you might catch a ride on a golf cart. While walking is the norm a few visitors found the time and energy to run the grounds. Saturday morning offered the opportunity to participate in the Runway 5K, an event popular with local runners as well as AirVenture visitors.
Wing walking has been a part of airshows since the 1930’s. Climb on the wing of a biplane as it executes aerobatic maneuvers and it never fails to please the crowd. Perhaps it is the nostalgia, perhaps the thrill of the show itself, but this act continues to please crowds year after year. Ashley Battles, holder of the world record for the length of a single wing walking flight, at just over four hours, performed her wing walking act flawlessly to the crowd’s pleasure.
For over 25 years the Aeroshell team has been performing their routine in the T-6 Texans. Here they perform as the opening act on opening day of Airventure. If you missed the Oshkosh performance you can see the Aeroshell team perform in Winston-Salem, NC on September 21-22 and in Lake Charles, LA on September 28-29. For a complete schedule and other information on the team visit www.natt.net/ There is no question that there is something for everyone with an interest in aviation at Oshkosh. The history of the gathering however, is
A long standing and important part of the Oshkosh experience is the opportunity to acquire knowledge and new skills at the many forums offered by the EAA and vendors during the week. You can learn about metal work, fabric covering, composite materials or just about any other phase of building an airplane. Here forum attendees are treated to a lesson and demonstration on welding. One presenter proposed a forum motto: Do try this at home.
Humor in advertising gets attention. I.C.P. may not actually offer trades for husbands but they do offer the Savannah S LSA powered by a 100 h.p. rotax engine. Cruise performance is listed as 115 mph on 4.5 gph using either auto gas or 100 LL. The advertised takeoff and landing distance is just less than 200 feet with a payload of 584 pounds. There are many ways to get around the grounds at Whitman Field. The tram system
A trip to Oshkosh would not be complete without a visit to the EAA Museum located adjacent to the airport. This modern facility acts as the historian of the homebuilt movement, housing dozens of aircraft from the last 50 plus years. The museum is open year around so you do not need to wait for AirVenture. If you are in the Oshkosh area this is a very worthwhile stop.
If you want to get a good overview of AirVenture you can visit Pioneer airport, the grass strip adjacent to the EAA museum, and take a ride in one of the vintage Bell 47 helicopters. All the final numbers from AirVenture were not avail-
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able at press time but I estimate more than 1000 rides were given during the event. Many of the passengers told us that it was their first time in a helicopter and for some, their first time flying.
Shopping for new and used gear is an important part of the Oshkosh experience for many, especially homebuilders looking for parts and tools. The fly-market area offers most everything you might need for building or just taking home a that perfect t-shirt, pair of sunglasses or anything aviation related.
One of my favorite pastimes at Oshkosh is to sit by the runway and admire and photograph the arrivals and departures. Nowhere else can you see such an array of aircraft, ranging from warbirds to classics. This pristine 1952 Cessna 170 taxied by just in time for us to get our first photo on the flight line of the day.
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It is no secret that AirVenture runs because of the many volunteers. One visitor observed that there was no place you could stand on the grounds and be out of sight of a volunteer. We did not test that statement but did take time to catch these young volunteers passing out AirVenture Today, the daily newspaper published for visitors.
Oshkosh visitors were offered a ride in their choice of two Ford Tri-Motors. Both are 1929 vintage and started life in thecommercial transport business. They are powered by three P&W 450 h.p. R-985 engines. Cruising over Whitman Field at a leisurely 110 mph is a great way to get an overview of the event while having a unique historical experience.
FACTS AND FIGURES Comment from EAA Chairman Jack Pelton: “First, it was a safe AirVenture, which is always our top priority, plus we were blessed with a week of nearly perfect weather. We also met a number of other objectives this year, including reconnecting with our volunteers and members on the grounds, upgrading the food concessions and options, and providing more value and activities throughout the day for attendees. We also had a tremendous amount of aviation innovation brought to Oshkosh.” Attendance: Very comparable to 2012 with more than 500,000 in total estimated attendance Comment from Pelton: “We overcame some big challenges this year, including a lack of current military aircraft participation, to produce an outstanding event. Attractions such as Jetman, the Terrafugia flying car and the screening of Disney’s Planes – which drew a record 15,000 people to the Fly-In Theater – were the most visible draws this year. But people come to Oshkosh for their own individual reasons, and there was a nearly unlimited supply of unique experiences throughout the grounds. We also received reports that many exhibitors had record sales, showing renewed optimism and enthusiasm in the aviation community.” Total aircraft: More than 10,000 aircraft arriving at Wittman Regional Airport in Oshkosh and other airports in east-central Wisconsin.
Skywriting over Whitman Field occurred throughout the week. This art form is fairly rare today. I find it almost impossible not to look up and watch as the message unfolds against the blue sky.
Total showplanes: 2,341 – including 867 homebuilt aircraft, 858 vintage airplanes, 343 warbirds, 130 ultralights, 92 seaplanes, 27 aerobatic aircraft and 24 miscellaneous showplanes.
And that my friends conclude one photographer’s view of this great general aviation event. The weather was nearly perfect and enthusiasm was high. AirVenture was not without controversy, with the FAA ambushing the EAA at the last minute with a bill for air traffic control. It is uncertain how this will impact this and other flying events in the future but this will be an important issue to watch. We are all looking forward to the next show with great hope for good weather and aviation fellowship. Dates for 2014 are July 28-August 4. In the meantime, fly safe.
International visitors registered: 2,115 visitors registered from 64 nations, with Canada (562 visitors), Australia (257), and South Africa (187) the top three nations. (NOTE: This total includes only non-U.S. visitors who register at the International Visitors Tent, so the actual international contingent is undoubtedly larger.)
Story and photos by Mike Likavec
Commercial exhibitors: 821 (record total)
Media: 914 media representatives on-site, from five continents. What’s ahead for 2014? Comment from Pelton: “There are some big aviation anniversaries next year, including the 100th anniversary of the start of World War I and the 75th anniversary of the jet engine. In addition, volunteers will build an airplane in seven days with the ‘One-Week Wonder’ project in which attendees can participate. And, of course, there will be plenty of additions for activities that can happen only at Oshkosh.” For more information: Dick Knapinski 920-426-6523
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September 2013
Wisconsin Wing and National Blue Beret Conduct Successful Mission During EAA AirVenture Wisconsin - Under the direction of the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center, Wisconsin Wing Civil Air Patrol conducted a highly successful precautionary Search and Rescue mission from Tuesday, July 23 – Wednesday, August 8 in support of the EAA AirVenture Fly-in held at Wittman Field, Oshkosh, Wis. with the help of CAP’s National Blue Beret. The world’s largest fly-in draws thousands of aircraft into Oshkosh and its surrounding airports annually. With approximately 150 CAP volunteers assigned daily during the 17 day mission, tasked assignments included 14 searches for overdue aircraft. A total of four CAP Cessna aircraft flew 43 precautionary air patrols logging an excess of 60 hours of flight as they monitored for electronic locator transmitter’s signals. A reported 19 ELTs were heard and silenced; nearly five times the amount from last year. Ground teams and supporting air crew from Wisconsin were placed strategically around the 50 mile radius of Wittman Regional Airport in order to facilitate a quick response should an emergency arise. This year’s mission covered four major airports in the Oshkosh area. National Blue Beret, a Civil Air Patrol National Cadet Special Activity, held annually at Wittman Regional Airport, works with Wisconsin Wing in emergency services. NBB alone logged nearly 7,000 in and outgoing planes at the airport and checked for overdue planes as part of their two week activity. The Air Force mission is coordinated by Lieutenant Colonel Dean Klassy, mission project officer. Wisconsin Wing and National Blue Beret members came from 48 states to work together to make the mission a success. While National Blue Beret works strictly at the airport in Oshkosh, Wisconsin volunteers work the airports surrounding Oshkosh. Both track the tail numbers of all planes in and out of the airports, locate overdue planes, silence ELT’s and have the ability to expand their search area should the Air Force deem it necessary.
Lt. Col. Dean Klassy, EAA Search and Rescue project officer, works at the Incident Command Post keeping track of all five bases activities.
Lt. Col. Dean Klassy had this to say about this year’s mission, “The SAR was slow this year, but that is good for the aviation community.” He explained that “While the number of precautionary air patrols was up this year, ramp checks [looking for overdue planes] were down and ELT finds were up. One never knows what will happen on the mission, but the CAP members are ready no matter the situation. They train year-round for this event.”
member, honor and teach about the sacrifices of U.S. military veterans. Visit www.gocivilairpatrol.com or www.capvolunteernow.com for more information. For Wisconsin Wing information, please visit http://wicap.us.
This year, Lieutenant Colonel James Peace from Texas Wing and National Blue Beret director; Colonel Rick Franz, Kansas Wing and deputy director; and Lt. Col. Dean Klassy, worked closely together to begin plans for next year’s mission. Though National Blue Beret is a separate leadership training activity under the direction of National Headquarters and the cadet program, they also help Wisconsin Wing every year and play an important part in the mission. After one of their meetings with Klassy, Peace and Franz both commented that “We are all CAP and we work together as one team.” “It is a monumental task keeping track of all the planes in and out of the airports surrounding AirVenture,” Klassy continued “and we couldn’t do it alone. If a plane goes missing, or a natural disaster strikes, it’s all hands on deck. We have been fortunate in the past few years in that we have not had any trouble; but we are prepared if there is.” There are many agencies that work together with CAP to make this SAR a great success; FAA, Lockhead Martin Flight Service, EAA, Air Force, AFRCC, Wisconsin Emergency Management (WEM), National Guard, airport managers at the four airports as well as county and local law enforcement. Plans are underway for the 2014 EAA Mission to be held July 22 – Aug. 9. Civil Air Patrol, the official auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force, is a nonprofit organization with more than 61,000 members nationwide, operating a fleet of 550 aircraft. CAP, in its Air Force auxiliary role, performs 90 percent of continental U.S. inland search and rescue missions as tasked by the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center and is credited by the AFRCC with saving an average of 80 lives annually. Its volunteers also perform homeland security, disaster relief and drug interdiction missions at the request of federal, state and local agencies. The members play a leading role in aerospace education and serve as mentors to 27,000 young people currently participating in the CAP cadet programs. CAP received the World Peace Prize in 2011 and has been performing missions for America for 71 years. CAP also participates in Wreaths Across America, an initiative to re-
Cadet Second Lieutenants Tikvah Kulp and her cousin, Anthony Kulp of the Stevens Point Composite Squadron, keep track tail numbers of all incoming planes at the Appleton Base. Photos By Capt Jeri Gonwa For More Information Contact: Jeri Gonwa, Capt. Mission Public Information Officer Civil Air Patrol (H) 262-255-9117 (C) 262-352-2504 jeri.gonwa@wiwg.cap.gov
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My Family’s Oshkosh Adventure Hi, my name is Katherine Columbus. I am a third-grader from Naperville, Illinois. I went to AirVenture 2013 with my family and this is our story. The first day, I woke up and remembered that it was the day to go to camping in Oshkosh, Wisconsin at AirVenture. I went to my Grandma’s house and then the RV Camper was right out the window…then we were out the door. It was a long trip from Chicago to Oshkosh (about 4 hours with stops), but we made it. By the time we settled into our campsite, it was night time.
I slept great in the RV and when I woke up I heard that it had rained overnight, so some of the tent campers got soaked. Our camping neighbors were really nice and friendly. We talked with them after breakfast and listened to helicopters pass over our heads. Next my Dad took me to the Media Center for the briefing on the movie Disney Planes. We sat in the front row and I got to meet Klay Hall (the Director) and Traci Balthazor-Flynn (Producer).
ater. My favorite part was when the pink jet fell in love with Chupacabra. It ended way past our bedtime, so it was really fun to stay out late. The next day we took a school bus ride to the Seaplane Base. We watched seaplanes take off and land from the lake which was really cool. There was a map on the bulletin board where you could put pins showing where you were from. There were pilots from Canada, Mexico, Japan, Australia and all over the United States. Here’s a photo of me, Mom, Gabi, Brian and “Winnie”. My dad took the picture.
I could see the night air show and really liked watching Team Aerodynamix perform in their large formation. Then I made a wish on a star… can you guess what it was? To make everyone’s AirVenture wishes come true. I woke up the next morning to the sound of airplanes right above us. Then everyone woke up and we had breakfast in our camper. There are lots of fun things to do at Airventure that don’t even have to do with airplanes.
Traci Balthazor-Flynn is the Producer of Disney Planes and some other great kids’ movies.
I asked them “Why did you pick Dusty as the star of Planes instead of any other airplane?” Klay Hall answered the question saying “It’s a classic underdog story. We looked at several different aircraft but we landed on the cropduster.” “For the most part those planes fly the same route every single day and fly thousands of miles, but they really don’t get to fly anywhere.” In the movie, Dusty is afraid of heights and they explained that this is because cropdusters “don’t fly higher than 1,000 feet”. This is why they chose him.
The AirVenture “Brown Arch”
We played in the park, went reverse-bungee jumping and drove remote-controlled trucks. Then we went to the gift shop and did some shopping. I got a model stunt plane, shirt, hat and jacket. Later we went to the EAA Museum, watched air shows for the rest of the day and then had a campfire that night.
After my interview we went back to experiencing Airventure. We ate ice cream, danced to some music and I saw so many planes flying in the airshows I got dizzy. My sister had a great time even when she lost her front tooth. We took a tram over to the KidVenture area for more fun. There my Mom and little brother (3 yrs old) took their first ride on a helicopter and had a great time. That night we got to see the special preview of the movie Disney Planes at the outdoor the-
Me, my sister Gabi and Jeff Skiles
One of the pilots at the seaplane base was famous. My sister and I met Jeff Skiles who was the co-pilot of the “Miracle on the Hudson” flight. He was very nice and gave me his autograph. We took the bus back to Airventure and met up with my cousin Justin and watched more air shows. That night we saw the grand finale… a night airshow and fireworks. I said “What an Oshkosh Adventure” and it was.
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September 2013
Post-Oshkosh 2013 Quick Review At the big show EAA likes to call the Summer Celebration of Flight, we rove the grounds seeking new airplanes, new engines or propulsion systems, new panel gear, updated models and more. In this very fast tour, we’ll zoom around AirVenture for a glance at some airplanes and components that caught our attention. In subsequent posts we’ll delve a bit more deeply into certain ideas we thought were novel. All photos accompanying this article are courtesy of Light Sport and Ultralight Flyer, producer of the 300+ videos you can find on this website. Rans showed off their new S-20 Raven. Those who thought designer and company boss Randy Schlitter got stuck on S-19 were wrong (it’s never wise to think he’s done designing). His new Raven combines elements of the S-6 and S-7, namely the side-by-side seating of the S-6, with the welded spaceframe and superwide door of the S-7. It also has the S-7’s wings and that’s great as this is one of their sweetest flying aircraft. However, for those who didn’t like the S-7’s tandem seating, well ... problem fixed. The S-20 also has easily removed, reclining seats that could make this quite a camping aircraft. A huge luggage area also helps. Here’s more info. SkyReach showed off two of their still-very-modestly priced BushCats. You already know these airplanes but
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under the name Rainbow (former company) and Cheetah (former model name). SkyReach and their new U.S. distributors, Aero Sport Planes, unveiled a new taildragger version for the many that like “standard” gear, all decked out as a “Police” airplane though that was merely decoration not actual function. They also showed a model on some clean-looking composite amphibious floats. These are LSA you can afford, priced in the $50-60,000 range depending on equipment. Yes, you can obtain them in somewhat less attentiongetting coloration. Here’s more info. Quicksilver charged on the Oshkosh 2013 scene with three announcements: (1) a partnership with a company doing public-use aircraft. Ident LLC will employ the GT500 in a variation they call Mosquito; (2) the new EMG for Electric Motor Glider, a partnership with Brian and Carol Carpenter and their company Tangent Aviation; and (3) Quicksilver’s Sport 2S that is nearly done with ASTM approval. It’s taken this industry leader a long time to join the Special LSA sector, but new owners a year and half ago set out on the mission which will conclude with an FAA audit in September. Soon, you can buy a factory built Sport 2S for $39,995. The Temecula, California company will continue offering kits and will add ELSA after they win SLSA approval. Here’s more info. Another company that did very well with kits over the last 20 years is Progressive Aerodyne, famous for their SeaRey flying boat that boats more than 500 kits flying. These owners compose an intensely loyal group of seaplane pilots but all had to push through the effort of kit building. For some, this is highly satisfying, but for lots of folks, building a fairly complex airplane kit is too much work or they don’t have the time. Fear not, you can now buy a factory built SeaRey and you’ll spend far less money than most other seaplanes. Plus you can have it soon, rather than waiting for your distant delivery slot to come to the top of the list. SeaRey gave demo rides daily at Oshkosh’s Seaplane Base. CubCrafters continues to shine brightly in the LSA universe and the western company is maintaing their delivery pace (they’ll likely exceed 50 units in 2013). One reason for their success is a potent 180-horsepower engine that lifts the CarbonCub SS like a homesick angel. Now Czech-based Zlin has a related machine. The iCub and Savage used Rotax power, but a Titan engine gives Zlin’s new Cub-S 180 horses to bring great vigor to a vintage design. American Legend is also having an improved year with the Cub-like concept so why not a third entry ... especially at a lower price point? U.S. distributor SportairUSA hosted visitors at a huge tent display with two Zlin airplanes inside, the other being the open sided Bobber that you can customize like a Harley motorcycle. Tecnam is a very active company with more LSA models than any other LSA supplier and more variations of those models than, well ... any company. Only Pipistrel comes close. One model we were eager to look over was SeaSky, an obvious name when you see the P92 model set atop amphibious floats. We shot a video with Florida-based representative Tristan Raab and how appropriate given his location at Winter Haven, home to world famous Jack Brown Seaplane Base where so many have earned their seaplane rating. Tecnam developed their own composite floats and Oshkosh visitors saw the first one in the USA. As summer gives way to fall and winter, you may want to contact Tristan about a flight in this newest Tecnam variant (518-428-0804). Tecnam’s SeaSky is a recreational aircraft with its water capabilities but for those who want a smooth sleek speedster, how about one of the prettiest LSA on the market, P2008. A fine credit to Italian design, the P2008 is now more muscular, with the first ever installation of the powerful Rotax 914 turbocharged engine. If you live in one of the high elevation western states, this might be your bird of choice given it offers another 15 horses over the Rotax 912’s 100hp. However, you can only use 115-hp for a few minutes, so an important fact we learned was that the CAWLEY’S AVIATION SERVICE 914 can produce a higher Corporate & Personal Aircraft Services Sky Acres Airport (44N) - LaGrangeville, NY 12540 percentage of the continuAll Piston Engines & PT-6 Turbines ously available 100 horses Cessna, Beech, Piper, Navion & Mooney Repairs to a much higher altitude, FAA REPAIR STATION thanks to turbo boost that Continental TopCare Facility operates full time. Another Corrosion-X Application Center worthy point: installing the Combustion Heater inspection & repairs 914 may take more engiTransponder & Altimeter certifications Aircraft Weighing – Ferry Service neering but operating the Wing Jigs for precise repair potent engine is simple. TROUBLESHOOTING - MODIFICATIONS - ALTERATIONS
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It appears the time for aerobatic Light-Sport Aircraft has arrived. First, we did a video about Tecnam’s Snap single place aerobatic aircraft and at Oshkosh 2013, we found the Panther from Panther Sport Aircraft. Using a 100-horsepower Corvair engine, company boss and designer Dan Weseman says the also-single-place Panther can do “mild aerobatics, like an RV-4 can.” The new aircraft offers a number of features, which you can catch on our video. Sold as an Experimental Amateur Built aircraft, Panther meets LSA parameters allowing use by a Sport Pilot certificate holder. Since it’s a kit, the Florida-based company will support several different engine installations. Shown to the public for the first time at AirVenture 2012 (before they even had a name for it), Just Aircraft amazed last year’s crowd with the takeoff and landing performance of their nownamed SuperSTOL. I’ve flown this airplane to find it has some of the most docile handling you can imagine from an airplane that looks rather extreme or radical. Yet it’s the way it leaves the ground and perhaps even more so the way it returns to the runway that drops watcher’s jaws to the ground. Flying with factory demo pilot and lead designer Troy Woodland, we made seven landings with the stick full aft from half way out in the airport pattern all the way to surface yet we had full control and the touchdown was pillow soft, every time. Even after experiencing it, the results are hard to accept. The nearby photo catches the wing in full operation with flaps deployed and leading edge slats out. You can also see the major shock absorbers on the main gear and another on the tailwheel. Renegade Light Sport Aircraft worked for many months on installing the Lycoming O-233 LSA engine into a pair of FK-12 Comets. The now-Florida-based company cited difficulties working with the Poland-based FK Lightplane manufacturer as a reason to stop that effort, but they immediately turned their attention to an aircraft modeled after of the Pitts S1S. Another biplane the Pitts has quite a reputation as a high performing small aircraft that is not burdensome to own and operate. Renegade plans to enlarge the cockpit and make significant use of carbon fiber to keep the single seater light and agile. At Oshkosh, they showed the Lil’ Rascal (they can’t use the Pitts name, of course) in nearly full clothing. We’ll keep an eye on this development. We already reported and lots of other media have offered plenty of media to GreenWing International, the producer of the now-on-sale eSpyder pure electric aircraft. The company was featured in EAA’s Innovations pavilion and flew a two-aircraft airshow routine, which you could hardly hear as the electric motor is quieter at full power than two people having a conversation. Another thing we didn’t hear much about was charging the batteries. The smart charger talks via Bluetooth technology to each battery cell, assessing the health and needs of each segment of the battery set. Note the big power plug kept
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out of morning moisture (arrow). Such “fueling” is a new requirement for aircraft flying at Oshkosh, but the volunteers in the Ultralight Area handled it like old pros. eSpdyer wasn’t the only electric aircraft regularly flying at Oshkosh. Mark Bierle flew his eGull as he has for the last few years. This soft-spoken but brilliant designer has been hard at work on electric power for several years and may be one of the most innovative in trying new ideas. This year he had a particularly potent motor in the usual pusher configuration. reportedly delivering the equivalent of 55 horsepower, Mark’s lightweight, single place eGull zoomed into the sky with great enthusiasm. Since pilots seem to always vote for more rather than less power, I can imagine this could be a trend started by Bierle that might play out among other electric aircraft producers. One downside is that a bigger motor empties batteries quicker, but the same can be said about bigger gasoline engines burning more fuel yet that doesn’t appear to have reduced demand for bigger engines. As I wind up this quick tour of interesting stuff at Oshkosh, I have to pay a bit of tribute to one of our longtime aircraft suppliers, Quad City Ultralight Aircraft . This company has delivered more than 3,500 aircraft, every one of them very reasonably priced. They’re also all kit aircraft but it’s clear the building proposition hasn’t discouraged many from taking to the skies. Now, the company was able to trumpet its 30th anniversary and all the while the company has had the same leader, Dave Goulet. Congratulations to Dave and his team for a job well done over a long, long time. As if in honor of the company’s birthday, three of four AirVenture 2013 awards in the Ultralight category went to Challenger builders including LSA Grand Champion, Gold Lindy winner Mike Riley. Last but certainly not least in my mind was a salute to an old friend who sadly won’t be joining us anymore. Frank Beagle was for years the announcer for the Ultralight Area. His powerful bass voice could be heard throughout the public address system pretty much all day every day and he knew his light aircraft. So, it seems enormously fitting that the leaders and volunteers of this part of Oshkosh named the announcer’s stand “The Beagles Nest” complete with a large plaque to commemorate Frank’s decades of volunteer effort on behalf of light, recreational aviation. A dedicated ‘Dac (Pterodactyl ultralight) pilot, Frank was also a friend to me and many others so we can all take pleasure at seeing his name emblazoned on the side of the announcer’s stand. A tribute was also held for Frank during Oshkosh 2013. For more information on the LSA market and “all things” LSA, visit Dan Johnson’s incredible website... www.bydanjohnson.com
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September 2013
New Hampshire’s Dan Caron Named Civil Air Patrol Teacher of the Year When school teacher Dan Caron instructs in the classroom during the current school year, a new honor will have been added to his already impressive resume. He was chosen as the 2013 Civil Air Patrol Aerospace Education Teacher of the Year. Caron, a technology and engineering teacher at Bedford High School in NH, is also a member of the Civil Air Patrol (CAP). Additionally, he serves as the director of WinnAero’s Aviation Career Education (ACE) Academy at Laconia Municipal Airport located in Gilford, NH. WinnAero is a youth-based aviation organization that promotes science, technology, engineering and math through the use of aviation. The CAP’s Teacher of the Year Award is a national-level award that recognizes a teacher member for outstanding accomplishments in aerospace education and for possessing the attributes expected from our country’s teachers.
Keene State College in Keene, NH, had one of the best. He enrolled and soon after starting his freshman year, he began the search for a major that interested him. He became fascinated with technology and engineering when he saw his roommate returning with interesting projects he had constructed for his technology and shop classes. Soon afterward Caron decided to become a teacher and focused on the subjects that interested him: science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). He graduated with a degree in industrial education. Since earning a degree, he has held various teaching positions in the East. While employed as a teacher at DuVal High School in Maryland, a project he was involved with gained national attention. Working with the school’s biology teacher, Caron and his students designed a science experiment that went into space aboard the space shuttle Discovery in the fall of 1998. It was the same mission that carried astronaut John Glenn.
Teacher Dan Caron works with Laconia Municipal Airport’s ACE Academy students Caron was nominated by Col. William Moran, who is the New Hampshire Wing Commander as they learn about aviation and technology. of the CAP. He commented on why he chose to Caron has been chosen as the 2013 Civil Air He and his students were faced with the challenge Patrol Teacher of the Year. nominate Caron for the award: “Dan is energetic of building a habitat for an insect of their choice to and dedicated to youth development especially in be housed within a five cubic foot canister, which aerospace. He’s trustworthy, well organized, and is a wealth of informawould then be added to the payload of the Discovery. The students did tion. He constantly provides interactive processes for learning and knows their research and chose to send cockroaches into space mainly because it how to teach and hold the students’ attention.” was already proven that the not-so-popular insect can withstand a ride into weightlessness as well as the tremendous G-forces of a trip into space. Susan Mallet, CAP youth development program coordinator on the national level, described Caron as “the epitome of ‘teacher’ – passionately With the assistance of a technician from the school district’s science cenand professionally facilitating, partnering, and empowering youth for a ter, Caron and his numerous classes constructed the habitat over a number future that will bring pride to themselves and benefit the nation.” of years. In total, the experiment took almost nine years to prepare, and over 150 students and 100 adults participated in its creation. The group She explained why his nomination stood out above all the rest, “Dan made history when some of the roaches arrived back on earth alive, a first works not only in his school but with youth during the summer. He has for an experiment prepared by a civilian group. garnered the support of the community and has facilitated alliances with the aviation community to propel his programs ever onward – and he alAlthough a teacher in the Bedford school system, students in the Lakes lows youth to be a part of the learning process - from design and creation Region of NH have also reaped the benefits of working with Caron. As to flying and experimentation themselves.” director of the ACE Academy based at Laconia Airport, he brings his innovative teaching style to the classroom there. Surprisingly, Caron didn’t have a goal of becoming a teacher when he graduated from high school. A competitive swimmer, he was mainly conHe explained on how much he enjoys being involved with WinnAero cerned with finding a college that had a good swim team, and at the time, and the programs they offer, “Having WinnAero located at Laconia Airport is fantastic. The kids get to fly with pilots at Skybright. The Civil Air Patrol, the Experimental Aircraft Association, and the Laconia Airport Authority are all right there, and they are all a tremendous help. Diane Terrill, who is the airport manager, is always very willing to help us in any way. I can’t imagine trying to run an ACE Academy that is not located at an airport and one that doesn’t have so many helpful individuals who assist the program.”
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Caron is no stranger to being honored with awards and designations. He has a long list of awards on his resume including numerous awards for teacher and program excellence, including being named the National Air Force Teacher of the Year in 2004. In his spare time, he became an author and curriculum specialist for EngineeringbyDesign through the STEM Center for Teaching and Learning. He remains humble and chooses to stay focused on what he enjoys the most: teaching the next generation. The unpretentious school teacher says he is tremendously honored by being named as the CAP’s Teacher of the Year. His face lights up when he talks about being a teacher. “I love teaching. It’s never the same; there’s always something different I can work on,” he said. There is no doubt he made the right career choice, and the students who have learned so much from him have to be glad that he became a teacher. Written by: Carol Lee Anderson
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Fokker F-32
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Page 34
September 2013
C L A S S I F I E D S AIRCRAFT FOR SALE
1949 Cessna 140A on 1650 EDO floats, TT2500, 90 HP w/1700 hrs., annual 5/13. $35,000. 315-638-2566. 1946 Cessna 120: 120 TT27321, C-85-12F TSOH 745.33, VFR, Gear Extensions, Stripped ready for paint. Annual due 6/14. $10,000 OBO. 860-774-9500 Cessna 170B 1954: Clevelands, Scott T.W., updated panel, rear jump seats, 50A alts, Sky-tec starter, TT 5114, SMO 1550. 603-2375130 1968 C150H: 4200 TT, 1355 SMOH, 60 STOH, GNS430 w/ GI106A, KX-125, KT-76A, PMA6000MC. New carb, new windows 2005, good IFR trainer. $22,000. 508 540-3091, sgrobstein@alum.mit.edu
PARTNERSHIPS/ SHARES/CLUBS CT Flying Club Based at 7B6 near BDL. 1974 Warrior - IFR, AutoPilot, Very affordable, 24 hour access, GPS with XM weather, hourly rate with no extra assessments. Call Bob 860-985-7124 for details. CT - Oxford Flying Club (KOXC) Two IFR Archers plus IFR Cessna, GPS 430/530 in all, well maintained, active friendly membership, liberal booking, top instructors, students welcome! Www.oxfordflyingclub.com, info@oxfordflyingclub.com. Central CT area - Silver City Flying Club (silvercityflyingclub. com) equity share for sale $2500. IFR certified Cessna C-172P and Piper Archer PA28. Low hourly rates. Call Pierre (860) 283-6514 Seeking members for CT Flyers, a 20 member KSNC(Chester, CT) based flying club . Two IFR certified aircraft, Cessna 172 (G430 IFR certified) and a Piper Dakota (Garmin AERA-560). Costs include a one time equity share purchase and reasonable monthly fly-
HANGARS
Beverly MA (BVY) Own 1/4 share of Cessna 182 (N97993) IFR equipped full auto-pilot, dual VOR with glide slope, Garmin 430W GPS with traffic, Mode S Transponder, storm scope, HIS. Hangared, recreationally used, not heavily used by other partners. Lightspeed Zulu Headsets, more included. Asking $22,000. Contract John Powell at 978239-1732 or JohnMPowell1@ Gmail.com ing fees. Online scheduling. For more information call Ken Soeder at 203-641-6102. 1/4 Share 1989 MOONEY M20J 201SE, Based In Lawrence (KLWM), 2675 TTSN, 1442 SFRM, 140 SPOH, Always Hangered. Full King Digital Avionics FD/GPS Coupled Autopilot w/ Alt Hold, Stormscope, Air Brakes and much more. Exterior and Interior 9/10. Inexpensive High Performance Aircraft, $250.00/Mo., $20.00/Hr Maintenance, $10.00/Hr Engine Fund Plus Fuel. $29,900 or Best Offer Call Joe 781-718-0160 Nashua NH (ASH) Own 1/15 Share of Cessna 172 Queen City Aero Club 1974 Cessna-172M (N20172) IFR equipped with dual VOR with glide slope, GNS430W, 100 SMOH, and Power flow exhaust. $3,990 share, $45 monthly dues, $45/HR flight time (dry). For Info contact Tony Joyce at 603765-8853 or tj@joycecool.com Nashua NH (ASH) Own 1/15 Share of Cessna 182 Boston Center Flying Club 1974 Cessna-182P (N52916) IFR certified including ownership of T-Hanger, Dual VOR with glide slope, GNS430, Garmin 496, 100 SMOH, and S-Tech 30 Autopilot. $7500 share, $880 dues, $40/HR flight time (dry). For Info contact Tony Joyce at 603-7658853 or tj@joycecool.com 1/5 Share for sale, Portsmouth, NH area. C172 hangared @ 3B4. TT1700, SMOH200, IFR capable. $6000 dues, $110 per month, flight time $50 per hor. Regularly available. Contact Kirk: 603-674-8561, kwsnad@qol.com.
New England Flying Club, LWM Lawrence, MA based flying club has a few openings for new members. We operate three IFR certified aircraft consisting of two Beech Skippers and a Beech Sundowner. All aircraft are very well equipped and maintained. Excellent availability. Office w/ weather computer and refreshments. Low startup costs and monthly dues. Visit www. newenglandflyingclub.com for more details and contact info. Cessna 172, 1968: 1/3 partnership for sale. $6,200.00. Based Lawrence, MA (LWM). GPS, excellent shape. Call for test flight. 781-769-9000, 617-924-6000. Join Snoopy’s Group - a very affordable, members only, nonprofit flying club with two well maintained IFR C-172’s at KWST. 401-742-4182
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Minute Man Air Field 6B6 Tiedowns from $40, Hangar & Office Space, Always Low Fuel Prices www.MinuteManAirField.com KPYM HANGAR FOR RENT 40’ wide X 30’ deep T Hangar w/ elec. Bill Snow CFII 772-4949893 Light Twin T-Hangar at SFM. 44’ or 48’ T hangars with 14’ high doors. 42’ T-hangars. Heated corporate hangar w/ 55’ x 16’ door. Group hangar for winter storage. Sanford, Maine. 207-459-0527. KLWM - Lawrence, MA. Modified T Hangar, End Unit. Electric Bi-fold door and Overhead door, Lights and water. Store airplane and more. Ready now, for lease. Call 978-556-5936. KLWM - Lawrence, MA. T Hangar. Electric Bi-fold door, Lights. Ready now, for lease. Call 978-556-5936. Marshfield GHG, 1465 sq.ft. Door 40.5’ wide, 30’ deep with electric. 781-837-6272. Concord, NH First class T Hangars for sale or rent from $525/ month. Bifold doors with automatic latches, full foundation and frost wall, insulated floor and ceiling, pilot lounge and more. www. eastcoasthangars.com or contact: Don Hebert, 603-848-8877, info@ eastcoasthangars.com Light Twin T-Hangar at LCI. 42’ T-hangar. Located in ideal North side location at Laconia, NH. Call Tom @ (941) 228-6002 Prices have been Substantially Reduced!!! T-Hangars, Newport, NH. (2B3) sale or rent, built 2007: 42’ bi-fold doors, heavy duty insulation, excellent lighting at beautiful Parlin Field (2b3). Low fuel prices and the ‘Lil Red Baron Mexican restaurant on the field. See pictures at: www.flickr.com/photos/ kloeppel and call Rick: Recycled pilots LLC at: 603-526-7730 T-hangar GHG, including tools for airplane construction. 40’ x 30’. Lease or sale - 35k. professional massage table included in sale. For after flite therapy...and avionics storage. John 617-331-4575 or seacov19@yahoo.com Hangar For Sale: Large end unit, 40’ wide x 30’ deep t-hangar with extra 20’x20’ at end. 45k. Brian 781-706-5542 or bjones@ rivermorrengineering.com
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C L A S S I F I E D S Sussex N.J. (FWN) new 65’ X 62’ hangar to share $250/mo elec. door, concrete floor, new paved taxiway 973-600-2657 Hangar space available at Lewis Landing Arpt., NK79. 2300’ grass strip, metal hangars, country setting, maintenance shop on site. $150/mo. Call Merv at 845-3558531 Hangar for sale at Old Orchard Park, Plattekill,NY 12568 (2NK9) Parallel with N.Y. Thruway. Hangr 40’x32’, bi-fold doos. Must be a member of “Hudson Valley Hornets” Hangar pric $30,000. Shown by Appointment. For information call 772-285-7953 Hangar Space available at the Kingston-Ulster Airport (20N www.kingstonulsterairport.com) - unheated w/ bi-fold doors: 1) 48’w X 40’d x 14’h private hangar with separate electric hookup and 2) 44’w x 40’d x 12’h (pie-shaped space) in a 6-bay hexagonal hangar. Call JIM for pricing and details at 845-594-4455.
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EMPLOYMENT OPPS AVIATION WRITERS wanted. Atlantic Flyer seeks stories, features, articles with photos, on any subject relating to aviation. First person O.K. Payment upon publication. First rights only. Atlantic Flyer, c/o Prop Jockeys, LLC, 4 Research Drive, Suite 402, Shelton, CT 06484 CFII WANTED established flight school Barnes-Westfield Airport (BAF). competitive wages, full time opportunity, associated
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more than 70 different aircraft. Topics like fuel management, flight planning, reluctant passengers, weather, the FAA, buying and owning an aircraft, are all discussed with humor and whit. Mike has more than 4,500 flight hours, earning his Private, Commercial, Instrument, Multiengine, Flight Instructor, Instrument Instructor, Multi-Engine Instructor, and ATP ratings. He is a current a flight instructor, licensed A&P mechanic and a former FAA Accident Prevention Counselor. You can order Things my Flight Instructor Never Told Me on the web from www. tmfintm.com or call the publisher, Promotion Productions Inc. at 561752-3261.
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Page36
September 2013
CHECKPOINTS
Submit your group’s events to Mail@atlanticflyer.net
New England (CT, ME, MA, NH, RI, VT) Sept 7: Westerly State Airport, 56 Airport Road, Westerly, RI. Wings Over Westerly. A family event celebrating aviation. 10:00 A.M. to 3:00 P.M. Rain date is September 8th. Free and open to the public, the event will feature “Young Eagles” free airplane rides for kids ages 8-17. There will be static airplane displays, show cars (antiques and classics), hands on flight simulators, and so much more. For more information, please visit: www.westerlyairportfriends.org Sept 15: Myricks Airport (1M8) Berkley, MA. Myricks EAA 196 Fly-in. Join EAA Chapter 196 and pilots from the New England region for their annual fall fly-in and cook-out. Featuring airplanes - vintage, modern, ultralight, and experimental; Classic cars; Burgers and dogs from the EAA 196 grill; Candy drop, and more all in the intimate setting of an old-time grass airfield. 10:30 am to 3 pm. Contact Andy Goldstein 978-212-9196, youngeagles@eaa196.org, http://www.eaa196.org/ Sept 15: Simsbury Airport 4B9 - 28th Annual Simsbury Fly-In and Car Show - 8AM to 3 PM - Largest Fly-in in New England - No Admission but donation requested - 650+ planes and cars of virtually every type and vintage. Judging and trophies. Many new aircraft and car dealers. Exhibits by Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome, NE Air Museum, Owl’s Head Museum”. See www. simsburyflyin.com for full event details. Sept 19-23: Brainard Airport (KHFD) Hartford, CT. EAA Chpt 1310, 166 and other CT area EAA chpt are hosting a visit of “Aluminum Overcast”, the Experimental Aircraft Associations (EAA) restored WWII B-17 bomber. Flights and ground tours of the bomber are available from Sept. 20-23, 2013. Visit www. B17.org or call 800-359-6217 for info. Sept 28: East Windsor, CT Skylark Airport. Annual Tailwheel and Experimental Safety Seminar. Hear from area experts on proper flying and maintenance techniques. Qualifies for FAA WINGS credit. Light breakfast by 9:30. Seminar starts at 10. Cookout lunch sponsored by EAA Chapter 1310 at 1:00. (Donation requested for cookout.) Contact Lindsey Pell 860-281-1310, info@eaa1310.org, or www. eaa1310.org.
Eastern (DE, MD, NJ, NY, PA, VA, WV) Third Saturday May - September: Cooperstown NY (K23) Old Aeroplane Fly In Pancake Breakfast, 7am -11:30 all you can eat, great food, real Maple Syrup, great coffee. Lots of grass, no fences. Voted one of the best breakfast in the NE. info 607-547-2526. May thru October: White Birch Field (NK68) Deposit Flying Club, Deposit, NY ~ ($6) breakfast every Sunday 8am - 1pm consisting of coffee/tea, juice, pancakes, eggs, homefries, sausage and toast. For info call: 607-637-5429 Sept 1: KDSV Dansville Municipal Airport Dansville, NY. Fly In Breakfast 8:00 AM - 12:00 PM Fly in pancake breakfast, 8:00 AM- noon. Dansville NY KDSV. Pancakes,Sausage,Eggs,drinks.Necessary flight crew of pre-1946 aircraft get free breakfast. Check NOTAM for hot air balloon launch time!! Contact: Dansville Aero 585-204-4013 Sept 1: ELM Elmira/Corning Regional Airport Elmira Corning, New York. Fly-In Pancake Breakfast 8:00 AM - 11:00 AM. EAA 533 Hosts a Fly-in/Drive-In Pancake Breakfast at the EAA Hangar. Served from 8:00am – 11:00am at $6.00 per person. Please check our website for details. Fly-in/Drive-In Pancake Breakfasts are open to the public.Contact: John Flanagan jflanaga@stny.rr.com, 607-734-0469. http://www. eaa533.org Sept 7: South Albany Airport (4B0) Annual Flap-Jack Fly-In Breakfast. (rain date 9/8) All you can eat $5. All types of aircraft welcome. $.25 gallon off 100LL event day. Tdragger@hotmail.com 518/281-5430 Sept 8: D52 Geneseo Airport Geneseo, NY Fly-In Chicken BBQ and Corn Roast 1:00 PM - 11:59 PM Stern’s Chicken, corn, salt potatoes, garden vegetables, rolls, desserts and beverages Contact: Austin Wadsworth, office@1941hag. org. 585-243-2100. http://1941hag.org Sept 14: Seamans Airport, Factoryville, PA Young Eagles Ralley 9:00 am - 12:00 pm. A Young Eagles Rally will be held at Seamans Airport with Free Airplane Rides for children under 12. Contact: Seamans Airport 570-945-5125 Sept 14: Ocean City Municipal Airport (26N),Ocean City, NJ Ocean City Air Festival. Featuring antiques, ultralights, homebuilts, warbirds and military vehicles. Trophies to be awarded. Plenty of good food and vendors. Fun things for the kids, including paper airplane contest. Located just 3 blocks from beautiful beaches on the Atlantic Ocean. Come join us. Contact – Bill Colangelo (609-399-0907) Sept 14: 3NJ9 Allen Airstrip Vincentown, NJ Fly-in Pancake Breakfast 8:00 AM - 11:00 AM Pancakes,eggs,sauage,juice and coffee,Adult $6 Child $3 Benefit Jack Allen Museum. Stearman rides 75.00 donation Contact: Rick and Sharon Allen, rallen231@comcast.net, 609 267 8382 Sept 14: Kline Kill Airport, Ghent, NY FlyIn Pancake Breakfast, 8am - 12noon pancakes, eggs, sausage, OJ & coffee, all for only $6. Plenty of parking for both aircraft and cars at one of the most picturesque grass airfields in the Northeast. Prizes for furthest flown and furthest driven. For more info visit www.eaa146.org.
Contact: Eric Beebe Phone: 518-598-3832 Sept 15: B16 Whitfords Airport Weedsport, NY Fly-In/Drive-In Breakfast 7:30 AM - 12:00 PM Fly in or drive in and enjoy a country breakfast of Eggs, Pancakes, Sausage and Doughnuts served with Coffee, Juice or Milk. Tiedowns and 100LL available. Contact: John Whitford | Whitford@twcny.rr.com, 315-834-9950 Sept 15: Thomas Fagan Sidney Municipal Airport in Sidney, NY The Rotary Club’s annual Fly in, drive in, walk in pancake breakfast from 8 AM till 1 PM. Pilots receive a free breakfast. Proceeds to benefit local community service projects. Crafters will be there as well as exhibits of other local service and public agencies. Sgridley130@yahoo.com Sept 15: Skyhaven Airport 76N, Tunkhannock, PA. Fly In Breakfast and Flea Market. 7:30am – 1:00pm. All you can eat pancakes, eggs, ham and sausage. Flea Market, Bluegrass Band, Aircraft restoration, Antique airplanes, autos and farm machinery displays. Bring your antique and/or homebuilt aircraft to display. 570-836-4800 skyhaven@ptd.net Sept 21: Baltimore, MD. Essex Skypark w48. Essex Sky Park Annual Wings Wheels fly-in. Start time 9 AM. Fly-In or Drive In Free Tee shirt for all pilots that fly in. Fly-bys Vintage Aircraft-Experimental Aircraft-Light Sport aircraft- Fuel on field- Aviation safety Seminar We are outside the ADIZ- Grass Roots aviation at it best. - Contact: Brian Dolan 443 831 7609, Email: essexskypark@hotmail.com Sept 28: Pottstown Municipal Airport, Pottstown, PA “Young Eagles Rally - Airport Community Day!” 10 am - 3 pm Please call or click link below for details. http://www.1250. eaachapter.org/september28thyoungeagles.htm Contact: Fred Van Ryn 484-524-2180 Sept 28: W05 Gettysburg Regional Airport Gettysburg, PA Wings, Wheels, & Pancakes Fly-In/Drive-In Breakfast 8:00 AM - 12:00 PM EAA Chapter 1041, The Gettysburg Barnstormers, will hold their breakfast event both days. Join us for the best breakfast around, great food, wonderful atmosphere, and surrounded by history! This is the 150th Anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg. Contact: Henry Hartman keystonesnowmobiler@comcast.net 717-4655952.www.1041.eaachapter.org/
Southern (AL, FL, GA, MS, NC, SC, TN) Sep 4-8: Triple Tree Aerodrome (SC00) Woodruf, SC - Triple Tree Aerodrome FlyIn.Triple Tree Arodrome is a jewel, from it’s 7000X400 bermuda grass runway sitting on over 400 acres of lush manicured grass. To it’s camp under the wing style camping areas. This is a world class event that is in it’s seventh year. Ulralights, homebuilts,antiques, and even WW2 bombers can be seen here! Check the website for s and arrival info.This is a must do!! www. tripletreeaerodrome.com/
See the current entire list online at www.AFlyer.com
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Page37
Captain Dan “He’s here, class!” our teacher announced. “Line up at the door alphabetically.” Whoever this was had dared to interrupt my scan of the neighborhood, and I didn’t care about him at all. Right then all I cared about was outside the school windows, somewhere in the neighborhood — my lost dog. Two nights ago my parents had let our dog out. That was their thing, letting Henry walk himself. None of us ever found time to walk the dog. My father was a workaholic who rarely got home for dinner. My brother and sister and I never wanted to walk the dog. My mom refused to walk Henry because she thought it was the kids’ job. So Mom took to putting the dog outside every night, on his own, like a cat. Only this time he had taken a walk and had kept on going. That’s why I was sitting on that awful Wednesday morning staring out the second floor window of my third grade classroom, mourning the loss of the pet that I loved but not enough to walk. I was so absorbed that I didn’t hear the strange, loud thwomp, thwomp, thwomp rumbling through the classroom.
tic bubble sitting on two big metal runners with an oil derrick stuck on its back and two giant blades stuck on the top. “Hello, everybody. I’m WMAL traffic reporter Captain Dan, and this is my trusty Bell 47-A helicopter, Betty Sue.” What?! I’d been dragged away from my window seat, almost permanently blinded, just for him, and that? I was furious. I shot a hand into the air. “Your principal has asked me to land here today to… uh, yes, young man,” Captain Dan interrupted himself. “Can you prove you’re really you?” “Victor Kilo!” called out my teacher. Captain Dan held up a hand. “It’s all right. He has every right to be skeptical. I reckon a lot of helicopters often land on this playground. Me and Betty Sue might well be counterfeit.” “Yes, sir. Exactly. How do we know you’re the real Captain Dan?”
“Mr. Kilo, please get in line. The entire class is waiting for you.”
He launched into his spiel: “Outer loop traffic on the Capital Beltway approaching…
I reluctantly rose from my chair and shuffled backward toward the line, backward so I could keep my eyes out the window. Even as we passed through the classroom door and into the hallway, I kept up my backward shuffle.
I shook my head. He began to beat his chest, gorilla-style, giving his voice a familiar thumpy vibrato. “… the Clara Barton Parkway slows to a standstill. A lot of looky-loos are enjoying the sight of a tractor-trailer that jackknifed….”
As we rounded the corner into the entrance hallway, the class stopped suddenly because every other kid in the school was bunched up in the hallway. Still walking backward, I crashed into Lisa Getz.
Son of a gun, it was Captain Dan! I’d heard his voice a million times while riding in the backseat of our Ford Torino. My dad was obsessed with Washington’s all news, traffic and weather station. Thanks to Dad, it would be another three years before I would even know about Top 40 radio or who Casey Kasem was.
“Ow! Watch it, dumbhead!” she yelped. We were kind of an item, having met in line alphabetically at the beginning of the school year. That was a term of endearment she had for me. “Who is this stupid person we’re going to see anyway?” I asked her. “Boys and girls,” boomed our principal’s voice, as she swung open the main doors, “get ready to meet… Captain Dan!” A burst of sunlight slammed into my pupils. “I can’t see!” I complained. “Grab my hand,” said Lisa, grabbing mine instead. She led me outdoors, past the swings toward the kickball field — a large swath of asphalt tarmac bordered by a chain-link fence on two sides. “This sucks! I can’t see! What if my dog is out here?” “That’s what you’ve been looking for?!” The clomping of a few hundred sneakers and saddle shoes stopped. As my blindness dissolved away, I saw what looked to me like a clear plas-
For the next 20 minutes, Captain Dan described every part of his helicopter and every aspect of his workday. I leaned in on every word. I tried to memorize everything he said, not for a love of flying that I as yet didn’t know I had, but out of a keen desire to impress my father. I was going to tell my dad all about how I’d met WMAL’s Captain Dan and did he know that his helicopter had a name? I was going to blow my dad’s hair back with all those details on the helicopter and flying and being a reporter. He was going to be so proud of how well I had paid attention to his favorite traffic reporter — a guy everybody in the car had to hush up and listen to whenever he came on the air. Suddenly, the crowd of students began laughing and pointing at something behind Captain Dan. He turned. “Hey, you stupid dog. Stop peeing on Betty Sue!” “Henry!” I cried and ran to him, grabbing him by his collar. “You came back to me.”
Henry looked up at me, tail proudly wagging. Henry and I watched Captain Dan start up Betty Sue from inside the principal’s office. Through the bars on the principal’s windows I could see the other kids outside, backed up against the school building wall, waving to the departing Captain Dan. I could even see Lisa Goetz with a little WMAL cap on her head, probably awarded for answering some trivia that I would have known. But I didn’t care. Watching the helicopter hover and then thwomp, thwomp, thwomp away in a swirling dust cloud, only two things really mattered right then: that Henry was back and that he really seemed to like that helicopter. If he liked it enough to mark it as his own, then I really liked helicopters, too. Right then I decided I’d grow up and learn to fly helicopters and take Henry for rides. Maybe I’d even take Captain Dan’s job. After all, he was pretty old, I think, maybe even 30. That night Dad got home after dinner again. He stopped by my bedroom door. “Turn off the light,” he said. “It’s bedtime.” “Hey Dad, I met Captain Dan today.” “How about you tell me that story later, when it’s not your bedtime.” Dad spied Henry. “Is that a new leash? Where did you get that?” he demanded. “People’s drugstore,” I stammered. “Did you take Henry?” “Yessir.” “Did you clean up after him?” “I couldn’t. I didn’t bring a bag.” “What about the bag the leash came in, and that, too?” he said, pointing to the magazine in my lap. “I put the leash on Henry right away, and I stuck the magazine in my pocket.” “Mmm hm.” “I guess I didn’t think it through.” “I guess you didn’t.” Dad glanced at his watch. “And it’s two minutes past your bedtime.” I reluctantly reached for the light switch. The magazine slipped off my lap, spilling onto the floor. “Flying magazine, eh?” “Yessir.” Dad sat down on my bed. “Tell you what. I’ll give you five minutes to tell me how you met Captain Dan,” he said, and he pulled out of his wallet a yellowed, crinkled photograph. It was of him in a flight suit, climbing the ladder of an Air Force fighter jet.
Page 38
September 2013
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