Civil Air Patrol Magazine, Alaska Wing, July 2022 by capakwg

Civil Air Patrol Magazine - July 2022

Manifest

General 04 Left Seat 06 Encampment 18 Education and Training 20 Cadet Programs 24 Operations - Barrow 26 Safety 36 Personal Reflection 39 Supporters 41 Tail Section

Cover:

Cover: C/2d Lt Taran Harris-Barnes after her T-6 incentive flight (see Cadet 2 CAP AKWG Programs article).

Squadrons 10 Tok 14 Kenai 16 Eielson 19 Polaris/Lake Hood 28 Arcturus 30 Fairbanks 32 Delta 34 Gateway

This page: A composite crew from MTWG and AKWG flew a USCG marine safety task force team to the northern most point in the United States, Barrow, AK (see CAP AKWG 3 Operations article). Photo courtesy of Lt Col Stephen Sammons.

Open Mic night, every 3rd Wed at 1900

Left Seat

Col Kevin McClure Wing Commander

Special Staff Lt Col Gene Moyer Inspector General

Mr. Nate Healy CAP-USAF Liaison

Capt DJ Burand II Director of Safety

USAFR Coordinators

Lt Col Stuart Goering Legal Officer

Lt Col Brian Porter Vice Commander

TSgt Robert Shephard Command NCO

Capt C Stearns Gov Relations Advisor

2nd Lt Elizabeth Justus Diversity – Rec/Ret

TSgt Ray Lukic Wing NCO Advisor VACANT Chief of Staff

Lt Col MacPherson Dir. Of Operations

Lt Col Bryan Emerson Dir. Of Communications

1st Lt L. MacPherson Dir. Of Aerospace Ed.

Lt Col Al Senese Dir. Of Prof Development

Capt Karen Padgett Dir. Of Cadet Programs

2nd Lt Clint Justus Dir. Of Logistics

Lt Col Al Senese Director of Personnel

Lt Elizabeth Justus Director of Recruiting

VACANT Dir. of Maintenance

Maj Caleb Newville Director of IT

1st Lt Terrance Aldridge Director of Finance

Capt Leah Reusser Dir. of Development

Maj Kevin Bottjen Wing Chaplain

VACANT Wing Historian

Lt Col Robert Thomas Health Services Officer

2d Lt Mary Stella Administrative Officer

Lt Col Bryan Emerson Public Affairs Officer

SM Joshua Jones Cyber Security Officer CAO 04 Jul 22

Click here to see current Wing Staff position vacancies including: • • • • • •

Commander, AK-93 Director of Maintenance, AKWG Chief of Staff, AKWG Historian Public Affairs - Public Relations, Digital Engagement and Creative Services Plans and Programs Officer 4

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National Accolades!

Please join me in congratulating the following members of Alaska Wing for being selected as 2022 National award winners: - Character Development Instructor of the Year, Capt Karen C Padgett - Lt Col Keith Riddle Aircrew Member OTY, Lt Col John R Western Thank you both for your commitment to CAP and Alaska Wing, job well done!

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TOK

Five Tok cadets completed the 2022 Type “A” Encampment at Joint Base Elmendorf Richardson. Cadets Sarah Briar, Matthew Landers, Miah Landers,

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Lucas Larrabee, and Johnathan Adkins attended and successfully graduated from this rigorous activity held from 11 - 18 June 2022.

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TOK, continued On July 4th 2022, seven cadets from Tok Composite Squadron marched in Tok’s Fourth of July parade. Led by their Cadet Commander, C/2Lt Stephen Briar, the Color Guard proudly carried Old Glory and the Alaska State Flag over the 1.7 mile parade route. In spite of the heat, the cadets did a great job

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and received applause from the many spectators who turned out for the parade. This was the largest turn-out of Tok’s cadets since 2018 when they first marched in the Tok parade and definitely the most spectators we’ve seen since 2020.

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Kenai Want hard work? Call a Kenai cadet!

On July 5th the cadets who participated in the 2022 AKWG Encampment Every Monday 6:30 to 8:30 Kenai Cawere invited to a military O-flight on a dets and Seniors make Aerospace, UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter. Without Leadership, Safety and Character Desaying, it was amazing for all cadets velopment Presentations. This month and senior members. After a safety was more than special. Six Kenai Cabriefing and mandatory earplugs, the dets completed Summer Encampment flights changed cadets’ lives. Their at JBER. They are: C/Amn Owen Bell, faces told it all upon getting out of C/TSgt Lane Hillyer, C/TSgt Luke Hillythe helicopter. They were walking on er, C/Amn Thomas Martin, C/A1C Jacob clouds. What a wonderful opportunity Ries, and C/Amn Laif Rothenberger. for all! Cadets who got rides were: C/ Both the Hillyer brothers were in the Amn Owen Bell, C/TSgt Lane Hillyer, Advanced Flight. They all worked hard C/TSgt Luke Hillyer, C/A1C Jacob Ries, and learned more than they could C/Amn Laif Rothenberger, and C/TSgt imagine. What a great opportunity for Lydia Schwartz. This day has changed our cadets! lives for the better. The Kenai cadets marched in our Kenai All cadets are working hard, setting a July 4th Parade. They also volunteered good example in our community and to help the Kenai Senior Center presupporting each other in practicing the pare for the food celebration afterCore Values. wards. They moved tables and hung banners from the roof. During the parade the audience yelled “Thank You” to the cadets. They kept in step and made our squadron proud. The participating cadets were: C/Amn Owen Bell, C/SSgt Luke Cole, C/2nd Lt Wyatt Cole, C/TSgt Lane Hillyer, C/TSgt Luke Hillyer, C/A1C Jacob Ries, C/SSgt Joseph Schwartz, C/TSgt Lydia Schwartz, and C/TSgt Matthew Schwartz. When you need hard work done, call a Kenai Cadet!

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C TSgt Lydia Schwartz, C A1C Jacob Ries, C Amn Owen Bell, C TSgt Matthew Schwartz, C SSgt Joseph Schwartz, C 2nd Lt Wyatt Cole, C TSgt Lane Hillyer, C SSgt CAP AKWG 15 Luke Cole, C TSgt Luke Hillyer.

Eielson Smoke-Filled ELT Search

however, the ground team was on station near Badger Road, and excitement On July 1 the 71st Composite Squadron reached a peak as they heard their first was called to action in support of the ELT signals in their direction finding Alaska Joint Rescue Coordination Cenequipment and handheld VHF radios, a ter. Late in the evening on July 1, the sign that the search area was now conRCC became aware that an ELT signal stricted to only a few miles. The Eielwas broadcasting in the Alaska Interior son ground team then met up with Maj and dispatched Civil Air Patrol to inves- Low and worked East to West along a tigate. Early the following morning, a number of private airfields both by vesingle helicopter reported signs of an hicle and on foot. Eventually, utilizing ELT between Harding Lake and Delta handheld radio DF techniques, Maj Low Junction. This now spread the possible discovered the non-distress Aeronca search area from Delta Junction to the and rallied the team to shut off the beanorth side of Fairbanks, a distance of con. SM Lance, on her first SAR mission, over 100 miles. Maj Low of the 9th Com- reached into the aircraft and silenced posite Squadron at Fairbanks assumed the ELT, resolving the RCC’s objective. the role of incident commander, who directed the Eielson squadron comThe Eielson Composite Squadron is mander, Lt Rosario-Castro, to dispatch a proud to have worked with the Fairground team to search for signs of the banks Composite Squadron to complete ELT while a Fairbanks aircrew (already our second search and rescue find of set to perform instrument training that the year. We’ll stand ready for our next morning) took to the air. opportunity to serve our community, state, and nation. Lt Rosario, Maj Davis, SM Pawletzki, and SM Lance assembled the ground team, Written by Major James “Hawke” Davis. communications, and direction finding equipment and swept northward from Delta Junction to Harding Lake. As they did so, the mission aircrew received the ELT signal near Fairbanks, closing the search area. Smoke from the dominant wildfires enshrouded the hills east of the city, making air search onerous and challenging the aircrew in a mixture of IMC and VMC conditions. By this time, 16

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Education and Training Help Your Squadron Advance! Become a VolU Instructor! Training Volunteers National’s vision for this new E&T (Education & Training) program is that each squadron have at least one VolU (Volunteer University) instructor. VolU instructors can teach, in person or virtually, Levels they themselves have completed. If you are interested in joining the team and helping to take CAP education and training into the future, please complete the application below. Step 1: Complete the Volunteer University Instructor Application Step 2: Once your application is approved by region and wing command, you will be enrolled in the VOLU Instructor Course in AXIS for which there are 6 brief modules to work through. For more information or assistance, contact us at instructor@cap.gov.

session to be fully qualified as a Volunteer University assistant instructor or instructor and to learn how to enter completed modules in eServices. Sign up for this step using the Education and Training Calendar searching for offerings titled “Instructor Course Virtual Session”. Once you have completed the virtual training session, you will receive your eServices permissions as an instructor or assistant instructor. Questions? Contact us at instructor@cap.gov. Facebook groups that can support you as a VolU instructor: CAP VolU Instructors group: https://www.facebook.com/ groups/378324606770504 ET- Civil Air Patrol Education & Training Group: https://www.facebook.com/ groups/635312233678572 Civil Air Patrol - Virtual Training Notification Group: https://www.facebook.com/ groups/2973181479391506

Step 3: (Reference: https://www.gocivilairpatrol. After completing the online portion of com/members/ed-training/volu-main) the Instructor Course, you must participate in a one-hour virtual training By Capt Karen Padgett 18

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Polaris/Lake Hood

by C/TSgt Keena Bennett

Hood Squadrons are attending Hawk Mountain Ranger School in PennsylLast month was a busy month for vania from July 9th to the 17th. ParAlaska Wing, with participants from ticipants will go through training to all over the state attending the Alaska get their Ground Team and Ranger Wing encampment. Many cadets, incertifications and gain new knowledge cluding Polaris and Lake Hood cadets about emergency services to take back Benjamin, Cone, Matthews, Mellerstig, to their home squadrons. C/Lt Col Alan Michaud, Michele, Neroda, and PatPadgett will be attending the Space terson experienced the challenges of Operations Academy at Patrick Space encampment for the first time, while Force Base in Florida. others attended Advanced Training Flight or staffed the encampment. The fun’s not over yet, though. On July 5th, 21 cadets from Polaris and Lake Hood Squadrons had the opportunity to ride in UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters and catch up with friends made at encampment. In between rides, 2d Lt Moon of Lake Hood Squadron gave an engaging presentation of how helicopters fly under a static display of a UH-1 Iroquois copter. On top of it all, many Polaris and Lake Hood cadets are attending National Cadet Special Activities. Cadets Harris-Barnes and Mellerstig just returned from 2 NCSAs (see Cadet Programs article). Four cadets from Polaris and Lake

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Cadet Programs 2022 Alaska Wing Encampment The 2022 AKWG Summer Encampment was held at JBER near Anchorage, AK 12-18 June 2022. See the separate article in this newsletter for details, and go to this link to view photos: https:// photos.cap.gov/Pacific-Region/Alaska-Wing/AKWG-Encampment/2022-Alaska-Wing-Encampment

National Cadet Special Activities (NCSAs) Featured Participants More than 20 Alaska Wing cadets are planning to attend NCSAs this summer. Some have already returned! Read their stories below.

C/1st Lt Sigge Mellerstig attends E-Tech Robotics NCSA designs his contraption at E-Tech Robotics NCSA at US Air Force Academy. 25 cadets Plans are already underway for the from around the country 2023 Alaska Wing Encampment, tenlearned the basics of entatively planned for 18-24 June 2023 at JBER. See the Alaska Wing calendar gineering while designing and playing with robots created out of Lego Mindfor any updates. storms sets. Students studied many aspects such as torque and gearing, and they demonstrated these skills UH-60 Blackhawk Military Orientaby creating sumo wrestling bots that tion Flights pushed each other out of a ring. The training of the course eventually alOn Tuesday, 7 July 2022, 52 cadets and lowed the cadets to masterfully design whatever they wanted, and they creat10 Senior Members from 6 different ed a Rube Goldberg style contraption Alaska Wing squadrons took the opportunity to ride in a UH-60 Blackhawk as a final project to showcase their ingenuity and creative design skills. Phohelicopter operated by the Alaska tos from E-Tech NCSAs can be found Army National Guard. More photos here: https://photos.cap.gov/National-Cawill be posted here: https://photos.cap. det-Special-Activities/Engineering-Technolgov/Pacific-Region/Alaska-Wing ogies-Academy Photo captions: Cadets from Alaska Birchwood, Lakehood , Kenia, Arcturus, Harris-Barnes attends Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training (SUPT) and Polaris, Clear to Lift, Blackhawk NCSA at Laughlin AFB, TX. (See cover Ladies. photo). 20

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Cadet Programs, continued Over the course of a week, 27 cadets civilairpatrol.com/programs/cadets/ from across the country spent a week activities/national-cadet-special-activat Laughlin AFB experiencing some asities pects of Undergraduate Pilot Training. • Mark your calendars: Next CadetWe attended classes about the T-6 and Invest (Financial Aid/Scholarship) other elements such as navigation led Application Window: Oct 1 to Dec by current T-6 instructor pilots, mem31, 2022. AKWG’s goal is for all orized boldface/ops limits, spent time active cadets to submit at least in T-6, T-1, and T-38 simulators, and basic information to CadetInvest. learned about aerospace physiology. • Register for NCSAs starting Dec To top it off, we attended drop night, 1, 2022 with an “Early Ontime” where active duty USAF student pilots Deadline of Jan 15, 2023 found out what aircraft they will fly, watched T-6 flight briefs, and had the possibility of an incentive ride in a T-6 Upcoming Air Show! or T-1. July 30-31, Arctic Thunder Open My favorite thing about the NCSA was House, JBER: https://www.arcticthunthe amount we got to learn about the deropenhouse.com/ The CAP Point of T-6 including flying and simulator time Contact for the JBER Air Show is Lt as well as the competitive classroom Col James McCarthy, jimccarthy@juno. environment. com. AKWG cadets can contact him if they want to participate. For CAP’s The SUPT students had our own drop aircraft static display, he anticipates night where we found out in what air- two four-hour shifts (9am-1pm & 1pm craft we would receive an incentive to 5pm) on both Saturday and Sunday flight. I received a flight in a T-6. This with two cadets and two senior memphoto was taken right after my T-6 bers on each shift. CAP may also have ride. an information booth with the mobile Medallion flight simulator parked NCSA Participants: Please email your alongside it inside one of the large favorite NCSA photo and a few sentences about your NCSA, what your fa- hangars. vorite thing was, and why other cadets should apply, to cp@akwg.cap.gov

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NCSA information: https://www.goCAP AKWG

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Operations

A composite crew from MTWG and AKWG flew a USCG marine safety task force team to the northern most point in the United States, Barrow, AK, now know as Utqiagvik. The team conducts bulk fuel holding facility inspections in remote villages inaccessible by road across the Arctic region of Alaska. This is the first time in over 10 years CAP has operated so far north. Right: Arctic sea ice forms part of the ismuth to Point Barrow.

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Safety New Safety Reporting System Goes Live

highlight some of the major changes you’ll see with CAPSIS.

In late June the module in eServices that is used to report and review events such as damage, injury or illness underwent a major overhaul. The reporting and review functions provided by the Safety Information and Reporting System (SIRS) have been replaced by the CAP Safety Information System (CAPSIS). Effective immediately, all new event reports must be filed through CAPSIS, although functions like logging safety education briefings remain in SIRS. Over time it is anticipated that all functions found in SIRS will migrate to CAPSIS. The requirements for reporting safety related events remain largely unchanged, but with CAPSIS the supporting software has been simplified and brought more into line with our safety culture. CAPSIS can be accessed at CAPNHQ. gov, in the “Safety” section of the site.

-Moving on from “mishaps:” With the move to CAPSIS we no longer refer to reportable events as “Mishaps.” They are now “Safety Significant Occurrences,” or SSO’s. I know that’s a mouthful so here’s the rationale for this change: The word “mishap” carries with it the implication that something very bad has occurred and/ or that someone screwed up and we need to blame them. Since we are supposed to report not just major events but any number of things, and we also have a culture that focuses on determining causal factors to address rather than relying on punishment and laying blame, changing the way we refer to these events aligns our terminology with our procedures and culture.

To help us get started with CAPSIS there are two new modules in AXIS, Reporting a Safety Significant Occurrence and Reviewing a Safety Significant Occurrence. I’d highly recommend that everyone in the Safety Specialty Track take the online training so they are familiar with the new system. For all of our members I’ll 26

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-Simplified Interface: The reporting function in SIRS relied on a lot a free form data entry over two steps and could take a lot of time. CAPSIS utilizes one data entry step and dropdown menus in an effort to simplify the reporting process. -Revamped Review Process: The review process has been revamped to

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w the review officer to identify sal factors and recommend acns with more ease, often utilizing p down menus with common facs. The Review Officer now also the ability to designate an Office Primary Responsibility (OPR) that enact the actions. A SSO that ocred during a cadet special activity, example, may designate Cadet grams as the OPR to take any recmended actions.

ose willing to serves as review offis must retrain on the new system: ause there are significant changes how a review officer will interface h the report and make their recomndations, any member who steps to serve as a review officer must e the new Reviewing a Safety Sigcant Occurrence training in AXIS.

e with any software or program rhaul I anticipate that there will a learning curve. Should you have eed to file a SSO report and find rselves stuck at the local level, ase don’t hesitate to reach out to at 907-444-5342 or 320623@akwg. gov.

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Arcturus

Alaska Flag Day with C/TSgt Luke Hillyer (Kenai Squadron), C/TSgt Lane Hillyer (Kenai Squadron), C/SMSgt McArthur (Polaris Squadron), C/MSgt Justus and Lt E Justus, escort (Arcturus Squadron). Opposite, lower left: Col McClure presented LTC John Western with a certificate of commendation at Arcturus Squadron's meeting on June 21, for his selection as Alaska Wing’s Senior Member of the Year. This award has since progressed through competition at Pacific Region and onward to the national level, “morphing” into the Lt Col T. Keith Riddle Aircrew Member of the Year Award. John will be presented this award at CAP’s National Conference at Louisville, KY, on August 25-27. Congratulations, John!! Opposite, lower right: Cadet Ryan Justus poses with his proud parent, 2Lt Elizabeth Justus, upon his promotion to C/MSgt on June 21.

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Fairbanks

Great Start

Ezra Bailey, Silas Jenkins, Caleb Long, Hannah Long and Zachary Wheeler. Last month, the Fairbanks Composite During the Great Start, several Cadet Squadron Cadet Program conducted a Instructors promoted as well, with Great Start course. With a recent boom Cadet Paul Smoot promoting to C/ in recruiting, the program has found MSgt, Cadet Andrew Smoot promoting itself with 12 brand new cadets (out to C/2d Lt, earning his Billy Mitchell of 22 total!). This 5-week course is deAward and Cadet Thomas Weisensel signed to provide new cadets with the promoting to C/Capt, earning his Ameknowledge, skills and abilities to get lia Earhart Award. off to a “Great start” in the Cadet Program, with training in drill and ceremo- Training nies, wear of the uniform, customs and The squadron also hosted a Training courtesies, cadet opportunities and all Leaders of Cadets – Basic Course, with the other fun, exciting and challenging 5 new Cadet Programs officers learnaspects of the Cadet Program. ing how the Cadet Program works The Great Start resulted in 11 proand completing substantial progress motions to C/Amn and C/A1C for C/ toward their Cadet Program Specialty Amn Olivia Demlow, Gabriel Finney, Track Technician ratings. Zachariah Leake, Jonah Robbins, Jesse And finally, Fairbanks Composite Shroades, and Christian Yew and C/A1C Squadron conducting a GTM3 train30

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ing day completing all the in-person Part 1) requirements for GTM3 qualification • Capt David Fagre for 5 cadets and 4 senior members. C/ • Capt Eric Mutehart MSgt Paul Smoot earned his qualifi• 2d Lt Tim Long cation and Ground Team Basic badge, while the others still have independent Yeager Awards study items to complete before qualifi• Maj Jonathan DeFabio cation. This training also covered qual• 2d Lt Tim Long ification items to serve as a Mission Staff Assistant. Specialty Track Advancement Senior Member Achievements Promotions • • • •

Eric Mutehart – Captain (CFI) David Fagre – Captain (CFI) Jonathan DeFabio – Major (Military Service) Tim Long – 2nd Lieutenant (Private Pilot)

Professional Development (Level 2

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Delta

Career Path in Air Transportation

learning skills through several Team At the last Aerospace Education meet- Leadership Problems (TLPs) this ing, the squadron had the distinct priv- month. It took them only about 10 ilege of a detailed presentation by Mr. minutes to complete the Traffic Jam Jaimee Pohl, former USAF air transpor- TLP that was used at the 2021 AKWG Cadet Competition. tation specialist, with experience on the civilian side, as well. Mr. Pohl provided information regarding the career C/Amn A. Lorenzana and Cadet Sponpath that begins with ramp services, sor A. Lorenzana will be providing inspecting, planning, loadmaster, intraining in coding and robotics at our cluding both cargo and passenger ser- next AE meeting. The Lorenzanas were vices opportunities. This career field members and coach of a highly-sucis often loading and unloading heavy cessful First Lego League robotics equipment and many types of vehiteam that won Alaska’s title and were cles and machinery. Personnel have to able to compete at the FLL World deal with hazardous materials safely. Championship in Houston, TX, this Mr. Pohl also gave instruction in calsummer. Cadet Sponsor J. Lorenzana culating various load and dimensional has transferred to Senior Member staaspects of the career field, with some tus, and his help is greatly appreciated. basic calculations that can be used in daily life, such as loading a trailer properly. He demonstrated the propThe squadron has a new member who er ways to use ratcheting straps. The is transferring his membership from cadets said it was very interesting, and another Wing. There has also been a the squadron thanks him for his time potential cadet attending meetings, and sharing his expertise. and the squadron receives inquiries regularly from potential cadets’ parents. Recruiting new Senior Members Cadets practiced cooperation and is a priority right now.

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https://alaskagateway.cap.gov/

Congrats Colin Rice for receiving the Billy Mitchell Award!

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C/Msgt Tully Rice at the powered flight academy in Anchorage.

C/Tsgt Isaiah McCoy and preflight before o-ride in Klawock.

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Personal Reflection On Floats - Again by Lt Col Don Burand The Air Force Auxiliary operates float planes ONLY in the state of Alaska. This plane has a very special place in my history. In June, 1958, my parents bought me a flight seeing trip at the Lake of the Ozarks, Missouri. I was eight years old when they strapped me into the right front seat of a Cessna 185 float plane. Looking forward I saw a daunting array of dials and switches. Out the right window, I was transfixed by the water spray when we taxied, and the view looking down over trees and water. Returning, I was thrilled by uncertainty as we descended to the approaching water. Then, suddenly, the trip was over. I had been bitten by “the Bug” that turned me into a pilot.

On 8 June, 1971,” I earned my private pilot license in the Lower 48, after which I lived and flew in Alaska for nearly 25 years. Yet, since that fateful day 64 years ago, I had not even sat in the cockpit of an aircraft on floats! Finally, another CAP pilot invited me to ride along with him in a Cessna 185 to correct that omission. We met at the Lake Hood maintenance facility where he briefed me on the one hour trip and then began a series of pre-flight preps. These include inspections that I had never seen, such as “pumping” the floats to remove any water which may have seeped in since the last flight. Each mooring line has a special function also. I learned floatplane etiquette where one is expected to call “stepping on” or “stepping off” to the other crew member. Even though I had flown since 1971, I learned a LOT! When it came time to “fire it up” the pilot positioned the flight controls to account for wind to take advantage of the prop wash over the elevator to successfully control the aircraft on water. He applied full power and then three stages to put the aircraft “on the step” before lifting off. I had always wondered how float pilots did that. When takeoff clearance was issued, we sped up and then… we were airborne!

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For over two decades, I have watched float planes arrive and depart in the Our first destination was Figure Eight busy airspace of Lake Hood and the Lake, occupied by another float plane. adjacent International Airport, but I The pilot explained the etiquette of never understood how they managed sharing the water with others, and also the rather intimidating process. It the right-of-way rules. One that came is essential that the pilot have a as a surprise is that, on water, boats comfortable knowledge of the “special have right-of-way over float planes! instructions” and the unique terms When we attempted to contact the which the “locals” use for safety of all. plane on CTAF, but heard nothing, These include locational references to we chose to fly to Big Lake. While businesses such as the NAPA store, the he reprogrammed the GPS, I briefly Hotel Alex, the Lakeside Hotel. assumed control. I could not detect any unusual handling compared to an aircraft on wheels. When we landed, my pilot did not slow down. He “step taxied” until we were just about abeam of the plane’s Big Lake’s water was “glassy.” This designated slip. To serve as deck hand, is not great because the mirrored I stepped out onto the right float while surface makes depth perception the plane was still under power, and difficult. We chose an area to touch retrieved the line that would control down where the shore was lined with the aircraft after we reached the dock. trees to indicate altitude. The touch Just short of the dock the pilot cut the down was uneventful, but I felt again engine and coasted. As we neared the the decades-old thrill of touching dock I heard “Jump now!” I made the down on the Lake of the Ozarks. small leap onto the planks of the dock To prepare for the return to Anchorage, my pilot executed a “plowing maneuver” to create waves on the lake surface, thus breaking the surface tension of calm water. Otherwise, on a glassy lake, the take off distance is elongated.

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and with the line in my hand made sure that the plane did not drift back into the lake. The pilot and I tied the aircraft into the slip and secured it for the next crew, after which he filled out the requisite paperwork. After this satisfying trip, I recalled an interesting float plane story. In the early 1900’s, a wealthy businessman in Seattle commissioned construction of a yacht. But when the company went bankrupt, he bought the company and hired the workers to complete the job. A guy named Glenn Curtiss who was competing for a contract to build aircraft for the Navy approached him to manufacture floats that he could adapt for aircraft. The idea so intrigued the businessman that he went into collaboration with a Navy lieutenant. Their first successful design was the B & W Seaplane, which had its maiden flight on 15 June, 1916. That businessman became world famous for his aviation creations. You see, the “B” in B & W stood for “BOEING!” And of course, you know the rest of THAT story.

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Supporters Youth Aviation Day

one who does? If so, then this is an opportunity to give back to the comThe Alaska Airmen’s Association is munity you love. If you’re interested in preparing to host a Youth Aviation Day learning more about what it takes to Camp this summer to introduce youth become a Young Eagles pilot, please around the Anchorage bowl and the follow this link. Mat-Su valley to aviation. Last year, our campers experienced flight for the If you’re interested in volunteering for first time in small aircraft thanks to the day camp, just let me know and I’ll the Experimental Aircraft Association’s put you on our list of youth developYoung Eagles program. Local aircraft ment volunteers. owners volunteered to take kids up in their planes around Lake Hood. This Thank you for considering! year, we are hoping to help EAA expand their Young Eagles program, so Sincerely, we can share our love for flying with more Alaskan kids. Our camp will take Will Day place sometime in July or August— Operations Coordinator more details soon to come. Alaska Airmen’s Association (907)-245-1251 Do you own an aircraft or know some-

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Tail Section In the News: - Civil Air Patrol teaches wilderness survival class - Wreckage of missing plane with pilot’s body found in Thompson Pass - Taking the Elf Off the Shelf: Why the U.S. Should Consider a Civilian Cyber Defense (thanks to Lt John Rice).

Have you seen the new CAP logo yet? I added it to my email signature line. Get yours here: https://cap -signature- generator. netlify. app/

This online publication is designed to attract, inform and motivate readers through photos, text and stories. We see and feel the four core values in the faces and body language of the cadets and senior members portrayed herein.

Volunteers serving America’s communities, saving lives, and shaping futures. Lt Col Bryan Emerson, CAP Publisher and Editor Alaska Wing PAO, DC Bryan.Emerson@akwg.cap.gov, 1 (907) 795-5586 cell

If you would like to propose any content by the 15th of each month or provide feedback then please contact me.

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