December 2016

December 2016

www.inflightusa.com

3

Calendar of Events

To list your group’s event on a space available basis, please send your event notice with date, time, place w/city and state, contact name, and phone number to: Calendar, In Flight USA, P.O. Box 5402, San Mateo, Calif. 94402, or email 3rdavenue@embarqmail.com.

DECEMBER

1—2 2 3

3, 10, 17 5—8 6 10

10 & 11

13 — 15 15 17

17 — 18 18

Q Carson City, NV: Ford Tri-Motor Tour Stop, Thurs. 2 p.m. to 5 p.m./ Fri. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Carson City Airport, (800) 359-6217.

Q Corning, CA: ELSA Airplane Repairman Inspection, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Corning Municipal Airport, (530) 824-0644.

Q Oshkosh, MI: Christmas in the Air, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., EAA AirVenture Museum, (920) 426-4818, www.airventuremuseum.org.

Q Lititz, PA: Fly-In Breakfast & Presentation, 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., Lancaster Airport, (717) 569-1221.

Q Oceano, CA: Toys for Tots, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Oceano Airport, www.FriendsofOceanoAirport.com.

Q Elyria, OH: Breakfast with Santa, 9 a.m. to noon, Lorain County Airport, (440) 236-6594.

Q Watsonville, CA: EAA 119 Young Eagles Rally, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Watsonville Municipal Airport, (831) 531-8440.

Q Chino, CA: Living History Flying Day, A6M5 Zero, 10 a.m., Planes of Fame Air Museum, (909) 597-3722, www.planesoffame.org.

Q Mukilteo, WA: Santa’s Visit, noon to 2 p.m., Historic Flight Foundation, (425) 348-3200.

Q Palm Springs, CA: “Pearl Harbor - Spies & Traitors,” 1 p.m., Palm Springs Air Museum, (760) 778-6262.

Q Hollister, CA: Antique Aircraft Display & Fly-In, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Frazier Lake Airpark, free, (831) 637-9822, www.frazierlake.com.

Q Mukilteo, WA: Christmas Ships Flight, 6 p.m., Historic Flight Foundation, (425) 348-3200.

Q Las Vegas, NV: ICAS Convention, Paris Las Vegas, www.airshows.aero.

Q Chino, CA: Kilroy Coffee Klatch, 9 a.m. to 10 a.m., Planes of Fame Air Museum, (909) 597-7576.

Q West Chester, PA: SantaFest, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., American Helicopter Museum, (610) 436-9600.

Q Wichita, KS: EAA Chapter 88 Breakfast with Santa, 7 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Chapter 88 Headquarters, (316) 880-5988.

Q Logan, UT: Logan-Cache Airport Breakfast Fly-In, 8 a.m. to 10 a.m., (435) 752-5955.

Q Merritt Island, FL: Toys for Tots Free Breakfast, 8:30 a.m. to 11 a.m., Merritt Island Airport, (321) 266-7410.

Q Houston, TX: EAA Sportair Workshops, Aviation Institute of Maintenance, (800) 967-5746.

Q Palm Springs, CA: Santa Fly-In & Winter Fun Land, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Palm Springs Air Museum, (760) 778-6262.

Q Charlotte, NC: Air Medical Transport Conference, Charlotte Convention Center, www.rotor.org.

Q Troy, OH: Aviation Lecture Series featuring Vietnam fighter pilot & POW Guy Gruters, 7-8:30 p.m., WACO Air Museum, (937) 335-9226.

Q Hanford, CA: Vintage Aircraft Display & Breakfast, 8 a.m. to noon, Hanford Municipal Airport, (559) 585-2589.

Q Palm Springs, CA: “The X-15 Rocket Plane,” 1 p.m., Palm Springs Air Museum, (760) 778-6262.

Q San Luis Obispo, CA: Vintage Aircraft Associate’s Airport Day, San Luis Obispo Airport, (805) 801-7641.

Q El Cajon, CA: Warbirds West Air Museum Open House & Pancake Breakfast, 8 to 10:30 a.m., Gillespie Field, (858) 414-6258, www.wwam.org.

Q Riverside, CA: Aircraft Display Day Fly-In, 8 a.m., Flabob Airport, (951) 683-2309, www.flabob.org.

Q Santa Rosa, CA: Climb Aboard Weekend, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Pacific Coast Air Museum, Sonoma County Airport, (707) 575-7900.

Q LaVerne, CA: Antique & Special Interest Aircraft Display, 10 a.m to 2 p.m., Brackett Airport, (909) 593-1395.

Q San Diego, CA: Montgomery Field Historic Aircraft Display, noon to 2 p.m., Gibbs Montgomery Executive Airport, (619) 301-2530.

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JANUARY

3 7

14 — 15 15

21

Q Chino, CA: Kilroy Coffee Klatch, 9 a.m. to 10 a.m., Planes of Fame Air Museum, (909) 597-7576.

Q Watsonville, CA: EAA 119 Young Eagles Rally, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Watsonville Municipal Airport, (831) 531-8440.

Q Hollister, CA: Antique Aircraft Display & Fly-In, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Frazier Lake Airpark, free, (831) 637-9822, www.frazierlake.com.

Q Las Vegas, NV: EAA Sportair Workshops, Aviation Institute of Maintenance campus, (800) 967-5746.

Q LaVerne, CA: Antique & Special Interest Aircraft Display, 10 a.m to 2 p.m., Brackett Airport, (909) 593-1395.

Q San Diego, CA: Montgomery Field Historic Aircraft Display, noon to 2 p.m., Gibbs Montgomery Executive Airport, (619) 301-2530.

Q Chino, CA: Open Cockpit Day — B-25 Mitchell Bomber & EC-121, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Yanks Air Museum, (909) 597-1735.

Continued on Page 7

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In Flight USA Celebrating 32 Years

COVER STORY

N

December 2016

NALLS AVIATION CELEBRATES SUCCESSFUL AIRSHOW SEASON

alls Aviation, Inc. wraps up its ninth successful airshow season, flying the Worlds’ only civilianowned and flown Harrier jump jet, just in time for one of the biggest college rivalries, the Army-Navy football game. Since three of the pilots are graduates of Annapolis, it is natural that they take up the cheer of “Go Navy! Beat Army!”

This photo was taken at the Culpeper, Va. airshow a few years ago, but only recently surfaced from one of the local photographers, who captured Art Nalls during a knife-edge photo pass, and passed it back to Nalls Aviation.

“I thought we were unable to get a good photo of the special graphics we applied for that airshow,” said Art Nalls, a 1976 graduate of the US Naval Academy, and retired Marine Lieutenant Colonel. “We also had some graphics of Bill the Goat applied to the vertical fin.

Unfortunately, one side of the graphics held fast, which the other side was literally ripped from the tail by the 600-plus knot high-speed pass. Sometimes, the graphics don’t survive.”

After that performance, Nalls gathered the team, and took some group photos, hoping to be included in the annual

Art Nalls’Harrier may be rooting for Navy, but expect a good fight by the Black Nights of Army, representing the U.S. Military Academy of West Point.

(Jim Blohm) west as Rockford, Ill. Over the years, “spirit video” shown throughout the they’ve become a very popular airshow game. But they were informed the Academy wants those videos coming act, especially since the Marine Corps is scaling down the Harrier support for airfrom current midshipmen, not graduates. shows, due to operational commitments.

They just didn’t make the cut for the “That’s a business opportunity for annual televised match up. The photos us,” said Nalls. “The Harrier draws the somehow disappeared to obscurity. crowd and airshow producers know it!”

Nonetheless, the team continues to The second pilot on the team is Joe perform at airshows, up and down the east coast. In 2015, they performed twice Anderson, MGen, USMC (ret) and USNA ‘68, who turns 70 in the New north of the border in Canada, and as far

Hard charging, “Bill the Goat” is a very appropriate logo for both the Harrier and Midshipmen of Navy’s winning football team. “Bill” became a Navy tradition in 1893 and is a very real goat and cherished mascot. “Bill” appears in person (in goat?) and in character at every Navy game.

(Jim Blohm) Year. Anderson has been flying Harriers since 1973. His first Harrier flight was actually in a single-seat version. He did not have the benefit of a two-seat trainer for his transition. His instructor had a whopContinued on Page 9

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TABLE Volume 33, Number 4

OF

CONTENTS December 2016

650-358-9908 • Fax: 650-358-9254 • E-mail: vickie@inflightusa.com • www.inflightusa.com

ON THE COVER COVER STORY

PHOTO FINISH

NALLS AVIATION CELEBRATES SUCCESSFUL AIRSHOW SEASON

USS CARL VINSON

BY MIKE HEILMAN AND ED WELLS Story Begins on Page 46 Photos on Page 49

Page 4

Cover Photo by Jim Blohm / Courtesy Nalls Aviation

NEWS AEA Unveils Disappointing 2016 Avionics Market Report ........8 National Aviation Hall of Fame Announces Class of 2017 ......11 Ken McKenzie Joins EAA Board of Directors ..........................13 AOPA Flight Planner Now Garmin Friendly ..............................14 Scholarship for Military Veterans to Earn Wings Announced..22 AOPA ASI Releases Video on Multiengine Flying ....................28 Getting Down to Drone Business At Expo ................................32 EAA, Sporty’s Open Doors to Aviation For Young People ......33 CAF Announces ‘12 Planes of Christmas’ Restoration ..........36 African Self-Fly Safari With Hanks Aero Adventures................38 WWII Heritage Days Celebrates Greatest Generation ..............42 Drone Race at Sebring’s Expo to Offer $20,000 Prize Purse ..43 AOPA ASI, UND Study Stabilized Approach ..............................44 New Book: Zen Pilot Reveals Spiritual Side of Flying ..............47

FEATURES

COLUMNS

Editorial: The Christmas Star

By Ed Downs ..................................................................6

Flying Into Writing: Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome

Through Airmen’s Eyes: A Different Path to Citizenship

By Louis Briscese, 60th Air Mobility Wing..........................16 Iridium Flares: Your Eyes Were Not Playing Tricks

By Larry E. Nazimek ......................................................20 Exploring European Skies with Tante Ju

By David Brown ............................................................24 USS Carl Vinson Engages in COMPTUEX

By Mike Heilman and Ed Wells ........................................46

By Eric McCarthy........................................12

Contrails: Rolling Your Own

By Steve Weaver ..................................17 Flying With Faber: Queenstown, New Zealand

By Stuart J. Faber ................................29 The Homebuilder’s Workshop: Loss of Control

By Ed Wischmeyer ................................34 Safe Landings: Declaring Winter Hazards ..........................................................40 The Pylon Place: AT-6 Racing Report 2016

By Guest Writer Kenny Price, Jr ..............45

DEPARTMENTS Calendar of Events ..........................................................3 Classifieds ......................................................................48 Index of Advertisers ......................................................50

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In Flight USA Celebrating 32 Years

December 2016

THE CHRISTMAS STAR

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T

By Ed Downs

he Holiday season offers a huge number of both aviation and astronomical topics to write about and discuss. From the aviation standpoint, gift giving is made easy. Pilots will love anything that has to do with their flying activities or cherished flying machine. We are an easy “gift buy” group. Astronomy also has a firm connection with the Christmas season, with the Star of Bethlehem (the Christmas Star) playing a major role in virtually every aspect of holiday decorations, lore, and tradition. The biblical reference in Mathew 2:2 begins our tradition of “the Star in the East” and the holy journey of the three Magi, referred to as “The Three Kings” in late medieval times. It would be hard to imagine the Christmas tradition without this celestial miracle.

A quick search in this writer’s biblical concordance comes up with no less than 10 references to the stars. And, it must be remembered that many biblical historians believe the Magi were astrologers, skilled in many arts and sciences, having familiarity with the prophecies of Daniel. While today astrology is considered as a completely different subject than astronomy, they were once one and the same, and perhaps the oldest of all scientific understandings by ancient civilizations. Indeed, the stars are an integral part of the holiday season.

As an amateur astronomer, this writer recalled continuing work being done to try to verify, scientifically, that the Star of Bethlehem existed in a physical sense that can be verified through the science of astronomy and astrophysics.

This writer is a fan of biblical archeology and finds such research intriguing, but my research disclosed that I was treading on disputed ground. To millions, the reality that the “Star” was a miracle contained in the Word is absolute proof of its existence. Elements of the Christian faith even disagree as to meaning of the “Star.”

To challenge faith-based views with physical evidence is, in fact, insulting and upsetting. It is not the intent of this writer to do either. But, as a Christian with a telescope, this writer cannot help but look to the heavens in admiration of a God that created everything in an instant.

Astrophysicists know this as the “singularity” while we common folk think in terms of the “Big Bang.”

Those who search for the Star of Bethlehem run into a variety of challenges. The calendar, as we know it, did not exist, and competing calendars flourished. The precise historical birthday of

Jesus is not known. Our current celebration was established centuries after the Crucifixion. Astronomers (astrologers?) of the time did not have hard drives into which data could be stored, and scientific records that might have existed were destroyed when the remarkable documents contained in the Library of Alexandria were lost through a series of devastating wars covering a period of nearly 600 years.

But, today’s computers can roll back time. We can see that the time of Christ’s birth did contain some unusual conjunctions of planets, especially between Jupiter and Venus, meaning they were so close together that they may well have appeared as a single, new, bright “Star.”

This conjunction would have appeared in the constellation Leo, known as the “Lion of Judah,” long associated with the coming of a King. A passing comet could certainly have been viewed as the “Star” and may have seemed to stay in one position, but comets were traditionally viewed during ancient times as “the coming of bad things” and not likely to be associated with such a holy event.

Additionally, records that do exist make no mentions of a comet, something that would have “made the ten o’clock news” of the day.

It is interesting to note that Chinese records (avid and skilled astronomers) of the time do speak of a sudden bright light in the sky that lasted for months. This could well have been a supernova, the sudden and explosive death of a star. A supernova occurs when a star’s central thermonuclear core burns out, or runs out of fuel. The core shuts down suddenly, and the enormous mass of the star collapses in on itself. The unimaginable heat and energy caused by this collapse creates an enormous explosion that is billions of times brighter than our own sun.

This would most certainly have been observed in all parts of the ancient world and recorded, but only Chinese accounts survive. One might think that the explosive death of a star is hardly a good omen for the birth of a Savior, but think again.

The death of a star is actually a birth! The heat and energy expelled by a single supernova causes massive molecular changes to occur within its own atomic structure, creating every known chemical element. These elements are cast out into the universe as building blocks for new stars, planets, and life forms like us.

Speculation persists, but for this amateur astronomer, a look through my Continued on Page 9

December 2016

www.inflightusa.com

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Calendar of Events Continued from Page 3 21

21 — 22 24 — 25 25 — 28

Q San Luis Obispo, CA: Vintage Aircraft Associate’s Airport Day, San Luis Obispo Airport, (805) 801-7641.

Q El Cajon, CA: Warbirds West Air Museum Open House & Pancake Breakfast, 8 to 10:30 a.m., Gillespie Field, (858) 414-6258, www.wwam.org.

Q Riverside, CA: Aircraft Display Day Fly-In, 8 a.m., Flabob Airport, (951) 683-2309, www.flabob.org.

Q Santa Rosa, CA: Climb Aboard Weekend, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Pacific Coast Air Museum, Sonoma County Airport, (707) 575-7900.

Q West Palm Beach, FL: NBAA Security Conference, Hilton West Palm Beach, www.nbaa.org.

Q Sebring, FL: U.S. Sport Aviation Expo, www.SportAviationExpo.com.

FEBRUARY

4 7

14 18

18 — 19 19

MARCH

4 7

7—9 18

18 — 19

19

Q Hollister, CA: Antique Aircraft Display & Fly-In, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Frazier Lake Airpark, free, (831) 637-9822, www.frazierlake.com.

Q Chino, CA: Kilroy Coffee Klatch, 9 a.m. to 10 a.m., Planes of Fame Air Museum, (909) 597-7576.

Q Chino, CA: “Love Is in the Air” Buy-One-Get-One Free Admission, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Yanks Air Museum, (909) 597-1735.

Q Chino, CA: Open Cockpit Day — F-86 Sabre Jet & EC-121, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Yanks Air Museum, (909) 597-1735.

Q San Luis Obispo, CA: Vintage Aircraft Associate’s Airport Day, San Luis Obispo Airport, (805) 801-7641.

Q El Cajon, CA: Warbirds West Air Museum Open House & Pancake Breakfast, 8 to 10:30 a.m., Gillespie Field, (858) 414-6258, www.wwam.org.

Q Riverside, CA: Aircraft Display Day Fly-In, 8 a.m., Flabob Airport, (951) 683-2309, www.flabob.org.

Q Santa Rosa, CA: Climb Aboard Weekend, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Pacific Coast Air Museum, Sonoma County Airport, (707) 575-7900.

Q LaVerne, CA: Antique & Special Interest Aircraft Display, 10 a.m to 2 p.m., Brackett Airport, (909) 593-1395.

Q San Diego, CA: Montgomery Field Historic Aircraft Display, noon to 2 p.m., Gibbs Montgomery Executive Airport, (619) 301-2530.

Q Hollister, CA: Antique Aircraft Display & Fly-In, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Frazier Lake Airpark, free, (831) 637-9822, www.frazierlake.com.

Q Chino, CA: Kilroy Coffee Klatch, 9 a.m. to 10 a.m., Planes of Fame Air Museum, (909) 597-7576.

Q Dallas, TX: Hai Helli-Expo, Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center, heliexpo.rotor.org.

Q Chino, CA: Open Cockpit Day — P-51 Mustang & EC-121, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Yanks Air Museum, (909) 597-1735.

Q San Luis Obispo, CA: Vintage Aircraft Associate’s Airport Day, San Luis Obispo Airport, (805) 801-7641.

Q El Cajon, CA: Warbirds West Air Museum Open House & Pancake Breakfast, 8 to 10:30 a.m., Gillespie Field, (858) 414-6258, www.wwam.org.

Q Riverside, CA: Aircraft Display Day Fly-In, 8 a.m., Flabob Airport, (951) 683-2309, www.flabob.org.

Q Santa Rosa, CA: Climb Aboard Weekend, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Pacific Coast Air Museum, Sonoma County Airport, (707) 575-7900.

Q Napa, CA: Vintage Aircraft Display, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Napa Airport, (707) 944-9236.

Q LaVerne, CA: Antique & Special Interest Aircraft Display, 10 a.m to 2 p.m., Brackett Airport, (909) 593-1395.

Q San Diego, CA: Montgomery Field Historic Aircraft Display, noon to 2 p.m., Gibbs Montgomery Executive Airport, (619) 301-2530.

Taking it to the Top It’s not every day that AOPA gets involved in a potential Supreme Court case. But we recently did, filing a friend of the court brief asking the Supreme Court to review an aviation product liability case with major implications for the safety and cost of flying..

At issue is Sikkelee v. Precision Airmotive Corp., which involves a 2005 plane crash in North Carolina following an engine failure. The pilot was fatally injured and his spouse filed a lawsuit against the engine’s manufacturer, claiming that the failure was the result of a design defect. In 2014, a U.S. District Court found that there was no design defect because the engine was certified and approved by the FAA. But in April of this year, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit reversed that decision. It found that the FAA’s federal regulatory role did not preempt state law standards of care in aviation product liability actions. It also found that the FAA’s certification and approval of the engine did not eliminate the possibility of a design defect. That ruling allows juries to hold a manufacturer to state design standards, even if the manufacturer satisfied all FAA regulations and the FAA approved and certified the product.

In essence, the appeals court ruling would let juries retroactively set design standards in aviation product liability cases. That would force manufacturers to meet dozens of potentially contradictory state requirements for every product they produce.

That’s an impossible standard to meet. And trying would not only be prohibitively expensive, it would be bad for safety.

Manufacturers need one set of standards to meet, and it makes sense for them to be set by the FAA. After all, the agency was created to regulate aviation.

The case, and AOPA’s involvement, have attracted attention in the legal community, too. In an article published on Lexology, the well-respected law firm Cozen O’Connor called AOPA’s filing “notable” and said it might increase the chances that the Supreme Court will choose this case for review. We certainly hope they’re right.

Anna Serbinenko Mark R. Baker President & CEO, AOPA

“I love both teaching and flying. . . I know of nothing more rewarding than sharing your greatest passion with others.”

• Aerobatics Instruction and Air Shows • For more information visit my website: www.cfc.aero Call 604.946.7744 or email anna@cfc.aero.

*For more information on the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association HUK [OL PZZ\LZ [OH[ HɈLJ[ `V\Y Å`PUN NV [V www.aopa.org [VKH`

SOARING

8

WITH

STEM

In Flight USA Celebrating 32 Years

I

By Mark Baker

President and CEO AOPA love spending time with passionate people, and I recently had the chance to spend two days with some 200 truly passionate educators at the second annual AOPA High School Aviation STEM Symposium, held at Seattle’s Museum of Flight.

The goal of the symposium was to bring teachers and administrators together to explore pathways for putting aviation programs with science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) components into schools. Some of the participants were looking for ways to integrate aviation topics into the science or math classes they already teach. Others were

By EAA Staff

looking to create or grow comprehensive aviation STEM programs at their schools. All left with new ideas and contacts to help them take the next step.

The symposium is just one element of the AOPA High School initiative designed to expose young people to careers and opportunities in aviation. And it is all part of You Can Fly, an umbrella AOPA program focused on getting people flying and keeping them flying. With a growing shortage of pilots, aerospace engineers, and mechanics–and previously unimagined career opportunities emerging from the rapid growth in drones–there’s never been a better time to embark on an aviation career. And for many students, a high school STEM program will be their first opportunity to dis-

cover what aviation has to offer.

This year’s symposium featured some amazing guest speakers and sessions. Bill Ayer, retired Chairman and CEO of Alaska Air Group, gave a keynote speech on leadership in changing and challenging environments, while a panel of education and business leaders discussed the practical aspects of obtaining philanthropic support for STEM education programs in public and private schools. At breakout sessions, participants discussed everything from how to integrate aviation STEM concepts into the core curriculum to how to turn an after school club into a robust aviation program. Symposium attendees even had the chance to visit Raisebeck Aviation High School, which is devoted to avia-

December 2016

tion-based STEM education.

Looking to the future, symposium participants were treated to a preview of great things to come in a presentation from Purdue University about the four curriculum pathways the university is developing for AOPA. When complete, each pathway will offer a four-year course of study covering piloting, aviation technology, aerospace engineering, or unmanned aircraft systems (UAS).

We want to see more young people from every walk of life discover aviation and be given the tools to make it a part of their lives, whether as a hobby or as a career. I was excited about what I saw in Seattle, but I’m even more excited about the future You Can Fly is building for our community.

OLDEST SURVIVING TUSKEGEE AIRMAN DIES

Bay Times that he didn’t feel he was part of the heroics because he worked mostly on the ground. For that reason, Rogers did not speak up about his involvement in the Tuskegee Airmen until recent years.

In 2013, through efforts by his family to get him the recognition he deserved, Rogers was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal, an honor bestowed upon 300 members of the Tuskegee Airmen by President George W. Bush in 2007.

Willie Rogers, the oldest remaining member of the Tuskegee Airmen, died of complications from a stroke on November 18. He was 101 years old.

As a member of the first AfricanAmerican military aviation squadron during World War II, Rogers was part of one of the most highly regarded groups in the war. He worked in logistics and administration for the 100th Fighter Squadron and his family told the Tampa

AEA UNVEILS THIRD-QUARTER 2016 AVIONICS MARKET REPORT Total Sales Exceed $1.6 Billion in First Nine Months of 2016

The Aircraft Electronics Association released its third-quarter 2016 Avionics Market Report.

In the first nine months of the year, total worldwide business and general aviation avionics sales amounted to $1,664,109,078.49, or more than $1.6 billion as reported by the participating companies.

The report indicated a 6.2 percent decrease in year-over-year sales compared to the first nine months of 2015 amount of $1,774,430,593.32.

Sales during the third-quarter months of July, August, and September were $548,849,118.30, a 5.7 percent decrease compared to the 2015 thirdquarter sales of $581,810,699.00.

The dollar amount reported (using net sales price, not manufacturer’s suggested retail price) includes: all business and general aviation aircraft electronic sales––including all component and

accessories in cockpit/cabin/software upgrades/portables/certified and noncertified aircraft electronics; all hardware (tip to tail); batteries; and chargeable product upgrades from the participating manufacturers. The amount does not include repairs and overhauls, extended warranty, or subscription services.

Of the more than $1.6 billion in sales during the first nine months of 2016, 53.2 percent came from forward-fit (avionics equipment installed by airframe manufacturers during original production) sales, or more than $884 million.

By contrast, the retrofit (avionics equipment installed after original production) market amounted to 46.8 percent of sales during the first nine months of the current year, or more than $779 million.

According to the companies that separated their total sales figures between North America (U.S. and Canada) and other international markets, 66.6 percent

of sales in the first nine months occurred in North America (U.S. and Canada), while 33.4 percent took place in other international markets.

“It is disappointing that total worldwide sales have decreased in each of the first three quarters of the current year compared to those same timeframes one year ago,” said AEA President Paula Derks. “Although the U.S. market has seen the equipage pace pick up slightly for avionics installations to meet the FAA’s ADS-B Out mandate, that has not translated into an uptick in overall avionics sales. Last year, the strongest period for sales was the fourth quarter, so it will be interesting to note whether that lateyear surge continues again this year.”

More information about the AEA Avionics Market Report is available online at www.aea.net/marketreport.

History and Background Information:

The AEA first introduced its Avionics Market Report March 26, 2013, during the 56th annual AEA International Convention & Trade Show in Las Vegas, Nev. Prior to 2012, there never had been an effort to capture the true dollar size of the business and general aviation avionics market. The concept to produce the AEA Avionics Market Report began in April 2012, when the AEA formed an ad hoc committee comprised of representatives of avionics manufacturers to create a tool for strategic planning and examining market share.

To ensure confidentiality, the participating manufacturing companies submit their sales figures to an independent third-party firm retained to produce the AEA Avionics Market Report. The comContinued on Page 14

December 2016

www.inflightusa.com

9

Cover Story: Nalls Aviation Continued from Page 4 ping six hours in type! Anderson also was a Harrier test pilot and flew the YAV-8B prototype before there was an AV-8B. He has more than 2,500 hours of Harrier time and command at every level of Marine Corps aviation, from the aviation detachment all the way to the Marine Aircraft Wing. He still keeps his hand in flying Harriers, a couple of times during the year so he can safely be a backup pilot for Nalls. He regularly flies the L-39 as the formation lead airplane to and from airshows with the Harrier on the wing, and often performs a low-level aerobatic routine for airshows.

“I don’t know what the other people on Social Security are doing, but I’m having a great time flying in airshows and being the oldest person to fly a Harrier,” said Anderson. “I reset the record each time I climb in the cockpit!”

Anderson has also taken pleasure in supporting the Fairfax County police department with the L-39. His daughter, Jane Burns, is now a Lieutenant in the police department. Many members of the department have been able to climb in the back cockpit of the L-39 and get a great introduction to jet aviation, including aerobatics. He has also flown many members of his own family, including siblings, his daughters, and granddaughter.

“The L-39 is a great airplane to introduce someone to aviation, exactly as aviation was introduced to me while a midshipman at the Academy, years ago,” he said.

Jenna Dolan, LtCol, USMCR and USNA graduate ‘96, was the first female Marine aviator to fly the Harrier in combat. She’s been working well with the L39 “Albatros” advanced jet trainer and will soon fly the Sea Harrier. She joined the team from her home in Boston, when her job and home duties of being a mother permit. With more than 1,000 hours of Harrier time in the AV-8B, and as weapons and tactics instructor, she’ll be a very easy transition to the FA-2 Sea Harrier, which

(Jim Blohm) Nalls Aviation flies. In many respects, the two different models (AV-8B and Sea Harrier) are more similar than they are different. But Nalls Aviation is waiting for their second Harrier, a very rare TMk 8 two-seat Sea Harrier trainer to be flying to simplify that transition.

“Jenna could hop right in the singleseat Sea Harrier right now, and be completely safe. The systems are the same, the controls are the same, and the emergency procedures are all very similar to what she’s been used to in the AV-8B. We even were able to get a couple of hours in the simulator at MCAS Cherry Point this year, and she could demonstrate she hasn’t missed a beat in the years since she flew them operationally. But we’re waiting to use the T-bird for what it was meant to do – transition pilots safely under the watchful eye of an experienced pilot. There are some differences, and she needs to be aware of them,” said Nalls.

In June, when the Blue Angels announced they were standing down because of a fatal accident, Nalls was called late on a Friday night, asking if they were available for the Syracuse, N.Y. airshow the following weekend.

Since they were not scheduled for any immediate shows, their truck, trailer, and airplanes were all in scheduled maintenance. But they were able to get the equipment back together and make the Continued on Page 10

GHOSTS - 2017 TWO CALENDARS (WWI & WWII)

Editorial: The Christmas Star

Continued from Page 6 telescope is all that is needed to fire up the imagination. Imagine you are standing on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, looking into the night skies with a powerful telescope. Your view falls upon a beautiful open star cluster known as M22, 2,000 light years from earth. With thousands of stars huddled together by gravity, it is now known that at least some of those stars will have planets, and one of those planets might have an advanced life form that is looking back at you at that very moment. But you would not see them looking back because the

light from that planet took 2,000 years to reach you, so you would see their living history, in real time.

And they would not see you, but would see our planet’s living history as it was 2,000 years ago. Our M22 friends might see a big gathering on the shores of a lake, with a man in a robe serving fish and bread, followed by a speech from a mount. They would see this in real, living, time. And imagine, He was the only one in that crowd that knew we would be celebrating His birthday, more than 2,000 years later. Happy Birthday, Jesus!

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December 2016

Cover Story: Nalls Aviation Continued from Page 9 show. The Harrier was adorned with special graphics on the vertical fin to remind the audience why there were really there.

In addition, they donated a significant portion of their fee to the family of the fallen Marine pilot, Captain Jeff Kuss.

But all of this would not be possible without the commitment of a dedicated team of maintainers, ground crew, and Art’s wife, Pat, to keep them all in check.

While the ground crew is busy servicing the airplane between flights (they estimate about two hours of prep time for each 15-minute demo), Pat is taking care of the other logistics such as meals, hotel rooms, and travel arrangements.

“It’s nearly a full-time job, getting everyone where they need to be, especially at a military base where security on the ramp is tight,” she said. “I have to make sure they all have their badges and wristbands before we arrive. I also have to find suitable places for us to eat, so they don’t have to worry about anything except making the airplane ready to fly.”

The ground crew includes some very experienced aviation mechanics.

Most have been working on airplanes and jets for decades.

Rich Gill grew up in a Navy Family and has been all over the world as he was growing up. He is currently a mechanic supporting the US Navy and the Army, at NAS Pax River, Md. On the weekends, he spends time working on the Harrier and L39, and flies in the rear cockpit of the L39 traveling to and from airshows, serving as a safety observer and back-up navigator.

Pete Weiskopf is a retired USN Senior Chief and is an aviation mechanic (AP IA) and an electrical expert. If it uses electrons, he can probably work on it, and if it’s fixable, he can probably fix it. He has designed special radio equipment for contractors and the Navy through his career as a Navy technician and as a civilian contractor.

Kevin Bugg is from the UK and is a retired Royal Navy Maintenance Officer.

He spent half his Royal Navy career working on Sea Harriers, specializing in rapid engine changes and other deep maintenance work. “I ran a specialized crew, that travelled from base to base supporting the Front Line Squadrons, to expedite engine changes and other deep maintenance work,” said Bugg. He’s been working full time in his civilian job at Pax River on the F-35 Lightning II program but takes some time on the weekends to work on the TMk 8 two seater.

Lloyd Gill, is Rich’s brother. He lives in South Carolina, where he can assist their parents, but drives the fiveand-a-half hours north just prior to each show, so he can drive the support truck

(Jim Blohm)

and trailer from show to show. He’s also an excellent photographer and chronicles the team’s airshow record with an annual Team Year Book. Much of his work is prominently featured on the website at Nallsaviation.com.

The newest, and also the youngest, person to join the team is Sam Morgan. Not yet old enough to legally consume alcohol, he’s a local college student who recently earned his A&P license and is consolidating his aviation studies by assisting Kevin Bugg with the TMk 8 Harrier.

“We were expecting to have our second Harrier, a TMk 8 two-seat trainer version of the Sea Harrier flying; it’s taking a bit longer than we anticipated. We could fuel the port side of the aircraft and with incomplete wiring diagrams, trouble shooting was painstakingly slow,” noted Nalls.

The issue was some “wiring did not coincide with the diagrams. This required us to do traces of each individual wire.

We checked all the valves in the fuel system and replaced a few that were not operating properly. Finally, we replaced the main refueling valve, which is a tedious task. The valve lies deep within the fuselage and is only accessible from a very small opening, just barely large enough for one hand at time. Fortunately, we had a spare; otherwise, searching all over the world for the valve would have added even more time. We expect to try another fueling very soon,” said Nalls.

Add to that, “we’ve had extraordinarily bad luck with our gas turbine starters.

We had one blow up on start at the Reading, Penn. airshow in early September. We carried a spare with us in our support trailer, but still the team had to work late into the night to replace it. To add more, the GTS actually caught fire, and the fire extinguisher powder went everywhere, including the cockpit,” said Nalls.

Look to the skies for more from Nalls Aviation in the next few years.

They expect both Harriers flying at shows and being able to offer flight instruction toward a pilot rating but don’t call it an airplane. The FAA classifies the Harrier in a completely different category of aircraft called “powered lift.”

Whatever you call it, these guys (and gals) certainly know how to fly it!

NATIONAL AVIATION HALL OF FAME REVEALS NAMES ENSHRINEE “CLASS OF 2017”

December 2016

www.inflightusa.com

OF

FOUR

TO BE

11

Inductees’ Contributions Span the Dawn of the Jet Age Through U.S. Manned Space Programs -Announcement Made at NBAA Convention

On Wednesday, Nov. 2 the National Aviation Hall of Fame (NAHF) publicly revealed the names of four individuals elected as the Enshrinee Class of 2017, each of whom will be inducted at a formal ceremony next fall. NAHF Enshrinement Director Ron Kaplan, revealed the names before an audience of nearly 1,000 attendees at a special session of the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) Convention in Orlando, Fla. Kaplan and NAHF Chairman of the Board, William R. Harris, Jr., were accompanied onstage by several former enshrinees and the Great grand-niece of Orville and Wilbur Wright.

The announcement followed their presentation of the NAHF 2016 Combs Gates Award, a $20,000 cash prize, to author David McCullough for his bestselling 2015 book, The Wright Brothers.

The NAHF Class of 2017 represents a broad range of enduring contributions dating from the dawn of the jet age through the manned exploration of space.

The four will be formally enshrined at a venue and on a 2017 date to be

announced by the NAHF soon. The Class of 2017 is: • Maj. Gen. Charles Bolden, Jr., USMC (Ret) –34 year Marine Corps aviation career included 14 years as member of NASA Astronaut Corps. Vietnam War fighter pilot and four-time Shuttle veteran who went on to become NASA Administrator.

• The late Cmdr. Malcolm Scott Carpenter, USN – Navy test pilot that as one of the original Mercury 7 astronauts became the second American to orbit the earth. Helped design the Apollo lunar module and developed underwater training for spacewalks.

• Robert J. Gilliland – Air Force jet fighter and test pilot personally recruited

by Kelly Johnson to lead Lockheed Skunk Works testing of its record-breaking SR-71 spy plane. Has logged more test-flight hours above Mach 3 than any other pilot.

• The late Sir Frank Whittle – U.K.based “Founder of the Jet Age,” who built the first practical turbojet engine in 1937.

Sir Whittle’s subsequent engine technology led directly to development of the jet aircraft industry in the U.S., to which Sir Whittle immigrated in 1976.

A

Each year, the NAHF Board of Nominations, a voting body comprised of 140-plus aviation professionals nationContinued on Page 14 P.O. Box 5402 • San Mateo, CA 94402 (650) 358-9908 • Fax (650) 358-9254

Founder ..................................................................................................................Ciro Buonocore Publisher/Editor................................................................................................Victoria Buonocore Managing Editor..........................................................................................Annamarie Buonocore Production Editors ..............................................................................Anne Dobbins, Toni Sieling Associate Editors ........................ Nicholas A. Veronico, Sagar Pathak, Richard VanderMeulen Staff Contributors..................................................................................................S. Mark Rhodes, .........................................................................................................Larry Nazimek, Joe Gonzalez, Columnists ....................................Steve Weaver, Stuart Faber, Larry Shapiro, Ed Wischmeyer, ..................................................................................................................Marilyn Dash, Ed Downs, Copy Editing ............................................................................................................Sally Gersbach Advertising Sales Manager ........................................Ed Downs (650) 358-9908, (918) 873-0280 In Flight USA is published each month by In Flight Publishing. It is circulated throughout the continental United States. Business matters, advertising and editorial concerns should be addressed to In Flight USA, P.O. Box 5402, San Mateo, Calif. 94402 or by calling (650) 358-9908–fax (650) 358-9254. Copyright © 2008 In Flight Publishing.

In Flight USA is not responsible for any action taken by any person as a result of reading any part of any issue. The pieces are written for information, entertainment and suggestion – not recommendation. The pursuit of flight or any action reflected by this paper is the responsibility of the individual and not of this paper, its staff or contributors. Opinions expressed are those of the individual author, and not necessarily those of In Flight USA. All editorial and advertising matter in this edition is copyrighted. Reproduction in any way is strictly prohibited without written permission of the publisher.

In Flight USA is not liable or in any way responsible for the condition or airworthiness of any aircraft advertised for sale in any edition. By law the airworthiness of any aircraft sold is the responsiblity of the seller and buyer.

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12

In Flight USA Celebrating 32 Years

OLD RHINEBECK AERODROME

December 2016

Flying into Writing By Eric McCarthy

I

recently saw a trailer for a movie called Destined To Fly about Cole Palen and the Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome in historic Rhinebeck, N.Y. I’m looking forward to seeing the finished product, but even the brief vignettes of the trailer brought back memories of the time I flew there with friends from the Boston area.

It was Sept. 1, 1984, Labor Day weekend, a little early for the fall foliage, but a beautiful, warm New England day nonetheless. One of the best-kept secrets about New England is that September is one of the best months to be there – with the kids heading back to school, most of the tourists have left, traffic is back to tolerable levels, and yet the weather remains summerlike (shhh‌don’t tell anyone!).

This is all true except for Boston proper: at the beginning of September, literally tens of thousands of college students clog the narrow streets of Back Bay and Cambridge as they move into their dormitories and apartments and prepare for another year at one of the dozens of colleges and universities there. Throw in a Red Sox game and, oh boy – if you’re not a native with local knowledge of the labyrinthine streets of Boston, this is not a good time to visit the city!

Seasons carry much more meaning in the northeast than they do here on the West coast, as they mark significant changes in the weather and activities in general. Boston radio stations competing for listeners take full advantage of just about any opportunity to “raise the flag� and the long weekend of Labor Day, effectively the official end of summer, and the influx of thousands of students combined to provide just such an opportunity to draw the multitudes: fireworks over the Charles! And you thought the traffic was bad during the day!

I lived in Lexington at the time and had access to a nice Cessna 172 based at

Hanscom Field (KBED) in Bedford, Mass. Since earning my license several years before, I had taken friends on trips all over New England – New Hampshire, Maine, the Cape and islands – but I had always wanted to visit Old Rhinebeck, and with good weather forecast for the northeast, this was my opportunity. My future wife, Sandi, and I were joined by two adventurous friends from work, Sue and Greg. We intended to take full advantage of the day’s activities: an early departure (well‌ before noon – that’s early when you’re young!), an afternoon at Old Rhinebeck, a barbeque back at the house, then off to watch the fireworks with a quarter million of our closest friends!

Old Rhinebeck is located about 100 miles north of New York City, roughly 20 miles west of the Massachusetts/ Connecticut border, so our route-of-flight took us over Worcester and Springfield, then the lush, green hills of southwest Massachusetts. You couldn’t actually land at Old Rhinebeck, but in nearby Red Hook , we landed at Sky Park (46N), a narrow, crumbling asphalt strip located just a couple of miles from Old Rhinebeck. The runway was in pretty marginal condition 30 years ago, so they may well have repaved it – although the Chart Supplement (formerly A/FD) currently indicates â€œâ€Śpavement has small potholes and loose aggregate,â€? so, maybe not...

There are no services available there, so if you need fuel, you’ll have to hop across the Hudson to Kingston-Ulster (20N); and, regardless of the lack of amenities, there is a small landing fee on weekends during Rhinebeck airshow season (June through the beginning of October). There were a few planes at Sky Park, but not a lot; a homebuilt caught my eye – I’d have to check that out later‌ We found a pay phone (remember them?) and called a taxi to take us to the Aerodrome.

Ten minutes later, we were there.

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You entered the airfield through a small covered bridge that acted like a time machine, transporting you back to the early 1900s. Pilots with handlebar mustaches, goggles, leather helmets, and white scarves inspected their vintage aircraft and answered questions from curious onlookers. Antique cars and trucks sputtered around the field, while volunteers strolled the grounds in period costumes. Overhead, meticulously maintained New Standard D-25’s gave biplane rides to excited passengers.

Spectators are free to roam the west side of the field where several old hangar buildings house the aircraft when they’re not flying. On the far side of the field, a few false-front movie-set buildings serve as the backdrop for the melodrama that unfolds each weekend, featuring an evil villain: the Black Barron, flying – what else? – the Red Baron’s famous steed, the Fokker Dr. 1 Tri-plane; and our hero, Percy Goodfellow, battling in his Sopwith Camel to save a damsel in distress, Trudy Truelove. Carefully choreographed aerial dogfights and low-level passes with guns blazing – rat-atat-tat – engage the audience. I won’t spoil it by telling you who wins – you’ll just have to see it for yourself! I don’t think things have changed very much in the intervening 30-plus years‌ The show continued with barnstormers slicing through toilet paper streamers and a display of antique aircraft passing in revue over the grass runway. Ya, it’s a kitschy, but it is fun and entertaining! And the aircraft they fly are amazing!

Rhinebeck is a true, living museum – the vision of founder Cole Palen. Palen passed away in 1993, but he was there that day, and we were able to meet him and talk with him about the aircraft. An affable man, you could tell by his enthusiasm that he just loved to fly these old

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birds. Thanks to the hard work and dedication of the volunteer staff, almost all of the aircraft there fly. And they’ve got some pretty special aircraft representing the early days of flying. Many are faithful reproductions – complete with authentic engines – but quite a few are original models as well, including a couple of original Bleriot XI’s now more than 100 years old; a 1917 Curtiss JN-4H ‘Jenny’; a Morane-Saulnier A-1; a Nieuport 10; a DeHaviland DH.82 Tiger Moth, and many more. These are truly museum pieces, but here, they fly!

Sitting in the stands to watch the show, we met a kind, older gentleman who had flown up from Long Island to see Old Rhinebeck. He was there alone and his name was Lyle Trusty; through our conversation, it became obvious that he “knew his stuff� when it came to aviation!

It turned out that he was the chief flight test engineer for Fairchild Republic; his current assignment had him working on Long Island for an extended period, so he had flown his Thorp T-18, N851LT, across the country from Lancaster, Calif. I had seen the Thorp parked at Sky Park and naturally wondered whose it was; now I knew. We hit it off, me picking his brain about his plane, the work involved in building it, and his work on the B-1 bomber, and him patiently answering me.

Before long, we had convinced him to come back to Boston with us to share in our festivities that evening.

After the show, we all piled back into a taxi and headed for Sky Park. Since we had a full plane and he had an empty seat, Sandi promptly ditched me for a ride in the speedier T-18; I didn’t take it too personally – I get it: speed matters! If I hadn’t been the PIC of the 172, I would have jumped at the chance myself!

Upon arrival at the airport, I wanted to be sure I wasn’t sending my girl up in Continued on Page 13

Kdd ZÍ&#x2022; Z< E^ ^

MCKENZIE JOINS EAA BOARD OF DIRECTORS

December 2016

www.inflightusa.com

Airbus Senior Vice President is Homebuilt Aircraft, Powered Paraglider Enthusiast Ken McKenzie, a recreational aviaPresident of Customer Services and Chief tion enthusiast and senior vice president Operating Officer. In 2014, he moved to his current role of Senior Vice President of for strategy and corporate development Strategy and Corporate Development, where for Airbus Group, Inc., has joined the he oversees strategy development, merger Experimental Aircraft Association and acquisition activity, and research and (EAA) board of directors. technology activity in the Americas.

McKenzie was invited to join the Prior to joining Airbus, McKenzie board during its fall meetings earlier this worked in the commercial air carrier side month at Oshkosh, Wisc. As a Class III of the aerospace industry at WestJet director for EAA, he will serve a one(Canada), Air Canada Jazz, and Spirit year renewable term on the EAA board.

Airlines. He also served abroad as “Ken McKenzie is an EAA lifetime Program Director of the West African member who is personally committed to Flight Program for the United Nations recreational aviation in all its forms and High Commission for Refugees. brings very strong aviation industry leadMcKenzie holds a Bachelor of Arts ership experience to our organization,” degree from the University of Manitoba, said Jack J. Pelton, EAA CEO/Chairman. and a Master’s of Business Admin“We are grateful he has accepted our istration from the Jack Welch Manageinvitation to join EAA’s board whose ment Institute at Strayer University. He members volunteer their time and experthas also successfully completed the Ivey ise to lead our association, as we pursue Executive Program at the University of our mission of growing participation by Western Ontario. sharing the spirit of aviation.”

Upon joining Airbus Americas in 2001, For more information, visit McKenzie first served as Senior Vice www.eaa.org.

13

1976 CESSNA A185F

4,986 TT, 711 SMOH. King Digital IFR w/KLN-94 GPS & DME. STOL, F. Float Kit, P-Punk gear, Extended Baggage + more. P+I - 8.5+, Fresh Annual upon Sale. Really shows Pride of Ownership, An exceptionally clean Cessna 185F....Price reduced to $129,900

1979 PIPER TURBO DAKOTA

2278 TT, 286 SMOH. Collins Microline IFR, ‘Air Flow’ Intercooler, EDM-700 EGT/CHT, Stby VAC, 4 pl IC, & More. Recent compressions were 74 &/80. Hangared in Lake Tahoe since 1983. Nice P + I. Jan. Annual. All logs since new. Very low time airframe!.............. .............................................................................................................................$84,500

1981 BEECH F33A

Flying Into Writing

Continued from Page 12 some rickety old death trap. I mean, it was bad enough that she was flying home with another man in his sports plane. I had to do something to reassert my position… A careful inspection pointing out all the little defects was in order!

The Thorp was a small plane with a wingspan little more than half that of our 172 and a fuselage some nine feet shorter. As Lyle showed us his “pride and joy” it became clear that it was the work of a skilled craftsman beautifully finished, inside and out, and well-equipped as well. There were no “little defects” to point out – his airplane, from spinner to tail, was perfect! Ok then… well, have a nice flight!

We preflighted the Cessna, then buckled Sandi into the right seat of the diminutive Thorp. A quick kiss to make sure she remembered who brought her to the dance, and we were off. Knowing we’d be losing the 120nm race back home, but that I had the keys to the car, Lyle agreed to give us a head start. I think he gave us about a 10-minute lead, passed us somewhere over western Massachusetts, and beat us back to Hanscom by about 20 minutes. Show off!

We tied down and topped-off, got Lyle situated at a local hotel near the airport, barbequed some steaks and cornon-the-cob, and enjoyed a very pleasant

evening watching the fireworks. And, lest anyone not get my tongue-in-cheek sarcasm: Lyle was a perfect gentleman, a skilled and experienced pilot, and a delight to spend the evening with, trading tales of aerial adventures over dinner. We never heard from him again, but we were certainly glad to have made his acquaintance that day. Sandi and I love to share experiences like these with family and friends, old and new. This was one of those days to remember – I hope Lyle enjoyed it as much as we did.

If you ever get a chance to visit the Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome, do it! It is well worth your time and a lot of fun! I don’t know of any other museums that actively risk their collections quite like this one! Yes, Chino’s Planes of Fame also maintains an impeccable and extensive fleet of airworthy aircraft – and I highly recommend a visit there as well!

But most, if not all, of their aircraft are from the World War II era – some of the greatest aircraft ever built in my opinion, but they benefited from the lessons learned from the pioneering efforts of those who built and flew the aircraft so lovingly maintained at Rhinebeck. Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome is a very special place, offering a unique view of aviation history not to be missed by any aviation enthusiast. Put it on your “bucket list!”

Until next time, fly safe!

2886 TT, 632 SMOH on Continental IO-520, 1393 SOH Propeller, complete log books since new; King Audio Panel KMA-24, Garmin GNS 530 Com/GPS w/WAAS, Garmin GDL-49 Weather Link, King KY-196 Com, King KN-53 NAV w/Glideslope, Century 2000 Auto Pilot (2 axis), Insight Strikefinder Stormscope, and lots more! Recent Annual ...................$139,500

1967 MOONEY M20E ‘SUPER 21’

1974 CESSNA 182P

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The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) announced Garmin Pilot app users who upgrade to version 8.5 can receive planned routes created on the AOPA Flight Planner. Since its introduction, the AOPA Flight Planner has undergone steady enhancements with an eye on making flying safe, economical, and more fun. In recent months, a predictive weather tool was added along with airport filters that help pilots select an intermediate stop along a route. These additions, along with others, help make trip planning more enjoyable for pilots.

Hall of Fame

Continued from Page 11 wide, selects a handful of previously nominated air and space pioneers to be recognized for their achievements with enshrinement into the NAHF. Since its founding in 1962, 233 men and women have been so honored.

The 55th Annual NAHF Enshrinement Dinner & Ceremony is open to the public and reservations will be available by advance purchase from the NAHF. The NAHF is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in Dayton, Ohio in

December 2016

“We’re listening to our members,” said Eric Rush of AOPA’s flight planning products team, “and a popular request was integration with the Garmin Pilot app.

We’re happy to announce that we’ve added that to our suite of supported apps.”

“The key is that our flight planner works with many different EFB apps, so there’s a sense of collaboration rather than competition,” said Rush. “Currently, AOPA’s flight- planning software will work with five of the most popular EFB’s out there.”

For more information, visit AOPA’s website at www.aopa.org.

1962 and chartered by the U.S. Congress in 1964. Its mission is to honor America’s aerospace legends to inspire future leaders, which it does through a 17,000 square-foot public Learning Center featuring interactive exhibits, a youth education program, other public outreach programs, its annual enshrinement ceremony, and collaboration with like-minded organizations.

For more information visit the NAHF website at www.nationalaviation.org, or call 937/212-8847.

AEA Unveils Report

Continued from Page 8 panies currently participating in the report include: • ALTO Aviation • Anodyne Electronics Manufacturing Corp.

• Appareo Systems • Aspen Avionics • BendixKing • Cool City Avionics • FreeFlight Systems • Garmin • Genesys Aerosystems • Gogo Business Aviation • Honeywell Business & General Aviation • Jupiter Avionics • Latitude Technologies • L-3 Aviation Products • Mid-Continent Instruments and Avionics • PS Engineering • Rockwell Collins • Sandia Aerospace • Shadin Avionics • Trig Avionics • Universal Avionics Systems Corp.

The number of companies that participate in the AEA Avionics Market

Report may change on a quarterly and/or annual basis. This may occur due to mergers and acquisitions during the year along with new companies participating in the reporting process. Any comparative analysis of the data should take this variance into consideration.

All dollar amounts noted are U.S. dollars. The AEA Avionics Market Report should not be considered a predictive indicator of future industry sales activity. The circumstances discussed in the report may not occur in future time periods, and actual results could differ materially as a result of known and unknown risk factors and uncertainties affecting the AEA Avionics Market Report and the companies that participate in the report. No forward-looking statement can be guaranteed. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made, and the Aircraft Electronics Association, along with the participating companies in the AEA Avionics Market Report, undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.

December 2016

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16

A DIFFERENT PATH

In Flight USA Celebrating 32 Years

By Louis Briscese

60th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs

TO

CITIZENSHIP

December 2016

(This feature is part of the “Through Airmen’s Eyes” series. These stories focus on individual Airmen, highlighting their Air Force story.)

B

eing an American citizen may seem ordinary for most, but for some Airmen, the path to citizenship is anything but ordinary.

Senior Airman Michael Mwelwa, a 60th Comptroller Squadron military pay technician, was awarded U.S. citizenship in May at the age of 23. Mwelwa was born in Zambia, a country in southern Africa. He lived there until was five, when his parents decided to leave in hopes of a better life.

“Life was pretty normal in Zambia, but my parents wanted something better for us,” Mwelwa said.

Mwelwa, his parents, and four siblings left Zambia in 1997 and found themselves in Pittsburgh. Transitioning to life in the U.S. was somewhat difficult for the Mwelwa family due to the change in location, schools, and searching for employment.

“We didn’t live the same way we did back in Zambia, but once we got some traction, things got much better,” Mwelwa said.

Unfortunately, that traction wasn’t enough to keep his parents from separating just a few years after arriving in Pittsburgh. Mwelwa said his family changed drastically when he no longer lived with his father.

“My father moved around a lot to places like Connecticut and Wisconsin, so I would only see him every once and a while,” he said.

When Mwelwa was in middle school, his mother joined the Army National Guard, which put him on a course to citizenship.

According to the Department of Homeland Security, “Members of the U.S. armed forces and their dependents may be eligible for citizenship, to include expedited and overseas processing, under special provisions of the Immigration and Nationality Act.” Although Mwelwa was proud of his mother, he said he had no intention of joining the military; he was planning on pursuing a football career. Ranked as the best running back in his conference,

Senior Airman Michael Mwelwa, of the 60th Comptroller Squadron, stands by his workstation at Travis Air Force Base, Calif., Oct. 25, 2016. Mwelwa was recently awarded U.S. citizenship after coming to the United States at the age five from Zambia.

(U.S. Air Force photo/Louis Briscese)

Mwelwa hoped to receive a scholarship to a Division I school and play football.

However, in his senior year of high school, Mwelwa suffered an ankle injury that derailed those plans.

“Playing football was definitely a reality for me because the next ranked running back in the conference got a full scholarship, and my stats were much better than his,” Mwelwa said.

His next option was to attend college on his own, which he tried for a year, until he realized it would be too expensive, he said.

Having taken the Armed Forces Vocational Aptitude Battery exam in his senior year of high school, Mwelwa knew another option was available to him; military service. He decided to join the Air Force.

The Air Force offered a variety of occupations for Mwelwa to choose from, he said, and his mother told him, “The Air Force takes care of its people.”

“The Air Force had a lot to offer that I was interested in, it seemed like it had more opportunities for me because of my ASVAB scores,” Mwelwa said.

Since joining the Air Force in May 2013, Mwelwa has excelled.

“Mwelwa has an unending drive toward excellence and embodies our core values,” said 1st Lt. Christopher Larsen, the 60th CPTS Financial Services Flight commander. “We can trust him with any job, and we’ll know he’ll get it done right.”

However, what Mwelwa cherishes the most he said, is the fact that he can now call himself an American.

Visit In Flight USA’s website for the latest aviation news...

www.inflightusa.com

December 2016

Contrails

I

by Steve Weaver

www.inflightusa.com

17

ROLLING YOUR OWN

t must be difficult for people who cut their teeth on the aviation world of the ‘60s and ‘70s to comprehend that the cost of a new Cessna 172 is more than a third of a million dollars. Perhaps that’s a reasonable price to a generation who matured in a world of five-dollar coffee and $50,000 SUV’s, but I can tell you, there’s a whole bunch of potential aircraft buyers with sticker shock.

It’s a fact that the basic design of the big three aircraft companies has changed little in the past 30 years or so. Most of the Cessna, Piper, and Beech aircraft that are being produced now share the airframes with a much older generation of airplanes, and the modernization has been more a series of tweaks and improvements made by the factories over the years.

Happily, there is a ready supply of these older aircraft that can be bought today for a fraction of what they would cost to build now and for many, a solution to the unaffordable airplane has appeared in the rebirth of older airplanes.

AOPA has inspired many aircraft owners and potential owners with their yearly blow-by- blow recount of their refurbishment of the AOPA give-away aircraft, always an older aircraft brought to new standards and capability. From their pulpit, they have doubtlessly inspired many to “remanufacture” an old airframe, and refurbs have become very common in the aircraft world.

For those contemplating such a proj-

ect, one of the most important decisions that you’ll make is the selection of the project aircraft. Remember, while you’ll be investing multi thousands of dollars in the changes to this aircraft, the one thing that cannot be changed is its history.

A friend and fellow aircraft salesman made the observation many years ago, that “when you buy a used airplane, you don’t buy the airplane alone, you also buy its history.” That seemed to me a good thought at the time, and it’s even more true now, many years later when we’re still selling many of the same airplanes.

The logbooks tell a story, albeit a coded one. Sometimes the message is in the advertisement itself, enough to eliminate or pique interest, but sometimes only the obligatory, detailed pre-buy inspection by a trusted mechanic can reveal a history that makes the aircraft unsuitable for major investment. Damage that occurred in the past, corrosion issues that appear in the airframe or in the logs, hail markings, missing logs, and extremely high airframe time are all things that will remain with the airplane permanently.

Long after your refurb becomes a head turner, these things will affect the value of your finished project.

The task then, of selecting a used airplane to transform into your dream machine, becomes the chore of choosing the airplane that was treated kindest by happenstance. Since all airplanes left the factory new, what happened after that is

of utmost interest. Did it have a series of good owners, who tucked it away from the corrosive elements and the wind and hail storms? Was it fortunate enough to miss being flown by the careless or inexperienced pilot who would allow damage to occur to its airframe? Was it lucky enough to have owners who gave it the maintenance it needed without cutting corners?

I see airplanes frequently that remind me of a story that my friend, Bill, told me about his favorite truck, a dependable but badly battered one-ton International. One Saturday as Bill, his daughter, and her six-year-old friend were bumping their way to the feed store, the friend asked, “Mr. Mason, was this truck ever new?”

In the heady aircraft market of yesterday, when almost anything that looked good would sell, we dealers had a name for the aircraft that were given a quick paint and upholstery job in order to make them saleable. We called them pigs with lipstick.

In many ways, selecting an aircraft for such a project is easier that finding one for ready use. Engine time, condition of the paint, glass and upholstery is unimportant, and in fact the worse the better, since the more challenged the airplane in these areas, the cheaper it will be to buy.

VFR avionics are great, since you will be putting in your dream panel, and you don’t want to pay for something that won’t be used. In actual fact, airplanes

that are ugly, with old avionics and a runout engine are perfect base for your project, if they possess the right pedigree.

A few years ago, a dealer friend from Arizona asked me to help him find a 206 for a customer who wanted to do such a refurbishment. After a long search, I found an ideal airplane, tied down in the weeds of a high desert airport in California. The buyer of this aircraft proceeded to create one of the most remarkable 206’s that I’ve ever seen, either new or old, and this is what he started with.

The engine and prop were run out, the paint peeling, the belly streaked with oil, and the glass was crazed. The interior looked as if the owner’s dogs were using it for a boudoir, and its few avionics were antique.

But the inside of the airframe gleamed like a new nickel, the logs were complete, the total time was reasonably low, and it had never been damaged.

If you are contemplating building your own new airplane, I wish you luck and I especially wish you patience in finding your perfect airframe.

HOMEBUILT AIRCRAFT ACCIDENT TOTALS DROP AGAIN; EAA SAFETY EFFORTS SEEING RESULTS Fatal Accident Total is One of Lowest in History of FAA Record Keeping

Fatal accidents in experimental category aircraft continued their decline in the 12-month period ending Sept. 30, as focused programs and efforts by the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) and others continue to enhance safety.

The totals, which include fatal accidents during the 2016 federal fiscal year (Oct. 2015 through Sept. 2016), showed that fatal accidents in amateur-built aircraft in the Federal Aviation Administration’s experimental category fell 17 percent from the previous 12-month period. The specific totals indicate 33 fatal accidents in those aircraft during the period, compared to 40 during the prior year and 51 for the 2014 federal fiscal year.

In addition, fatal accidents for the

experimental category overall, including racing aircraft, those used for exhibition only, research-and-development, and some types of light-sport aircraft, also fell. Those fatal accidents fell from 61 to 49 during the 12-month measurement period. The fiscal year 2016 totals also bettered the FAA “not-to-exceed” goal of 60 for that period. It also marks one of the lowest single-year fatal accident totals since the FAA began keeping records.

“This is tremendous news and this multiple-year trend is a credit to all aviators who are focusing on safety,” said Sean Elliott, EAA’s Vice President of Advocacy and Safety. “The fatal accident numbers again remain lower than other types of popular recreational pursuits,

such as paddle sports, horseback riding, and driving all-terrain vehicles. While we can never rest in pursuit of safety, these lower numbers––even with a rising number of flight hours in recent years––show that EAA’s programs, outreach, and advocacy is making a difference.”

Over the past two years, EAA’s safety focus included the inaugural Founder’s Innovation Prize competition that seeks new concepts to reduce loss-of-control accidents in amateur-built aircraft, one of the leading causes of fatal accidents; the Accessible Safety Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) that brings updated, affordable safety technology to type-certified aircraft; recent FAA approval of an additional safety pilot during initial flight

testing in amateur-built aircraft; a focus on transition and recurrent training; enhanced Technical Counselor and Flight Advisor programs that bring knowledgeable volunteers to those building and transitioning to amateur-built aircraft; and added focus on safety and proficiency through communications such as EAA’s flagship Sport Aviation magazine.

EAA has also been a major contributor and is now chairing the FAA’s General Aviation Joint Steering Committee that brings new safety ideas forward through government and industry collaboration.

For more information, visit www.eaa.org.

18

KALITTA AIR BACKS OUT OF TENTATIVE AGREEMENT WITH PILOTS THAT WOULD HELP AIRLINE ADDRESS PILOT SHORTAGE In Flight USA Celebrating 32 Years

December 2016

Executives at DHL Contractor Make Short-Sighted Move That Threatens Carrier’s Ability to Attract, Retain Pilots

Kalitta Air, LLC, the Ypsilanti, Michigan-based cargo airline, has reneged on its tentative agreement with pilots and their union that would have ended six years of prolonged contract negotiations and put the airline on a path

to stability for its clients.

Kalitta Air operates a fleet of Boeing 747 aircraft in support of the global network of DHL Express, a division of the German logistics company, Deutsche Post DHL. The International Brotherhood of

Teamsters, Airline Division, Local 1224 represents the pilot group.

“Kalitta Air pilots have been doing everything we can to work with the company so we can move our airline forward, and we were pleased that we came to a

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strong agreement that would ensure we have enough pilots to serve customers like DHL long term,” said Scott Nelson, chair of the Local 1224-Kalitta Air Executive Council. “But Kalitta executives broke their word and our tentative agreement, and it’s difficult to see how Kalitta Air can recover in the eyes of pilots across the United States and customers around the world.”

With the assistance of the National Mediation Board, the Teamsters and Kalitta Air reached a tentative agreement on Sept. 29, 2016. This month, representatives of the two sides met in Ypsilanti to proofread the final document in advance of a planned ratification vote by the union’s membership.

During the proofreading session, Kalitta executives claimed that there was no agreement on key areas of the proposed contract, including entire sections written

by Kalitta Air that were agreed to by union negotiators. The carrier sent a letter to Kalitta pilots and their union on Oct. 31 disclaiming the tentative agreement.

The union previously obtained an injunction against Kalitta Air for violating the Railway Labor Act. Flight crews also overwhelmingly passed a resolution accusing management of placing customer relationships at risk and harming the company’s ability to attract and retain pilots in an increasingly tight labor market and in the midst of a pilot shortage that has cargo and passenger carriers scrambling to retain skilled pilots.

“Kalitta Air’s dedicated pilots and customers deserve better, and we are all very concerned that customers won’t tolerate the instability at the carrier for much longer,” Wells said. “The union and Kalitta pilots are committed to the success of the carrier and obtaining a fair contract. But the question now is whether Kalitta executives’ short-sighted betrayal of the pilots and the customers’ trust has taken the airline to the point where it can’t recover.”

Kalitta Air pilots have already authorized a strike. Union attorneys and leadership are meeting to develop a response to the carrier’s latest move.

Founded in 1903, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents 1.4 million hardworking men and women throughout the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. Visit www.teamster.org for more information.

PROGRAM INSPIRING YOUNG WOMEN THROUGH AVIATION LOOKS FOR ADDITIONAL SUPPORT WHILE RACING TOWARD FUNDRAISING GOAL

December 2016

The Commemorative Air Force (CAF), a World War II flying museum, launched a fundraising campaign in November to raise money to support a new program designed to honor the women pioneers of military flight. On Nov. 30 they met their goal of of exceeding $100,000. Supporters will help bring to life CAF RISE ABOVE: WASP, a program that will provide young people, specifically young women, a greater appreciation of their potential, an awareness of the opportunities that surround them, and a mentorship pathway to accomplish their dreams.

The CAF RISE ABOVE: WASP program explains the history and the legacy of the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP), the first female U.S. military aviators. To track the program or make a donation, visit www.riseabove.wasp.com The two main outreach vehicles of the program will be the acquisition of an aircraft and the production of a film that will educate audiences around the country about the WASP’s inspirational history. The CAF engaged Academy Award nominee, Sigourney Weaver, to lend her voice to the film, which is poised to become the definitive body of work commemorating the achievements of the WASP. A preview of the film can be seen at www.riseabovewasp.org.

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“Our goal was to raise $100,000 in 30 days. As with all Kickstarter campaigns, if we hadn’t made the goal, our program would not have received any of the pledges that have come in from supporters around the world who want to see this remarkable program for women and girls succeed,” said Heather Penney, CAF National WASP Program Chair and

one of the first female fighter pilots in the U.S. As of Nov. 30, they had reached and exceeded their goal to $114,627 raised by 502 people.

“I’d like people to know that making a donation will directly help the CAF to not only honor the WASP and their accomplishments but also provide young women with strong female role models

19

shown in non-gender-typical careers as being successful and passionate.

Together with our supporters, we will be inspiring the next generation to rise above their own obstacles and achieve success,” said Penney.

Learn more about CAF RISE ABOVE: WASP and their campaign at www.riseabovewasp.org.

20

IRIDIUM FLARES: YOUR EYES WERE NOT PLAYING TRICKS ON YOU

In Flight USA Celebrating 32 Years

Planes of Fame Air Museum Over 150 Aircraft and Displays See the USPS First-Dayof-Issue Stamp Dedication!

The first 300 guests will receive FREE entrance to the Museum.

The January 7th Living History Flying Day will feature the USPS First-Day-of-Issue Stamp Dedication.

The United States Postal Service will hold a First-Day-of-Issue Visit us: Stamp Dedication Ceremony for the new Love Skywriting Stamp at Planes of Fame Air Museum in Chino, CA. The stamp along with other philatelic items will be for sale at the ceremony. A speaker panel of distinguished experts and historians will give a presentation, followed by a Stamp Dedication Ceremony and flight demonstration of the Curtiss P-40 Warhawk!.

Living History Flying Days occur the first Saturday of each month at the Chino, CA location. (Schedule subject to change.)

Sun-Fri: 10-5 • Sat: 9-5 Closed Thanksgiving & Christmas

CHINO AIRPORT (KCNO) • 7000 MERRILL AVE., #17 • CHINO, CA Corner of Merrill and Cal Aero Drive Dr. Chino Airport

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• Beijing, Wuhan, Yichang, Chongqing, Chengdu, Guilin, Xi’an, Suzhou & Shanghai • ALL 5-Star hotels and 5-star cruise ship (all cabins with private balcony).

• Great Wall, Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square, & Summer Palace • 4-night Yangtze River Cruise through Three Gorges and 5 locks of world’s largest dam with 3 included shore excursions • Baby Pandas at Chengdu’s Breeding Center

• 8000 Clay Soldiers, ancient city wall, famous Tang Dynasty show • Exotic Guilin with Li River mini-cruise plus tea plantation & Reed Flute Caves • VIP Tour of NEW WW II Flying Tigers Museum plus VIP Banquet • Cruise Grand Canal of Suzhou, World’s Silk Capital & the “Venice” of China • Tour the old and the new modern Shanghai • And SO MUCH MORE ...

12th Annual VIP Delegation led again by local retired UAL Capt. Larry Jobe & his wife “China Nina”

209.962.5588 or toll free 866.669.2288 www.TravelAireTours.com for full details

Y

By Larry E. Nazimek

our eyes may have caught a momentary bright light in the sky. Was it a high-flying plane or spacecraft that exploded? You may have tuned to a news station to hear a news bulletin but heard nothing. You may have even called some stations to inquire, only to be told that they knew nothing about the event.

Could it be that your eyes were playing tricks on you? A logical explanation is that you saw an “Iridium flare.”

First of all, these things are not flares but are reflections of the sun’s light-off satellites. Second, they have nothing to do with the element, Iridium, other than the name of the satellites. These occurrences happen frequently, and they are predictable. Read on.

Iridium Satellites

In 1987, Motorola felt that many people would pay a hefty amount for the ability to make a telephone call from any place on earth, so they embarked on a monumental project to make this possible through a set of communication satellites.

They had originally planned on a constellation of 77 satellites. They decided on the name “Iridium,” the element whose atomic number just happens to be 77. The eventual constellation had fallen short of this number, with only 66 active satellites with spares in orbit and on the ground.

The system went operational on Nov. 1, 1998, with then-V. P. Al Gore making the first call. Nine months later, however, they went into bankruptcy.

Motorola had overestimated their market. While there was certainly an interest in global telecommunication, relatively few people wanted to buy a bulky telephone for $3,000 and then pay $7 per minute to make a call. In addition, when Motorola began the project, small cellular phones were not as plentiful and affordable as they would soon be.

Furthermore, they did not foresee the importance users would place on the requirement for telephonic hookups to the Internet… a capability Iridium did not have. It has been called the “Edsel of outer space.”

For a while, it appeared as though the satellites would have to be de-orbited, but they remained in orbit. There was not a great interest in buying such an expensive operation, but an investment group, not wanting to see this ingenious project

December 2016

scrapped, bought it for $25 million, a firesale price when you consider that Motorola had invested some $5 billion into the project.

Iridium Communications Inc. (formerly Iridium Satellite LLC) has brought the cost of the phones down to $1,000, and with the right plan, outgoing calls cost “only” $1.50/minute. Data systems and pagers also utilize these satellites.

Consequently, these phones have become more popular, so this greater use has justified plans for an advanced satellite, “Iridium Next.”

As one might imagine, a heavy user of this system is the Defense Dept. Other users include aviation, maritime, government, mining and petroleum industries, and scientists, particularly those in remote locations such as Antarctica.

The Flares

The satellites are in a circular orbit approximately 485 miles above the earth at a velocity of 17,000 mph. Ninety-five satellites have been launched so far, with 66 active in orbits consisting of six planes of 11 satellites each. In other words, a satellite will pass above you every nine minutes, providing a continuous capability for use of the phones.

When a call is made, the signal goes “cross link” from the phone to a satellite, and the signals are passed satellite-tosatellite to the phone on the other end without having to go through intermediate ground stations.

The “flares” are actually reflections of the sun’s light from one of the satellite’s Main Mission Antennas. Each satellite has three MMAs, 120 degrees apart, angled 40 degrees from the axis of the body of the satellite. The MMAs, highly reflective aluminum flat plates, treated with silvercoated Teflon for thermal control, are 74 inches wide, 34 inches long (about the size of a door), and 1.6 inches thick.

Sightings Predictions

The satellite’s axis is maintained vertical to the earth’s surface. This aspect, combined with its predictable geographical position, makes predictions of the flares possible.

To get the scheduled sightings, go to the “Heavens Above” website: http://www.heavens-above.com/.

The next step is to input your location. From the home page, under Continued on Page 21

December 2016

Iridium Flares

Continued from Page 20 “Configuration,” click on “Change your observing location.” You can simply enter your address or directly input your geographical coordinates (in terms of degrees and decimals of degrees, and not degrees, minutes, and seconds) obtainable from a GPS unit. The accuracy of the predictions depends on the accuracy of your position used in the program, although it should be sufficient to merely list your city.

If you are entering your coordinates through the manual edit functions, you should also input a ground elevation (in terms of meters). You can get your elevation from some GPS units, a topographical map, or by using the published elevation of a nearby airport. If you don’t know your elevation, you can simply use sea level (i.e., zero meters), as the elevation does not affect the accuracy of the predictions as much as the coordinates.

In order to have the predicted sightings in terms of your local time, you must select your time zone. The program will adjust for Daylight Savings Time.

You are now ready to click on the links for the predicted sightings (under “satellites” and “Iridium Flares”).

The column listing intensities provides an indication as to how bright the satellite will appear. The lower the order of magnitude (i.e., a negative number is lower than zero, which is lower than a positive number), the brighter the sighting will be. A more detailed explanation of orders of magnitude is provided on the site.

This site also provides predicted sightings for other satellites such as the International Space Station, Tiangong 1 and 2 (Chinese space stations), transfer vehicles (taking supplies to/from the ISS), and X-37 (classified Air Force space vehicle). It is much easier to find the ISS than an Iridium flare because the much larger ISS is usually visible for several minutes and can be tracked across a portion of the sky, (The time, elevation, and azimuth for the start, maximum elevation, and end of the viewing period is provided), while the flare is visible for only a matter of seconds and only at the designated elevation and azimuth. In other words, it is essential that your watch be set to the correct time and that you are looking in the proper location in the sky.

The flares are sufficiently bright enough that they may be seen from large cities, even in twilight.

On another note, while these “flares” are predictable, similar reflections may be seen from other space vehicles with flat reflective surfaces. The X-37, for example, deploys a solar panel, and I

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once saw the reflection, although I never expected it.

There may be instances when you look in the right place at the right time but do not see anything. This may be due to a satellite having recently failed. (If it has failed some time ago, it will not appear in the predictions, but if the failure was

Where th

recent, its predictions may still be made), in which case, its attitude is no longer tightly controlled. It is also possible that the satellite is in a “non-nominal attitude,” due to its maneuvering. In order for these reflections to be seen, the geometry between the satellite, the sun, and the observer must be exact.

21

Once you see your first bright Iridium flare, you will undoubtedly be amazed and will want to tell everyone else about it.

The Future

Continued on Page 22

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The event will be held May 19-21, 2017 at the Conroe-North Houston Regional Airport (KCXO) in Conroe, Texas. The event is a national fly-in that targets the growing Millennial demographic, which according to FAA records accounts for more than 48 percent of all Certificated Pilots and 78 percent of Student Pilots.

“We are thrilled to support Stripes to Bars and partner with them to offer young veterans the opportunity to earn their FAA Pilot Certificate,” said Brian Columbus, Founder of the festival and organizing nonprofit MODAERO #NextGen Aviation Community. “Their mission is an outstanding effort to recognize and support our men and women who served us in the armed forces. Their organization helps these brave Americans take to the very skies they fought to defend. We could not be more proud to support them in this mission.”

Clayton Horney, a former UH-60 MEDEVAC pilot, Company Commander in the U.S. Army, is the founder of Stripes to Bars, a 501(c)(3) charitable organization. Their mission enables qualified veterans to earn Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) certificates. In doing so, they assist those Veterans in transition from military to civilian life, while increasing the pilot population.

Clayton, who served two tours in Iraq while leading a platoon of 12 Blackhawk helicopters, said, “We are so

Iridium Flares

Continued from Page 21 These satellites are to be replaced with successor Iridium Next satellites, beginning in late 2016. Space X will launch 10 satellites at a time using their Falcon 9 rocket.

As the constellation of new satellites is in place, the old ones will be de-orbited. This is accomplished by having the satellite’s thrusters move it into a lower decaying orbit, where it will eventually

excited to announce that with the support of our friends at MODAERO NextGen Aviation Festival , we are adding an additional scholarship that will be awarded in Conroe, Texas at #MODAERO17!”

The application will be available at their website on Jan. 1, 2017 and will be open until March 31, 2017. The recipient will receive the scholarship award at the event, which is held annually at ConroeNorth Houston Regional Airport, just outside of Houston, Texas.

The organization uses this annual event to raise funds for year-round aviation outreach efforts. “We are developing a number of initiatives for 2017 to help raise awareness of general aviation, encourage STEM education and grow the #NextGen community of Aerospace in Texas and throughout the country. We are also looking for collaborative partners in pursuing a similar mission,” said Columbus.

The MODAERO #NextGen Aviation Community is a nonprofit organization that produces the festival and related projects, which adhere to their mission statement: To engage, educate, and empower the next generation within the Aerospace Community. They seek a future with abundant achievable opportunities for all those who dream of taking flight. For more info, visit: www.modaero.net Stripes to Bars is a 501(c)(3) public charity that enables qualified veterans to earn Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) certificates. In doing so, they assist those Veterans transition from military to civilian life, while increasing the pilot population. For more info visit: http://www.stripestobars.org

enter the earth’s atmosphere and burn up.

Seventy Iridium Next satellites will be launched, providing spares for satellites that may fail. In addition, there will be nine satellites on the ground, in case they are needed for future launches.

Since these newer satellites will not have the three panels as the current satellites, the “flares” will become a thing of the past.

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EXPLORING EUROPEAN SKIES TANTE JU

In Flight USA Celebrating 32 Years

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December 2016

W

By David Brown

hat better way could there be of exploring European skies than on board a leisurely flight spent droning down the Rhine Valley or sightseeing the Alps in a nostalgic trimotored airliner?

On our summer vacation in Europe, my wife and I took a two-week river cruise, which would take us from Budapest to Vienna, Passau, and Nuremburg to Amsterdam in the Netherlands. This was a dramatic change of pace from my normal day spent running missions aboard a much-modified Gulfstream in the USA. Part way through our trip, we were exploring the streets of Passau in Germany, and I happened to see this poster advertising rides in a JU 52 in the window of a travel-agent.

The huge memorial statue of the Niederwald monument at Rudesheim.

(David Brown)

ZZZ 6HOI)O\6DIDUL FRP

This nostalgic photo advertising scenic flights in the JU 52 caught my eye. It was in the window of a travel agent in Passau, Germany. Little did I know that I would meet D-AQUI a few days later.

(David Brown) I thought no more about it until a few days later when we were sailing along the Rhine valley, enjoying the views, every turn revealing another castle (some of them would not have been out of place in Disneyland) and were in fact scheduled to stop for lunch at Koblenz, the confluence of the Rhine and the Moselle rivers.

Our day had started with breakfast as we sailed past Mainz, and our longship had taken us past the Niederwald Monument at Rudesheim before we turned north up the Rhine gorge to St. Goarshausen and the Lorelei rock whose siren call had lured countless sailors to their doom, past the vineyards at Boppard (we raised our wine glasses in acknowl-

This castle is built out into the Rhine and collected taxes from the merchants taking their cargos up and down the river. Yes, the joke about death and taxes being the only certainties in life were true even in those days. Now itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a handy GPS waypoint and a photo opportunity for those on scenic flights or boat trips along the Rhine.

(David Brown)

edgment of passing the home of Riesling wine) and past a plethora of castles.

Castles came in all shapes, sizes, and styles, including the Pfalzgrafenstein Toll Station built out here in the river.

During our morning sail up the Rhine Valley, a variety of light aircraft, including a Citabria, a Cirrus, and a pair of Diamond DA-20s had flown over our longship, heading north, sightseeing just as we were, and I mentioned to my wife that someday we ought to try that (not today, as we were comfortably ensconced on the top deck and thoroughly enjoying our complimentary glasses of wine).

Once ashore, we thoroughly explored the picturesque town of Koblenz and took a cable car up to Fort Ehrenbreitstein across the river, as storm Continued on Page 25

December 2016

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25

Exploring European Skies

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Marksburg castle on the Rhine would not seem out of place in Disneyland.

(David Brown)

At the confluence of the Rhine and Moselle Rivers in Koblenz is the Deutsches Ecke with its monument.

(David Brown) Continued from Page 24 clouds gathered, thunder rumbled in the distance, and storm clouds gathered to the west.

Literally the biggest landmark in town is the Monument on the Deutsches Ecke where the Rhein and Moselle Rivers meet.

We were enjoying our Latte Macchiatos in an outside cafe in the square at Koblenz when a growing rumble from the sky attracted my attention. It was the sound of unsynchronised radial engines. Suddenly, a dark angular shape appeared over the rooftops. It was a Ju 52. The trimotor circled low over Koblenz. As it turned, sunlight illuminated the fuselage side. There in large letters was D-AQUI. It was the very same aircraft that we had seen on the travel poster.

On returning to our ship that evening, I went to the Internet to look up D-AQUI, and to my surprise learned that this aircraft, the oldest airworthy JU52, was none other than Iron Annie, Martin Caidin’s actual JU 52. The very same airplane that did airshows up and down the U.S. East coast with Valiant Air Command in the ‘80s. Now that had been a spectacular operation. These airshows were best described as three-ring circuses with bombers, fighters, pyrotechnics, and the JU 52 in the thick of simulated combat, with gunners firing out of the hatches, machine guns, and bomb racks under the wings, smoke pouring from the

Now painted as Lufthansa’s original Ju 52, D-AQUI, Tante Ju goes under the radio callsign of D-CDLH and is the former Iron Annie owned by author Martin Caidin in the States. It’s the only Ju 52 with three-blade propellers and P&W (David Brown) Wasp engines.

engines, and dropping grenades on simulated outhouses…

I had met up with Martin Caidin years before during the making of the film 633 Squadron in England. He was obsessively involved with warbirds and had been involved in rescuing a trio of B17s from the Arizona desert and flown them across the Atlantic to England for the making of The War Lover movie.

During a break from filming, I had been given a tour of the Messerchmitt Bf108, which he would eventually own and bring back to the states. Caiden was a larger-than-life character. He later authored the book Cyborg, which led to the successful TV series The Six Million Dollar Man.

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Tante Ju now has the original Lufthansa paint scheme on her corrugated aluminum skin. All markings down to the JUNKERS and the Lufthansa logo are correct. The only external clue to her real identity is the current radio callsign DCDLH in smaller lettering under the horizontal tail.

(David Brown)

The JU 52 itself was designed in the ‘30s by a Junkers design team led by Ernst Zindel at Dessau. Originally a single-engine design, it re-emerged as a trimotor in its JU 52/3M version (DreiMotoren). It was notable for its corrugated duralumin skin, which made for a very strong structure, and its Doppelflugel (double flying control surfaces) and was the main transport used by the Luftwaffe during the second World War. D-AQUI itself had a unique history. It originally flew for Lufthansa. By 1955, it was flying in Norway, then found its way to South America, where it flew in Ecuador from 1957 to 196l. It was abanContinued on Page 26

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In Flight USA Celebrating 32 Years

Their Stories, Our History.

Exploring European Skies Specification for JU 52 /3M

The American Aviation Historical Society reaches out to you, to help us preserve rare aviation photos and film: • Personal photos, WWI battle scenes • Newsreels of 1910-1930 • Early Naval aviation seaplane photos • 1909-1930 lantern slides • Unidentified airline photos, and many many more.

December 2016

Cockpit of D-CDLH in its current reincarnation. When rescued from Ecuador in the ‘60s, most of the instruments read in metric (metres, kilometers per hour) if they worked at all. Now it’s better than new.

(Deutsche Lufthansa Berlin-Stifttung)

Span............................................96 ft Length ........................................62 ft Height ........................................20 ft 3 x 660HP BMW radial engines turning 2-blade props (D-AQUI has P&W 1340 Wasps with 3-blade props) Fuel capacity 660 US gallons burning 32 US gals/hr each. (HB-HOT had extra tanks in the cabin for the longer overwater legs on its Atlantic crossing) Duration on scenic flights 4 hrs, (ferry flights 6 hours) Usual load16 passengers and 4 crew Weights Empty weight....................15,322lbs Payload ................................3968lbs Max takeoff weight ............23,148lb

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D-AQUI preparing to take to the air. The three-bladed propellers are unique to this aircraft together with the P&W R 1340 engines are unique to this aircraft. The corrugated skin and park-bench control surfaces are effective and durable but look out of place compared with modern streamlined aircraft.

(Deutsche Lufthansa Berlin-Stifttung)

Continued from Page 25 doned at Quito and eventually in 1969, it was brought back to life and flown to the USA. Caiden bought it for $52,500, rebuilt it in 1976, and flew airshows with it for years.

I remembered seeing this JU 52 on a trip to Florida in the ‘80s, when it was registered as N52JU and had all the airshow modifications embodied. Iron Annie had a spartan interior with 16 seats, each with a window. In those days, its corrugated aluminum skin was painted in wartime camouflage, with Iron Crosses on the wings. In addition to the smoke generators, machine guns, and bomb racks, did I mention the audio system that belted out martial music for the benefit of the crowds below?

In Nov. 1984, Caidin eventually used the aircraft to set a world wingwalking record with 19 skydivers outside on the left wing. The skydivers started going out onto the wing at 11,000 feet.

Ropes had been strung across the corrugated wing from root to tip for the jumpers to cling to. One by one the jumpers crept out across the wing in the gale-force wind, with Caidin fighting the growing asymmetry and the increasing drag. With the wheel hard over, buffeting and heading downstairs rapidly, the last jumpers went out, causing the aircraft to eventually roll inverted before the

Performance Takeoff ................................65 knots Landing................................59 knots Cruise ................................103 knots Range ................................513 miles Endurance ..............4 hrs 20 minutes Takeoff distance ....................1640 ft Landing distance....................1148 ft jumpers departed and removed the asymmetry… hardly airliner behavior.

When I met Iron Annie in Florida, the cockpit of the JU52 was pretty Spartan, as befitted its military heritage.

Elevators and ailerons were actuated by massive control wheels for each of the two pilots (muscle-power alone drove the controls) and the three sets of engine controls occupied a central quadrant. There were built-in gaps between the control surfaces and the main structure. A large wheel on the right-hand side of the pilot’s seat not only controlled the longitudinal trim but also the flap deflection (they drooped 25 degrees) and the ailerons (they drooped 15 degrees).

Starters and brakes used a pneumatic system. The brakes were ingeniously controlled by the throttles. Pulling the appropriate wing engine throttle aft applied differential brakes. Pulling the center throttle back gave symmetric braking. The brakes sound just like truck air brakes.

The wing engines were towd-out to reduce the consequences of engine-out flight.

It was an ingenious design solution to providing a transport with 1930s technology.

Present owners Deutsche Lufthansa Berlin Stiftung bought it from Caidin in 1984 and again rebuilt it at their Hamburg base.

Continued on Page 28

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December 2016

bers – by providing free safety education, research, and data analysis. ASI offers award-winning online courses, nearly 200 live seminars annually throughout the U.S., flight instructor refresher courses, safety videos, accident case studies, and other materials to keep pilots safe and well informed. To learn more, visit ASI at www.airsafetyinstitute.org.

Exploring European Skies Continued from Page 26 Crews are current Lufthansa captains, who do a tailwheel transition on a Do27 if required. Competition is fierce for the privilege of flying this unique piece of history.

It turned out that when we saw the JU 52, it was completing a one-hour scenic flight up the Rhine, starting from Mainz Finthen airfield, and had followed our ship up the Rhine past Niederwald, the Lorelei and the Deutschen Eck in Koblenz. During the April-October season for scenic flights the JU 52 flies from Berlin, Bremen, Dresden, Frankfurt-Main, Hamburg, Hanover, Cologne, Leipzig, Munich, Nuremburg, and Stuttgart.

And what of the other JU-52s still flying? The rest of the story is fascinating: From the Swiss Air Force base at Dubendorf, which is also the home of Solar Impulse, which completed its solarpowered globe-girdling flight recently, AIR JU operate a fleet of JU-52s, which give scenic rides around the south of Germany and Switzerland. In 1981, the Museum was offered the last three JU52s being retired by the Swiss Air Force.

Initially very much a shoestring operation, the company director organized a campaign, and the engines were bought individually by public contributions. It is a volunteer organization. Initially HBHOS and HB-HOP started giving scenic rides in 1983. In 1985, a third JU 52 HBHOJ was added to the fleet. Eventually, a fourth trimotor HB-HOY was restored at Dusseldorf airport and joined the fleet in 1997 as The Dusseldorf Express.

Highlights of the JU 52 operations include a round-the-world flight by HBHOS in 2000, HB-HOT starring in the Tom Cruise film Valkyrie in 2007 and more recently the transatlantic crossing to the USA, and subsequent U.S. tour in 2012 sponsored by RIMOWA luggage.

JU-Air Operations are similar to the German one but with a greater emphasis on Alpine scenery. A typical scenic flight would head southeast from Dubendorf,

climbing across Lake Zurich and the Sihlsee monastery to the spectacular slopes and glaciers of the Glarner Alps.

Tante Ju can climb to the 10,000-foot

A sight to behold, all four JU52/3Ms of JU-Air in formation.

(Ju-Air)

level, and it is not uncommon for the passengers and crew of the JU 52 to wave to the hikers and skiers along the ridgelines and ski huts along the way. The return flight isnorthwest back across Lake Zurich to land at Dubendorf. They also run flights from Gstaad.

All aircraft have sponsors: • HB-HOP (an appropriate choice) is in the colors of Falken Bier • HB-HOS is in the colors of IWC (The International Watch Company) • HB-HOT was in the Tom Cruise film Valkyrie in military colors in 2007 and is now in the RIMOWA silver paint scheme Sponsored by RIMOWA, in 2012 HB-HOT was flown to the states via the Faroe Islands, Iceland, and Greenland, starting from Cologne and then Iqaluit, Canada. It was a crowded flight with extra fuel in barrels in the cabin, survival gear for the crew and a large Alpenhorn, which was ceremonially blown at each stop. It flew west via Maine and Cleveland before reaching Van Nuys, Calif. (RIMOWA has a store in Beverly Hills) before heading east to visit Denver and Oshkosh and participate in Air Venture 2012. The JU 52 covered 30,000 km in 61 days and made a triumphant arrival arrived back at Dubendorf in Aug. 2012 accompanied by two other Ju-air JU 52s.

December 2016

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29

Flying With Faber

QUEENSTOWN, NEW ZEALAND–ONE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL PLACES IN THE WORLD – PART ONE

F

or the past 40 plus years, my life as a travel and culinary journalist has taken me to more than 100 countries and every state in the Union. One might assume that I have grown weary – quite the contrary. Each time I board a plane, be it my own or one operated by a commercial carrier, a wave of excitement overcomes me. As I step off the plane for the first touch of the foreign soil, the excitement intensifies – just as if it were my first time away from home.

It has been more than 30 years since my last visit to New Zealand. Although I have a love affair with many foreign and domestic destinations, I have always cradled a special yearning to return to these South Pacific islands. As soon as I stepped on the tarmac of Queenstown (the airport has no jet ways), I knew why.

It seemed as if nothing had changed.

Queenstown Airport (NZQN) was first opened in 1951. It was primarily a strip for DC-3s flying in from Auckland.

At an altitude of 1,171 feet above sea level, the main strip, which today accommodates Airbus 320s, is only 5,800 feet long. Approaching aircraft must wait in line while the landed plane completes its back-taxi to the gate – there is no taxiway.

Travel was so simple back then – Queenstown has retained some of that simplicity.

A Brief History & Geography Lesson

New Zealand, similar in size to Great Britain or Japan, is populated by four million of the most friendly and contented folks I’ve ever encountered. Two main landmasses, the North Island and the South Island, are situated between the Pacific Ocean to the east and the Tasman Sea to the west. The North and South Islands are separated by the Cook Straits, a body of water, which at its narrowest point, is about 15 feet wide. Approximately 900 miles to the west is Australia.

Fiji is about 600 miles to the north. There are a number of small – approximately five are inhabited. The country, about 990 miles long from north to south, rests between the 29th and 53rd latitudes.

Queenstown virtually intersects the 45th parallel – it’s about the same distance from the South Pole as Portland,

Lake Wakitipu.

Oreg. is from the North Pole. Since the country is south of the Equator, the seasons, of course, are reversed. During my visit in June of 2014, Queenstown on the South Island was experiencing the dawning of winter. The temperature hovered around 30 degrees F. The South Island is divided lengthwise by the Southern Alps. Glacial movements and volcanic activity have deftly sculpted this topographical masterpiece.

The highest peak is just below 10,000 feet. Queenstown resides in one of the most picturesque valleys I have ever seen. A pair of mountain ranges embrace Lake Wakatipu and descend to the shores. Cuddling the waterfront is the charming city of Queenstown.

Historians tell us that Polynesians first settled in New Zealand in the 13th century. A group of Maoris followed. The celestial navigational skills of these two groups were uncanny. Their boats were built in sections. As the boat progressed, each section coincided with a constellation of stars. They appeared to navigate to this tiny spot in the ocean as simply as we employ a GPS. Around 1642, the Dutch, led by explorer, Abel Tasman, arrived. Of course they warred with the locals, named a sea after Mr. Tasman, and then departed for a time. It was not until 100 years later that British explorer, James Cook, mapped most of the coastline.

Cook opened the door to an armada of numerous European and North American whaling, sealing, and trading ships.

The territory became a British Colony in 1841. In 1907, at the request of

(Stuart J. Faber)

the New Zealand Parliament, King Edward VII proclaimed New Zealand a dominion within the British Empire. In 1947, the country adopted the Statute of Westminster, which gave New Zealand virtual legislative autonomy. Today, the country is a constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary democracy. The English Queen is the head of state, and the Prime Minister governs the country. European descendants constitute about 70 percent of the population. About 15 percent are native Maori. The balance is composed of Asians and Pacific Islanders. The primary industry is tourism; agriculture ranks second.

A Memorable Flight

Air New Zealand Business Class.

(Courtesy Air New Zealand)

Actually, my 30-year bond with this country was reawakened the moment I boarded the shiny new Air New Zealand B-777-300. I am impressed that New Zealand is such a kind nation. During this recent trip, I never encountered a mean or hostile person. I include as part of my

Stuart J. Faber and Aunt Bea experience, my arrival at the Air New Zealand ticket counter at LAX where I was about to embark on a journey with a group of travel journalists and other travel professionals. Unlike the grumpy, officious domestic ticket agents with whom we have all become accustomed, every member of the Air New Zealand staff from check-in throughout the flight and at baggage retrieval was friendly and helpful. This New Zealand temperament pervaded throughout my trip.

The outbound flight was scheduled for a 9:45 departure. At the stroke of 9:45, the plane gently pushed back. The same punctuality was experienced with the return flight. In both directions, my baggage beat me to the carousel.

The Premiere Business Class of this Boeing 777-300 was as luxurious as many five-star hotel rooms. The seats are configured in a herringbone design, which comfortably isolates each passenger. The only structure between seats is a cocoon-like partition. At my request, the attendant transformed my seat into a fulllength bed. I slept like a baby for 10 hours on each of the12-hour nonstop transPacific flights. Air New Zealand is one of the best airlines I have ever flown.

Queenstown – A Mecca of Outdoor Adventure

Downtown Queenstown. (Stuart J Faber)

Nestled at the foot of the Remarkables Mountain Range on the shores of the magnificent Lake Wakatipu, Queenstown is a bustling Alpine village with a confluence of a laid-back ambiance and an energetic cadence.

Everyone seems to be heading someContinued on Page 30

30

In Flight USA Celebrating 32 Years

Flying With Faber

Continued from Page 29 where for a good time. Originally an 1860s gold mining camp, Queenstown today is the jumping-off point for worldclass skiing, helicopter flights, boating, mountain biking, hiking, and a host of other outdoor adventurous activities. A city of four seasons, climates range from hot, dry summers (December to February) to magical snow-covered win-

ters (June to August).

After a brief stopover in Auckland, we changed planes. An hour after takeoff, we commenced a descent. The pilot threaded the aircraft through the valley below the tops of the parallel snowcapped mountain ranges and over the deep blue lake for a spectacular visual approach to the airport. Passengers tugged at their seatbelts for a glimpse of

December 2016

this scenic overture to this gorgeous region. One had to look above the plane to see the mountaintops.

We retrieved our luggage and hit the ground running. Actually, we didn’t spend much time on the ground. After checking into the classy Sofitel Hotel, we boarded a Skyline Gondola for a graceful ascension up the mountainside. At the peak, we assembled for a late lunch at the

Skyline Gondola

(Stuart J. Faber)

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Dart River Jet Boat (Stuart J. Faber) Skyline Restaurant while we took in the views of the 220-degree panorama of the city, Coronet Peak, The Remarkables Mountains, the city and Lake Wakatipu.

The balance of the afternoon was devoted to recovering from the transPacific flight, roaming around town, shopping in Queenstown’s cosmopolitan shops, and preparing for a sumptuous dinner. The family-owned shops feature local products ranging from high-fashion garments to a variety of sporting gear.

You can purchase anything from a pair of clunky hiking boots to fine jewelry. I preferred to ramble along the streets, gaze at the harbor, people-watch, and accustom myself to looking in the proper direction for vehicles driving on what Americans consider the “wrong side of the street.”

Located in the Sofitel Hotel, Jervois Steak House, (queenstown.jervoissteak house.co.nz) was the launching pad for what was to be a series of some of the best cuisine I have ever experienced!

Chef Simon Gault traveled the United States to learn the art of steak preparation. Obviously, he was an A+ student.

New Zealand is a leader in lamb and beef production, and Simon combed the country for the best. His signature prime rib is remarkable. The grain-fed Black Angus rib steak has been dry aged, then patiently roasted and seared. The result: a luscious, tender steak with unparalleled flavor. Sides included mac and cheese and what our group voted as the world’s best mashed potatoes. Our reluctance to share the spuds almost erupted in a food fight with missiles of potatoes-spud missiles.

Plans had been arranged for our small group to explore the region with the use of several types of conveyances.

Continued on Page 32

December 2016

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GETTING DOWN TO BUSINESS – DRONE WORLD EXPO ATTRACTS MORE THAN 2,700 COMMERCIAL DRONE ATTENDEES TO LEARN FROM THE EXPERTS AND FIND NEW SOLUTIONS

The 2nd Annual Drone World Expo attracted 2,711 commercial drone professionals this October to the San Jose Convention Center. The exhibit hall featured nearly 100 exhibiting companies showcasing the newest products and solutions with a world-class education program featuring a stellar line up of 120 end users, industry, and government experts.

“The energy and excitement at Drone World Expo was fantastic, fueled by the new product announcements, unique educational content, and incredible networking opportunities. We would like to thank our exhibitors, attendees, speakers, and partners for making this event more than a tradeshow but a true community gathering in the heart of Silicon Valley,” said Joelle Coretti, Event

In Flight USA Celebrating 32 Years

Event Will Be Back in San Jose Oct. 2017

Director, Drone World Expo. “We heard a lot of great buzz on the show floor from the commercial end users who were discovering many innovative and dynamic new products and solutions for their needs.”

The exhibitors responded enthusiastically about their experience at the trade show with many already renewing booth space for the 2017 Show, which will take place Oct. 3-4, again at the San Jose Convention Center.

John Sheehan, Leader, Commercial Aviation Inspection Service, Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company said, “This was our first time at Drone World Expo, and we were very impressed with the audience, which was the right mix of users, operators, and producers. This event is what the industry needs––an

Flying With Faber

Continued from Page 30 The next morning, we launched on a 30minute van ride through some of the most spectacular countryside I’ve ever seen.

We drove past mountain vistas along the deep blue waters of Lake Wakatipu to the tiny village of Glenorchy. We paused for a few moments to take pictures of a church, which was about half the size of a one-room schoolhouse. We proceeded to the headquarters of the Dart River Jet Boat operation where we were outfitted with rain jackets and locally made wool hats and gloves.

We hopped on the jet boats and proceeded up the Dart River rapids where it seemed no boat could travel. But our jet boat, which could execute 360-degree turns over two inches of water, was undaunted.

We enjoyed breathtaking scenery as the boat accelerated through braided, glacierfed rivers. Highly informative guides talked about the area’s history and Maori legends. We walked amongst ancient beech forests unchanged for 80 million years and viewed the scenic backgrounds for many Hobbit and Lord of the Rings movie scenes. Visit www.dartriver.co.nz/ wilderness-jet for more information.

At the end of the ride, I encountered one of the most memorable people I’ve ever met. Moments after the jet boat pulled to shore, we discerned the sound of two helicopters. We looked up and

observed two Eurocopter EC 130B4s overhead. After an impeccable landing on the beachfront, out of one of the ships stepped Louisa Patterson, a vibrant, charismatic woman whom I was soon to

Helipad

(Stuart J. Faber)

learn could fly just about anything. (She later told me that she was about to head to England to fly a WWII Spitfire).

Appropriately, everyone calls her “Choppy.” Our group was divided between the two choppers. Moments later, we were flying over this magnificent country – this time, almost scraping the mountain slopes.

We headed back toward Queenstown. Suddenly, Choppy hovered over a mountaintop, which, from the air, appeared bereft of any reasonable landing pad. Choppy, as relaxed as if she were reclining on a sofa, seamlessly, almost imperceptibly, positioned the bird on the sloping mountaintop. We hopped out and

opportunity for real businesses to find solutions for their real needs. We will definitely be back in 2017.”

Rosalie Bartlett, Marketing Manager, Kespry said, “We were thrilled to have met with end users in all of our target markets: agriculture, construction, insurance, and mining. So many of the attendees walking the floor did their research about the industry and came ready to buy seeing the huge ROI in using drone technology. The Drone World Expo education program was great––providing end users with compelling and informative reasons to invest in drone technology. We couldn’t be happier with the results.”

Steve Snow, Marketing Specialist, Esri said, “Drone World Expo delivered an excellent conference, which brought

walked a few yards to a bright green putting range. The golf enthusiasts knocked around a few balls while the rest of us hiked and marveled at the scenery below.

We were actually looking down about 2,000 feet along the flight path that our A320 had flown below the peaks the day before. Choppy’s helicopter service is called “Over the Top” and can be reached at www.flynz.co.nz.

Reluctantly, we left the mountaintop. But we were about to experience another unique interlude. Choppy headed down the canyon toward Walter Peak High Country Farm – a compound consisting of a sheep ranch, meeting spaces, team building, and a dining venue that serves farm-fresh cuisine. We sauntered toward a buffet, which featured tempting selections of fresh fish, chicken, beef, and lamb. We feasted on vegetarian dishes, grilled fish, juicy steaks, lamb chops, pork ribs, and chicken legs. After lunch, we observed a lamb being sheared of his winter coat. Then we gleefully watched as sheep dogs rounding up a herd. We explored the farmyard and frolicked with llamas, Scottish bulls, and the deer. Visit www.realjourneys.co.nz For a change of scenery, we transferred from a city dwelling to a country estate. Set on 500 acres, just a few miles from Queenstown, Millbrook Resort (www.millbrook.co.nz) is a gentrified

December 2016

us a lot of good leads. The event is helping to build a stronger community.”

Steve Gitlin, Vice President Corporate Strategy, AeroVironment said, “Drone World Expo was very productive from an integration of ideas standpoint.

We launched our new Quantix drone at the show and now the operators who were in attendance can see the benefits of the range, reliability, and efficiency of the product and the commercial applications.”

In addition to the exhibits, Drone World Expo offered a world-class education program, which kicked off with an opening-day keynote presentation on The Future of Drones: Clearing the Flight Path to a Connected World. Prior to the keynote, Gretchen West of Hogan Continued on Page 34

The Millhouse at Millbrook Resort (Stuart J. Faber)

five-star gem. Artfully scattered over the acreage are 175 luxurious guestrooms, a 27-hole championship golf course, a day spa, a health and fitness center, and conference facilities for groups of almost any size. The spacious, tastefully appointed rooms were illuminated by the morning sunrise through large windows that opened to balconies where I could gaze at the stunning views that surrounded the resort. I felt as if I were a guest at the home of a gentleman farmer. The environs presented just the right blend of being sophisticated and Arcadian.

I have barely scratched the surface of all of the events in which I participated during my visit to this paradise. In a Part Two of my Queenstown adventure, I will chronicle my adventures of bungee jumping, visits to wineries, back country jeep safaris, gold mining, and cuisine – the likes I have rarely experienced.

EAA, SPORTY’S OPEN DOORS TO AVIATION 40,000 YOUNG PEOPLE

December 2016

www.inflightusa.com

FOR

MORE

THAN

33

Free Online Courses Available to EAA Young Eagles Following their Flights

Experimental Aircraft The Association (EAA) and Sporty’s Pilot Shop are doing their part to ensure the next generation of aviation thrives, as more than 40,000 young people have now enrolled in the Sporty’s Learn to Fly online course as a follow-up to their flights in the EAA Young Eagles program, which introduces youth to aviation through free flights with EAA members.

The Sporty’s course, which was first offered to all Young Eagles in 2009, allows young people to take the FAA sport, recreational, and private pilot ground school courses at no charge. The courses are the next step for the approximately 70,000 Young Eagles flown each year by volunteer EAA-member pilots.

Since the Young Eagles program launched in July 1992, 50,000 pilots have flown more than two million young people.

“Sporty’s long-term support for the Young Eagles program is truly outstanding,” said Brian O’Lena, EAA Manager of Young Eagles. “Sporty’s understands the Young Eagles mission and provides a way for kids and teens to explore aviation using the most up-to-date training technologies available today. This means that more than 40,000 young people have had the opportunity to pursue their dreams of flight.”

The concept for the free online courses was developed with input from EAA pilots who had been flying Young Eagles. Those pilots reported that many of the young people wanted to discover

RIGHT FOOTED: INSPIRATION,

It’s about overcoming obstacles and inspiring others. Jessica Cox was born with no arms, yet she earned a black belt in Taekwondo, writes and types with her toes, and flies airplanes. She spreads encouragement around the world, even as she campaigns for the rights of the disabled, at home in the USA and worldwide, through her public engagements and work with NGOs. Since the movie, Right Footed, screened at 50 film festivals and won 17 film festival awards (including Best Documentary in the Mirabile Dictu Film Festival in Rome), people have been waiting for a chance to own a copy. Now

more about aviation but lacked access to reliable and professional resources.

Sporty’s filled that role by offering its popular online course at no charge. The goal is to build the next generation of aviators and boost student pilot starts with a group already engaged through the Young Eagles program.

“There’s no better way to ensure a robust aviation community than by attracting new young people to the pilot ranks,” said Sporty’s President Michael Wolf. “Sporty’s Learn to Fly online course in tandem with EAA’s Young Eagles program provides a tangible and measurable way to achieve that goal.”

Young Eagles receive information on how to register and begin the Sporty’s

WITH A

SPECIAL LINK

Now Available on DVD, Streaming, and On Demand they can.

Right Footed was filmed more than two years, on three continents.

Producer/Director Nick Spark shares thoughts of Jessica’s family, her early life, and her own metamorphosis from victim to conqueror, showing how determination can overcome most anything.

Richly filmed scenes of Jessica’s pilot training, her mother and her brother’s thoughts, then and now; her wedding, her work with young people who have disabilities, even of her first solo flight – all blend together in an uplifting message of hope and accomplishment.

Filled with poignant moments in

Africa, the Philippines, and the USA, Right Footed isn’t just a story of a women’s personal genesis or a story of how anyone with the determination can fly. It’s a story of the triumph of the human spirit. It’s a great movie for family gatherings, for Thanksgiving, or over Christmas.

Right Footed also earned “ 5 doves” from the Dove Foundation; and it was selected by the State Department for the “ American Film Showcase.”

The DVD is available at: store.rightfootedmovie.com/Default.asp Right Footed can be streamed on the following platforms:

“Each year, the Top Hawk program continues to expand its reach, and we are excited to grow the program with five university partners in 2017,” said Doug May, vice president, Piston Aircraft.

“These universities are renowned for their innovative aviation programs, and we are confident they will represent the Top Hawk program and Cessna brand very well as we work together to provide students state-of-the art resources and empower them to choose a rewarding career in aviation.”

Textron Aviation continues to partner with top aviation programs for col-

laboration and to support the advancement of general aviation and the modernization of aircraft training fleets. These partnerships with universities, training organizations, and flight schools throughout the world continue to support the next generation of aviators and the Top Hawk program plays a vital role in this strategy.

In addition to the aircraft, the top students from each of the five universities will be chosen for a Textron Aviation summer internship. These students will receive valuable exposure beyond flight training to include real world experience from various corporate departments such

CESSNA ANNOUNCES 2017 UNIVERSITY PARTNERS ANNUAL TOP HAWK PROGRAM

Cessna Aircraft Company, a subsidiary of Textron Aviation Inc., announced it has selected the following university partners for the 2017 Top Hawk program: Eastern Kentucky University, The Ohio State University, Auburn University, Southern Illinois University Carbondale, and Louisiana Tech University. Each university will take delivery of a new, custom-branded Cessna Skyhawk 172 aircraft in early 2017 to support flight training, recruiting efforts, and promotional activities at their respective universities throughout the year.

courses immediately after their flights.

The instructions and login information allow young people to get involved quickly.

What’s next? “Reaching more kids with these aviation opportunities because all of us understand the urgency to get more people involved in flying,” O’Lena said. “The Young Eagles Program is celebrating its 25th anniversary year in 2017 and thanks to the support of Sporty’s, the most successful youth aviation program in history will continue well into the future.”

More information is available at www.EAA.org/YoungEagles.

TO

AVIATION

• iTunes http://apple.co/2dSKq5Z • Amazon Video: http://amzn.to/ 2f7PR40 • Google Play: http://bit.ly/2fbpTKS • Sony PlayStation: http://bit.ly/ 2fsTOBL • VUDU: http://bit.ly/2fCgWwK It is also available on these “On Demand” platforms: AT&T U-verse; Comcast Xfinity; Charter Spectrum (aka Time Warner Cable); DirecTV; DISH; Google Play; iTunes; Sony PlayStation; Verizon FiOS; and VUDU. For more information, visit RightFootedMovie.com

FOR ITS

THIRD

as sales, marketing, flight operations, integrated supply chain, and engineering to promote a career in aviation.

Garmin and Bose will also be sponsoring the Top Hawk program again this year by providing several of their industry-leading products. Garmin will provide a G1000 database subscription, GDL39 ADS-B receiver, Garmin Pilot subscription and Garmin VIRB XE HD action camera, and Bose will provide its A20 Aviation Headset for each Top Hawk aircraft.

For more information, visit www.textron.com.

In Flight USA Celebrating 32 Years

34

ANOTHER REALLY BAD IDEA

December 2016

Homebuilder’s Workshop

E

very so often, somebody with enough clout to be listened to promotes a really bad idea. This year’s really bad idea is a continuous 180-degree turn to final to replace rectangular traffic patterns. The motivation is noble, hoping to reduce base to final stall-spin accidents (which are actually rare), part of the FAA’s initiative to reduce loss-of-control accidents. Even rudimentary analysis indicates that this new idea seems unlikely to succeed while compromising the benefits of traditional traffic patterns.

Well intended, but bad ideas, are not new when dealing with safety issues.

Some years ago, in those dark days long before GPS when only the very rich had DME, the really bad idea was how to get VFR traffic to circumnavigate all of the airspaces in the Los Angeles basin.

Believe it or not, the idea proposed was to use VOR, and not just single VOR, but dual VORs, putting all traffic on the same routes, crossing each other at the same waypoints with the attendant-collision risks. That proposal actually got published but fortunately got squashed, as dual VOR navigation was a considerable challenge to the VFR pilot population, and heads-down navigation is the last thing you want in a high-traffic area.

Plus, few VFR planes had dual VORs. So now here comes the circling approach to final to avoid the “dangerous” base to final turn. Trouble is, the airplane will still have to turn the last 90

degrees to the runway, and none of the “dangerous” factors will be mitigated by a continuous turn. And in many highwing airplanes, if you don’t level the wings for base leg, you might not detect that you were overshooting the runway until it is too late, making the circling approach more dangerous than a square pattern. And if the turn has to be made early or late for traffic, the turn to final will not be standard as promised but will end at varying heights above the runway.

To me, there’s something fundamentally wrong about perceiving a problem (pilots don’t have enough skill to fly square patterns safely) and then proposing a “solution” that is still vulnerable to the original complaint. If pilots can’t fly a square pattern safely, why will they suddenly be able to fly a continuously turning pattern safely? A better solution is to realize that, as one sage put it, a private pilot license is minimum qualifications, but there is no training in place to meaningfully expand pilot skills to more of the flight envelope. Commercial, ATP, and even aerobatics don’t teach enough. Bush flying, gliders, and floats are a start to full aircraft mastery.

The circling approach motivation seems to be based upon Navy carrier landings and tactical military jet operations, when planes overfly the runway and then perform a “break” to downwind, and a 180-degree turn to final. No surprise, but there are a number of unstated

Drone World Expo

Continued from Page 32 Lovells provided an overview of the last year for the drone industry where UAS/drone user registration topped 600,000 by the end of Sept. 2016 compared to 250,000 manned aircraft registrations. West discussed the key factors driving the growth in the industry, which have been fueled by the implementation of the long-awaited/anticipated Part 107, as well as recommendations for the FAA Micro UAS ARC, the creation and adoption of the NTIA and Industry Privacy

Best Practices, and the Congressional Extension of FAA Reauthorization Act to name a few.

On Wednesday morning of the conference, attendees had a chance to hear from Zipline International, Crisfield Clinic, X (formerly Google x), and the Virginia Tech Mid-Atlantic Aviation Partnership who discussed the implementation of drone delivery, and the realities and challenges the industry faces.

Lawrence Williams of Zipline showcased the work they are doing in Rwanda deliv-

and invalid assumptions: that planes don’t have to adjust the turn to final for other traffic, nor to speed up or slow down in the pattern, nor to extend or shorten final approach; there are no obstructions (terrain or airspace) to the traffic pattern; and all approaches can be flown at the same speed, with no adjustments for runway length, desired touchdown point, runway surface, or winds.

Those who have experienced general aviation in its fullest––meaning different aircraft performance and handling, different aircraft systems, visibility from the cockpit, different flying styles used by different people, local airport customs, differing runways and obstructions, airspaces, weather, density altitude, pilot competencies and lots more––know that one size doesn’t fit all. Too many aviation “experts” may have admirable experience in one arena, like in the military, but they have no clue that their experience doesn’t transfer to the broad smorgasbord that is general aviation. After all, a major thrust in airline and military aviation safety is for standardization to reduce the risks that come with variability, but in general aviation, standardization was long since traded for utility.

The circling approach is going to be studied by one of the nations leading aeronautical universities. I’ve read several theses from that school, and from the aeronautical university where I used to teach grad school, and the quality of

research is often very poor indeed.

One common flaw Ed was that the realWischmeyer world problem was poorly defined and often irrelevant, and when a bunch of data was gathered and processed within an inch of its life, that data led to no meaningful conclusion. Another common problem is that the universities are often aeronautically inbred, know only their own style of flying in their own part of the country, and their results are thus limited to their own small fraction of general aviation.

One can hope that the research is properly done. If there are things to be learned, let’s go for it and see what’s there. But a major caveat is that changing the flying customs and traditions of the entire country will require that any new solution be not just better but a whole lot better to justify all of the costs and risks of transition.

I have my doubts. Obviously.

It’s also curious that the proposals, at least as far as I’ve seen, don’t address the conventional square traffic pattern on the upwind portion.

ering medical supplies and said, “Instant delivery is what people expect, and in healthcare logistics, it can save lives.

Currently our drones in Rwanda are capable of delivery of life-saving medical products, in a 15- to 35-minute timeframe, which is truly transformative.” He and Dr. Kerry Palakanis of Crisfield Clinic discussed the work they are doing toward bringing this technology to rural areas in the United States.

Drone World Expo 2017 will be held Oct. 3-4, 2017 once again at the San Jose

Convention Center. For more information, visit www.droneworldexpo.com.

The event is produced by JD Events, dedicated to the creation of targeted and innovative industry-leading events that deliver results. The company brings together highly qualified buying audiences, education-rich content, and highlevel networking opportunities––all geared toward increasing business transactions in the markets it serves.

The views expressed herein are those of the individual writer and necessarily those of In Flight USA.

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December 2016 www.inflightusa.com 35

36

COMMEMORATIVE AIR FORCE ANNOUNCES “12 PLANES OF CHRISTMAS” TO SUPPORT WWII AIRCRAFT RESTORATION In Flight USA Celebrating 32 Years

The Commemorative Air Force (CAF) will again promote “12 Planes of Christmas,” an online giving campaign.

Located at www.SupportCAF.org, the campaigns provide an opportunity to aide in the restoration and maintenance of the aircraft as well as learn more about the CAF’s fleet of 165 authentic military airplanes. All of the CAF aircraft are restored, maintained, flown, and exhibited by a dedicated volunteer force, which operates out of 60 different CAF locations across the country. The organization depends on donations to keep em’ flying.

In addition to donating to individual aircraft, donations can be directed to the Restoration Grant Fund. One of the most important programs at the CAF, the Restoration Grant Fund has helped more than 20 aircraft return to flight. This program is a matching-grant and ensures that money goes to support aircraft projects with the greatest need. Flying aircraft are essential to the mission of the CAF; the nearly 60-year-old organization strives to engage people in the history of these aircraft, and experience the sights, sounds, and smells of these historic aircraft, which played a central role in America’s victory in World War II. This year, the CAF will feature 12 planes, each with different historical significance and in various stages of restoration, some needing support to become airworthy again. The aircraft featured this year are: P-47 Thunderbolt, AT-11 Kansan, PT-17 Stearman, Interstate

Cadet, B-25 Mitchell (PBJ), PBY Catalina, L-3 Grasshopper, Twin Beech (SNB), B-17 Flying Fortress, J2K (UC61), BT-13 Valiant, and the FG-1D Corsair.

The campaign and website supportcaf.org launched on Giving Tuesday, Nov. 29, and will run throughout Dec. 2016.

About this year’s 12 Planes

Plane 1: P-47 ThunderboltDallas, Texas. The CAF’s P-47 has not flown in more than a decade, and the effort to get it back in the air is beginning!

Plane 2: AT-11 Kansan – Moriarty, N. Mex. This actual airplane served in the Albuquerque area during World War II, where it trained Bombardiers! Help this “home town hero” honor our veterans!

Plane 3: PT-17 Stearman – Heber City, Utah. During World War II, it was a trainer, and now it is a teacher! The aircraft serves as a focal point for the many school groups who visit the CAF Utah Wing to learn about WWII History.

Plane 4: Interstate Cadet – Princeton, N.J. Help the CAF Delaware Valley Wing tell the story of Cornelia Fort, one of the first female pilots to fly U.S. Military airplanes. Fort witnessed the Pearl Harbor attack from a Cadet just like this one!

Plane 5: B-25 Mitchell (PBJ) – Camarillo, Calif. This one-of-a-kind airplane is the last of the PBJs, the Marine

Corps version of the ubiquitous B-25.

This airplane recently returned to the air after a 23-year restoration – help push it over the finish line.

Plane 6: PBY Catalina – Duluth, Minn. PBY crews are among the U.S. Military’s forgotten warriors. Hunting submarines, rescuing aircrews, and sailors, supporting this restoration will ensure their stories are told!

Plane 7: L-3 Grasshopper – San Diego, Calif. Support the CAF’s Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) educational programs in California by providing them with a hands-on opportunity to see aviation technology in action!

Plane 8: Twin Beech (SNB) – Indianapolis, Ind. Provide young people an opportunity to see where their modern household technology originated – in World War II – by supporting the efforts of the CAF’s Indiana Wing.

Plane 9: B-17 Flying Fortress – Houston, Texas. The most enduring of all World War II symbols, this mighty B17, needs support to continue its mission to honor, educate, and inspire. The airplane is named Texas Raiders in honor of all Texas veterans – but flies as a tribute to all of America’s WWII Bomber Crews.

Plane 10: J2K (UC-61) – Franklin, Va. Celebrate the 100th Anniversary of Coast Guard Aviation by supporting the restoration of the CAF’s only Coast Guard marked aircraft!

December 2016

Harry G. Harber, 6 from the right-NAS Atlanta.

(Courtesy CAF)

CAF Crosair FG-1D, May 1961, Rebel Field.

(Courtesy CAF) Plane 11: BT-13 Valiant – Houston, Texas. Join the Houston Wing of the CAF in their efforts to honor the Women Airforce Service Pilots––the trailblazing women pilots who flew U.S. Military airplanes in WWII. Plane 12: FG-1D Corsair – Peachtree City, Ga. Known as the Bent Wing-Bird or Whistling Death (to the Japanese), this iconic WWII fighter needs support to stay in fighting shape.

For more information on CAF, visit www.commemorativeairforce.org.

THE WRIGHT BROTHERS AUTHOR AND HISTORIAN EARNS 14TH ANNUAL NAHF COMBS GATES AWARD

David McCullough Receives $20,000 Prize from National Aviation Hall of Fame at NBAA Convention in Orlando

David McCullough, a two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning author, has now added the National Aviation Hall of Fame (NAHF) Combs Gates Award to the accolades for his recent bestseller, The Wright Brothers. McCullough was presented the $20,000 cash prize at a special session during the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) 69th Annual Meeting & Convention in Orlando, Fla. Presenting McCullough his award were former NAHF Enshrinees Clay Lacy, Russ Meyer, and Sean D. Tucker, accompanied by Amanda Wright-Lane, the great grand-niece of Orville and Wilbur Wright, and NAHF Chairman of the Board, William R. Harris.

NAHF Enshrinement & Outreach Director,

Ron Kaplan, led the presentation, which included the official, public announcement of its Enshrinee Class of 2017.

The Wright Brothers (Simon & Shuster, 2015) presents the extraordinary story-behind-the-story of two brothers from Dayton, Ohio, Orville and Wilbur Wright, and how they succeeded at powered, controlled flight where many others had failed. Orville and Wilbur Wright are understandably the first two individuals to be enshrined by the National Aviation Hall of Fame, located in Dayton. Since its release, The Wright Brothers has become a bestselling book and was optioned as the source material for an upcoming mini-series about the brothers.

Its author, McCullough, has twice received the Pulitzer Prize, for Truman and John Adams, and twice received the National Book Award, for The Path Between the Seas and Mornings on Horseback. He now adds the prestigious Combs Gates Award for The Wright Brothers. His other acclaimed books include The Greater Journey, 1776, Brave Companions, The Johnstown Flood, and The Great Bridge.

The Combs Award, its original title, grew out of a donation to the NAHF by the late Harry Combs, a 1996 enshrinee of the NAHF. As part of a generous $1.3 million gift to help fund the creation of a NAHF research center, Combs stipulated that the

Combs Award be established to encourage and support relevant aviation history research and preservation efforts. A panel of expert judges review each submission based upon criteria such as historical accuracy, creativity, potential for long-term impact, and value to the Hall of Fame mission of honoring America’s outstanding air and space pioneers.

Combs was instrumental to the growth and development of business aviation. Consequently the NAHF partnered with the NBAA to host the award presentation at its annual meeting and convention, the largest purely civil aviation event in the world. The inaugural award Continued on Page 38

STRATOS 714 COMPLETES INAUGURAL FLIGHT

December 2016

The inaugural flight of the Stratos 714 Very Light Jet (VLJ) was completed successfully on Nov. 21, 2016. With Dave Morss at the controls, the four seat, personal jet aircraft was launched for a ten-minute flight. The purpose of the first flight was to verify general stability and systems operation. This flight’s maximum speed was limited to 128 knots at an altitude of 3,700’ AGL with the flaps at 24 degrees and the gear extended for the duration. Morss was satisfied with the overall handling and provided the development team with useful feedback.

Stratos will continue with a vigorous flight test program to explore the aircraft’s flight envelope with expectations of achieving a cruise speed of over 400 knots and a range of 1500 nautical miles.

With that kind of performance, the aircraft can fly from Miami to Seattle in about 7 hours with just one stop.

“After years of development, the first flight was a very exciting event for the whole team” said Michael Lemaire, CEO of Stratos Aircraft. “We invested the time and effort in the initial design and construction phases to assure that this proof of concept aircraft would ease the path to certification. After flight testing is complete, we will pursue a Type Certificate. We could shave off a consid-

www.inflightusa.com

Stratos Aircraft has flown their prototype 714 VLJ successfully and is continuing to log hours while evaluating performance and handling.

erable amount of certification time and start producing finished aircraft with additional investment, of course.” Kevin Jordan, Chief Sales Officer adds: “At this time, we are not taking deposits or orders but we have made it possible for interested parties to register on our website for airplane availability updates and investment opportunities.”

Stratos is planning a product introduction at EAA’s AirVenture 2017. “We believe that the Stratos 714 will provide a very efficient and fast ride for the owner/operator who wants to transport his family, several friends or colleagues in comfort at flight level 410,” said Carsten Sundin, the CTO. For more information visit StratosAircraft.com.

L.A. CO. AIR SHOW ANNOUNCES 2017 SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM

The Los Angeles County Air Show presented by Lockheed Martin announces the STEM Scholarship Program that will recognize and reward a minimum of three students with scholarships in the amount of $2,500 each. To be eligible for the Los Angeles County Air Show STEM Scholarship, applicants must be entering college for the first time in the fall of 2017 and plan to pursue college/university level studies in Science, Technology, Engineering, Math (STEM), or Aerospace. Applicants must be U.S. citizens who reside in the Antelope Valley region and maintain credits to graduate high school at the spring semester of 2017 and start in the fall of 2017.

Criteria and information can be found at www.lacoairshow.com under the scholarships link. Applications will be accepted through 12 a.m., Sunday, Jan. 15, 2017. Recipients will be recognized at the airshow.

The Los Angeles County Air Show is considered to be one of the nation’s

premier Air Shows. Headlining the airshow will be the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds who will perform both days on Saturday, March 25 and Sunday, March 26, 2017.

The airshow will also have a full schedule of world-renowned aerobatic performers from all over the country, skydivers, and warbirds.

In addition to the attractions in the sky, the Los Angeles County Air Show is home to an impressive, interactive STEM exhibition, believed to be one of the largest expos of any airshow, extensive static displays, a Kid’s Zone, an iconic Aeronautical Historical Panel, and more.

For more information on the Los Angeles County Air Show, STEM, and pre-sale tickets, please go to www.lacoairshow.com. Follow on Facebook, Twitter @LACountyAirShow, Instagram, and SnapChat for updates.

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38

AFRICAN SELF-FLY SAFARI WITH HANKS AERO ADVENTURES INC. In Flight USA Celebrating 32 Years

It’s the “flying thing” you’re grappling with. You can’t get enough of it.

You were bitten by the bug, you earned your license, you’re a pilot. You’ve flown all over the state. You’ve flown across the country a time or two. Maybe you’ve flown north into Canada and Alaska or to Baja or even across the pond. You landed at airfields you’d never before seen and spent the day exploring places you’d only dreamed about. With an airplane, the sky and the receding horizon are the only limits. The towns and people below are yours to discover. Drop in and find a new place, new people, and a new world, a new adventure! You are an aviator, and new worlds opened before you.

Nick and Christina Hanks took the “flying thing” to another level. In 1996, they flew the Atlantic through Europe and the length of Africa in a Helio Courier. It was a life-changing adventure that continues to this day. By the time they landed in South Africa, they were convinced that American pilots would love the “Out of Africa” experience.

They set up Hanks Aero Adventures Inc, a U.S.-based company that enables pilots to safely fly a C-182 from one bush camp to another – the Self-Fly Safari – and experience the African wilderness as only a pilot could imagine.

For the past 21 years, they have organized self-piloted bush flying experiences for individuals and escorted groups.

Hanks Aero provides the planes, makes all the arrangements, and sets up an itinerary to bush camps in many southern African countries. It’s a turnkey operation.

Now two South Africans – Louis and Shana Ashpole – have joined the

Hanks Aero team. Louis, an ATP-rated pilot and flight instructor who has flown extensively in Africa, and Shana, a Veterinary Nutritionist who loves flying, are now in charge of southern African operations. The couple has launched many African flights and escorted groups for Hanks Aero Adventures into Namibia, Botswana, and elsewhere in southern Africa. The Hanks’ are planning to retire in the coming years and will focus on promoting Self-Fly Safaris, which they pioneered.

“You need to be ready, so Louis and Shana will spend a lot of time with you in the first several days,” Nick said referring to several Briefings you receive once in South Africa. They bring in professionals for an instructor briefing and an Air Traffic Controller (ATC) to familiarize you with the region’s airspace. You are given a “Cockpit Trip Kit” tailored to the route you will be flying.

They do the flight planning, file your flight plans and get clearances, check weather for you, tell you where and when to clear international customs, and where to refuel. They’ve simplified it into a turnkey operation.

“Before you launch, we go over the entire route with you,” Louis explained.

You’ll have navigational materials (electronic or paper charts) a GPS with the route pre-programmed and carry a tracking device to monitor your progress along the route you’re flying.

“All you have to do is get yourself to Johannesburg, South Africa. Louis and Shana will meet you there and guide you through the certification process,” explained Chris.

“Its air, airplanes, and airstrips,” said Nick. “If you can fly a plane at home, you can fly one in Africa. The landing fields are usually dirt strips, but more than 3,000-feetNalls long and well maintained. A game ranger meets you at the airstrip and drives you to camp.

Not a Pilot?

In addition, the company now sets up charter safaris with professional pilots in planes large enough for parties of six to 10 people. For pilots who no longer fly or want an experienced pilot/guide along there are two convenient options.

First, you can have a safety pilot accompany you in a C-182 or C-210 throughout your safari. Alternatively, gather a few like-minded couples together and take your safari in the comfort of a chartered Cessna Caravan or Pilatus PC12. You’ll visit all the same camps you would have visited if you flew it yourself.

“The lodges are beautiful,” Chris adds. “The tents are large, spacious, and comfortable with hot showers, good mattresses, fresh linen, and private facilities.

You’ll get gourmet meals, plenty to drink and good South African wine at every stop. It’s all really luxurious. The staff is there to make your stay memorable.”

What’s it like?

At each camp, you’ll set out twice a day in a game drive vehicle with a professional ranger who knows the terrain and is skilled at tracking lion, leopard, and other game that lives in the area. On the morning drive, you’ll stop for a coffee

14th Annual NAHF Combs Gates Award

Continued from Page 36 was presented at the Opening General Session of the NBAA Meeting & Convention in 2003, the 100th anniversary of the first powered flight.

John Gates and his sister, Diane G. Wallach, are co-trustees of the Gates Frontiers Fund, created by their late parents and philanthropists, Charles C. and June S. Gates. The late Mr. Gates, who passed away in 2005 at age 84, was a partner with Combs in several aviation businesses, including the Combs Gates

FBO chain and Gates Learjet. This year marks the 14th year for the award and its 11th year with the name changed to reflect a multi-year commitment by the Gates Frontiers Fund to endow the award.

The award pays homage to Gates’ belief in the benefit of historical preservation and study, and to Combs’ own research efforts behind his acclaimed 1979 book, Kill Devil Hill: Discovering the Secrets of the Wright Brothers.

Combs was inspired to write the book

after close friend and fellow NAHF enshrinee, the late Neil Armstrong, presented him a bound collection of the Wright Brothers’ personal papers.

Combs died in Dec. 2003 at age 90.

There is no doubt he would be well pleased with the judges’ selection of The Wright Brothers. During the inaugural award ceremony at the NBAA convention held a month before his passing, Combs remarked, “Just as Neil’s gift inspired me to discover the secrets of the Wright’s, I want to motivate a new gener-

December 2016

break in the bush.

“They serve ‘high tea’ at camp in the mid-afternoon and then set out for another game drive,” Chris adds. “As the sun is setting, they stop and serve ‘sundowners’ (drinks) at some place with a great view.”

The ranger uses a spotlight to find nocturnal game on the drive back to the lodge.

When you’re back, you are treated to a great meal!”

“Whatever you encounter on these safaris – it isn’t rugged and you won’t starve,” said Nick. “All the lodges are first class. We’ve never been disappointed.”

Over the years, hundreds of people – ranging from low-time 100-hour pilots to 30,000-hour ATP’s – have taken a SelfFly Safari organized by Hanks Aero Adventures. Tours are customized to suit your interests and time. The best season for flying in southern Africa is between April and October (the southern hemisphere’s pleasant winter) and coincides with the best season for viewing Africa’s “Big Five,” plains game and bird life.

Ready to experience Africa as a pilot? Hanks Aero Adventures will make it happen. “Plan early” said Chris. “The best destinations are small, intimate lodges. They are not hotels, and they can fill up quickly, particularly between July and September – the peak season.”

Whether you’re expanding your horizons or checking off items on your “bucket list” a Self-Fly Safari most pilots agree, is a “trip of a lifetime!”

Visit Hanks Aero Adventures booth the Northwest Aviation Expo at Puyallup, Wash. and at Sun ‘n’ Fun this year Lakeland, Fla. For more information, visit www.SelfFlySafari.com.

ation of historians, researchers, and preservationists to continue the process of clarifying and preserving our nation’s amazing air and space history for generations to come.”

To find out more about the NAHF or to secure an application to submit a project for 2017 Combs Gates Award consideration, please contact the NAHF Harry B. Combs Research Department at 937/256-0944, Ext. 19, or visit www.nationalaviation.org.

Visit In Flight USA’s website for the latest aviation news... www.inflightusa.com

December 2016

MENTE GROUP – U.S. MARKET

IS

Dallas, Texas based business aviation company, Mente Group, attended NBAA BACE last month promoting a Gulfstream IV (#N44BB) for sale on the static display at Orlando Executive Airport. The 1987-built aircraft, owned by a private individual, is distinctive with a brand-new Gulfstream designed cabin modeled on the G450, with Rockwell Collins Venue, Aircell (Gogo Inflight Entertainment), a forward galley and a vacuum toilet. Uniquely, it is the only Gulfstream IV in the world equipped with synthetic vision. The aircraft reflects an increasing trend in the U.S. whereby owners are buying less expensive, older aircraft but investing in the specification and introducing up-to-date avionics, IFE, and state-of-the-art cabin refurbishments.

“Generally we find the market is receptive to those who take advice and properly price their aircraft,” said Mente

Group COO Richard Emery. “If the price is too high, the aircraft will sit for sale for a long time. Typically we are looking at more than 200 days to sell a pre-owned business aircraft––on most models.

However, if they are competitively priced, they can sell within 90 days.” he added. “Choice in the number of large cabin, long-range aircraft, which Mente specializes in, is diminishing, and as a result, resale values on aircraft of less than five years is stabilizing.”

Sales across all of Mente’s business lines have been strong, and activity prior to year-end has been positive across all categories, including small, midsize, and large cabin, Richard notes.

“With our client base, we are seeing limited activity on ‘new’ aircraft transactions, which we attribute to a generational shift,” he said. “CEOs and business founders have the mind-set of a ‘capacity

The first African Business Aviation Conference, (AfB AC 2016) was held in Cape Town Nov. 17-18. Rady Fahmy, Chief Executive Officer of AfBAA, has confirmed delegate registrations topped that of any previous AfBAA event, with more than 150 delegates registered. “We are delighted to see that delegates valued the event enough to register in advance,” said Fahmy.

Built on the success of the AfBAA Regional Symposium, AfBAC has evolved into a two-day conference that welcomes an impressive list of influential African business aviation executives, in addition to international attendees exploring operational opportunities on the continent. The

Aircraft values have been declining for a decade, but the cost of hourly engine maintenance programs has not. LEAP was created to deliver more affordable hourly engine coverage for operators of TFE731 and JT15D-powered aircraft.

The Honeywell TFE731 and Pratt and Whitney JT15D engine platforms power more than 3,000 business jets.

Using LEAP’s oversight, the engines can be operated more economically.

“Over the last decade, airframe, engine, and engine part values have

CHANGING

Business News 39

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ON

PRE-OWNED AIRCRAFT

sharing generation’ akin to Uber, Lyft, and Airbnb millennials. They are more diverse and less brand loyal. They will be prouder that they struck a good price on their aircraft, rather than boast they picked up the latest business jet. The status of a new aircraft transaction is less important to our clients. They are value driven and price conscious,” he surmised.

“Today’s problem is that there are too many models to match market demand. If product development slips, the brand is at risk,” opined Emery, putting the OEMs under a lot of pressure.

“When an OEM cancels a program, it causes the aircraft in question to diminish in price,” he said.

Mente’s view is no matter what the brand is, to succeed it needs strong product development.

The market shows that pre-owned inventories are flat, not growing, and we

are not seeing the prices firming with a declining inventory of aircraft.

The Holy Grail in business aviation he suggested is speed. With regard to cabin size and range combinations, aircraft types like the Gulfstream G650 and Bombardier Global 7000 are flying farther faster.

Emery believes that there is a market for a next generation of business jets and potential for supersonic transportation.

The majority of Mente’s business transactions are North American centric.

“We are seeing good buying opportunities internationally, but we are not seeing the volume of international buyers Mente has historically serviced. This is why we want to grow our international presence and expand the brand,” he highlighted.

For more information, visit www.mentegroup.com.

new, annual flagship event will encourage innovation, discussion, and debate about the topics that will ensure stability of the Business Aviation sector in Africa.

In another first, a dedicated afternoon session debating the use of remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPAS) and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) in Africa, a continent that is said to lend itself well to the opportunities presented by this rapidly developing technology, was also be conducted.

During the event, Tarek Ragheb, Founding Chairman of the Association, announced a new Board of Directors, which will have the baton of governance

passed to them. They were introduced to delegates and have their roles and activity defined for the next there years.

As momentum builds, sponsors are also confirming their involvement. Bestfly, the Angolan business aviation company has confirmed it has taken the leading sponsorship position for the first time at an AfBAA event. Nuno Pereira, Bestfly MD has supported AfBAA since launch, has been an active voice throughout the Association’s development, and was appointed as Vice Chairman of the Association in Sept. 2016.

The Diamond sponsorship firmly demonstrates his commitment and belief in the potential of the Association.

“We are taking AfBAA to the next level with this event,” says Fahmy. “It has a whole host of new elements built in, aims to encourage participation from all sectors of the business aviation arena, and will highlight our achievements over the last year. It is meetings like this that underscore just how important sharing information in this emerging market is. We thank our sponsors, and particularly Nuno and his team at Bestfly, for their Diamond-level commitment. Without them, all this type of activity just wouldn’t be possible.”

For further information visit: afbaa.org/events/african-business-aviation-conference-afbac-cape-town-2016.

dropped substantially; however, the traditional engine programs have actually increased in price,” said Sean Lynch, LEAP founder and president. “LEAP takes advantage of the substantial parts and services discounts now available and passes that value directly to our customers.”

LEAP reduces the cost of maintenance for the JT15D-4, JT15D-5, and all variations of the TFE731-2, TFE731-3, and TFE731-5 engines, with more engine platforms being added. There are three programs being offered for engine coverage:

• Comprehensive Engine Coverage: all scheduled and unscheduled engine maintenance, including life limited parts, LRUs, loaner engines, line maintenance, and 24/7 access to LEAP’s AOG assistance.

• Proportional Coverage: For those starting the program without a full buyin. As an example, LEAP will cover the next overhaul on a 50 percent basis if the operator has already flown through 50 percent of the time prior to the next overhaul at the time of enrollment. This includes all coverage from the compre-

hensive program, however, covered at the proportional rate.

• Catastrophic Failure Coverage: limited to the catastrophic failure of the engine prior to its next scheduled event; this program also includes unscheduled failure of LRUs. The program also covers AOG and troubleshooting support. LEAP has full APU coverage on the GTCP-36-100A, 36100E, and Sundstrand T62T-40C3A/3A1.

For more information, contact Sean Lynch at info@leap.aero or 214/350-0877.

INCREASED INTEREST IN FIRST AFBAC HIGHLIGHTS CONTINUED IMPORTANCE OF AFRICAN BUSINESS AVIATION

LEGACY ENGINE ASSURANCE PROGRAM (LEAP) LAUNCHED TO PROVIDE A QUALITY ALTERNATIVE FOR TFE731 AND JT15D ENGINE MAINTENANCE

40

In Flight USA Celebrating 32 Years

December 2016

It has been said that the only voluntary act in aviation is the decision to take-off. Every action after take-off involves the skillful management of risk, the enjoyment of flight and a continuous stream of decisions that result in a safe landing.

In 1974, NASA created the Aviation Safety Reporting System (ASRS) to allow aviation professionals to share experiences in a frank, non-punitive manner.

The ASRS structure allows pilots and other aviation professionals to file an anonymous report of an incident, error or occurrence that the contributor feels might be of value to others. These reports are gathered, analyzed and data based by NASA experts and made available to all interested parties as a tool for creating proactive aviation safety programs. Additionally, NASA distributes an electronic publication, CALLBACK, which contains selected, de-identified, reports on a free subscription basis. In Flight USA is proud to reprint selected reports, exerpted from CALLBACK, for our readers to read, study, occasionally laugh at, and always learn from. Visit http://asrs.arc.nasa.gov/ to learn how you can participate in the ASRS program.

The perennial perils of winter weather are upon us once again. Seasonal weather, consisting of low temperatures and visibilities, freezing rain, ice, drizzle, snow, and fog, brings many additional challenges to flight operations. Hazards exist everywhere and may not be clearly evident. Degrading conditions, changing schedules, unpredictable situations, complex procedures, ambiguity, confusion, task saturation, and fatigue can all increase the seasonal risk. The FAA has taken many safety-related actions to improve the safety of aircraft that encounter icing conditions on the ground and in flight. Carriers and crews are equally invested. De-icing and anti-icing procedures are routinely modified each year and get dusted off with the same regularity. Strict discipline, adherence to procedures, keen vigilance, and superior situational awareness are all integral to safe operations, and occasionally, some ingenuity is necessary to avert an incident. The ability to perceive and act on potentially imperceptible threats can be critical. This month, CALLBACK examines reported incidents attesting to the wide range of hazards associated with icy winter weather. We look predominantly at events stemming from air carrier deicing operations, but the hazards are equally pertinent to all aviators.

Carbs and Calories

This General Aviation pilot departed on an IFR flight in instrument conditions.

He suspected that carburetor icing resulted in a partial power loss and an unplanned landing.

• [We] departed on an IFR flight plan to our home base with four souls on board... The takeoff was normal, in rain, [with] low visibility and ceiling. [I was]…cleared to 7,000 feet. All [was] normal until approaching 5,000 feet when [the] engine was not developing climb power. [I] turned on the carb heat with no noticeable change, then turned it off after four to five minutes. [I] turned on [the] electric fuel pump, changed tanks, and adjusted the mixture, [all] with no change.

DECLARING WINTER HAZARDS

I did not check the magnetos. [I] was able to hold altitude at this time but [with] little or no climb. I told ATC that we had a problem and wanted to return. He replied that the weather had deteriorated at [our departure, but another airport] had better conditions and was closer. I accepted that recommendation, and he began vectoring us [for the] ILS...

I turned on the carb heat again, but engine power continued to worsen. I couldn’t hold altitude or airspeed, [and the] controller advised [us that] he didn’t show any roads or fields near our position. I broke out at about 400 feet AGL and landed in a farmer’s plowed and very muddy field. [There were] no injuries, and no damage occurred to the plane. No cause has been determined at this time, but I think carburetor ice could be a likely reason. Perhaps I missed signs and should’ve turned it on earlier or left it on longer, or perhaps the carb heat didn’t work as designed.

The De-Icing Communications Vacuum

A Captain’s attempts to communicate were apparently unsuccessful, and his message was not “heard.” As a result, a ground employee got a surprise when he approached this A321 to begin deicing procedures. The threat might have been mitigated had the Captain’s message been “received.”

• [We were] dispatched with an inoperative APU due to APU inlet icing while operating in freezing rain. [We] proceeded to the de-ice pad and contacted Snowman on the assigned frequency.

[We explained] our APU problem and notified them four to six times that we had both engines running... [We were] informed, as we entered [the de-ice] pad, to shut down the number 1 engine for deice and anti-ice fluid application. As we [set] the parking brakes and prepared to shut down the engine, Snowman informed us that de-ice personnel had approached the aircraft too soon and had [a] headset sucked into the number 1 engine. After ensuring [that the] employ-

ee was safe and unharmed, we contacted ATC, Operations, Maintenance, and Ramp, and returned to the gate.

Specifications More like Guidelines

This air carrier Captain had his aircraft treated with Types I and IV de-icing and anti-icing fluids. He was then perplexed when the Type IV fluid did not perform as specified.

• [We] requested de-ice and anti-ice fluid treatment after pushback... Station personnel sprayed the aircraft with Type I and Type IV fluids... After being sprayed and commencing taxi to the runway, ATC advised us of a ground stop to our destination, so we returned to the gate. While sitting at the gate for some time, the First Officer and I both noticed snow accumulating on top of both wings after only approximately 45 minutes since the commencement of the application of the Type IV fluid. We pointed out the snow accumulation to the station personnel… to make sure that they understood that the Type IV fluid was not holding up to the minimum holdover time. After our release by ATC, we had the aircraft deiced and anti-iced again in the same manner and departed without delay to our destination. The First Officer and I both reviewed the holdover tables for the Clariant fluid, making sure that we were looking at the proper table and reading it correctly. I don’t know why the Type IV fluid underperformed its holdover time.

Missed Trim and Mis-Trimmed

This B737 crew experienced considerable difficulty getting their aircraft properly de-iced before departure. The de-icing procedures produced distractions that resulted in an abnormal configuration for takeoff.

• [The] first push was on time. A significant delay occurred waiting for [our] first de-ice attempt... A cabin check was made, and frozen precipitation was observed on the cabin side of both engine nacelles... We were deiced a second time.

We did another cabin check, but the aircraft still had frozen precipitation in the same locations. Because of the extended ground time, we taxied back to the gate.

We spoke with the Supervisor at the gate, [who]… said that an experienced crew would do the [next] de-icing procedure.

They also requested that we trim the aircraft full nose down… to de-ice. As our procedure calls to de-ice in the green band, we had the [trim] as far forward as possible, but remaining in the green [band]. This did result in having to note the trim setting not being [set to] the proper [value] in the Before Push Checklist.

We… mentioned the need to reset the trim after de-icing. This time, we decided to do a cabin check at the point of deicing... Once again, we did not have a clean aircraft. Another call was made to Ops to de-ice again. Engines were shut down and we again described the location of the snow and contamination...

This fourth and final de-ice procedure was conducted with radio communication directly with the de-ice truck. They did a double check of each problem area and stated that they could see there was no contamination. The Captain did a cabin check and confirmed [that we now had] a clean aircraft. Post de-icing checklists were done, and we were finally at [the runway]. We were cleared by Tower for takeoff, and I taxied slowly onto the runway due to the ice and snow present and fair braking reports by other aircraft. After lining up and confirming the runway, I gave control of the thrust levers to the First Officer. As he advanced the thrust levers, we got a takeoff warning horn. I took control of the aircraft and quickly determined… that the trim, although it looked in the front edge of the green, was clearly not at the [correct] takeoff setting and was the source of the horn. We told Tower we needed to clear the runway.

Better Late Than Never

This B737 Captain was distracted with his wing anti-ice configuration durContinued on Page 41

RETROFIT PARACHUTES NOW AVAILABLE FOR CARBON CUB AND SPORT CUB

December 2016

41

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New Systems from BRS Aerospace Available for Installation on CubCrafters Fleet of LSA, Kit, and Builder Assist Aircraft

CubCrafters is announcing the availability of new airframe parachute systems for the company’s existing fleet of adventure airplanes. In May of 2016, the company introduced systems for new production Carbon Cubs. Now, retrofit parachutes may be installed at CubCrafters and at select Authorized Service Centers. The airframe parachute systems, developed in partnership with BRS Aerospace, contribute to the safety of CubCrafters’ already exceptional aircraft designs by providing pilots with a safe course of action in otherwise difficult emergencies.

“The extraordinarily slow stall speed, fundamentally sound wing design, and vortex generators assure low-speed stability and maneuverability in all CubCrafters aircraft,” said Randy

Safe Landings

Continued from Page 40 ing takeoff. The result was unintentional, but a significant deviation to the takeoff procedure occurred.

From the Captain’s report: • [It was a] flaps 1 takeoff on compacted snow. [I] began the takeoff roll with engine heat and wing anti-ice on.

After the “V1” call, [I] became distracted by the [wing] anti-ice configuration, causing [me] to miss the…”Rotate” call.

[I] rotated approximately 35 to 40 knots late.

From the First Officer’s report: • The Captain became distracted by the [wing] anti-ice on configuration right at the point I was making the “Rotate” call, requesting that I turn the wing antiice off. (The Wing Anti-Ice Switch was in the ON position with the blue valve position lights illuminated, indicating [the valves] had closed as designed). I repeated the “Rotate” call two more times in quick succession, and the [Captain] rotated late.

Sliding into Home

An A320 Captain encountered a snow-covered ramp while parking his aircraft at the gate. Normal precautions and procedures proved ineffective, so he reverted to his instincts to bring the aircraft to a stop.

• [As we approached] the gate, there were no personnel to guide us. The taxi-in line was covered in snow. After a few minutes, rampers appeared in tugs and on foot. The ramp was slippery as

Lervold, CubCrafters’ President. “The super-strong chrome-moly steel cage surrounding occupants in the Sport Cub and Carbon Cub is best in class. The addition of BRS systems to our fleet not only provides a proven life-saving technology, but also additional peace of mind for Carbon Cub pilots and passengers.”

The new BRS parachute system

retrofits are available for CubCrafters’ production Sport Cub and Carbon Cub SS aircraft, as well as the company’s Carbon Cub FX Builder Assist model and their EX/EX-2 kits. Two retrofit models are available: • LSA Sport Cub and Carbon Cub SS models, for gross weight up to 1,320 pounds (1,430 pounds on floats).

indicated by a ramper falling down. The tugs were sliding as well. We waited a few more minutes to be marshalled in. Finally the marshallers showed up, and we proceeded into the gate indicating one knot on the ground speed readout.

I was purposely very cautious on the taxi in. We were given the [normal] stop signal, and [I] set the brakes. The aircraft

continued to slide forward even though the brakes were set. The residual thrust at idle was enough to move the aircraft on the ramp under these conditions. The aircraft was not going to hit anything or anyone, but I was helpless at this point. I indicated to the marshaller to get the chocks in. He didn’t have any! I turned on the yellow pump and decided to shut

This version weighs 41.4 pounds and is priced at $15,990 installed.

• Carbon Cub EX, EX-2, and FX experimental aircraft for gross weight up to 1,865 pounds. This configuration weighs 43.5 pounds and is priced at $11,990 as a kit, or $15,990 installed.

The new BRS airframe parachute systems may be installed at CubCrafters Services in Yakima or at six select Authorized Service Centers across the United States. For more information, or to locate a BRS-qualified Service Center near you, contact CubCrafters’ Customer Support Manager, Jon Delamarter, at 509/367-5200, or email to jon.delamarter@cubcrafters.com.

For more information visit http://www.cubcrafters.com/carboncubss /parachute. down the engines in hopes [that] the loss of the residual thrust would help. It did.

The aircraft stopped sliding. What a helpless feeling. We were lucky that nothing was touched or damaged. Fortunately, the jetway was very far away from its normal position.

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WWII HERITAGE DAYS CELEBRATES, SALUTES THE GREATEST GENERATION In Flight USA Celebrating 32 Years

Salute the Greatest Generation and celebrate all things 1940s during the Commemorative Air Force (CAF) Dixie Wing 14th annual “WWII Heritage Days,” April 22-23, 2017. The festivities will take place at the CAF Dixie Wing Historical Airpower Facility, Atlanta Regional Airport-Falcon Field, Peachtree City, Ga. Beginning as a one-day program in 2003, WWII Heritage Days has emerged as the largest annual World War II and 1940s-themed event in Georgia. It is a can’t-miss experience for anyone who enjoys nostalgia, big band music, swing dance, historic aircraft and military vehicles, antique cars, and vintage fashion.

The program includes re-enactors portraying Allied and Axis troops, Rosie the Riveter, and Hollywood stars, as well as education displays and activities for school-aged children.

“WWII Heritage Days is a unique experience,” said Jennifer Johnson, Executive Director of the Peachtree City Convention and Visitor’s Bureau. “It is a celebration that can inspire people of all

ages and walks of life to embrace the history, culture, and legacy of The Greatest Generation.”

Most historians consider the Second World War the pivotal event of the 20th century, involving more than 30 countries and 100 million people from 1939 to 1945. The United States’ entry in the war in 1941 ultimately provided the Allies with a decisive advantage as the Arsenal of Democracy. Of the 16 million men and women who served in United States Armed Forces during World War II, the Veterans Administration estimates less than 850,000 are alive today.

“The mission of the Commemorative Air Force is education through the preservation of World War II aircraft and the stories of the men and women who built and flew them,” said Jay Bess, CAF Dixie Wing leader.

“WWII Heritage Days is a living history classroom.”

2017 will mark the 75th anniversary of several defining World War II events, including the Doolittle Raid, Battle of Coral Sea, and Battle of Midway. World

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December 2016

War II veterans, guest speakers, and authors will provide a unique glimpse into the men and women who changed history.

On Saturday evening, the romance and glamour of the Big Band years will return during “Keep ‘em Flying,” a 1940s-theme hangar dance fundraiser featuring The Peachtree Jazz Edition, an 18-piece swing band. The evening is set in the CAF Dixie Wing flying museum, decorated to recreate the mood of the era.

For more fun, the Wing encourages 1940s, black tie or semi-formal attire.

“Keep ‘em Flying” is a step back in time,” said Bess, “and a rare opportunity for anyone who enjoys the classic music, fashion and dancing of the Greatest Generation.”

WWII Heritage Days and Keep ‘em Flying draw enthusiasts to Peachtree City from throughout the southeast. Past participating organizations include the Atlanta World War II Round Table, American Rosie the Riveters Association, Atlanta History Center, Kennesaw State University’s Museum of

History & Holocaust Education, Marine Corps League, Museum of Aviation, the U.S. Army Signal Corps Museum, and Georgia Military Vehicle Preservation Association. Local civic organizations and schools are invited to participate.

Suggested donations for WWII Heritage Days are: Adults 17 and Older, $10; Ages 11-17 $5. Children 10 and under and World War II veterans are admitted free. WWII Heritage Days will take place rain or shine. Please no pets.

Tickets for “Keep ‘em Flying” are $55 before April 17th, $65 at the door.

Reserved tables and group discounts available. All ticket sales final. For more information, visit www.wwiidays.org or call 678/364-1110. Proceeds from the dance help cover the cost of the weekend and the group’s ongoing aircraft preservation efforts.

For more information about the Commemorative Air Force, visit www.commemorativeairforce.org.

For more information about the CAF Dixie Wing, visit www.dixiewing.org.

Visit Aircraft Spruce for a number of options on Tanis Products. Tanis was the first to develop engine-mounted preheat systems for piston engines, offer helicopter preheat, turbine preheat, and the first and only manufacturer to meet requirements for FAA Supplemental Type Certification. Tanis preheat kit contains threaded heat elements located in each cylinder assembly and pad heat elements for the engine crankcase/oil sump/oil tank. This multipoint configuration fully preheats the engine and attached acces-

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Fly into Sebring Expo with your homebuilt aircraft and show it off for four days.

Sebring Expo is creating a special display space for all homebuilt aircraft.

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by filling out our homebuilt form and purchase your discounted four-day event pass. We’ll create a display sign for you with your information. For more on the Sebring Expo, visit www.sportaviaion expo.com.

Have an event coming up? Submit it for publication in the online events calendar at www.inflightusa.com

December 2016

2017 ANNUAL MEETING – SAVE

Make room on your calendar for an exceptional weekend of aviation friends and history at the AAHS Annual Meeting, Feb 3-5, 2017 at Gillespie Field, San Diego.

AAHS invites you to explore the San Diego Air And Space Museum restoration hangar annex, enjoy an afternoon of history lectures at the beautiful Allen Airways Museum, and antique aircraft fly-ins of the Antique Aircraft Association.

Event Schedule **

Friday Evening, February 3 AAHS reception and presentation

www.inflightusa.com

“Lighter than Air Ships of early San Diego” at Carlton Oakes Country Club

Saturday, Feb. 4 Antique Aircraft Fly-in – donuts and Coffee Allen Airways Hangar Walking Tour of San Diego Air & Space Museum Restoration AnnexGillespie Field Allen Airways Museum Overview, Allen Airways Museum, Gillespie Field AAHS Lunch Program “The Vietnam Air War” Informal Tour – Allen Airways Aviation Movie Poster Collection Evening Social on the ramp

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DATE!

43

Sunday Morning Feb. 5 Tour San Diego Air and Space Museum, Balboa Park, San Diego Register early (by Dec 30th): $79 Member, $99 Non Member (additional $10 for registration after Dec 30) includes all events! (**Event schedule in work and may change) Lodging at Carlton Oaks Country Club $94 per night (group rate avail till Dec. 30!). See the AAHS website for more information, or call 909/297-6688.

$20,000 PRIZE PURSE AND $10,000 CASH PRIZE FOR DRONE RACE AT SEBRING’S EXPO IN JANUARY

The U.S. Sport Aviation Expo debuted unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs… aka drones) at last year’s event.

“This year, we have upped the Ante.

AirOps Inc. and CineVista Media have joined up with Sebring, and we’ve added the first known large-scale MultiGP sanctioned Drone Race at an aviation event (FAA approval pending),” enthused Expo Director, Beverly Glarner.

“This is an unprecedented Drone Race for two reasons: It’s at an actual airport, and the audience is in the round— sitting in a huge net in the middle of the track. This has never been accomplished before,” said Rhett Jarrett, Drone Zone Co-Chair. “Racing drones will fly all around and directly over the spectator’s heads with the original and unique track design. At the same time, live camera views will be viewable on monitors for the spectators, along with scoring and a professionally produced live broadcast. A few monitors will have multi-view configurations showing all eight racing drone views at the same time. Very exciting!”

The amount of media and technology being utilized is enormous. The large 14’x7’ projection screens and 65” flat panels will help everyone in the zone keep up with the event happenings. In addition, the racecourse will utilize real aircraft as race gates to keep the racing drones on course.

Drone exhibits will be inside a hangar flanking a 60-foot wide by 40foot long by 30-foot high indoors flight demonstration cage. “The 100,000square-foot racing area is a spectacular addition for drone enthusiasts,” remarked

Michael den Hartog, Drone Zone Chairman. The race will be hosted by Urban Drones, sanctioned by MultiGP, directed by Joe Scully, broadcasted by FPVLive.tv and raced among the top pilots in the world. The prize purse is estimated at more than $20,000, with the grand prize at $10,000 cash, based on entry fees received. Racing Practice rounds will start on Wednesday; qualifiers will be on Friday, with Finals on Saturday.

Daily flight demonstrations will take place indoors at 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and hands on “Fly-A-Drone” workshops will be on the hour, every hour. Expo will be demonstrating both the professional and recreational sides of the drone world. Drone experts from all over the U.S. will be presenting forums on many aspects of drone ownership, Part 107, 333, 336 safe effective operations and business management.

Pilot Registration is available here https://www.sportaviationexpo.com/dron

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SCHWEISS DOORS ‘JUST MADE SO MUCH SENSE’

44

In Flight USA Celebrating 30 Years

TO TENNESSEE

PILOT

December 2016

Aeronautical Engineer has also Built Neighbors’ Hangars with Schweiss Doors

Taking advantage of some down time, pilot Larry Robbins is enjoying hanging out at home in LaFollette, Tenn., where he has access to his airplanes in a subdivision with its own landing strip.

His hangar features a bifold liftstrap door from Schweiss Doors, measuring 44 feet x 14-1/2 feet, complete with auto latches and remote opener.

“The straps just made so much sense to me,” Robbins said. I was the first one on this field to have a Schweiss door. When I built my hangar, I also built another one for a friend who has a Schweiss door. A few years later, I built a hangar for another friend, and it has a Schweiss door on it.

Now there are others here that have Schweiss doors on them. I looked at one other manufacturer’s door that had a design that would go up higher, but it didn’t do anything for me. My door has been working well for me; it’s quiet and goes up and down when I ask it to.”

When Robbins isn’t helping neighbors in his unofficial role as a Schweiss distributor, he works as an independent contracted systems engineer. He spent 10 years, most of it on the road, supporting the development of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. Now, his time off gets him back to his Deerfield Resort subdivision, nestled between the Cumberland Mountains and the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains on the Peninsula of Norris Lake, north of Knoxville, Tenn.

Parked within the hangar are his 1946 J3 Piper Cub and Glasair 1 experimental that he built himself. Robbins’

“Pilot Cave” is something to behold. The entire 3,600 square feet of floor is tiled and has a full-scale inlaid replica of a P51 Mustang complete with machine guns taking center stage. He said he wouldn’t have tiled the floor but did it because he had what he called, “the world’s worst concrete job” put in by a young local company. Also in his hangar is a 1969 Plymouth Barracuda Fastback with 28,000 miles on it. A Barracuda also from 1969, was his first car.

In 1980, the kitplane industry was revolutionized by the introduction of the Glasair, the world’s first pre-molded composite kitplane. The Glasair is an ultimate high-performance aircraft. With its Lycoming engine, the Glasair is a fast, sleek, aerobatic machine that will take passengers across the country at a maximum speed of 260 mph in mere hours. Glasair kits have been delivered worldwide.

“I built it in my basement,” Robbins said. “I quit keeping track of time when I saw how long it was going to take. It was a 10-year project from start to finish. We used to live in Rockford, Ill., and relocated to the Atlanta area. The plane was maybe about half done. I loaded it on a trailer behind my car. At every gas station I stopped at, they wanted to know if anyone was hurt. The time that you are building something like that you’re dreaming about the day you will have it done and be able to take off and go where you want to go. I sat in the airplane and thought, ‘My Lord, what have I done.’ It doesn’t have the potential to hurt anyone until you rev

up the engine and pull back on the stick – it went fine. It was kind of like your first solo; you’ll never, ever forget it.”

But it’s the J3 Piper that commands the most interest in this story.

“My dad bought it in 1955 for $175 – the whole thing, including the engine. It had been sitting on floats on the Illinois River when a storm came through and blew one wing down into the river. It was fetched out of the river and taken apart.

Dad bought it as a basket case. Later on when dad told me where he got it and how much he spent, I told him he should have bought the floats; they were a set of EDO 1320s, which would be worth as much as the airplane today. Dad said he didn’t have $175 for the airplane, and they wanted $500 for the floats,” recalled Robbins.

His dad spent a couple of years, part time trying to reassemble it. When he ran out of time and money, he hung it up in the rafters of his farm machine shed. It hung there for years and years until Larry was about a year from graduating high school.

Over the three years he was attending aviation school, they cleaned it up together, and it’s been flying ever since 1975.

“Dad was one of those proverbial student pilots who never got his pilot’s license,” Robbins said. “Every now and then he’d pull the Cub out, we had a strip on our farm, and fly it around. I said, ‘Dad, you really ought to get your license.’ He responded by saying he was just flying it over his own property.”

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On the heels of the NTSB’s Nov. 14 release of its “Most Wanted” list of transportation safety improvements that included general aviation loss of control, the University of North Dakota, in partnership with the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) Air Safety Institute (ASI), announced that it is studying the use of a continuous turning approach or “circular pattern” as an alternative to the traditional “box” or rectangular traffic pattern.

Reduction of in-flight loss-of-control accidents continues to be identified by the NTSB as a most-wanted safety improvement. Working with senior NTSB officials at a recent loss-of-control panel, the idea was formed that UND and AOPA team up to explore how simple procedural and training methodology

changes in the landing pattern might improve safety and reduce loss-of-control accidents.

The hypothesis to be studied is that in contrast with a rectangular pattern, a continuous turn from downwind to final may provide for increased stability, reduced pilot workload, and a constant bank angle throughout the maneuver, helping pilots better manage angle-of-attack variances.

Additionally, the use of a continuous turning approach has the potential to reduce the likelihood of overshooting a runway during base-to-final turns, a scenario that has resulted in multiple stall/spin accidents due to aggressive corrective maneuvering.

Depending on the results of the study, this procedure may serve as a mitigating technique to reduce the likelihood of loss-ofcontrol accidents during the landing phase

of flight.

“It’s too early to say for sure if the continuous turn-to-final method will be a safer, more stabilized way to land. But what we do know is general aviation has been flying the rectangular pattern for decades, and based on substantial lossof-control accident data in the landing pattern, we believe it’s time to conduct research to determine if there is a potentially safer alternative,” said George Perry, senior vice president of AOPA’s Air Safety Institute. “The U.S. military, commercial airlines, and many airline ab initio programs already utilize the continuous approach turn as the standard to support safe landing pattern operations.

We should determine which is safer for general aviation, and this study will help us find the answer.”

“The research will consist of flight data analysis to evaluate differences between the circular pattern and the rectangular pattern,” noted Lewis Archer from UND’s aviation department.

“Variables that will be analyzed include bank angle, airspeed, and runway overshoot.” Lewis continued, “Although the study is in its early phases, and it’s far too soon to draw any definitive conclusions, the new procedure has already been studied and practiced by a select group of UND instructor pilots, and initial data collection has been going quite well.”

The study is ongoing, and both UND and the Air Safety Institute are hopeful that results will be available sometime in early 2017.

For more information, visit www.aopa.org.

Larry Robbins of LaFollette, Tenn., has his 1946 J3 Piper Cub and his Glasair 1 experimental parked outside his 56- x 60foot hangar. The hangar has a 44-foot x 14-1/2-foot Schweiss bifold liftstrap door.

(Courtesy Schweiss Doors)

Robbins is proud to show off his customized “Pilot Cave.” The hangar has beautiful tile flooring and room for his two planes and his 1969 Plymouth Barracuda Fastback..

(Courtesy Schweiss Doors)

AOPA ASI, UND STUDY STABILIZED APPROACH

December 2016

www.inflightusa.com

The Pyl on Pl ace

AT-6 RACING REPORT

Marilyn Dashâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

By Kenny Price, Jr.

There was some very exciting racing this year for the T-6s.

There were two rookie pilots. Peter Stavrides from Virginia Beach, Va. raced #9 Gotcha. This airplane has raced some years ago by Bud Granley and had the name Lickety Split. Peteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s day job is flying F-18s for the National Guard.

Our second Rookie pilotâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s name is Tom Vaughn, a farmer from Tulia, Texas.

Tom flew his beautiful racer, Oleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; 58 and had a great time. He said he canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t wait until next year. Welcome Rookies!

Dennis Buehn shook up the field during Tuesdayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Qualifying session when he set a new qualifying record of 249.2 mph. Unfortunately for Dennis, four minutes later, Nick Macy rockets down the home stretch on his qualifying run and beats Dennis, record, 251.7 mph.

Throughout the week, the heat races were all very close; some say that this year was some of the closest finishes ever.

The Saturday Bronze Race was a win for Michael Pfleger flying Midlife Madness. He was given the opportunity to bump up to the Silver Race, and with that option, he took it.

This allowed Lee Oman flying Eros to move up to First place. This was Leeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first Fire Truck ride at Reno (MD â&#x20AC;&#x201C; I know that feeling!)

Sundayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s races did not disappoint to say the least. The Silver race was a â&#x20AC;&#x153;Wild

FOR

2016

Your AT-6 2016 Gold Champion, Chris Rushing in Baronâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Revenge!

and Woolyâ&#x20AC;? race right from the wordsâ&#x20AC;Ś â&#x20AC;&#x153;Gentleman, You Have a Raceâ&#x20AC;? to the checkered flag.

At the first turn, all seven airplanes were wingtip to wingtip, and the racing was hard fought until the finish. At the line, it was Gene McNeely flying Baby Boomer at 228.8, Eric Woelbing flying Miss TNT at 227.0 and John Krawczyk flying Abracadabra at 221.8.

Many of you would remember the airplane now known as Miss TNT, which was once owned by Eddie Van Fossen and still holds the record with seven National Champion wins at Reno.

Anybody who has followed the AT6 racers for the last few years have all heard the names Nick Macy and Dennis Buehn, but not all have heard the name Chris Rushing. Chris was a crewmember

AIRCRAFT SPRUCE CARRIES TEMPEST POWERFLITE PRODUCTS

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(Tim Adams)

for many years in the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;70s and â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;80s with the likes of Charlie Beck, Ray Schutte, and others who raced at Reno. He is now the Lead Pilot for the Condor Squadron in Van Nuys.

In the final race of 2016, as the racers were coming down the chute and past Home Pylon, it was obvious that this was going to be a fight for the finish and let the best pilot win. As the race was underway, Nick Macy had gained a second-and-ahalf to two-second advantage over Dennis Buehn and Chris Rushing, but it was obvi-

ous that these three racers were close to identical in speeds. At Lap 4, Nick with the advantage to fly his line that he does so well with Dennis and Chris trying to find any advantage possible to try and pass, it was at that point that Chris Rushing was able to pass Dennis Buehn.

It was also obvious now that Chris was catching Nick Macy. With the three Racers going as hard as they can and with the White Flag waving, the crowd was now on their feet cheering their favorite on!

At Pylon 4 and 5, Nick and Chris were literally one airplane. Around 6-7 and 8 and down to the finish Neck and Neck to the lineâ&#x20AC;Ś Chris Rushing slingshots around Nick Macy and wins his first Gold Race!

One of the Closest T-6 Races Ever.

The speeds say it all: Chris Rushing flying Baronâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Revenge â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 231.19, Nick Macy flying Six Cat â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 231.10, Dennis Buehn flying Midnight Miss 3 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 230.91.

Thanks to Kenny Price, Jr. for his longtime friendship and his guest report this month! Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be back next month!

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46

USS CARL VINSON ENGAGES

IN

In Flight USA Celebrating 30 Years

By Mike Heilman and Ed Wells

The USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70) aircraft carrier and battle group began their final phase of training before the strike group deploys at the end of 2016 or early 2017. The final stage of battle group’s training cycle is known as the Composite Unit Training Exercise (COMPTUEX).

The month-long training was conducted off the coast of Southern California.

USS Carl Vinson Commanding Officer Capt. Douglas Verissimo explains the importance of COMPTUEX, “It’s our certification to deploy around the world and be on the tip of the spear. We are being evaluated with our matrix constantly. The first few days our pilots did carrier qualifications (CQ) and then we start our test. We keep working at it until we demonstrate our capability to deploy.

Once we complete the training, then we are a deployable carrier, we are trained and ready to go.”

Carrier Air Wing TWO (CVW-2) is embarked on the USS Vinson and is comprised of more than 70 aircraft onboard.

CVN-2 motto is “For Liberty, We Fight,” and is made up of various fighter groups,

COMPTUEX

An MH-60R from HSM-78 Blue Hawks is directed aboard the USS Carl Vinson during the ship’s final Composite Unit Training Exercise or COMPTUEX. (Mike Heilman)

fixed wing, and helicopter aircraft. The wing includes three F/A-18E/F “Super Hornets” squadrons: VFA-2 “Bounty Hunters,” VFA-137 “Kestrels,” and VFA192 “Golden Dragons.” There is one “Legacy” F/A-18C squadron VFA-34 “Blue Blasters” assigned to the air wing.

CVW-2 also includes the “Gauntlets” of VAQ-136 flying the elec-

tronic warfare version of the F/A-18 designated as the EA-18G “Growler.” The E-2 “Hawkeye” early warning squadron VAW-113 “Black Eagles” are assigned to the air wing. There are two Helicopter Squadrons assigned to the Vinson air wing: HSC-4 “Black Knights,” an AntiSubmarine squadron that flies the Sikorsky MH-60S, and HSM-78” Blue

December 2016

Hawks,” which flies the MH-60R in the Maritime Strike role. VRC-30 provides Carrier on-Board Delivery (COD) support for the air wing by flying passengers and high-priority cargo out to the Vinson in the C-2A “Greyhound” twin engine fixed wing aircraft.

The Vinson’s air wing is developing during the training to exercise its ability to operate and fight as cohesive unit; the new members of the air wing’s squadrons continue to learn their craft as aircrew. Lt Matt McDonald Pilot VFA-2 “Bounty Hunters” explains what COMPTUEX means to aircrew at the squadron level. “We will be doing a couple of things at the squadron level. We are continuing to earn our flight qualifications. On the Air Wing level, we are integrating the squadrons in the air wing by doing large force exercises. We are doing a lot of air defense at sea and airto surface work. We are out here to certify that the air wing is safe enough to operate on the carrier and deploy specifically in blue water operations. Working up for deployment is about a yearlong cycle with all kinds of evolutions.”

The USS Vinson is one of 12 surface Continued on Page 49

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ZEN PILOT REVEALS THE SPIRITUAL SIDE OF FLYING

December 2016

A new book by pilot, Robert DeLaurentis, goes beyond turning dials, throwing switches, and cranking ailerons.

As the title implies, Zen Pilot: Flight of Passion & the Journey Within, is an adventure of the soul, told by a man who has a graduate degree in Spiritual Psychology and whose 2015 flight around the world forced him to peer into the abyss on a number of occasions. The insights he brought back from those experiences will enrich the life of any pilot or person who dares to dream about challenging himself.

DeLaurentis does a masterful job of detailing the events and thoughts that led him to decide to circumnavigate the world… and himself. A high-energy writer, DeLaurentis, who also wrote Flying Thru Life, projects the excitement of preparing himself and his Piper Malibu, dubbed The Spirit of San Diego, for the ultimate one-way cross- country flight. There was no way; however, that he could have anticipated what was lurking just beyond the horizon after each of his 39 takeoffs. Violent weather popped up, electrical and mechanical malfunctions occurred, nightmarish scenarios with government bureaucrats took days, and then there was the definitive stimulant to fear, an engine outage: “I was rocketing toward the ground in an aircraft loaded with high-octane aviation fuel. All I could do was negotiate where the impact would happen.” The loneliness, the fear, the unpredictable was always there in the co-pilot seat, ready to test his limits.

The flight redefined him. He shares

www.inflightusa.com

In his new book, “Zen Pilot,” Robert DeLaurentis recounts his physical and spiritual experiences while flying around the world in a Piper Malibu.

(Malibu photo by George A. Kounis /pilotgetaways.com)

some of the more piquant flashes of reality in the “Zen Moments” he sprinkles through his recounting, leaving us with perspectives on flying and life that are new and refreshing.

Voyager Commander, Dick Rutan, who flew around the world non-stop, wrote: “An innate part of human nature is to explore… Robert DeLaurentis’s book Zen Pilot demonstrates this quest for challenge, adventure, and exploration and tells his story of circumnavigating the planet in his Piper Malibu Mirage.”

Jack Pelton, CEO of EAA, wrote: “While pilots will eat this story up, I believe anyone who aspires to reach higher and then lives to tell it will thoroughly enjoy this ‘hero’s journey’ adventure story that is as real as it can get.”

Zen Pilot: Flight of Passion & the Journey Within by Robert DeLaurentis is available now through Amazon.com and Aircraft Spruce & Specialty and is free with the purchase of a “DeLaurentis Flight Bag” from Lightspeed Aviation during a limited promotion.

AIRCRAFT SPRUCE CANADA MOVES TO LARGER FACILITY

Aircraft Spruce Canada has moved to 27 York Road, Brandtford, Ontario N3T-6H2. On Oct. 3, 2016, Aircraft Spruce moved down the street to their new 20,000-sqare-foot location after seeing the need for a larger warehouse. This new location allows for Aircraft Spruce to hold a larger number of parts and provide additional room to fully stock the will call store. Aircraft Spruce will be hosting their annual Canada Customer Appreciation Day event on June 3, 2017 to celebrate the new and improved location, along with raffle prizes, sales on your favorite products, and complimentary snacks.

For more information, please contact Aircraft Spruce at 1-877/477-7823 or

47

American Aircraft Sales Co. WE HAVE MOVED! 50 YEARS IN BUSINESS–NEW LOCATION

1982 Cessna 172P 180 HP

1980 Cessna 182Q Skylane II

1387 SNEW 180 HP Engine, 5200 TTSN, IFR, Hangar Kept, Looks like new, NDH. ........CALL!

One owner and hangared since new, 2200 TTSN, 200 SMOH, just like new, NDH ..............$95,000

1977 Cessna 310R 1864 TTSN A&E, NARCO IFR, A/P, Good Original Paint and Interior, NDH, ..$99,950

1969 Piper Cherokee 180D

1963 Cessna 210C

1969 Piper Cherokee 180D, 4400 TTSN, 1200 SMOH, Digital IFR, NDH, Mechanic Special, ............$19,950

One owner and hangared since 1976, 1197 SMOH, 2789 TTSN, COMPLETE LOGS, NDH ......$29,950

1955 Beechcraft T-34B Mentor

1967 Cessna 210G

Gray with US Aircraft markings.............Make Offer

3800 TTSN, 1900 SMOH, One owner and kept hangared last 20 years, Fresh Annual, King IFR..............................................................$39,950

1942 Grumman Bearcat F8F-2

1944 North American P-51 D Mustang

820 hours since new...Considering Offers

588 hours since new.....Considering Offers

1977 Cessna 172 SuperHawk Penn Yan 180 HP 2800 TTSN, 1600 SNEW Engine, Garmin 696 GPS, King Digital IFR, Leather Interior, New Windows, NDH, .....................$59,950

951/372-9555 or visit www.aircaft spruce.ca.

Aircraft Spruce’s complete product line is available at www.aircraftspruce.ca.

Request your complimentary copy of the company’s free 1,000-plus- page catalog (available in print, CD, or PDF formats).

1979 Piper Warrior II 161 1278 SMOH, 15,193 TTSN, Garmin Avionics, ......................................$19,950

1977 Cessna 172 Skyhawk 2500 TTSN, 1400 SMOH, New Windows and Interior Plastic Trim, Nice Paint/Interior, NDH.....................................................$44,950

Office Space & Tie Downs Available for Rent Robert Coutches

Cell - (510) 783-2711 • (925) 449-5151 www.americanaircraft.net

In Flight USA Celebrating 30 Years

48

AIRCRAFT We have moved! American Aircraft Sales, now at Livermore Airport, CA, www.americanaircraft.net, cell (510) 783-2711, (925) 449-5151.

3/13 From Trade-ins to Aircraft Management, financing and appraisals. T.J. Aircraft Sales, Novato, CA, (415) 8985151, www.tjair.com.

3/13

Husky - America's Favorite Taildragger. Call to schedule your own Husky Experience. Aviat Aircraft, Afton, WY, (307) 885-3151, husky.aviataircraft.com.

12504:TFN J.T. Evans Aircraft Sales. Specializing in landing gear & control surfaces. Also recovery & storage for singles & light twins.

(800) 421-1729, Orlando, FL. 11/14

Largest variety of quality aircraft, plus training and other services. Alliance International Aviation Flight Centers at Chino, Riverside and Brackett Field, CA, airports. www.AIAFlight.com.

11/13

AirplanesUSA Aircraft Sales, new office at San Carlos, CA, Airport, www. airplanesusa.com, (650) 394-7610.1/16 Fly right, fly better & fly with Attitude.

Under new management. Check out our expanded fleet. Attitude Aviation, Livermore, CA, (925) 456-2276, www. attitudeaviation.com.

11/16

ERCOUPE

Aerobatics instruction and air shows.

Anna Serbinenko's Sky Dancer, (604) 946-7744, www.cfc.aero.

7/15

AVIONICS Avionics for Every Mission. Installation, bench repair, a/p specialist, all major brands. Airtronics, Calaveras County Airport, CA, www.airtronicsavionics. com, (209) 736-9400.

11/14 Basic installs to complete panel and glass retrofits. Great service and value pricing. Pacific Coast Avionics, (800) 353-0370, www.PCA.aero.

7/15

Aerial Avionics, FAA CRS 7IAR379B. Reid-Hillview Airport, San Jose, CA, (408) 258-5858, www.aerialavionics.com. 10/16

ENGINES Quality, Service & Price, keeping the cost of aircraft engine maintenance down. Aircraft Specialties Services, Tulsa OK, (918) 836-6872.

10/06 Corona Aircraft Engines. Complete engine overhauls on all Continental & Lycoming engines. ECI Titans in stock.

Corona Airport, CA, (951) 736-6452, www.coronaengines.com.

8/14 Aircraft Engine Parts & Service. Gibson-Aviation, El Reno, OK, (800) 9924880, gibsonaviation@msn.com. 11/14

FUEL Fuel Cells. Repair, overhaul or new.

New tanks with 10-year warranty.

Hartwig Aircraft Fuel Cell Repair, www. hartwigfuelcell.com.

2/09

PROPELLERS 1959 Forney F1 Aircoupe, 1870 TT, 90hp. Full gyro panel, rudder pedals, Com120, transponder, intercom. Very clean, all logs. Sy Kipp, (530) 891-8885, (530) 513-2008. New consignments welcome.

161100:12

Complete Propeller & Governor Service. Tiffin Aire, Tiffin, OH, (800) 5537767, (419) 447-4263.

2/08

OXYGEN SUPPLIES

www.sportys.com your single source for quality educational aviation products— always at a good price fax 1.800.543.8633 phone 1.800.SPORTYS Clermont County/Sporty’s Airport Batavia, OH 45103 2522:TFN

Aircraft Tool Supply. "Serving the aviation Industry for over 40 years." www. aircraft-tool.com 10/16

SERVICES Protect your assets. Legally avoid California Aircraft Sales and Use taxes.

Call for free consultation. Associated Sales Tax Consultants Inc., (916) 3691200 or visit www.astc.com.

3/06 Divorce-Paternity Cases. Contact Lawyers for Men's Rights, (213) 3848886, www.mensrightslawyers.com.

Offices of Stuart J. Faber.

4/10 Susan Biegel, MD, Certified FAA Medical Examiner, Upland, CA, (909) 985-1908, wwww.susanbiegelmd.com.

11/16

Let your dreams soar! Aircraft loans tailored to your needs. Liberty Bank, (831) 338-6477, libertybk.com.

1/15

Aviation Marketing/Copywriting Expert for your projects. A published former TWA captain/instructor. Bert Botta, (415) 320-9811, www.bertbotta.com.

1/16

AIRCRAFT FINANCING Get Top Retail for Your Aircraft Aircraft sales, jet sales, management, financing. USA Aircraft Brokers, (877) 417-3069.

51218:TFN

HOMES/AIRPARKS Aviation Property Specialists in California. Nickson & Associates, (530) 6779760, www.nickson.biz.

11/16

HOMEBUILTS

HANGARS/TIEDOWNS

Now for Sale: Hollmann's Super Stallion & Production Rights Faster, farther, carry more for less cost.

Aircraft Designs, www.aircraftdesigns. com. Contact Rita at (831) 621-8760 or email jets@mbay.net.

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Aviation Building Systems, custom designed hangars for 44 years. R&M Steel Co., Caldwell, ID, (208) 454-1800, (866) 454-1800, www.aviationbuildingsystem.com.

51217:TFN

Kitfox Aircraft. Building kits for 30 years. Homedale Municipal Airport, ID, www.kitfoxaircraft.com, (208) 3375111.

8/14

SAILPLANES/SOARING Fast-track soaring training. Arizona Soaring, Estrella Sailport, Maricopa, AZ, (520) 568-2318.

11/07

FLIGHT INSTRUCTION Old School Aviation. Advanced Warbird training. Contact Dan Vance (707) 972-1293 at Sonoma Jet Center, Santa Rosa, CA. 8/14 Gavilan College Aviation Maintenance Technology.

Spring classes begin Jan. 12, 2017.

(408) 852-2861, www.gavilan.edu. 10/16

Arizona Type Ratings CE-500/CE-525 type ratings or recurrent. Insurance approved, staff examiner. www.arizonatyperatings.com, (602) 614-7994.

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Aviation Seminars Private, Commercial, Instrument, CFII and FAA-approved flight instructor refresher courses in 100 major cities. (800) 2579444, www.aviationseminars.com. 10/16

4720:TFN

AIRCRAFT PARTS Aircraft Tool Supply. Ring jobs just got easier. www.aircraft-tool.com.

8/14

Aircraft Parts for General Aviation.

Special orders welcome. Aerozona Parts, Phoenix, AZ, (623) 581-6190.1/16 Specializing in oil coolers, fuel heaters, valves and more. Buy, sell, repair, overhaul, exchange. Pacific Oil Cooler Service, La Verne, CA, (800) 866-7335, www.oilcoolers.com.

1/16

PILOT SUPPLIES The Airport Shoppe, Reid-Hillview Airport, San Jose, CA, orders (800) 6344744, www.airportshozppe.com. 10/06

Aircraft Spruce & Supply. Free 700page catalog, Corona, CA, & Peachtree City, GA, www.aircraftspruce.com. 10/06

DuraCharts — Best print quality, resistant to tearing and liquids. Produced by pilots for pilots. www.DURACHARTS. com.

8/14 No cheap imitation watches at HME! Special pricing on ATP series multifunctional watches with Altimeter. To order or for information, (323) 464-6660 or www.hmewatch.com.

11/16

New one-piece doors. Hydraulic or bifold. Schweissdoors.com, (800) 7468273.

1/15

FBOs Serving the General Aviation Community since 1981. Wisconsin Aviation, Watertown Municipal Airport, WI, (920) 261-4567, WisconsinAviation.com.3/13

Corona Air Ventures. Low fuel prices, amenities, tie-downs & hangars. Corona Municipal Airport, (951) 737-1300, www.CoronaAirVentures.com.

8/14

Northgate Aviation Chico Jet Center®

December 2016

Aircraft Sales & Corporate Aircraft Management NAAA-certified appraisals, FDIC & RTC approved. Sterling Air, Carson City, NV, (800) 770-5908, (775) 885-6800, www. sterling-air.com.

11601:TFN

AIRCRAFT INSURANCE Specializing in personal, business and charter aircraft. Best price, coverage & customer service. Zanette Aircraft Insurance Center, (650) 593-3030, (888) 723-3358.

10/06 Aircraft Insurance WARNING! Don’t even think of calling another agent until you’ve called us first! Access the entire market with just one call. Best rates.

Broadest coverage. All markets. Aviation Insurance Resources, (877) 247-7767, www.AIR-PROS.com.

1716:TFN

230 VIDEOS/PHOTOGRAPHY Specializing in aviation photography. www.horizontalrain.com.

1/15

PUBLICATIONS Avionics Checklists & Quick Reference gudes. Available in book, card & new iPad editions. www.Qref.com or from your favorite supply shop.

8/14

The World Beneath Their Wings, A New Millennium of Female Aviators" by Julie Jervis. Dealer inquiries invited. To reserve your copy, call (650) 358-9908.

51108:TFN

Things My Flight Instructor Never Told Me & other lessons for aviators of all levels. (561) 752-3261, www.tmfintm. com.

11/07

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES

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FLYING CLUBS Charter Members Wanted for New Flying Club Bring back the thrill of flying in a Cherokee 180 or a Cessna 182 Whether you’re an aircraft owner, a seasoned pilot, a flight instructor, a student, or just want an affordable way to get back into the sky, join our new Inland Empire Flying Club — an organization that makes flying fun again in well-equipped, clean aircraft.

Membership includes maintenance, insurance, servicing or other costs involved in individual ownership.

Contact Richard: (562) 208-5280 or ryardusa.com INLAND EMPIRE FLYING CLUB Corona, Chino and Riverside, CA 151100:TFN West Valley Flying Club, San Francisco Bay Area. Palo Alto (650) 856-2030, San Carlos (650) 595-5912, www.wvfc. org.

4/16

Tabooma Flyers Not-for-profit flying club on historic Pearson Field, Vancouver, WA, www. taboomaflyers.org.

4/16

General Aviation Services FAA Charts Available in NoCal Shell Aviation Products Chico, CA, (530) 893-6727 Diamond Service Center, maintenance, rentals, flight school, tiedowns, and hangars.

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The original "Self-Fly Safari." Selfpiloted bush flying in Southern Africa, planned by Hanks Aero Adventures. info@selfflysafari.com, (518) 234-2841, www.SelfFlySafari.com.

7/15

AVIATION CONSULTANTS

AVIATION ART/GIFTS

“Doing it right the first time” Home of Peninsula avionics, sales & service. Jorgenson-Lawrence Aircraft Sales & Management, Palo Alto, CA, Airport. Larry Shapiro, (650) 424-1801.

6107:TFN

Victory Girl Personalized Aviation Nose Art. Quality, service, lasting value. Personalized, hand-crafted art and decals. Contact www.VictoryGirl.com, (909) 297-6688.

11/13

AVIATION TRAVEL

MUSEUMS Yanks Air Museum Chino, CA www.yanksair.com Historic Flight Foundation Paine Field, Mukilteo, WA (425) 348-3200/historicflight.org American Helicopter Museum West Chester, PA, (610) 436-9600 www.americanhelicopter.museum Palm Springs Air Museum Palm Springs, CA (760)778-6262, www.psam.org Planes of Fame Air Museum Chino, CA (909) 597-3722 www.planesoffame.org Warbirds West Air Museum Gillespie Field, El Cajon, CA (858) 414-6258/www.wwam.org WACO Airfield & Museum Troy, OH, (937) 335-9226 www.wacoairmuseum.org

CLUBS/ORGANIZATIONS List your non-profit club or organization FREE on a space available basis. Send information to: 3rdavenue@embarqmail.com Aircraft Owners & Pilots Assn.

(AOPA) www.aopa.org EAA Young Eagles Offers free flights for aspiring pilots ages 8 to 17 www.youngeagles.org

Sell Your Airplane FAST!! with an In Flight USA Classified Ad

Call (650) 358-9908 Current Ad Expiring?

To renew, email: 3rdavenue@embarqmail.com

USS CARL VINSON

Aircraft are positioned on the flight deck for next launch cycle on the USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70) during COMPTUEX, which is the ship’s final exam before deploying.

(Mike Heilman)

Above left to right: An MH-60R from HSM-78 Blue Hawks” is directed aboard the USS Carl Vinson; An F/A-18E from VFA-137 “Kestrels” is lined up on the catapult to launch off the USS Vinson during the ship’s final training exercise before deployment. A EA-18G “Growler” from VAQ-136 is lining up to launch next; The E-2C “Hawkeye” from VAW-113 “Black Eagles” is chained down on the deck of the USS Vinson. Notice that the wings fold to create space so the ship can store and move aircraft safely; VRC-30 provides Carrier on Board (COD) support for the air wing by flying passengers and high priority cargo out to the Vinson in the C-2A “Greyhound” twin engine fixed wing aircraft. (All photos by Mike Heilman) Continued from Page 46 ships that comprise Carrier Strike Group ONE (CSG 1). COMPTUEX is also CSG 1 final exam before deployment.

The ships within the group train as composite fighting force. The Strike Group is made up of Ticonderoga-class Cruisers, Arleigh Burke-class Destroyers, and the flagship of the group is the USS Vinson.

The E-2C “Hawkeye” from VAW-113 The USS Carl Vinson is named after “Black Eagles” is chained down on the Georgia Congressman Carl Vinson, who deck of the USS Vinson. (Mike Heilman) served 50 years as a U.S. Congressman.

Vinson is considered the father of the two-ocean Navy and is the only ship in the U.S. Navy named after a congressman. The Vinson was the fourth nuclearpowered aircraft carrier built and is the third in the Nimitz class. The ship was commissioned March 13, 1982 and while deployed in 2017, the ship will mark its The CAG (Commander of the air wing) 35 years of service. plane taxis in after landing on the USS An F/A-18C “Legacy Hornet” approaches the USS Vinson to catch the wire for landThis will be the USS Carl Vinson’s Vinson during the COMPTUEX training ing during the COMPTUEX training.

(Mike Heilman) final tune-up before deployment exercise.

(Mike Heilman)

50

In Flight USA Celebrating 30 Years

December 2016

AD INDEX AAHS ..................................26

Art Nalls ..............................46

HME Watches ....................30

Sky Dancer ............................7

Aircraft Specialties Service 19

Attitude Aviation ................51

JT Evans ................................4

Tiffin Air..............................43

Corona Air Venture ............28

Mike Smith Aviation ..........45

Aerozona Parts ....................42

Assoc. Sales Tax Consult. ..35

Jorgenson Lawrance ..........50

Aircraft Spruce....................15

Aviation Ins. Resources ......22

Airplanes USA Aircraft Sales6

Corona Aircraft Engines ....37

Mountain High Oxygen..3, 27

Alliance Intl. Aviation ..........6

Divorce For Men ................26

Pacific Coast Avionics..10, 27

Ghosts Calendar ....................9

Planes of Fame..............20, 27

Aircraft Tool Supply ......9, 27

Airtronics ............................31

Cotter Airport ......................12

American Aircraft Sales ....47

Dr. Susan Biegel, MD ........14

AOPA ..............................7, 27

Gibson..................................22

Arizona Type Ratings ........16

Hartwig ..................................3

American Helicopter Museum25

Arizona Soaring ..................41

Hanks Aero Adventures ....24

Kitfox ..................................11

Sterling Air ..........................13 TJs Aircraft Sales ................23

TravelAir Tour ....................20 US Sport Aviation Expo ....21

OEO ......................................2

USA Aircraft Brokers ........25

Pacific Oil Cooler ..............16

Wicks ..................................52

QREF Media ......................18

Vans Aircraft........................24

Zanette AC Insurance ..........5

R&M Steele........................14

Schwiess Doors ..................42

“Still Specializing In First Time Buyers And Student Pilots Needs" Happy Holidays and Happy New Year!

Late Model, Prettiest 210 you’ll ever see!

JORGENSON-LAWRENCE AIRCRAFT SALES AND MANAGEMENT HOME OF WHAT’S UP?! AIRSHOW ENTERTAINMENT

Voted Best “After the Sale Customer Service” for 18 Years!

Located at the beautiful Palo Alto Airport (PAO) in the Baylands Recreational Area where aviation, golf, nature and good food live in harmony creating a comfortable and convenient setting to select a new airplane. South of San Francisco along the west side of the bay, north of San Jose.

Larry Shapiro • Larry@LarryShapiro.com • Or Call Us! 916-804-1618 For more information about these planes and others, Please Visit Our Web Site: www.LarryShapiro.com

Homebuilder? Repair Station? Certified Preventive Maintenance?

• Looking for the highest quality Chrome-moly Tubing that is through-hardening, chrominum-molybdenum alloy tubing used extensively in the aircraft? We stock both Chinese and American/German. Need an American/German size that is not listed? We have them all.

• Do you need superior, straight

grained spruce, or aircraft grade

plywood with outer panels and cores containing the most desirable woods, such as birch, poplar, walnut, maple and basswood, all aircraft grade? We have the best supply in the country!

• Stop shopping from one airport to another looking for the exact AN hardware you need. Wicks stocks individual hardware units as well as prepackaged assortments and assortments ready for your kit or plans built plane.

• Or, How about over 30 complete aircraft the materials needed to get the job done?

kits to choose from, with all

Wicks Aircraft Supply is your one stop center for building repair maintenance of certified aircraft. And now, you can take advantage of our Amazon store.

Visit our online store at

www.wicksaircraft.com Call Our Friendly Helpline - 618-654-7447 or 1-800-221-9425 Wicks Aircraft and Motorsports | 410 Pine Street Highland, IL 62249 Store Hours(CST): Monday - Friday: 8:00AM - 5:00PM | Saturday: 8:00AM - 12:00PM Orders: 1-800-221-9425 | Help Line: 618-654-7447 | Toll-Free Fax: 888-440-5727