January 2013

THE PATRICIAN JANUARY 2013

The Victoria Flying Club ~ Aviation Excellence Since 1946

conversations with a

Cargo Pilot PAGE 5

FEATURE ARTICLE

GROUNDSCHOOL SCHEDULES | CLUB NEWS | FIRST SOLOS | PHOTO CONTEST

THE PATRICIAN JANUARY 2013

Monthly Newsletter of The Victoria Flying Club - Aviation Excellence Since 1946 January 2013 In This Issue

“To promote flying and aviation in general, and to teach and train persons in the art and science of flying and navigating and operating all manner of heavier-than-air aircraft.�

5 Feature Article:

Conversations with a Cargo Pilot

(Victoria Flying Club Incorporation Bylaws, 1946) Board of Directors President..............................................Lloyd Toope Vice President.................................Don Devenney Secretary/Treasurer......................Colin Williamson Directors..............................................Sean Steele Steve Demy Sam Roland Dave Gustafson Cal Mjolsness General Manager.................................Gerry Mants Chief Flying Instructor....................Graham Palmer

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2013 Groundschool Schedule

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VFC Float Plane Endorsement

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VFC Income Tax Procedure Forms

1852 Canso Road Sidney, BC V8L 5V5

www.flyvfc.com info@flyvfc.com Phone: 250-656-2833 Fax: 250-655-0910 Editor: Christie Hall thepatrician@shaw.ca Midnight Design & Communication info@midnightdesign.ca

January 2013

The Patrician accepts unsolicited submissions.

This publication may be reproduced in whole or in part, with prior permission of the publisher or author.

The opinions expressed are strictly those of the authors.

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VFC News

WINGS BANQUET Please accept this invitation to join us for this year’s annual Wings Banquet, in celebration of the achievements of our students and members over the past year. Those students who have earned a Recreational Permit, PPL or CPL certificate, will receive one free ticket.

Guests are welcome to purchase tickets at a cost of $35 from the Victoria Flying Club office. The Wings Banquet is a great night of celebration and comraderie, and we hope to see many of our members and students there!

Friday February 1st

The Wardroom 1586 Esquimalt Rd. Reception 6:00 Dinner 7:00 Attire is Semi-Formal Everyone is welcome!

RSVP by January 25th 250-656-2833

Dispatchers Wanted See full details on Page 13.

2012 Income Tax Forms Please fill out the forms on page 1415 and return to the Victoria Flying Club offic ASAP.

Join VFC online!

Aviation Excellence Since 1946

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January 2013

VFC News

The new above ground fuel tank project is complete. Thanks to everyone for their patience

during the inconvenience of construction. The new tank provides VFC with an environmentally friendly, safe, cost efficient, and convenient way to fill our

aircraft, and those of our members. Swipe cards for member fuel purchases will be available soon. Please contact the office for more information.

Acheivements New Members Braydon Janzen Teagan Feil Mark Sudul Michael McGie Andrew Yan Chris Saunders Richard Burnett

First Solos Chuk Ho Chen Thomas Vesey Elliot Humphries Tanvir Gill Karl Hoener PPL Flight Test Landon Zablocki Yves Moog Chris Pratt

PPL Written Test Liang Chen PPL License Jaber Almakhalas Ken Teghtmeyer Nils Muzzulini Gerald Thom CPL License Steven Beselt

Congratulations from the Victoria Flying Club!

January 2013

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Photo of the Month

Congratulations to Brett Wingerter for submitting this month’s winning photo (above) taken on one of the many sunny days we enjoyed in November.

This was taken over Cowichan Bay, while returning from the practice area. Definitely says something about our ability to flight train year round on the west coast!

Thanks to everyone who submitted photos this year. Keep them coming!

Also, our thanks and a special mention to Rolf Hopkinson and Linda Weiss for submitting the photo on the right. This photo was taken on a round robin flight from Victoria – de Courcy Island – Victoria on November 25th.

To submit your photo of the month entry, please email (max one photo per month) to thepatrician@shaw.ca for consideration.

Monthly winners receive Pilot Shop prizes, and every entry is a chance to win the year end draw for a $100 VFC gift certificate.

Aviation Excellence Since 1946

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January 2013

Feature Article

conversations with a Early mornings, long days, heavy freight, and the thrill of flying a Metro. Former VFC instructor Jeff Lightheart talks about his current life as a cargo pilot for Sunwest Aviation.

There a many routes that will take you from A to B in aviation, if A is your first flight, and B is the left seat of an airliner. Flying cargo is one of those routes. I asked Jeff Lightheart to share some of his experiences as a cargo pilot. Many of VFC’s former instructors are currently in similar positions, but in the interest of full disclosure, aside from being a mighty fine pilot, Jeff also happens to be my husband, making him an easy target for an interview. -CH Tell us about how you ended up in aviation.

I started flying at the age of 32, with my mind made up that I was going to pursue a career in commercial aviation. I knew I was a little late starting the whole process of learning to fly at that age, but I had talked to several people in the industry and they said, “No, you’re not too late, but you have to be quick and dedicated so that you don’t drag your training out.”

One of the best resources I had was my dad’s highschool friend who had recently retired from Air Canada. He spent January 2013

Cargo Pilot

fourty years with Air Canada.

He was hired right out of flight school when the minimums were still 200 hours. He ended up flying the long haul routes in the 767. I asked him every question I had ever thought of and more. Talking to him was a fantastic resource. I have him to thank for the direction I chose.

After my commercial training was complete, I also completed an Instructor Rating, and gained hours as an instructor at VFC, which was a great experience.

ing, training, and scheduling.

Currently I fly cargo out of the Vancouver base, on a company-owned Metro 2, and also the Metro 23.

Describe a typical day on the job.

A typical day is waking up at about 3 in the morning. I have everything ready to go and organized the night before so I can quickly get up and then check in to the hangar by 4 at the YVR South Terminal. We have to have the plane on the ramp by What is your current job?

5. What that entails is not only I currently work for a charter doing the walk around – the precompany called Sunwest Aviaflight inspection of the aircraft tion. Sunwest is fairly unique in outside and inside, but also all Canada in that it has almost 50 paperwork for the day, which planes, and owns roughly a third has to be filled out and faxed. of them and manages the rest.

Then we start the plane up and So we do a lot of different oper- taxi from the south side to the ations. At the Calgary base, and north side where UPS has their the new Winnipeg base, they fly distribution warehouse and their Challlenger jets, the Desaullt fal- cargo ramp. con, Dash 8s, Cessna jets of all From there we load the different types, Beechcraft 1900 plane, by hand. Every load is Ds for oil field charters, and different so far as the weight Lear jets for medevac flights. goes and content. It’s usually So if someone wants to own an boxes of all different shapes and aircraft, and wants someone sizes. And then we depart for else to manage it, that’s what our typical destinations of VicSunwest does quite a good job toria, Kamploops and Kelowna. of. Management means not If we come to Victoria, we do only taking care of the aircraft two loads, so there is some exbut also the crew, in terms of hir- tra back and forth.

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For Kamloops or Kelowna, we make just one trip. We meet the UPS trucks and unload. All of this is usually completed by about 9:30. Then we stay at our destination for 5 or 6 hours.

The crew gets a hotel room and we’re able to sleep, get some lunch, go for a walk, go to the gym. And then we leave the hotel between 2 and 3 to head back to the airport in time for the UPS truck to arrive. We load up again and leave for Vancouver, usually arriving back at the UPS ramp by 5 to unload, and then we have to taxi the plane back to the south side by about 5:30 or 6. So if you add that up, that’s a 14 hour day, and that’s our duty day. So any delays on the way can cause some issues at the end of the day because of the duty time. We’re right on the edge of it at the end of the day.

What do you like most about flying the Metros?

I love flying the Metros. The Metro is a challenging plane.

It’s a very fast machine. It’s nimble, and it’s demanding because of its speed over a short distance. The distance between Vancouver and Victoria, for example, is 38 nm, and that includes the arrival. We cover that in about 12-14 minutes. In that 12-14 minutes, not only do we have to focus on flying the plane, we have to set up all our avionics for the enroute arrivals.

We have to do all the communication with not only the different frequencies along the way but also with UPS. We have to coordinate with them as well.

Flying the metro means we are always making adjustments Aviation Excellence Since 1946

on the throttle and prop speed and we’re doing this at 240 knots.

What is it like flying in a two crew environment?

That was a big adjustment.

Because I had been an instructor for 2000 hours, in singles and twins, I was used to training people to do it all themselves.

And of course in training people to do all those functions themselves, I was used to doing it all myself as well. So when I first got into a two crew situation it was very hard to break the thinking of, “I have to do all this myself,” when in reality the duties are shared. And getting into that mindset took some real adjustment and focus, so that I wasn’t always trying to do everything.

It happened fairly quickly, and it had to, because I was instantly put into that two crew situation in training.

Can you describe the training process that you went through?

After an interview, and simulator evaluation, I was brought

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into groundschool, which happens in two phases. The first phase was learning about the company and doing all the company exams, things like dangerous goods training, WHMIS, and other online courses for weather radar, the company ops manual, etc, probably 25 different subjects. So you have to have all those done before you start your line training.

And then line training includes groundschool for the specific aircraft, and it’s a very detailed and intense course.

You’ve got from 2-5 days, depending on the aircraft. The Metro is a complex aircraft.

It’s turbine engines. It’s a fast machine. It’s got anti-ice protection, hydraulic flaps and hydraulic landing gear and various other systems and you have to know about them in depth for your flight test because the examiner is going to ask you about them. So it’s an intense couple of days for sure with a lot of studying.

Then you get into the actual line training. You get in the plane and you’re shown what it can do and some basic handling,

January 2013

and then you’re right into flying approaches and flying holds.

I fly two planes. I fly the Metro 2 and also the Metro 23.

They’re similar, but they are also very different. For the 2, all the training is done in house, so in the classroom in Calgary and then in the plane.

But for the Metro 23, because it’s a medium category aircraft, the simulator training is done in San Antonio, Texas.

So that’s kind of a neat experience. The initial training is done over a two week period. You’re sent down there and trained in the same fashion: a week of intense groundschool, and then you’re into the simulator. And that simulator is quite incredible as far as realism goes.

I did my flight test in the simulator, passed the PPC, and only then did I actually foot in and fly the plane, once I was back in Canada.

What are the biggest challenges of flying cargo?

Definitely the schedule. The challenge of keeping myself rested and healthy is a constant battle because of the 3 am wakeup. And that’s typically 4-5 days a week. The problem with waking up at 3 is that most people tend to have their deepest moments of sleep during that period of time, and here I am waking up right in the middle of it. I make an effort to prevent any mishaps by going to bed early, eating properly, and still getting proper exercise. When I spend the day in Kelowna, the hotel that we stay at has a great gym, and I make sure I use it when I can. So it’s little things January 2013

like that. And because we’re up so early, one of the other challenges is also eating too much. Working over a 14 hour period, it’s easy to throw in an extra meal.

One of the other challenges is that it’s physically demanding because you’re loading the boxes by hand. They’re not generally heavy but as someone who’s quite tall, being in the plane and loading the boxes, all the twisting and turning and being crouched over in an awkward position can get quite challenging.

Another challenge in the winter can be keeping the plane clean when it’s been snowing, and planning ahead for dealing with weather challenges.

It’s mentally challenging as well. The plane moves at a very fast speed and we need to be ahead of it. If we fall behind the plane in preparation, we’re in trouble. We have to stay on top of the plane. So being mentally prepared for those flights after getting up at 3 am is very challenging.

Interacting with your crew members can also be a challenge for pilots. Thankfully, I work with some really awesome people, but that’s not always the case. And then it’s just about working with the structure that’s given to you in the company’s Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).

What’s the best piece of advice you would give to someone interested in an aviation career?

I was very thankful that I had someone to ask questions 7

of, when I took on the project of changing careers. You have to do the research. Don’t just scratch the surface. Go on to sites like AvCanada where people talk openly about what they’re doing and where they’re living. Planes fly everywhere and you could be based anywhere. So it’s a matter of finding out where you prefer to be.

You can take the instructor route so you can stay in Victoria for longer, like I did. Or you can go right into the north, and be a rampie for Buffalo Air and work your way into a company that way.

Make sure you do the homework and be realistic with yourself. You’re not going right from flight school into the right seat of a Dash 8 or regional jet. Not going to happen. You have a lot of learning to do before you get close to that.

Just don’t be afraid to ask people questions. Most people who do this for a living are pretty happy to tell you how they did it.

And everyone’s got a different route. There are so many different ways to get where you want to go. So ask the questions, do the research, be thorough.

Final question. Do you miss flying C172s?

Honestly, yes. And believe it or not, I miss the circuit. There’s no greater joy for me than landing and taking off. And obviously I enjoy it in the Metro as well, but there’s no greater joy than hand flying a beautiful soft field landing, and soft field take off. I miss that a lot. www.sunwestaviation.ca www.flyvfc.com

First Solos

Chuk Ho Cheng Instructor:Tyler Bishop

Elliot Humphries Instructor: Sean Tyrell

Karl Hoener Instructor: Tyler Bishop

Tanvir Gill Instructor: Sean Tyrell

big business thinking for small business Christie Hall, BPA Web Design, Graphic Design, Print Advertising 778-426-3452 info@midnightdesign.ca www.midnightdesign.ca

Thomas Vesey Instructor: Hannah Nakahara Aviation Excellence Since 1946

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January 2013

Flight Training

PRIVATE PILOT GROUNDSCHOOL Monday and Wednesday 1900-2200 Victoria Flying Club Classroom

DATE TOPIC INSTRUCTOR

Jan 07

Navigation

Dirk Pritchard

09

Navigation

Dirk Pritchard

14

Navigation

Dirk Pritchard

16

ATC

Jason Grist

21 Review Colin Brown

23

Aerodynamics/Theory of Flight

Kale Haley

28

CARS and Licensing Requirements

Kristen Ursel

30

CARS and Licensing Requirements

Kirsten Ursel

Feb 04

Airframes and Engines

Tyler Bishop

06

Systems and Flight Instruments

Tyler Bishop

13

Human Factors and Pilot Decision Making

Alex Dicosola

18

Radio and Electronic Theory

Dirk Pritchard

20

Meteorology

Simon Dennis

25

Meteorology

Simon Dennis

27

Meteorology

Simon Dennis

Mar 04

Meteorology

Simon Dennis

06

Meteorology

Simon Dennis

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Meteorology

Simon Dennis

13

Flight Operations

Kale Haley

18

Flight Operations

Kale Haley

20

Navigation

Brendan O’Hare

25

Navigation

Brendan O’Hare

27

Navigation

Brendan O’Hare

To Register for Groundschool, or to purchase a Groundschool Kit, please contact the Victoria Flying Club office at info@flyvfc.com or 250-656-2833.

January 2013

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Mystery Aircraft

JANUARY MYSTERY AIRCRAFT Can you identify the aircraft shown below?

Email: thepatrician@shaw.ca

DECEMBER Mystery Identified

Happy New Year!

From Tim: The R-R Dart powered ArmstrongWhitworth Argosy first flew in 1959 and was a dedicated freighter with loading doors each end.

Seventy-four were built with some going to the RAF and three were operated by Transair in Winnipeg during the early 1970s.

Wishing you all the best in 2013

1038 Hillside Ave.

Last Month’s Mystery was correctly identified by: Rolf Hopkinson, who, in a previous life, used to watch these cargo planes landing and taking off from Manchester Airport in the UK.

Victoria, BC 250-384-3811

Call for details about our VFC member discount on Chiropractic Care and Massage Therapy Treatments www.hillsidephysio.com Aviation Excellence Since 1946

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January 2013

Flight Training

FLOAT PLANE ENDORSEMENT Welcome to Seaplane Training with the Victoria Flying Club where we proudly offer a comprehensive and professional float plane endorsement program.

Our goal is to instill our students with the ability to make safe and sound decisions in addition to solid floatplane flying skills. We achieve this by combining practical “real world� floatplane training with a com-

January 2013

prehensive 4 hour classroom seminar.

You may also be interested in more advanced training for a professional floatplane career or to meet insurance requirements for your own private aircraft.

Maybe you would just like to try flying a floatplane while getting in some sightseeing. We will tailor your training to meet your needs.

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For more information about our float rating program, please visit www.floatsafety.com or contact VFC at info@flyvfc.com or 250-656-2833.

2013 RATES

Aircraft Rate Dual: $255/hr Pre/Post Flight Ground Briefing: $55/hr Seminar and Training Manual: $100

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Flight Training

WEATHER. RADIO WORK. FLY TO THE U.S. LEARN. MORE. In 2013, resolve to discover the freedom to learn on your own terms.

Subjects and courses unlike any you have experienced before.

Created and taught by local instructor Simon Dennis.

An opportunity to continuously learn to ßy.

Because you can’t afford not to.

Freedom. Learn. You. Meet Ava.

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Aviation Excellence Since 1946

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January 2013

VFC Free Classifieds Aircraft - Accomodation - Aviation Books and Gear - Help Wanted - Miscellaneous Email the details of your FREE Ad to: thepatrician@shaw.ca

Dispatchers Wanted

See your story in print and online!

Do you have....

Email: thepatrician@shaw.ca Looking for photos, stories, letters, adventures, articles, classified ads all accepted.

• • • •

excellent customer service skills? the ability to multi-task? experience in an office environment?

Windows 7, Word/Excel 2010 skills?

VFC is hiring part-time dispatchers, and YOU could be one of them. Enjoy the challenges of this fast-paced and multi-facted position.

Sales and aviation experience an asset.

Email resumes to: Shannon@flyvfc.com Garmin Area 500 Aviation/Vehicle GPS with: Yoke & Dashboard mount 2 Lithium Ion batteries & Drop-in charger, Owners manual, box & all instructions/cables.

Used only a dozen times. 1-1/2yrs old, as new condition.

Maps not updated since 2011.

Paid $800; asking $400 or best offer.

Contact: Kevin Hartley

250-592-8234

711 A Broughton Street

(street level, by Victoria Public Library)

Victoria BC V8W 1E2

Victoria Flying Club CHARTER SERVICE

TRAVEL BETWEEN VICTORIA AND BOUNDARY BAY NO FERRIES NO WAITING BE THERE IN 30 MINUTES Email tedk@flyvfc.om or Call 250-474-0213

January 2013

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2012 Tax Forms

Victoria Flying Club 2012 Income Tax Procedure Please Note: Canada Customs and Revenue Agency (CCRA) has recently been requiring proof of enrollment in the Commercial Pilot Program before allowing a deduction for the hours under the Private Pilot Licence. A letter from the Club confirming enrollment in the CPL is available to students actively pursuing a CPL (i.e, a Category 1 Medical, enrollment in Commercial Ground school, working towards a Night Rating or actively completing the dual requirements of the CPL). Members are reminded that all deductions taken are the responsibility of the person claiming the deduction on their tax return.

Instructions: Complete all areas of this form. There is no need to complete the form if you reached the maximum hours per course in 2011. Mail/fax/or drop off this form to Dispatch.

Allowable deductions:

As outlined by Revenue Canada Taxation 875 Heron Road, Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0L8

Licence or Endorsement:

Private Pilot Licence Commercial Pilot Licence Instructor’s Rating Night Rating

Allowable Tuition Fees (Please read carefully): Private Pilot Course Any number of dual flying hours. Solo hours to the extent that dual and solo hours do not exceed a total of forty-five hours. Revenue Canada has been requiring proof of enrollment in the Commercial Pilot Licence program prior to allowing a deduction for the PPL. (See above) Commercial Pilot Course Any number of dual flying hours and solo hours to the extent that dual and solo hours do not exceed a total of sixty-five hours (Commercial Licence).

NO CREDIT MAY BE TAKEN FOR TIME BUILDING OR HOURS IN EXCESS OF THE TRANSPORT CANADA MINIMUMS. Private Pilot Course Only Ground school Jan 1 to December 31, 2012

$300.00

$___________

________hours dual Jan 1 to Dec 31, 2012 ________hours solo Jan 1 to Dec 31, 2012 ________hours dual and solo claimed in 2011 and earlier re private licence ________TOTAL CLAIM in hours (CANNOT EXCEED 45 HOURS) Aviation Excellence Since 1946

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January 2013

2012 Tax Forms Commercial Pilot Course Ground school Jan 1 to December 31, 2012

$495.00

$___________

Ground school Retread

$ 50.00

$___________

________hours dual Jan 1 to Dec 31, 2012 ________hours solo Jan 1 to Dec 31, 2012 ________hours dual and solo claimed in 2011 and earlier re commercial licence ________TOTAL CLAIM in hours (CANNOT EXCEED 65 HOURS) Other Ratings Rating:______________________ Hours: Dual____________ Solo___________ To Be Completed By The Student I, _________________________ certify that: I intend to work in the occupation of _______________________and that I was enrolled in the course entitled ______________________in order to furnish me with skills in that occupation OR I am qualified as a ___________________________ and that I was enrolled in the course entitled ___________________________ in order to improve my skills in that occupation.

My hours claimed for 2012, when combined with hours claimed in 2011 and earlier does not exceed the maximums outlined of 45 hours for private and 65 hours for commercial course. __________________________ Signature of Student

____________________________ Date

Do you wish your tax form mailed or picked up?______________________________ Tax Forms received by Victoria Flying Club prior to February 1, 2013 will be completed by February 29, 2013.

For Office Use Only Date received ____________________ Course _____________________________ Hours:

________________

Dual $______________

________________

Solo

Ground Briefing: ________________ Ground school:

$______________

Dual $______________ $______________

Total Hours Claimed: ____________Private _____________

January 2013

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