September 2005

Victoria Flying Club

September2005

Inside

This starkly crisp photo is from the "Deadstick Routine of Kent Pietsch".

He and his 1942 Interstate Cadet performed at the Comox Airshow, August 7th, 2005. Photo by Bill Stewart.

(See story, page 10)

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3

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8

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Short Final

Letters to the Editor

What Kind of Pilot are You?

Squawk Ident

Comox Air Show

My Tale of Unauthorized Flying

Pages

Eleanor’s

The

Patrician

S hort F inal

Newsletter of the Victoria Flying Club

SEPTEMBER 2005 Editor:

Eleanor Eastick PatricianEditor@shaw.ca Advertising inquiries: Bob Mace (250) 361-6996 or bmace@shaw.ca Publisher: Seaside Designs seasidedesigns@shaw.ca (250) 383-7777 Published monthly.

Unsolicited articles welcome.

The deadline for submissions is Wednesday, September 21, 2005.

Board of Directors President Vice President Treasurer Secretary Directors

Sean Steele Bob Mace Eleanor Eastick Steve Ray Doug Marin Colin Dormuth Don Goodeve Lloyd Toope

General Manager Chief Flying Instructor

Gerry Mants Graham Palmer

1852 Canso Road Victoria, BC V8L 5V5

Phone: Fax: Email: Web:

(250) 656-4321 (250) 656-2833 (250) 655-0910 info@flyvfc.com www.flyvfc.com

Opinions expressed are those of the authors alone. No part of this newsletter may be reproduced in any format without the written authorization from the publisher or author.

Well, it was a long time coming, but summer has been here for a month of sunshine and blue skies, with one exception. Yet again, the August 1st BC Day Flyout bombed. Oh, yeah, the weather wasn’t at all bad anywhere, except at the precise time and on the precise route to the intended destination of Pemberton. The first shot at CYPS was on Canada Day and that was a disaster! The weather was appalling! Sheesh! You wouldn’t think it could happen twice in a row – four times in a row for the season. Once again, the intrepid little group made it as far as Chilliwack – check the photo and look at that lousy sky. As I understand it, an upper cold front just pushed that nasty band of weather along the lower mainland, bringing ceilings down to 2000’in places. Of course, once all possibility of a successful flyout was past, the clouds scattered and disappeared, leaving the summer’s day as it should have been.

With Flyout #5 coming up on Labour Day, a joint effort between VFC and BBFC, destination Tsuniah Lake, Mother Nature owes us one big time!

New VTA After a long wait, following an unprecedented recall of the Vancouver VTA, we now have the new charts available in the Pilot Shop. There are some changes to the Boundary Bay

Control Zone, and a few changes to CYYJ’s call-up points as well as some new ones added. Don’t delay getting your up-dated chart!

August Happenings Quite a few Club members made it to CYQQ for the big airshow on the seventh, some by air, some by bus – or both! Going by air meant landing at Courtenay and taking a shuttle bus to the airport. I figured there must have been a ton of small aircraft at Courtenay but Al Whalley who flew up in his gorgeous red Alon 2 Aircoupe said: “Actually ...NO! I would guess at no more than 10 if that? A guy who owns a flight service next door to the club and let me park in front of his hangar said he had no idea that airshow flyins were coming in. Didn’t know anything about it. The Lt Col from Comox who turned down my request for a PPR said flyins could use the Airpark and they had buses laid on to pick up and return the crews and passengers etc...even had a published schedule...every 20 minutes!...but they only made one trip...found the traffic too horrendous for buses to move into and out of the Airpark and just didn’t go in anymore. Never told anyone though. When I arrived, there were four guys from Victoria who took off a half hour or so before me in a fast aircraft and they were still waiting...then waited another hour or so with

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Clouds just touch the summit of Little Sumas Mountain looking west.

CYCW photo by Ed Moniz cont’d p.5

Letters to the Editor September Mystery of the Month A little closer to home, this aircraft was photographed behind the Club in 2002.

Send your educated guess(es) to PatricianEditor@shaw.ca.

Dear Eleanor By the way what do you think of that Earth Google you wrote up in the Pat. I have a similar one from Google that I use with no download. You can see where you live for example..then just move anywhere else…over to Vancouver…or up island etc by just scrolling with little arrows. You can also go anywhere else in the world. Earth Google must be even better, but I don't know as I would want to invite spyware into my computer for the sake of a little more enhancement to an already cool site! Al Whalley It is a cool site, Al, and easy with no download and no spyware.

Thanks! - Ed Eleanor I am going to download some of the earlier editions of the Patrician. You are doing a great job on it. I know how much effort it takes as I was involved with our Amateur Radio Publication (Static) in Nanaimo for many years............Bill S.

Bill, who is planning to attend Groundschool this fall, has always been interested in aeroplanes, and kindly allowed the Patrician to use his Comox Airshow photos. They were all so awesome, it was difficult to choose just a few.

Ed Hi Eleanor - just looked at the August 05 cover - Cool. Also I meant to tell you that I looked at a picture of a Canuck that is on the wall in the hall leading to the lounge when I was in Victoria last month. My original thought was that the cowl on the plane behind you (Fond Memories - June 05 Pat) was not the same as the Fleet I remember. There is a good explanation. The Edmonton Flying Club, where I learned to fly had converted the Fleets to a 100 horse engine which undoubtedly involved a cowl change. The one in the VFC hall picture is identical to the one that is in the picture with you. It is a Fleet Canuck I am sure.

Rob Well, there's an old mystery solved, for sure! - Ed

Part-time Line person needed see Marcel at VFC

3

What Kind of P i l o t are Y o u ?

A question on the life insurance application asked “Have you ever made or intend to make aerial flights other than as a passenger?” Easy answer to that one.

It goes on. “Over what areas are most flights made?”

I was discussing the topic with my financial advisor one day. He also deals in some creative ways to insure yourself, something I’d been avoiding for years.

“What kind of a question is that?” I was being totally serious.

He just shrugged. No help there.

He’s not a pilot.

Later that day after mulling it over, I filled in the blank. “Over flat land with lots of landing places”.

That should make them think I’m a safe risk.

I wasn’t kidding. That’s where I actually fly, as much as possible anyway. Maybe it’s just as we get older we become more aware of our health and mortality. The days of brash attitudes and adventures are gone. Life becomes serious. We take fewer risks. Life insurance companies like that.

There have been times when I’d have preferred to be on the ground rather than flying. Once, many years ago, I was on a VFR flight from Vernon to Vancouver when conditions around Hope socked in.

Having already spent one night on the lumpy couch at Merritt, it seemed important to me at the time to get back. Descending to about

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1500 feet, I was still in cloud more than out of it for quite some time.

This was before the days of GPS being the preferred nav aid. Looking at the map for some ideas, it became apparent that I was on a radial from the Bellingham VOR that passed right through Abbotsford. If I flew directly TO the VOR, the map showed no mountains in the way.

The Abby ATIS was reporting only a broken ceiling. So, it boiled down to keeping the airplane flying straight and with the right side up.

Fortunately, in the months prior to this incident, I had been doing a lot of flying under the hood, and even without an instrument rating, felt confident in my ability to successfully get through this. It was totally illegal and not a really smart thing to be doing. However after about 20 minutes, the solid cloud gave way to scud, then eventually to the broken conditions the ATIS had reported.

Without a doubt, every pilot can look back on antics and adventures that, in retrospect, he wouldn’t get into today. It’s all part of the experience and learning process. For me, the days of pressure to be somewhere, of someone else dictating schedules, times and go/no-go decisions, are gone. I fly strictly for my recreation and pleasure. If it’s too hot, too cold, too windy, too cloudy or I just don’t feel like it, I don’t go. I was honest in my response to the question, “Over what areas are most flights made”. Yes, I’m totally comfortable with flying over the ground where there are plenty of landing spots.

BEAR’S AIR

by Barry

Meek

Years ago, pilots with that attitude seemed unrealistically cautious. We even laughed and joked about them behind their backs. But I believe wisdom grows with age. It’s a natural process, one that I’d rather not fight.

If you’re scoffing or laughing at this right now, think back on it in about 10 years.

What kind of pilot are you? Does pushing the weather, the gross weight, the short runway, or the tight landing spot still loom as a challenge? Or do situations like that influence you toward the no-go decision? There’s a cliché around about no old and bold pilots still alive. The older I get, the more I see that as fact.

If your flying is for recreation, it shouldn’t be anything other than pure fun and excitement. Enjoy the exhilaration and satisfaction of a trip that proceeds without incident and ends with a perfect landing. A true professional doesn’t have to use his skill to get out of a bad situation because he avoids trouble in the first place. Leave the risks to the men and women who are under more pressure, who still have a boss who tries to make their decisions for them.

Life insurance companies like that.

Barry Meek bcflyer@propilots.net

Short Final cont’d from p 2 me. Finally, four other guys from VR and myself walked to the mall... about a 20 minute or so walk away ...that was also the major pick up for people from Courtenay.

The other guys took a cab!

Still the flight and the Air Show made it all worthwhile along with a picture perfect weather day!”

BCAM had its Open House the day before the Comox Airshow, enjoying the same good weather and a nice turnout of visitors. VFC was well-represented and did a brisk business selling aeroplane rides.

Back to School The days are drawing in and the sun is setting at around 8 PM now - time to think of night-flying and time to consider some new ideas for Club activities.

Have the once-popular flyouts run their course? Is now the occasion to think of some new ways to get together and fly, some new challenges, new things to see and do? What do you say, Club? We need to hear from you members so we can make plans for 2006.

Now let’s all wait for that Indian Summer to come!

Photo by Al Whalley

August Mystery of the Month Name this aeroplane, photographed at Kelso/Longview on the August/03 Mount St. Helens Flyout.

The aircraft picture taken at Kelso/Longview is a Cal Mjolsness Dornier Do-28 This interesting aircraft is a Dornier Do 28 D Skyservant (Germany). The first flight of this type was 1966. It's powered by two Lycoming six-cylinder piston engines developing 380 hp each. MTO 8470 lb, climb at S/L 1180 fpm, service ceiling 25,200'.

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5

Remembering Emma

by Al Whalley On July 10, 1988 a little nine-year-old girl, Emma Jane Houlston from Medicine Hat, Alberta, departed the Victoria Flying Club in a single engine Grumman aircraft and flew into aviation history!

friend, signing autographs, being interviewed on television, then climbing into her aircraft, firing up the engine and launching into the history books! I wonder how many of today's pilots might have Taken from film, this grainy photograph shows little been inspired Emma being interviewed by Chek TV news. by this little girl's spectacular entry into the wonderful world of flight.

The movie film that I took that day has faded over time but the memory of that "magic moment" remains vivid!

She was the youngest person to fly an aircraft from coast to coast across Canada from Victoria, BC to St John's, Newfoundland. Emma was accompanied by her father with two mounted video cameras to record and authenticate the flight.

It was an exciting and memorable morning for Club members who were there to see her off and to observe the nine-year-old romping with her little

“CO oh NO” Ever notice the CO detectors in the plane? Hopefully you have because they could save your life. CO or Carbon Monoxide is a waste product from the combustion of air and fuel, which is supposed to exit via the muffler. If a crack develops in the exhaust system and CO enters the cockpit it will trigger a reaction in the detector and turn it black. This tells you that you are inhaling poisonous gas and should ventilate the cabin and land ASAP. Take a look for this 99-cent tool the next time you do your pre flight.

The Line Crew.

PS Don’t draw happy faces on them!!!!

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"Well done, Emma!" and all of us here at VFC wish you well wherever you may be today! Happy landings!

Footnote: The Guinness Book of Records has since eliminated the "youngest pilot" category because they don't want to encourage unsafe flight. If you would like to see a film clip of Emma's landing in St. John's, NL, by Peter Mansbridge, just type her name into Google Search.

Wouldn’t you rather be flying?

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Owner Evelyn J. Andrews-Greene, CA Sustaining Member of VFC since 1983

386-4466 #202-31 Bastion Square Victoria BC V8W 1J1

For Sale

F r o m th e Boa r d :

1956 CESSNA 172 C-GHNA This aircraft has been owned and maintained by AME’s since 1999.

Engine was overhauled in 2003 and includes ‘0’ time bottom end with new Superior cylinder. assemblies. This plane flies very well and has been very economical to operate, averaging 7.5 USG per hour. Included in the sale price of $52000 CDN is $6000 paint allowance, Mo-Gas STC, cruise prop, 1 nose and 1 main tire (new), overhauled tagged cylinder assy., starter motor, carburetor and other misc. parts.

Reason for selling is that we are building an RV-7.

Airframe TTSN 4365.3 as of July 28,2005 Engine, O-300 TTSMO 116.3 “ “ Prop TTSO 223.9 April 04, 5yr corrosion inspection Radio King KY197 Transponder King 176A Intercom Sigtronics II Last annual March 12, 2005 ELT Narco 10 ELT check May 30, 2005 Co relation chk May 30, 2005

CONTACT Hugh Shilling, 250 881 7324 matchbox1@shaw.ca

You‘ve noticed the recent physical changes to the Club. In the next short while you will see the new and improved Club website. It is increasingly important that our web profile reflect the quality and professionalism of the Club, be attractive to prospective members and still remain a useful information source for existing members. Our new website design I believe does all this (and more!) and builds on the strong foundation left for the Club by past director Bjorn Olsen (to whom we owe our gratitude for getting us on the web in the first place). The project to revamp the website has been spearheaded by Director Don Goodeve, with much help from VP Bob Mace and Director Doug Marin to whom we owe our thanks for the hard work they‘ve put in to giving the Club a strong web presence and a good foundation for our future marketing initiatives.

Sean Steele, Pres.

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7

Graham Palmer VFC/CFI

t’s a busy day today, there are a lot of airplanes flying in the control zone; the radio is a buzz of chatter today, and to a nonpilot or a beginner it would sound very intimidating.

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Often when I’m taking someone flying for the first time they’re not concerned about learning how to control the aircraft, they’re concerned about how they will learn to use the radio. The Victoria Control Zone at times can be very busy, and as the population on Vancouver Island continues to grow it’s only going to get busier. Learning to operate in this environment can seem tricky, but in actual fact it’s quite easy. You just have to be familiar with local departure and arrival procedures, and know how to tailor your message before you press the transmit button.

Knowledge of the surrounding area and local procedures is key. Local geography can be found on the VFR Terminal Area Chart (VTA), and procedures can be found on both the current edition of the Canadian Flight Supplement and on the reverse side of the current VTA. There have been some changes here recently in Victoria, and because there is legal requirement to carry current publications we should all be familiar with these changes. Likewise if we fly to another airport we can gain required information from these same publications in much the same manner.

As far as tailoring your transmissions, always remember in Canada you omit the ‘C’ from the registration. On initial call you would include the ‘F’ or ‘G’, but then if initiated by Air Traffic Control (ATC) you would omit this letter from all subsequent transmissions. Likewise, after you have called ‘Victoria Tower’, and they have responded as ‘Victoria Tower’, you may drop the ‘Victoria’ from all subsequent transmissions, as both parties have already established which ‘Tower’ is transmitting on this frequency. Keep in mind that these omissions will continue through all positions in that particular tower; i.e. Ground, Inner Tower, and Outer Tower if initiated on Clearance Delivery on departure, and Inner, and Ground if initiated on Outer Tower on arrival.

As far as a ‘courtesy call’ goes, for example: “Victoria Tower, Cessna 172, Golf Lima Juliet Romeo” as opposed to giving them your request on your initial call, controller preference will vary from tower to tower. From personal experience if you call a tower on a quiet day and give them your full spiel; who you are, where you are, and what you want to do, they will undoubtedly miss something. Keep in mind that the controller may be discussing the technical complexities of an integral

8

Squawk Ident

part of their radar display to a co-worker as you transmit, and only catch a part of your transmission. If you call them on a busy day when several aircraft are vying for an opportunity to make a transmission, several pilots may transmit at the same time leading to a lengthy agonizing squeal on the radio. I have found that a ‘courtesy call’ in this situation allows the air traffic controller to decide whom they will communicate with first, this in turn reduces frequency congestion and blocked transmissions.

Once tower responds to your ‘courtesy call’, simply state where you are including your altitude and what you want to do. For example: “Lima Juliet Romeo over Duncan, 2000’, requesting transition for Victoria Harbour.” If the tower responds “Lima Juliet Romeo transition direct, maintain 2500 feet” All you need reply is: “Lima Juliet Romeo, direct 2500”. Keep in mind that the trick here is a short response, reading back only the important points of the control tower’s transmission. Sometimes a transmission may include extra important information, but reading it all back may be superfluous; such as in the following example: “Lima Juliet Romeo, transition approved direct Victoria Harbor, climb to 2500’, traffic will be inbound over Brentwood Bay at 2000’. Again a short response is all that is required: “Lima Juliet Romeo, direct 2500’. Informing the tower that you are looking for traffic is only required when given more precise information, such as: “Lima Juliet Romeo, traffic one o’clock opposite direction 2500’” Here you can respond: “Lima Juliet Romeo looking”, or “Lima Juliet Romeo with traffic”.

Another area to be aware of is reading back clearances, such as “Lima Juliet Romeo, cleared for take off runway 09”, try to avoid just reading back “Lima Juliet Romeo”, like wise a taxi clearance can be read back too. “Lima Juliet Romeo cleared to taxi Sierra, and Echo across 02 and 13” a verbatim response should be standard. If a portion of your read back is incorrect, the controller will let you know.

On a closing point, remember the terms “affirmative”, and “negative”. If a controller asks you whether you can accept an immediate take off, reading back your registration simply acknowledges the transmission but doesn’t answer the question.

And always remember that if there is any doubt as to what tower said, respond “say again”, the term ‘repeat’ is reserved for military purposes… It means shoot again!

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COMOX AIRSHOW 2 0 0 5 am so very proud of our Canadian Armed Forces.

Despite a marked decrease in US military hardware to display this time around, the 19 Wing Comox Armed Forces Day Airshow on August 7, 2005 was a well run, highly successful family event with lots to see and do.

I

As with similar events held at bases throughout the country, Armed Forces Day‘s primary purpose is to showcase the base and the many men and women who work there. Also, since 2005 is the Year of the Veteran, this event provided an opportunity to honour our Veterans, 60 years after the end of the Second World War. Flying events kicked off at noon with The SkyHawks Canadian Forces Parachute Team who never fail to impress the crowds with their colourful, daring and patriotic demonstrations. Armed Forces aerial displays continued with fine demonstrations by the CC-115 Buffalo Search and Rescue aircraft, the CP-140 Aurora antisubmarine and patrol aircraft, both of which are based at Comox. From CFB Cold Lake, Alberta, Captain James " Buca" Kettles provided visitors with a brilliant aerial display in his CF-18 Hornet. Capt Kettles returned with the Hornet later in the show to fly in the Heritage Flight formation with the legendary Bud Granley who was flying his souped up Harvard. Bud himself later returned in his exotic-looking Fouga Magister jet to provide a beautiful aerial demonstration choreographed to music.

Civilian performers included Bill Carter who flew inverted at 17 feet above the ground in his nimble little Pitts Special S2S to slice through a ribbon held up by two of his trusting buddies. Kent Pietsch provided spectators with a wacky routine in his colourful little Interstate Cadet highwing lightplane. What at first appeared to be a sloppy, careless,

aileronripping display of flying turned out to be, on closer examination, a brilliant Canadain Forces performance Snowbirds by a very skilled pilot who intimately knows his aircraft‘s performance envelope. Kent later attempted to land the Cadet on the roof of an RV while both hurtled down the runway at about 70 knots. He was unsuccessful on the first two tries but third time lucky! The Cascade Warbirds brought an impressive collection of vintage aircraft who performed a parade of several circuits for the spectators.

Military demonstrations continued with the United States Airforce "Viper West" F-16 Demonstration Team who thrilled the crowds with a thunderous display of aerial combat tactics. The US Airforce also provided their own Heritage Flight display with one of their F-16 Fighting Falcons flying formation with a P-51 Mustang fighter of WW 2 fame.

The Airshow wrapped up with the ever-brilliant Canadian Forces Snowbirds who happen to be celebrating their 35th anniversary this year and, according to squadron sources, have performed for over 116 million spectators to date across North America.

Our many thanks to the men and women of the Canadian Armed Forces for hosting another great Open House and Airshow at Comox!

by Larry Dibnah

CF-18 and Harvard

Lougheed Aurora

photos by Bill Stewart

Fouga Magistere

10

Bud Granley and Harvard

My Tale of Unauthorized Flying

by Glenn C. Matthews It’s fifty-five years since my first solo. The former Department of Transport is now Transport Canada and the Statute of Limitations should be long gone by now, so I think it’s safe enough to let you folks in on my tale of unauthorized flying.

World War Two was over where, as a Wireless Operator Air Gunner in 6 Group Bomber Command, I survived two major aircraft crashes. As a new civilian I’d had a whack at running a hobby shop, been a cab driver and a Greyhound agent and, in 1949, found myself back in the Airforce newly married to my first wife, Doris.

While at Manning Depot in Aylmer, Ontario, I met two new recruits who informed me that they were the proud owners of a Tiger Moth. In casual conversation, I had mentioned my involvement on Fleet biplanes and Tiger Moths in the early days of the war where, as an apprentice mechanic, I’d been allowed to taxi the planes and occasionally go as a passenger with the trainee pilots. And during the war I’d had a couple of hours of unofficial time in a Link Trainer. After the war, I’d logged exactly one half hour of dual on a Cessna 140 with Vancouver U-Fly. That was the extent of my flight instruction. But this seemed, to these two teenage recruits (17 and 18), to make me sufficiently qualified to check them out on their $400 airplane. The 18 year old kid had two hours of dual on a Fleet Canuck but the 17 year old had never flown! Talk about the blind leading the blind! However, I wasn’t about to change their mind.

As I saw it, here was my opportunity to finally fly an airplane with no one in authority to tell me otherwise.

How exciting! When I think of it these many years later my palms begin to sweat but back then at age 25 I was full of confidence that I could fly that Tiger Moth safely.

Since I’m writing my life story for my family and this episode is part of it I’ll just lift the paragraphs out of my pages: The Moth was in a hangar at the abandoned Aylmer airport so I gave it a thorough walk around and then tried to dig up some specs such as stall speeds but finally decided to wing it. The night before the big event I made a plan which I thought would keep me out of hot water.

I determined that if I kept the airspeed above 60 MPH at all times I would avoid stalling the airplane. Then I decided that my first circuit would consist of climbing straight out to 1,000 feet on a heading of due east, then level off and do a rate one turn onto a heading of due north (a 90° turn to the left), fly for one minute and then a 90° turn to downwind until I judged Glenn Matthews I was far enough to turn onto base leg. Then I would turn final before throttling back to make my first approach to landing.

So the big day arrived and Doris and I made our way to the airport and there sat the Tiger Moth, engine running and ready to go. The older kid wanted to fly with me which of course was only right since he was one of the owners. I briefed him on my plan which was that I would do the takeoff and once the aircraft was in the climb I would hand over to him, cautioning him to maintain no less than 60 MPH while holding the compass on due east. So with the last puff on a cigarette, I climbed aboard and we taxied out. Somehow I had remembered the braking system which required pulling back on a lever while applying left or right rudder for steering.

Fortunately there was no wind and no other aircraft traffic (an abandoned field, remember?) so all I had to do was open the throttle. Immediately I realized the propeller torque was starting to swing the aircraft to the right, but with a fair bit of left rudder pedal pressure the plane kept rolling nice and straight. In a matter of seconds I glanced down at the left tire and realized it was no longer rolling along the runway, but was in fact spinning on its own momentum a few feet above the ground. We were airborne!

I glanced at the throttle and was shocked to see that we had actually lifted off at half throttle. I immediately shoved the throttle full open and commenced the climbout. I remember thinking, “I’m in the air, and now there is only one person that can get me back down again safely and that’s me!” But I was still full of confidence (don’t ask me why). So I hollered to the kid, “You have control,” and immediately things started to unravel. The airspeed started to drop below 60 MPH so I yelled at him to get the nose down a bit and watch his airspeed. Then he started to wander off course. I quickly realized that he couldn’t manage more than one instrument at a time so I took over control and leveled out at 1000 feet, made the 90° crosswind turn, then onto downwind and let him take see Glenn’s bio p.12

11

cont’d from p.11 ‘MyTale of Unauthorized Flying’

So we took off again and on the second and the third circuits I somehow managed to achieve two bang-on three-point landings. Then I declared to Doris that I was going to quit while I was ahead, but the 18-year-old said he wanted to take his buddy flying! I suggested that he should not do that but he was determined so all I could do was caution him about the torque on take-off. As they taxied out I said to Doris, “We’d better get the heck out of here in case the DOT shows up,” but I couldn’t resist watching so we stood by the corner of the hangar as the kid rolled onto the runway and opened the throttle.

Almost immediately the Moth started to swing to the right but he continued to pour on throttle until the airplane was at right-angles to the runway when it suddenly went into a vicious ground loop, the left wing digging into the ground and collapsing at which time he finally throttled back and the airplane flopped onto its wheels. Just at that moment we saw a car coming from the far end of the runway and I said, “We’ve got to disappear because I don’t know who that is.” Turned out it was just some farmer wondering what was going on.

So that’s the story of how I soloed for the first time,

never having had any official flying instruction (other than one half hour in a Cessna 140). Amazingly I survived. Over the years a number of Tiger Moth pilots have stated that the Moth was not a forgiving airplane.

But I’m here to say that the one I flew was more than forgiving and I thank the Lord for that.

When I look back I think, “None of the people involved then – the two kids, Doris, or me really realized how foolhardy this whole exercise was.” I could have easily been killed because of so many factors: engine failure, a badly rigged airplane, the kid panicking, a change in the weather and on and on. Fortunately the airplane performed perfectly and the weather was calm and I did all the right things. But I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone as a way to learn to fly. Before I leave this episode of “me and the Tiger Moth” I should mention that afterwards I rarely talked about the experience. I’m not sure why. Perhaps because it was such a bizarre story, one which most of the flying community would not believe anyway. When you look at the minimum dual instruction required by a flying school before allowing a student to go solo, namely 10 hours, or more like 15 or 20 hours nowadays then to say that I soloed with only one half hour of dual instruction is asking most people to believe the impossible. I only have one witness who can confirm my story. I’m sure at the time she had no idea of how much I was putting myself in harms way, but I did it because I believed I could. And my heart sings!

It wasn’t until the year 2001 that I learned of the aftermath of that adventure. My wife, Kate, was able to track down the following information via the internet.

It seems the kids sold the Moth to Bob Pettus of the St. Thomas Flying Club who replaced the broken lower left wing and used the plane for a couple of years before selling it. On the phone he said the registration was C- FCKA but couldn’t remember the names of the kids.

Since I can’t remember their names either I have no way to tell them how lucky they were to have not gotten airborne on that day. And so ends the story of my first solo.

Glenn’s obsession with aircraft started at age five in Victoria’s Inner Harbour when he saw a Boeing flying boat delivering mail from Seattle. After that, he built model aircraft, took his first flight at age 15, apprenticed as an aircraft mechanic at CYVR for various companies then joined the RCAF in WW II although not as a pilot. That came later in a busy and varied career which saw him return to the west coast as a commercial artist. Glenn was instrumental in getting the Abbotsford Airshow started and was an announcer for 25 years. He’s an honorary Blue Angel, artist, teacher, Commercial pilot, but best of all, he says, he’s now married to Kate Beckett, the luckiest thing that ever happened to him!

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Glenn Matthews

it again for a couple of minutes of wandering. Then I said, “I’ll do the landing,” turned onto base leg and then final for my first ever approach to a landing. I got another shock when I looked down from 1000 feet at that dinky runway. It sure looked small! It looked much shorter than I imagined it would. I can look back now and realize that I should have been letting down on base leg before turning final. However, I was sure I could make the runway so I stuffed the nose down which probably increased my airspeed too much, flared out just past the button, but with a slight touch of drift on. I put the airplane down in a three point attitude but because of the drift we rolled off the runway, onto the grass and went into a very gentle ground loop with the left lower wing tip just touching the grass. I taxied back in, left the engine running, jumped out for a nervous cigarette and made plans for the second circuit, stating that I wanted to do it properly without the ground loop.

Mountain Groundschool Sunday Sep 11 12-4pm.

Cost is $50.

Contact Dispatch to sign up.

Glenn Matthews may have hung up his helmet and goggles, but the love of flying has passed to his wife, Kate Beckett, seen here following her First Solo on August 5th.

Flight principles,

ROYAL CANADIAN air navigation, meteorology, first AIR CADETS

aid, airframes, engines, marksmanship, effective speaking, instructional techniques, and leadership. Some of the things you will learn and do as a member of 676 Kittyhawk RCACS. If you are 12 years of age you can join.

Air cadet activities are centred on aeronautics and leadership. Uniforms are loaned at no charge and summer training from two weeks to seven weeks is included. 676 Kittyhawk RCACS meets Thursdays at 6:00pm at 1979 Anson Road from September 8th 2005. Go on-line at http://www.cadets.net/pac/676air for more information.

ARE RECRUITING

676 Kittyhawk Royal Canadian Air Cadet Squadron Needs your help!!

Ground School Instructors are needed to assist cadets who are applying for the Flying Scholarship Program qualifying exam in January 2006. Ground school classes provide cadets with more detailed information about aviation and aeronautics than what is taught in the core Air Cadet program. Participating

in the ground school will help cadets learn everything needed to pass the qualifying exam for the Gliding and Power Summer Scholarship Courses. Ground School Instructors cover material found in the “From the Ground Up” manual. Lesson Plans provided.

Ground School courses are run once a week in the evening, or on a weekend (depending on Instructor availability) from Oct – Dec. As a non-profit 676 RCACS cannot afford to pay instructors but can offer Pilots free flying hours as part of their Familiarization Flying Program.

For more info please contact the Squadron

By Email: co.676air@cadets.net

By Phone: 656-4423 (answering machine) Sandra Pinard Captain Commanding Officer 676 Kittyhawk RCACS

"Our drill team winning the Top Drill Team for Vancouver Island in April 2005."

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P A G E S

Spare Time Reading

Hubbard, the Forgotten Boeing Aviator,

by Jim Brown, published 1996.

Pioneer aviator, Edward Hubbard has been all but forgotten in the 76 years since his untimely death although he received an enormous amount of press during his lifetime. His career as pilot had lasted less than 15 years when he succumbed to an infection following stomach surgery in 1928. Had he lived, his name would undoubtedly have been near the top of that shining list of early-day aviators.

November, 1915, saw Eddie, then aged 18, the first graduate of the Aviation School in the Northwest, and in 1916, he became “licensed” by the Aero Club of America.

This was not a pilot’s licence per se but was an international permit making him eligible to enter competitive flying events. From there, it seems Eddie went to work as a mechanic for the Nute Motor Company in Seattle and as fate would have it, Mr. Nute

by Eleanor Eastick

who encouraged Boeing to take on the mass production of aeroplanes.

On March 3rd, 1919, Boeing and Hubbard made the first international airmail flight from Vancouver to Seattle. Since it was a brand new service, there was no such thing as an airmail stamp, and the rate was 3 cents per letter. (These first “covers” are now worth several thousand dollars each.) Interestingly, five months later, the Aero Club of Canada claimed its Toronto to New York Aerial Mail Service was the first in the country. Hubbard flew hundreds of tons of mail from Seattle to Victoria from 1920 to 1927 without losing an envelope By 1920, Boeing had the largest aircraft manufacturing plant in America. Hubbard and Boeing continually promoted the idea of a city landing field in Seattle and eventually the Powers-That-Be authorized the purchase of 425 acres in south Seattle for a commercial airport – Boeing Field.

Sadly, Eddie Hubbard died at the age of 39 in Holy Cross Hospital, Salt Lake City where he was VicePresident in charge of operations of Boeing Air Transport Inc., a company formed by Boeing to handle airmail contracts. Hubbard was instrumental in the airmail business, realizing that it and air travel in general would become the way of the 20th century. Not only a great pilot but an astute businessman, he left his widow 1.2 million.

was a big friend of Wm. Boeing. Boeing had purchased and was flying a float plane off Lake Washington and was looking for a mechanic. “What luck!” says Mr. Nute, “Eddie is not only a great mechanic, but he also flies a plane.”

And so, Eddie Hubbard came to work for Bill Boeing as a test pilot, left temporarily to instruct military pilots during 1917-1918, and then returned to the Boeing Airplane Company. The rest, as they say, is history. The two men became fast friends and began various aviation ventures, air taxi, mail delivery etc. and it was Hubbard

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EDWARD HUBBARD SOARS ON read the headline of the Seattle Post Intelligencer: “His going was not the swift heroic end which we associate with aviation. But his whole mature life was filled with practical heroisms which have been so instrumental in developing commercial aviation.”

See the world… from our point of VIEW!!

What’s to Do This Summer Sept 5

Labour Day Flyout - VFC and BBFC Flyout

Increase your confidence • Aerobatic Course* • Adventure Rides • Emergency Manoeuvres Training

to Tsuniah Lake Sept 14-18

Reno National Championship

Discovery Ride

$

Air Races & Air Show

99 95

Intro

Laurie Leavett-Brown George Mulligan Graeme Jack Danny Poirier Christine Patkowski Brock Smith David Favor Oscar Lancaster Phill Tate Steven Krueger Russell Storry Marohl Kuhl Charles Kenyon Lenna Harnett Maryse Rajotte Jim Down Bob Gunderson Gurman Sahota Don Devenney Darcy Evans Devin Miller Gary Giles David Parry Koichi Nakamura Tristan Nano Colin McCann Howard Peng Ronald Desmarais Ryan McCormick

Achievements PPL Flight Test Alan Moore Brad Johnson Ron Ducharme Chris Mathison Graeme Ferguson PPL Written Test Dave Williams Matthew Welby Shannon Hanzek Instrument Rating Vincent Vialaret Dawn Hansen Brandy Provan Aerobatic Endorsement Phill Tate

Private Pilot License Louis Collard Multi Endorsement Dave Van Halderen First Solo Kate Beckett Nick Van Heyst Tom Navratil Wafa Abduljabbar Ingrid Walker

VFC

Aerobatics

New Members!

*Basic course - 10 hrs dual 5 hrs solo Courses customized to help you reach new horizons.

Call Dispatch at the club for further information

656-2833

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