Patricianmar09 3

The Patrician Victoria Flying Club

March 2009

The 2008 VFC grads gather before the fireplace at the Officers Mess,CFB Esquimalt. The Wings banquet was held on January 31st, too late to make the February Patrician. Photo by Dunc Malcolm.

Short Final

Letters to the Editor

Bears Air

Bad Day at Baddeck

In My Travels

Wings 2008

Back to Baddeck

Model Aircraft Days

Eleanor’s

The

Patrician

S hort F inal

Newsletter of the Victoria Flying Club

MARCH 2009 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 Tuesday, March 24, 2009.

Board of Directors President Vice President Treasurer Secretary Directors

Paul Levie Doug Marin Lloyd Toope Colin Dormuth Eleanor Eastick Ellen Wood Sean Steele Jim Sutherland

General Manager Gerry Mants Chief Flying Instructor 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.

sky’s the limit

document as of January 1st, 2009 and the old format licences will expire on December 31, 2009. RPP and Ultra-light licence holders may begin submitting their applications for the Aviation Document Booklet beginning on January 1st, 2010 and the old format will expire on December 31, 2010. We are lucky here at CYYJ as there is a Transport Canada office right next door to the Club. Just drop in and get the forms. It’s easy, and free, other than getting an official passport-type photograph taken (about $10). It really is painless, as Barry Meek wrote in Bears Air, January Patrician. The new passport-style documents look pretty spiffy and the Club’s Pilot Shop sells goodlooking gold-stamped leather holders to fit them.

Oh Canada Apparently YYJ was spared the snowstorm that hit Victoria around 11 PM on February 25th. I hear that Nanaimo got a lot more. Let’s hope that we have seen the last of non-VFR weather and that great flying days are ahead. It’s been so cold here lately that the trunk of your car could double as a freezer. British Columbians are supposed to use an umbrella in the winter, not a snow shovel. We know the French equivalents of “free”, “prize” and “no sugar added”, thanks to an extensive education in bilingual cereal packaging. We understand the phrase “Could you pass me a serviette, I just dropped my poutine, on the chesterfield.”

And that’s why it’s cool to be Canadian – eh?

Silver Dart Model Maker

for YOUR business

I guess I got so used to seeing the four-foot model of the Silver Dart around the house that I never thought to mention its very clever builder, my husband Robert. I received the following letter from a friend to remind me of my omission:

communication solutions that work for you

“Hi, Eleanor! Just was thinking of you, and … looking at the VFC site….The CBC stories of the 100th anniversary prompted me to have a look at the Patrician, and lo and behold Robert’s model is there. It doesn’t look as if there’s a mention of his name (except the photo credit) as the builder….” Now you all know - Well done Robert!

250.383.7777 seasidedesigns@shaw.ca seasidevisuals.com

Just a reminder that all ATPLs and CPLs must be replaced by the new Aviation Document Booklet by late March this year. The old format of these licences expires on March 31, 2009. After those are completed, Transport Canada will begin replacing all other licences including the PPL during 2009. Holders of the PPL will be able to submit applications for the new

SEASIDE designs & photography

Short Final cont’d on p 4

Letters to the Editor An assortment of letters this month dealing with a Canso rescue from the January Pat, Wardair’s 747s at YYJ, the Hudson River ditching and the search for a new editor-Ed Hi Eleanor, After reading the story about the Canso recovery in The Pat, I did some research and came up with a shot of the same a/c, in happier days, that I took in St. John’s. Here is a link to that picture: http://www.flickr.com/photos/33932332@N07/3274995944/ I am populating my new Flickr site with old slides going back to 1983 and working forward. Right now I have just started on 1992. Cheers, Tim Martin Tim’s Flickr pics are fantastic - Ed

Hello again, and as usual, kudos for an excellent Patrician. This month shows Canada’s first jet aircraft in RCAF service, the DH Vampire jet fighter. As always, there are interesting stories to be told about this aircraft. If you’ve ever seen one “in the flesh”, you’ll be immediately struck by how tiny it is. Two interesting facts immediately come to mind. First, this jet entered RCAF service in the late 1940s before we acquired the Canadair F86 Sabre and Avro Canada CF-100 Canuck fighters. They were originally flown by RCAF Auxiliary (Reserve) Squadrons and not the regular air force! Amazing, but true. Understandable, as there must have been thousands of recently demobilized RCAF pilots on civie street just aching to get back in the air! Secondly, of course, my favourite Christmas story of all times, The Shepherd, read by Alan Maitland describes a DH Vampire jet getting lost over the North Sea on a Christmas eve flight between an RAF base in Germany and home in England. I recently saw an example at an airshow somewhere (don’t recall just now, but perhaps it was Abbotsford), so several are owned privately....lucky pilots! Walt Salmaniw, MD, CAME Hello Eleanor. Mystery solved, that would be a DE HAVILAND VAMPIRE, with the GOBLIN engine. This plane was the feature aircraft in the story “THE SHEPHARD” written by Robert Forsyth and played on CBC as a radio drama every Christmas Eve for the last 29 years. Good ghost story. Cheers Danny Poirier Yes, it’s the famed Vampire - Ed

Hi: Many thanks for another splendid edition of the Patrician. Paul Chamberlain Thanks for your February Edition of the Patrician. It keeps me interested during this period where economics preclude any possibility of resuming my flight training…..Somehow the US Air landing was pitched in your newsletter as the only successful ditching. I guess we could argue the definition of what successful is. Here is the OTHER successful (the plane actually flew in service again for a very long time) water landing. (See Page 10 for Shiga story.) Well, I guess I was caught red-handed taking information off the internet regarding the statement that the recent Hudson River ditching was the ONLY successful ditching. Many thanks to Austin Mayo for setting the record straight and for contributing the amazing story of the JAL landing in San Francisco Bay. Although it was an accidental water landing rather than an emergency ditching, the outcome was the same – all passengers and crew safe.-Ed

And on another subject: the good old days when 747-200s flew out of Victoria…..Ed Yes! The good old Pineapple Express from Ward Air. I think some other airline, maybe CP Air, flew a DC-10 out of YYJ to Hawaii as well but not for long either. It was probably something to do with profits or lack thereof. I remember that ATC used to issue temporary local notams regarding severe latent turbulence and the resulting hazard to light aircraft in the area. Thanks for the great 747-200 video link. There are some vintage aircraft shown on the ramp by the tower. Cheers! Larry D. Letters to the Editor cont’d on p 4

Letters to the Editor cont’d from p 3 I asked Al Whalley if he was responsible for the YouTube video of the 747 departing YYJ: his reply -

And a gentle comment from John S. of the Vernon Flying Club – Ed

I doubt it Eleanor...Although I’ve had movie cameras since 1954...I didn’t have a video camera until 2001. I did take some movies of the 747’s on occasion when they operated out of Victoria in the 70’s though, but wouldn’t have been able to send them anywhere .... A close old Navalair friend retired from Wardair as their senior flight engineer used to stay over with us on occasion when they returned here from Hawaii! They usually stayed overnight then. He gave Vi and me a tour of the 747 once and I even got to sit in the left seat :>) He showed me the 4 computers that back up one another etc and also told me that they regularly landed using automatic landing system while being monitored by the captain, but only in VFR conditions. The “autoland “ system never was approved by TC...but was capable of landing the 747 and bringing it to a full stop. That’s a nice clip you have there! I know Bill Irvine and that sure sounds like his voice. He was a club member several years ago! He owned a Mooney.

Eleanor: What the devil is going on out there? Who gave you authority to leave your post without permission? Shortly, two MPs will appear on your doorstep and will escort you to the brig where you will be incarcerated until you come to your senses. At that time we will determine your punishment for even contemplating such a course of action. I meant to say this last month... Wow, so you’re finally giving up the Patrician job. You’ve certainly done your time!! I’m sure it will be nice to not have to search for content. It won’t be the same without you though. Well done! Kate Thanks Kate – I’ve put in ten years – that’s long enough!-Ed

Short Final cont’d from p 2

Hawk One at CYYJ And mark your calendar for this important date: Dan Dempsey will plan to arrive in Hawk One from Abbotsford around noon on Monday, the 10th of August and will depart for Nanaimo on the 11th. Therefore, the 10th will be the principal day for the static display at the VFC. Dan Dempsey is Team Pilot & Historian, Centennial Heritage Flight - Hawk One (www.HawkOne.ca)

And last but not least, with the help of Transport Canada the Canadian Centennial of Flight Website is now officially launched (http://canadiancentennialofflight.com).

Top o’ the mornin’ to you!

Blue Skies.......Eleanor

March MYSTERY OF THE MONTH Take a break from all that guessing about mysterious airplanes and tell me what/where this airport is. Send your educated guesses to

patricianeditor@shaw.ca

Street map GPS:

BEAR’S AIR Barry Meek

Makes everyone a pilot

e went through a lot of air maps back in the 1970’s, 80’s and 90’s. Pilots who flew back then know all about navigation by drawing lines on the map and following them with their finger. It didn’t take long before there were so many pencil lines and then erased pencil lines that the map became useless and it was time for a new one. Depending on who you flew for, or your own map budget, sometimes you flew with a map that was unreadable. These charts are not and were never really cheap, but they were necessary. So you or your employer always coughed up the money. Even with radio nav like VOR and ADF, the map was still required to ensure you didn’t get lost. Maps should be carried for the flight you’re conducting, but unless you’re a student pilot, I doubt that anyone draws the lines. In fact I’m not sure instructors are still required to teach that type of flight planning anymore. Personally, I always have the map handy, folded to the area I’ll be in, and refer to it often, even with the GPS doing all the work. Over the past few years, I’ve been fortunate to have experimented with at least four different GPS models. They all have features that some pilots love and come to depend on, while many functions are nothing but overkill for other pilots. I don’t think there is a ‘one-size/type-fits-all’ GPS out there on the market. Best advice if you’re purchasing, is define your needs first, carefully consider the options it has and decide if they can be applied to what you’re doing, then buy the appropriate model. Last summer most of my work involved flying grid patterns for forestry surveys. I needed nothing more than a GPS that could keep me on an east-west track regardless of winds. I could set up to fly on a line of latitude, stay right on it for 30 miles, then turn north or south for a few miles to pick up the next line, and go straight back the other way. Any model can give you that kind of information in numerical format which eliminates the need to follow the map line or even look out the window. Recently I obtained a street-map GPS for my vehicle. Everyone had been talking about them but to an old pilot who prides himself on the ability to read a map, I balked at technology that helps follow a road. But this was a gift, so why not. It didn’t take long for this little gizmo to

become my best friend. If you’ve never tried one in your car or truck, all I can say is you must. Let’s look at some of the features and what it can do. First of all, it talks to me. A female voice (I call her the first officer) tells me when and where to turn, which way to turn, where I’m going to, and even politely let’s me know when I’m exceeding the speed limit. If I make a mistake and go the wrong way, she immediately and without complaining, re-calculates the route and tells me about the detour. The route planning takes only seconds, and I don’t need to draw a line on a map. There are no VOR’s or ADF’s to consider. I simply tap an address or location on the screen, and then “go to”. The machine does the rest. If I don’t know the exact address I want to get to, the GPS takes care of that too, sometimes with a ‘point of interest’ which is already stored in its large data base. Look up restaurants, shopping, fuel stations, recreation facilities, entertainment stops, among several other categories, and simply make your choice with a tap on the screen. Mine is supposed to have over two million points of interest. How does a driver get lost on an Interstate road or the Trans Canada Highway? Why would you need a GPS traveling from city to city? Well, it will never forget the exit you need. It always knows where the next gas station or rest stop is. It always displays the distance and time to the destination. You should never get another speeding ticket. If that’s not reason enough to own one, just think of the stress relief when you find yourself in a strange city looking for the freeway out of town. These machines guide you through the streets with ease, and get you back on track without maps, and without bickering with your wife. Enter the address of an airport you’re looking for, it will take you there in time to meet your mother-in-law’s flight. For the stress saving capabilities alone, a GPS is worth owning. There’s more than enough going on while driving in a strange city. Unfamiliar roads, landmarks, speed limits, traffic patterns and rude drivers will distract you from the navigation part of the load. So why not leave that up to the GPS? If you’re still not convinced you need one of these things, get a friend who owns one to take you for a Bears Air cont’d on p 6

Bears Air cont’d from p 5 demo ride. You will be sold! And the more you use it, the more you’ll love and depend on it. Just like the one in your airplane. What pilot would go back to the pre-GPS days and start drawing lines on maps again? One more thing about the street map GPS devices. They’re cheap. For an aviation model, you’ll pay at least

five or six hundred bucks (and much more). These street models are as low as a hundred dollars. Even less on eBay. Serious drivers need serious navigators. So what are you waiting for? Many dealers offer refunds if you’re not happy. But they know you won’t be back.

Bad Day at Baddec k and CYYJ The 100th anniversary celebration of Canadian aviation was foiled both at its starting point of Baddeck, NS and at CYYJ where a small nod to the occasion was planned. The weather was just plain lousy; it was marginal VFR off and on, scotching the plans of the flyers who had booked flights for the day. Rob Shemilt managed a few circuits in the early afternoon and said it wasn’t as bad as it looked from the ground. Ellen Wood and Ted Krasowski actually made it to Abbotsford in the late morning but had a bit if a job getting back into YYJ, detouring east and south around the big ugly clouds and fog that generally ruined the day. On the plus side, quite a number of club members showed up and the hangar flying was all VFR. The fancy Black Forest cake and coffee went down well and a general good time was had by all. There were logbook stickers and commemorative certificates available for all fliers, with “rain checks” for those who didn’t want to brave the elements. The December 2003 anniversary celebration of the Wright Brothers’ flight drew a bigger crowd, in part because it was the first-ever centenary of flight, and also because Mother Nature cooperated with a pretty good day despite the date of December 17. At Kittyhawk where the actual Wright Flier first left the ground, the weather was so bad on the centennial day that the reenactment of it was finally cancelled. At Baddeck, NS, where a reenactment of the flight of the Silver Dart was planned, the weather was also too bad for a repeat of that first flight and celebrations with the Governor-General and other dignitaries took place in a hangar with the replica airplane safe inside. Well, the best-laid plans and all that stuff….Still it was fun seeing old friends again and the Club certainly was lively on February 23rd. Maybe the bicentennial will provide better weather, so we’ll meet again in 2109 for a blast!

Cheers – and make your next flight your personal centennial celebration and get a sticker for your logbook.

Barry Meek bcflyer@propilots.net

In My Travels

by Larry Dibnah

N anchang CJ-6A Among the many people who dropped by the Victoria Flying Club on Monday, February 23rd to help celebrate the 100th anniversary of Canadian flight was my friend and fellow VFC member Brad Engbrecht. Brad is the proud co-owner of a Nanchang CJ-6A trainer. The Nanchang, more commonly known as a Yak trainer, created a lot of interest among the other visitors to the Club that day. A few days before the event, Brad invited me along for a ride in the back seat on a local flight. Despite the dreary skies, off we went on a fabulous flight over local south. The Nanchang handles like a charm so I can see how pilots can become enamored with the aircraft. What a great way to celebrate 100 years of Canadian aviation! Brad is currently working for an airline in Asia and has owned the Nanchang for 6 1/2 years in partnership with another VFC member, Dave Gagliardi. The aircraft was originally built in China as a military trainer and was eventually imported to Canada around 1993-94. The aircraft was completely restored by Victoria Air Maintenance but it has gone through a few owners since it was registered. The Nanchang is an all metal aircraft with a gross weight is 3086 lbs. There are no hydraulic systems in the aircraft. All the systems are run on compressed air. The aircraft is powered by a 285 hp. 9-cylinder radial engine which gives a cruising speed of around 140kts. In Brad’s words, the Nanchang ‘provides good fun for the money’.

2 s Wing

8 0 0

The Banquet The Big Bash for the 2008 VFC grads took place on January 31, too late for the February issue of the Patrician. The food seemed better than usual this year at the CFB Esquimalt Wardroom and the crowd numbered 150 people cheering the 77 grads! It was one of the largest Wings Banquets in many years with a near record number of grads. Guest speaker Jeff Morris, CEO of Angel Flight

The Guest Speaker Before the awards were given out, Jeff Morris, CEO of Angel Flight gave an inspiring and interesting talk about the work of his organization, the only one in Canada. The November â&#x20AC;&#x2122;08 Patrician featured an article on Angel Flight and their good works helping cancer patients.

The Grads There were 3 Recreational Pilot Permits given, 46 Private Pilot Licences and 25 Commercial Pilot Licences awarded as well as 3 Flight Instructor Ratings.

The Bursaries The Betty Wadsworth Award - Ashley Greenly, The Claude Butler AwardNolan Labach and the Mike Cooper Slipper Award - Sean Brenton. The Thriftyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s winners were: Martin Pepper, Victoria Gort and Jessica Dearman. Many thanks to these thoughtful pilots and their families for helping to promote civil aviation by their bequests to VFC. Thanks also to Thrifty Foods for their community spirit in providing three bursaries.

The VFC Awards Top Written Test Top Flight Test Top Pilot Nolan Labach - Claude Butler Award

Ashley Greenly - Betty Wadsworth Award

Hernan Pizarro Brendan Pellow Both of the above (tied)

Congratulations t o all our graduat es of 2008!

Co Top Pilots - Hernan Pizarro and Brendan Pellow

Sean Brenton - Mike Cooper-Slipper Award

Graham Palmer and Victoria Gort Thrifty’s Bursaries (missing Martin Pepper, Jessica Dearman)

008 2 s g n i W

Special Wings caption: Jason Stewart and Brad Fraser receive their VFT Wings

Explanation of Feb mystery of the Month The RCAF’s introduction to the jet age came in the form of the de Havilland Vampire. To seasoned Spitfire and Hurricane pilots, the aircraft took some getting used to; after all, it didn’t have a propeller! With a top speed of about 550 mph, the “Vamp” was a great little toy for the fighter jocks. The Vampire was the RCAF’s first jet fighter to serve in any great number ( 86 of them), flying from 1946 to 1958.

The Vampire seen here, 17021, served with 402 and 438 Squadrons before being struck off strength on March 4, 1958. 9

Splashdown of the Shiga. The other “successful” water landing. Story by Austin Mayo

It was November 22nd,1968, the day the Beatles released the White Album and the day TV delivered its first interracial kiss between Star Treks’ Captain Kirk and Lt. Uhura. It was also the day that a 6 month old Japan Airlines DC8 named Shiga, named after a prefecture in Japan which is home to Japan’s largest fresh water lake, took off from Tokyo bound for San Francisco (SFO) . Through the marvels of 4 time zones and a international date line the 8 hour flight successfully landed 7 hours before it had begun although I use the word “successfully” rather loosely. Piloted by Capt. Kohei Asoh, a 15 year, 10,000 hour veteran of Japan Airlines along with first officer Joseph Hazen and engineer Ichiryo Suzuki, the Shiga began its foggy descent into SFO. The local weather was reported as “ceiling indefinite, 300 feet overcast, sky partially obscured, 3/4 mile visibility with fog” still above the airports minimums of 200 feet and 1/2 mile visibility. On final with landing gear lowered and flaps fully extended they broke out of the fog and the next event would bring new meaning to the Captains first name Kohei which literally translates into “wide and flat” as it would be an accurate description of the landing surface they inadvertently chose, San Francisco Bay. After breaking out of the fog first officer Suzuki called out “breaking out of the overcast, I cannot see the runway light” immediately followed by “We are too low, pull up, pull up!” They touched down at 137 knots made a slow turn to the left and settled in shallow waters 2 1/2 miles short of runway 28L. There were no fatalities or injuries to the 107 passengers and crew on board. There was light damage to the plane and in fact the landing was so smooth some passengers didn't know they were in the water until a passing wave put the engines out and they noticed the water outside.

The official NTSB report was “DC-8 JA8032 named "Shiga" arrived in the San Francisco area after an uneventful flight from Tokyo. Normal communications were established, and the crew was radar vectored to the Woodside VOR and thence to intercept the ILS for Runway 28L at San Francisco. The flight crossed the Woodside VOR at 17:16 at approximately 4,000 feet and, at 17:18:30, was cleared to descend to 2,000 feet . The flight descended in a constant, uninterrupted rate of descent from this time until about 6 seconds before water impact at 17:24:25. The aircraft was on the localizer and contacted the water about 2,5 miles from the end of Runway 28L. There were no injuries to any of the passengers or crew during the accident and ensuing evacuation. The aircraft was recovered from the waters of San Francisco Bay about 55 hours after the accident. Repairs were carried out by United Air Lines and the plane was delivered back to JAL on M a r c h 3 1 , 1 9 6 9 . PROBABLE CAUSE: "The improper application of the prescribed procedures to execute an automaticcoupled ILS approach. This deviation from the prescribed procedures was, in part, due to a lack of familiarization and infrequent operation of the installed flight director and autopilot system." The actual report is here: http://www.airdisaster.com/reports/ntsb/AAR70-02.pdf Capt. Kohei “wide & flat” Asoh was far less eloquent at his NTSB hearing stating “As you Americans say I f#&$@k up.” That pretty much ended the hearing and absolved all other flight crew and controllers of any responsibility and became known as the “Asoh Defense”. Captain Asoh was demoted by JAL, assigned ground duties, and retrained as a co-pilot. 55 hours after the inadvertent ditching Shiga was hoisted out of the water onto a barge. Four million dollars and 52,000 person hours of labor later Shiga was renamed Hidaka, named after another prefecture in Japan that borders another large body of water—the Pacific Ocean. She continued to fly for 32 years. After 14 more years with JAL and 5 other airlines a stress fracture finally grounded her for good. She met her demise at the mercy of a salvage crews hydraulic claws at Wilmington International Airport in 2001.

Back to Baddeck â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Celebrating 100 years As mentioned in the February Pat,

Langley. These aircraft will be met

the Canadian Aeronautical

with the SE 55a, a WWI fighter plane

Preservation Association is celebrating

replica and the Fraser Blues formation

our centennial of flight with a country-

team (led by George Miller). From

wide relay of flight in vintage aircraft.

Langley to Penticton, the lead aircraft

The west coast leg of this epic under-

will be a 1937 Waco Cabin. from

taking will leave Comox and arrive in Victoria on May 23rd; the aircraft

Langley to Hope this aircraft will be

flown will be a Harvard. The next day, May 24th, the Harvard and a Tiger

Harvard, an SE 55a replica, and a

Moth will take off from CYYJ for

Alberta ETA 1 Jun.

followed by a pair of 1946 Navions, a

Tiger Moth. Next stop, Nanton,

Many thanks to John Swallow of the Vernon Flying Club for his revealing story of model aircraft flying - before the days of the sophisitcated remote-controlled models. ‘Way back then, the plane was attached to a long line and the operator rotated on the spot while the craft turned in circles at the end of its tether. -Ed

THE MODEL AIRCRAFT DAYS… ack in my single courting days, I was a flying instructor as well as a ground instructor of aerodynamics (junior birdman level). From somewhere, I came up with the idea that I should get into powered model aircraft. There may have

been radio control back then, but the hobby shop suggested “U-control” whereby the aircraft and pilot are connected by wire; about fifty feet of it. Once airborne, the model executes circles with the pilot turning in unison with the model. The recommended model, a sticktogether balsa-wood aircraft, required an engine and the .049 was suggested. This was a single cylinder, gasoline/oil engine with integral fuel tank that used a glow plug to ignite the mixture. There were bigger engines, of course, but the shop owner allowed as how that size motor would suit me just fine. Back I go to the Nurse’s quarters with my booty. (Because I was going with a nurse and they had a “common” room (a parlor; in my quarters they had a bathroom). Packages were unwrapped and directions for completion studied. Initially, confusion reigned, similar to that encountered on Christmas Eve when you’re trying to put the train set together for your five-year before sunrise. However, a couple of Pale Ale and things sorted themselves out. It appeared that there were basically three sticks of balsa: one of the sticks had two slots in it into which each of the remaining sticks fit. The engine was then affixed to the blunt end of the stick-with-twoslots. Altitude control was via the elevator: lines running from the aircraft were fitted to a hand control very similar in shape to a plastic grocery bag holder of today. The lines ran over and under the wing and were connected to a bell crank which was attached to a wire which was attached to the elevator; thereby controlling altitude. Now, when it came time to attach the elevator wire to the bell crank, the instructions noted that there were two positions: training and aerobatic. As I was an instructor of aerobatics – jet aerobatics, at that! - it was obvious which position I should select. Or so you would think. Anyone who has flown model aircraft knows the paraphernalia required: gas, oil to mix, nine volt battery to heat up the glow plug, and a ground crew to hold or start the aircraft. As mentioned earlier, these were my courting days, and I enlisted my future wife to be my assistant. An unwilling assistant, I must admit. However, sweet talk prevailed, and all the equipment was boxed up and taken to the flight line one sunny Sunday afternoon. There on the tarmac, the aircraft was faced into wind and the control lines were laid out. The little gas tank was filled

with a few ounces of the fuel/oil mixture and the battery leads were attached to the engine. After a suitable interval, the prop was given a sharp blow with my right index finger. The prop promptly gave my right index finger a sharp blow in return. Lesson Number 1: point 049 engines backfire. Several more attempts at starting resulted in more finger whacks and the eventual flooding of the engine. Leads were disconnected and the cylinder blown dry. The leads were reconnected and again the prop was given a sharp blow. With an explosion of blue smoke, the engine splattered into life. The mixture knob on the top of the engine was used to give the correct fuel/air mixture to produce maximum power. It settled down to a satisfying high-pitched sputter, spewing blue exhaust to the heavens. With the engine purring, I motioned to the ground crew to come and hold the aircraft while I ran for the controls. The technician was reluctant to leave the sidelines. However, I finally coaxed her over to grasp the aircraft amidships (stay clear of the prop!) and let it go upon my command. I ran for the control handle and, taking up slack, I motioned to ground crew to release the aircraft. She did. It was at this point that I became aware of Lesson Number 2: glow plug engines can run in reverse. Upon release, the aircraft started accelerating rearward at an astonishing rate… For about three feet at which time the tail wheel fetched up against a rock. Faster than you can say “The devil to pay and no pitch hot”, the nose reared up and the balsa bomber back-flopped onto the unforgiving concrete. The prop splintered into several pieces and the engine stopped. The silence was deafening. My ground crew was crying. At least I thought she was crying. Her shoulders were humped over, her face was screwed up, and her whole body was shaking. When she could face me without giggling, she inquired: “What next?”

Model Aircraft Days cont’d on p 13

Model Aircraft Days cont’d from p 12 Next was gathering up the pieces of aircraft, battery, gas/oil mixture, and nine-volt battery and repairing to the Nurse’s quarters again. During the following week, the aircraft was repaired, a new prop procured, and the ground crew convinced to again assist in the maiden launch of my model.

The second set-up at the flight line was a reprise of the first: aircraft and lines laid out; a couple of ounces of fuel/oil mixture in the tank, and the battery connected. This time, the engine fired on the first whack…AND I had airflow OVER the arm holding the fuselage: the engine is turning the proper direction! Adjusting the mixture for maximum power, I again coax my future wife into holding onto the model. At my command, she releases the aircraft and the machine leaps forward. A little up elevator and the model leaves the ground. I am two revolutions away from Lesson Number 3. (Remember the two-position bell crank?) I turn with the aircraft, manipulating the controls to maintain about six feet off the ground. As the model completes the first circle and comes back into wind, it starts to climb. I command down elevator…a little too much. The aircraft heads for the ground. I command up elevator, over controlling in the process. The aircraft

Achievements First Solo Cherry Lozupone Matt St-Jean Brady Tucker Isis Hall Zale Bonnett Henri Kankaanpaa PPL Written Test Charles Schell Abbas Mohammadi CPL Written Test Nigel Smallwood

PPL Flight Test Ashley Greenly Dirk Pritchard Kim Sterling Damon McLellan

starts a rapid climb. I command down elevator. Way too much! The aircraft heads for the concrete again. Desperate now, I demand full up elevator as our turn takes us back into wind. The aircraft executes an amazing climb which could have culminated in a loop had I known what I was doing. I reverse the controls: full down. The model now dives at the tarmac at what appears to be a sixty-degree angle. Things are happening fast, much too fast. As the little craft passed through about three feet off the ground heading for certain disaster, I did the only thing I could think of: I pulled back, just like in the real world. What followed was brutal: my little balsa racer hit the ground under full power at an astonishing speed. The new propeller did not survive the initial impact, the wheels flew off in different directions pulling the wings off the fuselage as they went, and the engine tore itself free from it’s restraint and came to rest several feet away. The fuselage and the tail flopped around like a dying brook trout and then lay still. Silence. Silence broken by sounds coming from my ground crew. This time, however, there is no doubt as to which emotion is being exhibited. Muffled sounds at first, almost mournful; filled with sobbing noises; then escalating into uncontrollable fits of laughter. Unrestrained, gut-busting laughter. I stand there holding on to my nowuseless U-control and looking at the two wires that run from it to what’s left of the fuselage and the control bell crank. Remember the bell crank? The two-position bell crank: training and aerobatic? I could see the results of the accident Board of Inquiry: “Pilot did not have the necessary skill level to operate the aircraft in the particular mode of flight”. Bummer. At this point, two things became evident: my model aircraft days were over; and, as wives cannot testify against husbands, I was going to have to marry my ground crew. Forty-three years on third of July… …by John Swallow

Welcome New Members! Skye McEwan Tim McClelland Milos Petrovic Jared Reid Gordon Oracheski

Jessica McLaggan Rui Vicente Raul Gosalbez Jonah Taylor

CPL Flight Test Sean Brenton Private Pilot License Ashley Greenly Multi Engine Ian Watt

Brady Tucker (Tim Parfitt)

First Solos

Henri Kankaanpaa(Brad Fraser)

as of Febrary 25 â&#x20AC;˘ 09

Matt St-Jean (Trevor Mann)

Zale Bonnett (Tristan Nano)

Isis Hall (Graham Palmer)

Sustaining Member of Victoria Flying Club If you are a VFC member in good standing for two consecutive years, you can apply to become a Sustaining Member. The annual membership fee is only $10 more and entitles you to 10% off flying and pilot shop purchases. You also get voting privileges at the AGM and you can run for the Board of Directors.

APPLICATION FORMS AVAILABLE AT DISPATCH

L indair Ser vices Ltd Specializing in Cessna, Piper, Beaver float and wheel equipped aircraft. A high quality Service Department that is ready to complete any inspection or repair requirement you may have. 5180 Airport Road South, Richmomd, BC Tel: 1-800-663-5829 Fax: 1-800-667-5643

www.lindairservices.com

VFC Smile Cards The Victoria Flying Club is very excited to partner with Thrifty Foods in their successful

Smile Card Program. Pick up your Smile Card today and 5% of all your Thriftys grocery purchases will go towards creating scholarships and awards for VFC members.

To date, we have been able to create three new bursaries! Pick up cards for your family and friends too. This is a great opportunity for VFC members. We ! ort tha p p nk you for your su

SMILE CARD TOTAL TO DATE

$7618

Wouldn’t you rather be flying?

VIEW…AND AIR PLA ITH A W NE M ST O O O R

Open 8am 4pm daily

in the Victoria Flying Club

Join us for breakfast or lunch…inside & patio seating 101-1852 Canso Rd

250.655.9395

• Tax and financial planning • Rapid refunds (electronic filing) • Personal, corporate and estate tax

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

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

P R I VAT E P I L O T G r o u n d s c h o o l Classes held Monday and Wednesday, 1900-2200 Mar

April

May

DATE

TOPIC

INSTRUCTOR

Navigation

Jeff Lightheart

Radio and Electronic Theory

Tristan Nano

Review (Tower Tour/Written Seminar)

John MacConnachie

Theory of Flight & Licensing Requirements

Ian Watt

Aerodynamics

Ian Watt

Airframes and Engines

Mike Chow

Systems & Flight Instruments

Mike Chow

CARS

Yasuhiro Koide

CARS

Yasuhiro Koide

Meteorology

Brad Fraser

Meteorology

Brad Fraser

Meteorology

Brad Fraser

Meteorology

Brad Fraser

Meteorology

Brad Fraser

Human Factors & PDM

Brad Fraser

Flight Operations

Trevor Mann

Flight Operations

Trevor Mann

Navigation

Jeff Lightheart

Navigation

Jeff Lightheart

Navigation

Jeff Lightheart

Radio and Electronic Theory

Tristan Nano

Review (Tower Tour/Written Seminar)

John MacConnachie

Review

Brad Fraser

Note: No Ground School on Stat Holidays

Ah, CB radio, the big rage of the ’70’s! And here’s a bit of the silly lingo for pilots: Instructions from The Tower, called The Birdwatcher (makes sense) —

Cleared to land variations:

You’ve got the nod, hit the sod. Hit the gear, you’re clear. You’re cleared to drop and stop.

Pilot acknowledgement:

10-4, bound for the ground.