Visionary
ORBIS’ FLYING EYE HOSPITAL p. 66
High Gloss
RESTORING LOST LUSTER p. 94 May 10-11, 2019
F R E D E R I C K MARYLAND
The Voice of General Aviation
www.aopa.org/pilot | April 2019 | $8.95
April 2019
New A/Ttitude CIRRUS VISION JET GEN2 UPGRADES p. 74
The 7 Percent
WHY SO FEW FEMALE FLIERS? p. 82 Sweepstakes Super Cub | Cirrus Vision Jet Gen2 | Women Pilots | Flying Eye Hospital
Big Splash
AOPA Sweepstakes Super Cub
YOUR AIRPLANE IS READY p. 58
www.aopa.org
“...the best equipment for safety I have seen.” “The NGT-9000 and the NGT-9000+ are the best equipment, not only great for ADS-B but the best equipment for safety I have seen. Being able to have traffic alone is worth the price, but also you get weather, with both displayed—not only on the NGT-9000, but also on my Aspen PFD-1000, which works perfectly with the NGT-9000. I like putting the transponder code in, then getting out of the way to display traffic on one side, then weather, along with METARS, temperatures and winds at altitude. I have had zero problems with the unit, but L3’s reputation is they stand behind their products. I couldn’t be more pleased with this addition to my cockpit.”
–Marshall Guthrie, Pilot, 1990 Mooney M20J (MSE)
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AOPA PILOT
CONTENTS April 2019 | Volume 62 | Number 4 | www.aopa.org/pilot
ON THIS PAGE:
Orbis staff preps a young patient in Bangladesh for surgery. The Flying Eye Hospital was in Chittagong for a twoweek clinical training program. Photography courtesy of Celia Yeung/Orbis.
66 One Glorious Vision
The Orbis International Flying Eye Hospital brings life-changing procedures to the world. By Thomas B. Haines
FEATURES New Lease on Life
AOPA’s sweepstakes airplane is a Piper Super Cub that comes with tundra tires, amphibious floats, and hydraulic skis. By Alyssa J. Cobb
A new A/Ttitude
Cirrus adds autothrottle and altitude to the new version of the SF50 Vision Jet. By Thomas B. Haines Page 74
The 7 Percent
Why do women still account for such a small portion of the pilot population? By Ian J. Twombly Page 82
HOME OF THE BRAVE Special coverage of the Frederick, Maryland, AOPA Fly-in, May 10-11, 2019. Page 50
Page 58
www.aopa.org/pilot AOPA PILOT | 1
AOPA PILOT
CONTENTS
April 2019
SECTIONS PROFICIENCY & EFFICIENCY 88 Proficiency Bad behavior.
43 COMMENTARY DEPARTMENTS 6 President’s Position Soaring through ceilings.
18 Waypoints To minimums, really?
20 Proficient Pilot The possible turn.
22 Flying Life Committed to memory.
24 Safety Spotlight Automatic.
26 Fly Well
4 AOPA Online Take your reading beyond these pages.
91 Wx Watch
94
Polar power.
94 Ownership Get your gloss on.
AOPA ACTION
99 ADS-B
12 Airspace
Going global.
AOPA advocates for TFR relief.
103 Technique
PILOT BRIEFING
107 Savvy Maintenance
Taming the stall.
30 First Look
Crimes and misdemeanors.
Remembering the ‘Rosies.’
113 Never Again
32 Pilot Products
Wild card.
Weather, traffic at your fingertips.
MEMBERSHIP NEWS & NOTES
34 You Can Fly
114 AOPA App
Can I still land an airplane?
14 Letters Driven to distraction.
123 Fly by Wire Index of advertisers.
124 Answers for Pilots Fighting corrosion.
36 Musings
Judy Birchler.
The process is easy.
38 Aviation Mysteries Glenn Miller aircraft found?
118 AOPA Air Safety Institute
40 Pilot Products
A familiar route turns deadly.
43 Destinations
120 Pilot Protection Services A bump on the noggin.
Fly away ideas.
Celestial objects.
116 Member Services
On the thrill of inspiration.
Trim Aviation watches.
128 Pilots
Introducing Pilot Passport.
44 Test Pilot Flying pet.
46 Aviation History
40
Accidental hero. PILOT PRODUCTS
Trim Aviation watches.
Visionary
High Gloss
ORBIS’ FLYING EYE HOSPITAL p. 66
RESTORING LOST LUSTER p. 94 May 10-11, 2019
F R E D E R I C K MARYLAND
www.aopa.org/pilot | April 2019 | $8.95
The Voice of General Aviation
April 2019
New A/Ttitude CIRRUS VISION JET GEN2 UPGRADES p. 74
The 7 Percent
WHY SO FEW FEMALE FLIERS? p. 82 Sweepstakes Super Cub | Cirrus Vision Jet Gen2 | Women Pilots | Flying Eye Hospital
Big Splash
AOPA Sweepstakes Super Cub
YOUR AIRPLANE IS READY p. 58
BIG SPLASH
Is this your airplane? AOPA’s Sweepstakes Super Cub is modernized, beautified, and ready for the big giveaway. Learn more in “New Lease on Life,” which begins on p. 58. Photography by Mike Fizer.
www.aopa.org
Contact us at 800-USA-AOPA (872-2672) 2 | AOPA PILOT April 2019
Why Choose SiriusXM over ADS-B ADS B Weather? SiriusXM
ADS-B (FIS-B)
Twice-as-Fast Composite Radar
Twice-as-Fast Lightning
No Altitude Limitations
SXM’s Composite Radar is high resolution from coast to coast, with 2.5 minutes updates. ADS-B’s radar resolution, update rate, and availability vary.
SXM includes Cloud-to-Cloud Lightning (not available on ADS-B) and twice-as-fast Lightning updates, giving you the complete guidance you need to avoid rapidly developing adverse weather.
SXM is available from taxi to touchdown. ADS-B’s availability is determined by altitude and location, so you may not have storm info when you need it the most.
No Line-of-Sight Restrictions
Base Reflectivity Radar
Always Available METARs & TAFs
SXM has no line-of-sight restrictions. With ADS-B, you may have interruptions if you’re in an area with an obstructed line-of-sight to the ADS-B ground station.
SXM’s Base Radar identifies what precip is falling from the bottom of the storm, which tends to match up with the visual picture for pilots flying under 10K ft. It is not available on ADS-B.
SXM’s weather guidance, including METARs & TAFs, is available when you need it. With ADS-B you must be at the right altitude and distance to receive the weather.
SiriusXM
ADS-B (FIS-B)
The 2020 ADS-B Mandate does not require you to use ADS-B weather. You are free to choose SiriusXM, ADS-B Weather, or Both.
2-month trial for AOPA members. Visit aopa.org/siriusxm for Offer Details. Explore the significant differences between SiriusXM and ADS-B weather at siriusxm.com/daretocompare NOTE: Data displays vary by device; images are representative only. SiriusXM Services may include weather and other content and emergency alert information. Such information and data is not for “safety for life,” but is merely supplemental and advisory in nature, and therefore cannot be relied upon as safety critical in connection with any aircraft, sea craft, automobile, or any other usage. SiriusXM is not responsible for any errors or inaccuracies in the data services or their use. © 2019 Sirius XM Radio Inc. Sirius, XM, SiriusXM and all related marks and logos are trademarks of Sirius XM Radio Inc. All other marks, channel names and logos are the property of their respective owners. All rights reserved.
AOPA ONLINE
AOPA PILOT April 2019
Take your reading experience beyond these pages | www.aopa.org/pilot
CIRRUS VISION JET GEN 2
With added autothrottle and a higher maximum operating altitude, Gen 2 provides new options for fuel efficiency, ATC routings, and weather avoidance. www.aopa.org/pilot/visionjet
VIEW THE VIDEO
These and other videos can be accessed in the AOPA Pilot Enhanced Digital Edition. www.aopa.org/ digitaleditions
HOPE FLOATS
FLYING VISIONARIES
Orbis International’s Flying Eye Hospital helps blind people in developing nations to see.
Newly outfitted with amphibious floats, AOPA’s Sweepstakes Super Cub is ready to take its future owner on all kinds of adventures. Will it be yours? www.aopa.org/pilot/floats
www.aopa.org/pilot/orbis
VIEW THE VIDEO
These and other videos can be accessed in the AOPA Pilot Enhanced Digital Edition. www.aopa.org/ digitaleditions
AOPA LIVE THIS WEEK
Watch AOPA’s weekly web-based program to get your fix for all things aviation. www.aopa.org/thisweek
4 | AOPA PILOT April 2019
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W W W. D AV I D C L A R K . C O M
PRESIDENT’S POSITION
Soaring through ceilings
BY MARK BAKER President and CEO
Inspiring and supporting women pilots “No borders, just horizons—only freedom” —Amelia Earhart
AOPA President MARK BAKER
is looking forward to hosting an AOPA Fly-In at Frederick Municipal Airport on May 10 and 11 in celebration of the association’s eightieth anniversary.
6 | AOPA PILOT April 2019
IN THE EARLY TWENTIETH CENTURY, Amelia Earhart defied the odds when she became the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean. She was and still is considered a champion for women in aviation having set record after record in her short life. History books, biographies, and documentaries classify her as a great female aviator, and her legacy lives on in the countless women who prove that a “great female pilot” is simply a great pilot. Aviation was a boys’ club in its early days, and it still isn’t much better today. Just think about the last time you flew commercially. “On behalf of the flight crew, let me welcome you aboard….” Passengers tend to mindlessly ignore the inflight announcements except when it comes from the higher-pitched voice of a female captain. Even though we live in the twenty-first century, women working in male-dominated industries deal with belittlement every day. In 2018, a young female pilot’s tweet went viral for calling out male passengers who made jokes about her gender saying they wouldn’t have boarded had they known she was flying. But it’s clear the pilot had the last laugh after tweeting, “Fact is, I can fly an £80m jet, you can’t.” People are often surprised to see women flying. From pilots, astronauts, air traffic controllers, maintenance technicians, business owners, educators, flight attendants, airshow performers, and airport managers, women have long been making waves in aviation. Although women make up just 7 percent of pilots, they are continuing to inspire new generations of girls to write their own history and be a part of this amazing experience of flying. As fellow pilots striving to make GA more accessible, it’s our job to welcome them. But the industry hasn’t always been so inclusive and, historically, women have had to overcome challenges and break through barriers. During World War II, Women Airforce Service Pilots, also known as WASP, received the same military training as their male counterparts and did some of the most important jobs, from ferrying aircraft to training, and even acting as test pilots. Although part of the greatest generation, WASP were not considered active duty military and were forbidden to be buried at our nation’s most hallowed ground—Arlington National Cemetery. In 2002, a decision allowed the heroines into
the cemetery, but it was quickly reversed. It wasn’t until the granddaughter of WASP Elaine Harmon started a petition fighting for her grandmother and all other surviving WASP to be buried in the famous cemetery that things changed. In 2016 it was announced that WASP were allowed back in. Female aviators in the Navy, Army, and Air Force could only train and do noncombat jobs until 1993 when restrictions on female pilots flying combat missions were lifted. That was thanks to Rosemary Mariner, who shattered barriers, becoming one of the first female fighter pilots in the Navy. To honor her life and accomplishments, the first ever all-female fighter pilot flyover took place in a ceremonial tribute in February. Women have come a long way in the industry, but the underrepresentation is still surprising. At one of our fly-ins, a member reluctantly told a story of how his daughter said she didn’t know girls could be pilots. He was in disbelief but took it as an opportunity for us all to do better; I’m sure there are plenty of other young girls who have the same mindset. That’s why it’s important for the GA community to change that perception. We should take more initiative to welcome female pilots and those who show interest in this great hobby of ours. To quote champion aerobatic aviatrix Patty Wagstaff on gender: “Do you think the airplane knows—or cares?” (See “The 7 Percent,” p. 82.) AOPA is working to inspire a new generation of youth to pursue careers in aviation with its high school aviation science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) curriculum. Especially for young people and students who don’t come from an aviation family, the high school classes can become a starting point. The You Can Fly curriculum is designed to instill the love of flying in young people as our industry faces an everpresent pilot and workforce shortage. So far, I am very proud of the curriculum effort. The program has exceeded our expectations with nearly 2,000 enrolled students, of which 25 percent are female and 51 percent are minorities. But there is still more work to be done. As a community of pilots, we should strive toward a future where a woman’s voice on the radio, presence in the cockpit, or gold epaulets on her shirt isn’t shockingly out of the ordinary. AOPA EMAIL [emailprotected]
CONNECTED BY SPEED
Speed is of the essence with Daher’s TBM 910 and TBM 930. Cruising at a maximum 330 kts., they travel continental distances rapidly and efficiently. The ultimate in cockpit technology is now enhanced by the Me & My TBM app, enabling pilots to quickly analyze flight and maintenance data on smartphones, while also connecting them to the community of TBM aviators and Daher’s worldwide TBM support network.
Speak to a Daher TBM expert: (Americas) +1(954) 993-8477 (International) +33 5 62 41 77 88 www.tbm.aero
- Photo Airborne Films
Crafted for Aviators
www.aopa.org/pilot PUBLISHER Mark R. Baker ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER/ EDITOR IN CHIEF Thomas B. Haines EDITOR Kollin Stagnito MANAGING EDITOR Sarah Deener TECHNICAL EDITOR Mike Collins SENIOR FEATURES EDITOR
Julie Summers Walker
SENIOR CONTENT PRODUCER
Ian J. Twombly
TURBINE PILOT EDITOR/EDITOR AT LARGE
Thomas A. Horne
EDITOR AT LARGE Dave Hirschman SENIOR EDITOR Jill W. Tallman COPY EDITOR Kristy O’Malley MEDIA PRODUCTION SPECIALIST
Sylvia Horne
EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT
Miriam E. Stoner CONTRIBUTORS Jared Allen Peter A. Bedell Mike Busch Kathleen Dondzila King Natalie Bingham Hoover Alton K. Marsh Richard McSpadden Jonathan Sackier Barry Schiff SENIOR ART DIRECTOR Jill C. Benton ART DIRECTOR Elizabeth Z. Jones DIGITAL ASSET MANAGER/GRAPHIC DESIGNER
Leigh Walsh
SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHERS
Mike Fizer, Chris Rose
EMEDIA MANAGING EDITOR Alyssa J. Cobb WEB EDITOR Jim Moore ASSOCIATE WEB EDITORS Dan Namowitz,
David Tulis
EMEDIA PRODUCTION ASSISTANTS
Elizabeth Linares, Melissa Whitehouse
The S-TEC 3100 digital, attitude-based autopilot is one of the most advanced autopilots ever developed for general aviation. You can now be confident of the preceise digital control during every phase of flight, with features such as envelope protection, straight and level recovery, altitude preselect, precision approaches and much more. The S-TEC 3100 can interface with compatible EFIS displays as well as analog gauges. The S-TEC 3100: the next generation of autopilot technology capability, from the leading name in autopilots with over 40 years experience. Find out more at stec3100.genesys-aerosystems.com/aopa
AOPA LIVE THIS WEEK EXECUTIVE PRODUCER
Warren Morningstar
AOPA LIVE THIS WEEK ASSOCIATE PRODUCERS
Josh Cochran, Paul Harrop
ADVERTISING VP Carol Dodds ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Brenda D. Ridgley ADVERTISING COORDINATOR Donna Stoner DIGITAL ADVERTISING SPECIALIST Dan Teore ADVERTISING INFORMATION/PRODUCTION
301-695-2368
MEMBER ASSISTANCE 800-872-2672
AOPA PILOT EDITORIAL 301-695-2351 FACSIMILE 301-695-2180 EMAIL AOPA PILOT [emailprotected] ADDRESS CHANGES www.aopa.org/
myaccount
Copyright 2019, Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association. All rights reserved. No part of this monthly publication may be reproduced or translated, stored in a database or retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or other means, except as expressly permitted by the publisher; requests should be directed to the editor.
PRINTED IN THE USA 8 | AOPA PILOT April 2019
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Wfifififi fififi vfidfifi fifi: foreflight.com/3Dview
Preserving the freedom to fly AOPA BOARD OF TRUSTEES
CHAIRMAN William C. Trimble III VICE CHAIRMAN Darrell W. Crate TREASURER James N. Hauslein
Join ATP Flight School
Become an Airline Pilot
William S. Ayer Mark R. Baker Lawrence D. Buhl III Matthew J. Desch Amanda C. Farnsworth Burgess H. Hamlet III H. Neel Hipp Jr. James G. Tuthill Jr. Luke R. Wippler TRUSTEES EMERITI Paul C. Heintz,
R. Anderson Pew
PRESIDENT/CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
Mark R. Baker
CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER
Tim Fortune
GENERAL COUNSEL AND SECRETARY
Ken Mead
SENIOR VICE PRESIDENTS AVIATION STRATEGY AND PROGRAMS
Katie Pribyl
FINANCE AND ACCOUNTING Erica Saccoia GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS AND ADVOCACY
Jim Coon
MEDIA, COMMUNICATIONS, AND OUTREACH
Thomas B. Haines
VICE PRESIDENTS
ADVERTISING Carol Dodds AIRPORTS AND STATE ADVOCACY
Mike Ginter
AVIATION PROGRAM OPERATIONS
Elizabeth Tennyson
DEPUTY GENERAL COUNSEL
Ronald D. Golden
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PILOT INFORMATION SERVICES/FLIGHT OPERATIONS Mike Filucci PUBLICATIONS Kollin Stagnito
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AOPA FOUNDATION
CEO AND PRESIDENT Mark R. Baker CHAIRMAN, BOARD OF ADVISORS
Lessing Stern
VICE PRESIDENT Jennifer Storm
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Mühle-Glashütte Terrasport Flieger – Limited Edition of 100 pieces Each Limited Edition Number will be engraved on the rotor of the watch.
Time flies with our Terrasport Flieger model, not only because it measures time like a classic pilot‘s watch but also because it takes us back in time to the very beginnings of wristwatch production in Glashütte. The German town has been a hub for the production of elegant timepieces since 1845, but its main focus was initially
placed on pocket watches. It wasn‘t until the end of the 1930s
that the production of wristwatches became more prominent in the form of precise and easy to read pilot‘s watches. $1,099 with 2 year manufacturer’s warranty. Please call +1-727-896-4278 to order.
Movement: Case: Dial:
SW 200-1, automatic; Mühle version with woodpecker neck regulation, own rotor and characteristic surface finishes. Stop-second. Fast date correction. 38-hour power reserve. Brushed stainless steel. Anti-glare sapphire crystal. Transparent case back. Screw-in crown. Ø 40.0 mm; H 10.0 mm. Water-resistant to 10 bars. Buffalo leather strap with a stainless steel pin buckle. Black. Hour markers and hands coated in Super LumiNova.
AOPA ACTION
AOPA advocates for TFR relief $3.5 million in reimbursement for affected airports A $328 BILLION spending package signed into law on February 15 includes a big win for general aviation, with $3.5 million in reimbursement funding to three airports affected by presidential temporary flight restrictions. AOPA has long pushed for a solution for airports that have been negatively impacted by presidential TFRs where the president is in residence for an extended period of time, most recently at New Jersey’s Solberg and Somerset airports and Florida’s Palm Beach County Park Airport, also known as Lantana. Combined, the airports suffered a net loss of nearly $1 million in 2017 alone. The newly passed legislation states: “Up to $3,500,000 shall be for necessary expenses, including an independent verification regime, to provide reimbursement to airport sponsors that do not provide gateway operations and providers of general aviation support services located at those airports closed during a temporary flight restriction (TFR) for any residence of the President that is designated or identified to be secured by the United States Secret Service, and for direct and incremental financial losses incurred while such airports are closed solely due to the actions of the Federal Government.” AOPA has been the leading advocate in Washington, D.C., to find a solution for presidential TFR impacts on airports. In addition to the efforts to secure the reimbursement funds, AOPA worked with members of Congress in 2018 to require the FAA to develop a report on methods for mitigating the impact of TFRs associated with future presidential travels.
BAKER ON THE NEWS “TFRs have left airports financially drained, as many businesses remain inoperable during the restrictions—from fixed-based operators to skydiving operations, flight schools, maintenance shops, and other aviation activities. Our team here at AOPA worked hard on this solution and believe it is a big win for those airports, businesses, and communities.” —AOPA President Mark Baker
www.aopa.org/pilot/airspace
Could Meigs Field make a comeback? Longshot mayoral candidate supports reopening the Chicago airport MEIGS FIELD once again had a moment in the spotlight during the Chicago mayoral campaign, when candidate Willie Wilson listed reopening the iconic general aviation airport on his 10-point agenda. In 2003, in what AOPA called a “reprehensible action,” then-Mayor Richard Daley closed the airport overnight by sending a demolition crew to bulldoze six large X’s in the airport’s single runway, making it unusable and stranding the 16 general aviation aircraft parked on the ramp. The devious move caught the FAA, Meigs control tower, elected officials,
12 | AOPA PILOT April 2019
and pilots across the United States by surprise, and set a scary precedent for the future of other GA airports. In the years following the closing, the city spent $9.7 million to turn the space into a concert venue and nature preserve, although it had been more profitable as an airport. Today, the space only generates $55,000 to the city. When it was opened as an airport, it contributed between $300 million and $500 million in income per year. And that’s something Wilson has said he believes would benefit Chicago. www.aopa.org/pilot/airports
Training Starts Here.
2019
Piper AD too broad AOPA fights ‘intrusive and expensive action’ THE FAA SHOULD PULL BACK its proposed airworthiness directive calling for logbook reviews and possible wing-spar inspections of up to 20,000 Piper PA–28 and PA–32 series airplanes and instead gather safety data through alternative, readily available, and less onerous means, AOPA said in a regulatory filing. The scope of the proposed AD is too broad, and the “intrusive and expensive action” it would mandate is inappropriate without proper groundwork being laid, AOPA said. AOPA reiterated the request that the FAA grant 45 days additional time for providing detailed comments. The
association also challenged contentions in the AD, including compliance cost estimates and the formula owners would use to calculate an aircraft’s factored time in service—a key element in determining whether further steps must be taken to inspect the aircraft and report findings. The additional time for the public to comment also would give the National Transportation Safety Board an opportunity to conclude its investigation into a fatal accident that occurred on April 4, 2018, in Daytona Beach, Florida, involving a Piper PA–28R-201.
FARAIM SERIES FEDERAL AVIATION REGULATION REFERENCE BOOKS
www.aopa.org/advocacy/aircraft
ASN VOLUNTEER OF THE MONTH |
Ron Orozco WHEN PILOT RON OROZCO heard that the mayor of Lordsburg, New Mexico, was floating ideas about closing Lordsburg Municipal Airport, he took action. Orozco brought the issue to aviation advocates including AOPA Central Southwest Regional Manager Tom Chandler, the National Business Aviation Association, the New Mexico PILOT RON OROZCO with Airport Managers Association, and the New Mexico Pilots his wife, Beth. Association. He also worked with the New Mexico Aviation Division to gather key airport facts for a pro-airport presentation. Orozco—AOPA’s Airport Support Network volunteer for Lordsburg—appeared before the Hidalgo County Commission to solicit support, leading to the mayor backing off his thought of closing the airport. Orozco also became actively involved in the opposition of a rule change being proposed by the New Mexico Game and Fish Commission, which would have put general aviation pilots at risk of unknowingly violating rules and potentially suffering legal action. With representatives of the New Mexico Pilots Association and the Recreational Aviation Foundation, Orozco rallied support from area pilots and worked to educate New Mexico Game and Fish commissioners on the issue from a pilot’s perspective. These efforts paid off when the commission voted down the proposed rule change. Since then, Orozco has launched an effort to create a video to educate both pilots and hunters on the central issue the rule was intended to address: game spotting from aircraft. Orozco exemplifies the attributes AOPA looks for in an Airport Support Network volunteer. www.aopa.org/pilot/airports
ACCURATE. RELIABLE. TRUSTED.
asa2fly.com/faraim www.aopa.org/pilot AOPA PILOT | 13
LETTERS
FROM OUR FEBRUARY 2019 ISSUE
Driven to distraction Are distraction-induced maintenance errors preventable? PROFICIENCY & EFFICIENCY
87 MAINTENANCE 90 WX WATCH 93 ADS-B 95 OWNERSHIP 98 NEVER AGAIN
Obstacle departure procedures generally take into account terrain and obstructions within 25 nautical miles of airports in nonmountainous terrain and 46 nautical miles of airports in mountainous terrain.
PROFICIENCY
|
There’s a chart for that
DANIEL HERTZBERG
I really enjoyed Mike Busch’s “Errors of Distraction.” As a former automotive shop owner, pilot, aircraft owner, advanced ground instructor, and grandparent, I can testify to the abundance of distractions in life. Having owned two aircraft over the years, I experienced sloppy work and potentially dangerous oversights. The most aggravating experience was with my “new” Grumman Tiger. The local FBO was asked to do an oil change for me. When I looked at my new shiny airplane and saw oil all over the nosewheel and cowling, I asked what happened. I had a quick drain on the engine, so they just let it drain and did not clean it. No hose was installed. Then I did my preflight and smelled a strong gas odor. On looking further, they had broken a primer line. Just forgot to tell me. With calmness—hard to do— I explained to the FBO owner what had happened to my airplane. He apologized and said he would get the corrections made. I bought the airplane through him, so he knew his crew was responsible.
Can you make the climb? B Y C AT H E R I N E C AVAG N A R O
84 | AOPA PILOT February 2019
As a pilot, do you prefer to fly alone or with one or more passengers? 15%
61%
Alone
23%
More than one passenger
15%
Aviation eBrief poll
14 | AOPA PILOT April 2019
ONCE I SWITCHED FROM PAPER to electronic navigational charts, I never looked back. For some, paper evokes feelings of nostalgia, but I remember too clearly the weight and expense of all those unwieldy charts. Hearing ATC say, “We have a rerouting for you. Are you ready to copy?” would fill me with a sense of dread. As the controller rattled off a list of unfamiliar VORs and fixes, I had to locate them on my low-altitude en route chart, fly the airplane with no autopilot, and keep two kids in the back quiet enough so I could do all of that. No fun. The only thing I miss about paper charts is that someday my supply of outdated versions will run out and my pilot friends will no longer get their presents wrapped in them. Well, that and one more thing. I am a designated examiner for the Nashville Flight Standards District Office, and although most private pilot candidates still arrive for the practical exam with paper charts, instrument rating candidates almost never do. That’s fine, but recently I gave a practical exam that reminded me of a convenient reference in paper U.S. Terminal Procedures Publications. I asked my instrument rating candidate, John, to plan a flight from Tennessee’s Winchester Municipal Airport to Asheville Regional Airport in North Carolina. The scenario conditions at Winchester included 8 miles visibility, a 300-foot overcast cloud layer, winds from 150 degrees at 4 knots, and his aircraft was at maximum gross weight. Although John said his personal weather minimums for a ceiling were greater than those, we continued with the scenario as a thought experiment. The Winchester Airport is at 978 feet msl and Memphis Center often cannot see an aircraft on radar in that area until it has reached 3,500 feet msl, so the controllers cannot assist with terrain avoidance. I asked John, “How can you guarantee that you will avoid obstacles on your departure from Winchester?” John wisely consulted the obstacle departure procedure for the airport. For Runway 18, the minimums are standard with a climb of 330 feet per nautical mile to 2,400 feet msl. John said that on such a day his airplane can easily climb 550 feet per minute so we should be fine. The problem is that he was comparing a climb
gradient (feet per nautical mile) to a climb rate (feet per minute). My raised eyebrows made John rethink his statement, and he recognized the inconsistency. John had correctly determined that, given the field elevation, local altimeter setting, temperature, and aircraft weight, his aircraft was capable of a 550-fpm climb rate. In order to see if this was sufficient, he needed to convert the 330-feet-per-nautical-mile climb gradient to a climb rate, and for that he needed two other items: the true airspeed during the climb as well as the winds. In other words, he needed to know the groundspeed during the climb to altitude. John used a climb speed of 80 knots but assumed it would be 90 knots to err on the side of caution. Now John was ready for the conversion. He said, “Hmmm, now there is a chart for that,” and proceeded to search his iPad for it. The paper approach plate books always included this handy chart, and even though the approach plates were downloaded onto his iPad, his search for the chart yielded no results. After fumbling with some mathematical calculations, he finally estimated that he would need a climb rate of about 495 fpm to achieve the desired climb gradient—he was good to go but it was a lot closer than he would have guessed to the 550 fpm of which his airplane was capable. That made an impression on him. As an examiner, I am aware that earning the instrument rating in a flatter part of Tennessee means that you are legal to depart an airport such as Steamboat Springs in instrument meteorological conditions. There, the takeoff minimums on Runway 14 require a climb gradient of 610 feet per nautical mile to over 2,000 feet above the airport elevation of 6,882 feet msl. It would be easy to find days for which this isn’t possible in many general aviation aircraft. Confusing climb gradient and climb rate in this case could prove disastrous. After the exam ended, I pointed out to John that he can download the Digital Terminal Procedures Supplement for free from the FAA website and keep it on his iPad. (The supplement also may be downloaded via some apps.) The last page of the document features the climb/descent table. Why spend time rediscovering a formula
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Miles J. Barrett AOPA 687231 North Cape May, New Jersey
www.aopa.org/pilot AOPA PILOT | 85
Back to my automotive shop. Our shop had one major rule: No phone calls when you were working. Our mechanics had to finish the particular job they were on before retrieving their phone calls from our receptionist. If an emergency occurred, and our mechanics had to be interrupted, they were required to update me on the exact status of the job. When the work was finished, it was my responsibility to road test the vehicle, raise the hood, double check all the work that
One passenger
I just wanted to thank you for Catherine Cavagnaro’s article in February’s AOPA Pilot (“Proficiency: There’s a Chart For That”). One result was I went4% online and added that FAA resource to my ForeFlight documents to help my students and remind myself of the climb/ descent table. Thank you.
23% 61%
was done. In my opinion, these distractions can be reduced, but it takes dedicated effort by all involved in the service process. James L. Hibbert AOPA 647779 Walterboro, South Carolina
Generating change
“Turn and Face the Change” was a nice article. My personal belief is electric is where all this will lead, including heavy jets. If I look forward enough I see electric-driven propulsion—not by batteries but by small nuclear generators. They already drive various spacecraft, have energy density that far exceeds so-called fossil fuel, and should be able to be designed to take up the space of a few thermos bottles with eventually little weight. Look at the thrust of a high-bypass fan jet. Eighty percent or so of the thrust is produced by the turbine blades accelerating air that never sees the combustion chamber.
It could just as well be driven by some kind of electric motor powered by a nuclear generator. Let’s really start thinking out into the future where, I’ll wager, we’ll find no barriers—only the ones we create ourselves. Rob Bender AOPA 1430506 Golden, Colorado
Top 10
I was dismayed to read in Richard McSpaddens article “Our Top 10” that AOPA “experts” would include airframe parachutes on their list of top 10 safety advances. The other items listed no doubt have dramatically increased safety for a broad spectrum of hundreds of thousands of pilots. If you include passengers on transport aircraft, the number of lives saved is probably astronomical. But the airframe parachute has only been implemented in a minute segment of aviation.
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LETTERS McSpadden asserts in the article that 400 lives have been saved by airframe parachutes. I wonder where that statistic comes from? Is that the number of inflight activations of airframe parachutes? He asserts in the same paragraph that “most offairport landings do not end in fatalities.” I’ve heard a figure of 90 to 96 percent, but even if we interpret the word “most” to mean 75 percent, that suggests that only a hundred lives might have been saved. While 100 lives is impressive, it hardly qualifies to compete with the broad safety impacts of the other nine items on the list. And it doesn’t account for the pilots that were more comfortable pushing the envelope because they had the get-out-of-jail-free card. I would have put AOPA’s integrity above what comes across as a thinly veiled plug for BRS. Is there accurate data to suggest otherwise? Michael Mock AOPA 911939 Townsend, Georgia
Landing tale
HANGAR TALK
Barry Schiff’s “Give ‘er the Slip” article in February’s AOPA Pilot magazine reminded me about a flight on a Boeing 727–2A. I was flying with a first officer who was
PROFICIENT PILOT
Giving ’er the slip
BY BARRY SCHIFF
A tried and true technique
BARRY SCHIFF
was presented with the Aero Club of Northern California’s Crystal Eagle Award in November 2018.
I RECENTLY WATCHED a rerun of Falling from the Sky: Flight 174, a made-for-TV movie that had me falling from my seat and rolling on the floor in a fit of sidesplitting laughter. I have never seen an aviation movie so replete with unintentional blunders and bloopers. The 1995 docudrama attempted to detail the events leading up to the safe landing of an Air Canada Boeing 767 that experienced a double engine flameout because of fuel exhaustion while at Flight Level 410 near Winnipeg, Canada. (The 767 had been loaded with pounds of fuel instead of a like number of kilograms.) The dead-stick landing at Gimli, Manitoba, on July 23, 1983, was a masterful display of airmanship, resulting in part from Capt. R.O. Pearson’s experience as a glider pilot. While powerless and on final approach to the 8,000-foot-long runway of an abandoned air force base (then used as a drag strip), he recognized that the Boeing was too high and would likely overshoot. Pearson responded almost instinctively by lowering a wing, applying top rudder, and deftly slipping off the excess altitude. Slipping was developed because early airplanes did not have wing flaps. A slip was the recommended way to steepen the descent without increasing airspeed. Although slipping is less emphasized today, it nevertheless must be demonstrated during some flight tests. Many of us, though, fail to subsequently maintain proficiency in slipping, a maneuver that belongs in every pilot’s repertoire. Slips also can be used to further increase sink rate with flaps extended because flaps are not always as effective as we might need them to be. They also are an effective way to reduce airspeed (especially prior to a forced or crash landing), to assist in closing an open door in flight, or to divert smoke and flames away from the cockpit during an engine fire in a single-engine airplane. Slips should not be used, however, with a low fuel supply because this could unport a fuel pump or fuel line in a near-empty tank. I never allowed my students to solo until they had mastered slipping, but not for the obvious reasons. I discovered that those proficient at performing slips (especially sideslips) made the best crosswind landings. This, I believe, is because learning to crosscontrol an airplane at altitude made them more comfortable with slipping near the ground while executing crosswind landings.
Inadvertent slipping most often occurs during normal flight when bank angle is too steep for the existing rate of turn. It usually is the result of improper rudder usage during turn entry or recovery, inadvertently applying top rudder while turning, or flying one wing low while holding a constant heading. The airplane simply flies somewhat sideways, and those inside the airplane tend to lean toward the low wing (as does the ball of a slip-skid indicator). The drag produced during such “sideways” flight is what helps to prevent airspeed from increasing while descending in a normal slip. It is not common knowledge, but some airline pilots—especially old-timers—use mild slipping to assist in gently descending their aluminum giants onto the glideslope when caught high and after the flaps have been deployed. (Using spoilers to lose altitude often is prohibited following flap extension.) Such slipping seldom involves lowering a wing more than a few degrees, is remarkably effective, and is rarely felt by those in the cabin. Pilots of yore used a more dramatic procedure to descend steeply without building excess airspeed. It was called a falling leaf, a maneuver in which an airplane in a glide is made to swing from side to side and settle like a leaf falling from the sky with little change in heading. It is performed by entering a power-off stall and then applying sufficient rudder to cause the airplane to barely begin an incipient spin. Opposite rudder is then applied before heading changes very much and is held until an incipient spin barely begins in the opposite direction. This cycle is repeated until the desired amount of altitude has been lost. The descent profile seems more vertical than horizontal because the aircraft loses altitude rapidly and with little forward speed. Once a pilot is proficient at slipping, he might find a CFI willing to instruct him in fishtailing. This is an emergency maneuver that can be used to quickly dissipate airspeed during a potential overrun during a forced landing. It is performed by applying rudder in one direction and then the other while applying opposite aileron in each case to keep the wings level. It can be highly effective. This maneuver, however, should not be performed in large, swept-wing aircraft. AOPA
Barry Schiff missed another important lifesaving use of a slip. Combat pilots of low and slow airplanes were taught to fly in a sideslip because ground gunners invariably would aim ahead of the extended centerline of the aircraft rather than in the actual (slipping) direction of travel. Saved a lot of lives.
Bill Ramos AOPA 4334022 Las Vegas, Nevada
www.barryschiff.com
20 | AOPA PILOT February 2019
a great stick and a lot of fun to fly with. On the last leg into DTW, I wanted to pull his leg a little. They asked me if we had the field and without asking Mike I keyed the mic: “Yessir, we can take a visual.” Mike was straining against his straps trying to get a view of the airport on my side. “OK, sir, you are cleared to land on 3L.” Mike asked me how it looked. “Oh, you’re fine, a little high, that’s all.” He banked the airplane and exclaimed, “Are you nuts? I can’t make that!” I assured him he could, flaps 2, 5, 15, gear down, 30 degrees. Mike said he’d never make it. I said, “You wanna bet?” He threw his arms up and
said, “You got it!” I placed the left wing down ever so slightly and top rudder and we flew right into the glideslope. I pushed them up at the outer marker and made a grease job. “Flaps up after landing,” I intoned. Mike gave me a dirty look, said, “I never would have believed it.” Schiff is right; if you’re smooth nobody knows back in the cabin. But, one person did on that flight. I was last off the airplane, putting on my coat and hat, and an elderly lady in her eighties stopped by the door smiling. She asked, “Were we flying sideways?” I smiled back and said, “Oh, just a tiny bit, glad you enjoyed
“Flying in the jump seat was not my first time in a jumbo jet cockpit, but it sure was my first time flying around with a state-of-the-art hospital in the trunk!” said Editor in Chief TOM HAINES about his experience in the Orbis International MD–10 Flying Eye Hospital. The 46-year-old airliner lives a leisurely life of 100 flight hours or so a year, but hauls a big, life-changing load. It even has a cool call sign: Orbis One. Most impressive, though, said Haines, is the commitment of the Orbis organization, the staff, and the volunteers to stamping out debilitating eye conditions around the world. “Every person I came in contact with was absolutely on point regarding the mission and the idea of service, including Nate Morrissey. Nate’s a GA pilot and an FAA inspector in real life, but is a passionate volunteer determined to make pilots everywhere more aware of the Orbis mission. Like others at Orbis, he’s all in to keep the program growing and healthy. I came away with a great admiration for the organization and impressed, yet again, by the difference aviation can make in the world.”
16 | AOPA PILOT April 2019
the flight.” She said, “At least you made a nice landing out of it.” Kenneth Eckstein AOPA 7684106 Simpsonville, South Carolina
Clarification
While many World War II airborne soldiers were drafted into the service (“Re-Living History,” February 2019 AOPA Pilot), airborne duty was voluntary, and remains so today. We welcome your comments. Editor, AOPA Pilot, 421 Aviation Way, Frederick, Maryland 21701 or email ([emailprotected]). Letters may be edited for length and style before publication.
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WAYPOINTS
To minimums, really?
BY THOMAS B. HAINES Editor in Chief
Tales from the glidepath
Editor in Chief TOM HAINES
upgraded the panel of his Beechcraft Bonanza to a Garmin GTN 750 in 2014.
18 | AOPA PILOT April 2019
LIKE IMPATIENTLY PUNCHING THE elevator button multiple times hoping for a faster response, we checked the METAR for Massachusetts’ Plymouth Municipal Airport over and over again hoping for an update—ideally, an update that the showed the ceiling increasing from 200 feet to something closer to 500 feet. Minimums for the RNAV (GPS) 24 LPV approach there are 446 feet. At nine miles, the visibility below the clouds was not a factor on this midwinter day. Meanwhile, the miles to go and the estimated time enroute marched down smartly as a 30-knot tailwind propelled my Beechcraft Bonanza along at 200 knots groundspeed at 9,000 feet. AOPA Live Executive Producer Warren Morningstar was in the left seat as we considered options. We were on top in severe clear and a smooth ride. Below were a few scattered clouds, but farther northeast, tenacious low clouds hugged the coast. Our circuitous routing around the New York City airspace had us passing directly over Providence, Rhode Island, which was reporting marginal VFR—a safe bet should we miss on the approach to Plymouth. We both agreed that at the reported 200 feet, there was no sense in trying the approach. The terminal aerodrome forecast (TAF) suggested conditions at Plymouth would be marginal VFR by 11 a.m. We had delayed our departure an hour already. With the tailwind we would be arriving at Plymouth around 10:30 a.m. Yes, we could pull the throttle back, but, hey, how often do you get a tailwind like that? If we didn’t see an improvement at Plymouth, we agreed to land at Providence and wait awhile. However, updated weather from the Providence controller reported the ceiling at 300 feet. Progress. We decided to give it a shot at Plymouth. During the descent, we briefed the approach and talked through the missed approach procedure as well as the immediate action items when going missed. I loaded the approach in the Garmin GTN 750, overlaying the approach procedure on the moving map, and backed it up on the GNS 530. We both also had the procedure displayed on our iPads. Morningstar set the minimums reminder in the Garmin G500 at 450 feet, as close to 446 as we could get. Cleared for the approach, I activated the procedure in the GTN as we progressed toward the initial approach fix at 2,000 feet msl, just skimming the cloud tops. Morningstar requested one more check of the
automated weather at Plymouth. The ceiling was up to 400 feet. We just went from “unlikely” to “perhaps.” The glidepath marker descended out of the top of the display right on schedule as we approached BURRK intersection, where Morningstar put in approach flaps and lowered the gear—and down we went into the murk. The winds at 2,000 feet were out of the northwest at about 22 knots, but on the ground they were out of the west at about 12 knots. We anticipated some bumps on the way down and were not disappointed. Morningstar did his best in the bumps to anchor the green flightpath marker from the synthetic vision to the end of the simulated runway while monitoring the HSI, speed, glidepath, and altitude. I had found a frequency for the pilot-controlled lighting in the U.S. chart supplement (airport/facility directory for us geezers) on my iPad, clicked the mic more times than necessary to bring up the lights, and then announced our position on the common traffic advisory frequency. My eyes were locked out the window with an occasional glance over at the primary flight display to monitor our progress. I crosschecked our altitude at the intermediate fix—right at 780 feet. Soon out of the corner of my eye I began to see the ground out the side window. Pilots all the time say they broke out “right at minimums” and you can’t help but wonder—was it really that low? Or, was it actually lower and perhaps they cheated a little? With such a high decision altitude on this approach—300 feet above the ground—one could understand the temptation to cheat a little. I, however, could not imagine descending below a more typical 200foot decision height without the airport in sight. But on this day, no need to cheat. Just as the nice Garmin lady said “Minimums, Minimums,” I saw the runway end identifier lights and called “runway in sight, continue” to Morningstar. “I’ve got it now,” he said a couple of beats later, and a few seconds after that we were on the runway, rolling past an Eclipse jet waiting to take off at the nontowered airport. As we exited the runway, I called Boston Approach on the remote frequency and canceled our flight plan. A minute later the Eclipse blasted off into the clag. Just another day at a busy GA airport. AOPA EMAIL [emailprotected]
@tomhaines29
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PROFICIENT PILOT
The possible turn
BY BARRY SCHIFF
When unconventional wisdom goes mainstream
BARRY SCHIFF
has been a member of the Society of Experimental Test Pilots as well as a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society.
20 | AOPA PILOT April 2019
IT WAS APRIL 8, 1957. I was checking out my student, Henry Meyers, in a Stinson 108-2 Voyager, N40156. Shortly after liftoff from Santa Monica, California’s Runway 21, the Franklin engine threw a piston rod through the number 3 cylinder and brought our climb to an explosive halt. We had just passed over the departure end of the runway, and a densely populated residential area discouraged me from attempting to land straight ahead. It would have been ugly. I instead and almost instinctively reversed course and landed on the runway downwind and in the opposite direction. It was this event—and the criticism I received for turning around following an engine failure after takeoff—that triggered the beginning of what has been a decades-long study of this controversial subject. The literature of the day dogmatically insisted that a pilot should always land straight ahead following an engine failure that occurs shortly after liftoff. It became my contention, however, that although landing straight ahead almost always is the safest course of action, there are exceptions to the rule—circumstances when turning around would be the preferred option. My first article discussing this subject, “Engine Failure after Takeoff,” was published in the November 1974 edition of this magazine. In it I described the results of flight testing that led to what I considered to be the safest manner in which to execute a turnaround maneuver. It also discussed the conditions that would be necessary to consider such a maneuver. As my thoughts about this subject evolved and solidified over the years, I continued to write about them in subsequent articles as well as in my monthly column, “The Proficient Pilot.” My most recent article about it, “Unconventional Wisdom,” appeared on these pages in April 2011. These articles continued to attract criticism and derision, although some conceded that turning 30 or so degrees right or left following an engine failure would be acceptable. My detractors even formed an informal counterculture, authors and speakers whose mantra was that a pilot should never turn around following an engine failure, labeling such a maneuver as “the impossible turn.” These well-intended naysayers cited numerous fatal accidents in which pilots attempted to return to the runway following a low-altitude engine failure after takeoff. I’m willing to bet, however, that the majority of these ill-fated pilots had not had the benefit of the training
needed to do this safely. On the other hand, many pilots have performed the turnaround without incident. The number of such uneventful landings, however, cannot be determined because they obviously never became accident statistics. After 44 years of having to endure criticism for publicly advocating that pilots need to recognize and be prepared for those times and conditions when turning around is preferable to landing straight ahead, I was ready to concede that I had been fighting a losing battle. I was stunned, therefore, to recently learn that I had been vindicated by an unexpected ally. The FAA now states matter-of-factly in paragraph A.11.4 of Advisory Circular 61-83J dated September 13, 2018, that “flight instructors should demonstrate and teach trainees when and how to make a safe 180-degree turnback to the field after an engine failure.” Never in a million years did I expect that the FAA would come to my rescue. The impossible turn is now considered possible. It is important for me to explain that it has never been my goal to encourage anyone to execute a lowaltitude return to the runway. But let’s face it: An engine failure shortly after takeoff places a pilot in extreme jeopardy. We need to be aware of our options and when they might be available. My only concern about the FAA’s suggestion in Appendix A of AC 61-83J is that it leaves to instructors to determine how best to demonstrate and teach when and how to make a safe turnaround. It is critical, I believe, for the FAA—perhaps with industry cooperation—to develop and provide the necessary guidelines. An improperly executed turnaround can just as easily lead to the type of fatal accidents mentioned earlier. As a start, the FAA might want to consider publishing the principles involved in turning around safely that will be presented during a live, hour-long broadcast by my son, Brian, a captain for a major airline and an accomplished general aviation flight instructor. His seminar is sponsored by the National Association of Flight Instructors and will be based to a large extent on my decades of study and research involving this subject. The seminar will air May 15, at 8 p.m. Eastern time. All interested pilots are invited to view this broadcast live (or an archived broadcast at a later date) at www.nafinet.org/mentorlive. AOPA www.barryschiff.com
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FLYING LIFE
Committed to memory
BY NATALIE BINGHAM HOOVER
Do you know enough about your airplane? “Never memorize something that you can look up.” —Albert Einstein
NATALIE BINGHAM HOOVER has logged more than 3,000 hours of dual flight instruction given.
22 | AOPA PILOT April 2019
IN AVIATION, we often pride ourselves on knowing every detail of the flying world. We memorize specifics like the model number of the engine or the optimal PSI of the nosewheel tire. I have a friend we fondly call the walking FAR/AIM. He can cite chapter and verse with incredible powers of recall. I am always impressed by pilots who can spout off these facts, but I must confess that I am not one of them. Maybe in my past, when I only flew one or two airplanes, I might have been able to impress with my keen knowledge of a Cessna 172, but I have slowly let those details slip. In the training world, we call it the iceberg problem. There are only so many penguins that can fit on a single iceberg. So it goes with the capacity for information in our brains. When a new concept arrives, another must leave to make room for it. Whether or not the penguin analogy holds true (I suspect some people’s icebergs, like mine, are just a bit smaller than others), I’d like to make a case for limiting the amount of memorization we subject ourselves to, if only for sanity’s sake. As an FAA designated pilot examiner, I’ve formed some pretty serious opinions on the subject of what should be committed to memory. Here’s how it works. If the information is of a time critical nature—typically information you would want to know in the air—that should be a memory item. But, if the information is more ground-based, such as reporting rules for an accident versus incident, that’s something that could be looked up in the leisure of an air-conditioned building. I’d like to make a case for memorizing the following list of essential items: Immediate actions. If my airplane is on fire, I want to know what to do about it, and fast. There are three fire situations I always memorize for any airplane I fly: fire on engine start, in-flight engine fire, and electrical fire. I’ve experienced two of the three and will always be grateful I knew exactly what to do before the fire was strong enough to harm me or my airplane. I think most people would agree the procedure for engine roughness or failure is also important. Most pilot’s operating handbooks have certain checklist items printed in bold lettering. Do yourself a favor and commit those to memory before you have to use them.
Dangerous weather encounters. Although most of us take great pains to avoid encountering bad weather, there is always the possibility that it could happen. The “that would never happen to me” mindset is naive at best. If it’s a thunderstorm, slow down to maneuvering speed and accept heading and altitude deviations to prevent structural damage. If it’s icing, change altitudes to get away from the freezing level and keep your speed up on landing to compensate for the higher stall speed. Airspace and weather minimums. I know there are people groaning when they read this one, but I really think these two are memory-worthy items. No one wants to work hard to earn a rating only to get violated when you unintentionally bust the floor of Class B airspace without the required clearance. Likewise, knowing the proper distance to stay away from clouds will keep you safe and reduce the risk of a midair collision. Spin/stall recovery procedure. Really, you do not want to be rotating toward the ground at a rapid rate and trying to read a checklist. Enough said. Regulations that apply to in-the-air scenarios. I’m talking about minimum safe altitudes, right-ofway rules, lost radio procedures, and the like. But the majority of regulations can be easily looked up as long as you have a working knowledge of the FAR/AIM. If I discover something broken on a preflight, I see no shame in referring to FAR 91.213 and 91.205 to determine airworthiness. Basic systems understanding. What are the sources of power for the different systems on my aircraft? If I lose all electrical power, what will stop working? If I turn that fuel pump switch off, will my engine quit? If I get ice on the static port, what sort of problems will I have? The finer details, such as engine horsepower or the amount of voltage to specific components, are something that can be quickly looked up if the information is needed. I intentionally make this memory list short not so we can let ourselves off the hook, but so that we can focus on the things that matter. I consider it a valuable skill to be able to effectively use our resources, whether that’s the FAR, a checklist, or the legend on a sectional chart. I realize some of you will disagree with me. Perhaps you think there are additional items that should be added to the list? I welcome the conversation. AOPA www.myaviation101.com
SAFETY SPOTLIGHT
BY RICHARD MCSPADDEN Executive Director AOPA Air Safety Institute
Automation Matching pilot intentions with aircraft performance
RICHARD MCSPADDEN
is a commercial pilot, flight instructor, and remote pilot with a CitationJet CE–525S type rating.
24 | AOPA PILOT April 2019
THE TRAGIC LION AIR CRASH in October 2018 off the coast of Indonesia, which claimed 189 lives, sparked debate throughout the industry centered around automation. How much do pilots need to know about the complex systems working in the background to control the airplane? What is the obligation of the original equipment manufacturers to explain the systems, and what is the obligation of the FAA and airline companies to mandate additional training? These are not easy questions to answer. Well, as my dad once coached me, “If it were easy, they’d pay you minimum wage.” I’m confident the FAA, manufacturers, and airlines will work through the issues and advance safety. Look at the remarkable safety progress we’ve made in every element of aviation—commercial, general aviation, military—over the last several decades. We have an independent arm (in the United States, the NTSB) that investigates every fatal accident through a safety lens. All elements of the industry comb through those investigations, gleaning lessons to improve knowledge, training, proficiency, equipment, and decision making, the core elements of safety. Then we come together to discuss and debate the lessons we learned—and we act on them. The automation issue at the heart of the Lion Air investigation isn’t limited to commercial aircraft and pilots. Advances in automation inside GA cockpits offer powerful navigation, communication, weather avoidance, engine monitoring, and aircraft control support. More—and more accurate—information is available to pilots, enabling better decision making. Advanced and increasingly less expensive autopilots, GPS units, and coupling of those free pilots for more complex cognitive tasks, minimizing stress and mental fatigue. And it took us all awhile to admit it, but computers fly airplanes much more precisely than humans. Exactly as directed. As cockpits modernize, our approach to flying must evolve. We must gain—and maintain—a thorough understanding of how the automated systems in the aircraft operate and our human interaction. Upgrading to a Cessna CitationJet CE–525S type rating required a paradigm shift in my cockpit task prioritization. Most of my flying is in light piston GA airplanes, specifically a Piper Super Cub and a Navion. In these airplanes, the link between what I intend for the airplane to do, what I instruct it to do, and what it is actually doing is accomplished through hand-eye, stick-and-rudder coordination,
and I monitor the basic flying instruments to ensure desired performance. Even the F–15 wasn’t substantially different from these light airplanes in terms of navigation and autopilot automation; the link was primarily through hand-eye coordination and a good instrument scan, with a few basic features for altitude and attitude control. In the CitationJet, I struggled for the first few hours until I understood how vital it was to recalibrate my mental approach to flying. The automation, while helpful, also could be confusing, and potentially critical errors were easy to make. It took a great deal of effort to understand the profound shift in the elements of interaction between me and the aircraft: what I intend, what I direct, what the airplane is doing, what it will do next and when. The circumstances surrounding a few accidents in 2018 make me wonder if the pilots’ interaction with automation was involved. In one, a Cessna Citation crashed shortly after takeoff in poor weather. In the CJ type training simulator, I once took off with low weather, inadvertently engaged the wrong altitude function in the flight management system, and the aircraft barreled ahead, not climbing, while I got distracted by some minor malfunction. What I intended to do was not what I directed the aircraft to do, and the aircraft was doing exactly what I directed—flying straight toward rising terrain. In another instance, a pilot fresh out of upgrade training to his new airplane, and new avionics package, headed home, encountering low weather and poor visibility in mountainous terrain. He lost control of the airplane after, or perhaps during, a missed approach, crashed, and all aboard perished. Fresh out of upgrade; new airplane; new, more complex avionics package; single pilot into some of the most demanding conditions. The pilot was asking a lot of himself, regardless of what the NTSB finds. Glass panels and avionics advancements coming into our cockpits offer powerful support. The capability also can quickly become overwhelming, confusing, and degrade situational awareness. We must constantly develop our knowledge, training, and proficiency to exploit the advantages of automation, and realize that it requires a different mindset when we fly. Go fly—and make sure what you demand, what the aircraft is doing, and what the aircraft is about to do are exactly what you intend. AOPA EMAIL [emailprotected]
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FLY WELL
Celestial objects
BY DR. JONATHAN M. SACKIER
How to not become one OUMUAMUA, HAWAIIAN FOR “SCOUT,” arrived from beyond our solar system and has now passed through our neighborhood. Whether a dusty comet, a planetary remnant—or, as astrophysicist Avi Loeb proposed, an element of an alien spacecraft—we shall probably never know. Everyone surely prefers to continue flying powered by reciprocating engines rather than following Oumuamua on angels’ wings. Inherited genes play a major role defining your time keeping the dirty side down, but there are many steps you can take to influence the length of your healthy years. Keeping the fuel lines clear: Let’s start with taking steps. I wrote an article (“Fly Well: Off We Go Into the Wild Blue Yonder,” October 2016 AOPA Pilot) that focused on Blue Zones—locations where longevity and
Inherited genes play a major role defining your healthy years, but there are many steps you can take to influence your healthspan.
DR. JONATHAN SACKIER is an expert
in aviation medical concerns and helps members with their needs through the AOPA Pilot Protection Services plan. (www.aopa.org/ pps)
26 | AOPA PILOT April 2019
robust good health are the norm. I addressed similarities between Sardinian highlands, Loma Linda, California, and Okinawa, Japan. Although people in Okinawa live longer than elsewhere, and tend to have less chronic disease, they do not exercise as is generally recommended in America. Rather, they do frequent, low-impact work such as walking regularly, and occasionally stretch their physical limits. Grandmothers climb up and down stairs, garden, and stroll with friends. Just stretch your legs regularly, and occasionally push the limits; that will help keep your fuel lines (arteries) clear. Your airplane likes to be used; so does your body. Cleared for the option: My chosen option is to do physical activity only on the days I eat—and, believing in efficiency, I exercise my brain listening to podcasts of TED Talks while keeping my aging airframe fit with a routine of runs and other workouts. Here’s a checklist for you: Document your daily activities and all you eat and drink, and then consider alternatives. One option is to walk while on phone calls, another is to choose healthy snacks. We all know our emergency procedures; follow this recommendation and minimize your risks of being the subject of one. Attitude: A bad attitude can lead to a deathly spiral while flying. The same is true when not flying. Isabel Allende, the Chilean author, gave a wonderful
TED Talk on living life with passion, pointing out that our attitude is a potent influencer on how we feel and whether we thrive. As my very wise 20-year-old son recently reminded me, “Whether you think you will fail, or succeed, you are right.” Flaps: We know flaps increase lift or drag, and that it’s a drag if you walk into one. But there are other ways to get into a flap, an expression meaning bent out of shape. (You, not the flap.) There is so much attention today on the word “working,” such as: “Are you still working on that steak, sir?” I am not working, I am eating. Working is a verb applied to the prosecution of one’s employment or avocation. Working out? What’s going out? Don’t do things that might ensure you are the best-looking corpse in the graveyard: taking steroids, unproven dietary supplements that might carry cardiovascular risk, pushing the limits, and risking injuries and other negative consequences. You may not want to look like a Sardinian granny, but you might want to be as healthy as she is. Undercarriage: A good landing that leaves aircraft and occupants undamaged relies on a diligent and attentive pilot, a headwind, smooth pavement, and good tires. So it is with sneakers, the one exercise item where expense is justified. Get fitted for good shoes at a dedicated running shop, even if you only use them to walk from car to hangar. Poor support can induce painful and debilitating foot, calf, knee, and hip issues. Tires need to be replaced regularly, so do shoes; cracked rubber tricycle gear suggests a change, same goes for your shoes. Nextgen: Revolutionary avionics, more efficient engines, and other advances will change flying for the better and keep airplanes aloft longer. But what about us? Biologist Cynthia Kenyon and others took a humble worm, loftily named Caenorhabditis elegans, and fiddled with its genes, first doubling its lifespan, then lengthening it even further. And these senior worms were not in the nursing home—if they were 300-year-old people, they would be skiing. Could the fountain of youth be that accessible? Aubrey de Grey, a colorful researcher from Cambridge University, believes so and has suggested that the first humans to live 1,000 years have already been born. That’s a lot of flight time and, if true, life insurance is going to be a dying business. AOPA EMAIL [emailprotected]
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PILOT BRIEFING
34 YOU CAN FLY
36 MUSINGS
40 PILOT PRODUCTS
43 DESTINATIONS
44 TEST PILOT
JOHN SLEMP
Milka Bamond Factory worker in Detroit.
COMPILED BY JULIE SUMMERS WALKER
www.aopa.org/pilot AOPA PILOT | 29
PILOT BRIEFING The Rosies
FIRST LOOK |
Remembering the ‘Rosies’
Photographer John Slemp’s images capture wartime workers who became cultural icons B Y J U L I E S U M M E R S WA L K E R
“HISTORY IS ETCHED on their faces,” said aviation photogra-
pher John Slemp. He photographed surviving “Rosies”—the women who worked in the factories, shipyards, aircraft assembly plants, and defense offices during World War II when most men were enlisted, and who became iconic symbols of women in the second world war. Slemp photographed many of the women during the annual convention of the American Rosie the Riveter Association. “Rosie the Riveter” was a painting by Norman Rockwell depicting a woman in the traditional working garb of a female factory worker during the war. It was featured in the Saturday Evening Post in 1943. Also produced at around the same time was a morale-building poster for Westinghouse by Pittsburgh artist J. Howard Miller—the “We can do it” slogan. That poster became the cultural icon in later years, while the Rockwell painting became less known. Since the women were not employed after the war ended—and their roles not recognized by any official body— the story of the women was lost for a time. Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) were finally given veteran status by the U.S. government in 1977 (more than 1,000 women served and 38 lost their lives in the war). The American Rosie the Riveter Association was formed in 1998 by Dr. Frances Carter, who was a riveter on B–29 bombers built in Birmingham, Alabama. A Senate resolution declared March 21 “Rosie the Riveter Day” in 2017. “I really enjoyed meeting these women,” said Slemp. “They carry a certain honor, high quality that really grabs me. And they’re a hoot, too.”
Dr. Frances Carter Worked at Parsons Airplane Modifications Center in Birmingham, Alabama, as a riveter on the B–29.
Mae Krier Built B–17s and B–29s at Boeing in Seattle.
EMAIL [emailprotected]
The American Rosie the Riveter Association was founded December 7, 1998, to honor the women who filled these jobs in World War II. It is a 501(c)(3) not-forprofit corporation. Its purposes are to recognize and preserve the history and legacy of working women, including volunteer women, during World War II; to promote cooperation and fellowship among such members and their descendants; and to further the advancement of patriotic ideals, excellence in the workplace, and loyalty to the United States of America. Members are Rosies, as well as their descendants, both women and men. rosietheriveter.net
30 | AOPA PILOT April 2019
Mabel Myrick Secretary in the Pentagon.
HEADLINES THAT AFFECT YOU
BY THE NUMBERS 19 million women worked during World War II 80,000 landing craft made 100,000 tanks built 300,000 aircraft constructed Iris Kleintop Riveter at Wright Field in Ohio.
15 million guns made 41 billion rounds of ammunition
Recent news from the aviation world NTSB REMOVES GA LOSS OF CONTROL FROM 'MOST WANTED' LIST The National Transportation Safety Board announced the “2019-2020 Most Wanted List of Transportation and Safety Improvements” during a February press conference in Washington, D.C. In previous versions, the list had specifically mentioned and focused on reducing loss of control accidents in general aviation. But, as GA has witnessed record safety levels, loss of control is no longer included in the targeted list. —aopa.org MUROYA WINS RED BULL OPENER BY INCHES Japan’s Yoshihide Muroya won the 2019 Red Bull Air Race World Championship opener, and U.S. pilot Michael Goulian placed third. —aopa.org SUN FLYER NOTES SUCCESSFUL FLIGHT WITH ELECTRIC MOTOR The all-electric Sun Flyer 2 airplane flew for its first official trial with a Siemens electric propulsion motor on February 8 as it pursues FAA certification. —aopa.org
Constance Negrotto Illustrated aircraft maintenance manuals.
DID YOU KNOW? Marilyn Monroe (then Norma Jeane Dougherty) was discovered at the Radioplane Munitions Factory in Van Nuys, California, where she was a factory worker during the war.
CONGRESS CONSIDERS SHIELDING FAA FROM SHUTDOWNS The 35-day partial government shutdown affected thousands of federal workers across the United States, but none likely bore the brunt of its impact more than the aviation industry. Seventeen thousand FAA employees were furloughed while more than 14,000 air traffic controllers worked without pay. The disruption has led lawmakers to introduce new legislation aimed at ensuring the FAA remains operational in the event of another government shutdown. —aopa.org
Louise Unkrich Riveter on the B–29 at the Martin Bomber Plant in Omaha.
www.aopa.org/pilot AOPA PILOT | 31
PILOT BRIEFING PILOT PRODUCTS |
Weather, traffic at your fingertips Garmin GDL 51, 52 connect easily to ForeFlight B Y A LY S S A J. C O B B
GARMIN, SIRIUSXM AVIATION, and ForeFlight have been working together to create an easy way for pilots to access weather and traffic information on their mobile devices in flight. The portable options they have developed worked seamlessly for me on two flights. I use ForeFlight on an iPad Mini 4, and when I launched the newest version of the electronic flight bag, the SiriusXM Aviation subscription appeared, and I connected to the GDL 51 and 52 (on separate flights) via Bluetooth. Garmin’s portable GDL 51 and 52, launched in July 2017, are small—4.9 inches wide by 1.3 inches tall by 3.4 inches deep—and weigh less than a pound. They can stow nicely in a flight bag and don’t take up much room when sitting on top of the instrument panel. The GDL 51 is a SiriusXM receiver, so a subscription is required to pull weather information into ForeFlight, Garmin Pilot, or other Garmin portable devices. I tested the GDL 51 on a flight from Florida to Maryland in my Cessna 170B. The skies were perfectly clear, so I didn’t use the Nexrad imagery, but the time-stamped METAR information proved useful. I like to check the winds at my planned destination to see if they remain as forecast or if they have changed in direction or velocity so that I can find an alternate with more favorable winds. The GDL 51 does not provide traffic data. I used the GDL 52 during a flight in the Cessna 170 from Maryland to Tennessee. The GDL 52 pulled in free Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) weather and traffic as well as subscription-based SiriusXM Aviation weather, and ForeFlight labeled the source of the information displayed. For example, METAR data for airports near the airplane were provided by ADS-B In, while data for airports farther away on my route were provided by SiriusXM Aviation. (ADS-B weather data relies on ground-based stations that have limitations, including line of sight, based on altitude and the aircraft’s location, but SiriusXM Aviation’s data is delivered by satellite and can show data from locations farther away.) The weather information from both sources was time-stamped. I had planned a southerly route to Tennessee to have more favorable surface winds, which I kept an eye on with the GDL 52. The southerly route also kept the flight in clear skies. Marginal VFR ceilings over the mountains just north of the route matched what was shown on ForeFlight’s flight category overlay. Up-to-date winds aloft information made altitude planning en route easy as I crossed mountains and then descended over lower terrain.
32 | AOPA PILOT April 2019
Traffic information is helpful, as long as ForeFlight’s “hide distant traffic” function is enabled so that your screen isn’t covered by black targets (airliners) that are tens of thousands of feet above you. The flight to Tennessee took six hours, and the GDL 52 lasted about five hours, matching the battery operating time listed on Garmin’s website. A warning pops up on the ForeFlight screen when the unit’s battery is down to 20 percent. It wasn’t a problem to continue without the GDL 52 because I was in VFR conditions, with no weather between me and my destination near Nashville. However, had I been deviating around weather, I would have needed to alternate charging the GDL 52 and my iPad Mini 4 in my Cessna 170’s one power port. Both units provided a level of luxury in the Cessna 170 that I’m not used to. Being able to check weather changes while en route, plan alternatives, and spot traffic (with the GDL 52) provides more time to make decisions and alter plans as needed. After flying with the units, particularly on long routes, it’s hard to go back to a cockpit without that information. The GDL 51 costs $699, and the GDL 52 costs $1,199. (SiriusXM Entertainment subscriptions are sold separately but work with both units.) In addition, AOPA members can enjoy a two-month trial of SiriusXM Aviation Weather and Entertainment through December 31, 2019. Members who buy a new SiriusXM Aviation subscription or eligible receiver can receive a free one-year AOPA membership; that offer has been extended through December 31, 2019, as well. PRICE: GDL 51 $699; GDL 52 $1,199 CONTACT: www.garmin.com EMAIL [emailprotected]
PILOT BRIEFING YOU CAN FLY |
Can I still land an airplane? A rusty pilot shares his comeback story BY DAN NAMOWITZ
IT WAS AUGUST 1989 when private pilot George Gillett took time out from his flying while he concentrated on graduating from college. The flying was going well. He was working on his instrument rating, and was only five hours short of eligibility to take the practical test. But there wasn’t enough time or money for academia plus aviation. Graduation day came in May 1990. A new job, relocation, and family responsibilities came along, as did “life in general that got in the way of returning to the cockpit.” Fortunately, Gillett’s aviation story—which had begun in December 1979 at North Carolina’s Sky Manor Airport while he was in the military based at Camp Lejeune—didn’t end at the
college commencement ceremony. He still had his flight case, plotter, flight computer, and old charts, and he would break them out for a look now and then. But it wasn’t until September 2018, after retirement from a law-enforcement career marked by eight relocations in five states that Gillett, now a Knoxville, Tennessee, resident, hit the internet to see what was going on in aviation. The information he found online got the juices flowing. He learned the FAA would mail him an updated pilot certificate and he discovered AOPA offers a Rusty Pilots Online course, the webbased version of the popular AOPA Rusty Pilots seminars that have helped thousands of lapsed pilots get back to flying.
How he did it
Tips for rusty pilots from George Gillett
Find a good teacher: “If I was going to make any attempt at flying again, finding the right CFI was important to me. After searching around a bit, I found Matt Prince, CFII at AvZ Aviation in Knoxville. Matt was the calmest CFI that I had ever interacted with and seemed to have endless patience answering my questions, reassuring me that I wouldn’t have any problems, and investing his time with me before we ever got into an airplane.” Go back for more: “After a full week of thinking about whether or not to return,
34 | AOPA PILOT April 2019
on October 25, 2018, I returned for another flight. This time, I wasn’t quite as nervous as the first time and one of the three landings that day was acceptable by my standards.” Have a plan: “I thought long and hard about my path forward as a pilot after the October 25, 2018, lesson and decided that I wanted to finish training for my instrument rating, try to pass the written test, and then a checkride. So, I committed myself to my new goal, even though it was like I had stepped through an aviation time warp.
“There was much to learn, but I discovered that aviation had changed for the better. GPS RNAV approaches were more straightforward than the old nonprecision NDB approaches that I had trained on. Electronic flight bags and iPads as knee boards had made navigation so much easier and safer. Cellphones allowed easy flight plan filing and cancelling. There were no more paper charts and plates to keep track of in the cockpit, fewer holds and position reports, so the pilot workload during flight was eased.” Good advice: “Absolutely do it. You won’t regret it. Take it one maneuver, one flight,
robinson_snowboarders_ad_aopa_pilot_april.pdf 1 2/15/2019 7:15:22 AM
AOPA’S YOU CAN FLY program supports flying clubs, encourages best practices in flight training, gets lapsed pilots back in the air, brings AOPA’s resources and expertise to pilot groups across the country, and helps high school students learn more about careers in aviation. AOPA’s You Can Fly program and the AOPA Air Safety Institute are funded by charitable donations to the AOPA Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization. www.aopafoundation.org/challenge
“Because it had been so long since I flew, I figured that I would never pilot an airplane again,” Gillett said. “I felt I was too old and was out of currency for so long, that it would be like starting all over as a student pilot.” Encouraged by connecting with flight instructor Matt Prince—“the calmest CFI that I had ever interacted with”—Gillett found that he could fly a Cessna 172 with no intervention. Gaining confidence, he forged ahead, celebrating the 115th anniversary of powered flight on December 17, 2018, by passing his instrument-rating practical test. “One of the proudest moments of my life is when I was told that I had passed and was a newly minted instrument pilot, 30 years after beginning that journey,” he said. “For anyone that is considering a return to the cockpit after any length of layoff from flying, I say go for it!” C
M
Y
CM
MY
CY
CMY
K
EMAIL [emailprotected]
one lesson at a time, and don’t allow yourself to get overwhelmed by your own mind. Everyone, from your CFII to ATC to your fellow students, is supporting you and wants you to succeed. Don’t be intimidated by changes in the system or technology. Embrace it and learn from it. Even if you don’t stick with flying this time around, take something away from your experience that you can build on in the future. But, mostly, enjoy yourself and have a good time. There is nothing like flying solo again; the combination of nervous energy and exhilaration can’t be duplicated in any other area in life.”
www.aopa.org/pilot AOPA PILOT | 35
WHAT DID YOU DO LAST WEEKEND?
Photo by Francsco Fluxá, Courtesy Rotortec, Chile
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PILOT BRIEFING
MUSINGS
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On the thrill of inspiration There’s nothing quite like an airshow B Y W. S C O T T O L S E N
IT’S A WONDER NO ONE TRIPS.
36 | AOPA PILOT April 2019
Men and women of every age linger at the open doors of a Cessna 182; a pilot from the Civil Air Patrol explaining what they do. Boldly, children climb into the left seat. A bit more timidly, their parents do the same a moment later. Everyone runs their hands along an MQ–9 Reaper drone. A B–25 Mitchell bomber, Miss Mitchell, flies by, bomb doors open, and the whole crowd gasps when the simulated bombing run results in pyrotechnics exploding on the ground. “I love mechanical things. I love aircraft,” says airshow fan Dan Carrell. He is not a pilot but has held a stick or yoke when up with other people. “The Blue Angels are always a treat,” he says, adding that he’s seen the group twice before. “They’re spectacular. They make the hair stand up on the back of your neck.” I find myself thinking about a small figurine on my father’s desk. A young boy holds a toy airplane over his head, running
PETER HORVATH
Fifty thousand people walk the south ramp at Fargo’s Hector International Airport during the airshow weekend, and not one of them is looking at the ground: There’s a twin-engine Beechcraft turning circles in the air. I know why I’m here. I’m a pilot, a writer, a photographer. This is a weekend of inspiration, opportunity, and thrill. But, come on—50,000 people? I know there aren’t 50,000 pilots in town. There’s a concert across the street tonight—Journey and Def Leppard—and many more people are here than there. If you’re not a pilot, why go to an airshow? Leucas and Shantelle Heintzman have brought their twin boys, Raylan and Dexter, both about 4 years old. I ask Dexter what he’s looking forward to the most, and he looks at me like I’m an idiot. “The airplanes!” he says. Are they cool? I ask. “Yeah!” he says.
along. It’s all about dreaming and hope. It’s all about imagination and adventure and mystery. Stacey Timms and Chris Kehn wear Top Gun T-shirts: Ice Man and Maverick. “Actually,” Timms says, “you’re going to love this: The commander of the Blue Angels is a relative of mine. Like my third cousin or something. Never met him. As soon as my son graduates from high school in two years, I’m going to get my pilot’s license. This is my first time being here. First time at any airshow.” Timms gets to see a lot of family, too. “They all came here, 20 some odd people came here today. Some more coming tomorrow. Coming for a reunion with the commander, to meet him. I’m super pumped to be here!” A Pitts Special stops conversation with cartwheels and loops and dives. Screamin’ Sasquatch, a Waco biplane with a jet engine bolted underneath, roars through its routine. And then it’s time for the Blue Angels. Chris and Stephanie Shafer stand at the edge of the ramp with their daughter Kaitlyn. Chris is afraid of heights. Nonetheless, he says, “I saw them when I was a kid, practicing, and my mom stopped on the side of the interstate. One of them rolled upside down and I saw him wave.” Kaitlyn reaches out to touch a TBM Avenger. “This is awesome!” Standing on the ramp, I look at the faces of the people around me. They look amazed, thrilled, proud. Everyone dreams of flying. Everyone leaps from the upward arc on a swing set and wishes they would just keep going. “If happy little bluebirds fly beyond the rainbow, why, oh why can’t I?” Superman. Ironman. Wonder Woman’s invisible jet. This, I think, is the magic of an airshow. Right here, right at the end of my fingers, right over the runway in front of me, the dream is real. W. SCOTT OLSON is an aviation writer and
private pilot living in Moorhead, Minnesota.
Make plans to join AOPA for the celebration of its eightieth anniversary at a fly-in on May 10 and 11 at Frederick Municipal Airport (FDK) in Maryland. See p. 50. www.aopa.org/fly-ins/fdk
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PILOT BRIEFING AVIATION MYSTERIES |
Glenn Miller aircraft found? English fisherman’s 32-year-old story may be true, TIGHAR says B Y J U L I E S U M M E R S WA L K E R
ON DECEMBER 15, 1944, at the height of the U.S. involvement in World War II, 38-year-old Big Band performer Alton Glenn Miller was flying in a Noorduyn UC–64 Norseman over the English Channel to a performance in Paris when the aircraft disappeared. It was never found. Speculation ranged from bombs to carburetor ice—even to Miller being a secret agent—but the disappearance has remained a mystery. Now, The International Group for Historic Aircraft Recovery (TIGHAR) claims the story of an English fisherman recovering a mangled airframe in the channel may be true. In 1987, the Englishman said he discovered an aircraft in his trawler’s fishing nets but was advised to put it back by the Weymouth, England, Coast Guard station as it could be considered a “war grave.” “Pulling up a wreck that might contain human remains is considered very
38 | AOPA PILOT April 2019
bad luck,” said Richard Gillespie, executive director of TIGHAR. “Getting rid of it without cutting the net was easier said than done and it took about two hours, during which time the boat drifted. Finally, one wing separated and floated away, making it easier to free the aircraft. He carefully noted the navigational coordinates of where he dropped the wreck.” TIGHAR attempted to contact the Coast Guard station, but it has closed. The fisherman, now long retired, told his story to a museum in the United Kingdom and sketched the aircraft he claims to have caught in his net. The museum gave the information to Gillespie. “It’s what we do. We investigate famous aviation historical mysteries as a way to explore, demonstrate, and teach the scientific method of inquiry,” Gillespie
said. “We think of people like Amelia Earhart, Glenn Miller, and Nungesser and Coli [the French transatlantic flyers lost 10 days before Lindbergh’s flight] as our clients. Our goal is to change mystery to history.” The aircraft—a steel tube fuselage with a fabric covering and wood wings— would be deteriorated beyond recognition after 74 years in the sea. Gillespie says if an airplane of that construction could be identified as having a Wasp engine, it’s Miller’s airplane. But money, research, and looking at the seafloor 130 feet below the surface in a busy shipping lane are just several of the obstacles to any discovery. “Once you say, ‘We’re going to go out and find the Glenn Miller airplane,’ everyone holds their breath,” Gillespie told People magazine. “It’s a crapshoot. This stuff is really hard and there’s a good chance you’re going to get skunked. That’s what this game is like. You can’t find something if you don’t try to find it, but that’s the call we’re going to have to make.” EMAIL [emailprotected]
tighar.org/Projects/GlennMiller
WE WROTE THE BOOK ON GENERAL AVIATION. Visionaries and advocates. Warriors and media darlings. From the original everyman’s airplane to the jet set and beyond— read the story of our first 80 years. Buy the book at www.aopa.org/freedomtoflybook
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Presenting attitude information with altitude, airspeed, vertical speed and a directional gyro (DG)/course deviation indicator (CDI), along with autopilot integration and GPSS roll steering, the Evolution E5 Dual EFI combines situational awareness and safety into a single, 6.0"flat-panel LCD. Don’t settle for a limited digital replica of your existing mechanical gauges. Harness the true power of a feature-rich glass cockpit system and upgrade your flying experience.
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www.aspenavionics.com Copyright 2019 Aspen Avionics Inc. “Aspen Avionics,” “Evolution Flight Display System,” and the Aspen Avionics aircraft logo are trademarks of Aspen Avionics Inc. All rights reserved. U.S. Patent No. 8,085,168, and additional patents pending.
THE FIRST TIME you solo is when you can really call yourself a pilot, and that’s an emotion shared by many. Caroline Foss and her brother, Charlie Hettinger, are pilots and the owners of Trim Aviation, and they have designed a wristwatch that celebrates the milestone. “That’s the moment a pilot is born,” Foss said. Each Solo watch can be engraved with the pilot’s initials or N number, plus an airport identifier and diagram. If you look at the diagram with a jeweler’s loupe, Hettinger said, you can read runway numbers, VASI/PAPI markings, and displaced threshold markings. He’s right: We have a jeweler’s loupe in the office, and we were able to see the engraved airport diagram complete with runway numbers and more. The Solo has a Swiss movement and a sapphire crystal lens. It has nine jewels. The outer bezel and blue Zulu hand display Zulu time. Foss and Hettinger said they sought a Zulu conversion feature but
40 | AOPA PILOT April 2019
did not want a digital display that would detract from the watch’s aviation heritage. The luminosity on the dial is used on dive watches and is exceptionally bright, Hettinger said. Constructed of 316 stainless steel, the watch is meant to be durable as well as stylish, Hettinger said. He and Foss designed the linked wristband, which is adjustable. The watch’s owner’s manual is designed to look like a pilot’s operating handbook. The Solo is available in three styles: black, silver and black, and silver and gray. Each style is available in two sizes: 39 millimeter or 41 mm. “We had this idea to make a watch that was proportionately made for large or small pilots, [as opposed to] for boys or girls,” Foss said. Trim Aviation has produced a limited edition of 600 pilot watches. Each is priced at $895. For more information, see the website (www.trimaviation.com). EMAIL [emailprotected]
Past. Present. Future. The Evolution Continues. Take your Aspen display to the MAX. The brand-new and affordable Evolution 1000 Pro MAX brings the latest generation of display technology and capabilities that bridge the avionics technology gap. ForAspen customers old and new, your investment retainsits value, and will never be obsolete. Period. New EFD1000 Pro MAX offers: • Degraded back-up mode to eliminate red “X” indications on pitot static failures • Dual unit installation will no longer require back-up indicators • New, vibrant colors with the latest aviation glass • Higher reliability and faster refresh rates with latest generation processors • Chart and countdown timers • Height above ground level (AGL) on navigation and terrain maps • METAR Flags on navigation map • 350 nm zoom levels • Altitude intersect based on climb rate • Audio panel interface
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*Displays shows optional Angle of Attack and Synthetic Vision upgrades. With MAX migration, all existing software upgrades will be automatically transferred. Copyright 2019 Aspen Avionics Inc. “Aspen Avionics,” “Evolution Flight Display System,” and the Aspen Avionics aircraft logo are trademarks of Aspen Avionics Inc. All rights reserved. U.S. Patent No. 8,085,168, and additional patents pending.
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Fly away ideas Tour Anchorage on a budget B Y A LY S S A J. C O B B
THE LARGEST CITY in Alaska, Anchorage offers something for everyone—and every pilot. And you don’t have to break the bank to have fun.
Helicopter and floatplane tours Take to the air to explore Anchorage, Denali, or Lake Clark National Park, which is accessible only by airplane and sometimes by boat. The scenery around Anchorage itself is stunning, with the Chugach Mountains filling the skyline to the east and Cook Inlet to the west. If you’re going to splurge, do it with an aerial tour. Local tours start at $110. Chugach State Park and Chugach National Forest These free, popular attractions are close to Anchorage and on the road system. They offer hiking, access to glaciers, and more. Flattop Mountain and overlook are in the Chugach, and Flattop is considered the most-hiked mountain in the state.
Glacier grandeur The Knik Glacier near Palmer, about a one-hour drive northeast of Anchorage— and Portage Glacier, about one hour to the southeast—are two of the closest glaciers. To tour the Knik Glacier, you’ll need to take a tour, which will cost you. It’s free to hike on the Portage Glacier, but cruises start at $39. Wet your whistle with a free sip of pure glacier water. Alaska 1 South takes you from Anchorage to Portage Glacier. Along the way, you’ll spot a small pipe sticking out of one of the cliffs on the side of the road. It’s a popular place to stop and fill your water bottle with glacier water. The Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center This nonprofit sanctuary cares for animals that have been injured or orphaned, or are ill. Enjoy a self-guided tour to see bison, brown and black bears, bald eagles, fox, lynx, moose, musk ox, owls, reindeer, and wolves. The modest entry fee not only lets you get up close with Alaska’s wild animals, but it also supports their care and preservation. Coastal Trail To explore and stretch your legs in Anchorage, walk or bike the Coastal Trail
that runs along the city’s edges and provides views of Cook Inlet. In the summer, visit the salmon viewing platform at Ship Creek, where you can watch or fish for salmon. Alaska Aviation Museum and Great Alaska Gathering The Alaska Aviation Museum is located at Lake Hood and is open any time of year. Browse vintage aircraft and rare birds like the 1943 Noorduyn Norseman, a classic northern bush airplane. General admission prices are modest. If you are in Anchorage in early May, stop by the Great Alaska Aviation Gathering. It’s free to attend and features seminars, exhibits, and aircraft displays. Gweenie’s Old Alaska Restaurant Located near Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport, the restaurant comes highly recommended by numerous locals, including Mark Bly, known as The Flying Chef. The portions are enormous. If you are there for breakfast, try the reindeer sausage. EMAIL [emailprotected]
www.aopa.org/destinations
www.aopa.org/pilot AOPA PILOT | 43
PILOT BRIEFING HAVE YOU DOWNLOADED THE
AOPA APP? TEST PILOT
|
BY BARRY SCHIFF
1. True or false? Howard Hughes worked as a co-pilot for American Airways (a predecessor of American Airlines) in 1932. 2. Which of the following does not belong? A. interference drag B. form drag C. parasite drag D. skin friction 3. The Boeing B–29 Superfortress that dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan, the Enola Gay, is on display at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, an annex of the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum at Washington Dulles International Airport. Why does the clock on the pilot’s instrument panel indicate the time that it does? 4. A flamboyant and famous race pilot of the 1930s, _______ frequently took along as “copilot” his pet _______. The pet’s name was _______. 5. What place on Earth receives the greatest annual rainfall?
6. A pilot encounters a visibility restriction identified as VOG. In which state is he most likely flying? 7. Who is responsible for the following quotation? “Let’s get one thing straight. There’s a big difference between a pilot and an aviator. One is a technician; the other is an artist in love with flight.” 8. Everything else being equal, a properly inflated tire wears evenly across its tread. The tread wears more toward its center when the tire is _______ and more toward its shoulders when _______. A. overinflated, overinflated B. overinflated, underinflated C. underinflated, overinflated D. underinflated, underinflated
The perfect pilot companion for aviation enthusiasts on the go! Stay up to date on the latest aviation news, watch videos, listen to podcasts, and search events right from your mobile device. The AOPA App is available free for download in the iTunes and Google Play stores.
ANSWERS on page 48
TRIPLE TREE YOUNG AVIATORS COUNCIL FORMS
44 | AOPA PILOT April 2019
JOHN HOLMS
Following on the success of their Young Aviators Fly-In in 2018, founders Cayla McLeod and Ryan Hunt and the Triple Tree Aerodrome in Woodruff, South Carolina, have formed the Young Aviators Council. The purpose of the council is to bring awareness to the factors that are affecting young aviators in their attempt to further their aviation careers. “The Triple Tree Young Aviators Council is a great representation of young aviators across the Southeast,” said Robb Williams, director of Triple Tree Aerodrome. “We look forward to expanding this council in the upcoming years to include more states.” For more information, contact McLeod, who is serving as communications coordinator, at (678) 590-7677 or cmcleod@ tripletreeaerodrome.com.
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Accidental hero Others had tried, but Lucky Lindy made it so B Y J U L I E S U M M E R S WA L K E R
ALTHOUGH THE WRIGHT BROTHERS had proved manned flight more than 20 years before, it was not until a young Minnesota pilot flew nonstop in a windshieldless aircraft across the Atlantic Ocean that aviation became the world’s newest fascination. “We’d been standing on our heads to get them to notice us but after Lindbergh, suddenly everyone wanted to fly,” said Elinor Smith Sullivan in 1927. “After Lindbergh” was the flight of the Spirit of St. Louis, Charles A. Lindbergh’s historic 33.5-hour flight from New York’s Roosevelt Field to LeBourget Aerodrome outside Paris, on May 20 and 21, 1927. Like Smith Sullivan, herself the youngest licensed pilot in the world at age 16 in 1927, Lindbergh and others had been testing the limits of the “aeroplane” for many years, ever since the events in Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina, in 1903 when Orville Wright flew for 12 seconds and 120 feet. Lindbergh had been flying since 1923, having previously been a wing walker, parachutist, and aircraft mechanic. Lindbergh soloed in May 1923 in a Curtiss Jenny he had bought for $500. He was a barnstormer, became a flight instructor, and was one of the first to fly mail across the country. In 1919, two British aviators had flown an Atlantic crossing—from New Brunswick, Canada, to Ireland—prompting Augustus Post, the secretary of the Aero Club of America, to propose to New York hotelier Raymond Orteig the awarding of a prize for an American aviator to fly the transatlantic route nonstop. By 1924, several attempts had been made, but none successfully. Orteig reinstated the prize in 1927, and 25-year-old Lindbergh convinced Ryan Airlines to build him a monoplane for $10,580 (the lowest bidder). Taking off from Roosevelt Field at 7:52 a.m., Lindbergh had 450 gallons of fuel aboard, stared at a blank black wall in front of him while seated in a wicker chair, and had no means of communication. The 3,600-mile flight took him 10,000 feet in the clouds and as low as 10 feet above waves on the ocean. When he landed at 10:22 p.m. outside Paris, he could not see the throngs of people waiting to greet him. More than 150,000 people swarmed the young pilot, and aviation was never the same. “People were behaving as though Lindbergh had walked on water, not flown over it,” biographer A. Scott Berg would write some 70 years later. Excerpted from Freedom to Fly: AOPA and the History of General Aviation in America, published by AOPA on the occasion of its eightieth anniversary. You can buy the book here: www.aopa.org/freedomtoflybook
46 | AOPA PILOT April 2019
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PILOT BRIEFING
E#4#4 .# "LLE#4#4 TEST PILOT ANSWERS from page 44
1. True. Age 27 and already a famous multimillionaire, he used the alias Charles Howard while working incognito. He held the job for two months “to satisfy the same aviation itch that later induced him to buy TWA,” he said. 2. The correct answer is C. The other three items are forms of parasite drag.
|~~ ¦|
'BOUBTUJD'MJHIU$IBSBDUFSJTUJDT ' BOUBTUJD 'MJHIU $IBSBDUFSJTUJDT 4BGFBOE%VSBCMF"JSQMBOF &YUSFNFMZ-PX0QFSBUJOH$PTUT -PX"DRVJTJUJPO$PTU 5FDIOPMPHJDBMMZ"EWBODFE"JSDSBGU #FBVUJGVM%FTJHO"UUSBDUT4UVEFOUT 5SBJO1SJWBUF *OTUSVNFOU 7.$0OMZ
3. No, it does not indicate 0915, the local time at which the bomb was dropped. The time shown on the clock is the precise time at which the clock eventually and naturally stopped running on its own. (Sorry about that.) 4. Roscoe Turner’s pet lion was named Gilmore. Turner’s sponsor at that time was the Gilmore Oil Company, the logo of which was a lion. 5. Mawsynram, India, receives an average annual rainfall of 467 inches (13 times as much as Seattle). 6. The contraction VOG—volcanic “fog”—is heard mostly in Hawaii and was coined there to describe a visibility restriction caused by volcanic pollutants in the atmosphere. 7. Capt. Elrey B. Jeppesen, founder of the charting and flight data company that bears his name. 8. The correct answer is B. With respect to wear alone, a tire should be replaced when any of its internal fabric is visible or when any groove is worn to its base at any spot on the tire.
BOE$PNNFSDJBM dc~| ~u|b
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48 | AOPA PILOT April 2019
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F R E D E R I C K MARYLAND
HOME OF THE BRAVE
MAY 10-11, 2019 T W O D AY S T O E X P E R I E N C E , L E A R N , A N D E X P L O R E A L L T H I N G S AV I AT I O N .
50 | AOPA PILOT April 2019
From the national anthem to National Harbor, battlefields, memorials, and cherry blossoms—if you love history, FDK is the place to be this May.
www.aopa.org/pilot AOPA PILOT | 51
F R E D E R I C K MARYLAND
BIRTHDAY PARTIES ARE THE BEST.
WE’RE CELEBRATING AOPA’S EIGHTIETH WITH A WEEKEND YOU WON’T WANT TO MISS.
THE KICKOFF FLY-IN OF THE SEASON takes place at the headquarters of your association. AOPA is situated on the ramp at Frederick Municipal Airport (FDK) in Maryland, just a short drive from the nation’s capital, historic Civil War battlefields, wine country, and the famous Chesapeake Bay and Baltimore Harbor. There’s a lot happening at Frederick Friday, May 10, and Saturday, May 11, so we’re suggesting you make a weekend out of our birthday. There’s so much to keep you busy that you’ll discover why the DMV (that’s District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia) is one of the most-visited destinations in the country. Let’s start with Frederick. AOPA began as a big idea outside Philadelphia (also just a little more than an hour away and an easy GA flight) but eventually settled on Frederick as its base. Frederick is located within close proximity to the nation’s capital (protecting GA rights is a number one priority for your association), and the airport in Maryland’s second-largest city has a mix of aircraft from gyrocopters to jets. Frederick also is where the author of The Star-Spangled Banner, Francis Scott Key, is buried. Its historic downtown is vibrant, and the restaurants are epic—Bryan Voltaggio of Top Chef fame has two restaurants in his hometown. For the fly-in, we’re going all out with educational seminars, workshops, parties, meet and greets, displays, and tours. Free seminars and paid ground school workshops will be offered both Friday and Saturday; come for one day or mix it up with two. AOPA President Mark Baker and all senior staff will be on hand to welcome you to headquarters; a Pilot Town Hall will be presented both mornings. Tour AOPA headquarters, including the newly created
52 | AOPA PILOT April 2019
COURTESY OF VISIT FREDERICK
FREDERICK IS LOCATED WITHIN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO THE NATION’S CAPITAL (PROTECTING GA RIGHTS IS A NUMBER ONE PRIORITY FOR YOUR ASSOCIATION), AND THE AIRPORT IN MARYLAND’S SECOND-LARGEST CITY HAS A MIX OF AIRCRAFT FROM GYROCOPTERS TO JETS.
association museum. There will be events up and down the airport grounds, with aircraft, food trucks, displays, exhibitors, a short takeoff and landing (STOL) invitational, a night drone show, Flightline Cookout, C–47 flyover, World War II reenactment parachute jumps, and so much more on the field. If you’d like to spend the weekend in the area after the Frederick fly-in, drive down to Joint Base Andrews for the nation’s capital airshow. Enterprise, Hertz, and others will be ready to assist. Please fly in if you can. A 5,200-foot runway and wellmaintained taxiways are open and available all weekend (Runway 30/12 is closed for the event), and beginning Thursday, AOPA employees and volunteers will be available to help get your aircraft parked. You can even camp with your aircraft if you’d like. Notams and airport information will be available on the website (www.aopa.org/fly-ins/fdk). Grab a burger and a beer and watch the STOL invitational Friday night, then enjoy dinner in town Saturday night. “We really enjoy each event we’ve hosted for the past five years and look forward to creating new experiences to commemorate such a monumental milestone,” said Chris Eads, AOPA senior director of outreach and events. “And we look forward to all our members, along with the next generation of pilots, joining us during this exciting time. This will be another fly-in season to remember.”
MEET MARK. AOPA PRESIDENT MARK BAKER JOIN US each morning for a Pilot Town Hall featuring AOPA President Mark Baker and AOPA senior staff, who will update members on the work of your association and the state of general aviation today. Friday and Saturday at 11 a.m.
AT THE AIRPORT
RICK JOHNSON,
Frederick Municipal Airport (FDK) manager
STEVE SOUTHWORTH, general manager of Signature Flight Support at FDK
“We are very excited to help AOPA host this event. It’s huge. It gets people involved in aviation, shows them the airport environment. I’m very excited personally—the STOL demo, the drone show at night. The fly-in will really showcase FDK.”
“Signature Flight Support is extremely pleased to be sponsoring the C–47 flyover and parachute reenactment. This is an exciting time to be at FDK and Signature is honored to be a part of AOPA’s eightieth anniversary celebration.”
“THE CLUSTERED SPIRES OF FREDERICK STAND, green-walled by the hills of Maryland.” —a poem by John Greenleaf Whittier www.visitfrederick.org
www.aopa.org/pilot AOPA PILOT | 53
25 THINGS TO DO 1
Fly in to Frederick Municipal Airport (FDK) for AOPA’s 80th anniversary event May 10 and 11.
4
Take in two days of seminars and workshops to help you be a safer, smarter pilot. Enjoy a short takeoff and landing demonstration and drone show on Friday.
6 7
Eat. Pancakes, burgers, food trucks, ice cream, and Top Chef restaurants (and that’s just in Frederick).
Watch a fly-by of C–47s on their way to Normandy for the seventy-fifth anniversary of D-Day, see parachute demonstrations, and get a closer look on the ground.
i ii ii
xi XI i
15
The Hope diamond at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History.
16
Dorothy’s ruby slippers at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History.
17
Immerse yourself in history: the National Museum of Civil War Medicine; Mount Olivet Cemetery; nearby Monocacy, Antietam, and Gettysburg national battlefields.
8
Tour the National Air and Space Museum and Udvar-Hazy Center—an amazing collection of aircraft from the beginning of flight to space exploration.
9
See the airshow at Joint Base Andrews, one of the mostvisited airshows in the world.
vi i ix x
3
Tour the association’s headquarters and see the You Can Fly Academy and the newly created museum.
v vi vi
2
5
10
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. The most-famous address in the country; your state representative can help arrange a tour.
11
The U.S. Capitol, Kennedy Center, and Library of Congress are must-see locations.
12
Visit Arlington National Cemetery, 624 acres where our nation’s heroes are buried.
13
Pandas at the National Zoo— you know you want to see those furry babies.
14
Monuments and memorials on the Tidal Basin. The trees and monuments are lit at night and it’s gorgeous.
NEED MORE GREAT IDEAS? you great advice on what to see and do.
Tour Harper’s Ferry, beautifully situated on the Potomac and Shenandoah rivers.
18
The U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. John Paul Jones is buried here.
19
The Kunta Kinte-Alex Haley Memorial on the Annapolis waterfront.
20
The National World War II Memorial and the Vietnam Veterans Memorial are both on the National Mall in Washington and worth a visit.
21
Baltimore Harbor, where Francis Scott Key penned The Star-Spangled Banner in 1814.
22
Maryland blue crabs. We’ve got great restaurants in Frederick or, for a true Maryland experience, pick them on the Baltimore waterfront.
23
Mount Vernon, home to George and Martha Washington, on the Potomac River.
24
East Coast wine country. Dozens of wineries in Maryland and Virginia are close to Frederick.
25
Baseball—catch the Baltimore Orioles or the Frederick Keys, the Class A-Advanced minor league team.
The AOPA staff live in the area and can offer
F R E D E R I C K MARYLAND
HAVE WE STOL-EN YOUR HEART? FDK’s first-ever STOL Invitational is everything you learned in private pilot training—taken to the max! See what these pilots and their aircraft can do Friday evening and Saturday at noon in demostrations on the flightline.
QUALITY EDUCATION BECOMING BETTER, SAFER PILOTS AFTER ADOPTING THE TWO-DAY FORMAT IN 2017, and continuing into 2018 and
2019, AOPA is building out each day’s events with more seminars and ground school workshops. At the fly-in, you’ll find plenty of focused workshops and dynamic seminars led by some of the greatest experts and voices in aviation. AOPA is expanding its educational content with the AOPA Air Safety Institute’s Ground School Workshops, which are focused learning opportunities with endorsements that apply to the Focused Flight Review (fees apply). Not to be confused with our free seminars, these in-depth learning experiences provide a professional level of education, offered in two, three-hour sessions both Friday and Saturday. You receive logbook endorsement for three hours of ground training, as well as Wings credit. Our free 45-minute seminars are the core of the AOPA Fly-In experience. Choose from more than two dozen topics sure to help add new experiences to your logbook with confidence and competency. Leave the fly-in a safer, better pilot while you connect and develop friendships with other aviators. www.aopa.org/pilot AOPA PILOT | 55
F R E D E R I C K MARYLAND
SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE SPECIAL EVENTS ARE BEING PLANNED to include a nighttime drone show, a short takeoff and landing (STOL) demonstration showcasing the skills and aircraft of backcountry flying, and an engaging Friday night Flightline Cookout. The D-Day Squadron’s C–47s will make a special appearance before they depart for Normandy, France, for the seventy-fifth anniversary of D-Day. The Frederick event takes place just days before AOPA’s eightieth anniversary on May 15. “In honor of AOPA’s eightieth anniversary, the 2019 fly-ins are sure to be an unforgettable experience for all aviators, family, and friends,” said Chris Eads, AOPA senior director of outreach and events. “We hope pilots and nonpilots from all over the United States join us as we celebrate 80 years of protecting the freedom to fly. There will definitely be something for everyone to enjoy.”
GOING COUNTRY.
FIRST-EVER FDK STOL INVITATIONAL
HEY, WE HAVE MOUNTAINS IN FREDERICK COUNTY, and we can get a little bit coun-
try. Well, OK, it may not be the Rocky Mountains, but we can replicate the fun backcountry sport of short takeoff and landing contests, especially with the assistance of Texas wrangler Jimmy Gist. The first-ever STOL Invitational at Frederick Municipal Airport will take place Friday evening and Saturday afternoon with Gist masterminding the activity. Gist, a former U.S. Air Force fighter pilot, calls STOL demonstrations “the aviation equivalent of fourwheeling.” Tailwheel aircraft with big tires and pilots with big ideas take off and land in short distances, just like they have to do in rugged places like Alaska and the backcountry. The shorter the hop, the better. It’s all in friendly competition, and it showcases lightweight, fun aircraft such as Cubs and Experimental types. Bleachers will be set up for viewing the demonstration, and we’ll fire up the grill and serve hot dogs and burgers and some local craft beer (Frederick makes some great beer!).
THE SIGHT OF FREEDOM.
C–47s TO NORMANDY
IN THE EARLY MORNING HOURS OF JUNE 6, 1944, 925 C–47 aircraft dropped more
than 13,000 paratroopers behind enemy lines in Nazi-occupied France. Those troops prepared for the launch of what would be the D-Day invasion, the beginning of the end of World War II and the liberation of Europe. On June 6, 2019, C–47s will once again blanket the skies over Normandy. An American fleet of nearly 20 vintage C–47s will cross the Atlantic and then join up with other C–47s from around the world for the Daks Over Normandy event to commemorate the seventy-fifth anniversary of the crossing of the English Channel into France. Several of those vintage C–47s will stop by Frederick, Maryland, during AOPA’s eightieth anniversary celebration fly-in. Presented by Signature Flight Support, two special flyover events and reenactment parachute jumps will be a highlight of the Frederick fly-in. CAP’s recently restored That’s All, Brother was the lead C–47 on D-Day. 56 | AOPA PILOT April 2019
WINGS FIELD (LOM)
The birthplace of AOPA is just a short 30-minute flight from FDK.
GO FURTHER.
GREAT EXCURSIONS PLANNED
GET OUT AND SEE SOME OF THE AMAZING SIGHTS and experiences in the national
capital region. Excursions planned include a behind-the-scenes tour of the National Air and Space Museum’s Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center and a behindthe-scenes tour of Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD). Guests will have the exclusive opportunity to see historic artifacts not on display at Udvar-Hazy; see what it takes to collect, preserve, and display these aviation treasures; and tour the Mary Baker Engen Restoration Hangar. At the hangar, restoration work is being completed on the Lincoln-Standard H.S. and Martin B–26 Marauder Flak-Bait aircraft. Guests will also tour the Emil Buehler Conservation Laboratory, exploring the science behind artifact preservation and care, see current projects, and learn how 3-D digital microscopes are used in conservation. Plans are coming together so check online for more details as they emerge (www.aopa.org/fly-ins).
THE NATION’S AIRSHOW.
JOINT BASE ANDREWS
THE THUNDERBIRDS. THE BLUE ANGELS. THE GOLDEN KNIGHTS. Each branch of
the service is represented at the Joint Base Andrews airshow, one of the largest airshows in the world. Just minutes from the nation’s capital, this military base is legendary for its service in transporting government and military leaders. It is from here that Air Force One takes off in the service of the president of the United States. On May 11 and 12, the joint base will be open to the public featuring hundreds of aircraft on display and amazing airshows by the top military teams and civilian airshow acts. Finish up your weekend in the area at Joint Base Andrews. AOPA coordinated our event to co-exist on the same weekend so that our attendees could take in this world-renowned airshow. GA celebrities—and AOPA friends—Michael Goulian and Patty Wagstaff join the performers at Joint Base Andrews that weekend.
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New lease on life 58 | AOPA PILOT April 2019
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SWEEPSTAKES SUPER CUB
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Transforming airplanes and pilots B Y A LY S S A J. C O B B P H OT O G R A P H Y B Y M I K E F I Z E R WITH WING AND TAIL SURFACES DETACHED AND FABRIC RIPPED TO SHREDS, THE 1954 SUPER CUB HADN’T TAKEN TO THE SKY FOR MORE THAN 20 YEARS. ITS FLYING LIFE, IT SEEMED, WAS OVER.
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TOP: MIKE COLLINS
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YOU COULD WIN this Super Cub on floats this summer. The entry period ends May 31. Facing page: AOPA Sweepstakes Super Cub project manager Alyssa J. Cobb debuts the airplane at Sun ’n Fun 2018; unique tail art turns the lovable Piper Cub icon into a bear prowling the backcountry; seats feel like those in a luxury car, and airbag seatbelts increase safety.
Meanwhile, I was in a rut. I hadn’t earned a new certificate or rating since my CFI in 2011, and I was content to fly my Cessna 170B within a two-hour radius of home base. We both got a new lease on our aviation lives when AOPA hatched its idea for an over-the-top sweepstakes airplane giveaway—a modernized Super Cub that would come with tundra tires, amphibious floats, and hydraulic skis. The completely transformed Super Cub is ready to jumpstart the lucky winner’s aviation adventurers—it could be yours this summer. In the hands of Roger and Darin Meggers, the father-son craftsmen of Baker Air Service in Baker, Montana, the Piper PA–18 would become not only an airworthy Super Cub, but a true work of art. Roger had purchased the Super Cub from a mechanic a few years after it had been wrecked in 1997, and it sat in his hangar until they started the sweepstakes project in 2017. Roger has restored more than 40 Super Cubs, and he and his son had previously earned top awards at EAA AirVenture and Sentimental Journey for restoring Super Cub number 1 to original condition. The two refurbished the Sweepstakes Super Cub to fit like a custom-made glove; it’s impeccably rigged and balanced, and as sleek and shiny as a composite aircraft. No detail was overlooked. After more than 2,000 hours of restoration, the Super Cub flew perfectly on its first test flight April 6, 2018, a bone-chilling 18-degree Fahrenheit day in eastern Montana. PERFORMANCE-ENHANCING MODS
Electroair. The extra horsepower increases the Super Cub’s performance on land and water, and gives it more hauling power to accommodate the heavier loads it can carry, thanks to Wipaire’s gross weight increase to 2,000 pounds. The electronic ignition system keeps the Super Cub starting and running smoothly at all altitudes with just the push of a button (I love the keyless start). To further enhance performance, we turned to companies that specialize in modifications of the popular legacy airplane. With sturdier and in some cases lighter replacement airframe parts from Univair and F. Atlee Dodge, the airplane came in about 150 pounds heavier than original. CubCrafters, long known as a manufacturer of high-performance Super Cub variants, provided several modifications to increase the sweepstakes airplane’s safety margin, including a vortex generator kit with tail strake to improve controllability at slow speeds and reduce stall speeds in the aircraft (when properly rigged and loaded). The Super Cub also has excellent range—it might be able to stay aloft longer than you! Dakota Cub Aircraft’s two 24-gallon fuel tanks carry 46 gallons of usable fuel. At an average fuel burn of about 8.5 gallons per hour, that’s just under five hours of flight time with day-VFR reserves.
With more than 30 supplemental type certificated modifications, this PA–18 blends the best of the classic Super Cub with top performance-enhancing upgrades. The Super Cub rolled out of the Piper factory in 1954 with a 135-horsepower engine, but now features a Lycoming O-320 160-horsepower engine with an electronic ignition system from
With a glass panel, carbon-fiber interior, and luxury leather seats, this isn’t a typical Cub cockpit. The panel features the touch-screen Garmin aera 660, two G5 electronic flight instruments, the GTR 225 com radio, and
MODERN COCKPIT
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GTX 345 transponder that provides Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast In and Out. The GTX 345 provides weather and traffic information that is displayed on the aera 660, improving situational awareness. The engine instruments and fuel gauges are combined into J.P. Instruments’ EDM 900 all-in-one digital engine monitor. CiES electronic fuel sending units transmit precise fuel levels from the fuel tanks to the EDM 900, so that with a glance at the panel, the pilot can quickly see fuel quantity, fuel burn, and endurance. PS Engineering’s PM3000A, combined with two Bose A20 active noise reduction headsets, ensure clear communications in the noisy cockpit. Play music off a smartphone or tablet and listen to it through the headsets’ Bluetooth function—and when the electronic devices’ batteries fade, charge them with any of the six USB charging ports from Mid-Continent Instruments Co.’s True Blue Power division (two of the ports are integrated with a digital clock in the left wing root). If you’re thinking, “That’s a lot to pack in a Super Cub panel,” you’re right, and it wasn’t easy. After more than 300 hours of design and labor, the professionals at Aerotronics created a panel that lays out the modern avionics in a six-pack instrument scan. Look at the instruments when needed but otherwise enjoy the largely unobstructed view outside—that’s what Super Cub flying is about! We also brought the latest safety features to the cockpit with AmSafe’s airbag seat belts that deploy away from the pilot and passenger. In addition, LP Aero Plastics’ tinted windscreen, skylight, and windows are filter UV light to help prevent sunburns. The panel and throttle quadrant are aluminum overlaid with carbon fiber to match the black carbon fiber floor and gray side panels from Carbon Concepts. Add in the black perforated leather from Perrone Aerospace Performance Leathers & Textiles covering the seats, and the interior looks more like a luxury car than a 62 | AOPA PILOT April 2019
two-place bush plane. It feels like one, too. Airtex Interiors padded the seats to provide back support so that during long flights (think eight hours), the bum and back remain comfortable. TAIL FEATHERS
Consolidated Aircraft Coating’s poly-fiber fabric with highgloss finish on the sweepstakes Super Cub is a magnet for pilots, most of whom can’t help but give what they hope will be their airplane a love pat. The Lock Haven Yellow airplane with signature black Piper lightning bolt is easy to spot in the air, not only because of the colors but because of AeroLEDS wig-wag landing lights in each wing. On the ground, the Sweepstakes Super Cub can be easily singled out with its unique tail art. Designed by Cris Lacognata of Scheme Designers, the tail art features a rustic scene with a mountain, lake, and bear—all a nod to this model’s backcountry roots. GEAR GALORE
For the first time in AOPA’s sweepstakes history, the airplane will come with three sets of landing gear: It will be given away on Wipaire’s Wipline 2100 amphibious floats and come with their Wipline AirGlide hydraulic skis and 26-inch tundra tires from Alaskan Bushwheels. With amphibious floats, the Super Cub becomes more versatile and able to land on water or at airports, making trips across the country easier from a fuel-planning standpoint. Along with the floats, the Super Cub is equipped with Wipaire’s laser gear advisory system. The system activates about 400 feet above the ground, and the laser checks the landing surface (land or water) and gear position to see if they match. If they don’t, about 50 feet above the ground, the system will remind the pilot to “check gear.” The laser system is an added safety benefit because gear
THIS IS NOT your typical Super Cub panel (facing
page). These modern instruments provide outstanding situational awareness; if you’re a traditionalist, just look outside. Name your adventure: The Sweepstakes Super Cub comes with amphibious floats (top left), hydraulic skis (left), and tundra tires (lower left). A 160-horsepower Lycoming O-320 delivers plenty of power for operations on these gear configurations (below). No bungees, no hydraulic fluid, no oil—no problem for the Alpha-Omega Suspension System that features deformable polymers (above).
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position with amphibious floats is critical: Landing on water with the wheels extended could be catastrophic. (If you win the airplane but don’t have a seaplane rating, ProMark Aviation in Texas will provide training.) The tundra tires and skis attach to CubCrafters’ threeinch extended landing gear and Burl’s Aircraft’s Alpha-Omega Suspension System. Developed and tested in Alaska, AOSS has been flown in weather as cold as minus 40 degrees Fahrenheit. The suspension system doesn’t use bungees, hydraulics, or oil. Instead, solid yet deformable polymers in the cylinders help eliminate bouncing upon landing and provide cushioning for the airframe when operating on rough terrain. Because the Super Cub is designed with the backcountry in mind, we wanted to provide extra gear to make sure you could get out of those off-the-grid locations should a mechanical problem arise. A portable Snap-on toolkit that fits perfectly in the baggage compartment is filled with wrenches, screwdrivers and flatheads, pliers, sockets, miniature pick set, mirror, light, hammer, safety wire twisting pliers, and more. AVIATION ADVENTURES
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DAVID TULIS
When the Super Cub started its transformation in 2017, I began my own aviation makeover to gain the experience I needed to ferry the sweepstakes airplane to events around and the country and to experience the different kinds of flying and remote locations that are hallmarks of Super Cub operations. Because the sweepstakes aircraft’s restoration would take a full year, I turned to stand-in Super Cubs and Cub variants like the PA–12 and PA–22 to complete some of the training before hopping in N954PC. Lunch fly-outs took on new meaning during my seaplane training with ProMark Aviation: Land on a river, dock, and then walk up a hill to eat at a restaurant while overlooking the Piper PA–12 amphibious trainer. Puttering around on water
after landing is simply more relaxing than any other type of aviation I’ve experienced, even soaring. Splashing down on the Mississippi River and cruising 200 feet above the Atlantic Ocean, just below John F. Kennedy International’s Class B airspace along Long Island, are experiences that wouldn’t have happened without training for the seaplane rating or ferrying a Super Cub on floats around the country. To experience hard-core winter flying, I headed to Michigan and Alaska. Landing a Super Cub on tundra tires on Michigan’s frozen lakes Mitchell and Cadillac was nerve-wracking, but the feelings quickly turned to excitement with each touch and go. Still in search of snow and skiplane flying, I flew a tailwheelconverted PA–22 on hydraulic skis around Alaska’s Talkeetna Mountains and Glacier. An overcast sky created flat light conditions, altering our depth perception and making it unsafe for glacier landings. However, I learned firsthand that manually pumping hydraulic skis up and down is difficult (thankfully the Sweepstakes Super Cub’s hydraulic skis are electrically actuated). After scrapping glacier landings, I turned to a favorite pilot pastime in The Last Frontier: gravel bar hopping. A PA–22 on tundra tires performs well, but my instructor and I passed up several gravel bars perfect for a Super Cub but too short for the PA–22. The Sweepstakes Super Cub’s restoration was finished in time for me to enjoy training in it through a fundamentals of mountain flying course with McCall Mountain/Canyon Flying Seminars in Idaho. I could The AOPA Super Cub feel the temperature Sweepstakes ends at 11:59 drop while approachp.m. Eastern time on May 31. ing and crossing jagged, Read the official rules and snow-capped mountain make sure you are entered peaks and then rise again for a chance to win at as I approached a short www.aopa.org/sweeps.
SUPER CUBS (and close variants) are extremely versatile. Ski flying, gravel bar hopping, mountain flying, and water operations come naturally for this airplane. You’ll love exploring all the aviation adventures it offers.
backcountry grass strip deep in a valley near the Hells Canyon Wilderness Area. The confidence boost in the Super Cub allowed me to tackle gusty winds and long ferry flights, while the new skills opened opportunities to land my Cessna 170B at tricky grass strips tucked in valleys back East that I wouldn’t have attempted before. The biggest reward of stretching my wings through the sweepstakes project has been all of you: chatting at shows and events, hearing your past Super Cub flying experiences and future dreams (once you win it), and taking part in practical jokes with you at fuel stops as I crisscrossed the country. I still chuckle about helping an AOPA member prank his son (also a pilot and member) in October. During a fuel stop in Tupelo, Mississippi, I took the father’s picture with the Super Cub, so that he could text it to his son with the message that I was delivering the airplane to the winner. His son called immediately. Laughing, the father declined the call and let his son wait in anticipation a bit before telling him the truth. I will miss flying the Super Cub a couple thousand feet above the ground with the window open, my ponytail blowing in the breeze. But, my aviation exploring will continue in other airplanes. Now, it’s time for your Sweepstakes Super Cub adventures to begin. Whether you already have thousands of hours in Super Cubs or are a newbie, this transformed airplane has the power to transform your flying. Enjoy it! AOPA EMAIL [emailprotected]
SWEEPS CONTRIBUTORS Restoration Baker Air Service Airframe and parts ACK Technologies AeroLEDS Aircraft Spruce & Specialty Co. Airframes Alaska Burl’s Aircraft Consolidated Aircraft Coatings CubCrafters Dakota Cub Aircraft F. Atlee Dodge LP Aero Plastics Inc. Moody Aero-Graphics Scheme Designers Univair Wipaire Avionics and instruments Aerotronics CiES Corp. Garmin J.P. Instruments
Mid-Continent Instruments and Avionics PS Engineering True Blue Power Engine and accessories Airforms B&C Specialty Products Electroair Lycoming Tanis Aircraft Interior Airtex Interiors AmSafe Carbon Concepts Perrone Aerospace Performance Leathers & Textiles Accessories Bose ProMark Aviation SlideDown Snap-on
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One
glorious vision How an airplane brings life-changing procedures to the world BY THOMAS B. HAINES P H OT O G R A P H Y B Y C H R I S R O S E
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The white and blue paint on our ride for the day
dazzles so bright in the Arizona sun that it hurts to look at it. Were it not for the shiny paint, one might think this is just another tired, old DC–10 on a desert ramp being shoved into eternal storage. But this is a life-changing MD–10—an accredited teaching hospital ready to sprint around the world, carrying the most advanced gear available to perform eye surgeries and teach others the skills to do the same. The enormous airplane does it all—carries the hospital itself, creates hospital-grade oxygen on demand, purifies water, even uses its own Jet A fuel to power generators tucked into the hold, allowing it to go to work anywhere there’s a runway long enough to handle the trijet. The lumbering airliner-turned-cargo-jet-turned-eye-hospital is the most visible presence of Orbis International, a global force bent on stamping out diseases of the eye that otherwise leave the most vulnerable without hope. “Blindness is so devastating, especially in developing countries, because there are no support services there and without sight in places like that a person is helpless. You can’t work. You can’t get an education. You are reliant on someone else—often ostracized. People lose hope,” says Bruce Johnson, director of aircraft operations for Orbis. “And what’s so frustrating is that so much of it is preventable.” A retired instructor in the FedEx flight training department and a Piper Twin Comanche owner, Johnson treks around the world in the airplane with a crew of volunteer FedEx pilots, maintenance technicians, doctors, nurses, anesthesiologists, IT and AV experts, accountants, and volunteers from just about any other discipline you’d find in a hospital in a major city—66 projects in 18 countries in 2017 alone. The crew on the airplane—plus those at some 15 offices around the world—performed more than 15.7 million eye exams and screenings between 2013 and 2017, and nearly 400,000 eye surgeries and laser treatments—a quarter of them on children. And yet there is so much more to be done. Orbis reports that the number of people expected to go blind will triple by 2050. Seventy-five percent of the impairments can be prevented
THE BRILLIANT white and blue paint scheme sets off the Orbis Flying Eye Hospital from any other airplane in the world. Director of Aircraft Operations Bruce Johnson (below, left) makes sure the entire Orbis flight operation stays safe and efficient. Volunteer FedEx pilot Gary Dyson (right) has flown many missions, but still gets inspiration from the patients Orbis serves.
TOP: RICHARD JORGENSON
or treated. Three quarters of the world’s blind children live in lowand middle-income countries. For some, a knight in shining aluminum comes hurtling over the horizon to a nearby airport. Within a matter of hours, generators are unloaded, massive environmental systems are fired up, fuel and power lines are run, beds are unfolded, cameras come to life, a steady stream of passengers come onboard for exams, and for a few—usually ones screened months in advance by ground crews—life-changing surgeries are performed. Doctors experienced in a broad variety of eye disciplines come in from all over the world to donate their time, meeting the airplane wherever it is and
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VALERI SUBERG, senior manager of aircraft staying for about a week at a time. As one discipline maintenance, oversees the unloading moves out, another is ready to step in. The state-ofof pallet after pallet of gear and equipment at Palm Beach International Airport, the-art surgical suite is over the main landing gear, the converting the MD–10 from airplane to most solid part of the airplane and least likely to move working eye hospital (right). The onboard when strong winds blow—a potential hazard during operating room rivals those in the most advanced hospitals (below). An impressive delicate laser surgeries conducted under powerful tool collection donated by Snap-on allows microscopes. maintenance crews to keep the airplane While the surgeries are under way—observed in and all its system up and running anywhere in the world. (below, right). person by local doctors learning the techniques—other doctors observe via high-resolution 3-D monitors in the airplane’s front compartment, with airline seating for 46. During our visit, the team was experimenting with virtual reality glasses to give the observers an even more in-depth experience. The surgeries are also streamed worldwide for doctors anywhere to observe and learn. “It’s all about ‘train the trainers’—it has to be sustainable training,” says Johnson, also a former U.S. Air Force mechanic, who started at Orbis as a volunteer in 2005 and later became a staff member. Orbis provides follow-up visits for months after the airplane leaves to ensure the local doctors are comfortable with their new skills. The organization trained some 62,380 doctors, nurses, teachers, and others in 2017—their most ever. While doctors and nurses are busy in the operating room, other volunteers are training local technicians on best practices for hygiene and equipment sterilization. And more doctors are in another room using an eye surgical simulator to coach local doctors on new techniques. The aft end of the airplane is the recovery room, which, like the operating suite and sterilization center, looks as if it could be in any big hospital. Making all of this possible in remote—and not so remote—parts of the world is what Johnson calls the “Queen of the Sky.” The Orbis MD–10 started out life as a DC–10-30CF in 1973, spending its early life flying for Trans International Airlines/Transamerica. In 1984, it became a freighter for FedEx and in 2001 was converted to an MD–10-30F, which includes a host of avionics and systems upgrades developed by McDonnell Douglas when it created the MD–11 airplane—including removal of the flight engineer station, making it a twopilot airplane. The mammoth upgrade takes months to complete, according to Johnson. Meanwhile, the DC–10-10 that Orbis had been flying was wearing out and its hospital system needed replacing. The hospital was built into the airframe, and every change or modification to the airframe required FAA approval—a big challenge given the constant
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A global vision
The birth of a flying eye hospital
advancements in medical equipment. Orbis retired the DC–10-10 in the fall of 2016 and donated it to the Pima Air and Space Museum in Tucson, Arizona. Learning of Orbis’ plan to retire the old airplane, FedEx donated the MD–10-30 in 2010 and helped convert it back to passenger configuration, opening up windows and doors long since covered over. And then Johnson set out with a team of engineers to create a palletized hospital that could be slid in via the yawning cargo door.
Orbis International was born of an idea in the 1960s by Dr. David Paton, an ophthalmologist at the Wilmer Eye Institute at Johns Hopkins University. He saw the devastation caused by preventable eye diseases in developing nations. Doctors in those countries couldn’t afford to come to the United States for training, thus the idea for a mobile teaching hospital emerged. Paton engaged many others—including Betsy Trippe DeVecchi, oldest child of Juan Trippe, founder of Pan American Airways; and A.L. Ueltschi, personal pilot for Trippe and founder of FlightSafety International— to put together a plan. The group, along with a grant from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), oversaw the project to create the first Flying Eye Hospital inside a DC–8 donated by United Airlines. Today, supported by offices in 15 countries, the group performs thousands of procedures and exams a year. The launch of a global telemedicine initiative, Cybersight, in 2003 greatly increased the footprint of knowledge the medical teams can share, including the worldwide streaming of surgical procedures from the MD–10, registration number N330AU—for A.L. Ueltschi. —TBH
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THE HAPPY FACE of an infant patient helps
explain why the staff and volunteers do what they do (above). Pilot Gary Dyson’s guitar carries the signatures of many patients and dignitaries who have visited the airplane (left). On surgery days, he strums away and sings to calm patients waiting for their procedures. His theme song: I Can See Clearly Now. The massive cockpit view reminds that this is a jumbo jet. Dyson (below left) and FedEx pilot Eric Van Court volunteer for their chance to pilot the Flying Eye Hospital to points across the globe.
TOP: GEOFF OLIVER BUGBEE
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The result is a stow-and-go hospital that is disconnected from the airplane except for a couple of easily managed electrical circuits. Each major section of the hospital is built into a jumbo cargo container, which can be removed—although not easily. Because it is now just cargo as far as the FAA is concerned, there is no need for the agency to approve every little change that occurs to the hospital equipment. Climbing the airstairs, you first walk into the passenger compartment just behind the cockpit. Behind the passenger compartment begins a hallway along the left side of the fuselage. Doors from the A/V room, laser room, operating suite, and sterilization center along the right side open into the hallway. The hallway ends in the recovery room at the back. None of the hospital space can be occupied in the air. A heavy bulkhead door just behind the passenger compartment is closed during flight. We visited the MD–10 in early March 2018 just as it was finishing months of winter maintenance at AerSale at Phoenix Goodyear Airport. With several major work projects complete, Johnson and other paid Orbis staff were finishing final checks, an engine run, and loads of logbook entries. Meanwhile, volunteer FedEx pilots Gary Dyson, who is the Orbis chief pilot, and Eric Van Court, technical pilot, showed up right on schedule and began their own duties of flight planning and preparing for their morning flight to Palm Beach, Florida. The airplane operates under Part 125 of the federal aviation regulations, which is designed for large aircraft not used for “common carriage.” In addition to providing access to parts, shipping, and scores of other resources, FedEx provides the recurrent training for the 19 volunteer pilots. “For pilots, the aircraft provides a unique experience,” says Dyson. “With this mission we see kids who can’t see on Monday and on Wednesday they can. Wow! Where else can you do that?” By late morning, with all the checks done, the crew piles on board for the quick trip to Florida. I climb into one of the two jump seats in the wide cockpit. Readying the old bird for flight is more akin to launching an ocean liner than an airplane. There are a few last-minute delays and many system checks after all of the work and downtime.
But soon, weighing some 456,000 pounds and carrying 100,000 pounds of fuel, we trundle down Runway 3—nearly the full length because the taxiway doesn’t provide the needed turning radius for the jumbo jet. At the end a tug is required to turn us around on the runway, positioning us for takeoff. Dyson slowly advances the thrust levers as the three massive GE CF6-50C2 engines spool up, turning a river of fuel first to noise and then into some 54,000 pounds of thrust each. Soon we’re barreling down the pavement, streaking past dozens of retired airliners, relics in the desert sun. Gear and flaps up, Orbis One arcs around to an easterly course and we’re off, climbing to a cruise altitude of 35,000 feet. It is the airplane’s first flight of the year. It averages about 110 hours a year and 18 flights. In this case, the flight to Palm Beach International Airport (PBI) is for training and fundraising before launching on missions to Peru and parts of the world later in the year. We arrive at PBI just before sunset, parking on ramp space donated by Signature Flight Support. The next morning, the flight crew gathers to solve a problem as the volunteer medical staff shows up. It seems the Orbis One tail is so tall that it is creating an official obstacle on the airport. They reposition it, moving the tail farther away from the runway. Problem solved, medical, flight, and maintenance crews go to work transforming the former wide-body airliner into a hospital. Portals on the right side are opened up and FedEx-donated cargo loaders roll onto the ramp, ready to remove pallet after pallet of equipment and generators. Airstairs and ladders donated by Atlantic Aviation slide into place. Crews inside the fuselage begin the Tetris-like operation of unpacking gear in the laser room, operating suite, and recovery room. Soon, doctors are experimenting with a new child-sized medical mannequin on a gurney. It is the latest and greatest for teaching anesthesiology techniques. A steep set of stairs in the aft end of the airplane leads down to a cargo hold that doubles as an office for the maintenance crews. A computer tracks parts and costs, work tables for making repairs, and many linear feet of the finest tools and tool chests that Snap-on has to offer—all donated. Valerie Suberg, an A&P mechanic and Piper Arrow owner, is the senior manager of aircraft maintenance at Orbis, one of the paid staff. She has traveled with the airplane for years and seen many parts of the world. Her challenge is to make sure she has the parts and expertise on board—wherever they are—to keep the hospital and the airplane working. Some countries aren’t very welcoming. Officials at some stops see the bright shiny airplane as a way to extract money for every little thing. She has become an expert negotiator and a great observer of the impact that Orbis can have. She tells me remarkable stories about her experiences seeing lives changed through the work that happens on the airplane. She chokes up a bit in remembering a visit to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, where two little girls—both blind from cataracts—had played together for years. They both went in for surgery and the next day they “met” for the first time as they sat face to face as their bandages were removed—they had never seen each other. The crew gave them each mirrors so they could look at themselves—again, a first. “It brought tears to everyone in the room,” she says. “To be able to see the miracles and lives that are changed each day on the plane is what is important. Everything else seems to fall by the wayside.” Just another day’s work for a lumbering old airplane. AOPA
ORBIS CARRIES a seemingly endless supply of teddy bears for child patients. The medical teams patch up the bear’s eyes to reflect the child’s bandages and they go through the “healing” process together (top). Medical staff practice anesthesiology techniques with a new child-sized mannequin during a training session at Palm Beach International Airport in Florida (above).
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A new A/Ttitude Cirrus adds autothrottle and altitude to the new version of the Vision Jet A TOUCH OF THE TO/GA BUTTON on the thrust lever pops up the flight director command bars to the takeoff/go-around position. I hit the Heading button on the autopilot mode controller and spin the heading bug around to 90 degrees—our left turn after takeoff from Runway 23 at Maryland’s Frederick Municipal Airport. I shove the thrust lever forward and we’re quickly racing down the pavement; a little tug on the sidestick and the runway drops away. Gear and flaps up and at about 400 feet agl, I push the AT button just ahead of the thrust lever and the AP button on the mode controller to activate the BY THOMAS B. HAINES P H OT O G R A P H Y B Y C H R I S R O S E
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AMONG THE AERODYNAMIC clean-ups was the removal of the fences inboard of each aileron (right). Beringer wheels and brakes provide the stopping power and now—as part of the Generation 2 changes—owners can select colors other than just red.
autothrottles and autopilot. About then, the flight director commands the left turn and away we go, the Cirrus Vison Jet Generation 2 accelerating quickly. Inside the Class D airspace, the new autothrottle system slides the thrust lever aft to keep us below the 200-knot speed limit. Popping out the top, the thrust lever moves forward again, allowing us to accelerate to up to 250 knots below 10,000 feet. That happens quickly as we level off at 3,000 feet msl. Then the thrust lever moves aft at a good clip to keep us below the limit as we await further climb clearance from Potomac Approach. Already I see the advantage of such a sophisticated autothrottle (A/T) system in a single-pilot speedy jet. Busy in the terminal environment, any worries about speed evaporate. The profile stored in the Garmin flight management system keeps the airplane from exceeding any airspace speed limits and flies the airplane at established speeds during climbs and descents. Arriving back in the terminal area after a descent, it slows at about 10 miles out to 189 knots, one knot below the limitation for approach flap deployment, helping the pilot set up for an uneventful arrival. Of course, the pilot can override
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THE SF50’S GENERATION 2 cock-
pit is as simple and elegant as the first generation, but with even more capabilities (right). In addition to more altitude options, the upgrade includes autothrottles. The A/T disconnect button is on the left side of the thrust lever (below). The A/Ts have two modes: Manual and Flight Management System (below, right). The thumb wheel allows for setting speeds for the A/Ts to follow in Manual mode.
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the system at any time, should ATC ask to “keep the speed up,” for example. The sophisticated new A/T system is essentially the same as those installed on much larger business jets, such as the Cessna Citation Latitude and Longitude, which cost about 10 times as much as the single-engine Vision Jet. Selecting the MAN button just ahead of the thrust lever (as opposed to the FMS button) puts the A/Ts into Manual mode, allowing the pilot to adjust the desired speed using a thumbwheel; the selected speed shows up in the window above the airspeed tape on the primary flight display. In FMS mode, the system follows commands in the flight plan for different phases of flight, automatically setting speeds for climbs, descents, and approaches. It also prevents overand under-speeds and interacts with the Garmin ESP flight envelope protection system to keep the airplane safe. Once leveled off it will allow the airplane to accelerate to just below MMO or to the pilot’s chosen speed. The standard A/T system is but one example of upgrades found on the new Generation 2 edition of the Vision Jet. Just
two years after first delivery of the singleengine jet, Cirrus has incorporated a host of enhancements and upgrades. Another significant one is the certification for flight up to Flight Level 310, 3,000 feet higher than the original model. New certification includes approval for flight in reduced vertical separation minimum (RVSM) airspace, which starts at FL290. To maintain a minimum cruise true airspeed of 300 knots at the higher altitude, Cirrus worked with Williams International to modify the full authority digital engine control (FADEC) system thrust schedule for the FJ33-5A engine, providing more thrust between FL230 and FL310. To keep the same 8,000-foot cabin altitude at the higher flight altitude the differential in the pressurization system has also been increased, from 6.4 psi to 7.1. The higher altitude allows for a lower fuel burn and the ability to top more weather systems. As an alternative, the pilot can choose to take advantage of the higher thrust to go faster at a lower altitude, but at a higher fuel burn. As a result of the lower fuel burn at FL310 and slight decreases in weight throughout the airframe, the Gen2 model www.aopa.org/pilot AOPA PILOT | 79
GEN2 CUSTOMERS can opt for
a center console with fold-out tables between the first row of passenger seats (above). The pilot can easily remove the console when not needed, easing access to the rear seats. The large flip-down screen keeps the passengers occupied while the front seaters enjoy the view through the impressively sized windshield. The once-optional extended baggage compartment is now standard (right). Of course the Gen2 carries the signature Cirrus whole airframe parachute system, although designing a system for such a large and heavy airplane proved challenging (far right).
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can carry about an additional 150 pounds in either more fuel—for about 100 extra nautical miles of range—or another passenger or more gear. “It’s about versatility,” said Matt Bergwall, Cirrus director of the Vision Jet product line. “We wanted to give the pilots more flexibility and choices.” Much of the weight decrease—about 50 pounds— comes from replacing the dual lead acid batteries with True Blue Power lithium ion batteries, which allow for faster and cooler engine starts. The panel includes new, faster, and higher-resolution Garmin displays—what Cirrus calls Perspective Plus by Garmin— and the Flight Stream 510 Wi-Fi system that allows communication between the panel and portable devices in the cockpit. An upgraded Garmin voice and data system also allows pilots to text and make calls from their own handheld device. In improving on the original design, the company also turned to creature comforts. The Gen2 takes the already versatile seating configuration and makes it even more capable with the introduction of a center console between the middle two seats, which also are wider in the new Elite
configuration. The console includes work tables for left and right passengers, and storage. The pilot can install and remove the console and any of the seats without a signoff by a mechanic. The once-optional extended baggage compartment is now standard on the Gen2 models. On the exterior, the company has removed the fence between the aileron and flap on each wing. That, combined with the removal of the boundary layer energizers (BLE) just ahead of the ailerons, makes for lighter roll forces and improved handling. And, not surprisingly, the model includes a host of new paint schemes and color choices. Also not surprising, the new features and upgrades command a higher price. When we reported on the original Vision Jet in July 2017 the price was about $2 million. The Gen2 airplanes start at $2.38 million, with a fully loaded model at about $2.75 million. Bergwall noted that many of the interior upgrades and some panel improvements, but not autothrottles, are available as upgrades to the original models. AOPA EMAIL [emailprotected]
SPEC SHEET Cirrus SF50 Vision Jet Generation 2 BASE PRICE: ABOUT $2.38 MILLION SPECIFICATIONS
Takeoff distance over 50-ft obstacle |
Retract | 150 KIAS
Powerplant | Williams International
3,192 ft
VMO (max operating) | 250 KIAS
FJ33-5A turbofan, 1,846 lbst
Max demonstrated crosswind
MMO (max operating Mach) | 0.53 Mach
Length | 30 ft 8 in
component, flaps 100% | 16 kt
VR (rotation) | 90 KIAS
Height | 10 ft 11 in
Max cruise speed @ max weight, FL270 |
VS1 (stall, clean) | 86 KIAS
Wingspan | 38 ft 8 in
313 KTAS, 76 gph
VSO (stall, in landing configuration) |
Seats | 4-7
Max cruise speed @ max weight, @ max
67 KIAS
Cabin length | 11 ft 6 in
altitude FL310 | 305 KTAS, 64 gph
Cabin width | 5 ft 1 in
Range at max cruise, approx. |
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Cabin height | 4 ft 1 in
1,100 nm
Contact Cirrus Aircraft,
Empty weight | 3,450 lb
Range at economy cruise, approx. |
www.cirrusaircraft.com
Max ramp weight | 6,040 lb
1,275 nm
Max gross weight | 6,000 lb
Max operating altitude | 31,000 ft
All specifications are based on manu-
Useful load | 2,550 lb
Landing distance over 50-ft obstacle |
facturer’s calculations. All performance
Payload w/full fuel | 546 lb
3,011 ft
figures are based on standard day,
Max takeoff weight | 6,000 lb
Landing distance, ground roll | 1,628 ft
standard atmosphere, sea level, gross
Max landing weight | 5,550 lb
weight conditions unless otherwise
Zero-fuel weight | 4,900 lb
LIMITING AND RECOMMENDED
Fuel capacity | 298.5 gal (296 gal
AIRSPEEDS
usable), 2,018 lb (2,001 lb usable)
VX (best angle of climb) | 91 KIAS
Oil capacity | 3 qt
VO (operating maneuvering) | 150 KIAS
Baggage capacity | 300 lb, 23.5 cu ft
VFE (max flap extended) | 190 KIAS VLE (max gear extended) | 210 KIAS
PERFORMANCE
VLO (max gear operating)
Takeoff distance, ground roll | 2,036 ft
Extend | 210 KIAS
noted. EXTRA Higher maximum operating
altitude of 31,000 feet provides new options for fuel efficiency, ATC routings, and weather avoidance.
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7
The percent Female pilots still account for only a small portion of the pilot population, despite decades of attempts to fix the problem B Y I A N J. T W O M B LY | I L LU S T R AT I O N B Y M AT T H E R R I N G
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ABINGDON MULLIN
PEGGY CHABRIAN
groups that advocate for a greater representation of women throughout the industry, especially in professional settings. Chabrian said the fact that women have gone from around 1.9 percent of ATPs in 1990 to more than 4 percent is proof that the trend is at least headed in the right direction. Yet the gender barrier was broken at a U.S. airline in 1973 when Emily Howell Warner was hired at Frontier Airlines. That means it’s taken 46 years to get to a point where there are still fewer than 7,000 active female ATPs. Other statistics are even more troubling. The United States lags the world in female airline pilots as a percentage. Worldwide, women make up more than 5 percent of all airline pilots, and an Indian airline fills the cockpit with more than 13 percent women. Hawaiian Airlines leads airlines in the United States at just less than 10 percent. All this is according to data released by the International Society of Women Airline Pilots. Similarly, in recent years, women made major gains in the labor market; the female pilot population remained virtually unchanged. It may be easy to say that these things take time, there are big cultural shifts that need to occur, and things will improve. Yet other industries saw massive increases in female employment. In the past 15 years, at least 20 industries have seen the percentage of women in the workforce increase by more than 6 percent, including careers as diverse as pharmacists, writers, bakers, public relations executives, and veterinarians. Veterinarians went from 34 percent female in 2000 to 59 percent female in 2016. The parallels are strong: Being a vet takes significant schooling and training, is a major investment, and has a long payoff. In fact, even in many careers most would consider male dominated, women make up a larger percentage of the workforce than they do in professional piloting. Nearly 7 percent of truck drivers are women, 12.5 percent of police officers, 30 percent of farmers, and 9 percent of the construction industry.
OPPOSITE: JOHN UELAND
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WHEN ABINGDON MULLIN was starting the Abingdon Watch Company, she met a man who said he would be happy to help fund her ambitious venture. But there was a catch. Mullin had to “make him feel like a kid again” while his wife wasn’t at home. At the time of the harassment, Mullin was a customer service representative at a prominent flight school at the Santa Monica airport and had just finished her private pilot certificate. The man who propositioned Mullin was a regular customer at the business, which also had an FBO. To help her feel safe at work after rejecting the advance, Mullin’s boss helped hide her every time the man came in. She said the corporate office didn’t seem concerned since the incident took place off the property. Since then Mullin has gone on to a successful career ferrying airplanes and as an airline pilot, along with running the Abingdon Watch Company. However, she has been told her success is because she slept her way to jobs and other opportunities. Mullin’s story isn’t unique. Women involved in aviation have countless stories of facing some form of harassment or discrimination during their training, at the airport, or as part of their career. Yet the women interviewed for this story said that although harassment can be part of the job, they don’t dwell on it. Female pilots make up about 7 percent of all certificated pilots. Just 10 years ago the number was closer to 6.2 percent. Professional pilot ranks are even less diverse, with women holding 4.3 percent of airline transport pilot certificates. Depending on how you look at it, these numbers are either a stark improvement after years of stagnation, or a dismal record that is being outstripped by dozens of industries that are historically male dominated. Peggy Chabrian thinks we should be looking at the positives, including an increase in the number of female pilots. Chabrian is the president and founder of Women in Aviation International (WAI), one of a few
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Defining the problem is easy. Figuring out why aviation continues to be this way and what must be done to change it is hard. STUBBORN PROBLEM
BETTER TOGETHER Many groups have formed to support female pilots Dozens of organizations, both formal and informal, have formed to bring female pilots together to provide support, mentorship, and scholarships. Women in Aviation International. Probably the largest and best-known of the groups, Women in Aviation International provides scholarships, organizes Girls in Aviation Day, convenes a yearly conference, and has more than a hundred local chapters for support, camaraderie, and networking. Almost 50 are on college campuses. www.wai.org The Ninety-Nines. The biggest women pioneers in aviation started The Ninety-Nines in 1929, and the group remains very active today. Also known as the International Organization of Women Pilots, the Ninety-Nines have more than 150 chapters all over the world for support, networking, and service. www.ninety-nines.org The Whirly Girls International. Founded in 1955 to support women helicopter pilots, today Whirly Girls has more than 2,000 members around the world. The organization gives out hundreds of thousands of dollars in scholarships and supports active helicopter pilots through networking and mentorship. www.whirlygirls.org Sisters of the Skies. An organization of minority women, Sisters of the Skies promotes aviation participation through community activities, social media support, scholarships, and more. Check the group’s website for ways to help support the next generation of minority female aviators. www.sistersoftheskies.org Ladies Love Taildraggers. One of the many social groups organized to support female pilots, Ladies Love Taildraggers is as founder Judy Birchler describes it, “A loosely bound group of dynamic women pilots drawn together by one shared love” (see “Pilots: Judy Birchler,” p. 128). www.ladieslovetaildraggers.com F.A.S.T. The name says it all: Female Aviators Sticking Together is a community of women pilots with the simple goal of inspiring and unifying female pilots. The group holds one-day summits and provides scholarships, networking opportunities, and career advice. www.femaleaviators.org
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Ask any female pilot about the slights or harassment they’ve faced, and each one has a story. Sometimes it’s as harmless as being mistaken for a customer service representative or flight attendant. In other cases it’s aggressive or even criminal. Then there’s the inherent sexism. GA News published a positive story earlier this year about a young single mom who was enrolled at an aviation university and planned to become a professional pilot. The online comments centered on how her ex-husband must be footing the bill. Despite the headwinds, the women interviewed for this story brought up harassment only when questioned. Most said it wasn’t a deterrent, but rather something to work through or simply ignore. A lack of mentoring and positive role models came forward as a significantly bigger challenge. It’s easy for men to imagine themselves in the cockpit as they see male pilots in movies, at the airport, and on an airliner, but for women those sightings aren’t frequent. “Many men falsely assume women don’t want to do it. They mentor boys instead,” said airline pilot and CFI Sarina Houston. “Personally, I wouldn’t have gotten into flying had someone not stepped out and given me a free airplane ride.”
“MANY MEN FALSELY ASSUME WOMEN DON’T WANT TO [FLY]. THEY MENTOR BOYS INSTEAD.”
An AOPA staff member recounted how she has seen many times at EAA Young Eagles rallies where parents will push the boy to ride first, or make sure the boy sits up front and the girl sits in back. The impression is that the boy is there to learn while the girl is there to take an airplane ride and enjoy the view. “Society dictates that story,” Mullin said. “They’ve created the story that either women don’t fly, can’t fly, don’t want to fly, do want kids and can’t fly, et cetera. The story is permutated by society for however many decades that airplanes have been around. It’s only until we get people outside the circle that people will change mindsets and think flying as a woman is an option.” Even for dads who are engaged in aviation and think they are projecting positive aviation role models to all their children,
challenges abound. Eric Crump is the head of Polk State College’s aviation program in Lakeland, Florida. Crump said he once asked his daughter as they were getting on an airline whether she would like to be a pilot someday. “No, that’s a boy job,” she told him. “Her mother and I are both pilots; she’s been exposed to aviation in every imaginable respect since birth. I couldn’t believe she still didn’t think aviation was open to her,” he said. “That made it real to me that we have work to do as an industry and as a community.” Some pilots speculate that because aviation sometimes makes it difficult to have a career and a family that women are naturally not as drawn to it as men. “My wife made a choice to focus on our family as her primary driver,” Crump said. “But she is still incredibly active in aviation in other ways that fit her desired lifestyle. It’s not an either/or question.” Houston said she’s able to make aviation work as a career in part because of a strong support network and because she waited to fly for the airlines until her kids got older. She was a full-time flight instructor prior to flying for the airlines. “My delayed entry to the airline industry was because I wanted to be home with my kids,” she said. “It would have been very difficult to have small children and fly for a career.” In many ways that fact is changing, in part because the airlines are hiring so quickly. “People have been able to progress quickly, which has allowed them to have more control over their schedules,” said Sarah Rovner, an airline pilot and owner of an aircraft ferrying company. “You gain seniority and that’s been attractive to having a career and family” for women. On the recreational flying side, other factors are potentially at work, including less free time, lower amounts of discretionary income, and difficulties in flight training. Nationwide the unadjusted gender pay gap for women is roughly 20 percent, meaning women have significantly less discretionary money for flight training. They may also have less time, two of the major impediments to learning to
fly. A survey by Britain’s Office of National Statistics found that women spend about two hours and 38 minutes a week on hobbies, compared to four hours and 39 minutes for men. The study speculated that despite a growing equality at home, women continue to spend more time on family and chores than men, and that when not in leisure, “women were more likely to be performing unpaid work.” Getting out of the aviation bubble is critical to attracting more pilots, and a more diverse group of pilots. Technology can help. “I think we’re seeing a small uptick in females because of social media,” Houston said. “Because we don’t have mentors from the top we’re mentoring each other from social media and email.” Fixing gender bias and other failures in flight training may also help diversify the pilot population, said Mullin. “I remember sitting behind the owner of a flight school at a conference and he just started going off about how he doesn’t know how to talk to women, why they keep leaving the school, how to make them stay. When you think that women students are an obstacle, they will be an obstacle.” There seems to be no agreement on how best to ensure women complete training at the same rate as men (more than 12 percent of students are women, but only about 10 percent of new pilots), but acknowledging there is a problem could be the first step. There is a disagreement in current educational research as to whether boys and girls learn differently or whether we set up the environment differently, and thus affect the outcome. One thing is clear: The antiquated idea that women simply can’t understand technical matters as well as men has long since been disproven. Many organizations, such as Women in Aviation, are doing their part to provide mentoring paths for women. The group holds a Girls in Aviation Day every year that brings girls to the airport to expose them to aviation. When the effort began just a few years ago 3,000 kids and 40 chapters participated. Last year 15,000 young people were exposed to aviation through 100 chapters worldwide. “It takes a myriad of
SARINA HOUSTON
SARAH ROVNER
approaches and keeping it in front of people,” Chabrian said. “Mentoring is key to helping people, particularly if they are new to aviation.” WAI also helps to administer scholarship funds that are open to both men and women, a point of debate within the community. The program started in 1996 with two $500 awards. This year WAI passed the $12 million mark. In 2019, the organization was planning to award 130 scholarships valued at $780,000. It ’s clear, however, that solving the problem will take more than money. Sometimes all that’s needed is an invitation, a bit of support, and an acknowledgement that for aviation to thrive, all are encouraged to join. AOPA EMAIL [emailprotected]
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PROFICIENCY & EFFICIENCY
91 WEATHER 94 OWNERSHIP 99 ADS-B 107 MAINTENANCE 113 NEVER AGAIN
The five hazardous attitudes and antidotes appearing in current FAA publications can be found— verbatim—as early as 1983, in a judgment training manual developed by the FAA, Transport Canada, and the General Aviation Manufacturers Association.
PROFICIENCY
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Tools to save us from ourselves B Y VA L É R I E T H I B O D A U X
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PETER AND MARIA HOEY
Bad behavior
IN 1991, the FAA issued Advisory Circular 60-22, “Aeronautical Decision Making.” It presented 12 years of study and testing, and brought concepts such as risk management, systematic decision making, and cockpit resource management to general aviation. It also identified five attitudes found over and over again in poor judgment chains and accidents, described as anti-authority (Don’t tell me), impulsivity (Do something quickly), invulnerability (It won’t happen to me), macho (I can do it), and resignation (What’s the use?). For each dangerous attitude, pilots were instructed to think or say a specific sentence to themselves, as an “antidote.” The study found that this procedure improved pilot performance over time, and reduced hazardous patterns that led to bad decisions. It was triumphantly published, became part of the human factors curriculum, and the FAA left it at that. In two and a half decades, nothing about it has changed, not even the words. The AC material is printed in the Pilot’s Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, in every pilot textbook from student to CFI, and in airman certification standards—in many of these, the original language is copied verbatim. Unfortunately, this approach doesn’t work for general aviation. Once read, it is usually pushed aside while pilots pursue more tangible skills. Even if a vigilant pilot wanted to research the complexities of attitude further, where can you go for greater understanding when our training hasn’t advanced since the 1990s? Two problems have to be solved before knowledge of hazardous attitudes can make us safer pilots: The prescribed procedure doesn’t work well in the GA cockpit, and standard teaching of hazardous attitudes is ineffective. “Identify the thought as hazardous and apply the appropriate antidote” is the core of attitude training, and one reason it isn’t used much in GA could be the key to improving it. Reading the original advisory circular, there is a strong implication that this procedure was developed and proven in the learning environment. Human performance researchers are identifying a “learning zone” and a “performance zone,” and showing how they have different goals, different requirements, and different applications in life.
In flying, they are fairly easy to grasp— when we are getting initial training or a flight review, the circumstances and goals of the flight usually are very different than our everyday flying will be post-certificate. In flying’s learning zone—primarily dual instruction—the focus is on improving skills, going out of comfort zones, and simulating rare and unexpected events, all with the benefit of another experienced aviator providing backup and perspective. In the performance zone we are focused on executing plans, demonstrating skills, and minimizing mistakes, such as quickly getting to the next airport for the $100 hamburger and touching down on the numbers. The hazardous attitude assessment procedure demands that we step back from ourselves and consider our thoughts, critically asking if we are unconsciously showing a bias toward bad decisions. There are so many reasons why a pilot would fail to use this procedure: Self-reflection can be uncomfortable and demanding; few people want to identify something about themselves or their behavior as wrong; objectivity about yourself is extremely hard to achieve; and we may simply be too busy flying the airplane. In a multi-pilot cockpit, one pilot could provide feedback to the other if questionable attitudes and decisions start developing, but asking the single pilot to be both the actor and the evaluator seems like an unrealistic burden. The thoughtantidote procedure could work well with an objective observer acting as a coach, but the only way it could translate outside the learning zone is if it were so deeply integrated and practiced as to become automatic. If the majority of our flying hours happen in the performance zone, then the flights when we would most need this procedure would be the times we would be least likely to use it. So, if the procedure for handling hazardous attitudes isn’t really being used, and the tools available don’t really adapt to who you are, what do we do? The uncomfortable answer is that there may not be one perfect solution. There may not be one procedure that we can teach, and test, and apply, and go forth confident that we will always get it right. Human factors are messy, and don’t lend themselves to assessment and improvement as easily as concrete skills. It is easier www.aopa.org/pilot AOPA PILOT | 89
WORLD LEADER IN AVIATION RESTRAINT TECHNOLOGY The new SOARS (State Of the Art Restraint System) from AmSafe is the next generation system designed to target a broader range of applications, to include LSA, Experimental and many of the older aircraft not originally certified to the latest safety standards. SOARS is a universal airbag system for Part 23 Normal Category & Experimental Airplanes with existing 2-3 Point Restraint Systems. The system provides the additional safety and improved occupant protection needed in a survivable impact.
OUR INTRODUC FOR THIS KIT (P TORY PRICE ILO SEATS) WILL BET/CO-PILOT $2580.
www.amsafe.com/ airbag-systems/soars/
P&E
PROFICIENCY
to know if your landings have improved over time more than your judgment, so it is no wonder that pilots choose to focus on things they can grasp and measure. Psychological concepts such as personality, attitude, and self-awareness are hard enough to grasp on the ground, let alone in the air, so our best approach to hazardous attitudes is to revisit what the information was intended to do and why it is important. The most measurable gauge of any new development will be to see how well it accomplishes the original goal. Hazardous attitudes were made part of the aviation lexicon the same way we identified not using checklists and captains silencing junior officers: We figured out they were crashing airplanes. Attitude is only one part of the decision-making study, with the point that factors such as attitude have a major impact on judgment—especially when they remain unconscious, and especially when under stress. The five identified attitudes consistently led to poorer decisions that could accumulate into accidents, and the pilots involved never saw it happening. Attitude training was intended to give us the tools to save us from ourselves. So many procedures were developed because of the requirements of the aircraft and the flight environment; this may be one of the few times in aviation where the optimal procedure is not standardized, but customized. Each pilot has different desires in flying, brings different skills to the table, and develops differently over their flying career. Even in one individual, the complex interaction of attitude (which can change) with personality (which probably won’t) is likely to vary with time and experience. But the one thing that remains consistent is that attitude manifests in behavior. It is the why behind the what—something the original study got dead right. So, each of us can gain deeper insight into our own flying: We don’t have to start with probing who we are, or what lurks in the unconscious; we just have to look at what we do and start to consider why. Attitude will either make you a better pilot or it will stop you from advancing, and what it takes to move from one to the other may be completely unique to you. 90 | AOPA PILOT April 2019
If the last time you thought about hazardous attitudes was prepping for an exam, then any amount of time spent reflecting on what kind of pilot you are will be beneficial, even the time you have taken to read this. What, for example, would be a good attitude in flying? We have seen how bad attitudes lead to wrong decisions, and we focus a lot on a culture of safety, but we haven’t yet identified if there is a consistent attitude among the best pilots that we could all learn from. Could we overcome hazardous attitudes altogether by identifying an attitude, set of beliefs, or approach that is optimal for flight? Here is an idea to get started: Go back to the origin of attitude training—the learning zone—and develop your own ways to incorporate it into your flying. For example: • Make it part of your debrief, or even briefing. Instructors say that the best learning happens on the drive home, when the pilot thinks back over the flight in a relaxed setting and integrates his or her experiences. Think about the good decisions you made, the decisions you were less comfortable with, and ask yourself what reasons you had for each. • Enrich your hangar flying. Assess other pilots’ stories or NTSB reports in terms of motivation, and look for attitudes revealing themselves in behavior. Is there anyone at the airport you aren’t comfortable letting your family fly with? Why? It probably runs deeper than their flying technique. • Get a coach. Everyone gets some kind of recurrent training—a flight review at minimum. The best pilots get more frequent sessions with a CFI, or even the perspective of another trusted aviator riding along. Ask for a candid assessment—do they see something that you don’t, patterns or habits that you are overlooking? And be prepared for an answer you don’t like; improving isn’t easy. If attitude is important enough to teach in the first place, it is important enough to improve. And the advisory circular that gave us aeronautical decision making made us better instructors and better pilots. Let’s keep advancing it. AOPA VALÉRIE THIBODAUX is an art crime
researcher, private pilot, and advanced ground instructor living in Oregon.
P&E WX WATCH
Polar power For bad weather down low, check the winds up high. BY THOMAS A. HORNE
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THIS VIEW, centered on the North Pole, shows four upper-level lows and their troughs
circulating around a central low. The circumpolar vortex follows the perimeter of the troughs, carrying jet stream winds with them.
THIS PAST WINTER, it seemed like hardly a day passed without dire warnings about the dreaded polar vortex. Reports of its vicious cold—coupled with its sudden, unannounced arrival—made sure that Americans lived under the fear of suddenly freezing mid-stride. Its billing as a singular phenomenon, as if it were a lone, angry, rogue vortex, only amped up the uncertainty. But I have news. There is no single, freeroaming polar vortex. Instead, there is a huge high-altitude (approximately 30,000 feet msl in the winter, 50,000 feet msl in summer) circumpolar vortex that encircles the entire mid-latitudes of the northern hemisphere,
and it typically consists of three to six troughs of low pressure. The troughs extend to the south like lobes and the air beneath them is indeed cold—or at least colder than the warmer air south of them. What’s more, this circumpolar vortex is present year-round. Its boundary—where cold, northern air meets warmer air from the south—moves north and south with the seasons. The entire works—the polar air and its troughs within the boundary—move west to east in the northern hemisphere, their movement slowly following the rotation of the Earth beneath it. And it’s what goes on within the boundary, otherwise known www.aopa.org/pilot AOPA PILOT | 91
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WX WATCH
PILOT GUIDES
TROUGHS ALOFT
are reflected in surface temperature charts. The chart at left shows the surface effects of of a trough’s cold air dipping into the western and midwestern states.
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as the jet stream, that causes much of our airmet and sigmet weather. Here’s a simplified description of how this often works: Where warmer air from the south meets one of those cold troughs from the north, right-turning Coriolis forces team up to generate high-altitude westerly winds around the bend in the upper-level trough’s axis. They blow the fastest at the apex of the trough, where the battle between pressure gradient forces (which draw air toward the trough’s parent low-pressure center) and Coriolis forces (which move to the right, away from low pressure) are in balance. But once this fastmoving air rounds the bend it often slows down as the pressure gradient slackens. This in turn can cause a divergence of air aloft. To compensate for this, air at the surface converges, which in turn causes rising 92 | AOPA PILOT April 2019
air, low pressure centers, and their attendant cold and warm fronts. In the colder months, warm fronts cause plenty of trouble because they cover a large area, often producing instrument meteorological conditions in snow farther ahead of the front’s surface position, snow and ice pellets (sleet) closer to the front, and freezing rain immediately ahead of the front. Sometimes, when the pressure gradient remains tight after emerging from a trough’s boundary, wind speeds of up to 200 knots can form in jet stream cores. But the tug of war between pressure gradient and Coriolis forces still hangs in there, because if there’s any decrease in wind speed, pressure gradient begins to exert itself and in so doing creates lifting forces. But not for long, because Coriolis force quickly responds in the other
THE AREAS east of a trough are known for producing regions of diverging air (red circle) and slackening wind speeds. This promotes convergence, rising air, low pressure, and frontal systems at the surface.
HIGH-LEVEL
significant weather charts identify jet stream flows with green arrows. This chart describes the situation between FL250 and FL630. Areas of turbulence are outlined with dashed yellow lines. The height of the tropopause is abbreviated with three digits within the small outlined boxes. For example, “270” indicates a height of FL270, or about 27,000 feet.
direction. The result is the formation of more intense, localized areas of lift aloft and low pressure at the surface—and the heaviest snowfalls and ice storms. Want to graphically identify the circumpolar vortex’s location? One way would be to call up a constant pressure chart for the 300-millibar pressure surface. This roughly corresponds to an altitude of 30,000 feet—a good altitude to start with for winter weather. A constant pressure level of 200 millibars, or about 40,000 feet, would be a typical altitude for the summer months. The National Weather Service’s Storm Prediction Center (www.spc.noaa. gov/obswx/maps) has nice charts, complete with wind barbs and color-coded areas showing jet cores. Select the pressure level and time—or video loop. Another way is to use a surface
temperature chart. Try the University of Illinois website (http://ww2010.atmos. uiuc.edu/(Gh)/wx/surface.rxml). See the boundary between the blue and green areas? There’s your polar vortex— er, circumpolar vortex—boundary. Pilots enduring the drudgery of their first aviation weather courses may say, “Why in the world are we studying the weather at 30,000 feet? I’ll be flying at more like 5,000 feet.” True, but high-altitude dynamics dictate the worst flying weather at lower altitudes. Winter or summer, that polar boundary and its high-speed winds can put you in turbulence, icing conditions, or thunderstorms, and top it all off by giving you instrument conditions for your takeoffs or landings. AOPA EMAIL [emailprotected]
www.aopa.org/pilot AOPA PILOT | 93
Leave a Legacy for General Aviation The love of flying—and the freedom it brings—is a legacy worth passing on to future generations. The AOPA Foundation Legacy Society is a group of the most committed AOPA members who are providing future gifts through theirs wills, trusts, retirement accounts or other arrangements. Including the AOPA Foundation in your long-range plans can be a simple, yet powerful, way to make a truly significant impact on general aviation.
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OWNERSHIP
Get your gloss on Putting science to work on your paint BY THOMAS B. HAINES
DILIGENT BUFFING BY MEHRDAD ZARIFKAR, owner of Aviana Aircraft Detailing, puts new life in a Bonanza’s old paint job. Washing and paint
restoration are the first steps in the three-part process; the ceramic coating is last.
94 | AOPA PILOT April 2019
paint on the leading edges—has left it looking more like a 5 than the 10 I wish it were. Although not a lot can be done about the rain erosion, much can be done to bring back the luster, restore the gloss, and provide UV protection. And, indeed, the 1.5 days of effort on the Bonanza made an incredible difference. Zarifkar spent another half day sprucing up my newly acquired 2014 Van’s RV–12 Light Sport aircraft. It was four years old when I bought it, but it had only seen daylight for 33 hours, having been in a hangar for years. So although that new paint looked good, Zarifkar’s efforts made it even glossier—and, more important, the ceramic coating he applied will keep it that way for a long time to come.
Bored with his job as a chemical engineer, Zarifkar began tinkering around with car detailing projects and soon discovered that most of the products he was using were not very effective, especially over the long term. Putting his education to work, he began to seek products that chemically work with the paint to make long-term improvement to the finish. He ultimately found a line of products that include a ceramic coating that literally binds with the surface paint to provide a high level of UV protection, which makes cleaning a lot easier. That, combined with a paint-restoration process completed before the ceramic is applied, provides a better-than-new finish, as long as the paint is intact to start.
MIKE COLLINS
A DEAFENING RAIN THUNDERS DOWN on the hangar’s metal roof as Mehrdad Zarifkar scoots his rolling stool closer to the Bonanza’s empennage. He moves the bright, handheld LED up, down, and sideways, examining the fuselage the way a dermatologist might study a patient’s skin. “See here. Swirls in the paint. We can get most of these out,” he says, never looking up. “This scratch, though. Too deep. We’d remove so much paint that the cure would be worse than if we just left it alone.” And so began our two-day exercise to restore the paint on my 1972 Beechcraft Bonanza A36, last painted in 1989. While it has mostly been hangared, two years of sitting outside when I first got it in 1999 really did a number on the finish. That, plus many hours of flying through rain—eroding the
A CLOSE INSPECTION identifies archival swirls from previous polishing of the Vans RV-12— all of which can be eliminated by the paint restoration process.
“People are skeptical,” he admits. “It sounds snake-oily, but it works. It lowers maintenance time and provides protection. Even new paint can be improved because we can remove much of the light swirling that you get when polishing new paint.” The process is not a solution for deep scratches or eroded paint. A pilot and classic Bonanza owner, Zarifkar eventually formed a company,
easy work of removing exhaust stains, a common problem on turboprops. The price doesn’t include his travel and related expenses. Travel costs can be split if there’s more than one airplane on a field. There is no travel cost for airplanes coming to him at any of the Minneapolis reliever airports. After studying the chemical properties of numerous products, Zarifkar settled on a
The coating deepens the gloss even more and makes the surface unbelievably smooth and slippery—and adds UV protection. Aviana Aircraft Detailing, and began detailing airplanes full time. A typical job for a four-place single starts at about $2,900. Single-engine turboprops are in the low $3,000 range. The coating makes
product line from Gtechniq, which is available only to professional detailers. The process begins with paint restoration, which includes a low-water wash. The no-rinse solution is diluted 256-to-1
and uses only a few ounces to clean a whole airplane. A citrus-based degreaser worked wonders on the Bonanza’s belly. Next up is paint correction, where Zarifkar uses a lowspeed buffer and a light polish to remove oxidation—again a tiny amount of solution is needed, one spritz of polish on the buffer every few minutes. The restoration does an amazing job of bringing back the gloss. Stubborn areas may need a somewhat more aggressive approach. On my Bonanza, the paint around the lower windshield frame was particularly flat and took a lot of extra work. The belly also presented its own challenges, especially just aft of the exhaust stacks. Three decades and thousands of flight hours of hot exhaust really does a number on the paint finish. The results, however, were impressive. Those two spots didn’t end up with the same depth of gloss as the rest of the airframe, but there was significant and noticeable improvement. Each step is followed by a careful rubdown and further examination using the high-intensity light to ferret out any swirls, especially those left over from previous polishings. The final step is application of the ceramic coating, which comes in a very small bottle. In total, an airplane the size of a Bonanza will need only about 75 to 100 milliliters—less than three ounces. The coating is wiped on, allowed to dry for a few minutes, and then wiped off. The coating deepens the gloss even more and makes the surface unbelievably smooth and slippery—and adds UV protection. I’ve had to rethink some preflight procedures: carefully putting the fuel strainer down on the wing; same with the oil dipstick when adding oil. Otherwise, they’d slide right off. The RV–12 is similarly slippery and remarkably glossy. Six months later and 75 or so flight hours after the work, both airplanes still look terrific. I’ve ditched all the other cleaners and polishes I used before, especially to remove bugs from the leading edges. After flights, I use a spray bottle with water or the highly diluted no-rinse spray to wipe the bugs off. Occasionally I need a spritz of the citrus cleaner for a tough spot and to remove the belly grease. www.aopa.org/pilot AOPA PILOT | 95
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OWNERSHIP Zarifkar says the ceramic coating will remain intact and effective for years, assuming it is well cared for. An occasional wash, avoiding aggressive rubbing, and keeping other chemicals off the surfaces are about all that is required to maintain the finish. The result is a deep gloss and smooth surface that I thought not possible, especially on the Bonanza’s 30-year-old paint. The deep blue and red stripes look stunning. I had been thinking the airplane needed a new paint job. I’m now putting that off for years. AOPA EMAIL [emailprotected]
96 |
A BEFORE (top, right side) and after (top, left side) section of the Bonanza’s deep blue and stripes demonstrate the impact of the restoration process (top). The RV-12’s metallic finish dazzles after the ceramic application—and simplifies cleaning (above).
For more information, visit avianadetailing.com. And visit Zarifkar’s YouTube channel for helpful videos about the process. www.loveyourplaneagain.com
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Chicago Doctor Shakes Up Hearing Aid Industry
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ADS-B
Going global Satellite ADS-B might require equipment changes
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BLACK AIRCRAFT SYMBOLS represent many of the ADS-B mandates worldwide. The white symbol indicates Canada’s proposed mandate.
AS OF APRIL 1, nine months remain to equip for aircraft owners who must comply with the FAA’s Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast Out mandate. The FAA will require ADS-B Out for most flights after January 1, 2020, in airspace where a transponder is required today. And the technology is not coming only to the United States. In many countries around the world, mandates have been announced or are working their way through the regulatory process. ADS-B mandates have nearly doubled since we last looked at the topic (“ADS-B: International and Diversity,” January 2016 AOPA Pilot). And an innovation way over our heads—literally—might cause complications for aircraft that have to fly in some of this emerging ADS-B airspace. In early January a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California, delivered the final 10
Iridium NEXT satellites to low Earth orbit. That launch completed the Iridium NEXT constellation, with 66 operational satellites in orbit. Each carries an Aireon ADS-B payload. Aireon is a joint space-based ADS-B venture between Iridium Communications, Nav Canada, the Irish Aviation Authority, Italian air navigation service provider Enav, and Naviair—which provides air navigation services in Denmark, Greenland, and the Faroe Islands. Nav Canada is the partnership’s lead air navigation service provider. On February 7, Aireon formally received control of the final six payloads from Iridium. Aireon’s system was scheduled to go live in the first quarter of 2019, beginning with operational trials over the North Atlantic. Those satellites are a potential rub. Nav Canada’s proposed mandate requires antenna diversity—ADS-B antennas on both the bottom and top of the aircraft—to support www.aopa.org/pilot AOPA PILOT | 99
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ADS-B
5-nautical-mile aircraft separation using space-based ADS-B. Nav Canada will require 1090 MHz extended squitter (1090ES) ADS-B (the international standard; only the United States allows 978MHz universal access transceivers, and then only below Flight Level 180) compliant with RTCA DO-260B after January 1, 2024, although DO-260 or DO-260A can be used until then. Nav Canada’s Phase 1 would include all airspace above 18,000 feet msl, beginning January 1, 2021. On January 1, 2022, Phase 2 would add Class B airspace. (Canada’s Class B extends from 12,500 feet msl up to but not including 18,000 feet msl.) Phase 3 is less defined, expanding ADS-B as needed to “specific controlled airspace, en route or at an airport, starting no sooner than 2023.” A significant challenge for lighter GA aircraft is that only three ADS-B transponders currently support antenna diversity—the Garmin GTX 33D ES and GTX 330D ES, and the L3 Commercial Aviation Lynx NGT-9000. (Non-diversity GTX 33ES and GTX330 ES models can be
modified at the factory to include antenna diversity; a software unlock adds the capability to non-diversity NGT-9000s.) Nav Canada said the ADS-B Out performance requirements were determined after assessing issues and concerns raised by stakeholders, and that the proposed mandate would harmonize with U.S. and European ADS-B Out mandates. However, only the relatively small fleet of aircraft equipped with traffic alert and collision avoidance systems (TCAS II) have antenna diversity; neither the United States nor Europe has mandated the diversity capability as part of ADS-B. Rune Duke, AOPA senior director of airspace and air traffic, was quick to point out that Transport Canada has not yet approved Nav Canada’s request. “AOPA is continuing to work with COPA, the Canadian Owners and Pilots Association, to advocate for only justifiable airspace and equipage mandates. The diversity requirement would be significant if it was approved by Transport Canada. And as Nav Canada expands its mandate to lower airspace, around 2023,
we can expect a diversity requirement to affect more U.S. and Canadian GA.” Few small GA aircraft are equipped with TCAS II, Duke said. No current Canadian or U.S. regulation requires private operators to equip with it, although International Civil Aviation Organization rules require that all turbine-powered airplanes with a maximum certificated takeoff weight of more than 33,000 pounds (15,000 kg) or authorized to carry more than 30 passengers, with an individual airworthiness certificate first issued after Jan. 1, 2007, be equipped with an airborne collision avoidance system. “Nav Canada is still analyzing whether a low-altitude diversity requirement is warranted, and Transport Canada has yet to approve the initial phases of the rule that would govern the higher altitudes,” Duke said. “We are staying closely involved in this effort.” COPA expects further validation of bottom-only signal reception, said Bernard Gervais, COPA president and CEO. “There haven’t been enough tests to determine if the bottom-mounted antenna
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is enough for the required accuracy. “We are a little concerned because at this point, there’s no ground-based ADS-B [planned for Canada]. My transponder antenna points at the ground. I’m thinking the industry should be looking at something different,” he said. “If I got a top-mounted antenna on my aircraft, would I still be picked up by antennas on the ground?” Gervais thinks that for VFR aircraft not requiring IFR separation, a belly-mounted antenna could be enough. “There is still a lot to determine.” When Nav Canada expands ADS-B into Phase 3, which could include terminal airspace, he expects the agency to conduct a formal aeronautical study—normal any time a service is changed—and that COPA would be part of its stakeholder group. In late 2017, with only the first 15 ADS-B payloads in orbit, Aireon was busy evaluating preliminary satellite ADS-B data (see “ADS-B: Taking the High View,” January 2018 AOPA Pilot). The company saw a lot more aircraft than it expected. While noting that the system was designed to receive signals from
top-mounted transponder antennas, Aireon said that it can receive bottom-antenna-only 1090ES signals, depending on the angles and position of the satellite. For now, aircraft owners based in Canada—or American owners who have not equipped, and who want to ensure compliance with Canadian requirements—might want to hold off until the requirements are finalized. Unfortunately, the rapid approach of the FAA mandate might make this difficult. And owners interested in the FAA’s $500 ADS-B rebate (www.faa.gov/go/rebate) should not wait; in mid-February only 4,400 reservations remained. AOPA is not aware of any other national air service providers in the Aireon partnership that have announced ADS-B mandates requiring antenna diversity. THE REST OF THE WORLD
In Mexico, 1090ES ADS-B Out will be required beginning January 1, 2020, in Class A, B, and C airspace, and Class E above 10,000 feet msl. It is required now in Class E airspace over the Gulf of Mexico,
at and above 3,000 feet msl within 12 nm of the Mexican coast. The European Union will require 1090ES ADS-B Out by June 7, 2020, for IFR aircraft with a maximum takeoff weight heavier than 12,566 pounds (5,700 kg) or a maximum cruise airspeed faster than 250 KTAS. ADS-B coverage will be spotty in areas, and not fully integrated with air traffic management, in June 2020, but coverage will be nearly complete—and completely integrated—by December 2023. However, there currently is no clear and harmonized pan-European direction for GA surveillance equipage, which risks continued and even increasing GA equipment diversification across the European countries. Australia , China, Colombia, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, New Zealand, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, and Taiwan—among other countries—also require 1090 ES. AOPA EMAIL [emailprotected]
www.aopa.org/adsb
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TECHNIQUE
Taming the stall Slips, skids, and centering the ball
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UNCOORDINATED FLIGHT OCCURS when the relative wind is not aligned with the
longitudinal axis (as seen from above).
“I WAS CHECKING OUT IN THE CLUB’S Piper
Cherokee and whenever we stalled, the left wing dropped and it scared me. What happened?” As a flight instructor who specializes in spin training, I am often contacted with questions such as this. I have learned that what pilots fear most about a stall is the spin that results if the dance on the rudder pedals to keep wings level isn’t perfect. After all, we know that a spin results from uncoordinated flight and stalled wings, and inadvertent spins often don’t end well. Let’s consider this equation and ensure that our stalls are tame. Uncoordinated flight occurs when the relative wind, viewed from above the airplane, is not parallel to the longitudinal axis (see above). The result is an increase in drag and a decrease in cruise speed, so pilots typically strive for efficient, coordinated flight. Although a well-placed yaw string can be best at detecting a lack of coordination (see “Detecting Uncoordinated Flight,” p. 105,
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the inclinometer inside the turn coordinator usually does the job. For coordinated flight, keep the ball centered. While turning stalls might induce greater anxiety than those in level flight, there is no good reason for that as long as the flight stays coordinated. A banked turn with insufficient rudder deflection sends the inclinometer ball toward the inside of the turn and indicates a slip. Too much rudder input sends the ball to the outside of the turn and results in a skid. Stay coordinated by “stepping on the ball”— pressing on the rudder pedal corresponding to the direction the ball is deflected. That may sound easy, but remember that there are infinitely many ways to slip and skid but there is only one way to be coordinated. The slightest deflection of the ball from center means a lack of coordination. So what happens when a turning stall lacks coordination? In a slipping turn, the raised wing has a higher angle of attack; in a stall during a slipping turn, the raised wing www.aopa.org/pilot AOPA PILOT | 103
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TECHNIQUE
D.C.
ELECTRIC
D.C.
ELECTRIC
SLIP
L
R 2 MIN. NO PITCH
INFORMATION
SKID
L
D.C.
ELECTRIC
R 2 MIN. NO PITCH
INFORMATION
Figure 3. During a slip, the raised wing has wing a higher angle and THERE IS ONLY ONE WAY to be perfectly DURING A SLIP, the raised hasofaattack higher Figure 2. There is only one way to be perfectly coordinated but infinitely many ways tostalls first resulting in an “over the top” spin entry. coordinated but infinitely more ways slip (yellow) or skid (red). For many general aviation airplanes, pushing forward on theangle of attack and stalls first resulting in yoke/stick is at least as important as the rudder input.
to slip (yellow) or skid (red). For many general aviation airplanes, pushing forward on the yoke/stick is at least as important as the rudder input.
an “over the top” spin entry.
IN THE CLASSIC BASE-TO-FINAL SPIN ENTRY, the lower wing stalls first and the aircraft is upside down immediately. No one should see this view turning onto the final approach segment.
Coordination forms the razor-thin dividing line between slipping and skidding flight.
See how a skidding stall quickly inverts the aircraft and how the yaw string and the inclinometer in the turn coordinator often give the same information, in two online videos. www.aceaerobaticschool.com/videos
104 | AOPA PILOT April 2019
L
R 2 MIN. NO PITCH
INFORMATION
Figure 4. During a skid, the lowered wing has a higher angle of attack
DURING A resulting SKID,inthe lowered wing has a and stalls first an “under the bottom” spin entry.
higher angle of attack and stalls first resulting in an “under the bottom” spin entry.
stalls first, and the airplane may enter an “over the top” spin (see above). Slipping is an effective technique to combat a crosswind on landing or to lose altitude without picking up unwanted airspeed on final. But stalling during a slip can result in a spin, so take care to ensure that the angle of attack stays low when close to the ground. During a skidding turn, the lowered wing has a higher angle of attack; it stalls first and the result is an “under the bottom” spin entry (see above). Your body can detect this lack of coordination as well since, in a skid, it’s pushed to the outside of the turn. The same is true in a car: make a left turn on unbanked road and your body, just like the inclinometer ball in a skid, slides toward the right. What feels natural in a car, though, should never feel so in an airplane. While a slip is a valuable flight maneuver, there is no virtue in a skid. Still, accident reports show that pilots skid with disappointing regularity. The classic scenario is the traffic pattern base-to-final turn in which, possibly exacerbated by a tailwind on base, the aircraft is about to overshoot the extended runway centerline. Using excessive inside rudder to swing the nose of the aircraft toward the runway results in a dangerous skid in which the low wing stalls first. A skidding stall means the airplane is quickly
DETECTING UNCOORDINATED FLIGHT Between slipping and skidding Uncoordinated flight happens when the airflow, viewed from above, is not parallel to the aircraft longitudinal axis. A “yaw string” or “slip string” fixed to the airplane’s fuselage in view of the pilot can be an effective way to maintain coordinated flight by keeping the string parallel to the longitudinal axis of the airplane. Glider pilots often use yaw strings to stay coordinated in flight. The trouble with powered airplanes, especially the single-engine variety, is that it can be difficult to place the string so that it is unaffected by the engine slipstream. Fortunately, in most cases, the yaw string and the inclinometer in the turn coordinator give the same information. Multiengine pilots know that the inclinometer is not always a perfect way to detect uncoordinated flight. In an engine-failure emergency, a lack of coordination guarantees inefficiency in maintaining altitude or, worse, entering a spin if the angle of attack of the wings is high enough. During my training for the multiengine certificate, we taped a yaw string to the windscreen to achieve efficient, coordinated flight when one engine stopped running. We banked slightly toward the working engine and applied enough rudder to center the yaw string. The inclinometer ball was deflected about halfway out toward the working engine even though the centered yaw string confirmed coordinated flight. We noted both the bank angle and the extent of the ball deflection for practice or emergencies when the yaw string was not available. —CC
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inverted. At 400 feet above the ground, all the aerobatic prowess in the world won’t help, as anyone needs at least several hundred for the recovery. Here is an exercise that demonstrates the efficacy of rudder inputs near a stall. From slow flight, use back-pressure on the yoke to raise the angle of attack of the wings and hold the aircraft close to a stall. Use the rudder pedals to keep the wings level. This stall exercise shows that it can take some quick and extreme rudder deflections to keep the wings from dropping. After all, coordination forms the razor-thin dividing line between slipping and skidding flight. Of the two antidotes for a spin, coordinated flight and unstalled wings, the latter is far easier to achieve. Just push on the yoke and the spin is easily averted. No stall, no spin. When I teach spins and aerobatics, we stall the airplane in both slipping and skidding configurations. The first time, we let the airplane turn upside down and witness the full effect. Next up is a powerful and encouraging demonstration. We set up a slipping (or skidding) stall once more and as soon as the airplane is departing into the spin, apply a quick burst of forward yoke and note that the spin stops immediately. You can be on your way into the spin and it is never too late to stop it. Pushing forward on the yoke is key. Why not use your next flight review as an opportunity to increase your own confidence with stalls? For stall recovery in many general aviation airplanes, push forward on the yoke to lower the angle of attack of the wings, use rudder inputs to control roll tendencies, apply power to minimize altitude loss, and keep ailerons neutral as their effects can be unexpected. Be sure to check your own operating handbook to get the technique just right. Remember, although it’s always great to hone your rudder skills, the elevator is king when taming the stall and avoiding the unwanted spin. AOPA CATHERINE CAVAGNARO owns Ace Aero-
batic School in Sewanee, Tennessee (www. aceaerobaticschool.com), and is professor of mathematics at Sewanee: The University of the South.
106 | AOPA PILOT April 2019
P&E
SAVVY MAINTENANCE Savvy Maintenance coverage sponsored by AIRCRAFT SPRUCE
OPINION
|
Crimes and misdemeanors Cold starts are a culprit in engine damage
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INSULATED ENGINE covers help keep heat from escaping the engine compartment.
PREHEATING IS IMPORTANT. A single cold start without proper preheating can produce more wear on your engine in less than a minute than 500 hours of normal cruise operation. I’m often asked how cold it has to be before preheating is necessary. There’s no hard and fast answer, because the damage done by an unpreheated cold start depends on a variety of things, including the type of engine, its age and condition, and what kind of oil is being used. A brand-new or freshly rebuilt or overhauled engine is more vulnerable to cold-start damage than a tired old engine at TBO. Generally, I consider any start in which the engine is cold-soaked to a temperature below freezing (32 degrees Fahrenheit, or 0 degrees Celsius) to be a misdemeanor and any start below about 20 degrees F (minus 7 degrees C) to be a felony. The colder the temperature, the worse the crime (and the ensuing punishment).
A common misconception is that cold starts are bad for engines because the engine oil is thick and viscous and doesn’t flow well. Since it takes longer for oil pressure to come up when the oil is cold, the engine sustains excess wear in the early seconds after start because of inadequate lubrication. While this may be true of single-weight oils, it’s not true of the modern multiviscosity oils that are universally used today for cold-weather operations. Multivis oils such as 15W-50 or 20W-50 flow extremely well even at 0 degrees F (minus 18 degrees C) or less. Pilots who use multivis oils see their oil pressure come up quickly after starting in cold weather, and figure that everything’s OK. Wrong. IT’S THE CLEARANCE, CLARENCE
Actually, the biggest culprit in cold-start damage is that our engines are made of dissimilar metals with different expansion www.aopa.org/pilot AOPA PILOT | 107
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It’s not that the oil is thick—if you use multivis oil, it’s not— but rather that the clearance between the crankshaft and bearings is tighter than normal. coefficients. The crankcase, pistons, and cylinder heads are made from aluminum alloy, while the crankshaft, connecting rods, piston pins, and cylinder barrels are made from steel. Aluminum expands about twice as much as steel when heated, and contracts about twice as much when cooled. Consider your steel crankshaft, which is suspended by thin bearing shells supported by a cast aluminum crankcase. As the engine gets colder, all its parts shrink in size, but the aluminum crankcase shrinks twice as much as the steel crankshaft running through it. As temperature goes down, so does the clearance between the bearing shells and the crankshaft—and that clearance is where the oil goes to lubricate the bearings and prevent metal-to-metal contact. If there’s not enough clearance, then there’s no room for the oil, regardless of oil pressure. The overhaul manual for Continental 470/520/550 engines lists the minimum crankshaft bearing clearance as 0.0018 inch (that’s 1.8 thousandths) at room temperature. What happens to this clearance in cold temperatures? Tests performed in 1984 by Tanis Aircraft Products in Glenwood, Minnesota (where it gets mighty cold), showed that the crankshaft bearing clearance at minus 20 degrees F is reduced by 0.002 inch. In other words, a tight new engine built to Continental’s minimum specified bearing fit at room temperature would have a slightly negative bearing clearance at minus 20 degrees F. The crankshaft would be seized tight. You’ve probably noticed how difficult it is to pull the propeller through by hand before starting in cold weather. Now you know why. It’s not that the oil is thick—if you use multivis oil, it’s not—but rather that 108 | AOPA PILOT April 2019
TANIS TSP6 electric preheating system.
the clearance between the crankshaft and bearings is tighter than normal. If it’s cold enough, you might not be able to pull the prop through at all. Start an engine in this condition and you’re likely to experience accelerated bearing wear and possible scuffing of the crankshaft journals in the first minute or two of engine operation. In the extreme, it’s even possible for the bearing shells to shift in their saddles (a so-called “spun bearing”), starving the bearing of lubricating oil. This problem is at its worst with a freshfrom-the-factory engine built to the tightest new-engine tolerances. A tired, loose, hightime engine with worn bearings might well have plenty of clearance even at subzero temperatures. But, even if your engine is approaching TBO, you can’t afford to be complacent about cold starts. Inadequate bearing clearance is only one of the evils associated with cold starting. PISTON CLEARANCE IS A BIG DEAL
Consider what happens to your pistons and cylinders when you cold start an engine. Here, instead of a steel crank inside an aluminum case, we have an aluminum piston inside of a steel cylinder barrel. The clearance situation is reversed: Piston-tocylinder fit is loose when the engine is cold, and tightens up as the engine comes up to full operating temperature. The piston has relatively low thermal mass, so it heats up quickly. The cylinder is
massive and bristles with cooling fins bathed in frigid air, so it warms up slowly. The result is that the piston expands to its full operating dimension quickly after start, while the cylinder takes a lot more time to expand to its full operating diameter. The fit of the piston in the cylinder bore may become tighter than normal shortly after cold-starting when the piston has come up to temperature, but the cylinder still has a way to go. If it’s cold enough, the piston-to-cylinder clearance can go to zero, resulting in metal-to-metal scuffing between the piston and cylinder barrel. All the warm oil in the world won’t help if the crank-to-bearing or piston-to-cylinder clearances go to zero. To avoid this, it’s essential for a preheat to warm up the both crankcase and the cylinder barrels.
THE WORLD’S BEST PREHEAT
The best way to accomplish this is to put the airplane in a heated hangar overnight. After eight to 12 hours in a 40-degrees-F hangar, every part of the airplane is at 40 degrees F: the oil, the crankcase, the cylinders, the gyro instruments (gyros have their own cold-start issues), the windshield (so it won’t fog up the minute you breathe), and even the pilot’s seat (solving yet another problem). I’m based on the California coast where the weather rarely gets below freezing, but when I travel to the cold country, I always try to use the overnight-in-a-heated-hangar
method of preheating. Most FBOs charge between $25 and $100 to store my twin in their heated hangar overnight. Even at $100, it’s a bargain compared to the alternative (accelerated wear of two expensive engines). If I’ll be staying at a cold-weather airport awhile, I’ll arrange with the FBO to pull the airplane into the heated hangar the night before my scheduled departure. If it’s really, really cold out on the morning of departure, I’ve been known to preflight the airplane in the hangar, climb into the cockpit, secure the door, copy my clearance, and then have the line crew open the hangar door and tow the airplane out onto the ramp with me in it. As soon as they unhook the tug, I start the engines before they’ve had a chance to get cold-soaked. MULTIPOINT ELECTRIC HEATERS
Short of overnight in a heated hangar, the best preheating method is a multipoint electric heating system that has individual heating elements attached to the oil pan, the crankcase, and each cylinder. By plugging such a system into AC power about six hours before departure, you can be assured of warm cylinders, a warm case, and warm oil when you start up. Tanis first introduced these systems in 1974. Tanis systems consist of multiple electric heating elements connected by a wiring harness—one for each cylinder, one for the crankcase, and one for the oil pan. The original Tanis cylinder heating elements screwed into the threaded cylinder head temperature probe boss on the bottom of the cylinder head, but this created a conflict when an engine monitor was also installed, so the current Tanis TSP-series systems utilize a heated bolt that can substitute for either a rocker cover screw or an intake manifold bolt. The crankcase and oil pan heaters are flat silicone rubber heating pads that are glued to the engine with high-temperature RTV adhesive. The wiring harness terminates at an AC power plug that is usually mounted near the oil filler door in the cowling. You simply run an extension cord out to the airplane, plug in the preheating system, and let it cook for six hours or so prior to departure. www.aopa.org/pilot AOPA PILOT | 109
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*Certain points and purchases restrictions apply, see full Rewards Terms and Conditions for full details at AOPA.org/creditcard. 1 Rewards points can be redeemed for Cash Back or other items provided through AOPA Pilot Rewards. A Cash Back redemption is applied as a statement credit. The statement credit will reduce your balance but you are still required to make at least your minimum payment. A minimum of 2,500 points is needed to redeem for Cash Back. Values for non-cash back redemption items such as merchandise, gift cards, and travel may vary.
REIFF HOTBAND electric preheating system.
Reiff Preheat Systems of Atkinson, Wisconsin, offers a similar product called the HotBand system. In lieu of cylinder-head heaters, the Reiff system uses 50- or 100-watt heating elements on large stainless-steel clamps that mount on the non-finned portion of each cylinder barrel. The Reiff system also includes an oil pan heater, but not a crankcase heater—the cylinder barrel HotBands do a pretty good job of heating the crankcase, too. The Reiff system is less expensive to buy and easier to install than the Tanis. My A&P colleagues who live up in the cold country tell me they like the Reiff system for use in typical cold climates, but prefer the Tanis for aircraft based where it’s truly frigid. ENGINE AND PROP COVERS
If the temperature is not too cold and the aircraft is being preheated in a hangar, then a multipoint electric heating system may be all you need. If it’s really frigid or if you have to preheat outside on the ramp (particularly if it’s windy), then you also need some means of insulating the engine compartment and keeping most of the heat from escaping. At minimum, you’ll need an insulated engine cover. Although you may be able to make do with a quilted blanket, custom-fitted insulated covers are available from Bruce’s Custom Covers and other firms. In intense cold or windy conditions, the propeller becomes a major source of heat loss during preheating. Bruce’s offers insulated propeller and spinner covers to solve this problem. 110 | AOPA PILOT April 2019
If you’re making a quick turn, insulated engine and prop covers may eliminate the need for a preheat altogether. By installing the covers promptly after shutting down, engine heat can be retained for three or four hours even when the airplane is parked outside on a cold, windy tiedown. PLUG IN 24/7?
I’m frequently asked whether it’s OK to leave an engine-mounted electric preheater plugged in continuously. Both Continental and Shell have published warnings against leaving such preheaters on for more than 24 hours prior to flight. Their concern is that heating the oil pan will cause moisture to evaporate from the oil sump and then condense on cool engine components such as the camshaft, crankshaft, or cylinder walls, resulting in accelerated corrosion of those parts. In Continental engines, the starter drive adapter is particularly vulnerable. Tanis did a study on this some years back, and published a white paper that said, in essence, it’s OK to run an electric preheater 24/7 provided the engine is hooked up to an electric dehydrator system (e.g., Engine Saver, Black Max, EICU), but that if the crankcase contains moist air then it’s best not to plug in the preheater until six hours or so before you plan to go flying. AOPA MIKE BUSCH is an A&P/IA. EMAIL [emailprotected]
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P&E
NEVER AGAIN
Wild card A checkride derailed by one simple requirement
SARAH JONES
B Y K A R E N AT K I N S
THE WORLD OF AVIATION is full of thousands of rules and regulations. Some of these are more critical than others, but all are important to follow closely. I encountered one such regulation when I took my instrument rating checkride. I had been diligently practicing and studying for the checkride for more than a year. I had passed the knowledge test in February, and completed the hours requirements in March. I couldn’t wait for my checkride with the FAA examiner. He is near Chattanooga, Tennessee, at an airport nestled between two ridges and well-concealed by tall trees. You are almost on top of it before you see it. I’d been nervous for several weeks, but this spring morning I was in the zone. I left DekalbPeachtree Airport in Atlanta, wheels up at 8 a.m., heading northwest under a broken cloud layer at about 6,000 feet. I cruised northwest in the Cessna 182 at 4,500 feet, happily anticipating a successful outcome to the checkride.
I had told the FAA examiner to expect me at 8:45 a.m., and the wheels touched down at that small hidden airport at 8:45:09. Couldn’t have nailed that any better. It was a good omen. The examiner had tested me for my private pilot certificate almost two years earlier, and although he tests hundreds of pilots, he said he remembered me. He started the oral portion of the checkride by asking me what I needed, as pilot, to be legal and safe, what my airplane needed to be legal and safe. We reviewed the long instrument cross-country flight he had me plan ahead of time (from Chattanooga to Nashville), what I would do if I lost communications, chart symbols, weight and balance, and weather questions that typically only a meteorologist on Channel 2 action news would know. After a little more than two hours, he declared I knew my stuff. We headed out to the airplane to fly. I was starting to feel pretty confident. The examiner wanted to see a few things as he followed me around while I was doing
the preflight inspection. Is the registration on my airplane current (yes), did I have an identifier plate on the airplane (yes), did I have the pilot’s operating handbook in the airplane (yes), and on and on. All was good, until we got to one thing. My airplane has a Garmin GPS. When all else fails, you can always navigate by the magnetic compass. An airplane’s compass always needs to show any deviations caused by magnetic influences within the airplane—it’s a requirement for a compass correction card to be in the airplane, typically located on or by the compass. There are 12 cardinal compass directions that should be tested, and the deviations should be easily locatable on the compass in the airplane. My airplane is a 1978 model. I did not know if the magnetic compass was original to the airplane, but I have certainly seen the compass correction sticker attached to it. Honestly, I never paid much attention. On this day, the FAA examiner pointed out that the sticker only showed six of the 12 required compass headings. Half of the compass card sticker was missing. This old faded sticker looked like something from my grandpa’s toolshed. Sometimes you can’t “see” what is right in front of you. I have photographic and video evidence dating back to when I first bought the airplane that shows the bottom half of the sticker was never there, and neither me, nor my instructors, nor anyone who flew with me ever noticed. Until the FAA examiner noticed on checkride day. So, we couldn’t fly legally. What happened next is called a discontinuance—meaning, after I got this darn compass thing corrected, I could go back and complete the flight portion of the exam. And I have been happily (and safely) flying in the clouds ever since. AOPA KAREN ATKINS is an instrument-rated pri-
vate pilot who lives in Atlanta, Georgia.
HEAR THIS and other original “Never Again” stories as podcasts every month on iTunes.
“Never Again” is presented to enhance safety by providing a forum for pilots to learn from each others’ experiences. Email “Never Again” submissions to [emailprotected].
www.aopa.org/pilot AOPA PILOT | 113
DETAILS
40,000+
The number of people who have downloaded the AOPA app.
News & Notes MEMBERSHIP
Introducing Pilot Passport
New feature for the AOPA app encourages you to get out and fly ONE OF THE BEST PARTS OF FLYING is discovering the amazing places you can go. Wouldn’t it be great to share your flying adventures with friends, family, and other pilots? Now you can, with AOPA’s Pilot Passport—a new feature within the AOPA app to encourage you to take to the skies and share your love of flying. The AOPA App, the award-winning mobile application that allows members and aviators to stay up to date on the latest AOPA news, videos, podcasts, and events, will soon feature a check-in functionality. Going flying today? Check in on the app.
Stopping at an airport for a $100 hamburger or to play a round of golf? Check in on the app. Planning on visiting several airports in one day and want to brag about it? Check in on the app. Found a cool airport on your vacation? Check in on the app. The Pilot Passport feature, which will be released in April, encourages you to seek out and keep track of the interesting and exciting details on the places you fly. You can share this information with others (Ask for Stan at the FBO), add photos (We saw the coolest old Stinson on the field), give advice to other pilots (That’s a great patty melt at
GET THE APP
the on-airport restaurant), and even assign a rating (I’m putting this on my top 10). Pilots will be able to earn digital badges, encouraging some competition—let’s see who can visit the most airports this month! The app, which is free from iTunes and Google Play stores, also gives users news stories and features from AOPA Pilot and Flight Training magazines, shows AOPA Live video segments, and includes four different podcast series. Users can add or search events in the aviation calendar, which is searchable by event type, location, and date range. In addition, members can manage their memberships through the app, and nonmembers can access the content as a guest or sign up to become a member. Pilots receive alerts through the app about nearby temporary flight restrictions. Based on the phone’s geographic location, pilots will be notified of TFRs within their vicinity. EMAIL [emailprotected]
IT’S EASY AND FUN TO PARTICIPATE:
• Explore new airports and places to fly. • Check in through the app. • Track your progress. • Earn points and badges. • Participate in challenges. Join the eightieth anniversary challenge and win great prizes. More details to come!
The AOPA App is the perfect pilot companion for aviation enthusiasts who are on the go. Through the AOPA App, you can access all the flight information you need and stay up to date on the latest aviation news and TFR alerts, as well as check out videos from AOPA Live, listen to AOPA podcasts, search for events, connect with other pilots, and manage your AOPA membership. The Pilot Passport feature will be introduced in April—don’t miss out on the flying fun.
114 | AOPA PILOT April 2019
Flight Time ü Logbook endorsement ü Flight proficiency ü Aeronautical knowledge exam ü Pilot Protection Services
Is your checklist missing something? We know the common questions new pilots may have—we’ve been been there too, and over 64,000 AOPA pilots trust us to help answer when help is needed. PPS coverage is for more than accidents or incidents: • general operating and flight rules • rental agreement reviews • flights for compensation or hire • special use airspace
Learn moreaopa.org/pps or call 800.872.2672 Available for membership levels with Pilot Protection Services coverage
NEWS & NOTES
MEMBER SERVICES
TIPS FROM PIC |
The process is easy When it’s time to renew your BasicMed course B Y M A R I A N N E H AY S TWO YEARS HAVE PASSED since BasicMed took effect, providing many airmen the opportunity to self-assess with their physician without needing medical certification from the FAA. Under BasicMed, pilots may fly aircraft up to 6,000 pounds, with up to six occupant seats. This includes helicopters, multiengine, and retractable-gear aircraft. You will be able to fly to your favorite destination day and night in VFR or IFR conditions. Altitude is limited to 18,000 feet msl with 250 knots indicated airspeed. You’ll still need a current medical certificate if flying for compensation or hire, other than
AOPA FINANCE |
Ask Adam
as a flight instructor. Flight instruction with compensation may be conducted under BasicMed. If you’ve been fortunate enough to have been operating under BasicMed since May 2017, you will find it’s time to renew your BasicMed health assessment course (basicmedicalcourse.aopa.org). If you checked the box when you completed the exam the first time, you will receive a reminder from AOPA. The process is easy. Simply go online to aopa.org and click on the BasicMed link. You will need to log in as a return user with your username and password. Not to worry if you can’t remember, as you can always reset your password. Simply go through and refresh your knowledge of the course, then complete the test. You’ll print a new completion certificate, replace it in your logbook, and fly. You can also store the completion certificate electronically, as long as you can provide it to the FAA upon
request. It’s that simple; nothing more to do for another two years. Please give AOPA a call with questions, Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Eastern time, 800-USA-AOPA (872-2672). MARIANNE HAYS is an aviation medical spe-
cialist in the AOPA Pilot Information Center.
IMPORTANT BASICMED DATES For an airman to act as pilot in command under BasicMed rules: Within the previous 48 months he or she must have received a physical examination by a state-licensed physician who followed and completed the FAA’s comprehensive medical examination checklist. The airman must have completed the online course within the previous 24 calendar months.
How to maximize your rewards Get points with the new AOPA World Mastercard
ADAM MEREDITH
AOPA Aviation Finance
Q: Is it possible to prepay my loan?
A: Some lenders do have prepayment penalties but still allow additional principal payments to be made. Typically, the prepayment penalty is only for the first 24 months of the loan and runs about 1 to 1.25 percent of the original loan balance. Additional principal payments can be made during the time that the prepayment penalty is in place as long as the payments are within the specific lenders’ guidelines. For information about aircraft financing, visit the website (www.aopafinance. com) or call 800-62-PLANE (75263).
116 | AOPA PILOT April 2019
Make the most of your time and money with the new AOPA World Mastercard and get rewarded for the purchases that matter to you. Here are three ways you can maximize your rewards. Don’t have the new AOPA World Mastercard? Visit aopa.org/creditcard to apply now. 1. Use your rewards program to your advantage. You earn up to 4 percent cash back on select AOPA purchases, purchases from AOPA partners, and purchases in aviation-related categories. Your categories don’t change every quarter, so it is easy to remember where your earning potential is greatest. 2. Choose cash back. The AOPA credit card allows you to redeem your points for gift cards, travel, merchandise, and other rewards. With cash back as a statement credit, you will get the best return for your reward since, in some cases, you are receiving up to 4 percent on your purchase. 3. Use your reward points well before they expire. Three years can fly by before you know it. Make a habit of redeeming your points so you don’t miss out on your earning. Visit www.commercebank.com/aopapilotrewards for details on exclusions and bonus point categories.
EXPLORE AIRPORTS: Our new tool gives you all the resources you need to discover your next adventure. PLAN YOUR FLIGHT: Get predictive fuel warnings and weather or geographical briefings along your route with our Flight Planner.
SAVE WITH AOPA TRAVEL DISCOUNTS: Save on rental cars and hotel bookings. Make AOPA Travel Discounts your first stop.
EXPLORE THE WORLD FROM THE AIRPORT OUT.
AOPA.ORG/TRAVEL
NEWS & NOTES
AOPA AIR SAFETY INSTITUTE
A familiar route turns deadly
NO TIME TO RUSH
The lessons learned from ‘Blind Over Bakersfield’
The hazard of distraction during taxi
BY ALICIA HERRON
You are probably familiar with your airport’s most common taxi routes. CharlieAlpha-to 29R? Easy. Bravo to fuel? No problem. But the comfort of a familiar taxi can make even the best pilots complacent during critical ground operations. Watch the AOPA Air Safety Institute’s Pilot Safety Announcement Rundown Feeling for insight into what could happen if you aren’t vigilant. How can we mitigate risk during ground operations and avoid a runway incursion, or worse? Limit distraction during taxi—and the temptation to cut corners on your way to or from the runway—with planning and discipline. Plan your run-up area before taxi. And after you land, commit to running your checklists at a full stop clear of the runway. A successful flight begins long before the hold-hort lines, and great pilots are always attentive. Respect the taxi and don’t become distracted during ground operations—the results could be dire. www.airsafetyinstitute.org/psa/ rundownfeeling
NEW FROM ASI
THE AOPA AIR SAFETY INSTITUTE’S latest analysis, Accident Case Study: Blind Over Bakersfield, begins on a December afternoon in 2015. A pilot, his wife, and their three children depart from San Jose, California, and begin the journey to their hometown of Henderson, Nevada, for a friend’s surprise party. But soon after departure, the flight encounters forecast weather for which the VFR-only pilot is ill-prepared. A series of troubling decisions, which are analyzed in depth in the video, lead the pilot to fly into instrument conditions. Instead of what was to be a joyous holiday vacation, the resulting spatial disorientation ends in a loss of control in flight and tragedy. While the general aviation accident rate per hours flown is decreasing, VFR into IMC remains a leading factor in fatal crashes. Why do pilots unequipped for the challenge of instrument flight fly VFR
118 | AOPA PILOT April 2019
into IMC? Is it an overestimation of skill, an underestimation of the seriousness of IFR flight, or a combination of both? What about other factors, such as self-induced pressure to complete the flight—or, in the case of Blind Over Bakersfield, to arrive at a party? The next time you fly VFR, consider taking a safety pilot or instructor and refresh your instrument skills. If you’re with a CFI, go a step further than basic instrument flight—why not deliberately give yourself spatial disorientation? Then, force yourself to fight through and see how well you do; the experience might give you a different perspective on flight in IMC. Watch the video (www.airsafety institute.org/ACS/blindoverbakersfield) and then share lessons learned to help others avoid a similar fate. Video brought to you by SiriusXM. EMAIL [emailprotected]
SAFETY NOT GUARANTEED: FATAL FLIGHT TRAINING ACCIDENTS Accidents can happen unexpectedly—even with the safety net of a CFI on board. Learn more by reading the Fatal Flight Training Accidents 2000-2015 report created by the AOPA Air Safety Institute and Liberty University. www.airsafetyinstitute.org/fataltraining-accidents
ARE YOU PROFICIENT ENOUGH FOR THE BACKCOUNTRY? Want to learn more about backcountry flying and how to improve your piloting skills? Check out the AOPA Air Safety Institute’s new free seminar, Peaks to Pavement: Applying Lessons from the Backcountry, in a city near you. www.airsafetyinstitute.org/ seminars
AOPA
PREMIER MEMBERSHIP MORE OF WHAT YOU WANT FROM AOPA!
Experience a higher level of AOPA benefits, services and savings when you upgrade your membership today. • Priorityaccess to AOPA Pilot Information Center aviation specialists
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OPA Navigator • A one‑on‑one membership conciergeservice
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NEWS & NOTES MEDICALLY SPEAKING
PILOT PROTECTION SERVICES
|
A bump on the noggin
Head injuries and medical certification THE ONLINE MEDXPRESS medical application, used by all of us who periodically apply for an FAA medical certificate, includes a section that asks about any history of medical conditions. Several of those items can be tied to things that happen “behind our faces and above our throats,” as the band Twenty One Pilots might say. “Frequent or severe headaches,” “dizziness or fainting spells,” “unconsciousness for any reason,” and “neurological disorders; epilepsy, seizures, stroke, paralysis, etc.” are conditions that will attract your AME’s attention, and ultimately the FAA’s as well. In the world of aerospace medicine, two organ systems are high on the list that keeps the regulators on their game. Cardiovascular and neurological pathology represent the failure points that produce some of the highest risk for medical impairment and incapacitation. Head trauma is scary because sometimes a bump on the head that causes a big goose egg, a bruise, a little blood, and a mild headache at the time of the injury could be
BY GARY CRUMP
Pilot Protection Services
harboring a much more serious problem a few days or weeks down the road. Already in 2019, I have spoken with two AOPA members who suffered what appeared to be “mild” head injuries—one from a short fall off a ladder while cleaning roof gutters and another from a fall while bike riding. Neither lost consciousness for more than a few seconds (the time they were “seeing stars” immediately after the incidents). Within days after those injuries, both went to the emergency department with headaches and cognitive deficits. Imaging studies determined that they had both experienced intracranial bleeds secondary, probably, to the previous head trauma. One required surgery to take care of a small blood clot, a subdural hematoma, and the other recovered without the need for surgical intervention. Several factors play into the certification decision making once the FAA sees a history of head injuries on the MedXpress application. Concerns about
personality changes; neurocognitive performance deterioration; persistent post-traumatic or post-concussion symptoms that can result in severe headaches, vomiting, spatial disorientation, or altered sleep patterns; and post-event seizure or epilepsy are at the forefront of the risk assessment process. Traumatic brain injury is generally classified as mild, moderate, or severe. Duration of loss of consciousness or alteration of consciousness, presence and duration of post-traumatic amnesia, presence or absence of skull fracture, and brain contusions and/or free blood in the brain (intracranial bleeding) can determine how long a recovery period is required before a pilot could be considered safe to fly. At the low end of the scale, a mild head injury with short duration symptoms could still require a six-month grounding. For someone with a severe head injury, a no-fly period of up to five years is the policy. In most cases, neurocognitive testing will be required to determine the presence of any postevent deficits. GARY CRUMP is the director of medical
certification for AOPA’s Pilot Information Center.
www.aopa.org/pps
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Do you have questions or need information about an aviation topic? Access the team of aviation experts in our Pilot Information Center during our convenient weekday hours. Call 800-USA-AOPA (872-2672) Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. until 6 p.m. Eastern time, with your questions and our staff will be happy to assist you. Visit the website (www.aopa.org/premierplus) to learn about upgrading to our AOPA Premier Plus membership.
120 | AOPA PILOT April 2019
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ADVERTISER INDEX
Page
Internet • Telephone No.
1st Source Bank
T-3
www.1stsource.com/aircraft • 574-235-2037
A Simpler Time
125
www.asimplertime.com • 888-851-9088
Aerotrek
126
www.aerotrek.aero • 812-384-4972
Aerox
126
www.aerox.com • 800-237-6902
Aero-Space Reports
109
Advertiser
Page
Internet • Telephone No.
Daher
7
www.tbm.aero • 954-993-8477
David Clark
5
www.davidclark.com • 800-298-6235
Delaware Registry, LTD.
126
www.delreg.com • 800-321-CORP
Double Eagle Aviation
125
www.2-eagle.com • 800-505-0148
www.aerospacereports.com •
DR Chipper
125
Aircraft Specialties Services 33
www.aircraftspecialties.aero • 800-826-9252
DR Power
126 www.drpowergrader.com • 877-201-9272
Aircraft Spruce & Specialty 25
www.aircraftspruce.com • 877-4SPRUCE
10 www.atpflightschool.com/acpp • 470-231-2877
Airline Transport Professionals Airplanes USA
126
Aloft Technologies
106
AmSafe
www.airplanesusa.com • 847-331-3133 www.clarityaloft.com •
89 www.amsafe.com/airbag-systems/soars/ •
AOPA Foundation
93
www.aopa.org/legacy • 301-695-2320
AOPA Services AOPA Air Safety 121 Institute FIRCs www.aopafirc.org • 800-638-3101 AOPA Aviation Finance T-17, 105 www.aopafinance.org • 844-674-2761 AOPA Flexible Aviation Loan
91 w ww.aopa.org/financemytraining •
AOPA Fly-In/Frederick
19
www.aopa.org/fdk1 •
AOPA 80th 39 Anniversary Book www.aopa.org/freedomtoflybook • AOPA Pilot Gear
122
AOPA Pilot Guides
92 www.opa.org/pilotguides •
AOPA Pilot Protection 115 Services AOPA Premier Membership
www.aopapilotgear.com • www.aopa.org/pps • 800-872-2672
119 www.aopa.org/premier • 800-872-2672
AOPA Sweepstakes
98
www.aopa.org/sweeps •
AOPA Travel
117
www.aopa.org/travel •
AOPA World 28, 99, 103, 107, 110 Mastercard www.aopa.org/creditcard • Arcticair ASA Aspen Avionics
126
www.arcticaircooler.com • 229-271-7905
13 www.asa2fly.com/faraim • 40, 41
www.aspenavionics.com •
Assured Partners 90 Aerospace, LLC/Renters Insurance www.aopa.org/assuredpartners • 888-255-2672 Avemco
27
www.avemco.com • 800-276-5208
Ball Watch
23
www.ballwatch.com • 888-660-0691
BendixKing
47
www.bendixking.com •
Blackhawk
T-4, T-5
Bose Aviation
17
Bristell Aircraft
124
www.blackhawk.aero • 866-254-1457 www.bose.com/a20 • 888-757-9985 www.bristellaircraft.com •
California Aeronautical 106 University www.calaero.com • CIES Corporation
109
Cruiser Aircraft
48 www.cruiseraircraft.com/trainbetter • 772-918-8242
www.ciescorp.com • 541-977-1043
www.drchipper.com • 877-201-9272
Endeavor Awards
102 www.endeavorawards.org •
Epic Aircraft
T-13
Faro Aviation Technologies 42 Flight Design
FreeFlight Systems
www.flyfaro.com • 855-359-3276
109 www.flightdesignusa.com • 860-963-7272
Flying Physicians Association 125 ForeFlight
www.epicairaft.com •
www.fpadrs.org • 936-588-6505
9 www.foreflight.com/3dview • T-20 www.freeflightsystems.com •
Garmin Communication Cover 4 & Navigation www.garmin.com/generalaviation • 913-397-8200 Generac
127 www.generacspeedwash.com • 800-731-0418
Genesys Aerosystems 8 www.stec3100.genesys-aerosystems.com/aopa • Harbor Freight Tools
111
www.harborfreight.com • 800-423-2567
Headsets, Inc.
126
www.headsetsinc.com • 800-876-3374
Icon Aircraft
T-8 - T-9
Jet Warbird Training Center 124
www.iconaircraft.com • www.jetwarbird.com • 505-471-4151
L3 Commercial Aviation Cover 2 www.l3commercialaviation.com • Lancair
100
Lycoming
96
Magnus America
126 [emailprotected] • 703-748-7188
MD Hearing Aid
97 www.getmdhearingaid200.com • 800-730-2801
www.lancair.com • 866-LANCAIR www.lycoming.com/tbo •
Mid-Continent Instruments 37 www.truebluepowerusa.com • Muhle Glashutte/sa Ocean Aviation
11 • 727-896-4278 125 www.flyoceanaviation.com • 410-213-8400
Pacific Health
45
Pilots Choice
126
Piper Aircraft
Cover 3
www.claroxan.com • 855-820-4055 www.pilotschoice.com • 512-869-1759 www.piper.com • 772-299-2403
Preferred Airparts, LLC
126 www.preferredairparts.com • 800-433-0814
PS Engineering, Inc.
101 www.ps-engineering.com • 800-427-2376
Robinson Helicopter
35
Sandy’s Airpark @ Sporty’s 125
www.robinsonheli.com • 310-539-0508 www.sandysairpark.com • 800-908-4359
Schweiss Doors
125 www.schweissdoors.com • 507-426-8273
Sigtronics Corporation
46
SiriusXM Aviation Skysight
3 127
www.sigtronics.com • 909-305-9399 www.aopa.org/siriusxm • www.skysight.com • 918-671-2945
Smartsky Networks T-7 www.smartskynetworks.com/lite • 800-660-9982 Sporty’s Pilot Shop
15 www.sportys.com/flightcrew • 800-SPORTYS
Stauer
49
Sun ‘n Fun
112
Tana Wire Markers
125 www.tanawiremarker.com • 573-796-3812
uAvionix
21
Worldwide Steel Buildings 126
www.stauer.com • 800-333-2045 www.flysnf.org • wwwuavionix.com • www.wsbhangar.com • 800-825-0316
AOPA Pilot magazine (ISSN: 0001-2084), April 2019 (Vol. 62, No. 04), is produced and distributed monthly by the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, 421 Aviation Way, Frederick, Maryland 21701. Distribution restricted to AOPA members, those in aeronautical education (faculty and schools), libraries, and the news media. U.S. membership dues are $79, of which $26 is for an annual subscription to AOPA Pilot. Foreign membership dues $99. Single copy price $8.95. Subscription rates to qualified organizations are $26 per year in the United States, its territories, and possessions. All funds payable in U.S. dollars only. Periodicals postage paid at Frederick, Maryland, and at additional mailing offices. Postmaster: Send address changes to AOPA Member Services, 421 Aviation Way, Frederick, Maryland 21701. Publications Mail Agreement No. 41147511. Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: PO Box 1051, Fort Erie, ON L2A 6C7. For change of address: Call 800-USA-AOPA or email [emailprotected] www.aopa.org/pilot AOPA PILOT | 123
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Fighting corrosion BY KATHLEEN DONDZILA KING A METAL AIRCRAFT, like any metal object, is inherently prone to corrosion. The rate of deterioration is affected by the aircraft’s age, environment, and maintenance. Hangaring, frequent washing, and regular treatment with rust inhibitors can help dramatically in slowing corrosion. A thorough visual inspection will reveal most corrosion; refer to Advisory Circular 43-4B for detail. Look for grayish-white powder on aluminum and reddish deposits on ferrous metals. Bumps or blisters in paint signify corrosion under the surface; filiform corrosion, common on aluminum that has been poorly prepared for painting, looks like cottage cheese under the paint. Pay close attention to the trailing edges of control surfaces, and the inside of wheel wells on retractable models. Checking for damage inside the aircraft is more difficult but necessary. Remove all inspection plates and use a mechanic’s mirror and a flashlight. Examine the propeller, cylinder fins, fuel tanks or bladders, piano-type control hinges, and the battery box. Light surface corrosion can be removed with abrasion, then application of a corrosion inhibitor, and then paint. If corrosion affects a significant amount of metal, replacement of the part is usually the only solution. Contact AOPA with questions Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Eastern time, 800-USA-AOPA (872-2672), or email, [emailprotected]. AOPA Dear readers: After 30 years, I’m closing my AOPA flight plan and retiring. This is my last “Answers for Pilots” column. It’s been a privilege and a pleasure to write these articles in response to your inquiries. I wish you clear skies ahead. —Kathy KATHLEEN DONDZILA KING is AOPA’s
technical communications manager and an instrument-rated private pilot.
124 | AOPA PILOT April 2019
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www.aopa.org/pilot AOPA PILOT | 127
PILOTS TAILWHEELS AND HEELS
Judy Birchler The lady still loves taildraggers B Y J I L L W. TA L L M A N
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WHO | Judy Birchler HOURS | 1,600 CERTIFICATES AND RATINGS | Private pilot FAVORITE AIRCRAFT | Super Cub EXTRA | Ladies Love
Taildraggers left a stiletto and a thank-you note at each FBO visited during the 2018 flyout. Some of those shoes are still on display.
IF YOU SEE AN AMERICAN CHAMPION DECATHLON on the ramp with a pair of sti-
128 | AOPA PILOT April 2019
This year’s Ladies Love Taildraggers fly-in will be held October 3 through 6 at Natchitoches Regional Airport (IER) in Natchitoches, Louisiana. For more information or to register, visit the website (www.ladieslovetaildraggers.com).
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letto shoes planted next to it, the airplane and the shoes might belong to Judy Birchler of Indianapolis. Ladies Love Taildraggers—the online community Birchler founded so that she could meet other women who share her passion for conventional-gear airplanes—turns 10 years old in 2019. Growing from about 100 members in 2009 to more than 2,000 today, Ladies Love
Taildraggers celebrates tailwheel aircraft and the women who fly them. In addition to hosting a forum where pilots can talk about their aircraft, each year the group hosts a flyin or a fly-out so that members can meet in person and, of course, fly their airplanes. Ladies Love Taildraggers also provides scholarships; recipients can earn an initial taildragger endorsement or become more proficient in some other aspect of tailwheel flying, such as aerobatics or backcountry flying. Tricycle-gear pilots are warmly welcomed into the community. “How [else] are you ever going to build something when so few women are flying taildraggers?” Birchler said. “I really encourage all women to come [to the fly-ins] and participate, and, if nothing else, take a ride around the patch with the other ladies to see what it’s about. I would like to offer every nosewheel pilot the chance to earn a tailwheel endorsement.” The FAA doesn’t break out the number of active women pilots who also have tailwheel endorsements. The agency estimates that in 2017—the latest data available—there were 42,694 active women pilots. If even 15 percent have tailwheel endorsements, that equals approximately 6,404 women; 20 percent would be 8,539. Tailwheel flying opens the door to so many different types of flying—backcountry and aerobatics, not to mention many vintage and almost all antique aircraft, Birchler said. “There really are no negatives to flying [taildraggers],” she said. “With a little skill and finesse, there’s only positives.” A pilot since the age of 19, Birchler owns and flies the Decathlon, and her husband, Boyd, flies an RV–7. After being diagnosed at age 33 with Type I diabetes, Birchler used Sport Pilot privileges to fly Light Sport aircraft, including an Aeronca Champ and a Rans S–7. She qualified for BasicMed and promptly bought the Decathlon. “It was as exciting as the day I soloed,” she said of transitioning to the new airplane. What about the stiletto shoes? Ladies Love Taildraggers members displayed them in front of their airplanes during 2018’s fly-out, and “that turned out to be the most awesome thing,” Birchler said. “Everywhere we went, people loved that. They’d walk up and down the ramp and hoot and holler at all these stilettos.” AOPA
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