Feb. 24, 2012

$2.95 • February 24, 201264th year. No. 4

GAN fuels expert visits Swift Fuels P. 15

GA Security Blog debuts P. 12

Defending GA by the numbers P. 10

The magic of mentors P. 22

A Focke Wulf’s resurrection P. 18

Flying the Evektor Harmony

PERIODICALS - TIME-SENSITIVE DATED MATERIALS

2 General Aviation News — 800.426.8538 February 24, 2012

Phot

o co

urte

sy V

ikin

g Ai

r

February 24, 2012 www.GeneralAviationNews.com • facebook.com/ganews 3

Viking Air of Victoria, BC, Canada, has named Wipaire Inc. of Saint Paul, Minnesota, a Factory Endorsed Service Center for the Twin Otter Series 400 (pic-tured) and legacy de Havilland fleets.

Wipaire has been engineering and man-ufacturing floats for more than 50 years, including Wipline model 13000 floats certified for the Viking Series 400 Twin Otter, and has engineered several Sup-plemental Type Certified modifications for legacy Twin Otters, Viking officials noted. Wipaire offers maintenance, repair, VIP interior design and installation, and exterior paint refinishing.

Viking launched the new DHC-6 Twin Otter Series 400 production program in 2007, and has a production backlog esti-mated at more than $350 million. Viking provides OEM support for the worldwide fleet of de Havilland heritage line of air-craft (DHC-1 through DHC-7).

VikingAir.com, Wipaire.com

Officials at Raisbeck Engineering report that sales continued to grow in 2011 for the third straight year, follow-ing 2008’s industry-wide setback. Total aircraft receiving one or more Raisbeck Performance Systems topped 161 world-wide, with an additional 99 newly manu-factured King Air 250s and 350s receiving Raisbeck Systems on Hawker Beechcraft production lines, officials said. Projected sales for 2012 are expected to increase at least an additional 18%, not including the volume expected from Raisbeck Engi-neering’s new Lear Jet 60 AFT Fuselage Locker, company officials said.

Raisbeck.com

In more positive economic news, the latest Aviation Industry Hiring Trends survey from aviation job distribution net-work JSfirm indicates that aviation com-panies hired more people than they laid off last year — and expect to hire even

more this year. According to JSfirm man-ager Jeff Richards, 85% of companies surveyed expect to hire this year.

Avionics and maintenance jobs will be the most in demand, according to the survey. Pilots came in third, while other companies will be looking to hire engi-neers, quality assurance personnel, cus-tomer service representatives, and sales and marketing professionals.

JSfirm.com

The runway extension project at Flor-ida’s Pompano Beach Airpark (PMP) is now complete. The airpark’s main run-way, 15-33, has been extended by 500 feet to its current length of 4,918 feet, which allows for an increased level of safety during takeoffs and landings, according to officials.

MyPompanoBeach.org

The 2012 FAASTeam Safety Stand-down will debut at this year’s Sun ’n Fun, focusing on loss of control-inflight,

identified as the number one cause of fa-tal general aviation accidents over the last decade.

The recently videotaped program is hosted by FAA Research Psychologist Dr. Katrina Avers and includes interviews with FAA Director of Flight Standards John Allen, accident survivor Barry Hyde, and three experts, including well-known CFI Rich Stowell. The program looks at four actual scenarios from the perspec-tives of preflight, aeronautical decision-making, and stick and rudder skills.

After its March 31 debut at Sun ’n Fun, the program will be presented at more than 90 locations across the country.

FAASafety.gov

Registration is now open for the Iowa Aviation Conference in West Des Moines April 25-26.

The Iowa Department of Transporta-tion’s (DOT) Office of Aviation and Iowa Public Airports Association (IPAA) host the annual conference to help promote a

strong air transportation system in Iowa and to benefit airports, aviation business-es, and government agencies in the state, according to officials.

IowaDOT.gov

In addition to its “Plane Talk” on IMC Radio, IMC Club has opened another broadcast channel: IMC Radio 5. De-signed as a weekly platform for leaders in general aviation, it began its first weekly episode Feb. 7 with host Jason Blair, exec-utive director of the National Association of Flight Instructors (NAFI). The weekly spotlight will air live each Tuesday at 10 a.m. Eastern and will also be available as a podcast on iTunes and other Internet media.

“Plane Talk” is heard on Wednesdays from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m., Eastern, stream-ing over IMCRadio.webs.com and IMC-Clubs.org.

IMCClubs.org

Sporty’s has released a free app for the 2012 International Women in Aviation Conference, slated for March 8-10, in Dallas. The app contains everything from registration information to schedules and a map of the exhibit hall. The app works on all iPhones, iPads and iPods.

Sportys.com, WAI.org

Actor Paul Walker, star of “The Fast and Furious” movies, will narrate “Air Racers 3D,” the first IMAX 3D theater film about the Reno Air Races.

The movie explores the highly com-petitive world of air racing through the eyes of rookie pilot Steve Hinton as he at-tempts to fly his P-51 Mustang to victory in the most highly-anticipated and unpre-dictable race class. Principal photography for the film took place during the 2009 and 2010 Reno National Championship

Briefing

PubLIShER

Ben Sclair | 800-426-8538

[email protected]

EDITORIAL

Janice Wood, Editor | 888-333-5937

[email protected]

Meg Godlewski, Staff Reporter | 800-426-8538

[email protected]

CONTRIbuTINg WRITERS

Jamie Beckett • Dean Billings • Todd Huvard

Dan Johnson • Paul McBride • Deborah McFarland

Kent Misegades • Dennis Parks • Charles Spence

Drew Steketee • Ben Visser • Bill Walker

General Aviation News accepts unsolicited editorial

manuscripts and photos but is not responsible for return

unless submissions are accompanied by a stamped, self-

addressed envelope.

PubLIShERS - 1970-2000

Dave and Mary Lou Sclair

[email protected]

ADVERTISINg SALES - DISPLAy

Larry Price | 888-735-9379

[email protected]

Mickey Price | 888-735-9379

[email protected]

ADVERTISINg SALES - CLASSIfIED

Dodie Stiefel | 800-426-8538

[email protected]

PRODuCTION & WEb DEVELOPMENT

Russell Kasselman| 800-426-8538

[email protected]

buSINESS OffICE & SubSCRIPTIONS

Kathleen Elsner-Madsen | 800-426-8538

[email protected]

General Aviation News makes its subscription list available

to other companies for their products and services. To be

excluded from such offers, send a copy of your mailing

label to General Aviation News, Attn: Mail Preference

Service, PO Box 39099, Lakewood WA 98496.

READER INfORMATION

General Aviation News is a publication of Flyer Media,

Inc. General Aviation News endeavors to accept only

reliable advertisements, but shall not be responsible

for advertisements nor are the views expressed in those

advertisements necessarily those of General Aviation

News. The right to decline or discontinue any ad without

explanation is reserved.

General Aviation News (ISSN 1536 8513) is published

semimonthly by Flyer Media, Inc., 7504 86th Street SW.,

Suite 150, Lakewood, WA 98498. Periodicals Postage

Paid at Lakewood, Washington, and additional mailing of-

fices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to General

Aviation News, POBox 39099, Lakewood, WA 98496-

0099. Publications mail agreement number 40648085.

Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to P.O. Box

1051, Fort Erie, ON L2A 6C7. Courier delivery: 7504

86th Street SW., Suite 150, Lakewood, WA 98498 Phone

numbers: 800-426-8538, 253-471-9888. Fax: 253-471-

9911. E-mail: [email protected].

Internet: www.GeneralAviationNews.com.

Cash or Check MasterCard Visa

1 year - $35

2 years - $55

Charge will appear as Flyer Media Inc. on your credit card statement

Please allow 4-6 weeks for delivery of first issue. Canada - add $10 ad-ditional postage per year. First Class postage (U.S.) - $78 per year. The subscription rate is $85 per year for countries outside of Canada and Mexico. All payments in U.S. dollars. Washington State residents add 8.5% sales tax.

Card# Exp.

Name

Company

Address

City, State, Zip

Billing address if different from above

Address

City, State, Zip

Put GAN in your hand!

Sample copy only $4.50 Mail completed form to P.O. Box 39099, Lakewood, WA 98496-0099

General Aviation News • 64th Year, No. 4 • February 24, 2012 • Copyright 2012, Flyer Media, Inc. • All Rights Reserved.

BRIEFING | See Page 4

Phot

o co

urte

sy S

port

y’s

The Gilliland brothers with their instructors Erin Cappel (left) and Tim Miller.


A.C. Propeller Service ...................... 37Adlog (Aerotech Publications) ............ 6Adventure Pilot LLC ......................... 32Aero Ski Mfg Co Inc ........................ 37Aerocet Inc .................................... 34Aerox Aviation Oxygen ..................... 35Aircraft Door Seals .......................... 33Aircraft Spruce & Specialty .............. 40Airforms ......................................... 33Airpac Inc ...................................... 37Airplane Things ............................... 36Alaska Airmen’s Association............. 29Alaskan Bushwheel ......................... 33AOPA Membership Publications ........ 13Aviation Insurance Resources .......... 35Avionics Shop Inc ........................... 32AviPro Aircraft ................................. 26B/E Aerospace .................................. 5Brackett Aero Filters Inc .................. 33Brown Aviation ............................... 33Cannon Avionics ............................ 32Cee Bailey’s Aircraft Plastics ............ 34Currituck County Regional Airport ..... 26

Desser Tire & Rubber Co ................. 34Dynon Avionics ................................. 8Eagle Fuel Cells Inc ......................... 34Ehrhardt Aviation Agency ................. 35Electroair ......................................... 6Floats & Fuel Cells .......................... 34General Aviation Modifications ........... 9Genuine Aircraft Hardware Inc .......... 36Gibson Aviation ................................ 8GippsAERO .................................... 25Great Lakes Aero Products .............. 36Headsets Inc. ................................... 5Hi-Fold Door Corp. .......................... 35Hillsboro Aviation Inc. ...................... 28Hooker Custom Harness .................. 37Intermountain Air ............................ 36Kitfox Aircraft .................................. 27KS Avionics Inc ............................... 32Lincoln County Regional Airport ........ 26Lumberton Regional Airport ............ 26MatchBox Aeronautical Systems ...... 26Micro Aerodynamics ........................ 12Montana Aviation Conference .......... 26

MH Oxygen Systems ....................... 14Nevada Aircraft Engines LLC ............ 15Niagara Air Parts ............................... 9Northwest Propeller Service ............. 37Optima Publications LLC .................. 32Pacific Coast Avionics ...................... 27Pacific Oil Cooler Service ............ 31,35Para-Phernalia ................................ 35Pegasus Farms ............................... 38Pegasus Farms ............................... 38Petersen Aviation ............................ 34R & M Steel ................................... 12RJ Tutt Aviation ................................. 9RMD Aircraft Inc. ............................ 36Rosen Sunvisor Systems LLC ........... 33Schweiss Doors ......................... 35,37Sheltair Aviation ............................. 35Sky Ox Limited ............................... 34Stewart Aircraft Finishing Systems ...... 9Suffolk Executive Airport .................. 26Sun ‘n Fun Fly-In .............................. 2Survival Products Inc. ...................... 15Tanis Aircraft Products ..................... 33

U-Fuel ........................................... 34Univair Aircraft Corporation ........... 7,35Wings Pilot Shop ............................ 36Wings West Governors .................... 36ZD Publishing Inc ............................ 35Zephyr Aircraft Engines .................... 33

A D V E R T I S E R I N D E X

Air Races. The film is expected to be in theaters in April.

AirRacers-TheFilm.com

The North Carolina Department of Transportation’s Division of Aviation re-cently awarded $1.85 million in Federal Block Grant funds to Smith Reynolds Airport (INT) in Winston-Salem for a taxiway improvement project.

The state also recently awarded $400,000 in State Aid to Airports funds to Triangle North Executive Regional Airport (LHZ) in Louisburg for a termi-nal area expansion project. The funds will

be used to acquire land for the expansion, which will include additional hangars and an aircraft parking apron.

NCDOT.gov/Aviation

After spending 2011 traveling the globe with world-renowned aviators, Breitling’s #1 Naval Centennial Limited Edition Air-wolf timepiece is being auctioned online to benefit the National Flight Academy. The auction ends at 5 p.m. Eastern Feb. 29.

Starting bid is $15,000 for the auction package, which includes: #1 of 500 num-bered Naval Centennial Limited Edition Airwolf watches, worn by aviators in a global journey that was initiated with

Commander Mark Kelly on the Space Shut-tle Endeavour’s last flight into space in May; the official Avia-tors’ Flight Log Book, which ac-companied ev-ery pilot on each individual flight; and a presenta-tion of this pack-age by Mark Kelly to the highest bidder of the auction.

Proceeds from the auction will create

the “Breitling Scholars” program at the National Flight Academy, which uses im-mersive learning techniques to enhance Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education through aviation-inspired scenarios and simula-tion.

Breitling.com, NationalFlightAcademy.com

BRIEFING | From Page 3

Two brothers soloed within an hour of each other at Sporty’s Academy earlier this month at Clermont County Airport (I69) in Ohio.

Will and Andrew Gilliland each soloed in Cessna 172 Skyhawks. The brothers are students in the University of Cincinnati’s Professional Pilot Training Program.

“While Will may have bragging rights in terms of being first around the pattern, Andy executed three excellent landings and brother Will was first to offer his con-gratulations,” says Eric Radtke, president of Sporty’s Academy.

The unusually mild February weather brought out dozens of other pilots and in-structors to observe the rare event of two family members soloing on the same day.

“In another twist, Andy’s endorsing in-structor was Tim Miller. Andy happened to be Tim’s first solo endorsement — con-gratulations Tim. And congratulations to Erin Cappel who got the festivities started with her solo endorsement of Will.”

UCClermont.edu, Sportys.com

Solo times two at Sporty’s Academy

ClarificationThe plane depicted on the cover of

the Jan. 27 issue is a Douglas AD-4N Skyraider. It is still for sale through Courtesy Aircraft.

Courtney and John at Greeneville Downtown Airport in South Carolina.

Phot

o by

Mon

ica

Park

kone

n


The folks at Greenville Downtown Airport (GMU) in South Carolina know a thing or two about young love. That’s why they were all so accommodating when Courtney Blackwell asked airport authorities if she could surprise her fi-ancee, John Harmon, by taking their en-gagement photos at the airport.

You see, John is crazy about aviation.The two met while working in the same

office in Greenville, but they lived in dif-ferent cities — Courtney in Westminster and John in Chesnee. Each city is about an hour from Greenville — in opposite di-rections. So while dating, the pair would meet after work at GMU’s observation area where they would watch the aircraft and have dinner.

John has been a member of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) for four years, even though he has never flown in a general aviation airplane. He has loved aviation since he was a little boy

and his aunt used to take him to the area’s commercial airport, Greenville Spartan-burg International Airport (GSP), before security made it impossible to see avia-tion in action. He said he loves to learn about aviation and would go through pilot training — if money were no object.

Courtney bought John a scanner for Valentine’s Day one year, so they could hear the air traffic control tower employ-ees and pilots interact.

And this year, right before Valentine’s Day, Courtney contacted authorities at the Greenville Downtown Airport to see if she could surprise her fiancee with having their engagement photos taken at the airport. The airport and others immediately opened their doors and planes to the couple.

Hank Brown with Greenville Jet Center allowed them out on the ramp and into the flight planning room and other places to take photos. Airwolf Aviation Services, a flight school, and Mint Air let them have

photos taken inside their planes. They also got to visit the control tower.

And John may finally get his chance to fly a plane. Michele L. Rash, director of op-erations for Airwolf Aviation Services, has donated a Discovery Flight to both John and Courtney as an engagement present.

“One of them can ride in the back while the other flies,” she said. “We’ll go to an-other airport, switch places, and the other can fly back. Congratulations!”

Courtney and John will be married April 28.

GreenvilleDowntownAirport.com

Love is in the air

All pilots who fly into Lakeland-Linder Regional Airport (LAL) next month for Sun ’n Fun will qualify for a Fly-In Pilot Discount package.

Discounts for the show, which is slated from March 27-April 1, include $30 for a daily ticket if pre-ordered online.

In addition, each fly-in pilot will receive

a Welcome Packet that includes a free Souvenir Program, Campus Map & Info Guide, voucher for a free draft at Sunset Grill, and a $2 off coupon for a Sun ’n Fun T-Shirt (redeemable at on-site mer-chandise tents only). The PIC receives an “I Flew to Sun ’n Fun 2012” hat (provided to the first 2,500 pilots).

Also, new pilots who received their li-censes between April 1, 2011, and April 1, 2012, will receive a welcome rate of $30 for a daily ticket.

Sun ’n Fun also is joining forces with its local avgas provider, Columbia Air Services, which will bring in nine addi-tional fuel trucks and more than 40 fuelers

so that no one waits for gas, according to Sun ’n Fun officials.

Pilots flying in are encouraged to check the website for FBOs along the way that advertise special offers. Check the “Fly-In” tab and then choose “Getting Here” to find an FBO on your route.

Sun-n-Fun.org

Sun ’n Fun unveils incentives for pilots flying to airshow

Phot

o co

urte

sy F

AA

The old Seattle Class B has gone from an upside down wedding cake to an emerald shape.


By MEG GODLEWSKI

If your family outgrows your home and relocating is not an option, you remodel. That metaphor applies to airspace too, which is why Seattle’s Class B airspace was recently redesigned.

“The previous Class B airspace design in the Seattle area had become outdated and resulted in an inefficient use of air-space,” said Mike Fergus, Public Infor-mation Officer for the Seattle office of the FAA. “To increase safety and maximize the efficiency of overall airspace resourc-es, a new design was planned.”

As traffic increases, so does the possi-bility of conflict, noted Fergus.

While aircraft on IFR flight plans have the benefit of Flight Following from ATC, VFR pilots who do not take advantage of ATC services are on their own to maintain separation. In congested airspace, that can be a challenge. The VFR/IFR separation was a big part of the Seattle redesign, said Fergus.

“The old design allowed IFR glide slopes to exit controlled airspace and then reenter as it proceeded down to the airport,” he said. “This exposed those controlled aircraft to VFR uncontrolled flights with potential for conflict. The new design keeps the glide slope entirely in-side controlled airspace.”

Some pilots in the Pacific Northwest

were taken by surprise when they picked up the new charts in December and saw the changes. They shouldn’t have been, noted Fergus, as the redesign work began in 2007 and followed a formal rulemaking process.

Among the most noticeable change was the raising of the floor of the key-shaped Bravo south of Seattle-Tacoma Interna-tional Airport (SEA) from 1,600 to 1,800 feet. The airspace is sandwiched between the Class Delta of Joint Base Lewis-Mc-Chord (TCM) and Tacoma Narrows Air-port (TIW).

In the past, pilots had the choice of flying approximately 1,000 to 1,500 feet above the Interstate, subdivisions and in-dustrial parks or altering their course for a longer route, with careful attention paid to ground landmarks or the GPS to be sure they didn’t clip the Bravo.

“The altitude to the south of Sea-Tac that changed by 200 feet was based on the glide-slope altitude for aircraft arriv-ing at Sea-Tac,” he explained. “That area has seen an increase in VFR traffic and we were trying to better serve the VFR pilots by allowing them an area to transit around Class B.”

Pilots who are not fans of controlled airspace will be happy to know that the redesign reduced the Class B by approxi-mately 194 square miles, but still retains existing features familiar to local users.

“Where possible, this design aligned Class B boundaries with existing VOR NAVAIDs and geographical features, re-sulting in improved boundary definition,” he said, noting this makes navigating around and through the airspace easier for all pilots. “It is important to note that existing IFR traffic — primarily SEA tur-bojet traffic — routes and altitudes did not change as a result of this airspace modifi-cation,” he said.

Formerly, the familiar blue lines on the sectional featured a cylindrical design that evoked an image of an upside-down wedding cake.

Now it is more squared off, with local pilots saying it is reminiscent of an emer-ald, which some noted is fitting as Seattle is known as “The Emerald City” in some circles.

FAA.gov

Seattle Class B redesigned

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Throughout 2011, the National Transportation Safety Board conducted a study of Experimental Amateur-Built (E-AB) aircraft to evalu-ate the safety of this growing segment of general aviation. In addition to using the information gathered during its accident investigations, the NTSB has been work-ing with the FAA, the Experimental Air-craft Association (EAA), and individual owners and builders to evaluate a range of issues unique to this popular segment of general aviation, NTSB officials said.

“The cooperation we have received from EAA and the E-AB community has been tremendous,” said NTSB Chairman Deborah A.P. Hersman. “Through this

study, we hope that we’ll be able to give the innovators and aviators in the commu-nity information about accidents that will result in a real and immediate safety pay-off for them when they are flying these aircraft.”

As part of the study, NTSB investiga-tors conducted in-depth investigations of 222 E-AB aircraft accidents that occurred during 2011. Fifty-four of these accidents resulted in 67 fatalities. Most of these ac-cidents (93%) involved amateur-built air-planes, the remaining accidents involved gyroplanes (4%), helicopters (2%), and gliders (1%). Accidents occurred in 44 states, with California (18), Texas (16), and Florida (14) accounting for the most.

More than half (53%) of the accidents in-vestigated in 2011 involved E-AB aircraft that were bought used, as opposed to hav-ing been built by the current owner.

The EAA supported the study by con-ducting a web-based survey of E-AB owners and builders. More than 5,000 E-AB owners and builders responded to EAA’s survey, and 4,923 of these re-sponses were sufficiently complete to use in analyses, according to NTSB officials. Most respondents (97%) described E-AB airplanes, while gliders, gyrocopters, and helicopters were each described by slight-ly less than 1% of the respondents.

About 63% of respondents had already built their E-AB aircraft, 13% were cur-

rently building their E-AB aircraft, and nearly 24% had bought used E-AB air-craft. More than 340 distinct makes of amateur-built aircraft were reported, al-though kit manufacturers accounted for more than 55% of the reported aircraft.

“The NTSB is extremely pleased with the number of respondents who partici-pated in the survey,” said Dr. Joseph Kol-ly, Director of the Office of Research and Engineering. “The survey data provides us with quantifiable, factual information that enriches our understanding of how E-AB aircraft are built and operated.”

The safety study is scheduled to be completed in the spring of 2012.

NTSB.gov

Data collection completed on experimental accidents


TMGo Fly!

N-BD4

N-LA

N-RV4

N-RV6A

NRV7A

W

N-RV8

N-RV9

N-RV10

N-SR

N-SNX

PiperSport

www.DynonAvionics.com

SkyView Integrated Primary Flight Displays, Synthetic Vision, GPS Navigation, Engine Monitoring, Transponder,

Autopilot, and Traffic.

Let Gibson Aviation Return to Service your Cylinders in Overhauled, Yellow Tagged Condition for $345.00. Cylinders must be crack free and the bore must be in manufacturer’s specifications for return to service. The price is inclusive of all parts stationary in the cylinder. (Valve Guides, Seats, Studs, Bushings, etc.) Any moving parts, (Valves, Pistons, Rings, etc.) constitute an additional charge which varies from each different make & model.

For additional charges we can supply rings, gaskets and any other related parts you may need.

Same Day Shipment for Exchange Stud Assemblies(Ready to install valves, etc.)

$445.00

Complete Assemblies also Available, Call for Price for Your Make & Model. New or Serviceable Parts as Requested.

$345.00 Overhaul of Your Cylinders.

(See Below)

Prices Effective 1-1-9

2 Working Day Turnaround

“The Name to Remember for Aircraft Engine Parts and Service”

Serving General Aviation Since

1970

Phone: 1-800-992-4880 1-405-262-4880Fax: 1-405-262-2959E-mail: [email protected]

A few of the 35 original entries for this year’s competition (above); last year’s winner (right).

Phot

os c

ourt

esy

CAE


Original artwork entries in the 18th an-nual CAE Horizons of Flight Aviation Art Exhibition and Competition are on dis-play through April 27 at the CAE Simu-Flite Training Centre in Dallas, Texas.

The juried competition was first held in 1993 and is one of only two non-military aviation art competitions and exhibitions in the United States, according to CAE of-ficials.

Awards will be presented in March.The 2010-2011 Best of Show was

awarded to Ardell Bourgeois for his oil painting “Dove of War,” which depicts a Rumpler Taube (Dove) aircraft as it cruis-es in the light of dawn over the stalled Western Front in 1914.

CAE.com

Art competition entries on display

After 23 short-term extensions, both chambers of Congress finally passed a four-year funding bill for the FAA.

While the $63 billion bill allows the FAA to move ahead with long-term work on the Next Generation Air Transporta-tion System (NextGen), a priority for the agency, it also contains some provisions that make general aviation advocates hap-py, including protections for residential Through The Fence (rTTF) access.

RTTF access is defined as homes with attached or adjacent aircraft hangars with access to airport taxiways and runways. Hangar home owners with rTTF access pay similar fees as airport users and sup-port the airport with fuel and service pur-chases, advocates note.

Rep. Sam Graves (R-Mo.) led the charge for rTTF access in the FAA fund-

ing bill, said Brent Blue, organizer of Through TheFence.org, who noted that support from the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) and Oregon’s state and federal legislative representatives also was instrumental in having rTTF lan-guage in the long-overdue FAA reautho-rization bill.

“Congressman Graves, who not only was able to force a Transportation and Infrastructure Committee hearing on the topic, championed the inclusion into the legislation, as well as several other gen-eral aviation issues which will help the fu-ture of small aircraft in the United States,” Blue said.

RTTF access became an issue about five years ago when FAA staffers decided that hangar homes were an incompatible use of adjacent airport property, Blue noted.

The rTTF language in the new bill protects airports from losing airport improvement grant funds from the FAA due to past, cur-rent, or future rTTF agreements.

Another provision in the bill, also cham-pioned by Graves, a pilot, aircraft owner and co-leader of the House General Avia-tion Caucus, mandates the preservation of vintage aircraft design data for 1,257 makes and models of aircraft built in the United States from March 1927 through November 1939.

The amendment also removes the claim of “trade secret” status to vintage aircraft drawings and grants access through a Freedom of Information Act request to anyone who wishes to examine or copy the drawings for non-commercial pur-poses.

In addition, it relieves surviving holders

of the Approved Type Certificate from li-ability for use of the data.

According to officials with the Aviation Foundation of America, very few of these aircraft are still being manufactured today and very few of the original manufactur-ers are still in business, yet thousands of the aircraft still exist in private collections and continue to be restored, maintained and flown.

Over time much of the technical data was scattered through various govern-ment offices and storage facilities, which meant locating the data for purposes of restoration, repair or continued airworthi-ness inspections grew increasingly diffi-cult, foundation officials note, adding the FAA adopted a policy that made obtaining the data very difficult.

ThroughTheFence.org, FAA.gov

FAA bill includes protections for GA

Cessna

Our FAA/STC fix forTCM Critical Service Bulletin“CSB 02-2C” could save you

more than $3,000.00 over OEMCheck our Web Site for details

Starter AdapterOverhaul Kits

Available

“CALL TODAY - FLY TOMORROW”

6 Cyl4 Cyl

800-565-4268 or visit us onlinewww.niagaraairparts.com

Exchange Starter Adapters Available “NOW” at no extra charge

‘HAND PULL” CLUTCHFOR CONTINENTALS

Delco-Remy 1971890R$195.00 exchange

FAA accepted as “directreplacement” for original

copper cooleron PA-18 / 19 / 20 / 224lbs lighter and 50%

more cooling

streCeerFstreCeerF

CONTINENTAL STARTER ADAPTER SPECIALISTS

“Certified” Brand New Oil Coolers

New5 roller versionavailable

For 1955 thru 1976 model100, 200, 300 series

For most LycomingsIncludes body, shaft

and impellerscomplies with

AD96-09-10

Don’t Repair - Replace at a Fraction of OEM costNo Core required!

Save time, money and shipping expensesGet everthing you need in one package!

Used, metal contaminated, fatigued/crackedoil coolers are a lot like old cylinders.

Both belong in the scrap heap! You can’t makeold new again!

300/360/470/520/550 series engines

WindowLatches

“CALL TODAY - FLY TOMORROW”

RJ Tutt AviationPA46/31-CE300/400-BE58/58PInitial/Recurrent Flight Training

Stockton, CA (KSCK)

Serving the West Coast for 12 Years

209.478.6075/[email protected]

www.rjtuttaviation.com


WASHINGTON, D.C. — After long and often contentious efforts to work out a safe way for LightSquared to build a network of about 40,000 land-based tow-ers in the U.S. for high-speed wireless transmissions — without interfering with GPS — the battle seems to be nearing a satisfactory conclusion for general avia-tion and others using GPS.

The Federal Communications Commis-sion is expected to rescind a conditional waiver issued to LightSquared last year after it was informed Feb. 14 by the Na-tional Telecommunications and Informa-tion Administration (NTIA) that there is no practical way to prevent interference of GPS frequencies from the planned LightSquared network. A condition of the waiver was that LightSquared prove its proposed LTE network wouldn’t interfere with frequencies used by GPS.

Those who depend on GPS, including general aviation, immediately objected to the waiver, especially after testing consis-tently showed that LightSquared’s trans-missions interfered with GPS. In fact, one test showed it interfered with 75% of GPS navigation devices.

LightSquared officials argue that GPS manufacturers rigged the tests, using spe-cial or obsolete devices that would show interference, as well as not including fil-ters that could prevent the interference. In a prepared statement, company officials said the FCC should take the NTIA’s rec-ommendation “with a generous helping of salt.”

The FCC won’t make a final decision until it has heard public comments.

Craig Fuller, president of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, welcomed the FCC’s decision as another example of the growing recognition of general avia-tion and the value of all flying.

“Pilots use GPS in all phases of flight from takeoff through landing, and GPS-based approaches permit all-weather ac-cess to some 2,000 airports not served by ground-based systems,” he said. “Ongo-ing work to modernize our air traffic in-frastructure will only increase our reliance on GPS, so keeping the system accessible and free from interference is critical to en-suring that we continue to have the safest aviation system in the world.”

GPS is the basis for the Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen), which will replace radar with satellites. The FAA and the aviation industry have already invested more than $8 billion in NextGen.

Long-term planning and contracting for development of NextGen has been slowed because of disputes between the Senate and the House over union voting in

transportation businesses and other issues that prevented long-term financing since 2007. Those disputes led to 23 short-term extensions in the agency’s funding. A long-term reauthorization bill was finally hammered out and recently signed by the president, which includes $11 billion for NextGen.

Worries about LightSquared’s plan and possible interference with GPS led to a recent House Aviation Subcommittee hearing where John Porcari, Deputy Sec-retary of Transportation, testified to the importance of GPS, citing its value not only to aviation but also to first respond-ers, search and rescue, weather tracking, earthquake monitoring, national security, and more. Porcari said the FAA intends to work with NTIA to draft new GPS inter-ference standards, adding the agency has already spent $2 million testing Light-Squared’s network.

Rep. Tom Petri (R-Wis.), chairman of the subcommittee, declared he was

pleased with the protective plan Porcari said the Department of Transportation will pursue to protect GPS. He added that “efforts must be made to ensure aviation safety and efficiency benefits made pos-sible by the GPS system are preserved.”

Also testifying at the hearing was Full-er, who warned that interference with GPS signals could jeopardize the fundamental technology in airspace modernization ef-forts, pointing out that there is no viable backup system in the event GPS becomes inaccessible to general aviation.

Although definitely on a positive path, the fight between aviation interests and LightSquared over GPS is not totally set-tled as LightSquared has indicated it will continue to struggle for a solution. But if the FCC restriction follows through, LightSquared might have to cancel its plans for a $14 billion wireless system.

Charles Spence is GAN’s Washington, D.C., correspondent.

A death knell for LightSquared’s plans?

Capital CommentsCharles Spence


LETTERS TO THE EDITORA USER FEE FOR POLITICIANS?

All the stories about user fees causes me to think perhaps there should be a user fee that applies specifically to politicians.

What I have in mind would be a fee for each speech.

On a national level, giving a speech might cost, say, $100,000. Fees at the local level would graduate downwards, based on whether it is a state, county, or city politician, and the population the individual either represents or desires to represent. Things like debates, which are really nothing but a series of campaign speeches, at the national level would cost each candidate a flat $1 million each.

The positive effects include a better understanding on the part of politicians of just how fair user fees really are and, given the number of speeches given, a significant drop in the national debt. A side benefit would be a decrease in global warming, due to a huge drop in hot air.

JIM B. BELCHERvia email

A SPITFIRE PURIST, PART III have just read through my letter on the

Spitfire close reproduction that you were kind enough to publish on the Letters page of the Jan. 27 issue of General Avia-tion News that arrived today (A Spitfire purist). I do hope that fellow enthusiasts will find it informative, in addition to be-ing entertaining.

However, I am taking cover behind my computer desk to await the incoming

bricks hurled at me by surviving World War II USAAF veterans.

Sadly, your editorial blue pencil went off heading long enough to alter my piece to state that the Eagle Squadron flyers transferred over to the United States Air Force. Not so — the United States Air Force did NOT come into being until 1947 and it would have been around 1942 that the Eagle Squadron flyers transferred to the US 8th Air Force. In my letter to you I wrote USAAF and those are the initials of the United States Army Air Force.

Those young fellers of the Greatest Generation are extremely proud to have served in the US Army Air Force that of-ten flew into airborne hell over Europe and so they will be very much “bent out of shape” to see my apparently incorrect titling laid upon them.

I’d be most grateful if you would do those fellows the honor of giving them the recognition they deserve by correctly referring to the USAAF.

Many thanks,JIM NEWMAN

via email

Editor’s Note: As Mr. Newman de-tails, it was an error made by the editor while editing the letter to fit into the space provided. To all those who served in the

USAAF, please accept my apologies — and hurl all bricks at me, not Mr. New-man! — Janice Wood

RIP: DAVE RUSHLOWSorry to hear of the passing of a true

aviation ambassador. I have heard of “Big Fred” but never had the pleasure of a ride. I’m sure Dave is up there flying “Unlim-ited.”

There’s a lesson here: Make sure you get a little time with these guys, we won’t miss them until they’re gone. And all those wonderful stories will be lost.

ERIC BARNHILLvia GeneralAviationNews.com

MY MENTOR JACK BROWNJack Brown, the oldest mentor in my

life that I can recall, passed away late last year at 93. I am sad when I think about him! He was about 27-28 years old when I knew him and I thought of him kind of like an older brother.

I knew Jack Brown in the years 1946-1947 after he came home from World War II and opened a bike shop on the south side of Garfield Street just a few doors from the entrance to what was then Pa-cific Lutheran College (PLC) and is now Pacific Lutheran University (PLU).

I was 12-13 years old in those years

with a paper route and spent a lot of time visiting and talking with Jack, about all kinds of stuff. Jack sold me a brand new Deluxe Schwinn Cruiser bicycle for my paper route that I was convinced I needed. He wasn’t convinced, and we both knew the bike was too expensive. I also knew he had to make money on the deal, so we talked, and talked, and he worked it out for both of us. The bike was “over-kill” but a dream to ride and would easily carry three full bags of papers on Sunday mornings (two sidesaddle and one on the handlebars). I think Jack was as proud of it as I was.

I probably haven’t seen Jack since about 1948. I started flying at Spanaway as a 14 year old in 1948 by bumming rides and helping out at the field. I later got my pi-lots license, owned and flew a retractable, turbocharged, pressurized Cessna Sky-master that was about the same class as the Schwinn — too expensive, but what a ride and joy to fly.

As a pilot, I subscribe to many avia-tion magazines. When Jack’s obituary appeared in the Jan. 13 issue of General Aviation News and it was mentioned that he once used to run a bike shop, and also later learned to fly at Spanaway, I knew I had found my good friend from long ago.

I will always remember Jack as a good friend who was always a joy to visit with, and was a great mentor for a young kid.

JESS BROWNINGvia email

See more on mentors on page 22.

Have something to say? Send comments to [email protected] or fax 858-712-1960. Include your full name, address and telephone number (for verification purposed only). Please limit comments to 250 words or less.

Guest EditorialRené Banglesdorf

The private aviation industry is an often misunderstood and under-valued resource of the American economy. Without it, many of the best companies in the country wouldn’t be half as productive as they are.

It was all over the news when the Big Three car manufacturers were lambasted for flying private jets to attend Congres-sional hearings, but the vast majority of Americans weren’t privy to the reasons for the CEO’s method of travel.

It saddens me that the very people who jump on the bandwagon to attack private aviation are the ones who have the most to lose. A CEO forced to fly commercial — which makes him or her much less ef-fective — directly impacts the company’s bottom line and, ultimately, its employ-ees. A CEO not closing a big deal means production cuts, quotas missed and, ulti-mately, jobs lost.

The world of private aviation is not the same as the luxury yacht market. The ma-jority of times, private jets are used as es-

sential business tools, not the sexy means of arrival for a junket. Disallowing use of this business tool hurts every American in a global economy when we need every competitive advantage we have.

From a business standpoint, private avi-ation is a win-win. It enables you to travel in the most efficient way, without security queues, layovers or distractions in the air-port or on the plane. When you have sev-eral team members traveling together and you factor in their hourly wages and how much time is wasted in traveling on com-mercial airlines, it becomes cost-effective as well. You’d be surprised to learn how many small- and mid-sized companies have used this competitive differentia-tor to expand their business footprint and grow, even in a down economy.

If you value the impact of meeting face-to-face, shaking hands, and inking deals in person, business aviation is an impor-tant asset to consider. For instance, if a team from a Dallas-based company needs

to visit a client’s facility in Fort Stockton, Texas, and then meet with the company’s executives in San Antonio, there are sev-eral options:

They can pile into two SUVs and drive:Time: 7 hours to drive to Ft. Stock-

ton; have the meeting. Spend the night. 5 hour drive to San Antonio; have the meeting; then a 4 hour drive back to Dallas.

Cost: 2 Vehicles, 1,000 miles of driving, 6 full tanks of gas: $360; 36 meals, average $20 per meal: $720; 6 hotel rooms, $150 per night: $900; lost productivity: 80 man hours in two days, just in driving, $8,000 (at a conservative $100 per man hour)

Total Cost of Trip: $9,980.

They can fly commercially:Time: 1 hour at airport, 1 hour flight

to Midland International Airport (MAF), 2 hour drive to Ft. Stock-ton; have the meeting. 2 hour drive back to MAF, 1 hour at airport. 1 hour flight to San Antonio. Spend the night. Have the meeting. 1 hour at airport, 1 hour flight back to Dallas.

Cost: 18 airline tickets @ $200 per

ticket, $3,600; two rental cars, $50; 30 meals, $600, 6 hotel rooms @ $150 per night, $900; lost produc-tivity: 60 man hours in two days: $6,000.

Total cost of trip: $11,150.

They can fly privately:Time: 1.5 hour flight to Ft. Stock-

ton, 10 minute drive to facility, have the meeting; 10 minute drive back to airport, 1 hour flight to San Antonio, have the meeting at the airport’s FBO, 1 hour flight back to Dallas.

Cost: 3.5 hours in a chartered PC-12 ($1,000 an hour) $3,500; 12 meals, $240. Lost productivity: 0. Execu-tives can continue working on the plane without distractions.

Total cost of trip: $3,740.

Doing the math is a compelling enough exercise, but when you factor in the tal-ent companies attract when they commu-nicate that their sales, technical and man-agement’s time and quality of life are that valuable, it’s a whole new ballgame.

Rene Banglesdorf is the CEO of Charlie Bravo Aviation in Texas.

She can be reached at [email protected].

Defending GA by the numbers


Like a lot of cities and towns in Amer-ica, my city has a program in place that is designed to help business professionals segue into becoming civic leaders. The program is called, fittingly enough, Lead-ership Winter Haven, and it is operated through the local Chamber of Commerce.

It is a formal, seven-month-long pro-gram that allows each leadership class to get up close and personal with aspects of the city and its economy that they might not normally be exposed to. Periodically they take a day-long excursion to see and interact with such varied economic facets of our area as tourism, technology, city and county government, education, light industry, media, and agriculture. Last week they visited Gilbert Field, our air-port.

I was scheduled to make a brief presen-tation to the group, but since life has a way of throwing curve balls at us, I found my-self stuck between two tasks. I had the op-tion of being late to my own presentation while I delivered my daughter to school after an orthodontist appointment, or my daughter could be even later to school than we’d planned, which would be in-convenient for her, but it would allow me to be on time to speak to the class.

Guess who got the short end of that stick?

My daughter is 13 years old, a mem-ber of the Civil Air Patrol, and very much dedicated to the idea that she will attend either The US Naval Academy at An-napolis or the US Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs. Her ultimate goal is to fly fighters, but her goal last week was no more complicated than to get to school. She’s happy and comfortable at the air-port, but a serious fact-finding mission for 15 businessmen and women seated at an oversized conference table is not her idea

of a day at the park. I’m proud of my girl. She sat quietly out of the way while the airport director got things rolling.

I stood off to the side, waiting for my turn to tell this collection of local pro-fessionals why the airport is important to them, even if they have no interest in airplanes, helicopters, airships, or air trav-el in general. I was loaded for bear and ready to go.

My daughter wasn’t, however, so it was something of a surprise to her when the airport director mentioned the Civil Air Patrol squadron that is based on the field, and called on my little girl to give an im-promptu presentation on what CAP is all about.

Now I can tell you in all honesty that if someone in a position of authority had pointed me out at 13 years of age, and suggested that I stand up and give a short speech to an assembly of some of the most important businessmen and wom-en in town, I would have wet my pants, thrown up on my own shoes, and left the room in tears. That’s a best case scenario, of course. It might have been worse.

My daughter didn’t do that. She stood up, spoke in a reasonably strong, clear voice, and told that gathering of adults exactly what the role of the Civil Air Pa-trol is. She talked about the goals she and her squadron mates were setting for them-selves, and how the Civil Air Patrol helps teach them leadership skills by providing hypothetical and actual scenarios where it’s essential that they work together in a coordinated manner.

She did just fine, and I was understand-ably proud of her. My turn came next so I took my place at the head of the table and spoke my piece. I moved around the room, blabbered away in an over-caffien-ated blur of words, and generally extolled

the virtues of general aviation by pointing out aspects of the industry they had never thought of before — all of which is pretty much a daily routine for me.

I left the room knowing we’d done reasonably well. We hadn’t bowled them over, though.

The group’s previous stop for the day had been at the police training facility, where two of the group asked to be Tazed, for reasons that are entirely beyond me. The police on duty, having an excellent sense of humor and no compunction at all about dropping a bank-er or a real estate de-veloper to the ground, fulfilled their wishes and provided the tools that made a duo dance with high voltage ex-citement.

I knew my daughter and I hadn’t made that kind of an impression, and I wasn’t going to try, either. So I gathered up the girl and moseyed down the hall toward the main exit, leaving the cheerful group gathered around the Redbird simulator. One lucky businessman was attempting to fly direct from GIF to London’s Heath-row before moving on to their next stop. Time constraints being what they were, I thought his chances of completing the flight were slim. I encouraged the attempt though.

The next day I had a meeting at a local advertising and marketing agency for a completely non-aviation reason. Again, I found myself seated in a conference room surrounded by businessmen and women, in a completely different part of town.

I recognized one of those businessmen as a participant in the Leadership Win-ter Haven class that I’d spoken to at the airport the day before. We shook hands, exchanged pleasantries, and then he gave me the best gift I could have ever hoped for. He leaned over and said, “You known, I’ve never been to our airport before but I was just in awe after that visit yesterday.”

Now I don’t honestly know if he was impressed by the airport director, or my

daughter, or me. In fact I have no idea what he thought was so awe inspiring about the airport I call home. I don’t care, either. A win is a win, and I’ll take ‘em in any form they happen to take.

I find real solace in knowing that a busi-nessman who hadn’t had enough interest in the airport to visit in the two or three de-cades he’s been in town now describes his impression of the place as “awe.” Perhaps he’ll become a flight student at the local

flight school, or maybe he won’t. It could be that he’ll bring his sig-nificant other, or a few good friends out to en-joy lunch at the restau-rant on the field. Then again, he may not. Whatever the case, he gives every indication that he will be back.

More importantly, his attitude about the airport has shifted from blasé to enthusi-astic.

With a few more transitions like that, we can truly start to make the airport work for everyone in its own way. I’m pretty en-thused about that to be honest with you.

I don’t have any desire to direct the public at large as to what they should find worthwhile about the airport — I just want them to experience it first-hand and find out what the place has to offer. I have every confidence they’ll find something that works for them, given the chance.

Now, I wonder what other groups we can invite out to the airport for a visit? I also wonder how much school my daugh-ter can miss to fulfill the speaking engage-ments I’m going to have to commit her to.

This is going to be a busy, productive, and celebratory year. I can just feel it.

Jamie Beckett is a CFI and A&P who stepped into the political arena

to promote and protect GA at his local airport. He also is an owner

and contributor to FlightMonkeys.com. You can reach him at Jamie@

GeneralAviationNews.com

From blasé to enthusiastic

Do you remember going to your first airshow? Were you a kid or was it just last year? Was it when you took your kids for the first time?

There are almost as many stories as there are airshow fans, which is why over the last year, LiveAirShowTV has been asking people in the airshow industry about their first show.

“This has been a fun story for every-one,” said Jeff Lee, LiveAirShowTV President. “During the course of an inter-view some performers would tell us about seeing something amazing at an airshow as a kid. We took that thought and started asking people about their earliest memo-ries during almost every interview we’ve done. A lot of them are alike, but in one

way or another everyone had a specific moment when they knew they HAD to be involved in airshows in some way.”

In the first installment of an on-going series, Lee interviews performers Skip Stewart, Matt Chapman, John Klatt, Mi-chael Goulian, and airshow announcer Larry Strain. “No matter how much time had passed, every person’s eyes lit up and that excitement returns as if it was yester-day,” Lee said.

There will be more episodes in this se-ries in the future. “We also want to know what airshow fans remember about their first airshow,” he said. “Watch the video and find out how you can be involved in this on-going story.”

LiveAirShowTV.com

Do you remember your first airshow?

Politics for PilotsJamie Beckett

“You known, I’ve never been to our airport before but I

was just in awe after that visit yesterday.”

• T-Hangars • ElectricBi-FoldDoors

• IndividualHangars • CorporateHangars

• MaintenanceHangars • HangarHomes

U.S.TollFree:Phone1-866-454-1800•Fax1-866-454-1801OutsideU.S.1-208-454-1800

www.aviationbuildingsystem.com

R & M Steel Co.42 Years of Metal Building Excellence

R & M Steel Co.


When most think of airport security, they see in their mind’s eye fences, tele-vision cameras and DVRs, lights, and so on. But in the big picture of security, these elements in reducing risk to an ac-ceptable level are only the fourth of five steps. There are three steps in front of this step, so if mounting a CCTV camera is the only thing we do, then we are missing the other 80%. As a great radio announcer and story teller used to say, let me give you the rest of the story.

There are five steps to lowering the risk of loss of something important: Risk avoidance, risk transfer, risk spreading, risk control, and risk acceptance. Like painting a runway or installing a data-base in your GPS navigator, just because you’ve done it once doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t periodically review it and be prepared to do it again.

Risk avoidance is the deliberate deci-sion not to do something. For an airport it could be the decision to provide 100LL fuel only, but not Jet A. By doing this the airport does not encourage expensive air-

craft to make use of the airport — they do lose out on business, but reduce the risk of having an expensive airplane being dam-aged on the ramp. For an airplane owner the decision could be not to fly into soft fields or unimproved strips. The potential risk of damage to one’s aircraft could ex-ceed the utility of flying into that airfield. That’s risk avoidance — intentionally choosing not to do something.

Risk transfer is simply having some-one else shoulder some — or all — of the burden of loss of something we want to protect. There are two common ways to do this. You can purchase insurance or purchase a bond. Most are familiar with these products for risk transfer, so I won’t belabor this step. But I will say that the terms of insurance coverage and exclu-sion tend to cause people to re-evaluate their risk avoidance strategy.

Risk spreading deals with multiple sim-ilar assets. If you have a fleet of aircraft or a fleet of fuel trucks and your airport has a history of catastrophic weather phenom-ena during a particular time of year, you

might relocate those assets out to multiple locations. The idea is that if something bad happens at one location that results in the damage or destruction of one as-set, the likelihood that most or all of the other assets will be damaged or destroyed is reduced.

Risk control is the element of risk miti-gation that most think of as security. Risk control involves reducing risk by control-ling access, increasing surveillance and detection, and improving security force or law enforcement response.

Risk control needs to be carefully coor-dinated and integrated with the previous three elements of risk reduction because it can easily become more expensive than it needs to be. This is also the step that needs to show some sort of return on investment. For example, if installing a fence to protect your airplane will reduce your insurance premiums, then you can take that savings and use it to figure how many years it will take to recover the cost of the fence. Depending upon how easily that asset can be replaced, it may be more cost effective to purchase more insurance or pay a higher premium to remove an ex-

clusion than it is to install the fence. But you won’t know that if you don’t scruti-nize your coverage and examine costs, so before writing that check to a security equipment vendor, don your green eye shades and crunch the numbers.

Finally, the fifth and final element is risk acceptance. Stuff happens. Murphy lives. If you’ve exercised care in reducing risk with the previous steps, you have to ask yourself if you are willing to accept the remaining risk. If the answer is no, then as I see it, you have two choices. You can ei-ther go back to the different risk elements and make changes to reduce the risk to an acceptable level or don’t do whatever it is. But typically by the time you’ve taken all of these steps and done all you feel you can, you’ll likely be willing to accept the residual risk.

Fly safe and be secure!

Dave Hook, an expert on gen-eral aviation security, is president

of Planehook Aviation Services (Planehook.com) in San Antonio,

Texas. See more of his GA Security Blog at GeneralAviationNews.com.

Security Planning 101

GA Security BlogDave Hook

Daryl Murphy, who served as editor of General Aviation News from 1985 to 1989, died Jan. 3, in his home in Irving, Texas. He was 76.

Born in Sterling, Kan., in 1935, he was the grandson of early homestead-ers. He attended Kansas State Univer-sity, Emporia State University, and Sterling College. He married Kathleen Minter in 1964 and had one daughter,

Kelley Maureen Murphy.He was with Cessna Aircraft in Wichi-

ta as merchandising manager before be-coming the editor of General Aviation News. He also served as a correspon-dent for Aviation International News and was a contributor to Cessna Flyer, Piper Flyer, Airport Journal, Business Jet Flyer, as well as being the author of seven auto and aviation books.

Former GAN editor dies

Craig L. FullerAOPA President and CEO

Have you ever felt that you’re part of something special? It’s a great feeling to know that you “belong” and are surrounded by supporters. Being part of a community, whether it’s a book club, a neighborhood, or a family, can make life a little more enjoyable—and a little easier when times get tough.

Communities are especially important when your interests lie outside the experience of most of your peers. And that’s certainly the case for many pilots.

At AOPA, we’ve been doing a lot of research about how to grow the pilot population—from inviting newcomers to take part, to nurturing students through training, to making it easier for pilots to keep flying. And one of the things we’ve discovered is that pilots who are part of an aviation community get more out of their flying.

Well-run flying clubs are great examples of communities in action. Pilots who belong to the best flying clubs develop a network of friends to share their experiences, have ready access to aircraft, find support among their peers, and fly more while paying less.

So, to help everyone get the most from general aviation, we will be looking more closely at what makes a good community and sharing what we learn with you. We know there are some wonderful communities out there, and we’ll be celebrating their success even as we seek ways to duplicate it.

If you belong to an exceptional community, I hope you’ll share your story with us and encourage your fellow pilots to take part, as well. We need your input to give us the best possible understanding of what works. This is truly a case of “the more, the merrier.”

For our part, all of us at AOPA will do everything we can to help build stronger GA communities. I believe our future depends on it.

A Closer Look at Community

*For more information on the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association and the issues that affect your flying go to www.aopa.org today.

KEEP ‘EMFLYING


CAPACG and AvConnect have com-pleted a detailed analysis of Garmin G1000 flight data for Embry-Riddle Aero-nautical University (ERAU).

The study is associated with an FAA-funded research project — the General Aviation Safety Information Analysis and Sharing Research Project — through the Center for General Aviation Research. The ultimate goal is to improve the safety and efficiencies of general aviation air-craft, according to officials.

The primary research objective of the detailed analysis was to determine the fea-sibility of Flight Data Monitoring (FDM) event analysis using recorded Garmin G1000 flight data in a flight-training envi-ronment. The data-logging feature of the G1000 records 64 parameters once every second without the addition of a costly lightweight aircraft recording system, the researchers note, adding Garmin and

other manufacturers are beginning to in-clude data-logging features in many new integrated avionics systems.

“The outcome of this research fur-ther validates the strength of thoughtful flight data analysis and the capabilities of emerging technologies — both airborne and ground-based — to improve flight safety,” said CAPACG CEO Larry Mc-Carroll.

The analysis compared recorded flight data covering both flight safety and main-tenance. For this study, analysis required

the development of a new software tool to parse more than 4,000 flight hours of data, officials noted. CAPACG and AvConnect collaborated on the development of a new cloud-based computing and storage sys-tem for all of the research data. The pro-duction version of the AvConnect analysis tool has the capability of processing over 100 hours of flight data a second.

For more information on this project or to receive a complete copy of the research report, contact Kipp Lau at [email protected].

Based in Daytona Beach, Florida, CAPACG is a consulting firm focused on helping companies develop products specifically for the general aviation FDM market.

AvConnect is the provider of an online solution built to streamline aircraft own-ership, connecting owners to their service centers, maintenance managers, fellow pilots, and OEM through online and mo-bile applications.

CGAR.org, CAPACG.com, Avconnect.net

Garmin G1000 analysis complete

ASTM International Committee F37 on Light Sport Aircraft will host an In-ternational Workshop on Electric Aircraft Standardization March 28 in Lakeland, Florida. The workshop is being held in conjunction with the committee’s stan-dards development meetings at the 38th Annual Sun ’n Fun International Fly-In and Expo.

The emerging market for electric air-craft requires identification of standards and related activities that can help over-come technical challenges, as well as as-sist regulators in standardizing the safety and performance issues that lead to certi-fication, ASTM officials said. The upcom-ing workshop is the first forum focused on discussion of those technical, standards and conformity assessment issues.

The objective of the workshop is to bring together electric aircraft builders, innovators and regulators to: Review to-day’s certified electric aircraft in flight; investigate the emerging safety and per-formance issues; and coordinate among regulators and industry to address techni-cal standardization and research goals that will assist with safer aircraft and routine certifications.

Companies and organizations sched-uled to participate in the forum include the FAA, the European Aviation Safety Agency, NASA, Sonex Aircraft, Lange Aviation, Pipistrel Aircraft, AeroViron-ment, the U.S. Naval Research Laborato-ry, Boeing Global Technology, and more.

There is no fee to attend the workshop, but pre-registration is required. Please note that space is limited, and registration is on a first come-first serve basis. Regis-tration will close when capacity has been reached or by March 16.

ASTM.org

Electric workshop slated

IS NOT AN OPTION FOR ANAIRCRAFT MECHANIC

Phot

o co

urte

sy P

AMA


Our third edition of the PAMA News-letter in General Aviation News reminds me of how fast our life goes by nowadays. When getting an A&P I never thought that writing articles for magazines and web-sites would be part of my daily routine.

I recall less than a year ago when I start-ed as president of the Professional Avia-tion Maintenance Association, I was bar-raged with ideas and actions that needed attention. I am still sorting through some of them by priority.

I am happy to report a couple of them are completed. I mention them later in this column, as well as an upcoming event we at PAMA have never mentioned in the media before.

The first item I would like to report is the amount PAMA members give back, offering training and educational opportu-nities through IA renewals at the chapter level, which can all be found on our web-site calendar page (even ones not spon-sored by our chapters).

One very common purpose of mem-bers is providing scholarships! Golf out-ings are a main source of this revenue and many of the chapters have great responses to these outings.

This year alone our chapters and the PAMA Foundation have given out more than $90,000 in scholarships to A&Ps and A&P students. PAMA is at the top in con-tributions to developing A&Ps!

Another project that was in the works and that is now on PAMA.org is our store. It offers a selection of promotional items to show your pride in being an A&P, as well as a PAMA member. Our slogan

items, including T-shirts and bumper stickers (pictured), seem to be the hottest. Some of the one liners are very pointed, yet based on truth. For example: “FAIL-URE is not an option for an Aircraft Me-chanic” or “Aircraft Mechanic: We guar-antee our work from runway to runway!” My personal favorite: “We put the nuts on the plane, not in them!”

We also concluded our web survey on “Mechanic, Technician or Engineer — Which do you prefer?” We had 233 sub-missions with only 11 “other” comments. Technician led with 90, mechanic with 69, then engineer with 63.

First let me say that no matter which you prefer, all are Aviation Maintenance Professionals. We have posted the results and comments on PAMA.org for you to review.

I would like to summarize the themes I saw that permeated each personal choice. If mechanic was the choice, the com-ments mostly focused on two themes — “because it is what we are called on our certificate” or “I am proud to be one.” Technician themes were “because it is a more professional title indicating a higher level of training” and “today’s aircraft are more technical than in the past.” Engineer

main themes were “because most of the world uses engineer” and “we design and conceptualize repairs.” When I summa-rize these themes, I am also including my reviews of the comments from LinkedIn and Facebook discussions.

Southwest Regional Olympics slated

The 2012 Fourth Annual Southwest Re-gional PAMA Olympics is scheduled for March 31 in Fort Worth at Tarrant County College’s Northwest Campus starting at 8 a.m. All of the 147 schools in the South-west Region have been invited.

The first Olympics was held at a PAMA National Symposium at the American Airlines Center, but was fully sponsored by Tarrant County College’s Aviation De-partment with assistance from the avia-tion department at Skyline High School in Dallas. It has been held in the hangar at TCC thereafter.

There are 12 laboratory projects to be completed by each of the team members showing their skills and knowledge. Each laboratory will last 20 minutes with a five-minute break between laboratories.

Last year LeTourneau University won the overall competition and took the ro-

tating trophy to their school to display until the 2012 competition. The overall winner (total team points) in March 2012 will take the trophy back to their school for display until the 2013 competition. There is another trophy that the first place school receives that stays at the school. In addition to the overall team winner, there is a 1st, 2nd, and 3rd individual winner who will receive a plaque, along with a gift from our sponsor, Snap-On Tools.

This year there is an Aviall Super Semi-nar being held at the same time (albeit in-dependent) that will allow our Olympians to demonstrate their skills and mix with vendors and managers. PAMA National introduced the PAMA Aviation Mainte-nance Olympics (PAMO) in 2001 to give professionals the opportunity to dem-onstrate their skills. The competition is based on safety, accuracy, and efficiency in defined laboratory events.

PAMA National Symposium On Jan. 19 and 20 PAMA held an edu-

cational and networking opportunity at our National Symposium. Our speakers were for individuals in management and looking to be in management.

Richard Komarninski of Grey Owl As-sociates spoke on Human Factors and Safety Management Systems, topics that his company specializes in. Jim Gar-land of Sharp Details and author of “The Practical Guide to Exceptional Living — Creating and Living the Life of Your Dreams” spoke with passion about goals, career and life.

Terry Von Thaden, a professor at the University of Illinois at Urbana Cham-paign, offered a first look at the results from the Aviation Maintenance Fatigue Survey. Initial data returns from the sur-vey were shared and the floor was opened up as a forum to receive feedback from industry professionals on the data and representation for the final report to the FAA.

Global Jet Services sent Jim Rahilly to give its course in Transitioning into Lead-ership, which offered two hours of educa-tion from a premier training organization. Many other speakers participated as well.

Several sponsors of the event were ICG, Pro Star Aviation, Global Jet Ser-vices, and Aviall.

Our event was held in conjunction with the Great Lakes Aviation Conference in Ypsilanti, Mich., which is also an IA re-newal event. More than 80 vendors and 700 individuals were in attendance.

Dale Forton is president of the Professional Aviation Maintenance Association (PAMA). Find out more

about PAMA at PAMA.org

Buy or RentThe World's… 4-6 Man 9-13 Man• smallest package 4"x12"x14" 5"x12"x14"• lightest weight 12 lbs. 18 lbs.• least expensive $1095 $1425 New!!! FAA TSO Approved Life Rafts EmergencyLiferaftCall Survival Products, the manufacturer,for customer/distributor/service information.Phone: (954) 966-7329 • FAX: (954) 966-3584 5614 SW 25 St., Hollywood, FL 33023 Web site: www.survivalproductsinc.com Email: [email protected] INC.

TSO'd &Non TSO'dMade in USA

NEVADA AircrAft ENGiNE LLcwww.nevadaaircraftengines.com

Airplane & Helicopter Piston Engine

Overhauls

•EngineRepairs•PropStrikeInspections•CylinderOverhaul

r-22 & r-44 Helicopters

702-565-5959250SunpacAv.Henderson,NV89011

FAACertifiedRepairStationN5ER485X

The unit Swift Fuels is using to develop its unleaded alternative to 100LL. The distillation column is to the extreme right.

Phot

o by

Ben

Vis

ser


Swift Fuels has been working on a 100 octane unleaded avgas for a number of years. I have been, shall we say, less than enthusiastic about the company’s work for various reasons.

However, as of late, the company seems to be making some real progress, so I drove down to Indiana to visit its facility. I am happy to report that although Swift is not “out of the woods” yet, it is making some significant progress.

The first reports from Swift were that it had a product that would meet all of the requirements of general aviation, which could be produced for significantly less than the then current price of 100LL. Whenever I see something that sounds too good to be true, it usually is.

Also, company officials seemed to have a sure answer to every question, which is usually a sure sign that they did not un-derstand the complexity of the problem.

Swift officials also made one of the big-gest mistakes any new aviation company can make: They stated they had flown the new fuel in an airplane, implying that it should be ready for approval for every-thing. Finally, they had never really pro-duced any of the fuel, but just bought the components to demonstrate how great it will be.

The first thing I learned on my visit was that the company’s officials now under-stand the complexity of cost estimates, so they no longer make any firm cost pro-jections. They hope that the cost will be in the “ballpark” of current 100LL, but much will depend on who they can get to produce the fuel and what feedstocks will be available to them. For example, if Swift partners with a company with excess syn-gas and/or underutilized pro-duction facilities, the cost will be lowered

significantly. The process Swift will use is to produce

acetone from any of a variety of feed-stocks. It then runs the acetone through a catalytic reactor and distillation process to produce mesitylene for blending into the finished fuel.

There is an old saying that if you can keep your head about you when those around you are losing theirs, it is evident that you do not understood the gravity of the situation. Well, I feel the Swift offi-cials are now starting to understand the complexity of the situation.

The biggest change is that they are actually using good science to test and evaluate the fuel. They have done tests in Lycoming and Continental engines, as well as a P&W R-2800 engine. They are also conducting seal and fuel system component compatibility tests, plus fuel distribution system evaluations using ap-proved test methods. This is a huge im-provement.

Whenever a company approaches the approval community with what I call an-ecdotal data, the data and test results are almost immediately regarded as insignifi-cant. It is absolutely critical that the data presented be from tests that follow estab-lished tests methods.

This is one of the reasons that some people have a problem with the FAA. When presenting data to the FAA or other approval agencies, the tests must follow an approved procedure and one must demonstrate that the results are statisti-cally significant. This may seem like a lot of extra work, but it is absolutely critical.

Swift is now working through that long list of tests needed to assure the FAA, et. al., that its product will work out in the field.

The chicken and the egg problem that Swift faces is that it needs to develop or build a production facility to produce the fuel. This will cost millions of dollars, which will need to come from investors. But the investors will not come until they have assurance that the fuel will work and is approved. You add to this the Catch 22 that the company cannot get it approved until it is producing the fuel. So how do they get around this?

Swift is working with ASTM to devel-op a spec for this fuel. The spec, ASTM D7719, will be a two component fuel containing mesitylene and isopentane with a lean rating of at least 102. The rest of the limits for the fuel will be much like the present ASTM D910 spec for 100LL. Swift officials say they hope to get the spec approved this year or maybe next year.

Once they have a spec, the approval pro-cess will begin, which includes presenting all of the data and then discussions with the appropriate authorities as to what ad-ditional tests need to be run.

The lack of a production facility means the company must purchase the compo-nents for all of the testing. It is also work-ing on demonstration units to prove that it can produce the fuel.

Once all of the approval tests are com-plete and the company has issued a re-

search report to the FAA, it will receive an STC approval for the fuel for flight evaluations, which should lead to full ap-proval.

Once it receives full approval, it can approach investors or business partners to build the facilities necessary to produce the fuel commercially.

This whole thing sounds like an impos-sible task, but it is just a difficult, long drawn-out affair.

The good news is that Swift officials are approaching the problem the right way. They are doing their homework and do-ing the necessary testing to get approval. When they can finally hit the market, they should be ready.

Will the market introduction be com-pletely invisible? Will pilots be able to tell the difference between Swift fuel and 100LL? They may notice a slight drop in cylinder head temperature and maybe a slight increase in exhaust temperature. But will this cause any problems? Prob-ably not. But unfortunately, that is for the lawyers to decide.

Ben Visser is an aviation fuels and lubricants expert who spent 33

years with Shell Oil. He has been a private pilot since 1985.

You can contact him at [email protected].

A visit to Swift Fuels

Visser’s VoiceBen Visser

A chicken and egg and Catch 22 story

Although it is a metal airplane, the Harmony’s smooth lines give the impression that is a composite. Part of the new streamlined design are the wheel pants. Next page: VGs on the wing and extended ailerons provide for better low-airspeed han-dling. The repositioning of the fire-wall a few inches forward allows for a more spacious cockpit. The Har-mony’ canopy is one of the better-fitting designs in the LSA world.

Phot

o co

urte

sy E

vekt

or

Phot

os b

y M

eg G

odle

wsk

i


By MEG GODLEWSKI

The Light-Sport Aircraft movement is coming of age. During the U.S. Sport Avi-ation Expo held in Sebring, Florida, last month, many LSA manufacturers showed off the next generation of their designs, including Evektor Aircraft.

The Czech Republic-based company, which has the distinction of producing the first LSA certified in the U.S., show-cased the Evektor Harmony at the Sebring show.

Like its predecessor the popular Evek-tor SportStar, the Harmony is a low-wing metal design. Although there is a familial resemblance in the design, it’s obvious the engineers at the Evektor factory have been working to improve a good thing. The Harmony has a more refined, elegant look to it.

“The Harmony is the next evolution for Evektor,” said Steve Minnich, owner of Dreams Come True Aviation in Dayton, Ohio, the Midwest sales representative for Evektor Aircraft. “Evektor has some 280 professional engineers. In 40 years they haven’t seen something that they can’t make better.”

Minnich took time out from selling to give me a walk-around tour of the Harmo-ny, starting in the cockpit. I remarked that the cockpit looked more spacious than the SportStar I flew in 2005.

“It is,” Minnich confirmed. “The fire-wall has been moved forward 4 inches. That 4 inches allows us to position the bar for the rudder pedals forward 2.5 inches. That’s even further than the US standard proportions. It is still three position ad-justable, but for the taller pilots, it allows us to go out further.”

Pilots who have flown the SportStar will notice the steering feels more stable and responsive in the Harmony.

“That’s because the nose gear has been redesigned,” said Minnich. “It is not as short-coupled as the earlier version of the Evektor. The steering linkage is dropped through the floorboard and connected through an aviation-style coupler to the main gear.”

Perhaps the most striking feature of the Harmony is the redesigned wings.

“The wings are tapered and elongated,” Minnich noted. “The ailerons are a full bay longer and larger than the previous ones. That gives the pilot better control at low airspeed and overall more responsive-ness and greater crosswind capability.”

The design of the cockpit is customer driven.

“They can get a mission-specific panel,” said Minnich. “We see a lot of our custom-ers who are coming out of more advanced aircraft like Bonanzas and Cirrus and they are used to having a full panel or glass. We don’t deny them anything.”

The Harmony on display featured an integrated panel with a full EFIS with a Garmin 496, and an autopilot and full ra-dio bay and Mode S transponder.

Minnich notes there are some 1,000 Evektors flying in Europe and 98 in the United States, including several in flight schools. The sturdy metal construction

means the LSAs are “very tough and hold up in the flight training environment,” Minnich said, noting that like its prede-cessor, the Harmony is held together with aluminum rivets and a 3M bonding agent that is designed to “keep its elasticity and prevent side-loads on the rivets.”

THE TEST FLIGHTDuring Sebring the job of taking cus-

tomers on test flights fell to Art Tarola, a 6,000-hour pilot and Designated Exam-iner from Allentown, Pennsylvania, who owns AB Flight, a business that focuses on Sport Pilot training in the Evektor models.

Checklist in hand, Tarola led me through the preflight inspection. One of the first things I noticed was the fit and finish of the ailerons. The added length (as com-pared to the original SportStar) gives the wing a graceful, slick appearance. The ad-dition of vortex generators along the lead-ing edge promises to provide extra stabil-ity at low airspeeds.

The Evektor Harmony is powered by a 100-hp Rotax 912 ULS, the industry stan-

dard for LSAs. In the early days of the LSA movement, many flight schools were reluctant to add an LSA to their fleets be-cause of concerns about finding a quali-fied mechanic to perform maintenance on the Rotax, as well as the unknown factor of the reliability of the engine. Just as LSAs have gained acceptance, so have the Rotax engines, said Tarola, noting that Rotax makes engines for all sorts of air-planes from LSA to jets.

He removed the cowling so I could get a better look at the powerplant. The first thing I noticed was the white fire-protect-ing coating on the interior of the cowling.

“It’s actually a fire barrier,” said Tarola. “Should there be a fire in that area, the fire won’t burn through into the fuselage area.”

Like any other engine, the level of oil is critical for safe and efficient operation. In order to check the level, the oil has to be

moved from the crankcase to the oil tank. Pulling the propeller through a few times moves the oil to the tank. Tarola dem-onstrated. The sound of the oil moving through the system makes sort of a burp-ing sound, which is why pilots often refer to this process as “burping the engine.”

For the normal pre-flight inspection, the oil sump is accessed through a push-button door and the level checked with a dipstick.

“The oil is a motorcycle style oil made

Flying the Evektor Harmony

Phot

os b

y M

eg G

odle

wsk

iPh

oto

cour

tesy

Eve

ktor


by AeroShell. It is compatible with wet clutches and gears,” Tarola explained. “The engine actually has three methods of cooling. The cylinder heads are liquid cooled with an automotive style coolant, the cylinders are air cooled, and the inter-nals of the engine are cooled with oil.”

One of the items on the checklist is ver-ification of weight and balance. Because LSAs have a small useful load as com-pared to a standard category aircraft, it’s important they be operated within weight limits and the center of gravity envelope.

“It’s still up to the pilot to use conven-tional math to figure out the weight and balance of the aircraft,” said Tarola, “but to help them remember, there is a sticker on the canopy that tells you how much weight you can put in the back, how much fuel, and so forth.”

The canopy in the Harmony is different from the early model SportStars. I found it is easier to position and lock.

“This canopy came into existence in 2008,” Tarola confirmed. “Before then we had a chrome moly frame with aluminum over it and a quarter twist type locking mechanism. This new design is compos-ite and has a tighter fit. To latch it all you do is pull down on the canopy. There is an annunciator on the avionics panel that shows us whether the canopy is locked or not.”

A few minutes and a clearance from the tower later we were airborne. Like most LSAs, the Harmony gets off the ground quickly.

“It’s the combination of the compara-tively light weight and the 100-hp Rotax,” said Tarola as we climbed from the run-way.

Once we were away from the show grounds and at altitude, the test flight be-gan with clearing turns. I was surprised at how little rudder was required for coordi-nated flight.

“It is almost a no-rudder airplane,” Taro-la confirmed. “The factory engineered the adverse yaw out of the airplane, so you don’t really have to correct for something that doesn’t exist.”

Overcontrolling is a common problem in such a light airplane, said Tarola, and proceeded to demonstrate how tight the CG envelope is. After trimming the Har-mony for level flight we were able to make the airplane climb, turn, and descend by shifting our weight.

Slow flight was next. Bring the power back, deploy the flaps and trim for the nose-up landing configuration. The air-speed bled off....and bled off... and bled off until it hovered around 30 knots. The vertical speed indicator showed that we were in a 500 foot per minute descent, but there was no hard buffet or dramatic nose down pitching moment. Relaxing the back pressure changed the pitch enough for the airplane to start flying again. The stall in an Evektor Harmony was more like a mush, very similar to the experience one might have in the stall-resistant-by-design Ercoupe.

Steep turns were next. Roll into the bank, look outside (easy to do with the bubble-type canopy) and watch the hori-zon sweep by.

The elevator and ailerons are actuated with a control stick. I found that resting my right wrist on my leg and using two

fingers on the stick prevented me from overcontrolling. Once I did that, I found the Harmony to be one of the easiest to fly airplanes I’d ever been in.

“Once it is trimmed, it is,” Tarola con-firmed my thought. “Because you’re not having to constantly adjust or fight with something, this airplane has a very small workload, which leads to a less fatiguing flight. You can take care of other tasks, like looking at your charts or setting your course or rummaging around in the back for a snack while the airplane continues to fly.”

On the subject of snacks, the Evektor Harmony has snack trays and cup holders installed in the cockpit. In fact, the cock-pit feels more like a sports car than an air-plane. There’s a reason for that, according to Tarola.

“Evektor, in addition to designing air-planes, has a design and test facility where they design interiors for the European automotive industry. The aviation side of the house went to the automotive side and said ‘we want you to spruce up the interior of our airplane and make it like a sports car’ and now we have cup holders and snack trays!”

Evektor.cz, ABFlight.com MidwestSportplanes.com,

EVEKTOR HARMONY Length 17 ft 7.5 inHeight 8 ft 1.6 inWing span 26 ft 9 inCabin width 46.5 in

WEIGHT & QUANTITIESEmpty weight (basic a/c) 609 lbMax takeoff weight 1,041 lbMax baggage 33 lbDesign load factors +6 /-3 gOperation load factors +4 /-2 g, +4 /-2 gStandard tank capacity 17.17 US galLong range tank capacity 21.13 US gal

FLIGHT PERFORMANCENever exceed speed 146 KIASMax level speed 120 KCASCruise at 75% 110 KCASRate of climb 1,020 ft/minTakeoff run 620 ftLanding run 590 ftStall speed VS1 (no flaps) 37 KIASStall speed VS0 (full flaps) 33 KIAS

“Weisse Eins” as it arrived from the Texas Air Museum to Tom Reilly’s War-bird Museum (above). Syd Jones (left) and Mark Timken, the owner of “White One” examine a newly manufactured part.

Phot

os b

y J.

Dou

glas

Hin

ton


By J. DOUGLAS HINTON

Prologue: Luftwaffe Unteroffizier (Corporal) Heinz Orlowski was shot down Feb. 9, 1945, over Nazi-occupied Norway’s Fordefjord during an Allied raid of 32 Beaufighters, 10 Mustangs, and two search and rescue aircraft intent on destroying the German destroyer Z33 and support ships holed up in the fjord.

Pitting his Focke Wulf 190F-8 “White One” against an RAF Mustang, both air-craft took hits. The Mustang crashed, kill-ing the pilot, but Orlowski’s Focke Wulf was still being riddled, probably flak from the ships below. He decided it was time to go before taking a mortal shell himself.

He climbed and tried to bail out, but was temporarily hindered by his radio cord. Finally disentangled from the air-craft, he jumped — but too low. With his chute only partially opened, he alit on a mountainside, started a small avalanche, and slid to the bottom while his flare pis-tol ignited, causing serious burns to one leg. Discovered hiding in a barn by two Norwegians, he was turned over to the German ground forces and spent the rest of the war in his base hospital at Herdla.

The raid on the Z33 was subsequently dubbed “Black Friday” as the Allies lost nine Beaufighters and one Mustang to flak from the ships and aerial combat. Several more made it back to Scotland but were so badly damaged they never flew again.

Fast forward to 1983: “White One” and other wrecked FW190s were shipped to the Texas Air Museum on an exchange deal. Orlowski’s plane was partially re-stored and put on static display where Heinz nostalgically visited his steed in 1994.

Later transferred to Tom Reilly’s War-bird Museum in Kissimmee, Florida, the plane was purchased in 1999 by Mark Timken with the intention of not only re-storing it to flying condition, but to restore it exactly to its 1945 flight condition. Once complete, it will be the second FW190F-8 fighter bomber in the air.

The restoration be-gan immediately after Timken bought the plane and is still ongo-ing. Timken, director of the non-profit World War II Fighter Aircraft Foundation, estimates it will be another two years before first flight, probably by the warbird first-flight-after-restoration expert Steve Hinton (no relation to the writer).

But the problems facing Timken were enormous. The engine, propeller and spinner were wrong, as were the motor mounts. BMW of Germany was not inter-ested in overhauling the 1,700-hp 801 en-gine, which was eventually accomplished by Mike Nixon’s Vintage Aero Engines in California. An interesting feature of this engine is that it’s (way back when) FA-DEC. The throttle controls power, mix-ture and rpm.

Missing and damaged parts, corrosion, translation of the original flight and main-tenance manuals from German to English, and a worldwide search for FW190 parts, all contributed to a frustrating experi-ence.

But the project seems to have a life of its own, Timken noted. “Believe it or not, parts we need occasionally pop up on eBay and we’re off and running again,” he said.

When I asked Timken how the project was being funded, he tapped his chest and said, “You’re looking at him! We have T-

shirts, mugs and other gewgaws for sale to weekend visitors, but that’s a drop in the bucket.”

All of the work is ac-complished by a couple of paid employees and a few volunteers. Syd Jones has been with the project during the last two years. Own-ing his own T-6, he is

rated on several warbirds and has a wallet full of licenses and ratings. He frequently conducts the weekend tours of the resto-ration.

When vital parts aren’t available any-where, the only recourse is to reverse en-gineer, he said.

“Damaged or corroded originals are photographed and meticulously measured, a template is made and replacements are manufactured,” Jones explained. “Timken is a purist who insists that everything is an exact replica of the original.”

To understand the scope of the project, all the parts are either restored or re-made by hand using the original plans and/or

The resurrection of ‘Weisse Eins’

“Timken is a purist who insists that

everything is an exact replica of the original.”

Restoration expert Syd Jones on Mark Timken,

the airplane’s owner

Extensive research and original documents ensure accuracy of the restoration project. Syd Jones acts as docent for Saturday visitors to the restoration; (middle left) the collection of support equipment includes an original operational field start cart and fuselage jack; (middle right) one of several Jumo 213 engines that will ultimately be used to power the FW190-D; and (bottom photo) cannon and various other parts await installation or reverse engineering.

Phot

os c

ourt

esy

WW

II A

ircra

ft Fo

unda

tion


parts, Jones explained. Metals and ma-terials are researched to make sure they match the original specifications.

An example of the authenticity of the project is that the original metric 120° countersunk rivets were especially fabri-cated to be exclusively used throughout the project.

All original production markings are reapplied to the restored or replaced com-ponents. Even the paint and rubber mate-rials comply with the original chemical composition used in the late production version of this model Focke-Wulf.

Dunlop will provide tires for the aircraft to original specifications and the aircraft cannons will be replaced with dummy copies (spiked, of course!).

The project has moved several times, from an off-airport location, finally end-ing up on Kissimmee Airport (ISM) in its own hangar next to Stallion 51’s facili-ties. Not satisfied with the just the “White One” project, Timken is also planning on restoring a FW190 Dora 9 model and a P-51 Mustang “Missy.”

Heinz Orlowski passed away a couple of years ago in Berlin. If he’s looking down from Above, he must be pleased that his beloved “Weisse Eins” will be taking to the air again in the not too distant future with an ersatz Unteroffizier Timken at the controls.WWIIFighterAircraftFoundation.org,

727-365-1713

Paul Beck, owner of Weep No More, has repaired and sealed more than 500 Mooney tanks — probably more than anyone else in the world.

Phot

os b

y Ke

vin

Knig

ht


Paul Beck is an expert at stopping leaks in wing tanksBy KEVIN KNIGHT

There is no shortage of unusual busi-nesses serving the general aviation in-dustry, but sealing wing tanks for a living must be on everyone’s short list.

That’s because it’s so difficult since our tanks are sealed inside the wings and the access ports are made for Cirque du Soleil performers. Don Maxwell of Don Max-well Aviation in Longview, Texas, has described tank sealing as the worst job in aviation.

Flying halfway across the country in a friend’s Mooney M20C, I vowed to hire someone to fix my M20F’s leaky tanks. This revelation occurred after he “repaired” the right tank himself and it leaked like a sieve.

“I don’t know what went wrong,” he told me as we descended for yet another fill up. “I removed all the inspection pan-els and spent hours scraping out the old sealant. It was horrible having my arm jammed in the tank for hours. I thought I did a good job cleaning everything and re-sealing it.”

Obviously, he was wrong.I purchased my 45-year-old plane last

November in Minnesota to lower flying costs after owning a gas-guzzling, main-tenance-loving Cessna 210. I knew wing leaks were an issue with Mooneys as they age, just like incontinence afflicts older people.

Although some minor wing stain-ing was evident in the pre-buy, nothing seemed to require immediate attention. When it showed up under the area my rear end occupies however, that was motiva-tion to “permanently” fix the problem.

Mooney wings leak for several reasons. Polysulfide sealant covering seams in the tanks can last 35 years or longer, but de-teriorates if the plane is in a hot environ-ment or if tanks are left empty and dry out for long periods. The bigger culprit is our stout landing gear, which transmits stress into the wing spar. Every touchdown causes the sealant to flex and stretch. As that material gets older and less flex-ible, fuel can start dripping, weeping or streaming from tanks. This problem isn’t unique to Mooneys. Certain Cessnas, Pip-ers, Grummans, Commanders, Vans, and most jets have wet wings.

According to Mooney service notes, there are three classes of leaks: stain, seep and running. The factory considers even a running leak OK as long as it’s outside the slipstream and not entering the cabin. Be aware there’s a quarter-inch hole near the front of the wing that can create a path-way down the spar into the carpet. If your plane sits for a few weeks and you open the door and get a whiff of fuel, it’s in the cabin.

If you’re OK wiping off occasional stains or living with a few drips, it’s pos-sible to go several years without taking

major action. However, fuel can work un-der the sealant and loosen it so much that a ferry permit is needed to travel.

Temporary patch jobs can be done, but your mechanic better be 100% sure where the leak is to seal the right area. That’s confirmed by drawing a low pressure vac-uum in the afflicted tank. (Every Mooney has one tank in each wing. They run ap-proximately 5 feet out from the wing root, and can have three to six bays.)

I didn’t want a temporary fix since properly sealed wet wings can last for de-cades and my goal was flying, not visiting my friendly A&P. With that in mind, sev-eral options were evaluated, which cost roughly the same amount.

Bladders are popular with some pilots, but they weren’t what the factory original-ly designed and I was paranoid about get-ting a wrinkle that could trap water. They

also reduce useful load and require some permanent wing modifications. Plus, AD 24-25-04 issued in January 2005 required some modifications by bladder owners and I’m phobic about the impact of ADs on my plane’s value.

Sealing the original tanks was my pref-erence, but it requires removing all the old sealant. Someone can manually scrape and/or grind it out. Or it can be dissolved with special chemicals.

I started my career with Alcoa Alumi-num in Davenport, Iowa, where we pro-duced wing skins for Boeing jets. Alu-minum is a fabulous metal but it can be scratched and corrode. The thought of someone scraping the old sealant inside my plane’s pristine wings for dozens of hours — or attaching a circular, wire brush to a drill and removing metal along with old sealant — wasn’t for me.

That left one choice: Chemical strip-ping at Weep No More in Willmar, Min-nesota, 80 miles west of Minneapolis.

The company began life in the 1990s as part of Willmar Air, which was owned by Bruce Jaeger, a well-regarded Mooney expert. They used pieces of old aircraft windshields that were honed to an edge as scraping tools. It was miserable work, taking roughly 90 hours per wing to re-move old sealant. Jaeger thought there had to be a better way to remove sealant and set out to find it.

By 2000, proprietary chemicals were developed, along with a special machine that could apply them continuously. The in-house expert was Paul Beck, a machin-ist and A&P who joined Willmar in 1995

Weep No More

LEAKS | See Page 21

Interior of a freshly sealed tank.

Leo Gray, 91, (left) and Daniel Keel, 89, enjoy a peaceful moment before stepping onto the dais to speak about their experiences as Tuskegee Air-men.

The movie “Red Tails,” now in the-aters, is shining a spotlight on the Tuskegee Airmen.

Phot

o by

Jam

ie B

ecke

tt

Phot

o co

urte

sy L

ucas

Film

s


when he was 22. He now owns Weep No More and has repaired and sealed 500 Mooney tanks and patched another 100. That’s probably more than anyone in the world.

To fix leaking tanks, the access panels are removed so the machine can interface with the wing. In the case of my plane, a hose was introduced that went into all three bays of each tank. The machine then sprayed several gallons of the cleaner continually for six hours, dissolving the sealant without any scraping.

“The key to success is keeping the in-side of the wing wet so the chemicals do their work and expose all the seams,” Beck explained.

After six hours of continuous chemical cycling per tank, he pressure washes them for 15 minutes. The stripper is deactivat-ed when the water hits it and a ceramic heater is introduced to evaporate all the moisture.

Looking inside several cleaned tanks,

they looked absolutely brand new — no scratches, no gouges, no rough spots, and they reflected the flashlight beam like mirrors.

Seam sealing begins using the same protocols and FAA-approved materials as the factory. The three-part process starts with a thick sealant that’s deployed with a pneumatic caulk gun. An acid brush is used to flatten that bead out so it’s squished into the seam. Twelve hours later, a sec-ond sealant is applied over the first with an acid brush. After that cures overnight,

a final sealant is applied. It’s the color of dark blood and the consistency of honey. (Paul told me he’s seen some tanks that were entirely sealed by their owners. He said that’s a recipe for disaster and a huge waste of materials.)

The access panels are also sealed, but the material is low adhesion so they can be easily removed in the future. Only the wing walk panel gets a high adhesion sealer since that has people stepping on it and only comes off for major wing work.

The fuel senders are then reintroduced with new gaskets, and new quick drains are installed. I was pleased to discover my fuel gauges started working properly after the tanks were sealed. I also noted that the wing seam and screw heads were touched up with paint that perfectly matched, and the wing walk was painted with new, tex-tured black paint. In short, everything looked perfect.

The tanks are then filled to the brim and sit for 72 hours to confirm there are no problems. It’s been several years since Beck has had a leak, and his work is guar-

anteed for five years, so I was confident I could fly five hours back to Texas without worrying about a return trip.

A standard Mooney should be left at Willmar for two weeks. Anything big-ger than a J Model should stay for three weeks since there are six bays per side instead of three.

There are several ways to reach Will-mar, including flying to that uncontrolled airport and catching a shuttle or ride back to Minneapolis International. Transporta-tion back to Willmar a few weeks later is easily arranged.

Sealing both my tanks cost $7,400 but I don’t have to worry about them for the rest of my life, particularly since I’m about to replace the landing gear discs and will henceforth grease every landing. Well, almost every landing.

320-295-1671, WeepNoMoreLLC.com

Kevin Knight is an instrument-rated pilot in Texas who earned his

license in 1985.

By JAMIE BECKETT

For three days in early February the south hangar at Fantasy of Flight in Polk City, Florida, was packed with visitors. They were seated in long rows of folding chairs, and stood on the gleaming painted hangar floor. Everyone faced the raised platform near the eastern wall, paying rapt attention to the reminiscing of three elderly gentlemen who had remarkable tales to tell.

This was the first installment of the 2012 Legends and Legacies symposium series at the central Florida aviation-themed at-traction. “They Dared to Fly” focused on the story of the Tuskegee Airmen, and to tell that story accurately, three graduates of the program sat at the dais and shared their memories and experiences during two sessions each day.

Two of the participants, Leo Gray and Daniel Keel, both grew up in Boston. Their personal histories are intertwined tightly enough that they belonged to the same Boy Scout troop as kids. A few years later they were both members of a con-troversial government program to verify whether men of color had what it takes to become military pilots. They did.

“The Tuskegee Airmen was made up of men who were intelligent, who had a good education, and worked hard,” Kell said. His simple explanation may be the most succinct and accurate representation of a group who have become true legends in our time.

The original program and its partici-pants went by various names. Many of the tags hung on them were derogatory. They referred to themselves simply as pi-lots. Yet, by the 1970s the term Tuskegee Airmen had become the designator of choice, and the men who had been a part of that first test group became celebrities of sorts.

Their success has become a badge of honor, one that was hard won and well

deserved. Now, almost 70 years after their entry into the ranks of the officer corps of the US military, the remaining veterans tell their stories in the hopes that younger generations will benefit from the lessons they can teach.

The two old friends, Gray and Keel, both underwent the training program at Tuskegee and went on to fly. Gray piloted a P-51C in combat over Europe, partici-pating in 15 combat mission before the war ended. Keel became a B-25 pilot and remained in the states. In addition to be-ing a pilot he also qualified as a bombar-dier and a navigator.

George Hardy, who was the third speaker at the symposium, came through Tuskegee in a class shortly behind Gray’s. Still a teenager when he graduated as a 2nd Lieutenant and a pilot, Hardy had ex-perience in multiple aircraft, including the PT-19, AT-6, P-40, and P-47.

In a turn of events that would be totally

foreign to a class of fighter pilots today, Hardy recalls, “Members of my class re-alized that I had never driven an automo-bile.” His classmates remedied that gap in George’s education by teaching him to drive a classmate’s long, sleek LaSalle with a stick shift on the floor. “I drove it back to the barracks — that was the first time I’d driven an automobile.”

Hardy went on to fly combat missions as a fighter pilot in World War II, as a B-29 pilot in Korea, and as a AC-119 gunship pilot in Vietnam. He retired from the U.S. Air Force with the rank of Lt. Colonel.

While the Tuskegee Airmen came into the war as an experiment, they closed out the war with a record of accomplishments that earned them a permanent place in American history.

But their road was not an easy one, and for many decades their accomplishments were unknown.

“In the 70s, no one knew who we were,”

Gray acknowledges.That gap in America’s awareness has

been remedied for the most part in the in-tervening years. Perhaps the pinnacle of recognition for the surviving Tuskegee Airmen came about on March 29, 2007, when President George W. Bush saluted a gathering of the Tuskegee Airmen.

“I would like to offer a gesture to help atone for all the unreturned sales and un-forgivable indignities,” the president said. “And so, on behalf of the office I hold, and a country that honors you, I salute you for the service to the United States of America.”

Leo Gray was present at that ceremony and remembers it well. “For the President of the United States to salute your organi-zation, that’s quite an honor.”

It is an honor indeed. A well deserved one that was hard fought and well earned.

TuskegeeAirmen.org

They dared to fly

LEAKS | From Page 20

Phot

os c

ourt

esy

Mat

t Fe

rrar

i

Don Macor (right), Matt Ferrari, and Captain Bob Walenczyk in front of Ma-cor’s Seabee (top); the three discuss the repair of Macor’s J-4 (bottom).


By MATT FERRARI

Step back in time and think back to when you were the one looking over the airport fence. The whole world on the other side of the fence seemed so intimi-dating, yet so inviting.

You might remember the feelings of ex-cited anticipation on your way to the air-port, and then the apprehensive shyness that set in as soon as you were there.

Luckily, I always stumbled into some-one who was gracious enough to give me a few minutes of their time and answer my questions. I found that one question answered led to more questions asked and a true thirst for knowledge was born. The questions turned into conversations, ac-quaintances developed into friendships, and several of those friends have become mentors to me.

Just when I needed some direction or my flying life needed a little boost, magi-cally I would bump into someone who’d provide just the nudge I needed to get back on course. The first time this hap-pened was back in the 1980s as I was wandering through my high school years. In a small Minnesota town called Clear Lake, there was a grass strip airport owned by a man named Bob Lead-ers. I would stop by from time to time to walk through the rows of parked airplanes, dreaming. I’d force my hands into my pockets so I wouldn’t touch. Eventually I gathered up enough courage to walk into the han-gar. Inside were a couple of old time me-chanics, including Bob Leaders himself, who was very patient with me. After sev-eral visits, and as I began to feel more at home, I let it be known that I wanted to learn to fly. The barriers went down and over time I was able to trade working on airplanes for flying time. Mr. Leaders gave me my first break in aviation.

The second came at the same field when Gordy Amundson, a legendary aircraft mechanic and Designated Mechanic Ex-aminer, happened into the shop. He sug-gested, and then guided me through, the process of documenting my time working on airplanes, which led to earning my A&P certificate. Gordy was an outstand-ing source of knowledge who genuinely wanted to see me succeed and did every-thing he could to help me along. I would call on him many times with questions; he always had time to talk.

Several years later, as I was working on my initial CFI rating, I was fortunate to train with the best flight instructor I have ever flown with: Mike Kneeland, a Navy flyer who left the service after Vietnam. He went on to other work, but stayed involved with aviation for the pure love of it. Mike was instructing part time out of the Brain-erd, Minnesota, airport and I was lucky enough to get on his schedule. I learned more about flying and the craft of instruct-

ing in the short time that he spent with me than from anyone I have flown with before or since. Mike took a lot of phone calls from me when I was a new instructor, always there to talk and help troubleshoot my students and, sometimes, me.

One of the proudest moments in my flying career was when he turned up as a passenger on an airline flight on which I was the captain. I could see the pride in his eyes, knowing that one of his boys made good. When I invited him into the cockpit at the end of the flight, it felt re-ally good to look across the flight deck to the right seat of the B-727 and see him sit-ting there, again. Not much had changed in my mind, other than there being a little more room than in the C-150. I still look up to the man.

Back in the 1990s I started a small fly-ing operation and airplane repair shop. I did some flight instructing, flew tourists on scenic air rides along the North Shore of Lake Superior, and did some mainte-nance. At that phase of my career I had much more enthusiasm than experience. I found early on that, besides being terribly

undercapitalized (read broke!), there was also a bit of a gap between my abilities as a me-chanic and what my A&P certificate said I could do.

There was a mechan-ic at another airport not far away who was always willing to help me out. Technically we were competitors, but for some reason he showed mercy on me. I

asked, he answered. If I considered taking on a job that I wasn’t comfortable with, I’d call him. Either he’d talk me through it or he’d come to my shop to help. When he had something interesting in his shop that he figured I could learn from, he’d call and invite me down, often under the guise of an invite to fly his Republic Seabee. If I didn’t have a tool or a part I needed, he always came through. I learned a lot from him over the years, more than he’ll ever know. As I got better and gained confidence, I called on him less. Later in life I asked him why he was so helpful to me. His response was: “You know your limitations, you’re smart enough to ask, and you always tried to do it right.” I’ve always appreciated the time that he gave me.

He was an old timer then; he’s still in the game today, keeping busy as ever. A few years back he was presented with the Charles Taylor Master Mechanic Award for having been involved in aircraft main-tenance for more than 50 years. A true craftsman, his name is Don Macor; his shop is at the Sky Harbor Airport in Du-luth, Minn.

The sky gods smiled upon me once again in 1994 when Captain Bob Walenc-zyk walked into my hangar at the airport in Two Harbors, Minn. Bob flew for what was then Northwest Airlines. At the time he also owned a Piper Archer and a J-4

Cub that he put on floats in the summer. Retired now, he has a beautiful Beech Travel Air that I help him maintain and we fly together for fun.

Bob is who you see in your mind’s eye when you think “captain.” He is a true professional who loves airplanes and fly-ing; he is the ultimate airport bum and a wonderful ambassador for aviation.

Bob’s help and friendship has been endless from the day we first met. He has helped guide me through this crazy, often very fickle, airline pilot profession. He is the guy I would call with “captain” questions when I was a baby captain on the B-727. He has more air wisdom than anyone I know. He also taught me how to really fly, or more specifically, how to properly land a taildragger.

He helped me through the ups and downs of my airline career, from the af-tereffects of 9-11, through the industry’s instabilities and the ultimate shutdown of a company that I gave 10 years of my life to. He was also there for some great joys, like when I upgraded from flight engineer to first officer and then from first officer to captain — he seemed to be as happy as I was.

A few years ago I had an engine failure on the B-727 just after rotation leaving Detroit. After all the company paperwork and crew debriefs were done, I was stand-ing at the curb, waiting for the hotel shut-tle, wondering what to do next. The rest of my crew had dispersed, so I was alone.

I remember staring up at a beautifully clear blue January sky, not feeling cold, not warm either, just kind of comfort-ably Zen like, thinking through what had just happened. Bob was the first person I called. He asked how it went. After the typically long and animated version that I delivered, he said, “You handled it well; your 173 passengers are waiting for a new airplane to get them to where they’re go-ing, your crew is on their way home, your wife still has a husband, and your daugh-ters still have a dad. I expected nothing less from you, Captain Ferrari.” How do you respond to something like that?

I have been truly blessed. I have been introduced to some of the greatest, most pure aviation people. Many have be-come friends, and several have graciously served as mentors to me. I know I’m the luckiest guy in the world.

Now it’s my turn to give back, to help the next generation, to ensure the future of aviation for all of us. I only hope that I can return the favor.

Matt Ferrari, who now drives a 747 around the world for a living, is a

CFI, CFII, MEI, and an A&P with IA.

The magic of mentors

Do you have a mentor you’d like to tell us about? Send stories to [email protected] for pos-sible publication on our website.

“Just when my flying life needed a little boost, magically I would bump into someone who’d provide just the

nudge I needed to get back on course.”

Phot

os b

y Ph

il R

ainw

ater

Dick Hitt and his plane at his airpark home at Whiteplains Plantation in South Carolina. Presenting the award to Dick was Jim Franklin, the local FSDO airworthiness inspec-tor, at a party held at the airpark last month attended by friends and Dick’s family, including sons Adam and Matt.


Since its inception in 2007, more than 2,000 pilots have received the Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award from the FAA. The award, which recognizes 50 years of accident-free flying, consolidated several similar pilot awards, such as the Golden Eagle Award, that had been pre-sented by various Flight Standards Dis-trict Offices over the years. The award includes a certificate and pin. In addition, the recipient’s name is added to the Roll of Honor at FAASafety.gov.

One of the newest names on that Roll of Honor is Dick Hitt, well-known in South Carolina aviation circles as he is the re-tired Safety Program Manager from the FSDO in Columbia, S.C.

Here’s his story in his own words:I was born to an aviation family. My

mother and father operated Hitt Flying Service at the Tri Cities Airport in Endi-cott, N.Y. My father ran the flight school and maintenance shop, while my mother was the secretary, administrative offi-cer, and greeter for the public. When I was born in November 1943, my parents brought me straight from the hospital to the airport and actually put me in a dis-play case to sleep. In one way or another, I have been “at the airport” ever since.

I went for my first airplane ride some-time during my first year. I spent every evening and weekend at the airport until I was 15 years old, when my family moved away from there. As I got old enough, I acquired new and additional duties in the shop as a mechanics helper and advanced to actually performing some of the engine and airframe maintenance myself. My father and I rebuilt wrecked airplanes, and performed maintenance on the flight school airplanes. We also bought and re-stored wrecked airplanes.

I flew with my father and other local pilots whenever I had the opportunity. I soloed in a Aeronca Champ on July 4, in either 1960 or 1961. My father, who was my instructor, gave me a solo certificate dated July 4, 1960, but my logbook is dated July 4, 1961. So, July 4, 2011, was either 50 or 51 years of flying for me.

When I was in college, I was in the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC). My intention was to become an Air Force pilot. However, during the Vietnam war, I was eager to enlist. The regular Air Force wanted a college degree for pilot training and I only had two years, so I went to the National Guard recruiter. He promised me flight training, so I en-listed and was promptly sent to engine maintenance school. I then went to Korea for two years as a J-57 engine mechanic working on F-100s and F-101s — not a pilot, but still around airplanes.

After an honorable discharge, I obtained the remainder of my certificates by using the GI Bill benefits. As I was looking for a job, I flew as a co-pilot with my father, who was a corporate pilot at the time.

I finally got hired as a flight instruc-tor at the Fort Knox Aero Club, in Fort Knox, Ky. I had been looking desperately for a job for a long time but everyone wanted a pilot with a lot of experience. Frustrated, I placed a classified ad look-

ing for a job, listing myself as a “green” flight instructor, indicating my lack of experience. To my surprise, I was hired, over the phone, by the club. After I had been working there for a few weeks, they asked me what a “green” instructor was. I told them. They thought it must be some-thing special, like a Gold Seal CFI. It was a fluke, but it was my start in aviation employment. Working at Fort Knox was a fun and educational experience. I was the only instructor there and I taught in all of the school airplanes and all of the member’s own airplanes. After a year or so I moved to Columbus, Ohio, and did flight instruction for EC Aviation for the next three or four years.

Early in 1972 I obtained a job as a mail and freight pilot, flying turboprop Beech D-18s. About a year later, I went to work for a Volkswagen distributor. I flew single pilot in a Baron and a King Air C-90 and co-pilot on a Lear Jet 24D. The owner of the company had a collection of old air-planes he let me fly. My wife and I espe-cially liked flying his Great Lakes Special 2T-1A — we flew it almost every day.

Frequently there were kids at the airport fence who had ridden out there on their bicycles to see the airplanes. I always took as many as I could for a ride. Ev-eryone, including me, had a great time! I often wondered if now, some 40 years later, they remember those flights in that beautiful old airplane.

During the late 1970s and into the 1980s I worked as a corporate pilot, flying everything from Navajos to a Bell-47.

By the late 1980s, I was flying Cita-tions. It was a great job, but I was gone from home all the time. My sons didn’t understand why I was gone so much, so I asked myself, “What can I do that will al-low me spend more time at home, and still be in aviation?” The answer that I came up with was the FAA.

In 1989, I went to work in the Allegh-eny FSDO, in Pittsburgh, as an Opera-tions Inspector. Two years later, I became Safety Program Manager in the FSDO in Columbia, S.C. While I was with the FAA, I conducted regular CFI flight tests and FAR 135 flight tests. I attended regu-lar pilot recurrency classes, and flew local

rental airplanes as well as my own PA-20. For many years I was the FSDO safety pilot and regularly requalified the other operations inspectors in a King Air 200.

I still own my own airplane and stay in-volved in aviation. My hangar has turned into a local gathering place for pilots. We talk about all aspects of aviation and I still do my best to dispense knowledge as I did when I was with the FAA. Talking about, and teaching aviation safety, is something that I like to do!

When I was young, I wanted to be a so-cial worker so I could help other people. However, family desires and pressures steered me onto aviation.

I actually found that as a flight instruc-tor, I did have an opportunity help oth-ers. However, it was as a Safety Program Manager that I really had an opportunity to change lives! After almost every safety seminar, one or more pilots would come up to me and mention something that I had told them, noting that they had never known that, and that they were going to change the way they flew from now on. After one seminar at Sun ’n Fun, an old pilot came up to me and told me he had been flying all of his life and had worked for Pan American Airways flying Boeing 314s and Sikorsky flying boats — and he had never before heard the information that he had just gotten from me. It made me feel pretty good, that maybe I was be-ing innovative and effective. It made me happy that I had changed their behavior, made them better pilots, and I had put something — safety and quality — back into aviation!

In 1999 I was named Aviator of the Year for South Carolina and inducted into the South Carolina Aviation Hall of Fame. Following the announcement, one of the Hall of Fame committee members told me that I had been selected because I had been able to help so many people.

It took a little while to sink in, but I re-alized, that after all of these years, I had gotten to do what I had wanted to do when I was a kid — help people! How could I be so lucky?

Find out more about the Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award at

FAASafety.gov.

Honoring 50 safe years in the air


Eastern United StatesFeb. 25, 2012, Rockland, ME. Maine

Aviation Forum 206-323-0616.Feb. 25, 2012, Marathon, FL. Marathon

Aviation Day (MTH) 305-731-3176.Feb. 25-26, 2012, Greenville, SC.

Southeast Hot Air Balloon Ground School (GMU) 864-631-3243.

Mar. 2-4, 2012, Daytona Beach, FL. FIFI, the Commemorative Air Force’s B-29 Superfor-tress visits Daytona (DAB) 386-337-4499.

Mar. 3, 2012, Arcadia, FL. Avia-tion Day (X06) 863-993-2114.

Mar. 9-11, 2012, Titusville, FL. Val-iant Air Command’s Tico War-bird Air Show 321-268-1941.

Mar. 10-11, 2012, Sebring, FL. South Florida Seaplane Splash-in (SEF) 561-414-6865.

Mar. 14-16, 2012, Arlington, VA. ARSA Annual Legislative Day and Repair Symposium. 703-739-9543.

Mar. 15-18, 2012, Ft. Lauderdale, FL. Commemorative Air Force’s B-29 Su-perfortress FIFI Tour 954-493-8615.

Mar. 17, 2012, Vero Beach, FL. Aviation Day 2012 (VRB) 772-978-4930.

Mar. 18-21, 2012, Lakeland, FL. Lakeathon 561-948-1262.

Mar. 25, 2012 Lakeland, FL. Adair Henderson Memorial Service (10 am-2 pm), First Lady of Sun ‘n Fun Fly-In (X-49) 863-644-3087.

Mar. 27-April 1, 2012, Lakeland, FL. Sun ’n Fun International Fly-In & Expo (LAL) 863-644-2431.

Mar. 29, 2012, Polk City, FL. Seaplane Splash-in/Dinner at Lake Agnes Fan-tasy of Flight 863-944-4941.

Apr. 3-6, 2012, Washington DC. 55th An-nual Aircraft Electronics Association Con-ference/Trade Show 816-347-8400.

Apr. 6-7, 2012, Tavares, FL. Planes, Trains & BBQ/Seaplane Splash-in (FA1) 352-742-6267 .

Apr. 7, 2012, Ft. Lauderdale, FL. Ban-yan Pilot Shop Customer Apprecia-tion Day (FXE) 954-491-3170.

Apr. 21, 2012, Walterboro, SC. Wings-N-Wheels (RBW) 843-549-2549.

Apr. 21, 2012, Mocksville, SC. Spring Fly-in (5NC2) 336-998-3971.

Apr. 21, 2012, Tavares, FL. Seaplane Splash-in (FA1) 352-742-6267.

Apr. 28, 2012, Gainesville, FL. Ga-tor Fly-in (GNV) 352-373-0249.

Apr. 28-29, 2012, Suffolk, VA. Virginia Festival of Flight (SFQ) 757-372-0148.

North Central United StatesFeb. 25, 2012, Royalton, WI. Chapter 444

Skiplane Fly-in (38WI) 920-225-9881.Mar. 3, 2012, Springfield, IL. 32nd An-

nual Light-Sport Aircraft & Ultralight Safety Seminar 217-785-4989.

Mar. 4-6, 2012, Bismarck, ND. Upper Mid-west Aviation Symposium 701-355-1800.

Mar. 8-9, 2012, Mexico, MO. Zenith Fac-tory Workshop (MYJ) 573-581-9000.

Mar. 10, 2012, Cleveland, OH. Free Family Fun Day at the International Women’s Air & Space Museum (BKL) 216-623-1111.

Mar. 14-16, 2012, St. Louis, MO. CASR Professional Development Courses in Aviation Safety 314-977-8725.

Mar. 17, 2012, Indianapolis, IN. Indiana Avia-tion Safety Seminar (TYQ) 317-339-7781.

Mar. 17, 2012, Blaine, MN. Twin Cities Aviation Spring Open House (ANE) 763-780-4375.

Mar. 19, 2012, Brooklyn Center, MN. Minnesota Aviation Maint Techni-cian Conf 651-234-7183.

Apr. 7, 2012, Oshkosh, WI. EAA 252 Pancake Breakfast & Fly-in (OSH) 920-233-0410.

April 19-20, 2012, Mexico, MO. Zenith Fac-

tory Workshop (MYJ) 573-581-900May 20, 2012, Joliet, IL. Joliet Airport

Festival (JOT) 815-741-7267.

South Central United StatesMar. 8-10, 2012, Dallas, TX. Women

in Aviation Conf 937-839-4647.Apr. 3-5, 2012, Dallas, TX. Aviation Week

MRO Americas 212-904-4682.Apr. 13-15, 2012, Pineville, LA. EAA 614 Spring

Fly-in and Campout (2LO) 318-452-0919.Apr. 14, 2012, Cookson, OK. 23rd An-

nual Wild Egg & Onion Breakfast Fly-in (44M) 918-457-4774.

May 4-6, 2012, Temple, TX. Central Texas AirShow (TPL) 512-869-1759.

May 5, 2012, Center, TX. 9th Annual Cen-ter Fly-in/Airshow 936-598-3682.

May 12, 2012, Brewton, AL. 3rd Annual Spring Fly-in (12J) 251-867-9997.

May 19, 2012, Brady, TX. Armed Forces Day Celebration & Fly-In (BBD) 325-456-6726.

May 31-Jun 3, 2012, Savannah, TN. Ladies Love Taildraggers & Friends Fly-in (SNH) 317-506-2737.

Jun. 2, 2012, Midlothian, TX. Annual Pan-cake Breakfast Fly-in, 972-923-0080.

Oct. 20, 1012, Norman, OK. 6th An-nual Westheimer Airport Fly In/Open House Festival (OUN) 405 325-7231.

Western United StatesFeb. 25-26, 2012, Puyallup, WA. Northwest

Aviation Conference 866-922-7469.Mar. 3, 2012, Hollister, CA. Frazier

Lake Airpark Antique Aircraft Display/Fly-in (1C9) 831-726-9672.

Mar. 17, 2012, Mojave, CA. Vintage Air-craft Display (1CL2) 661-824-2839.

Mar. 18, 2012, LaVerne, CA. St. Pad-dy’s Antique Aircraft/Classic Car Dis-play (POC) 626-576-8692.

Mar. 25-31, Minden, NV. Minden Wave Glider Camp (MEV)775-782-9595.

Mar. 31, 2012, Riverside, CA. 20th An-nual Airshow 2012 951-682-1771.

Apr. 7, 2012, Hollister, CA. Frazier Lake Airpark Antique Aircraft Display/Fly-in (1C9) 831-726-9672.

Apr. 21, 2012, Mojave, CA. Vintage Air-craft Display (1CL2) 661-824-2839.

May 5, 2012, Oakdale, CA. Oakdale Airport Appreciation Day (O27) 209-986-4647.

May 5, 2012, Hollister, CA. Frazier Lake Airpark Antique Aircraft Display/Fly-in (1C9) 831-726-9672.

May 12, 2012, Oceano, CA. Oceano Airport Celebration Day (L52).

May 19, 2012, Mojave, CA. Vintage Air-craft Display (1CL2) 661-824-2839.

May 19-20, 2012, Denver, CO. 2nd An-nual Rocky Mountain Light Sport Expo (FTG) 303-755-1525.

AlaskaApr. 21, 2012, Anchorage, AK. 27th Annual

Alaska Seaplane Seminar 907-398-6228.May 5-6, 2012, Anchorage, AK. 15th

Alaska State Aviation Trade Show/Conference 907-245-1251.

InternationalFeb. 29-Mar. 4, 2012, Alamos,

Mexico. Club Pilotos Spring Re-union (MM45) 888-777-0164.

Mar. 6-8, 2012, AbuDhabi, UAE. Abu Dhabi Air Expo (OMAD/AZI) +97124942309.

Mar. 26-29, 2012, Brazil and Chile. Aviation and Airport Trade Mission 206-553-5615.

May 14-16, 2012, Geneva, Switzerland. 12th Annual EBACE +32 2 766 00 73.

May 22-24, 2012, Shanghai, China. China Aviation Mfg Summit +86 21 51615.

Calendar of Events

acebook fans

the great alaska aviation gathering!Fedex Maintenance hangar, ted stevens international airport

anchorage, alaska

Real Alaskans Show Up For This ONE!May 5th & 6th

Over 275 aviation only exhibitors displaying the latest technol-ogy, state-of-the-art products, new innovations and comprehensive safety conference. Indoor & Outdoor Static Displays featuring every type of aircraft - sport, general aviation, vintage, experimental, commercial, corporate and military.

The Alaska State Aviation Trade Show is about flying in Alaska complete with a frontier flair. Discover industry trends. Learn about new products and safety equipment. Enjoy live presentations and demonstrations. Now in its 15th season, this is Alaska’s premier, must-see aviation event with attendance over 21,000 pilots and aviation enthusiasts.

presented by the Alaska Airmen’s Association

Alaska is the “flyingest” state in the union with more pilots and aircraft per capita than anywhere in the world. The largest aviation trade show in Alaska.

www.greatalaskaaviationgathering.org


Concurrent Sessions with a large •variety of exciting speakers! Mechanic Refresher & IA Re-•newal Seminar, Aviation Industry Exhibits Aviation Teacher Workshop Ses-•sions & Activities for students FAA question and answer session •

Explore Bozeman one of the most diverse small towns in the Rocky Mountain West!

ALSO FEATURING: Aviation Master Addison PembertonAviation History Enthusiast Larry Chambers

Montana Aviation Conference28th Annual

March 1-3, 2012 Best Western Grantree

& Holiday Inn Hotelsin Bozeman

Featuring Motivational Speaker Jessica Cox (www.rightfooted.com) – Born without arms, Jessica Cox could have lived down to the low expectations that ushered her into this world. In spite of them all, she learned to swim, drive a car, fly an airplane, earn two black belts in tae kwon-do, graduate from college, surf, scuba dive, and live independently using her feet in ways others who take their hands for granted can only imagine.

Friday night a fun filled evening at the newly remodeled Gallatin Field Airport an event you won’t want to miss! Best Buy - Takeoff to Landing Package All-Inclusive Registration + Meals = Savings!! Those who preregister will be eligible for a special drawing!

For further information visit www.mdt.mt.gov/aviationOr contact Patty Kautz – [email protected] OR (406) 444-9580

WILDERNESS ADVENTURER OR FAMILY HAULERBest Performing Utility Planes - Also Best Value in Quick Build Kits

Bearhawk Aircraft • 877-528-4776www.bearhawkaircraft.com

ALL METAL, FLUSH-RIVETED WING. STEEL TUBE & FABRIC FUSELAGE.

2 seat tandem, Cruise 140+ MPH, Land 35 mph, 115-210 HP, SuperCub STOL performance but with longer range, roomier cabin, & BIG baggage door. Super safe stall/spin characteristics

Cruise 150 mph, Land 40 mph. Four 200 pound people with baggage and 50gal. 160-260hp. Huge cargo doors. Build it with leather, EFIS and Autopilot or barebones lightweight. It can be whatever you want it to be.

Bearhawk Four Place

Bearhawk Patrol

CURRITUCK COUNTY REGIONAL AIRPORT “Your Gateway to the Outer Banks” Currituck, North Carolina ONX

100LL Jet A 24 hour fully automated

Aviation Fuel SystemAttended 7 days a week 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.Jet A fuel truck available

• CourtesyCar• Aircrafttie-downs• Crewlounge/shower• 5500footrunway

252-453-8032AWOS 119.775

Unicom 122.900Our goal is the lowest fuel prices on the East Coast.

LUMBERTON REGIONAL AIRPORTLUMBERTON NORTH CAROLINA

Shell Aviation

Home of the “Mid Atlantic Fly-in and Sport Aviation Convention”

Courtesy car available to visit nearby restaurants

100 LL & Jet AFor fuel after hours

call 910-739-6480 during normal working hours.

Open8 am to 6 pm

Sunday - Saturday

Call for daily fuel prices.

EXECUTIVE AIRPORT1200 GENE BOLTON DRIVE

SUFFOLK, VA 23434PH: 757.514.4411

FAX: 757.538.0240

YOUR ONE STOP AIRPORT ON THE EAST COAST FLYWAYAircraft Service/Repairs • Pilot Supplies • Low Tiedown/Hangar Rates • Car Rental

87 Octane Mogas 24 Hour Self-Serve Credit Card System(Aircraft with appropriate STCs)110LL 24 Hour Self-Serve Credit Card SystemJET-A Full Service

Shell Aviation 757-514-4411 UNICOM 122.7

• 100LL & Jet A w/additive • Pilot Lounge• Conference Room• 5,500’ Paved Runway• Tie Downs available

704-735-0602

• Unicom 123.05• AWOS 119.675• Crew Car• WIFI

Lincolnton-Lincoln County Airport (IPJ)

CHARLOTTE RELIEVER


Garmin releases GTN 750 Trainer App for iPad

Garmin has released a new GTN 750 trainer app for the iPad 2.

The app offers a touch and drag inter-face, allowing users to simulate most func-tions of the GTN 750, including panning the map, entering waypoints into the flight plan, loading airways, graphically editing flight plans, radio tuning and more. High resolution North and Central America ter-rain maps, worldwide Nav Data, simulated traffic targets and simulated XM weather data allow the pilot to experience the en-hanced situational awareness offered by the GTN 750. The app is also configured with product options such as TAWS-B audible alerts, transponder control and re-mote audio processor control.

The app is available for $24.99 from the App Store on iPad 2 or at iTunes.com

Garmin.com

aerox receives PMA approval for aircraft oxygen cylinders

aerox has received a supplement to its already existing Parts Manufacturing Ap-proval (PMA). Supplements 2 and 3 cov-er the manufacture of replacement steel oxygen cylinders and Supplements 4 and 5 cover the manufacture of replacement Kevlar composite oxygen cylinders.

These cylinders are available as re-

placements for BE Aerospace, Scott, Zo-diac, and Puritan Bennet, company offi-cials said.

Aircraft covered by the PMA supple-ments include those manufactured by Hawker Beechcraft, Cessna, Dassault, Embraer, Gulfstream, Lear, Mooney, and Saab-Fairchild.

aerox.com

Blackhawk acquires STCs for King Air 90 engine upgrades

Blackhawk has acquired Silverhawk Conversions’ Supplemental Type Certifi-cates (STCs) for the King Air C90/A se-

New Products

Contact your Airvan representative

Randy JuenCall Toll Free (855) 247-8269

[email protected]

8 Seats &Full Fuel

GA8 Airvan

Visit Us at Sun ‘n Fun Booth MD-006A


ries and E90 engine upgrades. The STCs allow replacement of legacy engines in C90, C90A, and E90 aircraft with new PT6A-135A engines or used PT6A-135 engines.

The upgraded King Air 90s realize in-creased true airspeed and improved sin-gle-engine performance, while enjoying a significantly lower time to climb and reduced operating and maintenance costs, company officials said.

Blackhawk, founded in 1999 in Waco, Texas, has upgraded more than 350 air-craft. The company has the world’s larg-est installed fleet of STC twin-engine tur-boprop engine upgrades.

Blackhawk.aero

SportairUSA named dealer for iFly GPS

SportairUSA, an Arkansas-based dis-tributor of sport aircraft and avionics, is now a dealer for Adventure Pilot’s iFly GPS, the 7-inch touchscreen moving map designed for general aviation pilots.

Bill Canino, president of SportairUSA, said the iFly GPS will be standard equip-ment on the company’s Snap! light sport

aerobat, and will be an available option on the Sting, Sirius, Savage Cub, and SeaRey.At a price point starting at $549, the in-strument is loaded with US Sectionals, IFR Low Enroute Charts, Geo-Refer-enced Approach Plates, Airport Diagrams and much more, he noted.

Sportair.aero, iFlyGPS.com

Corbi Air develops LSA air conditioner

Corbi Air has developed an air con-ditioning system light enough for small general aviation aircraft, including Light-Sport Aircraft (LSA). The launch custom-er is the S-LSA Alto (pictured above).

The system is all-electric, so the stan-dard 12-volt Rotax system, common in LSAs, is augmented by an independent alternator and small 24-volt batteries.

Corbi Air is the distributor of the Alto LSA, and is also the supplier of the AMT air conditioning system.

CorbiAir.com, AMT-aero.com

Retractable tether for tools introduced

Just introduced is Gear Keeper’s new RT3-5601 retractable tether for tools up to 2 pounds.

Available in high visibility orange, the retractable teth-er’s ultra low profile keeps tools close to the body when stored while still allowing complete ac-cessibility in all directions when in use, accord-ing to company officials.

The tether’s patented side-release clip im-proves produc-

tivity while maintaining drop safety by providing a method for easily exchanging one tool for another, company officials add.

The RT3-5601 tether extends up to 42 inches and the tether features a ratcheted thumb-controlled device to lock the cable at any extension length. Additionally, the Dual-Axis rotation clamp-on clip attaches to a tool belt or fall protection harness.

RT3-5601 retractable tool lanyards, in-cluding the dual-axis belt clip, retail for $34.99.

GearKeeper.com

‘Flight of a Lifetime’ published

A new book, “Flight of a Lifetime,” a memoir by William Randolph, tells of the author’s quest — at the age of 76 — to build his own aircraft and circumnavigate the globe on his own.

Rather than choosing a life of quiet re-tirement interspersed with trips to the golf course, Randolph decided that he would embark on the flight of a lifetime at the age of 76.

After building his single engine plane, Randolph flew it solo 27,000 nautical miles over three oceans, eight seas and three gulfs, as well as a few continents. From an emergency landing in a thunder-storm in Brazil to a near crash and aircraft fire in Thailand to pursuit by fighter jets over the Mediterranean, the journey was fraught with danger at every turn, he re-calls.

“Flight of a Lifetime” is available for sale online at Amazon.com and other on-line booksellers.

Amazon.com

Have a new product or ser-vice you’d like to tell our readers about? Send press releases (in word docu-ments, no PDFs please) to: [email protected]. Please put “On the Mar-ket” in the subject line. Send photos separately.

www.PCA.aero 1.800.353.0370Aurora State Airport • 22783 Airport Road, N.E. • Aurora, OR 97002 • Fax: 503.678.6292 • Mon. – Fri. 7:30 – 5:30 PST

Price and availability subject to change.

Why choose Pacific Coast Avionics?Simple. Because avionics is what we do, and we do it better than anyone. We install more Garmin avionics than anyone on the west coast! From basic installs to complete panel and glass retrofits – Call the leader in great service and low pricing – Call Pacific Coast Avionics.You’ll be glad you did.. . .and MORE!

CALL PACIFIC COAST AVIONICS FOR ALL OF YOUR AVIONICS NEEDS

PROUD SPONSOR OFNW AVIATION CONFERENCE & TRADE SHOWStop By Our Booth at the Show Feb. 25/26 for the Best Pricing and Best Service.

GPS

aera® 796

iFLY 700

AVIONICS

GTN 750 DYNON SV-D1000

HANDHELDS

ICOM IC-A24 VXA 220

HEADSETS

BOSE® A20LIGHTSPEED

ZULU PCA-ANR II

INSTRUMENTS

EDM 830 UBG16 RCA 2600

PILOT SUPPLIESBRIGHTLINE BAG

ResQLink XGPS150

GPS • AVIONICS • HEADSETS • PILOT SUPPLIES

NOSALESTAX!

ICOM IC-A6

PCA-06-040.GAN.3-12.indd 1 1/27/12 1:54 PM


These are excerpts from reports made to the Aviation Safety Reporting System. The narratives in the reports are written by the pilots, rather than FAA or NTSB officials. To maintain anonymity, many of the details, such as aircraft model or air-port, are scrubbed from the reports.

Aircraft: Experimental Primary Problem: Procedural, VFR in IMC

From the pilot: I was cruising at 7,500 feet, enjoying a nice tailwind; clouds be-low about 3,000 feet, but clear VFR above. I had anticipated staying on top until I got near my destination then finding a hole to get down, but a call to Flight Watch

told me that wasn’t going to happen. It started closing up under me so I found a hole in the deck and wound up landing at an airport 1/3rd of the way. I waited on the ground for a couple of hours watch-ing clouds and visibilities on the Internet, hoping it would improve. Given the very large slow moving front over my route and destination I knew if I didn’t get home today I would have to wait several days before the weather would be good enough to get home. The visibility seemed good enough (4-5 miles) to scud run so I decid-ed to make a run for it. I got about as far as two thirds of the way and it got much worse, perhaps 300 feet and 2 miles. Not having any options at this point, I elected to climb and got above the clouds, about

3,500 feet. I had plenty of fuel but was getting short on daylight. My GPS shows some terrain features, so I decided to keep heading directly towards my destination until I reached the Mississippi River, which would keep me away from any tall towers in the vicinity. At that point, I de-scended back down through the deck until I could see the water. I followed the river north for a short while, until I recognized a highway that ultimately leads to my des-tination. I called the Tower and requested special VFR, which they granted. I landed without incident, 20 minutes before offi-cial sunset. It was definitely a case of get-there-itis and poor judgment. All day I have been thinking how close I really was to not making it.

Aircraft: Cessna 162, CitabriaPrimary Problem: Communication Breakdown, Situational Awareness

From the Cessna pilot: Flying southeast bound at 2,500 feet on a flight to PAO, I was given, “Traffic, Citabria 5 miles 2 o’clock eastbound.” I responded, “Look-ing for traffic — negative contact.” I was given, “Traffic two miles, three o’clock eastbound, restricted above you.” I saw a plane crossing right to left far enough away that I could not tell whether it was a Citabria or not. Still I called out “in sight.” This was a mistake which I immediately wished I had not made. Very worried now because the controller thinks I have the traffic in sight, but the spotted traffic was clearly further than two miles away. I said nothing (mistake #2). The plane shortly appeared at the top of the wind-shield about 200 feet above me, crossing my path. I know that the clock system has to be adjusted for the difference between the track, which the controller sees and the heading. I did not expect the traffic to be so far off the call. Also, I was flying a high-wing plane and could not have seen this aircraft, which came from essentially my 4 o’clock to pass in front of me. I did not want to admit that I did not, in fact, have the traffic I had previously called, which gave rise to a very dangerous situ-ation. In the future I will be conservative calling traffic in sight. Distance, altitude, track and type will have to match the re-ported traffic. I need to be more aware that upward visibility is very restricted in a high-wing airplane. But especially I will notify ATC if I no longer have traffic.

Aircraft: PA-28 Dakota, Airbus A320Primary Problem: Situational Awareness, Procedures

From the Piper Dakota pilot: Tower controller cleared an Airbus into position on 19R. At about three miles out on the ILS 19R Approach the tower controller

ASRS Reports

AVIONICS Tom Dalquist (800) 345-0949 [email protected]

MAINTENANCE John Norling (800) 345-0949 [email protected]

Leader in Avionics & Maintenance Services Since 1980

hillsboroaviation.com I

CONTACT US FOR ALL YOUR AIRCRAFT NEEDS!

As an FAA-certified repair station (license #LJER093G) and a factory-authorized service center for Bell, Cessna, Robinson and Lycoming, we provide services from basic inspections to customizations. We specialize in the installation of the latest in avionics equipment from leading manufacturers such as Garmin, Cobham, Aspen Avionics, Sandel and Avidyne.

Garmin 795/796

Garmin G600NEW Garmin GTN 750 & 650

shopaviation.com


asked if the airport was visible. Pilot re-sponded that the airport was just becom-ing visible but runway was not yet in sight, visibility was approximately three miles in haze/smog, landing into the setting sun with overcast at approximately 2,000 feet approaching the airport from the west. Tower controller then stated “cleared to continue the approach to minimums but cleared to land on 19 Left.” During that transmission the runway came into view so pilot responded “cleared to land on 19 Left. The runway is in sight and I am turn-ing now,” and turned left to align with the 19L runway. Tower controller then asked another aircraft apparently in the pattern for 19L if the Dakota was in sight. The Airbus on 19R was then cleared for take-off. The visibility was likely so poor that the other aircraft in the pattern for 19R never saw the Dakota. When no response was heard reporting the other aircraft had the Dakota in sight, the Tower controller cleared the Dakota to land on 19R instead of 19L. At this point the Dakota was at 500 MSL and about 3/4 to 1/2 mile short of the runway threshold. The Airbus on 19R was just beginning its takeoff roll. The Dakota then turned right to align with Runway 19R. With only about 1/2 mile in trail of the Airbus on takeoff the Da-kota responded, “With that guy taking off landing clearance is declined.” The Tower controller then responded with “Alright, you can make a right 360 there.” A climb-ing right 360 turn was then made and the Dakota climbed to approximately 500 feet AGL. During the turn the Tower con-troller directed the Dakota, “Continue the base. Cleared to land on 19 Left.” Land-ing was made without incident on 19 Left. One half mile or less in trail of a departing Airbus, under full power, is not safe for an aircraft as light as a Piper Dakota. The Dakota was on an IFR flight plan, in mar-ginal visual conditions.

Insufficient separation was provided by ATC. The problem could have been avoided by either keeping the Airbus off of 19R until landing was assured by other traffic cleared on the ILS 19R approach or extending the downwind leg of the other traffic in the pattern for 19L.

Aircraft: PA-32 Cherokee SixPrimary Problems: Communication Breakdown, Situational Awareness, Workload, Distraction

From the pilot: We are bringing up a sit-uation that has happened for a third time. It is not ATC’s or another aircraft’s fault, but is an accident just waiting to happen. When IFR aircraft approaches SEE’s LOC D from the northwest, we are always vectored south of Ramona and over the very far edge of El Capitan Reservoir at 6,000. A great deal of flight training goes on over El Capitan Reservoir. For the first six years we flew in this area, we never had a conflict. We have now been on ap-proach three times and have encountered aerobatic aircraft and/or aircraft practic-ing steep turns operating between 5,000 and 7,000 feet. Usually our TIS shows up the erratic flying and we cringe as we get closer, but there isn’t a total conflict. Yesterday, we were flying right at the guy and alerted ATC. Even with the vectors,

we were really uncomfortable as he came out of a steep turn right behind us. We don’t think SCT Approach did anything wrong. They were, as always, profes-sional and on top of things. However, this is a systems error waiting to claim a life. We fly two pilot IFR with our heads on a swivel, and we know the airspace and the approach well. Imagine a single pilot IFR or a student IFR flight with heads down and aerobatics just ahead. Yes, of course, one would hope that ATC would alert them early, but this is San Diego’s busiest SCT sector, with the controller handling both SAN arrivals as well as SDM, MYF and SEE. Also, even with 4 miles notice, it was still hard for ATC and for us to get out of the way. So many holes are lining up for an accident. The VFR folks don’t know we are out there, and most of the IFR folks probably don’t know they are out there. There are tons of folks doing flight training. It is a high workload time on an IFR flight with lots of fast airplanes

moving through that space. And, it is an extremely busy sector for ATC. Any one of those holes being closed stops the ac-cident, but if they all line up, somebody is going to die. We strongly recommend that somebody study this issue soon and that at a minimum the FAAST representatives consider the issue for a seminar. Ideally, the chart should be updated to alert the VFR folks that there is heavy IFR traffic between 5,000 and 7,000 feet and the IFR folks that there is intensive flight training over El Capitan.

Aircraft: Baron 55/CochisePrimary Problem: Communication Breakdown

From the pilot: The flight started as a VFR flight with flight following to DCY. Prior to the flight I downloaded weather and NOTAMs to my iPad where the weath-er showed VFR most of the flight and pos-sible IFR upon arrival. I also called the lo-

cal DCY FBO three times with no answer. Midway through the flight while checking ATIS around the arriving airport, the ceil-ing dropped to minimums, so I filed IFR in flight with INDY Center. INDY Cen-ter handed me to Holman Approach and I shot the RNAV 18 approach. I announced my approach on CTAF and continued the approach. On the approach I broke out around 1,500 feet and I switched back to Holman Approach and canceled IFR and squawked VFR. Then I switched back to CTAF and announced my intentions to land. Continued the approach in light haze and the landing area was clear. On the flare and touchdown I noticed a truck on the far end of the runway, which flashed his lights, but I decided continuing the landing was less risk than to go around. After taxi and stop I was informed that the runway was closed for painting.

From ASRS official: Whether this NOTAM was not issued or missed by the pilot is unknown.

General Aviation News Classified Ad Form

1 2 3 4 5

6 7 8 9 10

11 12 13 14 15

16 17 18 19 20

21 22 23 24 25

First 20 words is $27, each addtional word is $1.34 per word.Name:

Address:

City: State: Zip:

Phone: Fax:

Email:

Classified Payment Information Classified Fee: $

Check Visa Mastercard Amex

Credit Card #

Billing Address:

Signature:

IN OUR CLASSIFIED PAGES

General Aviation News is all about

‘See and Be Seen’

SEE

BE SEEN

Find what you need or want in our Classifieds &

Two issues Addt’l Issues

20-word ad (min. order) $27 per ad .67 per word

20-word ad (all bold) $44 per ad $1.10 per word

Color Photo (3” max) + word fee $60 per inch $30 per inch

Color Logo (3” max) + word fee $78 per inch $39 per inch

Classified Ad Pricing InfoFax completed form to (858) 712-1960 or mail to: General Aviation NewsP.O. Box 39099, Lakewood, WA 98496


A/C .....................................Air ConditioningADs .......................Airworthiness DirectivesADF ...................Automatic Direction FinderAH .....................................Artificial HorizonA&P ......................... Airframe & PowerplantAP.............................................Audio PanelA/P................................................. AutopilotCDI ....................Course Deviation IndicatorCHT .................. Cylinder Heat TemperatureCom..........................Communication RadioC/R ...................................Counter RotatingCT..........................Carburetor TemperatureDF.......................................Direction FinderDG ..................................... Directional GyroDME...........Distance Measuring EquipmentEFIS.... Electronic Flight Instrument SystemEGT ................... Exhaust Gas Temperature

ELT ............ Emergency Locator TransmitterFD..........................................Flight DirectorFWF...................................Firewall ForwardGPS ................... Global Positioning SystemGS ......................................... GroundspeedG/S ........................................... Glide SlopeGSP ............................Ground Service PlugHF.......................................High Frequencyhp ............................................. horsepowerHSI.................Horizontal Situation IndicatorIFR.......................... Instrument Flight RulesILS ................... Instrument Landing SystemLE ..............................................Left EngineLMB............................Light Marker BeaconLOC ...............................................LocalizerLoran.............Long Range Area NavigationLR............................................ Long Range

LRT................................ Long Range TanksMB .......................................Marker BeaconMDH ........................ Major Damage HistoryMP .................................. Manifold PressureNDH............................. No Damage HistoryNM .........................................Nautical MilesNav ...................................Navigation RadioNavCom .Navigation/Communication RadioOAT ...................... Outside Air TemperatureOH .................................................OverhaulRB .................................... Rotating BeaconRDF ......................... Radio Direction FinderRE........................................... Right EngineRG ....................................Retractable GearRMI ...................... Radio Magnetic IndicatorRNAV..................................Area NavigationSBs................................... Service Bulletins

SCMOH .......Since Chrome Major OverhaulSFRM ...........Since Factory RemanufactureSHS ................................ Since Hot SectionSMOH....................... Since Major OverhaulSOH.....................................Since OverhaulS/N........................................ Serial NumberSPOH .........................Since Prop OverhaulSTOH............................Since Top OverhaulSTOL ......................Short Takeoff / LandingTBO ...................... Time Between OverhaulTT ................................................Total TimeTTAE ..............Total Time Airframe / EngineTTAF............................. Total Time AirframeTTSN ........................ Total Time Since NewXPDR....................................... TransponderVLF............................. Very Low FrequencyVOR .................................VHF Omni Range

A v i a t i o n A b b r e v i a t i o n s

Aircraft for Sale - 5020 Aircraft for Sale - 5020 Aircraft for Sale - 5020 Aircraft for Sale - 5020

Aeronca - 1050

CITABRIA, AERONCA Scout, Decathlon, salvage, sur-plus, 5-ply birch formers, gear legs straightened, repair, wing inspection kits. RAINBOW 509-765-1606/fax:1616. [email protected] www.rainbowflying.com

FREE UNIVAIR INVENTORY LISTING Hundreds of FAA-PMA’d parts. Contact: UNIVAIR, 2500 Himalaya Rd, Aurora CO 80011-8156. Toll free 1-888-433-5433, info 303-375-8882, fax 800-457-7811, www.univair.com

CITABRIA, AERONCA Scout, Decathlon, salvage, sur-plus, 5-ply birch formers, gear legs straightened, repair, wing inspection kits. RAINBOW 509-765-1606/fax:1616. [email protected] www.rainbowflying.com

Aviat - 1400

AVIAT HUSKIES- 2006 thru 2009 used. VFR, IFR, tak-ing 2012 orders. Call for details. Jim Taylor, McCreery Aviation, 956-686-1774.

Beech Bonanza - 1505

1947 BONANZA 7829 TTAF, 445-SMOH, 10.3-SPOH, engine 22 STOH, dual control, IFR. 3rd window, $39,500. Will trade. Earl 360-754-5221, 360-292-7220.

1987 A-36 Prop Jet 450hp, TT-2407/155-SMOH, 530/430/386, Traffic, Terrian, WX/XM/A/P/DME/HSI, xpdr, storm, Radar ALT, TCAD, A/C, oxygen, P&I-9/1/2, $549,900. MT/406-945-1322.

1993 BEECHCRAFT B36, 1600TTAF, Western Skyways Millennium GII TSIO-520-UB 360 SMOH, McCauley 3-Blade 360-SPOH, King-Avionics, P&I-8/10, No Damage. $250,000. 208-308-1852.

Beech Baron - 1602

1980 B55 Baron, 740 TT, works perfectly. Loaded! LR fuel (142gal). Extensive January annual w/IFR certifica-tion. NDH! $200,000. 325-735-2266; 669-6630.

Beech Travel Air - 1614

1958 BEECH Travel Air. Many Many mods. IFR, 450 SMOH, Reduced $63,000 or Trade. West One Air 208-455-9393. [email protected]

Bellanca - 1650

1966 BELLANCA 260, 14-19-3A, TT2400, SMOH-1100, Cont-1O470-F, 260HP, 4-pl, always hangared. $21,000/OBO. Ray Williams, 928-580-1285,[email protected] More details/photo atwww.generalaviationnews.com

Cessna 150 - 1904

1975 C-150M, N63679 5910-TTAF, 1530-SMOH, Audio-Panel w/MB, 2 NavComs, ADF, Nov.2011-annual, hang-ared. $18,000. Kevin-503-931-6281, Jim-503-838-2185. More details/picture @ www.generalaviationnews.com

BUYING OR FLYING A CESSNA 150/152?Read the complete, authoritative guide! Second Printing! Officially endorsed by the 150/152 Club! Fly safer, save thousands. You’ll love it! www.cessna150book.com

Cessna 152 - 1905

FOUR C-152’S AVAILABLE. King digital IFR, low air-frame and engine time. Call for specs. American Aircraft. 510-783-2711.

Cessna 170/175/177 - 1906

1973 177B 180 HP. TBO. Good compression. 8 in & out. powerflow exhaust, needs annual. $31,000/OBO. Call Gary 360-731-8088.

C-170B, mid-time engine, fresh annual with sale. 180 gear & more, 2pl Intercom $38,500, 435-790-7435, [email protected]

Cessna 172 - 1907

1963 C-172 project, engine (lower-end together). All new parts & new 4-cylinders, panel converted to center stack, new glass/interior in box. Has STC’s Lyc.-160hp. $15,000 paint job. $36,000. Earl Pearson, 360-292-7220. 360-754-5221

CESSNA PILOTS ASSOCIATION: “BUYER’S GUIDE TO THE CESSNA 172” Written by the world’s foremost experts on Cessna aircraft. Lists all model changes, per-formance figures, Airworthiness Directives. Includes 100 point pre-purchase inspection checklist. $35 for mem-bers, $40 for non-members plus s/h. Order at www.cess-na.org or mail to Cessna Pilots Association, POBox 5417, Santa Maria CA 93456 800-343-6416.

Cessna 182 - 1909

1973 182P, 919hrs P-Ponk ,530W, 340-audio, HSI, ME406 ELT, SR8A-analyzer, 3bl-prop, King-155, 2Light-speed, 4pl-oxy. Loads of TLC. Make-Offer! 541-882-1887, [email protected]

Cessna 200 Series - 1912

1970 CENTURION 210K “Turbo” 60SMOH, 60SPOH, KLN90B GPS Colored-re-map. New leather interior. To-tally refurbished by Western Aircraft. $107,750. 208-455-9393. [email protected]

Cessna 200 Series - 1912

1960 C-210, 150 SMOH, IFR, Very Nice Aircraft. All Ad’s complied. $43,750. West One Air, [email protected]

Cessna - 2020

CESSNA WING rebuilding, using factory jigs. CRS #UDIR892K. Aircraft Rebuilders 2245 SO. Hwy 89, Perry UT 84302 435-723-5650.

Cessna Parts - 2030

CESSNA WINGS REBUILT ON JIGSBEECH/CESSNA Control surfaces reskinned on jigs

Call for quotes. West Coast Wings 707-462-6822.

FREE UNIVAIR INVENTORY LISTING. Hundreds of FAA-PMA’d parts for 120-185.Contact: UNIVAIR, 2500 Himalaya Rd, Aurora CO 80011-8156. Toll free 1-888-433-5433, info 303-375-8882, FAX 1-800-457-7811, www.univair.com

SELKIRK AVIATION Inc. has FAA approval on compo-site cowlings for all Cessna 180, 185 & years 1956-1961 Cessna 182 planes. Also interior panels, extended bag kits, glare shields & nose bowl for most C-170 to U206 models. www.selkirk-aviation.com or 208-664-9589.

Champion Parts - 2055

FREE UNIVAIR INVENTORY LISTING. Hundreds of FAA-PMA’d parts Univair, 2500 Himalaya Rd, Aurora CO 80011-8156. Toll-free 1-888-433-5433, info 303-375-8882, FAX 1-800-457-7811, www.univair.com

Citabria - 2150

CITABRIA, AERONCA Scout, Decathlon, salvage, sur-plus, 5-ply birch formers, gear-legs straightened, repair, wing inspection kits. RAINBOW 509-765-1606/[email protected] www.rainbowflying.com

Citabria Parts - 2155

FREE UNIVAIR INVENTORY LISTING. Hundreds of FAA-PMA’d parts Contact: UNIVAIR, 2500 Himalaya Rd, Aurora CO 80011-8156. Toll free 1-888-433-5433, info 303-375-8882, FAX 1-800-457-7811, www.univair.com

Ercoupe - 2550

‘46 ERCOUPE 415-C, 85hp, 2200-TT, 1100-SMOH (70-80 all cyls), xpdr, King radio, GPS, always hangared (MYB). Light Sport. $22,000. 530-755-4455.

48 415E Ercoupe C-85, 240SMOH, auto-STC. No-ped-als/Bubble-wind. Full Gyro-panel. King-radio, intercom/xpdr/ELT, hangared. $21Kw/fresh annual. See picture at www.generalaviationnews.com 307-250-4739, 307-250-6924.

Ercoupe - 2550

ERCOUPE 415C Light Sport. 600hrs on 85hp, new paint/interior, Cleveland brakes, extended baggage, built-in intercom, shoulder harness. Wings recovered at Stits. Aircraft in AZ. $32,000. Call Ted 503-843-3616.

FREE UNIVAIR INVENTORY LISTING Thousands of type Certificated parts direct from our factory. Contact: UNIVAIR, 2500 Himalaya Rd, Aurora CO 80011-8156. Toll free 1-888-433-5433, info 303-375-8882, FAX 1-800-457-7811, www.univair.com

Luscombe - 3300

LUSCOMBE SUPPORT: Parts, PMA, NOS, used; knowledgable technical help. www.Luscombe.org. 480-650-0883.

Luscombe Parts - 3310

FREE UNIVAIR INVENTORY LISTING Hundreds of FAA-PMA’d parts. Contact: UNIVAIR, 2500 Himalaya Rd, Aurora CO 80011-8156. Toll free 1-888-433-5433, info 303-375-8882, fax 800-457-7811, www.univair.com

Maule - 3400

MAULE AK WORLDWIDE has various MAULES for sale at competitive prices. High performance 3&2 blade props, floats, etc. 707-942-5934, www.maules.com.

Mooney - 3500

LAKE AERO STYLINGYOUR ONE STOP MOONEY “MALL”

Lasar Plane Sales, service, parts, engine work, mods, upholstery, avionics, etc. Servicing your Mooney needs since 1966. Free Mooney buyers guide or mod brochure:

Email: [email protected] www.lasar.comPARTS: 800-954-5619 or 707-263-0581

OFFICE 707-263-0412 FAX 707-263-0420

LASAR PLANE Sales has many Mooneys on consign-ment. Call for info & free Mooney Buyers Guide, 707-263-0452, Fax: 707-263-0472. See us on the internet: www.lasar.com, email: [email protected]

MOONEY'S LARGEST Factory Authorized Parts Serv-ice Center. Large supply of discontiued parts. Lone Star Aero, 888-566-3781, fax [email protected]

RELIANT AVIATION. Mooney parts/ service since 1972. Large inventory. Email [email protected]

Navion - 3600

1948 NAVION 150 SMOH, 150 SPOH, Long range fuel. Must sell! REDUCED $23,700. West One Air 208-455-9393. [email protected]

1948 NAVION-A/L17B 4832-TT, Cont-E185-9, 205hp, 1033-SMOH, 411.1-STOH, 25hrs-prop, Aug-annual, full IFR, DME/GPS, updated-panel, PA-tail, always-hang-ared, many-military records, $35,000/will consider any offers. 360-239-1291.

1962 NAVION Range Master G-H. IO-520BA-285hp, 902-SRMN, 168-STOH, 902-SN-3-bl-prop, 5,246-TTAF, Very well maintained, $89,900/OBO. 937-430-2482. See more details/pictures at: www.generalaviationnews.com

February 24, 2012 General Aviation News — Classified Pages 31

Avionics - 6500 Avionics - 6500

Avionics - 6500 Avionics - 6500

North American - 3680

1945 NORTH AMERICAN P51D Mustang, 1305TTSN, 135SMOH by Nixon, Rolls Royce Merlin 1650-7 with transport-heads. Dual-controls. New Martin-radiator, new hoses, new tubes new hydraulics, fresh annual. $2,145,000, will accept Harvard or AT6 on partial trade. Ron Fernuik 806-662-5823; [email protected]

Piper Single - 3800

NEW CONTROL LOCK for Pipers! Holds the ailerons neutral and the stabilizer down. Installs in seconds, weighs 3oz., easy to store. Only $39.95. Airplane Things, Inc, 866-365-0357 or see at www.airplanethings.com

Piper Cherokee Series - 3806

1974 CHEROKEE Arrow II, 200 hp, IFR, always hang-ared. Idaho, Montana airplane. $49,750. West One Air, 208-455-9393. [email protected]

Piper Comanche - 3809

1962 PIPER Comanche Turbo charged, IFR, fuel inject-ed, cowls, Metco Tips, oxygen, REDUCED!! $45,500. West One Air 208-455-9393 [email protected]

WASHINGTON 1962 Piper Comanche 250. 5400TTAF, 1497-SMOH, 586-SNEW PROP, Lycoming IO-540 fuel injected 250hp. $55,900. 714-263-3362, 949-632-7439. See pics/details: http://maverickairbrokers.com

Piper Super Cub - 3820

SMITH REPLICA Piper Super Cub. 100hrs on O-360. 2010-Copperstate Fly-in award, top custom-built tube&fabric Grand Champion. Owner Must Sell! 928-706-0904. See pictures: www.generalaviationnews.com

Piper Saratoga - 3822

2003 PIPER Saratoga II Turbo, 1400TTAFE. LOADED: Avidyne MFD w/TAWS, XM & Traffic; Garmin 530/430, S-Tec 55X w/HSI, FD; TKS, airbags; A/C, nice P&I. $299,900.See www.N720KM for photos, details.

Piper Warrior - 3838

1976 PIPER Warrior PA28-151, 3000 TTSN, 1000 SMOH, O STOH, King IFR, fresh annual, nice, original paint/interior, NDH. $39,950. 510-783-2711

Piper Apache - 3902

1959 APACHE PA23-160, low time 2450-TTAF, 1018-SMOH, 2-Mk12B’s, VOR, localizer, GS, ILS, xpdr,out of annual, as is/where is, $18,000/obo, 818-792-1531/cell.

Piper Parts - 3920

FREE UNIVAIR INVENTORY LISTING Thousands of FAA-PMA’d and original Piper parts for J-3 through PA-22 and PA-25. Contact: UNIVAIR, 2500 Himalaya Rd, Aurora CO 80011-8156. Toll free 1-888-433-5433, info 303-375-8882, FAX 1-800-457-7811, www.univair.com

Stearman - 4450LIVE AUCTION 1943 STEARMAN, Unrestored, unmodi-fied. PT17, A75N1, N56292. Cont-R670, SMOH-434, TT-1720. San Jose, Calif., 3/31/2012. Reserve $23,000.http://www.panzerstearman.net 360-835-7789

Stinson - 4455

1943 STINSON, Model L-5, Hartzell prop, Single radio/ VOR, ADF, xpdr, 450 TTE, 2500 TTAF, $25,000. 714-288-2799, cell 714-742-3288.

FREE UNIVAIR INVENTORY LISTING. Thousands of Type Certificated parts direct from our factory Contact: UNIVAIR, 2500 Himalaya Rd, Aurora CO 80011-8156. Toll free 1-888-433-5433, info 303-375-8882, FAX 1-800-457-7811, www.univair.com

Taylorcraft Parts - 4605

FREE UNIVAIR INVENTORY LISTING FAA-PMA’d approved parts. Contact: UNIVAIR, 2500 Himalaya Rd, Aurora CO 80011-8156. Toll free 1-888-433-5433, info 303-375-8882, FAX 1-800-457-7811, www.univair.com

Experimentals - 5300

DAKOTA HAWK is a wood and fabric experimental. 60hrs. TT,O-200, 700 hrs since O time. $18,000. 928-274-5001, 928-859-3796.Details/picture see: www.generalaviationnews.com

Floatplanes - 5400

Seaplane Ratings & Solo Rentalsin central Florida and Minnesota

PA12 & C172 available www.adventureseaplanes.com 612-868-4243 - 612-749-1337

Light Sport Aircraft - 5620

PIPER SPORT DEALER DEMO, DYNON GLASS W/696, 330XPDR, AUTO-PILOT, ACT.HOLD & PRESE-LECT. CALL FOR FULL SPECS. WORLD AVIATION, 910-262-6507, [email protected]

Announcements - 6375

SELMA AIRPORT Display Day Held on the third Satur-day of each month. Info/ Contact, Call CA/559-896-1001.

PLEASE DONATE your aircraft, engines, avionics, avia-tion equipment. We provide Humanitarian Air Service World Wide. Donations tax deductible. 800-448-9487.www.wings-of-hope.org

Appraisals - 6405

NAAA/USPAP APPRAISALS / CONSULTING. Northwest US and Western Canada. Call Russ, Bow Avi-ation, www.bowaviation.com 360-766-7600.

Avionics - 6500

Charts & Maps - 6590

Charts & Maps - 6590

CHARTS, WIDEST range of NOS/NIMA, Canada, Worldwide charts. Lowest cost. Next day service availa-ble. The Pilot Shoppe. 623-872-2828 Fax 623-935-6568.

Cylinder Overhaul - 6605

CYLINDER FLOWMATCHINGl for more power and ef-ficiency for Continental & Lycoming cylinders! Aircraft Cylinder Repair. www.aircraftcylinderrepair.com 1-800-622-7101.

Employment - 6900

AIRJOBSDAILY.COM -Comprehensive source of Avia-tion and Aerospace Jobs on the Internet! New Jobs Post-ed Daily. visit our website: www.AirJobsDaily.com

135 OPERATION in Juneau Alaska is seeking pilots for seasonal position. Must be DHC-3T float qualified. Email resume to [email protected]

The Very Best in Airport Information!

Optima Publications

866-880-4686www.pilotsguide.com

32 General Aviation News — Classified Pages February 24, 2012

Experience Safety & Comfort Upgrade your Aircraft Interior with

Mention this ad,

and receive

special aviation

show pricing

Call today to place

your order 1-(800) 284-7677

Equipment - 6990 Equipment - 6990

The parts you need, when you need them

ALASKAN BUSHWHEEL INC.

‘BUSHWHEELS, AIRSTREAKS, WHEELS, TAILWHEEL ASSEMBLIESAND PARTS, TAILSPRINGS, MAULE GEAR.

800-442-8473 WWW.AKBUSHWHEEL.COM

Equipment - 6990 Equipment - 6990

Door and Window Seals engineered with the latest technology

• FAA-PMA approved• air tight “leak proof”• adapts to form the perfect seal

NEWWing walk coating

• easy to apply polyurethane rubber base paint

• can be applied over existing wing walks

We also manufacture quality soft glareshields for updating your aircraft!

Aircraft Door Seals, LLC

www.aircraftdoorseals.com

”perfect seal

Door Seals - 6700 Door Seals - 6700Engines - 6950

ENGINES FROM $200 GUARANTEED:Kawasaki, Rotax, Hirth, and most other brands with the BEST reduction drive, carburetor, exhaust selection of accessories with top-notch service from our friendly staff.

J-Bird, 210 Main St, Kewaskum WI 53040262-626-2611

CASH: WE BUY Cont & Lyc engines & parts. Used, new, damaged. Jerry Meyers Aviation [email protected]

ALLOWS THE use of an O-200 crankshaft, rods, and pistons in C-85 engine, for less than the cost to replace your C-85 crankshaft. Complete w/FAA certification & STC paper work. For more information & prices call AIR-CRAFT SPECIALTIES SERVICES, 800-826-9252.

KAWASAKI PACKAGE - SAVE 50%Engine, reduction drive, carburetor, and tuned exhaust. 0-time, 64 lbs, 40hp. J-Bird, 262-626-2611

Engines - 6950

OVERHAULED, RECONDITIONED, reground. Com-plete aircraft engine machine shop services. Heat treat-ing, plating, NDT. Also complete new and used parts sales. Call for free brochure and pricing. AIRCRAFTSPECIALTIES SERVICES, 800-826-9252.

Engine Parts - 6955

CASH FOR your steel engine parts. Crankshafts, cam-shafts, lifter bodies, rods & gears. Call Aircraft Special-ties Services, 800-826-9252 or www.aircraftspecialties.com

PARTING OUT Lycoming and Continental engines, all parts, large and small! Cores and overhauled parts avail-able. Jerry Meyers Aviation. [email protected]

LYCOMING O-320-160, 1018 SMOH, FWF with all ac-cessories including prop, spinner, carb, exhaust, running condition, $10,000/obo. 818-792-1531/cell.

Equipment - 6990

ALLOWS THE use of an O-200 crankshaft, rods, and pistons in C-85 engine, for less than the cost to replace your C-85 crankshaft. Complete w/FAA certification & STC paper work. For more information & prices call AIR-CRAFT SPECIALTIES SERVICES, 800-826-9252.


Fuel Cells - 7220 Fuel Cells - 7220 Fuel Cells - 7220

Equipment - 6990

www.ceebaileys.com

WINDSHEILDS & SUNSHADES

WINDSHEILDS/WINDOWS

ROSEN SUN VISOR SYSTEM COWL PLUG SET

AIRCRAFT SUNSHADES

AIRCRAFT ACCESSORIES

CALL NOW TO ORDER (800) 788-0618ORDER ONLINE 24/7 www.ceebaileys.com

(800) 788-0618

America’s #1 Aircraft Tire Distributor• Factory Direct Distributor• Private Label Manufacturer• OEM Design & Engineering Facilities• High Speed Dyno Facility• Hard to find - obsolete sizes

FAA Repair Station #U8SR971J• Retreading Services• Laser Shearography NDT Testing• Outright • Exchange • Retread & Return• Wheel & Brake - Minor & Major Service

Desser Tire & Rubber Co. Inc.800-247-8473 Local: 323-721-4900Website: www.desser.com

Financial - 7050

TITLE SEARCHES: Same day reports if called before noon CT, most searches. 800-666-1397 or 405-232-8886. Visa/ MC. Aircraft Title Corp. Established 1957.

Float Equipment - 7170

Fuel - 7215

Fuel - 7215 Fuel Cells - 7220

Hosting a fly-in? List it free in our Calendar of Events!www.GeneralAviationNews.com

Classifieds Work!

Next Classified Ad Deadline:

Wed, Feb 29 @ 5pm (PDT)Wed, Mar 14 @ 5pm (PDT)

800-426-8538

www.generalaviationnews.com

Classifieds Work!Place your ad today!

800-426-8538www.GeneralAviationNews.com


REMEMBER:We are as close to you as your

Telephone,Computer

or

Mailbox!

UNIVAIR AIR CRAFT CORPORATION“All Parts for Some… Some Parts for All”

2500 Himalaya Rd., Aurora, CO 80011-8156 • [email protected] • www.univair.comOrder 1-888-433-5433 • Info. (303) 375-8882 • FAX 800-457-7811 • FAX (303) 375-8888

Parts - 8225 Parts - 8225 Parts - 8225 Parts - 8225

Hangars & Tie-Downs - 7300 Hangars & Tie-Downs - 7300

Hangars & Tie-Downs - 7300

ARLINGTON WA. 2 Condo hangars w/lofts. Water, H.O. lights, 240v/100 amp and shop, air-system. One has gas heat. Please call for details. 360-403-7428.

JAMES ALLEN INDUSTRIAL PAINTINGSpecializing in aircraft hangar floors

JAMESA1967DE WA•OR•ID•NV • 360-366-9135www.jaindustrialpainting.net [email protected]

BUY HANGAR BUILDINGS direct from manufacturer. T-hangars or individual hangars, instruction, R&M Steel Company, Box 580, Caldwell ID 83606. 208-454-1800.

“ARLINGTON (AWO): hangars for rent Arlington Airport 45 X 35 Rectangle $460- lights, power bath on site 425-827-6588”.

FOR SALE: Cave Junction Oregon (lllinois Valley Air-port)“3S4”hangar 60X40 metal. Elec & phone. On paved 5,200’runwayw/paved-taxiway. Price reduced!! $68,000, 541-592-6322.

PEARSON FIELD VUO. T-hangars w/42’doors, paved-floor, electrical, $308-$345. Full service airport w/instru-ment approach. Closest to downtown Vancouver and Portland. Contact Willy [email protected], www.cityofvancouver.us/pearson

ELMA, WA T-Hangars $97.50/mo Completely enclosed w/lockup. Pilot controlled runway lights. 360-482-2228.

PRIME LOCATION, Eugene OR, Commercial Hangar, 80x80, 1600sqft. finished office plus shop space. Land side access located on the main ramp adjacent primary FBO. 541-954-1937, [email protected]

PIERCE COUNTY Airport. Brand new T-Hangars and Sawtooth. Ready for move-in. Purchase or rent. 800-281-8678.

FRIDAY HARBOR nested T-hangar, all metal sliding doors, electricity, restroom-access. Will accommodate 182 or B36TC long wing Bonanza. $87,500. 360-201-5566.

Hangars & Tie-Downs - 7300

POWER METERS for hangars. Recover the cost of elec-tricity used by tenants, Davidge Controls, 800-824-9696, www.ezmeter.com

NEW RICHMOND WI(RNH) hangar, in-floor-heat, 60’door. 50’x100’. 5,000sqft building w/log-cabin style-of-fice, bathw/shower, natural-gas, $249,000. 330-283-3200. See more details/pictures:www.generalaviationnews.com ,costar.com

CA-LOS ANGELES-HHR Hangars For-Sale, Single-Jet size. Long-leases, sprinklered. All services on field. Rea-sonably priced! Easy-access. Lots-of-pictures available. Ben, 800-370-3001, [email protected]

CHINO, CALIFORNIA: NEW HANGARS FOR SALE OR RENT, 50x50 insulated, metal halide lighting, Schweiss bifold door. $199,000. Financing available. One 50X50 for rent $1150/month. 949-533-0298. [email protected] or www.pacificcommercecompany.com

ECONOMICAL AIRCRAFT HANGARSwith the Banyan Steel Arch Systems. Will ship world-wide. (800)533-7773, (317)849-2246, Fax: (317)849-5378, www.banyansteelarchsystems.com

"THE NEW LIFT STRAPS" BI-FOLD DOORS By Schweiss for airplane hangars. Electricall operated.Lose no headroom, we install and deliver. Schweiss Bi-

Fold Doors 800-746-8273. Visit www.bifold.com

PORT TOWNSEND WA Hangar for sale. 70x60 R&M steel bldg. 50x14-Schweiss BI-fold door. Walls/ceiling & door insulated. 200amp service. 360-821-9474.

Instruction - 7350

FLY FLORIDA-Aerobatics, TailWheel, Emergency Ma-neuvers; Master CFI-Aerobatic. Super Decathlon and Pitts S2A;. Country Airport; Lodging at Country Inn. 772-485-6761, www.dylanaviation.com

TAILWHEEL SPECIALIST Maule & J 3-PiperCubs. BFR, private, tailwheel, mountains spin-awareness, EMT, SportPilot or just plane fun! 20,000hr George Kirkish, 206-567-4994. www.island-air.com, [email protected]

Instruction - 7350

Instruction-Multi-Engine - 7355

GUARANTEED MULTI ENGINE ratings, $1395+ exam-iner. Bring a buddy, $1195 ea. Beech Travel Aires, ma-ture ATP rated instructors. Multi engine training, Arling-ton TX. 817-557-4004. 19yrs in business. Experience counts.

Insurance - 7400

Ehrhardt Aviation Insurance800 394-2062

33 years experience in ALL things [email protected]

TITLE SEARCHES & INSURANCE: Same day reports if called before noon CT-most searches. 800-666-1397, 405-232-8886. Visa/MC. Aircraft Title Corp. Est 1957.

Maintenance - 7460

MAGNETO SERVICE. Quality Bendix magneto over-hauls and repairs. Mansfield Magnetos, Inc. 318-872-2026, [email protected]

ROYAL FLYING Service Inc. Eastern WA. Maintenance Repairs & Restorations. 509-346-2417.

Materials & Supplies - 7465

RAMOS PLATING and POLISHING: Repolish your aluminum spinners, chrome pitot tubes, airsteps, valve covers, nuts, bolts. Also cadmium plating. 45yrs OK City, OK 405-232-4300.

Oil Coolers - 8110

Oxygen - 8125

Parachutes - 8150

PILOT’S EMERGENCY Parachutes --hundreds of new and used rigs --military and aerobatic types. Prices from $250 and up. Western Parachute Sales, Inc., 29388 SE Heiple Road, Eagle Creek, OR 97022. 503-630-5867 or fax 503-630-5868.

Partnerships - 8200

OUR FREE web-based partner and partnership-finder works worldwide for any aircraft. Join today to fly more and pay less!

Parts - 8225

WING EXTENSION Kit for S2R Thrush. NIB includes STC. Also G-164 all models. $6500 plus 200 crating, 509-689-2712.

AUBURN AIRPORT, WA: Metal T hangar 40’X16’ high. $450 per month!! Long term lease $425. 360-981-8796.


Parts - 8225 Parts - 8225

Parts - 8225 Parts - 8225 Parts - 8225 Parts - 8225

Parts - 8225

RMD Aircraft Lighting Inc.

lighting products for Merlin, Cheyenne, and RV 4,6,8

RMD has been manufacturing fiberglass wingtip lights for over 25 years. Our quality products are used for both landing lights and in-flight recognition. STC and FAA/PMA approved.

HIGH INTENSITY DISCHARGE LIGHTS

Quality Aircraft Products

Phone/Fax: (503) [email protected]

www.rmdaircraft.com

Pilot Supplies - 8360

Propellers - 8400

Pilot Supplies - 8360 Pilot Supplies - 8360

Classifieds Work! Place your ad today! 800-426-8538 * www.GeneralAviationNews.com



800-426-8538



Propellers - 8400 Propellers - 8400Propellers - 8400

NORTHWESTPropeller Service, Inc.

McCauley, Hartzell, Sensenich, Hamilton Standard, MT, PZL

Authorized McCauley Service CenterApproved Hartzell Network Shop

Visit our website: NWPropeller.com

[email protected]

16607 103rd Ave. Ct. E.Puyallup, WA 98374

Pierce County Airport (KPLU)FAA Approved Repair Station

#IT6R625N

Space for lease - 8855

TERMINAL SPACE with Aircraft Parking for rent. Kis-simmee Gateway Airport. Call Terry Lloyd. 407-518-2516

Skis - 8870

Software - 8890

Survival - 9000

Title Services - 9210

TITLE SEARCHES: Same day reports if called before noon C.T., most searches. 800-666-1397 or 405-232-8886. Visa/ MC. Aircraft Title Corp. Established 1957.

Video, Audio, DVD - 9400

QUAD CITY CHALLENGER VIDEO. 45 minutes of fly-ing fun on floats, ski’s, soaring and other neat stuff. Send $10 to QCU, POBox 370, Moline IL 61266-0370. Money back if not totally satisfied Also see our web site. www.quadcitychallenger.com For VISA/MC order call 309-764-3515.

Real Estate/Airport Property - 9650

SENSENICH WOOD prop, 85” length. “W54-97 on hub” $600.00. Call 772-465-4089 after 6:00 PM.



800-426-8538


Upcoming Extra Distribution Classified Deadines:

AEA Convention: Wed, Mar 14 @ 5pm (PDT)Sun ‘n Fun: Wed, Mar 14 @ 5pm (PDT)

Virginia Festival of Flight: Wed, Apr 4 @ 5pm (DTPDT)

800-426-8538www.generalaviationnews.com

Publisher’s notice: All real estate advertising in this newspaper is subject to the Fair Housing Act which makes it illegal to advertise “any preference, limitation or discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status or national origin, or an intention, to make any such preference, limited or discrimi-nation.” Familial status includes children under the age of 18 living with parents

or legal custodian, pregnant women and people securing custody of children under 18. This newspaper will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate which is in violation of the law. Our readers are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised in this newspaper are available on an equal opportunity basis. To complain of discrimination call HUD toll-free at 800-669-9777. Toll-free number for the hearing impaired is 800-927-9277.

General Aviation News Classified Ad Form

1 - $27 2 - $27 3 - $27 4 - $27 5 - $27

6 - $27 7 - $27 8 - $27 9 - $27 10 - $27

11 - $27 12 - $27 13 - $27 14 - $27 15 - $27

16 - $27 17 - $27 18 - $27 19 - $27 20 - $27

21 - $28.34 22 - $29.68 23 - $31.02 24 - $32.36 25 - $33.70

Classified Ad Pricing Info Two issues Add’l issues

20 Word Ad (min. order) $27 (per ad) .67 (per word)

20 Word Ad (all bold) $44 (per ad) $1.10 (per word)

Color Photo (3” max) + word fee $60 (per inch) $30 (per inch)

Color Logo (3” max) + word fee $78 (per inch) $39 (per inch)

Posting on Website Free Free For more information on classified ads 800-426-8538

Call for information on Classified Display ads 888-735-9379

N Name _____________________________________________________________________________________

Address ___________________________________________________________________________________

C City _____________________________________________ State __________Zip _______________________

Phone ___________________________________________ Fax _____________________________________

Email _____________________________________________________________________________________

Classified Payment InformationClassified Fee $ ________________

❑ Check ❑ Visa ❑ Mastercard ❑ Amex

Credit Card # _____________________________________________________Exp.Date___________________

Billing Address______________________________________________________________________________

Signature __________________________________________________________________________________

Fax 858-712-1960 | Call 800-426-8538 or mail to

General Aviation News P.O. Box 39099, Lakewood WA 98496

Classified Ad Order Form Classified Ad Order Form


Kansas - 9650

“TOPEKA, KANSAS: 10 BEST MIDSIZE KIPLINGER 2010. 2600’X100’ Lighted Grass strip. (90KS) Twenty Mi-nutes to “Everything”. From Cradle to Retirement. $60K. Kris 785-224-4211, [email protected].

Minnesota - 96504BR/2BA HOME w/ 2000’ grass airstrip & hangar. Mid-Minnesota, $299,900. Contact Connie Hamann/Agent, Remax Reliance 763-221-0901. See pictures at www.generalaviationnews.com

Missouri - 9650

FREDERICKTOWN, MO. 4cd remodeled home. 2400 sqft hangar w/one piece Hydro door and office/media room. 3.61 acres lot. Lots of wildlife. 80' x 2000' grass runway. Homeowners association contract, restrictions being drafted and available. Pictures on request. Scott Frisella 314-359-2392.

Montana - 9650

Montana - 9650

BEAUTIFUL GENTLEMEN’S fishing, hunting, vacation ranch. Swan Valley NW Montana. New log home, log guest house, pond, river access, hangar, private airstrip. 160+acres. 406-756-9071-evenings.

MONTANA, WINDSOCK SKYPARK. The Last Best Place! Only 20-lots left for sale. One-acre or larger, on the Shores of Beautiful Fort Peck Lake in NE MT. City water, sewer, nat-gas, underground-utilities installed. paved-streets, taxiway to 37S public airport. Call Lanny Hanson at 406-526-3535 or 263-1154. Visit our website: www.windsockskypark.com Don’t miss the opportunity to Live in a beautiful hunting and fishing recreational para-dise! LOTS NOW SELLING $60,000.

Nevada - 9650

NW NEVADA Airstrip property. 5+ acres 35miles SE Lake Tahoe- 40 miles S. Carson City. $115K Terms available. NV 775-266-3796

New Mexico - 9650

PICTURESQUE MOUNTAIN VIEWS! Hangar & log home in SW New Mexico on private airpark. 60’x60’hangar on runway, includes 3bd/3ba custom log home on 1.5acres overlooking runway. Nancy Whatley 214-587-1763, Reduced to $549,000, [email protected]

North Carolina - 9650

NO CAROLINA airpark 8NC2. Acreage lots starting at $24,500. Between Ashville & Charlotte NC. 1.5mi to Hwy 74 bypass. 2500’x90’ turf-runway, landing-lights, private lounge w/bath/hangar space. $125/mo, 864-812-0482.

AVIATION, INVESTMENT & residential properties. Li-censed in both Carolina’s. Sell airpark & airstrip property That’s what we do.www.NC-Airparks.com 877-279-9623

Ohio - 9650

EXCELLENT BUILDING Site. 5.73 Acres with Frontage. Some Restrictions. Union County, Ohio, Between Marion and Marysville. Near 2000 Ft. Private Airstrip. $35,000. Call Gale 740-943-2773. Email [email protected]

Oregon - 9650

PINE HOLLOW Airpark 3BD/2BA home w/part airport ownership/hangar w/full size 1-bdrm apt. $375,000. 503-625-7079, 503-502-7954. See more details/photos at www.generalaviationnews.com

CUSTOM-BUILT 2079SQFT Cedar home on 1.42 acre lot. 3BD/3BA, 36X44 Hangar, $395,000. 541-549-2510, View video http://youtu.be/T8P9B0OBcmA. More details/photos at www.generalaviationnews.com

LAKE BILLY CHINOOK-Central Oregon, private-airstrip. 3-5+/-acre properties side-by-side.Buy one,two or all three with Family/Friends. $119,000-$139,000. Call Elaine@541-480-3860 Coldwell Banker, Madras,OR.

Pennsylvania - 9650

New airpark, Northeast Pennsylvania, 29-lots for sale. 1.25-3 acres, great views, underground utilities, sewers, some lakefront. EZ flight/drive to NYC, Philadelphia, New Jersey, Connecticut. At Seamans Airport (9N3), 2500’paved IFR approach, lighted, all services, Build Your Dream Home This Spring! “Model Home Being Built Now”. 866-924-7787 or www.SkylineEstates.us

South Carolina - 9650

NORTH of Hurricanes, SOUTH of snow 3300turf. 10mi to Myrtle Beach. 1, 5,10,acre lots Low taxes/insurance, “free DVD”. 843-602-8220. www.hardeeairpark.com

A MUST SEE IN CLARENDON COUNTY SC “WE’RE IN THE MIDDLE OF IT ALL”

Gated airpark with underground utilities in place.www.palmettoairplantation.com

Palmetto-POBox 777-Manning-SC 29102-803-473-2199

Tennessee - 9650

DISTRESS SALE!! Pilot’s Dream. Only home on 3500’paved-runway in Tennessee-mountains. 6.18acres. 4800sqft 5br/4ba, lodge. Price reduced/$300K. W/trade for late model Piper-6X. 904-669-9661.

Texas - 9650

MIDLAND, TX- 5,500Sqft hangar on taxiway, includes 4BR/3.5BA-home on 1.5acres. Call Realtor for price. Sandy Hanson/Legacy Real Estate 432-618-0613.www.legacyrealestate.com

RWJ AIRPARK in Beach City TX. 1.65 acres with 3,330 sq ft. 3 Bedroom, 3 Bath, lighted 5,100 x 40 paved, 3,300 turf runway. More information at www.buyowner.com/hou6430 or 281-573-2968.

NORTH TEXAS PILOT'S DREAM! Exclusive community of 140 homesites in a 340-acre residential airpark. Live with your plane in quiet seclusion only 5 minutes from shopping, restaurants and universi-ties, just 25 minutes North of DFW, near 23,000-acre lake. Taxi from the paved runway to your home. Several 1-acre lots available, also some homes. 940-321-5758, www.hiddenvalleyairpark.org [email protected]

Washington - 9650

WA STATE. Pilots only. 2.23ac. on 1850ft. private/paved runway, Kadwell Field. $75K+/BO. Can finance 1/3. Tom 425-335-1375. See more details/pictures at :www.generalaviationnews.com

2.5 ACRES on Parkside Airstrip, 3000sqft, 3bd/4ba, 42X38’hangar. Vancouver, WA No income-tax state! $459,000 Sandy Scott Uptown Realty, 360-608-6166.

SAN JUAN AVIATION ESTATESBLAKELY ISLAND, WA. Premier Recreational Airpark. Paved lighted runway. Exceptional marina. Owner access to 3000ac forest preserve w/2 - 70ac lakes: fish/swim/boat. Taxiway cabin, room to build hangar, $379,000. Airpark Marine View Home: $550,000 $490,000.DECATUR ISLAND, WA. Decatur Shores Airpark. Community dock plus waterfront park. Taxi to octagonal home w/hangar $800K. Adjacent lot w/nearly new hangar: $400,000.

Judy, Flying Island Realty, 360-375-6302www.flyingislandrealty.com [email protected]

WA-FRONTIER AIRPARK(WN53) A premier Seattle Air-park Gorgeous-custom built home & hangar on private/gated 5-acres w/pond. $750,000. 360-658-5850. View pix: www.wrepix.com/12010-120

DIAMOND POINT:. 2 bedroom 1 bath home, 40x40 hangar w/guest quarters and bath above:40x40 shop/ garage below $225,000. 360-683-1022.

FANTASY FIELD (FA99): 2.96acres, 748sqft 1bdrm, home w/attached 1892sqft hangar, deck, heated 10'x18'shop. 2150x84' grass runway. Reduced!! $190,000. 206-783-4556, 253-906-7799.

7 ACRE Custom-home, hangar, barn, outbuildings. $850,000. Flying H Ranch, Buckley, WA. 253-862-3030, 253-740-1175. Details/pics: www.generalaviationnews.comwww.virtuallyshow.com/MLS/14481

ORLANDO AREA Aviation-properties, hangars, hangar-rentals, Some priced like bank-owned. Chandelle Prop-erties. Call Ron Henderson 407-712-4071 Keller Wil-liams/Advantage II Realty www.chandelleproperties.com

SARASOTA FLORIDA Hidden River Airpark, 2640’paved+ lighted runway, lots w/homes 5-20acres. Katty Caron, Realty Executives [email protected] 941-928-3009 www.floridaaviationproperties.com

Idaho - 9650

TAXI TO your cabin. Bare land in beautiful Elk River, Idaho. Adjacent to the airstrip. $57,000. Sean Wilson: 208-596-8170.

1/14 SHARE of Timber Basin Airpark(ID24) 80acres, 2200ft grass-strip, private lake. Includes Jeep Cherokee. $45,000. WE WILL FINANCE 520-909-4999.www.tbairpark.com. [email protected] More details:www.generalaviationnews.com

Illinois - 9650

CHICAGO IL Private Airpark Home. Beautiful, Large, Warm and Elegant high end custom home located in Brookeridge Aero. Direct access to private airport, fabu-lous 49x55 attached heated hangar, paved & turf run-ways Free recorded info & current market price. 800-554-3462x3003. Hangar Homes Realty info/pics: www.649millbrook.com 312-543-1220.

Indiana - 9650

CANNON CREEK Airpark. Florida’s Finest just got bet-ter. 600+acres, 2-Runways along I-75 North Fl. at Lake City and I-10. The best approaches, Golf and Tennis and snack Bar by Golf Cart. 4,000Ft Turf 4,000 paved. 150 Homes Now and growing. New section greater than 40 lots, Incredible Beautiful Lots. No rush to build, Finance and no interest, 10 lots set at $19,000. Each DoorBuster Pricing. CCAIRPARK.COM Call 386-984-0283, Ray Ses-sions After 35years of Building this Airpark and starting others at Sun N Fun, This is my last Subdivision, time to find a Honey, give her a Home. I’ll be 70 this year. Time to see The Grandchildren in Kissimmee and San Anto-nio. Call me, you will get the buy of a LifeTime. No Salesmen, Direct to you.

Florida - 9650

SPRUCE CREEK FLY-IN REALTYSERVING THE SPRUCE CREEK

COMMUNITY SINCE 1985America’s Premier Fly-In & Country Club Community,

Daytona Beach, (East Coast of Florida). Taxiway homes from $450,000, non-taxiway homes from $200,000, con-do’s from $139,000. Lots-available. Long and short term

rentals available. SPRUCE CREEK FLY-IN REALTY, Pat & Lenny Ohlsson, 800-932-4437.

www.fly-in.com [email protected]

ARIZONA DESERT 3bd/2ba, 1296sqft furnished home, 50x50 hangar w/den, 1/2 bath, 2-storage rooms. $228,000. 928-274-5001, 928-859-3796. More details at www.generalaviationnews.com

7.1 RECREATIONAL acres on runway in Arizona. Move-in-ready-home, 24x36 garage or convert to hangar, ATV riding, horses, low maintenance landscaping. $240,000 Must see! 928-671-1597, see pics at www.GeneralAviationNews.com.

HANGAR ON 3500’ runway for sale by owner. 1344sqft home in quiet AZ airpark. Paved runway/taxiways. 5yr old furnished home, 3bd/2ba. $225,000. Possible owner finance w/25% down, 20yr term for qualified buyers 509-860-4726.

ARIZONA AIRPARK HOMES AND HANGARS $150K TO $800+ no more shoveling snow..just fly and play. Check out these properties. [email protected] Martha Home 928-231-9500

ARIZONA AIRPARK PROPERTIES??? WATCH FOR FRESH NEW LISTINGS. Airporthomesandhangars.netMartha Home 928-231-9500.

Arkansas - 9650

ARKANSAS VALLEY A/P Cotter. Winter Sale 40% off advertised prices below: Runway lot $64,900. 2.44-acre taxiway-tract 200’ from White River $69,900. 4% mort-gage available. 870-430-5545, [email protected]

ARKANSAS BULL Shoals Lake acreages w/airpark, 3+ acres, $25,000-$80,000, Village Land Office, 870-404-2059, 870-453-2966 eves, www.villagelandoffice.com [email protected]

California - 9650

LIVE WITH Your Plane w/Runway and Taxiway Access. Home/Hangar. 3000ft paved lighted runway, near fishing, boating, water, snow skiing, Major shopping, boat launch to Sacramento River, Only!! $399,000. Mel 530-347-3164,l [email protected] www.lakecalifornia.info

MAKE OFFER 1 acre & 1-1/2 acres alongside runway for sale. Adelanto Airpark, So.California, near Victorville Broker Bill 760-792-8072. [email protected]

EVERY PILOT’S Dream(O61)Excellent-level .43acre-lot-joint use roadway. $160,000. Yvonne Rand, Lyon Real Estate 916-673-8226 [email protected], CA DRE# 01834318. Details/pics at www.generalaviationnews.com

CALIFORNIA IDEAL climate, Pine Mountain lake. (E45) Taxiway homes or lots in the Sierra foothills near Yosem-ite Nat'l Park. Gated community with boating, golf, tennis and stables “Red” Rossio, The Flying Broker, Pine Mountain Lake Realty, 209-962-7156.

PINE MTN Lake, CA(E45). Taxi to your airpark home or live on the lake. Championship golf, tennis, stables in gated community near Yosemite. Capt LarryJobe. “UAL” retired. www.YosemiteAreaRealtors.com 209-962-5501

Colorado - 9650

JUST REDUCED Kelly Airpark CO. Lot-#50. 4.4 AC site, survey/soils/test and septic perc test done. $75,000. 719-358-9437. [email protected] or kellyairpark.com

ALASKA AVIATION REAL ESTATEResidential, Commercial, Land, Waterfront, Remotevickiwestphal.com, [email protected] 907-232-2331Peak Realty.

2-HOMES FOR sale in Sunny Arizona. First: 2360sqft, 3bd/2.75ba, $350,000. Second: 1360sqftw/2200sqft hangar $359,500. 928-649-1800. For more details/pic-tures see www.generalaviationnews.com

Arizona - 9650

Alaska - 9650

MOBILE BAY. Terrific 50’X60’hangar w/1600sqft studio apartment attached. 1 1/2 acres. Hangar built of treated rough-sawn lumber over I-beam frame; apartment is matched stucco. Located on 2600’ grass field flying com-munity. (5R7) near Mobile Bay. $300,000. 251-751-0003. See more pictures on GA website.

Alabama - 9650


Deb flying high in Lester.

Phot

o co

urte

sy D

eb M

cFar

land


It’s that time of year when I get to whine. Weather wise, December through March is typically dreary, often with gray skies and cold temperatures. We even have a snow shower or two here in north Georgia that gets the news media all in a tizzy. However, this year has been excep-tionally warm, although we’ve had our share of dreary wet days.

I can get through the winter just fine if I get a day now and then for a smooth flight in Lester. It’s just as well that winter often limits my good VFR flying days, because this is also the time of year when our bank account is stretched to the limit.

Our property tax is due just a few days before Christmas. Gee, that makes every-one feel merry and bright. The ad valorem tax on our airplanes is due around the same time, as well. Our children and grandchil-dren don’t seem to mind that this means they get homegrown and homemade jelly or a handcrafted birdhouse made from recycled barn wood (ours, of course) as gifts. They take them eagerly.

In January, we are recovering from De-cember both physically (too many holiday dinners) and financially. Every other year, this is the month to schedule our medicals. Dr. Homer Gold is not only our AME; he’s also our preventive maintenance special-

ist (AKA family doctor). Like any good mechanic, he likes to prevent the issues that can jeopardize our medicals and not just treat them after the fact.

This year my Old Man was given the devastating news that he needed glasses for distance vision. Admitting years ago that he needed reading glasses was a dra-ma. Learning that he no longer had that Superman steely eyesight was no less dramatic. My suggestions and hints that maybe his landings would now improve didn’t help his feelings. Getting the bill for the scratch-resistant, glare-resistant, progressives that were obviously housed in 24kt gold-plated rims seriously less-ened my joy at needling him.

Darn, there went my fuel money for the rest of the month.

February brings the house insurance bill. Our home is modest. Henry, his mom and dad, and I built it. I like it. It’s not a McMansion, but it suits our needs and us. It is home. However, seeing the increase in this year’s premium made me nearly swallow my tongue. It would appear that a home that is built to suit one’s needs, even 27 years ago, is now called “custom” and the replacement value reflects this de-termination.

It is a conspiracy to keep me out of the

air! I am sure the TSA is behind these un-expected duns. Left wings, right wings, middle wings — they all want my fuel budget. It’s a Communist, Progressive, Socialist conspiracy.

When I got an email from Aircraft Spruce that happily thanked me for my order, I thought, “What order?” When I noted those items listed happened to in-clude a couple of hundred dollars worth of hardware that would fit a certain C-195B located in a certain person’s shop adjacent to my home, I realized that even a certain redneck had joined this conspiracy.

Nature was against me, too. Last Octo-ber, lightning struck a tree in our yard and ran down the power line that serviced the house. We were lucky it didn’t burn our house. I saw smoke and could smell the ozone. The electronics in my brand new chef’s gas stove were toast, but fortunately it was still under warranty. The comput-ers came back after a hard reboot. The TV came around after a few days. It didn’t die; it just liked changing channels on a whim. The only thing I replaced at my cost was one wireless router. Didn’t get to use that expensive insurance after all.

However, in January, we had what old-timers call a windstorm that made the power blink on and off most of the night. This awakened the gremlin in the TV. Unfortunately, a replacement falls short of our deductible, and a new model costs about the same as the new Bruce’s Custom Cover that I planned to order for Lester.

So on one hand, we have a nice 42-inch flat screen TV that likes to change channels and scroll through the menu randomly at the most inopportune times. On the other hand, there is a lovely, shiny Luscombe that needs covering from the elements. It is annoying, but the Old Man is getting rather adept at outsmarting the gremlin, and Lester will soon be enjoying his new cover.

Our March budget includes one big item. The insurance on our Luscombes is due. We actually get reasonable rates, but to pay for two at the same time is some-what challenging for the family bank ac-

count. We always seem to make it, however; it’s a ritual we’ve been practicing since I start-ed flying in the 1990s.

I know this time of year is coming. I pre-

pare for it. There are always surprises. I continue to whine.

Then one day, the sun comes up a little brighter. The air gets a little warmer and the sky seems a little bluer. The winter wind is calmed and the birds’ songs are cheerful. These are the days when my thriftiness pays off. These are the days that make my budgeting, my coupon clip-ping, and my home lunches worthwhile.

These are the days we fly.

Deb McFarland is the proud owner of Lester, a 1948 Luscombe 8E,

and part of the “Front Porch Gang” at Pickens County Airport in Geor-gia. She can be reached at [email protected].

Short FinalDeb McFarland

These are the days

“It is a conspiracy to keep me out

of the air!”

Documents

Feb. 24, 2012