Adventures in flying!

Angel's Wings Transport a Public Benefit Corporation

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 14 Jan 2016 06:03:00 +0000

It has been some time since I posted an update so I thought that I would take a moment to explain why. My flying has slowed down a little now that my family has added a second little boy to our band of merry makers. He is quite the handful at only 5 months old so I can only imagine what the future brings.....

This isn't the only distraction that I've had in my life, I also decided that it was time to reach out to others less fortunate than myself. While my family is not exactly well off, we have a roof over our head and our share of toys to play with when we are lucky to have some free time. During the later part of 2015 I formed Angel's Wings Transport as a Non-Profit Corporation in Washington State. This non-profit exists for three reasons:

Animal Rescue - Provide transportation to rescued animals that have been adopted away from kill shelters or accepted into non kill shelters and rescues for adoption.
Patient / Medical Supply Transport - Assist financially needy medical patients so that they may receive treatment at major medical facilities; transport family members for visits during risky procedures. Transport blood, organs and tissue from hospital to hospital.
Military Transport - Transport members of the military to and from medical appointments at Military Treatment Facilities, assist with transportation for Military Funeral Honors teams to remote locations, assist financially needy family members so they may attend funerals for service members regardless of the deceased's period of service (war or peacetime).

The organization is named Angel's Wings Transport or Angel's Wings for short. We are always in need of volunteers to assist with fundraising, mission coordination, overnight animal fostering, pilot duties and the list could go on forever.....

To learn more about us, head on over to our About Us page for some more general information about who we are and what we do. You can also follow our Facebook page by clicking here "Follow Angel's Wings on Facebook"

If you are a pilot looking for our requirements just pop on over to our Pilot Info page and we will answer all of your questions.

First flight in the Mooney M20E

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 14 Jan 2016 04:55:00 +0000

I have finally been able to log some time in a Mooney M20 and I am impressed. The plane I flew is a 1964 M20E with original paint, interior and instrument arrangement.

The E model was the first in the M20 line to offer fuel injection and an extra 20 horse power over previous models. I will freely admit that I was nervous about sitting left seat on this flight as I couldn't even imagine how to retract the gear with the manual "Johnson" bar while managing more speed than I'm used to, dealing with cowl flaps and flying from a busy field under the Sea-Tac Bravo.

It was easy to look past the non six pack instrument layout and I quickly realized that the Mooney wouldn't be drastically different than the Piper Arrow that I've been flying for the last 25 or so hours.

My first indication that my initial evaluation might be incorrect presented itself during the run up. Every bit of the run up was as it had been in every other plane that I've flown except the part about checking that the controls are free and clear.

I discovered that the controls only moved a fraction of what they did in the Cessna and Piper planes I was used to. At this point I began to worry about over controlling, under controlling and just looking like an idiot in front of the plane's owner. The takeoff was smooth as silk and retracting the gear was much easier than I would have thought. Unlock the gear handle, pull back, rotate hand to push the bar to the floor, push the nose over briefly and "thunk", the gear is up and locked.

The climb rate was a beautiful 1000 feet per minute from sea level to our level off altitude of 3000. This is when I began to really like this airplane. The controls were smooth and responsive with a sports car feel. I found little difficulty flying with relative precision except when transitioning to straight and level flight. I constantly failed to let the plane stabilize at it's cruise speed before trying to trim. It just seemed to keep accelerating. 110, 130, in to the yellow arc, 160 mph..... Holy Cow!

The plan was to fly to a small strip (W10) and grab some coffee. What I didn't know was that this strip is 2,500 feet long and 25 feet wide. That makes it a little challenging for a first landing in a plane that is known to require the kind of speed control that I hadn't developed yet.

I struggled a little getting into slow down to pattern speed and had to go around twice. The second go around was about 5 feet before the wheels touched but I had floated about half way down the runway due to some excess speed. When we departed W10 I was a little worried about the short field and tall trees but the plane handled it beautifully. I decided to try some steep turns and was quickly impressed with the roll rate and pitch stability.

We had to get back to Renton (KRNT) and I experienced another first... I was actually over taking a plane in the pattern! A quick left 360 provided the spacing needed but put me back on the downwind even with the approach end of the runway. I figured that if my landing was going to be messed up, this is where it was going to start going wrong. Dropping the gear was quick and easy, add two pumps on the flaps and I'm turning base on speed. Add two more pumps for full flaps, pull a little power and turn final both configured for landing and on speed. I'm beginning to really feel comfortable now.

I've heard that Mooneys can be difficult to land because of how low they sit to the ground but I don't think that it caused me any issue. I crossed the numbers at 80 mph and leveled off a few feet above the ground. It only required a squeeze of the fingers to make the required adjustments and I made one of the smoothest landings ever. To be honest, I wasn't sure that we'd touched the ground at all. I really think that the plane made me look good.

This plane feels solid, handles like a dream, is fast and efficient and is now on a very short list of airplanes that we will be considering for our dedicated rescue plane.

Let's Fly WA Destination Videos

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 22 Feb 2015 23:33:00 +0000

Let's Fly WA will begin releasing videos, slideshows, downloadable information and other items to help showcase some of Washington's attractions.

Pilots love to explore new areas but it can be difficult to find that special place sometimes. In this day and age of high priced fuel it is even more important to have all of the information you can in an effort to get as much fun and adventure out of your trip as possible.

Along with attraction information we will include airport info and in flight videos showing the approach to some of the more interesting airports in the state. We all hate going in to an airport without having access to some local knowledge.

View a quick preview below and then subscribe to either our Patreon page or our YouTube feed so you don’t miss an episode.

Support Lets Fly WA Through Patreon

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 05 Feb 2015 18:00:00 +0000

One of our goals has always been to provide our readers with more than something to browse and forget or a cute little video of blue sky and a propeller spinning.

We are currently filming short segments that highlight one or two reasons to fly to a particular airport. It could be an on airport cafe, beach access, local attractions or simply the wonderful customer service on the field.

All of our videos are free but if you like, we do have a donation page at Patreon that would help acquire better cameras and sound equipment as well as allowing us to offer more content.

Alaska Flying Video

Lets Fly WA's Patreon Page

Please follow the links above for more information or to simply enjoy a quick video of flying in Alaska.

As always, fly safe!

Support Angel's Wings

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 01 Feb 2015 06:21:00 +0000

Help Angel's Wings in their mission to provide transportation to both humans and animals in need.

Angel's Wings partners with nonprofit organizations to assist with the coordination, documentation and completion of public benefit flights on a regional level. These flights provide assistance to military veterans, medical patients and animals that are being rescued from kill shelters by their adopted families or specialty, no kill shelters.

Are you a pilot looking for a good cause?

Do you have a plane that you would like to donate the use of?

Are you looking to volunteer your time to help those in need?

No amount of assistance is too small. Please contact Angel's Wings through their Facebook page or our comments section.

Angel's Wings coordinates transport of displaced animals or medical patients in need from an airport closest to the point of origination to an airport closest to the destination through the use of general aircraft.

By using private or corporate planes, we have the ability to fly into not only commercial airports, but also small local airstrips.

There is never a fee to the sending or receiving organization.

Angel's Wings Facebook page

Takeoffs and Landings: Base to Final Turn

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 18 Dec 2014 18:00:00 +0000

Overshooting that base-to-final turn can be a problem. Trying to get back on course safely can be dangerous.

R.A. "Bob" Hoover Receives NAA Wright Brothers Memorial Trophy

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 18 Dec 2014 16:00:00 +0000

Originally from AOPA.org

David Hartman interviews Bob Hoover on his remarkable flying career as he receives the 2014 NAA Wright Brothers Memorial Trophy.

After 70 years of achievements in aviation, the industry honored Robert A. “Bob” Hoover with its top award, the NAA Wright Brothers Memorial Trophy. Described by Jimmy Doolittle, a past recipient of the trophy, as “the greatest stick-and-rudder man who ever lived,” Hoover has flown, tested, and even crashed more airplanes than most any other pilot who ever lived.

Accident Case Study: Delayed Reaction

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 18 Dec 2014 06:05:00 +0000

On December 20, 2011, a TBM-700 crashed onto a freeway near Morristown, New Jersey. In this case study, we piece together the events that led to the tragedy, and discuss what we as pilots can learn from them.

Bob Hoover Awarded Wright Trophy

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 17 Dec 2014 07:04:00 +0000

The 2014 Wright Brothers Memorial Trophy was awarded to Robert "Bob" Hoover during a dinner in Washington, D.C.

This annual award is given to a living American by the National Aeronautical Association to honor significant public service of value to aviation. Jim Albaugh, the NAA chairman said, "For 70 years he has set the standard for skill, leadership, and bravery which may last forever."

Hoover, at age 92, has been involved in the aviation world long enough to have met Orville Wright, Charles Lindbergh, James Doolittle, and Neil Armstrong. General Jimmy Doolittle called him "the greatest stick-and-rudder man who ever lived." General Charles "Chuck" Yeager once described him as "the best pilot flying today." A documentary about Hoover's life, Flying the Feathered Edge, is now available on DVD.

Aviation Equipment Rental

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 12 Oct 2014 22:21:00 +0000

Have you ever wished that you had a video camera to record that special flight? How about a GPS tracker for a little extra piece of mind on that long flight across the rugged mountain pass?

I know that there are a lot of tools and gadgets that I would like to carry on certain flights but I simply cannot justify the initial or recurring costs. We are working on integrating a shopping cart to this blog that will allow you to rent a camera, GPS tracker, or other gizmo for a couple of days or longer if needed.

Below is an example from the shopping cart for a SPOT tracker. All rentals will include the service plan required for that device but not shipping or insurance.

GPS Rentals

Watch Our Video
User Guide for SPOT Messenger Rental

Rent a SPOT 2 GPS Personal Tracker & Locator Beacon

3 Days	$??.00
7 Days	$??.00
14 Days	$??.00
21 Days	$??.00
1 Month	$??.00

Other items you might be interested in

AAA Energizer Ultimate Lithium Batteries - 3 Pack

InReach SE DeLorme 2-way Satellite Communicator / Rescue Device

Washington Pilots Association Donates $1000 to AOPAs Efforts

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 23 May 2014 19:25:00 +0000

The Washington Pilots Association contributed $1,000 to go toward AOPA’s advocacy efforts.

This donation will support AOPA's attempt to influence changes to the current medical certification system. The proposed changes would exempt noncommercial VFR pilots that operate aircraft with six seats or less, weighing less than 6,000 pounds at speeds less than 250 knots, and at an altitude of less than 14,000 feet msl from FAA medical certification.

Why does the Washington Pilots Association (WPA) feel that the General Aviation Pilot Protection Act is important to support? It isn't a secret that General Aviation is shrinking. Some would blame over regulation, the high price of fuel, limited attention spans and a myriad of other things.

Aviation is expensive and that will never change but if we can identify roadblocks to flying and either eliminate them or lessen the impact that they have on the pilot population we just might be able to increase the number of pilots again.

Does Garmin have a PC simulator for my aviation GPS?

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 10 May 2014 23:31:00 +0000

The answer is a resounding...... probably. Garmin has been known for their terrific customer support over the years so I would be surprised if they didn't offer some sort of free training right on their web site. Below you will find an extract taken from their web site that shows a list of supported units with links to their training products. This is a little dated but should remain helpful for years to come.

If you don't find what you are looking for, contact me directly as I have a library of material and can offer some hands on training in your airplane if you wish.

Have fun and fly safe!

Does Garmin have a PC simulator for my aviation GPS unit?

Garmin currently has PC simulators for the following aviation units:

GNS 400/W
GNS 420/W
GNS 430/W
GNS 500/W
GNS 530/W
GNS 480
GTN 750
GTN 725
GTN 650
GTN 635
GTN 625
G600 / G500
G1000

All simulators, except the G1000 simulators, are available to download free of charge from our website at http://www8.garmin.com/include/SimulatorPopup.html for the GNS 400/500 series, https://buy.garmin.com/shop/store/downloadsUpdates.jsp?product=010-0G600-00&cID=195&pID=6427 for the G500/G600, or https://buy.garmin.com/shop/store/downloadsDetails.jsp?id=5379&product=010-00820-50&cID=194&pID=67886 for the GTN 600/700 series.

The DVD-ROM for the G1000 simulator can be purchased at https://buy.garmin.com/shop/shop.do?cID=153&pID=6420 under PC Trainers on the Accessories tab.

What is Air Traffic Control and What Do They Do For You?

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 10 May 2014 22:48:00 +0000

Here is a quick explanation of the various levels of Air Traffic Control (ATC). This video was made by ATC students for a competition. Please excuse any inconsistencies that you might see as they are still students. Well, by now some of them might be out in the real world as this is a couple of years old. Still, it gives you a pretty good feel for the different groupings of Air Traffic Controllers that you would deal with on a typical flight.
Enjoy!

Instrument check-ride complete

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 25 Mar 2014 06:49:00 +0000

This has been an interesting journey. While not getting too much in to my flying history, let me say that I have been trying to schedule my instrument check-ride since December 2013. I was cursed with bad weather that lasted until January and delayed the ride to the point of feeling the need for some refresher training.

I was able to get in the air just enough to knock the rust off and gain some more confidence. Did the confidence come from more flight time? Sort of. It was mostly the feeling of accomplishment knowing that even while fighting 30 knot quartering tail winds and bouncing my head off of the roof, I can still fly an ILS to the PTS standards and put it on the airport grounds. That might be a yawner for some but not for this rookie!

On to the check-ride......

I started by planning a flight from KPLU to KTTD and gathering all of the assorted performance related information, looking closely for reasons to be tripped up with non standard procedures of some sort. After cramming to the point of making myself crazy with stress, I showed up on the Tuesday after a week long vacation to Disney World. I was beginning to think that scheduling my ride for after vacation may have been a major mistake. The weather looked good until I arrived at the airport. The forecast was calling for improving conditions that would become flyable right about the time my oral would start. What actually happened was that it waited until an hour after my check-ride was cancelled to clear up in to a very nice evening.

Delayed until the next Tuesday, I studied some more and just tried to relax. My oral took place on Tuesday 18 Mar 2014. This process lasted about 2 - 2.5 hours and really was more of a discussion about flying. Of course there were the obvious questions the required a book answer but most were situation based and phrased as a question about a specific task along our planned route of flight. After answering the first question, your answer would lead in to the next question or probe deeper to see if you really understood the subject or if you were just reciting a memorized response. Not once did I feel like I was being set up or that the examiner was trying to play "stump the chump".

At the conclusion of the oral I was asked if I wanted to fly or not. A quick check of the weather showed that this was not going to be a good day for a flight with your local DPE. I don't remember the conditions exactly but the ceilings were below the personal minimums I had quoted during my oral and the winds were about 15 knots gusting to 28 or something with winds aloft around 30 knots at 3000 feet and nearing 50 at 6000 feet. Not exactly my idea of a great day for an exam. Rescheduled for the 25th of March and the 1st of April just in case.

The night of the 20th I was asked if I wanted to finish the test the next day due to a cancellation. You bet I said yes! After work on the 21st, I raced to the airport in terrible traffic with the stress of a full day of dealing with Soldiers and senior leadership weighing on my mind. I was actually hoping for bad weather but things were looking good. I filed my flight plan (KPLU-COTNY-SCENN-KTIW) and preflighted the plane.

Now for the gory details of the actual flight......

Things were going well except that the winds were picking up and I realized that it was going to get a little bumpy. During the run-up, the plane failed the mag check but I was able to burn it off and it passed on the second try. I received my clearance and started my take off roll. After climbing through 1500 feet I contacted Seattle departure. They responded with a similar tail number from the same school I was flying out of but never acknowledged my call. I was pretty sure that the plane they were asking for an ident had been sitting tied up as I moved out for my run up a few minutes earlier. ATC and I finally got on the same page with the DPE doing nothing more than chuckling a little. I was sure that I was OK but the nerves were starting to get moving. The plane that the controller confused me for was sitting on the ground waiting for a release while the controller thought he was already in the air.

Once we had the case of mistaken identity worked out, I asked to enter a hold at SCENN. This was actually one of the easiest holds I had performed during my training. Normally you arrive with the perfect teardrop entry but this time I was vectored to the west side of the field and entered via a parallel entry and had a pretty stiff wind to deal with. As I approached SCENN, the controller realized that he hadn't given me a proper EFC time. Idiot me decided that I had time to talk to ATC and copy the time on my board just as I reached my point. It actually worked out and much to my surprise, I was only 5 seconds early after my first circuit. The DPE must have been as pleased as I was because I was told to request the ILS 17 approach. This approach went well and even though I was getting pushed around and bounced a bit. After conducting a low approach and going missed, I was vectored back to the localizer. This is where things started to get fun.

I started getting set up for this non-precision approach when, much to my surprise, I suffered a simulated gyro failure. It isn't like I wasn't expecting it to happen but I also had a controller that was as busy as I was. My last vector was taking me to the localizer at nearly 90 degrees but there was no follow on turn to intercept or further clearance. I asked the controller of he intended to take me across the approach course and received an immediate turn and clearance. My problem was that I was now partial panel and crossing the localizer. Not a big deal really but I did fly some S-turns trying to get back on center line. The controller didn't tell me and I didn't ask to contact tower before the final approach fix either. The tower controlled reminded me that I need to ask if I don't receive a frequency change before the crossing the final approach fix. The stress is starting to increase at this point. I was beginning to wonder if the examiner would approve of the way I was trying to deal with some of the quirky things that were going on. My approach was pretty good and I locked in 20 feet above my minimum descent altitude, started my circle to the west and made a low approach to runway 35.

My final approach was the GPS 35 approach from the initial approach fix (IAF) named FESAS. Other than the winds beating me up a little, this approach was pretty simple. Just remember to conduct a RAIM check, run the before landing checklist, and make the "approach active" call out. This was a touch and go that, even with the gusty crosswind, was one of my better landings. We canceled our IFR flight plan at this point and headed back VFR.

The last task was unusual attitudes. I won't get in to this one because by check-ride time, I'm sure that your instructor has just about made you puke and fear that the wings are about to rip off practicing these.

The DPE finally let me know how I was doing when she said that all I needed to do to pass was to get us home safely.

I am now an instrument rated private pilot.

News 'Copter crashes in Seattle

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 19 Mar 2014 05:12:00 +0000

I stood beneath this helicopter just a couple of weeks ago watching it takeoff from the Fisher building. I chose to share this page directly from the KOMO News web page in an attempt to recognize today's accident but to look at something other than images of wreckage. I thought the time was better served sharing the thoughts of the people that knew these men.

News chopper crash victims remembered as professional team

By KOMO Staff Published: Mar 18, 2014 at 11:16 AM PDT Last Updated: Mar 18, 2014 at 6:24 PM PDT

»PLAY VIDEO

Photographer Bill Strothman left, and Gary Pfitzner right, were killed in a helicopter crash in Seattle, Wash. March 18, 2014.

SEATTLE - Former longtime KOMO News photographer Bill Strothman and pilot Gary Pfitzner were identified Tuesday as the two victims killed in the crash of the station's news helicopter.

They were remembered by co-workers as a professional team who worked under difficult conditions to bring the latest news to residents of the Puget Sound region.

Strothman worked for many years at KOMO News and was well-known to many of the employees, earning 13 Emmy awards during his career.

After retiring from KOMO, he worked as a free-lancer and also as an employee of the helicopter leasing company that operates the KOMO News chopper.

"We all know him as one of the best storytellers to have ever graced the halls of KOMO," said news anchor and reporter Molly Shen. "It felt like a loss for us because he knows his craft so well, and he's such an artist and such a great journalist."

KOMO News anchor Eric Johnson remembered Strothman as someone who liked to talk about his craft, to get into the guts of a story. He said Bill loved the give and take of the photographer-reporter relationship.

"If Bill told you it was good, that it touched a part of him, then you could believe it was good," Johnson said.

Strothman was heavily involved in his church and community.

KOMO News anchor Dan Lewis said, "He really knew how his pictures could tell a million words. He put so much into getting just the right shots, the right video, putting it in the right place in the story. ... He was just a gentleman, a true gentleman."

Strothman's family released a statement and asked for privacy in the immediate aftermath of the accident:

"Our family is grief-stricken and in shock in the wake of the horrible tragedy that claimed the lives of Bill Strothman and Gary Pfitzner this morning. Bill was a great man, a kind soul, a devoted husband, a loving father and brother. He was a friend to everyone who knew him. Bill was a talented photographer who was a beloved part of the KOMO family for more than 30 years," the family wrote.

"We are overwhelmed by the outpouring of support and condolences from the community. We look forward to honoring his memory by sharing our stories, but for now we ask for and appreciate privacy during this difficult time."

He is survived by his wife Nora, a daughter, and his son Dan Strothman, who also is a KOMO News photojournalist.

The pilot, Gary Pfitzner, was also employed by the helicopter leasing company that operates the news chopper, but was a familiar sight to KOMO News employees.

"He always had a smile on his face," Shen said. "He loved what he did, loved to be able to fly and be up there above the city and see things from a perspective that most of us don't get to see."

Fellow pilots throughout the country said Pfitzner was exceptionally skilled, dedicated to safety, and passionate about his craft. His entire family said they were extremely proud of him.

"To me, he was a very dear brother," said Mark Pfitzner. "And he just always tried to take care of us."

Gary Pfitzner put himself through flight school, and became an instructor pilot.

"He tried to do his best reporting for people, and giving him pictures, and trying to help people that were watching the news every morning," Mark Pfizner said.

And after flying in the morning, Gary Pfizner would go his full time job as a composites expert, building planes for Boeing.

"He was very passionate about it," said colleague Larry Gross.

While the grief is overwhelming, Mark Pfitzner said it is a small consolation to know his brother was able to live his dream of soaring through the sky.

"He really did love to fly, and he did something that, if you're going to go, it's best to do it what you love the most," Mark Pfitzner said.

Gary is survived by his wife and two grown boys.

---

Watch: Dan and Molly reminisce about Bill and Gary during Tuesday's breaking news coverage:

Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 is missing

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 18 Mar 2014 07:00:00 +0000

As I'm sure you've heard by now, a Boeing 777-200 operated by Malaysian Airlines has disappeared. I am writing this about a week after this plane vanished and am simply amazed at some of the speculation regarding the events leading up to the disappearance of this aircraft. I have read theories about how the plane could have been hijacked and flown to Africa, China, or the Middle East to be used as a weapon at a later date. Others suggest that it was flown so close to a different Boeing 777 that its radar image merged with the other airliner allowing it to remain hidden until it was in an area of limited radar coverage where it was free to move about hidden from prying eyes. The current list of theories is as long as the list of "experts" that have displayed their level of ignorance as much as their expertise.

What do we know?

The only thing that we know for sure is that the airplane and all on board are missing. Aircraft telemetry systems shut down for some unknown reason and the aircraft performed a few maneuvers before vanishing.

The hijacking theory suggests that the hijackers turned off the transponders on the airplane. This is plausible but would these supposed hijackers have enough knowledge of the systems to disable all of the systems that report automatically? It seems that the only system that can't be disabled from the flight deck is the engine monitoring systems that report to Rolls Royce in England. This makes it possible but, in my opinion, unlikely that the systems were turned off in an attempt to hide the airplane.

What do I think happened?

I am no expert but since everybody else is offering up their opinion, I will too.

I think that two scenarios are possible, an on board fire or a shoot down.

The on board fire is the most likely in my opinion and could have been growing in the avionics bay or in between the hull and interior panels for some time before becoming and issue. In 1998, Swissair Flight 111 was lost after take off from JFK due to a fire that started in a wiring bundle that powered the in-flight entertainment system. The fire spread with little notice, caused electronics failures, and was discovered too late for the crew to save their aircraft.

Damage to the aircraft's electronics along with a possible hull breech due to the fire could have caused two things to happen that would explain the altered flight path. Let us assume for a second that the pilots were flying along fat, dumb, and happy. Then, equipment starts to fail. The radios and navigation equipment fails, smoke starts to fill the cabin and then a rapid decompression incapacitates the crew and all of the passengers.

What would happen now?

Without human intervention, the airplane would follow whatever was programmed in to the autopilot. If the autopilot had failed, the plane would be at the mercy of the winds. A plane that is set up to fly straight and level with continue to fly straight and level until it is upset be some force. The stability of modern airplanes will return the plane to straight and level flight eventually but how long that takes depends on many variables. What the plane does while it is returning to its original state depends on how it was upset and how much force was behind that upset. It could easily climb, descend or turn after being bumped by turbulence, being hit by a sudden and strong shift in the winds, etc. Eventually the airplane would run out of fuel and crash. Even without engines, this airplane could have glided hundreds of miles depending on its altitude and possibly crashing in some lonely part of the ocean, African desert or thick jungle forest without anybody noticing.

This is just my own theory and I will post updates as things develop but I will try to filter fact from fiction as best as I can. One thing is for sure, there are families out there that are missing their loved ones and they would like to have some answers that may never come.

Cessna Twin Icing AD

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 03 Mar 2014 20:10:00 +0000

A new airworthiness directive issued by the FAA bans most early Cessna twins from flight into known icing regardless of whether or not they are equipped with anti-icing gear.

It would appear that the FAA feels this to be necessary because too many pilots were ignoring a mandatory service bulletin that was issued by Cessna in 1997.

It was discovered that even a little ice on almost 7,000 of the twins could seriously affect the slow-speed handling.

This AD becomes effective April 7, 2014 and required the installation of a placard requiring an extra 15 knots on approach if there is an inadvertent encounter with icing.

This is the current list of the airplanes affected by this AD. (Cessna Twin)

Aviation geeks tour Boeing factory for 747s, 777s and 787s. - CNN.com

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 02 Mar 2014 06:45:00 +0000

I had to share this story from CNN. I have included enough to whet the appetite and introduce the tours that Boeing puts on. I strongly suggest that you go for a Boeing tour and read the rest of the article over at CNN.COM

Wow! Making planes in the world's biggest building

By Thom Patterson, CNN

updated 10:04 AM EST, Wed February 26, 2014

Boeing offers a public tour of its assembly plant in Everett, Washington. It's the largest building in the world by volume, covering 98.3 acres. About 110,000 visitors tour the factory every year.

HIDE CAPTION

Watching Boeing make giant airliners

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

Boeing allowed aviation fans unique factory access during a February convention
"Avgeeks" toured factories for 737, 747, 777 and 787 Dreamliner
Growing avgeek community challenges legacy news media

Everett, Washington (CNN) -- Sprawled out before us sits the exterior of the world's biggest building by volume. They make airliners here. Big ones.

"Let's go see some airplanes!" says our Boeing VIP tour guide.

I remind myself: This doesn't happen very often.

Yeah yeah yeah, Boeing offers public tours of this 98.3-acre airliner factory north of Seattle every day. This ain't that. This is special.

As part of a convention of aviation fans called Aviation Geek Fest, we're gaining ultra-exclusive access to the factory FLOOR. The public tour is limited to the balcony. We're about to walk knee-deep where Boeing gives birth to some of the world's biggest and most advanced airliners, including the 747-8 Intercontinental, the 777 Worldliner and the 787 Dreamliner.

Hot damn.

But not so fast -- before we go inside, Boeing has laid down some rules: no photos, no video, for our eyes only.

Here's a painful development: Our smartphones have been confiscated. Gulp. I'm already suffering from phantom phone pangs.

Plane stuck at airport

We enter through a small, inconspicuous door marked S-1. Suddenly, we're surrounded by partly assembled airliners in a room so big it takes on the feeling of an entire world. In some spots, we gaze across an unobstructed view measuring a quarter-mile.

This building is so flippin' big that -- years ago -- it created its own inside weather patterns, including vapor clouds. They eliminated that by installing a special ventilation system. Today's factory forecast: avgeeking, with continued avgeeking and a favorable chance of avgeeking later in the day.

Here are a few cool tidbits........

If you want to read the rest, follow the link below!
:

Aviation geeks tour Boeing factory for 747s, 777s and 787s. - CNN.com:

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178 Seconds to live VFR into IMC

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 27 Feb 2014 06:19:00 +0000

If you are a VFR only pilot or an IFR rated pilot that isn't current, take heed of the message in this video.

I was fortunate to learn my lesson with a safety net on board. I was on one of my first IFR cross country flights during training and found myself in actual conditions. While I had some experience flying the instruments, it wasn't much more than how to keep the plane upright and going in the general direction that you wanted it to.

Doesn't this sound like the training received when you are first earning your Private Pilot?

I was allowed to become confused, misinterpret the instruments and basically just mess up.

The difference in my situation is that I was able to experience this in a training environment with an instructor that I trusted on board to bail me out.

Do yourself, your family, and your passengers a favor and stay clear of potentially fatal situations.

Get some additional training or a full instrument rating to help expand your experience and increase your chances of survival when the weather starts to turn ugly.

Some free resources can be found at the Air Safety Institute.

Family trip from Seattle to Victoria BC

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 21 Feb 2014 05:29:00 +0000

Here are a few photos from a quick trip that took us from Seattle to Victoria, BC. This was my son's first flight in a plane smaller than a Boeing 737 and my wife's first time on floats. I think they are both hooked!

...

Runway Safety: Providence, RI. A Near Catastrophe

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 20 Feb 2014 08:22:00 +0000

During a foggy night a flight crew gets confused and almost causes an accident of massive proportions. Was there a magic piece of technology that prevented this near accident from happening? Was it a genius of a regulation that eliminated runway incursions and their potentially disastrous consequences?

No, simply paying attention to what was happening on the radio and a little situational awareness caused the accident chain to be broken.

I have slipped the surly bonds of Earth…put out my hand, and touched the face of God

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 18 Feb 2014 19:46:00 +0000

I simply had to share the altered poem below. It was posted with the following notes to bring it in to compliance with current FAA guidelines.

Oh, I have slipped the surly bonds of earth(1),
And danced(2) the skies on laughter silvered wings;
Sunward I've climbed(3) and joined the tumbling mirth(4)
Of sun-split clouds(5) and done a hundred things(6)
You have not dreamed of -- Wheeled and soared and swung(7)
High in the sunlit silence(8). Hov'ring there(9)
I've chased the shouting wind(10) along and flung
My eager craft through footless halls of air.(11)
Up, up the long delirious(12), burning blue
I've topped the wind-swept heights(13) with easy grace,
Where never lark, or even eagle(14) flew;
And, while with silent, lifting mind I've trod
The high untrespassed sanctity of space(15),
Put out my hand(16), and touched the face of God.

NOTES:

1. Pilots must insure that all surly bonds have been slipped entirely before aircraft taxi or flight is attempted.

2. During periods of severe sky dancing, crew and passengers must keep seat belts fastened. Crew should wear shoulder belts as provided.

3. Sunward climbs must not exceed the maximum permitted aircraft ceiling.

4. Passenger aircraft are prohibited from joining the tumbling mirth.

5. Pilots flying through sun-split clouds under VFR conditions must comply with all applicable minimum clearances.

6. Do not perform these hundred things in front of Federal Aviation Administration inspectors.

7. Wheeling, soaring, and swinging will not be attempted except in aircraft rated for such activities and within utility class weight limits.

8. Be advised that sunlit silence will occur only when a major engine malfunction has occurred.

9. "Hov'ring there" will constitute a highly reliable signal that a flight emergency is imminent.

10. Forecasts of shouting winds are available from the local FSS. Encounters with unexpected shouting winds should be reported by pilots.

11. Pilots flinging eager craft through footless halls of air are reminded that they alone are responsible for maintaining separation from other eager craft.

12. Should any crew member or passenger experience delirium while in the burning blue, submit an irregularity report upon flight termination.

13. Windswept heights will be topped by a minimum of 1,000 feet to maintain VFR minimum separations.

14. Aircraft engine ingestion of, or impact with, larks or eagles should be reported to the FAA and the appropriate aircraft maintenance facility.

15. Aircraft operating in the high untresspassed sanctity of space must remain in IFR flight regardless of meteorological conditions and visibility.

16. Pilots and passengers are reminded that opening doors or windows in order to touch the face of God may result in loss of cabin pressure.

Max Conrad and his crazy endurance flights

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 16 Feb 2014 08:11:00 +0000

I was thinking about long range General Aviation planes that could be in my price range and who should I start thinking about but Max Conrad.

Mr. Conrad came before my time but his records still stand today.

soloflights.org has some wonderful information about Mr. Conrad and I highly suggest that you visit.

Below you will find some information that came from the soloflights.org web site.

Here is a link to the Wikipedia page on Mr. Conrad.

THE PILOT
Names : Maxm,,imilien Conrad
Date of Birth : 21 January, 1903
Place of Birth : Winona, Minnesota, USA
Nationality : American
Licences: Commercial
Past : Suffered motor and mental troubles after a skull fracture.

THE AEROPLANE
Max Conrad, used several aircraft, all made by Piper., starting by the Pacer of the Atlantic flight, then a Comanche, a Twin Comanche and several Aztec.

The aircraft of the round the world flight:
Name : New Frontiers.
Registration : N4445P
Made : Piper
Type : Atzec
Length :9.52 m.
Wing span :11.34 m.

THE FLIGHT
Departure point : Miami (Florida)
Departure date : 27 February, 1961
Arrival point : Miami
Arrival date : 8 March, 1961
Duration in days : 10 days
Duration in hours : Average speed : 123.19 mph, 198.27 km/h..
En route stops : Long Beach (California), Honolulu, Wake Island, Guam Island, Manilla (Philippines), Singapore, Bombay (India), Nairobi (Kenya), Lagos (Nigeria), Dakar, Amapa (Brazil), Atkinson Field (British Guyana), Poet of Spain (Trinitad), Miami.
Equator : Two crossings.
Incidents/accidents : No major breakdown. An incident when the ADF lost its audio on the speaker. Conrad turn the fuel "OFF" while changing tanks.

Let's fly."
Max Conrad.

Maximilien Conrad is more famous for his extremely long flights and his records, than for his 'round the world' flight. In his round the World flight he set a record that is still unbeaten to this day. This flight was not flown solo, as he had an observer of the NAA on board, the American representative of the FAI. I must therefore bend my own rule of only describing solo flights around the World in order to pay tribute to Max Conrad, a very remarkable general aviation pilot. Conrad may have had company on his World Flight, but he was solo in all the long record-setting flights. Sitting in a cramped cockpit among fuel tanks and other gear, it is incredible that he was able to last so long in the air.

Maximilien Conrad was born on January 21, 1903, in Winona Minnesota, in the USA, and was raised in the strict German catholic tradition. He was fond of sports and competed in a lot of athletics. He was very impressed by Lindbergh's flight across the Atlantic in 1927.

Conrad learned to fly in the same year. In 1928, he bought his first airplane: a Swallow, and started to give flying lessons. In 1929, following a joy flight, one of his passengers alighted from the aircraft toward the front of the machine, and although Max tried to stop her, they were both hit by the spinning propeller. The young woman was killed instantly, and Conrad received a fractured skull which resulted in him taking years to regain his speech and normal motions. Religious and sporting groups were in a large way responsible for helping Conrad make his recovery.

In 1931, Conrad married Betty Biesanz. Slowly, he reopened his flying school and gradually his operations increased, including some transport and charter flights. The Government put him in charge of organising a series of flying schools: the Civil Pilot Training scheme. After the Pearl harbour attack, these schools became military flying schools.

Conrad experienced both good and bad fortunes during and after the war. In 1942, his hangar and all his aircraft were burned to the ground. In 1943 he became Chief Pilot for the Honeywell Company in Minneapolis. Just three years after the war, in 1948, Betty and the children went to live in Switzerland in the hope of cheaper living expenses than those in the U.S. With two aims in mind, Conrad decided to fly across the Atlantic. His first aim was to visit his family at a lesser cost than by sailing on the Queen Mary as he had done in 1948, and secondly to promote the new Piper Pacer whose sales were stagnant. The flight in N7330K was not an easy one, with American authorities in Greenland thinking him to be a communist spy. Finally Conrad was freed, and he landed at Toussus le Noble, south of Paris and spent September with his family. He now had nine children, including young Fransesco whom he had not yet seen. Betty and the children finally returned to the States on the liner Liberté .

To read the remainder of the story, visit soloflights.org
Max Conrad

Small aviation businesses say pilot shortage could drive industry into the ground - The Washington Post

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 16 Feb 2014 05:31:00 +0000

Small aviation businesses say pilot shortage could drive industry into the ground - The Washington Post:

Below is a small portion from the Washington Post. To read the entire article, follow the link above.

"In the past several decades, the number of private and recreational pilots across the country has plummeted, as has the number of small aircraft being manufactured — trends that some say have been accelerated by increasingly strict federal regulations.

If the decline continues, it will spell trouble for entrepreneurs such as Austin Heffernan, who runs an aircraft maintenance and repair company in Hagerstown, Md. He was one of several small-business owners asked to testify last week during a congressional hearing on the state of the general aviation industry."

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BruceAir: More Skidding Stalls

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 15 Feb 2014 08:28:00 +0000

Are you worried about practicing stalls because they might develop in to a spin?

Do you carry a little extra speed on short final in an attempt to avoid stalling at low altitude?

While I haven't had Mr. Bruce Williams as an instructor yet, I have followed his advice on numerous message boards, watched his videos, and read his blog entries. I am hoping to take a flight or ten during the summer of 2014 to go over spin and unusual attitude recovery as well as some basic aerobatics. You can bet that I will post my lessons learned as well as my observations of his training style.

My suggestion is that if you are afraid of stalls and spins, get with Bruce or someone like him and stall and spin the plane until the recovery is second nature. Being able to recognize an impending stall or spin, and reacting properly, takes more than reading about it in a book.

This is a lesson that I look forward to.

BruceAir