Plane & Pilot April 2022

There’s a fable that my fourth-grade teacher recounted to my class that tells of this family who lived in the forest in Germany. Their life was normal except for one thing. There was an axe stuck in the ceiling. The people of the house went about their lives knowing that the axe was there, perfectly aware of the danger it posed to them but doing nothing about it. And it would have stayed that way had it not been for a wise visitor—I don’t know who it was exactly, some guy—who witnessed the situation and gave them clear guidance. “Pull the axe out,” he said. The meaning of the tale was clear. If you’re living with some clear and present danger, don’t just go about your day as if it…

Santa Clara County Airports Commission has made good on its threats to stop sales of 100LL aviation gas at its airports. Early in the year, fuel suppliers at both Reid-Hillview and San Martin stopped selling 100LL. Some of the operators at the airports are pumping 94UL fuel into their flight school planes, but visiting high-performance, piston-powered aircraft hoping to find fuel at one of the two Santa Clara County airports will be out of luck, at least for the time being. The NTSB recommended to the FAA that it require carbon monoxide detectors in all enclosed cabin aircraft with reciprocating engines. Accidents believed to have been caused by carbon monoxide infiltration of the airplane account for slightly less than one per year. The FAA can choose to act upon the…

Brigadier General Charles McGee, the oldest and one of the last surviving Tuskegee Airmen, died in early January at the age of 102. He had recently been hospitalized. No cause of death was announced. Brigadier General McGee was a combat pilot in three wars and later commanded air bases in the integrated Air Force after World War II. He received Legion of Merit, Distinguished Flying Cross, Bronze Star Medal and Air Medal recognition. In 2020, then-President Trump awarded McGee, who retired as a colonel from the Air Force, a promotion to Brigadier General. In announcing his death, Vice President Kamala Harris and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin each called McGee “an American hero.” At a time when the United States Armed Forces were still segregated, McGee joined the Tuskegee Airmen, a…

Enstrom Helicopters, which was founded in the late ’50s and had turned out nearly 1,500 helicopters in that time, closed shop on Jan. 21 and entered Chapter 7 bankruptcy proceedings, the company announced. Founded in 1959 by self-taught designer Rudy Enstrom, the company built both light piston-engine-powered utility and training models based on its F-28, and since 1993, a larger, turbine-powered five-seater, the Enstrom 480. In the release announcing the closure, Dennis Martin, Enstrom’s director of sales and marketing, wrote, “After 64 years of continuous operations, Enstrom will be closing its doors on January 21, 2022…due to several financial difficulties.” He added that “parts, technical support, overhauls and new aircraft will no longer be available from the factory.” He added that all employees, including senior management, would be terminated. Martin…

When Los Angeles Police officers arrived on scene shortly after a 172 on approach to Whiteman Airport in Los Angeles lost power and crash-landed onto railroad tracks, they knew immediately that they needed to act fast. A speeding LA Metro train, its horn blaring, was approaching. It looked to be traveling at 60 mph or so. There was zero chance it was going to be able to stop. The first responders had to get the guy out of the plane, and they had seconds to do it. How bad was it? Really bad. TAKEAWAY 1: One of the most remarkable videos we’ve ever seen, the footage of the rescue has some parts that many people miss. The officers had a matter of seconds to free the pilot. They got him…

Champion 7FC Georgetown, Delaware/Injuries: 1 While about 10 feet above the runway during landing, the airplane was struck by a gust of wind that pushed it to the right of the runway centerline while banking it to the right. The pilot responded by applying left rudder and full engine power to initiate a go-around. The airplane continued to descend, and the right wing impacted the ground, substantially damaging it. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures of the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. PROBABLE CAUSE(S): The pilot’s failure to maintain airplane control while on landing in gusting crosswind conditions. Piper PA-31 Navajo Leesburg, Florida/Injuries: 1 fatal, 1 serious The pilot and the pilot-rated passenger were flying from their home located at a residential airpark, where…