Innholdsfortegnelse for March 2014 i Plane & Pilot

Spending time with Bob Hoover is an experience that’s forever treasured by anyone who has ever had the opportunity. Recently, we visited the legend at his home in Southern California, surrounded by awards, medals and historic photographs—each one with a completely amazing story of its own. We watched behind the scenes as filmmaker Dan Birman and his crew interviewed Hoover for an upcoming documentary film that will honor his many aviation accomplishments. It will premiere at Hollywood’s Paramount Studios in mid-February in conjunction with the launch of the “Bob Hoover Hall of Heroes.” In this issue, Marc Lee tells of our visit with Hoover, a day Marc will never forget. Our main pilot report this month is Aviat Aircraft’s CNG-powered Husky. James Wynbrandt flies the proof-of-concept aircraft, whose 200 hp…

Island-Hopping It’s only a short 53 nm from Fort Lauderdale to the first of the island chains: Bimini. From there, you’ll almost always be within sight of land. The 2014 Pilot’s Guide To The Bahamas features updated airport data, procedures, customs and immigration information, aerial photos, accommodations and touristy listings and area maps. It covers all the Islands of the Bahamas. (For Caribbean destinations, purchase the Caribbean Pilot’s Guide separately.) The guide is available for the iPad. Contact: www.pilotpub.com. Turn Your iPhone Into A Wind Meter Vaavud’s wind meter turns your smartphone into a meteorological tool. Download the free app, and plug the wind meter into your ear phone jack. The app gives an overview of average, actual and maximum wind speed, as well as a real-time graph. The one-piece…

On a spring morning several years ago, I was doing touch-and-goes in my Extra, flying the rust off after a long winter, an annual and an engine overhaul. Air show season was around the corner, and I was enjoying the smooth, crisp air. In the groove, I greased on one after another, the wheels kissing the runway on each touchdown. I started to feel a little smug, thinking,“Man, I’m good! I’ve really mastered this airplane,” but of course, that’s when it happened. Instead of a smooth touchdown, I bounced a wheel landing. This hurt my ego. I knew how good I was, so I pushed the stick forward to nail it, and the wheels stuck so hard it felt like I had sprung the gear. On the “go,” I felt…

Though not from any official poll or study, the desire to learn to fly is one of the most often unrealized dreams in our society. I can’t count the number of individuals who have said to me, “I always wanted to learn to fly,” during a conversation. It’s usually said in a wistful voice that trails off into silence. I can see the zeal in their eyes along with the coinciding look of resignation, as if that goal were the most unattainable in the world. “You’re so lucky,” they add, “I should have just done it.” I always reflect and ask, “Why don’t you do it now?” The inference is that, somehow, it’s too late. However, learning to fly isn’t age restricted. Sure, legendary pilot Bob Hoover hung up his…

You don’t have to live in the high plains or themountains to appreciate the benefits of turbocharging. Pretty obviously, a turbo makes flying easier and safer for pilots who must transition above the Rockies or Sierra Nevada. Even if you’re primarily a VFR pilot living in the East Coast or Midwest, however, and only fly on CAVU days in late spring, summer and early fall, compressed power can be next to godliness. Like many of you, I discovered turbos 15 years into my flying career. I learned to fly in the cheapest trainer I could find. The first was an Aeronca Champ and later, a Piper Colt, and supercharging in any form was something I only read about on military and airline aircraft. I had to wait until I bought…

The last few years have brought some of the most sweeping changes to commercial pilot training that we’ve ever seen in the industry. In November 2013, the FAA passed still another rule that adds more training mandates to the already tightened requirements for commercial pilots passed in August. These new rules are expected to cost the aviation industry between $274.1 and $353.7 million to implement, while the estimated benefit of the rules will nearly double to $689.2 million. A large part of the burden of these new mandates will fall upon flight training academies. One of the oldest and most respected flight academies today is Spartan College of Aeronautics and Technology in Tulsa, Okla. The goals of these new FAA requirements are better stickand-rudder training for all pilots, closer monitoring…

I was absolutely heartsick! There’s no other way to describe it. It’s as if a good friend had died, which in a way was true. As I rounded the corner toward the gate to the ramp, I sensed something was wrong. I could see sky and roof line where they should have been hidden from sight by branches. Then, as I closed the distance, an alarm went off in my mind and in my heart: The Owl Tree had been cut down! Oh my god! Luckily, there was no one else in the car to hear the despair in my voice. I didn’t want to believe what my eyes said was true. One of my good friends and fellow flyers at Scottsdale Muni, who had shared the air with me…

Advice On Flying Lessons Recently, I inquired about taking flying lessons at a local small airport near my home. I chose to go there because its location, size and the rates for lessons make it the best place for me to take lessons. My goal is to get a sport-pilot license. I spoke to two out of the three instructors available. I related well to the first man with whom I spoke. I liked the guy right off. He teaches in a tri-gear LSA. That is the only plane available he will use for teaching (personal preference). I was pretty sure I would feel comfortable having him as my instructor, but I made no decision or commitment with him. I wanted to meet and talk with the other instructors before…

Van Nuys, Calif. | Moose Peterson On a stormy winter afternoon, two legendary Mustangs met up on the ramp at Van Nuys Airport in Southern California: the 1970 Reno Air Race Unlimited Champion, Clay Lacy’s Miss Van Nuys P-51D Mustang and Mark Chiolis’ gorgeous 1970 Boss 302 Mustang. It was a simple gathering of power, style and legend as the clouds clashed at sunset. The shoot was for the upcoming 50th anniversary celebration of the iconic Ford Mustang and 51st anniversary of the Reno Air Races. It was shot on the ramp in front of the Clay Lacy Aviation as jet clients were entertained by the classic view. Grumman J2F-6 Duck Lake Agnes, Fla. | Jake Peterson Gliding across the water’s surface is one of the last remaining airworthy Grumman…

In line with this issue’s Learn To Fly article, I thought it might sync up nicely to give new and returning readers a look at how LSA and the sport-pilot license make earning your wings faster and more affordable than ever. No doubt you’ve heard about the light-sport aircraft (LSA) category and the sport-pilot (SP) rule. Let’s take a look to help you decide whether LSA is the right nest for you. Light-Sport Aircraft Basics LSA is the new category of aircraft created by the FAA in 2004 to provide an easy-tofly, lower-cost, recreational-themed alternative to traditional civilian flight. •There are two types of light-sport aircraft: S-LSA and E-LSA. S-LSA (special light-sport aircraft) are ASTM-certifed, ready-to-fy aircraft for personal fight and fight training. E-LSA (Experimental Light Sport Aircraft) are built…

VFR flying can be more diffi-cult than you might imagine. Accident statistics are studded with reports of highly qualified pilots getting themselves into unfathomable situations, usually as a result of a comedy of errors. Accordingly, we’ve put together a series of suggestions that cover a variety of problems and situations. There are only 20 listed below, but we could have added another 50 or so without breaking a sweat. Some of these don’t relate to emergencies; they’re associated with common-sense procedures to make VFR flying easier, safer and more fun. 1. Despite the near-universal adoption of GPS for en route navigation, resist the temptation to simply dial up the identifier of your destination and fly direct. Consider instead putting together a flight plan that includes slight deviations to stay near…

It’s not often you get to meet a legend. In aviation, most of our legends lived long ago, their exploits reduced to blackand-white photographs and dusty aircraft suspended from museum ceilings. But not Bob Hoover. At 92 years old, the man that both Chuck Yeager and Jimmy Doolittle called “the greatest stick-and-rudder pilot who ever lived,” is very much alive and still inspiring pilots, even from the comfort of his own living room. “Well, I’m very pleased to meet you,” Hoover announces to me, offering his hand and beaming a warm smile. As I shake his hand, images of Hoover’s canary-yellow P-51 Mustang flash through my head like a dream sequence from a movie. I see his famed “Shrike” Commander doing eight-point rolls in silence, with both engines feathered. I…

It was almost surreal standing on the ramp and realizing that the flight I had just finished began two years before it finally happened. My wife and I had traveled to FortWorth, Texas, when we stumbled upon the Vintage Flying Museum at Meacham Field. After chatting with the tour guide, we stepped into the hangar where they keep a B-17 named Chucky. The guide ushered me into the plane, and my heart skipped a beat when he told me to get in the pilot’s seat so my wife could take my picture. That was the day in 2009 I decided I’d fly in a B-17 someday. Someday finally arrived in the fall of 2011 when our anniversary rolled around. My dear wife gotme a ride on Aluminum Overcast when it…

Cessna Aircraft received type certification of the all-composite TTx aircraft in Brazil from the Agência Nacional de Aviação Civil. Deliveries to customers in Brazil commenced in November at Cessna’s facility in Independence, Kan. Jodi Noah, Cessna senior vice president for Single Engine/Propeller Aircraft, said: “The TTx is a testament to the innovation and commitment of the Cessna team responsible for delivering this exceptional aircraft to the market. International deliveries have already begun, and with this type certification awarded, the TTx will continue to be the standout choice for advanced pilots who demand luxury, progressive technology and jet-like performance.” The TTx has a range of 1,250 nm, capable of nonstop flight on routes such as Rio de Janeiro-Buenos Aires. Visit www.cessna.com. Aspen’s EA100 Receives FAA And EASA Approvals Aspen Avionics announced…

Like many pilots who often consort with non-aviators, I’m frequently asked the same questions regarding general aviation, especially when people know I deliver airplanes internationally. “I understand you deliver little airplanes to Australia. How long does that take? Two days? I came back from Sydney on a Qantas 747 last year, and that was a real grind—13 hours nonstop.” Some of those folks are amazed when I tell them I rarely fly jets. My rides are more typically single-and twin-engine piston and turboprop aircraft that can require as long as a week to make the trip Down Under. Many can’t believe it’s possible to fly a single-engine piston airplane across an ocean. “Wouldn’t it be easier and safer to just put the airplane in a pallet and ship it? How…

The patchwork of farms and wetlands disappearing in all directions below made it hard to believe the world’s largest gathering of airplanes was being celebrated just a few miles away. More astonishing was that the alternative fuel powering the airplane’s 200 hp Lycoming was more efficient, safer and cleaner than avgas, and also costs under a buck a gallon. “Why isn’t everyone using this?,” one had to wonder. Oh, yes: because the proofof-concept fuel system on this certificated aircraft makes it the only one in the world that can use the plentiful and readily available alternative fuel—as of now. A Here-And-Now Alternative Fuel The quest for a 100LL avgas alternative has become general aviation’s Holy Grail, sending academic research teams, large companies and basement tinkerers searching for a philosopher’s stone…

It’s the first day of the AOPA Summit in Fort Worth, Texas, and I’m sitting in a diminutive S-LSA known as the SAM. The airplane’s front cockpit embraces me on all sides, and the semi-bubble canopy provides a view of the world unmatched by most certified airplanes. It’s a snug but not uncomfortable enclosure as I watch a King Air taxi past, both pilots leaning forward to check out this shiny, mostly metal, Canadianregistered sport plane. In fact, the front pit is surprisingly wide, about 26 inches across. If you haven’t flown many tandem aircraft, you’ll be pleasantly surprised with the copious elbow room. If seating were side by side, the SAM would measure 52 inches across. The SAM (named after designer Thierry Zibi’s son) is a clever miniature throwback…

While there are many factors and influences that can cause pilots trouble in flight, weather is one of the most pervasive and prominent. Pilots who don’t give Mother Nature the proper respect often find themselves humbled, scared and, in the worst of cases, injured or dead. According to AOPA’s Nall Report, approximately 4% of general aviation accidents are weather related, yet these accidents account for more than 25% of all fatalities. The lethality rate of weather accidents, in other words the chances a fatality will occur in such an event, is around 63%, one of the highest among all accident types. Of these weather-related accidents, half involved attempts to continue to fly under Visual Flight Rules (VFR) into Instrument Meteorological Conditions (IMC). Among these continued VFR into IMC accidents, more…

By now you know about the FAA’s fascination with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) testing for pilots and controllers. The agency says it’s vital for safety. However, other sleep and fatigue factors repeatedly appear in NTSB accident reports. They include: working long days before night flying; alternating day and night shifts; and, not scheduling adequate sleep periods. A mandatory OSA testing plan of medical certificate applicants was announced by FAA flight surgeon Dr. Fred Tilton. In its efforts to justify the testing, the FAA pointed to NTSB recommen dations and the Safety Board’s accident files. The plan’s most vocal critics, AOPA and EAA, found that OSA has never been the probable cause of an aviation accident and has never been demonstrated to adversely affect aviation safety. I found the same thing.…