The Flying Wing
The article "The Wing Will Fly," by Lane Wallace (October AOPA Pilot), was one of the best articles I have read in a long time. It was very touching and it is what aviation is all about. It must have been very special to be involved with such a project. What dedication by these individuals — just thinking about seeing and touching this aircraft would excite any aviator.
Al Grajek AOPA 911985Louisville, Kentucky
I thoroughly enjoyed reading the article about the restoration of the N9M-B. Having seen the other one in the Smithsonian's Silver Hill annex (which was painstakingly done but, unfortunately, not flyable), I have a deep appreciation for the efforts put forth by a dedicated group of true Americans. They were up against the wall and came out on top. Unfortunately, I am not shocked at the lack of help from Northrop; I think Jack Northrop would be turning in his grave if he heard the news.
Chris Coarse AOPA 1120826West Grove, Pennsylvania
I really enjoyed the story on the Northrop N9M flying wing. Those folks certainly deserve credit for pulling off the near-impossible restoration of an historically significant aircraft.
I would, however, like to correct a technical detail. The article reports that the turn coordinator ball is insensitive to whether or not the aircraft is in coordinated flight, and attributes this to the turn coordinator instrument's being located on the "center axis" of the aircraft.
In reality, the cause is aerodynamics. The N9M has very little vertical cross- sectional area, having no vertical tail and no real fuselage. In a conventional aircraft these vertical areas generate some pounds of side force when the aircraft is in uncoordinated (nonzero sideslip) flight conditions. This side force (side acceleration, really) is what drives the turn coordinator ball away from its centered position. Minimal vertical area means minimal side force, which means minimal ball movement.
Joel Warner AOPA 865505San Pedro, California
Future Shock
I read with interest Thomas A. Horne's article "Countdown 2010" (October Pilot), in which he outlined the future of airborne electronic navigation. As a flight test engineer involved with the avionics subsystems of tactical fighter aircraft, I agree with the assessment that a standardized user interface is an absolute must. Some amount of standardization is necessary in the interest of flight safety.
I also agree that some type of reliable backup system is needed. Even the military users of GPS will retain inertial navigation systems. I think that Horne's idea about loran as a backup is a good one. A GPS receiver may be able to use the same standardized functions and displays while using a loran signal in place of the GPS signal.
As Horne points out, we'll all be forced into jumping on the GPS bandwagon for IFR flight by 2010. This means that not only do we have to purchase and install WAAS-compatible, IFR- approved GPS units, but also subscribe to the database update cards. These update cards can cost as much as $500 to $800 per year. Some say this is no big deal because you may spend this much on charts each year — but you still need charts in addition to the GPS update cards. These update cards are an additional cost that I do not have under the current VOR-based system.
I am not against GPS, but I would like to see AOPA "bird-dog" the cost of these update cards and that of installing an IFR-approved GPS unit (currently requiring FAA field approval) as vigorously as it has the implementation of GPS in general. Maybe the money saved by not having to maintain the VOR/NDB system could subsidize the GPS update cards.
Bill de Groh AOPA 721133Great Mills, Maryland
"Countdown to 2010" put a couple extra pounds of torque to my jaw. Seems to me the military's attitude toward civilian use of "their" GPS is a bit skewed. The real owners of the satellite system are the American taxpayers — we who paid for the research, hardware, and labor to put that marvelous system in place. Although I think that user fees are a great idea, I doubt that the military would want to put anything in our pockets for its use. But tell 'em thanks for thinking of us.
Gregory Beach AOPA 704439Estero, Florida
Has AOPA really considered the user fees related to changing over to GPS-only navigation? Let's look at the operational costs. First there is the purchase of two IFR-certified GPS units (would you fly IFR with a single navigation radio?). That's an installed cost of between $10,000 and $15,000. If the GPS receivers last 15 years (this is optimistic, considering the likely improvements and typical TSO changes that will occur during the initial years of using this technology full-time), the annual amortized cost will range from $666 to $1,000. Secondly, there are the annual operating costs. A yearly subscription for the required data-base updates is $400 to $600 (assuming one update can be used for both units). There will still be the $120 or so for the hard-copy Jepp charts.
In short, we are looking at between $1,200 and $1,700 a year to operate under the new system. What is the difference between paying this cost and paying user fees to the FAA? I feel that I get more than 75 percent of the benefit of GPS by using my non-IFR GPS unit as a backup to conventional approaches and en route navigation.
Your article states that "On the economic plane?the move to GPS/WAAS will be a severe one." True enough. Before AOPA gives its full support to GPS-only navigation, it needs to present the total cost of such a move to its members and ask them to vote. Let's think about alternatives.
John R. Pavese AOPA 811100Saddle River, New Jersey
A Discouraging Word
It was discouraging to read the disparaging remarks made about the U.S. Aerobatic Team ("Pilot Briefing: Russians Claim World Aerobatic Titles," October Pilot). Any group of people consists of a spectrum of personalities, the U.S. Aerobatic Team being no exception. There may be a team member or two who are aloof, but the vast majority — both ground crew and pilots — are friendly, sincere, and outgoing individuals.
As a team, we did not sequester ourselves in our hangar in Oklahoma City. As most competition pilots prefer to watch the best aerobatic flying in the world from a front-row seat, the only place to do that is from the flight line, in our tent, and along with everybody else. Of course, at Oklahoma City we sat for nearly an entire week with no flying, so whoever was "being driven" to the airplanes must have been doing it to avoid walking in mudholes, certainly not to fly.
The Canadian who put on the little spoof is a good friend to many of us. I watched the little parade, and far from being a malicious "parade of ridicule" as quoted in the article, it was simply an attempt to entertain a bunch of bored, frustrated, and rained-out aerobatic pilots.
Patty Wagstaff AOPA 977031Tucson, Arizona
Duats Debate
I have some comments on "Wx Watch: Duats Renewal" (October Pilot). Thomas A. Horne states that "preflight information [is a] free service," and then says that "the government's cost is about $1 per contact." Taxpayers bear the cost of Duats.
An on-demand flight service station appears to cost more when directly compared to Duats. However, this ignores other services provided by the FSS and other intrinsic value — interpretation, translation, and summarization of weather data, for example. The FSS is virtually the only direct avenue to weather forecasters and provides in-flight, flight watch, and search and rescue services. We provide many supplemental services no private vendor would consider. At the end of every Duats briefing is a statement to contact an FSS for clarification or to resolve any questions, and we accept this responsibility.
As far as Duats' disappearing in the year 2001, this is not true. The FAA has plans to incorporate Duats into the modernized FSS with interactive capability.
Michael F. McAnawWheaton, Maryland
McAnaw is president of the National Association of Air Traffic Specialists — Ed.
Flying Magazine
I had just received my October Pilot and was taking it to work with me to read during break, when I was run off the road and hit a tree, totaling my car. My new magazine flew out a broken window and landed in a brook. I tried to dry it in the microwave oven and later in the attic, but it is ruined. Could you please send me another copy?
David V. Webber AOPA 1258388Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania
A replacement copy of the magazine is on its way — Ed.
The Mile Hi Club
Barry Schiff's wonderful article about Idaho's back country opportunities ("Proficient Pilot: Airport Hazards," October Pilot) was right on the money. Flying in the Idaho mountains can be a breathtaking, if not exhilarating, event for any pilot. I am afraid, however, that Schiff failed to emphasize the importance of the deadly density altitude factor when flying in this wonderful state.
Although I do not profess to being anything near a "back country pilot," the experience that I have had with short and high landing strips has made me very aware of density altitude and familiar with its effects. To fly in Idaho, density altitude and its effects must be solidly understood and respected.
Jason Hull AOPA 1193133Moscow, Idaho
It was interesting to read Barry Schiff's article on airport hazards, especially since I owned Vines Ranch on Big Creek, east of McCall, Idaho, for 10 years before selling it to the U.S. Forest Service in 1979.
There are two things I can point out about Vines. First, it has only 878 feet of usable length (I measured it) and should be used only by experienced pilots who have been checked out by someone who knows how to land there, and in equipment that can handle the hazards. Bill and Mike Dorris of McCall Air Taxi flew me and my family to Vines many times and for many years, but I did not attempt it myself, as all my 4,500 hours have been in retractable aircraft.
Also mentioned was Mile Hi, which is just one mile — straight up, it seems — from Vines. There is no way a truck could be maneuvered into the area to extricate the Bonanza if something happened; Mile Hi is 25 miles from the end of the nearest road. My advice is that these strips are extremely hazardous and should be handled only by professional Idaho bush pilots.
Michael B. Jager AOPA 838745Glenbrook, Nevada
All In It Together
Bruce Landsberg's "Safety Pilot: Drop In Anytime" (October Pilot) was one of the most positive and informative articles I have seen related to aviation safety and skydiving operations. As a skydiver, pilot, and jump pilot, I am continually encouraging both the skydiving community and pilots in general to learn more about one another's operations so that we can all enjoy the safety of aviation together and form a strong and unified general aviation community. Landsberg's article couldn't have stated this better. We are all in this together, folks — pilots and skydivers alike.
Gary Peek AOPA 977536St. Charles, Missouri
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