Flight instructor talks nonpilot down
Instrument instructor and AOPA member Dan McCullough successfully talked a nonpilot to a safe landing at Gilbert Airport in Winter Haven, Florida, after the pilot became incapacitated on August 5. The pilot, Kristopher Pearce, 36, later died of an apparent heart attack.
McCullough and his student had just completed a series of approaches at Lakeland and had asked for a GPS approach back to Bartow Municipal Airport, where McCullough is a part-time instructor, when the emergency occurred. Tampa controllers who had been providing weather avoidance information to Pearce were contacted by passenger Henry Anhalt when Pearce lost consciousness.
Controllers at first dispatched a Civil Air Patrol aircraft. McCullough, who was monitoring the emergency, offered his assistance and saw the turbocharged Piper Saratoga as it flew at 700 feet agl before the CAP airplane arrived. He then told Anhalt, who had been riding with his wife and children, how to climb to 1,000 feet and switch fuel tanks, since the right tank was nearly empty. Once the airplane was safely flying on the left tank, McCullough led the Saratoga to Winter Haven.
"It was basically playing follow the leader, and getting him to shadow our movements in order to give him pitch and roll information," McCullough told AOPA Pilot. "I brought him around once and he was uncomfortable, so I brought him around again and maneuvered behind and above him. From that position, I was able to talk him through power, flaps, and pitch attitude for an approach to Runway 22. Basically, the plan was to get him over the numbers, chop the power, have him pitch level, and pray real hard."
Anhalt bounced three times before running off the runway, crossing a ditch, and coasting up a taxiway. There were no injuries, and there was only minor damage to the airplane. McCullough said he used the incident to demonstrate to the mainstream news media afterward that general aviation is safe and has procedures in place, such as the CAP, to handle emergencies. — Alton K. Marsh
Air Force reviews light aircraft for initial flight training
The Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado, has completed phase one of its evaluation of several models of light aircraft to be used for initial flight training.
Tested in late August was the Eagle 150B that was built in Australia with mostly American parts and certified in several countries, including the United States. Also flight-tested were aircraft from Cessna, Piper, Grob, Mooney, and others. The goal is to develop a list of aircraft that are approved by the Air Force for use in a contractor-run flight training program. The program will operate 30 aircraft under an Air Force contract expected to start in a few months.
With the grounding of the Slingsby T–3 Firefly trainer fleet at the academy and at Hondo, Texas, the Air Force changed its training philosophy. While initial training was once a washout program to determine which pilot candidates had the aptitude for not only aviation but for the Air Force brand of rapid training, it is now considered a program to give candidates the proper background and confidence for an Air Force pilot career.
Academy students will receive the civilian private pilot certificate in a 50-hour course. The new approach can still weed out students who find that flying isn't for them, while retaining students who have the skills and desire but need more training time than those who learn at lightning speed. — AKM
Pilots ready for historic London-Sydney air race
Two American pilots who operate an aerial sightseeing business will compete in the historic London-Sydney Air Race 2001. Retired attorney Gwen Bloomingdale and licensed A&P mechanic Barbara J. Gard, who operate their seasonal business in Massachusetts and Florida, will be flying a twin Aero Commander in the race.
Both women previously raced in the Air Race Classic, a cross-country event for women over American soil. "Barbara and I have competed five times, and I think tearing about the countryside full throttle is the most fun we can have in a plane," Bloomingdale said. The contestants will leave Biggin Hill Aerodrome, near London, on March 11 and arrive in Sydney 28 days later.
The event is part of Australia's Centenary of Federation celebrations and marks only the fourth time such a race has taken place. In 1919, Ross Smith and his crew completed the 11,000-mile London-to-Darwin, Australia, journey in a Vickers Vimy bomber in, coincidentally, 28 days. To date, 44 entrants have signed up for the modern race. Six are from the United States, including California filmmaker Mark Wolper, who will be flying a Piper Turbo Saratoga.
For more information on the race, contact Air Race 2001, Project Office, Level 4, 77 Berry Street, North Sydney, Australia 2060; or send an e-mail ( [email protected]).
Universal Avionics Systems Corporation announced that its Terrain Awareness and Warning System (TAWS) has been certified on a Bombardier Challenger CL–601-1A. The supplemental type certification was completed by Duncan Aviation in Battle Creek, Michigan. The TAWS provides terrain situational awareness relative to current and predicted airplane positions. When coupled with a global terrain database, the system provides warnings well in advance of hazards.
Last March, NASA granted $500,000 to the University of Otago in Dunedin, New Zealand, to improve pilot training using aircraft accident and incident case studies. Under the two-year project, the university will take an international survey of pilots, seeking information on critical aircraft accidents and incidents. Researchers will also look into existing public aviation accident records. See the survey on the Web site ( www.psy.otago.ac.nz/flightsafety/survey.html). — AKM
The FAA improved its ASOS Web site to allow visitors to get weather sensor information more efficiently. The site now includes an organized catalog of all ASOS/AWOS sites in the United States, Caribbean, and the Pacific Ocean areas. Information includes the site identification, frequency, telephone access number, type, and commission status. There are also individual state and island maps showing the location of the weather systems. See the improvements on the Web site ( www.faa.gov/asos/asos.htm).
Boeing buys Jeppesen in expansion effort
In an effort to continue the expansion of its services business, The Boeing Company announced August 15 that it's acquiring Jeppesen Sanderson from the Tribune Company for $1.5 billion in cash.
Boeing intends to operate Jepp as a wholly owned subsidiary and to keep the current management team in place. Regulatory approval is pending.
"We've made it clear that we are transforming Boeing into a global aerospace solutions provider, and growing our aviation services business is a major part of that transformation," Boeing Chairman and CEO Phil Condit said. For more information, see the Web site ( www.jeppesen.com).
German designers develop giant glider
A group of famous, race-winning glider pilots has commissioned German designers to develop a giant ship, capable of a new level of cross-country performance. Called the ETA after the seventh letter in the Greek alphabet, the two-seat glider has a 31-meter (101-foot) wingspan—making it the largest sailplane in the world—and a retractable engine for self-launching capability. It made its maiden flight on July 31, and no problems were reported within the first 30 hours of flight testing. The performance figures are still being determined, but it's designed for Open Class racing where modern gliders have achieved glide ratios of 60 to 1. Photos of the ETA show how the glider, which weighs 2,000 lb. at maximum gross weight, easily dwarfs a comparable 18-meter ship. The design is intended for production. For more information, visit the Web site ( www.eta-aircraft.de).
Judge approves Stoddard-Hamilton sale
There appears to be an end to a popular kitplane company's financial roller coaster ride, after a federal judge approved an asset sale on August 18 in Seattle.
U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Thomas T. Glover approved an offer made by Strider Capital Management LLC for the sale of Stoddard-Hamilton Aircraft Inc.'s assets. The $850,000 deal includes all the assets for the GlaStar and Glasair lines and the Aurora/Millennia project, an airplane that was being developed in conjunction with NASA.
A $500,000 offer made by John White and other investors for the assets, minus GlaStar, was rejected. A creditors' committee supported the Strider offer because a sale of all the assets was in the best interest of creditors, kit builders, and vendors, said Mark Bailey, the committee's attorney. The deal is subject to the resolution of some final details.
The committee also rejected a previous offer of $750,000 made by W.D. and Lonny Weitzel, a father-and-son team, for the Glasair and GlaStar assets only.
On May 8, Stoddard-Hamilton announced that it was in financial straits, had to lay off employees, and closed its doors. The move set off a whirlwind of speculation around the world, causing builders to clamor for information. Some of them had half-finished kits. Out of 2,000 kits in the field, 800 of Stoddard-Hamilton's airplanes are currently flying.
Team USA took home two bronze medals at the 2000 World Aerobatic Championships in Muret, France, in August. Eric Vazeille and Catherine Manuoury, both of France, are the new world champions. It was Manuoury's second title. Next year's competition will take place in Burgos, Spain. For more information about the championships and on Team USA, see the Web site ( www.usaf-aerobatics.org).
GA serves aerospace in unusual way
General aviation has served the aerospace community in a variety of ways, such as leading the charge toward GPS navigation for aircraft, but Guernsey Aviation at Augusta Municipal Airport, Kansas, is providing a unique service.
The company, which assembles new Eagle 150B aircraft and rebuilds antique aircraft to aircraft show standards, is assisting in an effort to restore a German-made V–2 rocket.
Guernsey was called in by the Kansas Cosmosphere and Space Center in Hutchinson, Kansas, and is helping at the direction of the center's curatorial staff under a one-year contract. They have their work cut out for them. When the rocket arrived from the Air Force Museum in Dayton, Ohio, it had nearly rusted away. The engine contains several interesting bullet holes from either vandalism or Allied forces' attempting to disable the rockets.
The Cosmosphere has the second largest group of space artifacts in the nation, including the West's biggest collection of Russian space artifacts. — AKM
Women in Aviation International (WAI) received a $10,000 grant from the UPS Foundation that will be used for scholarships for women pilots and mechanics. The UPS Foundation is the charitable arm of the United Parcel Service.
Founded in 1951, the foundation supports a number of causes. Women in Aviation International is a nonprofit organization that encourages the advancement of women in aviation.
For more information on the scholarships, write to WAI at 3647 State Road 503 South, West Alexandria, Ohio 45381; telephone 937/839-4647, or visit the Web site ( www.wiai.org).
BFGoodrich shows commitment to SmartDeck
BFGoodrich Avionics, which surprised the general aviation industry at Oshkosh with its integrated SmartDeck avionics suite, has demonstrated its commitment to the product by buying Advanced Creations Inc.
BFGoodrich previously announced that it would partner with ACI, which specializes in large flat-panel displays and other technologies critical to the SmartDeck suite. SmartDeck is a self-contained primary instrument system that also integrates BFGoodrich's capabilities in lightning detection, collision avoidance, and terrain avoidance technologies.
The purchase "reflects our company's commitment to expand our position in avionics, and [is] the next logical step given the success of our individual situational awareness avionics products," said Mike Piscatella, president of BFGoodrich Aerospace's Electronic Systems Group. Plans are to have SmartDeck certified and commercially available in 2002.
Group publishes record airpark guide
With a total of 427 listings, the 2001 edition of the Living With Your Plane Association's (LWYPA) directory of residential airparks is the largest and most complete compilation ever created, according to Dave Sclair, founder of the organization.
"There are 417 United States airparks listed in our new directory," Sclair said, and 10 more from Canada and other countries. The American total is an increase of 20 over last year's edition. This is the first time the 10 Canadian and other foreign-country airparks have been listed. Additionally, the directory includes floor plans for 26 homes with integrated hangars. The directory lists airparks alphabetically by state and city within each state. The listing for each airpark includes airport information.
LWYPA produces the directory and a quarterly newsletter; maintains a library of covenants, conditions, and restrictions for airparks; and holds an ever-growing collection of plans for airpark homes with integrated hangars. Membership is $50 a year. To join, send a check or credit card information to LWYPA, Post Office Box 39099, Lakewood, Washington 98439; telephone 253/471-9888, ext. 308; fax 253/471-9911; or send an e-mail ( [email protected]).
Leonard Diepenbrock of Hamburg, Germany, is the winner of Sporty's 2000 Skyhawk Sweepstakes. He received a new Cessna Skyhawk SP. Diepenbrock won the airplane after he bought a chart at Sporty's Pilot Shop. He is the first international winner and the first in the sweepstakes' 15-year history to win from a store purchase instead of a catalog purchase. Sporty's 2001 sweepstakes airplane is a Millennium Edition Skyhawk SP.
CAF's bombers return to service
After spending 20 months in a preventative maintenance program, the Confederate Air Force's B–29 Fifi and B–24/LB–30 Diamond Lil made a triumphant return to flight in June and are currently back on tour across the country.
Both airplanes are performing well with only minor problems, which is exceptional considering the amount of work done on the air-planes, said Harold Garner, B–29/B–24 unit leader. Crews performed extensive inspections to assure corrosion control and structural, electrical, and fuel tank integrity as well as proper adjustment of engine and flight controls. More than $600,000 and thousands of volunteer hours were required for the effort, Garner said.
Fifi, the world's only flying B–29 Superfortress, has been with the CAF since 1971 when it was rescued from the desert in China Lake, California. Diamond Lil, the oldest surviving Liberator, has been with the CAF since 1968.
Gimbal lock no more, engineer says
Want to take the pain out of programming navigation systems? Try a new formula.
Tony Whitmore, a research engineer at the NASA Dryden Flight Research Center, has received a patent on a set of mathematical algorithms. Whitmore's thinking solves the gimbal-lock problem in a simple way.
Gimbal lock is the failure of mechanical, gyroscopic inertial navigation systems (INS) in an aircraft or spacecraft when the pitch, yaw, or roll angle approaches 90 degrees. Once it occurs, it becomes impossible for an INS to distinguish between forces applied by the pilot or astronaut. Previous tools used by physicists called quaternion equations didn't provide a good solution.
While the problem of gimbal lock is not so critical for aircraft, it becomes important in orbital flight. Whitmore's solution will be used on NASA's X–34 vehicle. Even though GPS systems, which don't suffer from the problem, are becoming increasingly more common in general aviation, INSs are still in use.
AOPA members in the news
Kenneth O. Wofford, AOPA 743330, was selected as an Elder Statesman of Aviation for 2000 by the National Aeronautic Association. Wofford is a retired Air Force colonel and an original Tuskeegee airman. The award was established in 1954 to honor Americans who have made significant contributions in the field of aviation.
Dr. Robert C. Thompson, AOPA 886169 (above), was elected president of the Flying Physicians Association by its board of directors. Thompson, a board-certified orthopedic surgeon who practices in Fort Smith, Arkansas, will serve the 2000-2001 term. The 2,500-hour pilot flies a Piper Cherokee Six-300 and holds an ATP certificate.
Justin Taloney, AOPA 2926259 (above), of Columbus, Mississippi, earned his Cessna Citation 500 aircraft type rating at the early age of 18. He flies complex and multi-engine aircraft for Inacom Information Systems and Taloney Air Service. He's working on becoming a CFI.
Llewelyn "Lou" Williams, AOPA 024005, of Cary, Illinois, was recently inducted into the Illinois Aviation Hall of Fame for his leadership and support of aviation in the state. His interest in aviation dates back to 1927 when Charles Lindbergh crossed the Atlantic.
Peter M. Bowers, AOPA 054408, has published Of Wings & Things, Volume 1. The 376-page book is a collection of the first 181 of his columns that appeared in The Flyer from 1972 through 1979 and draws on his years of experience as an engineer for The Boeing Company and aircraft designer. The book sells for $29.95 plus $3 for shipping and handling. To order, call 800/426-8538; write Of Wings & Things, Volume 1, c/o The Flyer, Post Office Box 39099, Lakewood, Washington 98439; or send an e-mail ( [email protected]).
Dean W. Charron, AOPA 1560606, has published Surviving the First 24 Hours of a Forced Landing. The 70-page how-to book covers survival gear, ELTs, and the national search and rescue system. Charron has been a pilot for 29 years, an air traffic controller for 19 years, has had military survival training, and has flown helicopter medevacs. The book sells for $29.95. For more information, call 413/357-8655 or send an e-mail ( [email protected]).
WAAS signal now available, FAA says
After a successful 21-day stability test, the Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS) is now available for aviation use, the FAA announced on August 24. The test demonstrated that the system can operate without interruption, providing a stable and reliable signal to augment GPS units.
Raytheon will operate the system for the FAA on a continuous basis, but will interrupt it occasionally to upgrade or test the system. The current WAAS signal is available to pilots to increase situational awareness during VFR operations and on the airport surface. Until the system design is completed and initial operational capability is declared, WAAS is not approved for IFR use.
The WAAS broadcast schedule is available on Raytheon's Web site ( wwws.raytheontands.com/waas/).
Aviat Aircraft, located in Afton, Wyoming, has put its Monocoupe 110 project, known as the Aviat 110 Special, on the back burner and turned off the heat. The former pylon racer, a powerful tailwheel two-seater that won the World Aerobatic Championships in the late 1940s (see " Fast Eddie and the Deuce Coupe," April Pilot), ran afoul of Aviat's dealers who wanted changes made. Apparently the changes weren't enough to attract orders. Aviat got lots of attention and interest from nostalgic pilots, but no sales. Aviat will now turn its attention to the Millennium Swift, a redo of the original Globe Swift with all the latest modifications. Aviat also manufactures the popular Husky tailwheel tandem two-seat aircraft and the Pitts aerobatic aircraft. — AKM
Oregon town uses air power to fight crime
A town near Portland, Oregon, has discovered the power of the helicopter.
The Beaverton Police Air Support Team has proven that its Schweizer 300C is a valuable asset to law enforcement. During the first month of operation, the helicopter was first on the scene 87 percent of the time and was a key player in 13 arrests. It marks the first municipal air support unit in the state, according to Schweizer. The piston-engine helicopter is leased by the police department from Precision Helicopters Inc.
"This is community policing at its very best. The helicopter allows us to be proactive by allowing officers to arrive on scene in minutes in life-saving incidents," said police Chief David G. Bishop.
One of those incidents involved a missing person, who was found six minutes after the helicopter was dispatched while the program was still in its testing phase. The city figures that it saved $3,500 in overtime pay. Funded through grants and donations, the helicopter has also been used in murder and armed robbery cases, besides helping to determine the cause of a residential fire.
Aviation gets a spark
Dr. Forrest M. Bird took off in his Piper J–3 Cub in late August without spark plugs or magnetos. Instead, the engine was running on SmartPlugs, a new catalytic ignition system that doesn't have moving parts and does not require a high-voltage source.
During testing in Sandpoint, Idaho, Bird said the engine ran flawlessly between 2,300 and 2,700 rpm. The biggest advantage of the system is safety, while it also enables engines to burn low-octane fuels without detonation, weighs only three pounds, and can operate at high altitudes, said Mark Cherry, inventor of the SmartPlug.
The technology was developed and tested over the past 10 years by Automotive Resources Inc. The system is internationally patented and has been licensed to kNew Corporation, a newly formed manufacturing and marketing company in Sandpoint. SmartPlug has received funding from NASA, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Department of Defense. The company intends to, in turn, license the technology to a manufacturer that would then take it through the FAA certification process. For more information, call 208/265-2723 or e-mail [email protected].
Engineers develop helicopter enhancement
Two engineers have developed a simple modification for helicopter tail booms that could improve flight performance.
Daniel Banks of the NASA Dryden Flight Research Center and Henry Kelley of the U.S. Army Aeromechanics Lab investigated several methods to modify airflow around tail booms in an attempt to reduce adverse forces, primarily those caused by airflow from the main rotor.
"Tail-boom venting can make a helicopter much easier to control in hover and sideward flight, while at the same time reducing required engine power," Banks said.
A patent for the modification has been applied for. Kelley and John Wilson, another aeromechanics lab employee, already hold a patent for boom strakes.
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