Pilot Briefing

Mooney gets back on its feet

Mooney Aerospace Group will be back to focusing on building and selling airplanes after the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware approved a reorganization plan, company officials said. As part of the plan, Mooney Aerospace will reacquire the stock of its operating subsidiary, Mooney Airplane Company, from a holding company. Existing shareholders will be issued new shares. Although shareholders will continue to have an equity stake in the company — something Mooney Aerospace President and Chief Executive Officer J. Nelson Happy described as "unprecedented" when it was initiated — it will be smaller than before. Recently appointed Mooney Airplane CEO Gretchen Jahn is running the factory in Kerrville, Texas, while Happy is focusing on the financial end of things and investor relations. Jahn is an avid pilot who has 30 years of experience in manufacturing (see " Mooney Gets Glass," page 72).

On a rotor and a prayer: flying for a higher purpose

Johan Nurmi and John Thomas took off from Los Angeles International Airport on September 30 with two goals in mind: Help raise funds for underprivileged children through a Christian foundation and establish a new helicopter speed record.

They flew a Robinson R22 Beta II on a journey that took them through eight states, eventually arriving at the turnaround point in Savannah, Georgia. The biggest challenge was the weather following a string of hurricanes that ravaged the South. A secondary challenge was dealing with exhaustion. At times, the weather and fatigue stacked up on the pilots. Near Pecos, Texas, they decided to land at a truck stop because of lowering ceilings and poor visibility. The pilots sat in the helicopter to get a couple hours of sleep and were awakened by truckers starting their engines the next day.

Later in Meridian, Mississippi, the team arrived after the FBO had closed. They tried to sleep on the concrete by a self-serve fuel pump, but were badly bitten by mosquitoes. It was back in the helicopter in the 92-degree Fahrenheit heat and humidity. After reaching Savannah, the team headed west for California. Once again they encountered bad weather in western Texas, forcing them to land next to a freeway to avoid lightning and downdrafts. After stopping at the same truck stop at which they landed on their way east, the team loaded up on coffee and burritos and made their way to California. Four days, 13 hours, 40 minutes, and 55 seconds later, they arrived in Los Angeles, establishing a new American transcontinental round-trip record for the rotorcraft E-1B weight class. The average speed was 34.09 knots. The National Aeronautic Association has certified the record.

Hangar Hotel in Texas caters to aviation

Pilots and World War II buffs alike find the Hangar Hotel in Fredericksburg, Texas, a fascinating location. If you find yourself flying near the Austin, San Antonio, and Kerrville areas, you're in for a treat.

Even if the Hangar Hotel ( www.hangarhotel.com) wasn't located at the Gillespie County Airport, adjoining the ramp, Fredericksburg would still make a great destination. The town's status as the home of Adm. Chester A. Nimitz, the location of the National Museum of the Pacific War and the Admiral Nimitz Museum in the community, and the fact the town is surrounded by wineries have already made it a destination community — and fine shops and restaurants have long since located to the central downtown area.

That said, the hotel's owner, Houston developer Richard Estenson, went to extraordinary lengths to build on the city's World War II theme. It may look like a hangar, as it was built to resemble, but inside it is a luxury hotel. The phones have modern push buttons but are designed to look like 1940s-era telephones. The carpets and drapes were custom-made to reflect the 1940s, as was all the furniture. The blankets are authentic Army blankets and came from the same company. The chairs are covered in "bomber jacket" leather. Lamps are like those in the New York Public Library of that era and the tiles in the bathrooms had to be specially made to reflect those common to the era. Bead-board ceilings are also like those of the era.

Estenson sees the 1940s as a time of quality in building, and that is why you'll see black granite used extensively throughout the hotel. The moldings on the walls aren't mahogany stained — they are mahogany. The bar is called the Officers Club and features a wide assortment of martinis, including chocolate, cherry, and watermelon flavors. The property includes a convention center with a 1940s-style diner attached, offering chocolate malts like your parents knew. Inside, a theater marquee that Estenson found and restored serves to brighten the interior. It is also home to a flyable Boeing Stearman and Estenson's glass-cockpit 1946 North American Navion with leather seats. A 1940 Cadillac limo was expected to join the hotel's motor pool, shortly after this was written.

If you're thinking about going, plan ahead and keep in mind that weekends are usually booked since the hotel has only 50 rooms. Taxi up, walk a few feet to the front desk, and relax from the second-floor balcony where you can grade other pilots' landings. — Alton K. Marsh

Airshow performer takes plane to a higher plane

There's probably no one better at tumbling an airplane than airshow pilot Greg Poe, and that statement puts him up against the world's best. Recently he had his Edge 540 modified so that it tumbles even better. But now he has raised his plane to a new plane that has nothing to do with aerodynamics, and uses his status as a star performer to talk to kids about drugs and about following their dreams.

Airshow managers who book Poe find they have also booked a motivational program for schools in the area. He talks about good decisions and the painful effort he and his family made to help their son, Ryan, with a drug addiction problem. That battle was lost and Ryan died in August 2002, but countless other battles may be won because of Poe.

The airshow portion of his program is called the "Acceleration Tour," and it features maneuvers invented by Poe. As an atomic bomb needs a trigger burst before it can explode, many of Poe's maneuvers use a violent maneuver to trigger another, like his Poe Pinwheel that results in a cartwheel across the sky. His Hover has the aircraft hanging on the prop with a forward airspeed of zero. The Triple Vortex spins the Edge vertically "faster than any airshow aircraft to date," says Poe.

"Elevate Your Life" uses Poe's accomplishments in the air to capture students' imagination on the ground. "At each performance, I visit local schools or youth groups to share the importance of dreaming, and the importance of following those dreams," Poe said. "Dreams are the key to a happy, healthy, and exciting life, and without them, we often stray from our path and find ourselves unhappy or lost."

As a college student Poe won a state speaking contest and came in second in the nation. Now he uses those skills, and his aeronautical ones, to make a difference. — AKM

Coming up in the February issue of AOPA Flight Training

• Icing encounters. An aircraft can start to pick up ice before you realize it. A NASA scientist explains signs of an impending tailplane stall.
• Turns around a point. This ground maneuver seems simple, yet it can be challenging if you don't understand the theory behind the concept.
• Traffic signals. If the ramp attendant is waving a flag at you, you should be fluent in the language.

The February issue mailed December 29. Current AOPA members can add a subscription to AOPA Flight Training for $18 per year. For more information, call 800/827-2672.

FAA honors senior pilots

The FAA has created the Wright Brothers Master Pilot award, which honors pilots who have been flying continuously and safely for at least 50 years.

Recipients of the award must meet strict eligibility requirements and maintain their medical certificates. They are presented a certificate signed by FAA Administrator Marion Blakey and a special lapel pin identifying special achievement. Each has his or her name inscribed in the "Roll of Honor" at the FAA headquarters in Washington, D.C.

So far, and this is only a partial list of awardees, the FAA has recognized six pilots in Florida: Dean Davis, Victory Ingram, Dr. William Lowery Jr., Joan Mace, Sophia Payton, and Joe Poole. Poole's first flight lesson was on December 7, 1941, the day the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. The award was also presented to Carlo G. Aggi of California; Charlie Zito, Joe Schies, and Ernie Artz, all of Pennsylvania; Gene Hightower of Texas; and Arnold Stymest of New Hampshire.

ePILOT HEADLINERS

Recent news from AOPA's weekly e-mail newsletter.

Cirrus readies instructors

Owners of Cirrus airplanes can now choose to receive training from a larger pool of instructors. The number of instructors across the nation participating in the Cirrus Standardized Instructor Program (CSIP) recently topped 150.

Lancair cleared to 25,000

The Lancair Columbia 400 can now realize its full potential. The FAA has certified the airplane for operation up to 25,000 feet. The FAA has amended the company's type certificate to allow the new operating limit to apply to existing aircraft in the fleet, provided that owners install a few components.

Discovery Channel turns in its wings

Discovery Communications planned to rename its Discovery Wings Channel the Military Channel on January 10. Stories will focus on the troops, their equipment, the Iraq war, and a behind-the-scenes look at actual military operations. The channel won't abandon aviation forever, however. It will still cover military aviation topics.

Javelin hires top managers

Aviation Technology Group (ATG), developer of the tandem-seat Javelin Executive Jet, has attracted two top management personnel. Charlie Johnson, former president and chief operating officer of Cessna Aircraft Company, has joined the company as executive vice president of operations, while Horst Bergmann, former president and CEO of Jeppesen, has joined as executive vice chairman.

Garmin looks out for terrain

Owners of the Garmin GNS 530 and GPS 500 units now have the option of increased functionality. The company has received FAA certification to add a terrain awareness warning system for the panel-mount avionics. Existing units can be upgraded for $8,000.

Airport goes solar

The FAA's William J. Hughes Technical Center is installing 90 solar-powered taxiway lights at Cross Keys Airport located 14 miles southeast of Philadelphia in Gloucester County, New Jersey, to see if they might benefit thousands of small general aviation airports.

Red Baron team opens museum

The Red Baron Pizza Squadron aerobatic biplane team that has thrilled crowds for 25 years has opened a museum at its headquarters in Marshall, Minnesota.

Now you can receive a customized version of the free AOPA ePilot e-mail newsletter tailored to your interests. To customize your weekly newsletter, see AOPA Online ( https://www.aopa.org/apps/epilot/).

Members in the news

Barry Schiff, AOPA 110803, has received an Elder Statesman award from the National Aeronautic Association for making "contributions of significant value to aeronautics." The awards are given annually to recipients who are at least 60 years old. A retired airline pilot, Schiff is a longtime contributor to AOPA Pilot.

Todd Mather, AOPA 824386, isn't the first proud father to watch his child's solo; in fact, AOPA Pilot receives quite a few letters about these wonderful milestones on an annual basis. But what makes this one unique has to do with the family's deep commitment to general aviation. When Samantha Mather soloed on June 12, 2004, she became the eighth family member to have soloed on their own sixteenth birthdays. Samantha was taught to fly by her grandfather, Don Mather. Later the afternoon of her solo Samantha passed her driving test. The family got into flying in the 1920s when Arlo Mather operated Mather Flying Service at various airports in the Cleveland area.

Lorraine Morris, AOPA 1185420, has released a new instructional video titled Cessna 120/140 Headliner Installation. In the 78-minute video, Morris, who has owned and restored several 140s over the years, demonstrates time-tested procedures that she says apply to other vintage aircraft. The VHS-format video sells for $29.95, plus shipping and handling, at Skyward Media. See the Web site ( www.skywardmedia.com/catalog.htm).

Rich Everitt, AOPA 1247278, has published Falling Stars: Air Crashes That Filled Rock & Roll Heaven, an intimate portrait of the lives and deaths of John Denver, Ricky Nelson, Buddy Holly, Patsy Cline, and Aaliyah, among others. "Years of extensive research unfurl on the pages as Everitt combines his exhaustive search for the real story, his love of music, and expert knowledge of aircraft to create this heartrending series of mini-biographies," according to the publisher, Harbor House. Everitt is a veteran TV reporter and owns a 1958 Cessna Skyhawk. The book sells for $24.95. For more information, see the author's Web site ( www.richeveritt.com).

Robert C. Carlson, AOPA 1410490, has published a book that he says provides key information for recreational and professional pilots thinking about retirement. The New Rules of Retirement: Strategies for a Secure Future can be used by pilots to plan ahead so that they can afford to fly for as long as possible. Also, Carlson says, professional pilots have a lot of important decisions to make regarding pension benefits and other financial aspects of retirement. Estate planning, housing options, and other subject areas are covered in the book. Carlson is a certified public accountant and is the editor of the monthly newsletter Retirement Watch. Published by John Wiley & Sons, the book sells for $24.95 and is available in bookstores.