Sept. 14, 2012, issue of 'AOPA ePilot' newsletter

Power loss over rough seas
IFR Fix: The ‘other’ published departure
Skydivers, sub base, airport up in arms
Quiz Me: Strobes inop

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More aircraft added to Summit display: Check out the variety of aircraft that will line the streets surrounding the Palm Springs Convention Center during AOPA Aviation Summit.

Featured

Power loss over rough seas

Stanley E. Shaw and his son sat in the cockpit of the Cessna 185 floatplane, tossed about by six- to eight-foot swells. A sudden loss of power had forced an emergency landing off the California coastline south of Big Sur; the nearest Coast Guard search-and-rescue helicopter was in the San Francisco area, occupied with two other missions rescuing boaters in the area. The Coast Guard Eurocopter MH-65C and its crew pushed the limits to reach the pair, 120 miles from their refueling spot. With the helicopter close to bingo fuel and the floatplane listing almost 90 degrees, the Coast Guard faced the challenging task of lowering a rescue swimmer in high winds and swells. Read more >>

GA News

Final salute for Odegaard

Robert Odegaard gained acclaim across the country both as a pilot, and as an expert in the restoration of vintage aircraft. The North Dakota native was killed Sept. 7 while practicing for an airshow near his home. Read more >>

AOPA inks strategic partnership with Enterprise

AOPA members can take advantage of special offers and services with Enterprise Rent-A-Car, National Car Rental, and Alamo Rent A Car thanks to a strategic partnership between the association and Enterprise Holdings. Read more >>

‘Ultra-ultra’ G650 gets type certificate

The ultra-large-cabin, ultra-long-range Gulfstream G650 business jet received a type certificate from the FAA Sept. 7, Gulfstream Aerospace Corp. announced. The G650 is able to carry eight passengers and a crew of four at Mach 0.85 on nonstop legs of 7,000 nautical miles, enough to link Dubai with New York and London with Buenos Aires, according to Gulfstream. But how long will it hold the title of fastest certified business jet? Read more >>

Racers ready at Reno

Race aircraft, their pilots and crews, and air race fans from across the country descended on Reno, Nev., for the 2012 National Championship Air Races. A fatal crash during last year’s races cast a pall of uncertainty over this year’s event. Course mods, pilot training, and a $1.7 million insurance premium increase allowed the races to continue. Qualifications for all race classes ran from Sept. 10 through midday Sept. 12, when racing began. Races continue through Sept. 16. Read more >>

Only hours left to support AOPA-EAA medical petition

Day-VFR flights without a third class medical? It could be possible. Support the AOPA/EAA medical exemption to fly certain aircraft in these conditions using medical self-assessment and a driver's license. Submit comments today.

Splashy paint scheme serves a cause

Dassault Falcon Jet took a decidedly hands-on approach in its effort to create an eye-catching aircraft paint scheme to raise money for the Make-A-Wish Foundation. The company’s Wilmington, Del., service facility painted a single-engine Yakovlev Yak 50 blank white and guests (including Delaware Gov. Jack A. Markell) placed their 270 colorful handprints on the airplane’s wings and fuselage. The effort raised about $3,000 in donations for the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Read more >>

Harrison Ford to keynote Summit

Actor, pilot, and aviation advocate Harrison Ford is coming to AOPA Aviation Summit in Palm Springs, Calif., in October. So channel the Force and make your way to Summit to celebrate general aviation with Ford. Read more >>

Hurricane hunters: Global Hawks sniff out trouble

The Global Hawk unmanned aircraft system developed for military missions has taken a civilian turn with NASA, hunting Atlantic Ocean hurricanes on a five-year quest to better understand the dynamics of powerful storms. The Global Hawks, able to remain aloft for up to 28 hours carrying a payload of sophisticated radar and other instruments, cruise at 60,000 feet, well above the turbulence associated with most hurricanes. NASA uses certificated pilots to launch and recover the aircraft, handing off to ground controllers as they reach altitude. Pilots and ground crews keep an open line with ATC for separation. Read more >>

Aerial waypoints commemorate 9/11

As airline passengers neared Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport on the eleventh anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, their aircraft navigated along some interesting waypoints. On the FRDMM One Arrival transition route an airplane crosses HONNR, BRVRY, COURG, and MORLL before traveling along this string of waypoints, in order: PLDGE WEEEE WLLLL NEVVR FORGT SEPll ALWYZ, finally ending up at FRDMM. Read more >>

Reporting Points: An FAA inspector’s recollections of 9/11

Reporting Points: How did you mark the day?

Hawker Beechcraft hopes to close China deal soon

Hawker Beechcraft Chairman Bill Boisture told Flight International Sept. 5 that he expects to close a $1.79 billion deal with Superior Aviation Beijing in a matter of days. The company sought Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in May, and the sale would require court approval—and may face competition from various aerospace firms that have expressed at least passing interest in the Wichita, Kan., airplane manufacturer. Read more >>

Print your aircraft? Technology offers new tools

Aircraft and spacecraft designers are taking advantage of new technology that makes three-dimensional printing a cost-effective option for the fabrication of a wide range of parts. That doesn’t mean you can “print” an entire aircraft—yet—but recent advances in this technology may soon drastically reduce the time required to build an airplane at home. Read more >>

Reporting Points: Strange but true general aviation news

The newest member of the Reporting Points team starts a weekly roundup of all the strange, crazy, unique, and interesting things people do in general aviation airplanes and airports. The Sept. 7 installment includes teens to the rescue of a seaplane in distress, an unpleasant end to a trip to the San Juan Islands, and a major world leader joining a flock of cranes. Read more >>

F-35 vs. budget cuts

With plans to spend more than $1 trillion buying 2,400 F-35 Lightning II jets, also known as the Joint Strike Fighter, the Pentagon is among many federal agencies that face deep budget cuts if Congress does not agree on a deficit reduction alternative. The Navy and Air Force are gearing up to refine the F-35’s mission and training plan. The fifth-generation fighter costs $70 million per aircraft, and its only real enemy may be the balance sheet. Read more >>

Family’s legacy: Training, education center opens in Kansas

After an aircraft accident took the lives of a Kansas family, an idea to honor their memory was born out of grief. The Spencer Flight and Education Center, named for the Spencer family, who died on Easter weekend in 2011, will open its doors Sept. 14 at Scott City Municipal Airport in Scott City, Kan. Read more >>

AD proposed on Cessna hydraulic power packs

The FAA has proposed an airworthiness directive requiring inspection and repair, if needed, of landing gear hydraulic power pack wiring on certain retractable-gear Cessnas. Read more >>

American Bonanza Society seeks circuit-breaker data

The American Bonanza Society asks aircraft owners for information by Sept. 21 on in-flight failures of circuit breaker-type switches used in many Beechcraft Bonanzas and Barons. Read more >>

Reporting Points: Freefalls, airport catfish, turtle crash

Preparing for a freefall from 120,000 feet, a skydiver takes advice from an old pro. University students post the video of their latest record attempt hitting the ground. Editor at Large Tom Horne explains why it’s raining catfish in Vero Beach, Fla. Senior Editor Al Marsh discusses the use of star power in pilot recruitment and a Dutch midair collision caught on video. And Senior Editor Dave Hirschman shares an update on a young woman who beat the odds after a serious airplane crash. Catch the latest general aviation news in the AOPA editors’ Reporting Points blog.

AOPA Live This Week: Fly the Global 6000

Watch the Coast Guard rescue a seaplane off the California coast, land after losing a main wheel, and fly the Bombardier Global 6000. Plus, get a preview of AOPA Aviation Summit in Palm Springs, Calif., and visit a place in the world where they love general aviation. All this and more on AOPA Live This Week, Sept. 13.

‘AOPA Live This Week’ now on Roku

AOPA Live This Week, the association’s video magazine, is now available on its own public channel on Roku, an Internet-enabled box that allows viewers to stream content instantly on their televisions. Read more >>

For daily news updates, see AOPA Online.

AOPA Aviation Summit

Summit advance registration closes Sept. 14

The early registration discount for AOPA Aviation Summit Oct. 11 through 13 ends Friday, Sept. 14. This is your last chance to save on special show pricing, and unique offers and discounts from Palm Springs, Calif. Register today!

Dine with Harrison Ford, ‘Flying Wild Alaska’ pilots, Dave Coulier

Call it the ultimate $100 hamburger run. Fly in to Palm Springs, Calif., for the AOPA Foundation’s A Night for Flight charity gala and dine with Harrison Ford and AOPA Editor in Chief Tom Haines; the Discovery Channel’s Flying Wild Alaska pilots John Ponts and Luke Hickerson; or comedian Dave Coulier and Discovery Channel’s Flying Wild Alaska pilot Doug Stewart. Read more >>

Second chances: Marine shares triumph at Summit

Former U.S. Marine Adam Kisielewski lost his left arm and a portion of his right leg in combat in Iraq, but that didn’t deter him from earning his sport pilot certificate. Kisielewski, who is vice president of Operation Second Chance, will share his journey to becoming a sport pilot during the Oct. 11 keynote address at 8:30 a.m. in the Palm Springs Convention Center. For a sneak peek, fly along with Kisielewski on one of his early solo flights.

Pilots take on the Wild West

Is it harder to rope a straw cow or shoot an ILS? Step out of the flight levels and into the Wild West during AOPA Aviation Summit with a Wild West Desert Adventure to Metate Canyon and the San Andreas Fault. Read more >>

Summit exhibitors display new products, services

Whether you are looking to inspect cutting-edge aircraft design, or explore the latest in aviation software, the vendor or information source for you may be just steps away in the AOPA Aviation Summit exhibit hall Oct.11 to 13. Read more >>

Safety & Proficiency

IFR Fix: The ‘other’ published departure

Great Barrington’s Walter J. Koladza Airport doubtless makes it onto many lists for fall-foliage flights, surrounded as it is by all that country elegance. From the IFR pilot’s perspective, the short runway, hills, and instrument conditions for departure mean skipping the last vacation outing and focusing on departure planning. No standard instrument departure exists for Great Barrington, but there is an example of that other kind of published departure to assure safe egress above the hills. Read more >>

Fly like a fighter: F-15s fall from the sky

A five-ship of F-15s was cleared to climb to FL390. Loaded with three external fuel tanks, would the aircraft make it? A pilot comes to a practical understanding of absolute ceiling. Read more >>

Back in the game: New challenges, opportunities

Has it been awhile since you last took the controls of your favorite aircraft? Take the opportunity of smooth autumn air to shake the rust off and renew your passion for flight. But keep in mind that it’s not just your stick-and-rudder skills that will need honing; you’ll need to brush up on changes to the regulations. Haven’t flown since 2004? You’ll need to obtain a plastic pilot certificate. You also could opt to fly smaller airplanes and come back as a sport pilot. Find out more in AOPA’s subject report.

Aerodynamics and you

What separates a novice pilot from a good pilot? Novice pilots know how to make an aircraft fly, but good pilots know why the airplane does what it does at any given moment. We’re talking about the underlying force of flying: aerodynamics. And no discussion of aerodynamics is complete without an in-depth discussion of stalls. In the Essential Aerodynamics: Stalls, Spins, and Safety online course from the Air Safety Institute, you’ll learn more about getting airborne, and safely staying there, as you begin to understand more about the why of flying.

Do you fly hamburger hops at night?

As summer winds down across most of the United States, so does available daylight. But that shouldn’t prevent you from flying friends at night to dine at your favorite airport restaurant. Seeing the city lights unfolding below and then taxiing up to the restaurant can be a real treat. But before you go, make sure your night flying skills are up to snuff. Take the Air Safety Institute’s Hamburger Hop at Night safety quiz before you venture into the night sky. The quiz is sponsored by AOPA Insurance Services. Take the quiz >>

Improve your safety by learning from others

Gain valuable knowledge about flying safely by learning from the mistakes of others. Using your ePilot personalization preferences, like “piston single-engine” or “turbine,” the Air Safety Institute’s Accident Database generates a list of accidents that have been added to the database in the past 30 days. If you haven’t personalized your newsletter, select your aircraft preferences from the “types of aircraft” section on the ePilot personalization page.

Leading Edge: Malaise and Mencken

It’s easy to get down about the state of general aviation: the cost of fuel, the economy, the political situation—heck, almost everything if you believe everything you read. Many treatises discuss why the best days of GA are behind us. Is this a self-fulfilling prophecy? Read more >>

ADVOCACY

User fees could ‘devastate’ small businesses

A restaurant-supply business with 48 employees and a promising future gets its competitive edge from general aviation, but could be “devastated” by proposed aviation user fees, said the company’s chief executive in congressional testimony Sept. 12. Read more >>

Skydivers, sub base, airport up in arms

According to the Navy, a general aviation airport and a nuclear submarine base do not make good natural neighbors, and St. Marys, Ga., is getting a fresh prod from the Navy to move the field following recent incursions onto the base by errant skydivers. Read more >>

GA’s wish list of NextGen priorities

General aviation is benefiting from changes to switch to NextGen—think WAAS instrument approaches and T-routes—but the FAA needs to lay out a clear case for equipping aircraft with affordable systems to offer new benefits. Read more >>

Swing states beware: Campaign yields TFRs

The Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, N.C., and the president’s bus tour of Florida generated a spate of temporary flight restrictions recently, catching some pilots unawares. Don’t risk enforcement action: Check notams before each flight. With less than two months until the presidential election, VIP notams are expected to crop up frequently this fall.

Working group to offer training reforms

A committee advising the FAA on ways to enhance flight safety with improved training and testing materials has established a working group to propose initial revisions and reforms by September 2013, with the aviation-training industry playing a major role in the project. Read more >>

Groups urge aircraft owners to participate in FAA survey

The FAA’s sole source of information about the general aviation fleet, an annual survey of aircraft owners, has launched with a diverse online presence and various stakeholders urging aircraft owners to participate. The data remains anonymous, and provides a statistical basis for safety analysis and other important functions. Read more >>

Views from the regions: Hypoxia training, CJ type rating

How long would you last without supplemental oxygen at 25,000 feet? AOPA Central Southwest Regional Manager Yasmina Platt learned how her body reacts to hypoxia at NASA’s Physiological Training. The Massachusetts Business Aviation Association (MBAA) is auctioning off an Initial Citation Jet type rating to raise money for its scholarship fund. AOPA Eastern Regional Manager Craig Dotlo discusses the auction, and MBAA's legislative efforts. In AOPA’s “Views from the regions” blog, regional managers share what’s going on in their neck of the woods. What does your regional manager have to say?

AOPA Close to Home

Navy releases draft impact statement on Oregon airspace plan

Oklahoma, New Mexico celebrate aviation

GPS testing over Nevada (PDF)

Member Benefits

Who’s the boss: Pilot in command

If there is a violation of the FARs during a flight, the pilot in command is likely the one in trouble with the FAA. It may be good to be the king, but it comes at a price, so you better know who is the king! Attorney Ron Golden discusses scenarios where disputes may arise, and the importance of knowing ahead of time. Read more >>

Pilot saves $1,000 through AOPA program

A single real estate transaction, and an AOPA membership, netted a career-switching writer now training to be an airframe and powerplant mechanic a cool $1,260. As Bettina Edelstein learned, AOPA Lifestyles Member Discounts are not necessarily small potatoes: They can add up to a new set of tools. Read more >>

Don’t be afraid to ask

Students and renters, this is for you: Before you jump into the cockpit at your local FBO on your next flight you should also do a simple preflight check on the insurance for that aircraft. Here is a short list of items to run through for the insurance portion of your checklist. Read more >>

Save on select member products with AOPA Plus

Pilots who choose the new membership option AOPA Plus are entitled to a host of great benefits that save time, money, and hassle. You can get 10-percent savings on select member products, among other benefits. Find out more >>

AOPA Career Opportunities

Ever dream of turning your passion for aviation into a career? We’re looking for a director of legislative affairs, director of media relations, major gifts officer, accounts payable technician, aviation technical generalist, and Web graphic designer. To learn more about other AOPA career opportunities, visit AOPA Online.

Community

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