I thought Adam Smith’s article (“Centerline: I Smell Opportunity,” May Flight Training) was on the money, and GA needs a leg up. I am a scuba diver and pilot. I immediately recognized a stark difference in the two as far as getting licensed to enjoy diving versus flying. People that dive encourage others to participate in the sport and generally like the agencies that administer the rules and regulations that must be followed to dive. Most pilots do not enjoy dealing with the FAA and are basically afraid to cross their path. I have heard more negative comments from pilots concerning the FAA in the last 10 years compared to the years before.
I think we need to promote basic fun and simple flying to get more people involved in the sport. Everyone has to start somewhere and we as pilots need to share the good experiences with others, such as the first flight video on YouTube. But before a surge in new pilots will ever happen, the FAA needs to realize that we are the good guys and they need us too. It may be a pipe dream but I hope the FAA will become more supportive of general aviation and less threatening in the years to come.
Charles West
Brookfield, Georgia
Flying ‘feral’ Alaska
Being both a wordsmith and an aero/mechanical engineer can sometimes be mutually exclusive, but not in this case. I direct you to page 37, May issue Flight Training and Kathy Dondzila’s excellent article on Alaska flying. She describes “the copper tube had broken where the B-nut slides over (the small metal ring placed over end of metal tube).” She means to say “ferrule,” common to lots of us aero/mechanical types. Or possibly your proofreader was unfamiliar with the term, and thought using “feral” was a good substitute, given that a lot of the subject (Alaska bush pilot flying) can indeed be wild and untamed, or savage as a feral cat.
Or perhaps manifold pressure might not have been lost if stainless tubing had been used in this application. Depending on the alloy, copper tubing, if not supported really well, can work-harden and develop cracks/leaks at the B-nut, especially if over-tightened, right at the nut and ferrule. A small thing, perhaps, but correct spelling and application does triumph over similar pronunciations, every thyme (sorry).
Philip Madison
Florence, Oregon
My aviation dream is indeed an Alaska one. During my first season as a wilderness guide in southeast Alaska my manager surprised us by hiring a bush pilot to fly us through the Chilkat Mountains and the East Arm of Glacier Bay. This experience planted the seed of being a pilot in my imagination.
Last summer I had the chance to fly through the Fairweather Mountains on the outer coast and was completely floored both by the grandeur of the scenery and the freedom available at the controls of a small aircraft. That was the final straw. Now I’m finishing my private license in Washington state and hope to go on for a commercial with the ultimate goal of making a career out of flying in that stunning wilderness to the north.
Sam Edwards
Haines, Alaska
Slips and spins
The article on slips by Ian Twombly (“Technique: Slips”) mentioned, “In most airplanes, slips on final approach should be with full flaps. An exception is some Cessnas, where there is a note in the pilot’s operating handbook warning pilots to avoid full-flap slips.”
The question comes to mind that if you are using full flaps, would not a slip take away their effectiveness? (Perhaps why Cessna is against them in a slip.) While teaching spins it is an exhilarating experience to have the student successfully accomplish a full power uncoordinated climb from both a slip or skid (ball out of center) and have the student bring the stick back in the climb at the stall to enter a spin! Having said that, most “spins” are not spins at all but just a wing drop from not using enough right rudder in a climb.
Would it not be better to simply go around if your final approach finds you too high and you feel the need for full flaps and a slip? An uncoordinated maneuver close to the ground should a stall happen could ruin your entire day—especially with full flaps!
Rob Mixon
Sebring, Florida
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