Letters from our November 2016 issue

Julie Summers Walker’s article about Ross Ellis’s story (“Pilot Briefing: VA Flight Training Questioned”) and my personal struggles while dealing with VA funding for flight training are eerily similar. I too was a veteran of the Coast Guard and second class petty officer (aviation maintenance technician), separating after 10 years of service to pursue a career as a professional pilot. My wife and I had just had our first child and recently found out that we were pregnant with our second. It was exciting, scary, and downright stressful at times. Unfortunately I ran into the same issue with VA tuition caps not completely covering the high cost of Part 141 professional pilot programs, which led to me having to switch schools a couple times because of funding issues. However, there is a way to have the training paid for at 100 percent, and I was able to extract the most out of the benefit.

Cody Hudock
AOPA 7230240
Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina

I have seen the VA from both sides in the flight training arena. I used my GI Bill benefits getting my multiengine certificate in 2012. I was still trying to get my reimbursement a year later. I had to get my senator’s office involved. The owner of the Part 141 flight school I worked with stated he would not handle any more VA students because he thought it was unethical to start students knowing how difficult it was to pursue payments through the VA. I am also consulting with a local university in establishing an associate of applied science degree with a professional helicopter pilot program. Despite the fact that the university has a campus on a nearby military installation, and would offer the program almost exclusively to military members, they will not waive the 85/15 rule, which is allowable if the university has a contract with the installation. The VA seems to do everything it can to stifle flight training, and seems to practice a health insurance business model of denying claims until the patient gives up or dies.

Charles W. Weigandt
AOPA 2898904
Clarksville, Tennessee

Officer in distress

I just read “This is My 10-13” by Michael Freed. Thank you, Michael, for a heart-wrenching and tear-jerking story. Reading this caused the floodgates to open thinking of the successful outcome amid trying circumstances. My dad passed away just four weeks ago from a sudden and unanticipated heart attack. There was nothing anyone could have done to save my dad, but thank the Lord that he was watching over your baby girl and provided the resources to get her to the appropriate medical professionals. Thanks for highlighting an under-reported aviation capability.

Patrick Merriman
AOPA 5310408
Bossier City, Louisiana

Thanks to Michael Freed for his beautifully written article, “This is My 10-13.” Very touching. It very clearly states why many of us become pilots. For some, being part of general aviation is being part of living a fancy lifestyle. Nothing is further from the truth. People not familiar with general aviation should read it. Aviation, for me, is about reminding ourselves how lucky we are to be able to fly and to help others in times of need.

Martín Lozano
AOPA 6037863
Sacramento, California

Flying the Hun

In the past, I’ve regarded AOPA Pilot as a bit drier than other aviation publications I frequent. If the November issue is a good indication, not so any longer; I devoured it cover to cover. I loved Ken Scott’s article on the Monocoach (“The Last Unicorn”) as an aficionado of antiques. I connected with the round-the-world article by Tom Haines (“Spirit of Aviation Around the World”) to Adrian Eichhorn’s wonderful talk at the Prescott AOPA Fly-In. This month’s best feature, though, was the set of stories developed by Alyssa Miller on the F–100 (“One More Time”). Dean Cutshall deserves enormous accolade for giving those gentlemen another opportunity to fly the Hun in his breathtaking North American masterpiece, and it was both somber and a great privilege to read their stories. Very well done.

Jim Densmore
AOPA 701868
Colorado Springs, Colorado

Ken Scott can write. Please ask him to continue doing it exactly as in “The Last Unicorn.”

Doug Tilghman
AOPA 775899
Perry, Kansas

Around the world

Tom Haines’ column and his feature on Adrian Eichhorn’s around-the-world Bonanza journey (“Spirit of Aviation Around the World”) reinforced my appreciation for GA flying in the United States.

After leaving the United States, Mr. Eichhorn got slammed with arbitrary and punitive fees only softened by the local pilots’ warm reception and eagerness to hear about flying in the States. Haines quotes Eichhorn, “It seems the more difficult it is to fly, the more passionate the pilots become.” Few of them can pass muster with the restrictive regulations, or afford the charges for landings and takeoffs, handling, weather and navigation services, and fees slapped on for “parking and lighting.” Eichhorn warns that skipping out or challenging authority could land you in jail.

In August, I toured Scotland’s urban and scenic countryside by car. I enjoyed plenty of nice VFR weather. Like all pilots, I looked up each time I heard something fly over. In those two weeks, only twice did I see anything resembling GA aircraft.

Let’s not take our freedom to fly for granted. Having served in my state legislature, I know lawmakers are always on the lookout for revenue sources.

Carmine Mowbray
AOPA 3352584
Polson, Montana

Candidate rundown

Thanks for the article on the 2016 presidential candidates’ responses on general aviation. You mentioned that Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson has a private pilot ASEL and balloon rating—no questionnaire was sent to him? Isn’t the Libertarian Party candidate on all 50 state ballots and the District of Columbia?

Michael Weidhaas
AOPA 5850719
St. Louis, Missouri

Nice job of providing a free political ad for the Democratic candidate. I had hoped that AOPA would not endorse candidates.

George Hill
AOPA 1020089
Diamondhead, Mississippi

AOPA’s practice is to send questionnaires only to the two major party candidates. The association goes to great lengths to provide equal treatment. However, the Donald Trump campaign chose not to respond to multiple attempts to contact the candidate. AOPA does not endorse presidential candidates—Ed.

The right path

Thanks for Mike Collins’ article on choosing the best pathway for meeting the ADS-B Out mandate. However, may I suggest that the first question should not be “do I have a WAAS GPS” but rather whether I need ADS-B Out in the first place. For example, in Maine if you fly below 10,000 feet msl and don’t fly through the two Class Cs (Portland and Bangor), there is no need for ADS-B Out. Southeast and Central Florida—a different story.

Of course, there are only two endpoints for ADS-B Out—a Mode S extended squitter transponder or a Universal Access Transceiver—both requiring WAAS GPS position and barometric inputs. An additional question would be, “Do I want a panel-mount display for ADS-B In (TIS-B and FIS-B)?” If no, then this issue is irrelevant and considering portable ADS-B In options simply confuses the issue surrounding the mandate.

Luca F. Bencini-Tibo
AOPA 384103
Weston, Florida

Erratum

The gear section in the November 2016 AOPA Pilot indicated private pilot Victoria Neuville uses ForeFlight but is switching to the app Garmin Pilot because it talks to the Garmin aera 796. Garmin Pilot does not talk to the 796. Also, Neuville has never used ForeFlight. AOPA Pilot regrets the error.

Hangar Talk

Being invited to a U.S. Air Force base to receive training in a military aircraft has got to be a major thrill for any civilian pilot. So it was when long-time contributor Barry Schiff and AOPA Senior Photographer Mike Fizer were escorted onto Little Rock Air Force Base for two days of in-flight and simulator experience in the iconic Lockheed Martin C–130H Hercules. Schiff says, however, “that mingling with and getting to know Air National Guard pilots and personnel was as much a privilege as being afforded the opportunity to learn a little about flying the Herk.” (“Getting the Job Done,” p. 50.) He adds that “Mike and I are always impressed by the dedication, professionalism, and esprit de corps of our servicemen and women. Although it is gratifying to list another exotic airplane in my logbook, being assured anew that the liberty and security of our country is in capable hands is even more so.”