Letters from our May 2018 issue

Count me in as a fan of Ernest K. Gann, whose books I have been reading for a very long time. Blaze of Noon was the first I read as a teen and, now, I have a collection of most of his flying stories, many of the copies autographed for me by the writer.

Fate Is the Hunter is one of my favorites, if not topping the list. I confess to my personal prejudice due to the fact that Ernie’s co-pilot in the first chapter and later mentioned on other pages, “Beattie,” was Eugene M. Beattie, who married my much older sister, Pat. He became a captain with American and, later, joined General Electric as head of their flight test division in Schenectady and, eventually, chief pilot of their corporate fleet at Westchester County Airport (HPN). Gene got me started in flying when I was 15 or 16 and gave me much encouragement along the way.

As the story goes, Gene and Pat were reading in bed one night and Pat, noting his perusing Gann’s book, asked him how it was. In typical understatement, he allowed that “it was pretty good.” Not until after Gene’s death did Pat realize he was mentioned in the book.

Michael (“Mike”) Hanna
AOPA 943102
Wayland, New York

Much enjoyed Barry Schiff’s latest piece (always the first I read when Pilot arrives). A few thoughts. To my mind:

• Airplane was not the most hilarious aviation movie ever, it was the funniest movie, period.
• Nevil Shute’s No Highway was fantastic, and one of my dad’s favorite novels of any genre (and mine). For him, perhaps not surprising for someone who spent much of his career writing about aviation safety, and wrote his share of book reviews for The Times.
• The Right Stuff was a great book (albeit nonfiction); the movie, not so much (if for nothing else, because of its tasteless treatment of Gus Grissom).

Tom Witkin
AOPA 597133
Sudbury, Massachusetts

I am surprised that apparently neither you nor your 110 testers have seen the movie Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines, which, in my book, is the number 1!

George Smejkal
AOPA 1007723
Mount Prospect, Illinois

Freedom

I enjoyed Natalie Bingham Hoover’s column in May’s AOPA Pilot (“Flying Life: The Fascinating Human Brain”), which has once again struck a chord with me. On the top of my kneepad checklist I keep an Antoine de Saint-Exupéry quote that has long summed up one of my favorite aspects of flying—namely, to be absorbed in the moment. He put it this way, “I fly because it releases my mind from the tyranny of petty things.” Indeed.

Demetri Capetanopoulos
AOPA 2895767
Upper Arlington, Ohio

BasicMed success

Just received my May 2018 AOPA Pilot magazine and on page 14 there is an article about the success of BasicMed (“Action Special Report: 30,000 and Counting”). Two days ago I met with my physician to complete the documents and submit them to the FAA.

After 22 years of obtaining special issuances, BasicMed clearly was the right option for me and it was a very easy process. It has taken a huge financial and emotional burden off and will allow me to continue flying as PIC and hopefully a CFI soon.

After 34 years of being a member of AOPA, I cannot express my gratitude enough to all who made the BasicMed program become a reality.

Joseph F. Marszal
AOPA 863865
Winter Park, Florida

Soaked

I appreciate Thomas B. Haines’ piece on egregious pricing (“Waypoints: The ‘R’ Word”). As a professional pilot, I’m often struck by the feeling that, “This isn’t even my money I’m spending, but that ain’t right!”

Another word that occurs to me at monopoly FBOs is “arbitrary.” The fees are without foundation or justification and even so nebulous that the customer service representatives can’t explain them. One did tell me the “security fee” was for a fence and camera.

They are arbitrary in the sense that I have had CSRs negotiate the amount of fuel I must buy to waive fees down from their list. No exceptions for “safety of flight.” I have had them waive the fees altogether on a whim. Those who remained silent just got soaked.

I’ve even heard much-less-used FBOs say they charge a fee because others do.

I know the lights don’t stay on for nothing. I also know most pilots don’t mind paying a nominal fee when they receive something of value for it.

Thank you and AOPA for keeping this issue alive.

Chip Dunn
AOPA 589597
Forsyth, Georgia

Thank you for a fine article. It explained the situation very well. It also reminded me of a cartoon I once saw in a magazine. A couple stood at a theater box office which had a sign posted stating “Popular Prices.” The gentleman had apparently asked about that because the cashier replied, “Well, we like them!”

Ron Yancey
AOPA 321281
San Pablo, California

Thanks for the very informative article. Thomas B. Haines made it very clear why AOPA was challenging specific FBOs. I am appreciative of AOPA’s actions.

Marty Rollinger
AOPA 4737613
Granger, Illinois

Memories

Mike Collins’ article on the Lark Commander got my immediate attention (“Briefing: Lark Commander”). The Volarie, as he correctly wrote, was the original aircraft. It was designed and built by Jack Gilberti of Aliquippa, Pennsylvania. In his spare time initially, as his day job was chief engineer for Taylorcraft of Conway, Pennsylvania, during the 1950s.

In my early teens at the time, I met Mr. Gilberti often, at his airstrip home or the Taylorcraft factory, and flew with him as a backseat passenger in a Fiberglas-covered T-craft returning from a demonstration at Fort Rucker, Alabama. I remember liking him as a person, but even wondering then why he was so involved in designing two (competing) airplanes.

The reason for me knowing Mr. Gilberti was my dad, Ben Mauro, owned the Taylorcraft company during the 1950s.

My reminiscing on all things aviation has come into sharper focus as I obtained my private pilot certificate three years ago at 72. I have had a passion for aviation since my first ride at 8 months of age but life took me, as others, in different directions. Now I am having a great time, connecting with aviation folks from past and present years, as well as taking floatplane and mountain flying lessons, and obtaining complex, high performance, and tailwheel endorsements.

So good to know the Lark Commanders are still flying and still highly appreciated. Mr. Gilberti was a good man and he would be proud of his design and its heritage.

Jim Mauro
AOPA 6844913
Savannah, Georgia

Errata

May 2018 “Test Pilot” incorrectly stated that all civilian aircraft in the United States were grounded in the days following September 11, 2001, and that the only civilian aircraft to make a flight September 13, 2001, was carrying the Rev. Billy Graham to Washington, D.C. We have since learned of several civilian flights in that time frame: a Civil Air Patrol crew on September 12, and public benefit flying missions and charter flights on September 13.

In “Pilot Briefing: Little-Known Aviation History,” May 2018 AOPA Pilot, we incorrectly stated that Boeing is still headquartered in Seattle. The Boeing Co. began operations at its world headquarters building in Chicago, Illinois, in 2001.

AOPA Pilot regrets the errors.

We welcome your comments. Editor, AOPA Pilot, 421 Aviation Way, Frederick, Maryland 21701 or email. Letters may be edited for length and style before publication.