Waypoints: Winging in the new year

Last August was the twentieth anniversary of the flight my dad and I made back from California where I had just purchased this A36, a 1972 model built in late 1971. We shouted back and forth at each other for a couple of thousand miles because, as I discovered after the deal was done, the intercom did not work. So much for my thorough prepurchase inspection.

Save for a couple of years when poor weather or a schedule conflict cropped up, I have flown my airplane on a local flight to ring in the New Year. On a few occasions I have brought along friends or family members, but often it’s just me—anxious for some time alone after the busy holidays to ponder the year past and anticipate the new one while droning along, going no place in particular. With the power pulled back, I often head southwest from our home base of Frederick Municipal Airport in Maryland, slipping into the Potomac River valley and snaking up the river to Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, then a turn more northerly to investigate the goings-on at the ski slopes at Whitetail Resort—most years the only hint of snow in the area. From there, it’s fun to maneuver just outside the Camp David P-40 airspace to check out the Catoctin Mountains and then slide over the last ridge to inspect the conditions at another slope, Ski Liberty. Mid Atlantic Soaring Center Airport lies in the shadow of the ridge, so I keep an eye out for gliders and tow planes—apparently others like to begin the new year by flying, as well. Turning more southerly, I will putter down Glade Valley, checking out the dairy farms and the ever-increasing number of solar farms. I’m not sure what they feed those solars, but they sure do seem to reproduce quickly.

Unless plans change, this year will be different. The hangar will be empty on New Year’s Day.Less than hour after I started I will be pushing the Bonanza back into the hangar. If it’s a warm day, I’ll find an excuse to hang out a little longer—no bugs to remove, but that windshield could be cleaner. Maybe grab the vacuum and tidy up the cabin. After closing the big hangar door, my last act will be to pat the Bonanza on the spinner and the right wing tip before stepping outside, feeling relaxed and ready to take on the world for another year.

Unless plans change, though, this year will be different. The hangar will be empty on New Year’s Day, as my old friend will be up in Hagerstown, Maryland, at Royal Aircraft Services undergoing a wing repair. A couple of AOPA staffers returning from a magazine assignment last fall hit a bird when passing between Washington Dulles and Washington National airports. They were on an IFR flight plan. Typically on that route we are at 4,000 feet, but this day they were directed to 2,500 feet by air traffic control. Apparently bird traffic control had a couple of feathered fliers at that altitude as well. One of them had a very bad day as his innards ended up all over the right side of my Bonanza, leaving a double-fisted-size dent in the right leading edge and even a small hole in the skin.

While the bird didn’t make it safely back to the nest, the Bonanza trucked on home with no problem. The staff was kind enough to clean up most of the mess before I arrived to check it out. I sent a few photos off to the insurance company and was quickly cleared to get a repair estimate. Royal Aircraft was one of the recommendations from the insurance company. They responded quickly and after a few discussions with Royal about what needed to be done, I sent the estimate off to the insurance company and they approved it the same day.

I also reported the incident to the FAA’s National Wildlife Strike Database, as encouraged by Advisory Circular 150/5200-32B. Unfortunately there wasn’t enough of the bird left to provide any feathers or other identifying material to the data analysts. According to the FAA website, about 15 wildlife strikes occur each day—97 percent of them birds. The annual cost for repairs exceeds $718 million, not including down time. In my case, the insurance company will be writing a check for nearly $22,000 for the repair. I’ve never had a claim before, but that represents more than a decade’s worth of premiums.

I’ll report back on how it goes, but meanwhile, think of me if you’re flying on New Year’s Day.

Email [email protected], @tomhaines29