Letters From our March 2021 issue:

I am a big fan of AOPA Pilot, but this month is especially good! Content, photography, layout—you really hit it out of the park. It might have something to do with the Keys and Cape stories—places I used to live and fly in. Also, the deep, rich colors and their reproduction really enhanced the overall effect.

John Sheehan
AOPA 240812
Wilmington, North Carolina

City with a view

Kollin Stagnito left out two very important things in his article about a visit to Chicago. First (although Schaumburg is a nice airport), the ideal general aviation arrival is Bolingbrook’s Clow International Airport. And while there, stop in for breakfast or lunch at Charlie’s, and get to meet the folks at EAA Chapter 461 and at JW Aviation. Clow was my home airport for more than 30 years before my recent move to Louisiana, and there’s no place that will make a visitor feel more welcome.

The second thing is never ask for ketchup on your Chicago hotdog!

Tom Kupferer
AOPA 457645
Rayville, Louisiana

I enjoyed your well-written article. I learned to fly at Falmouth in 1974—before it became Falmouth Airpark.

George Tupper
AOPA 1495353
Pocasset, Massachusetts

The most eloquent words I have ever seen about my favorite airplane. My very first learning experiences were in one. Forever enjoy your flying in N517WC.

Jorge Velez

AOPA 00634081

Wilmette, Illinois

Natural wonder

I read Julie Summers Walker’s piece about Cape Cod with great interest. It brought forth considerable nostalgia. I am a Cape Codder, born at Cape Cod Hospital in Hyannis and brought up in Chatham. I received my commercial certificate at the Chatham airport from the then operator, Bill Ketchum, designated examiner. I flew many hours out of Chatham in a 7AC Champ ($5 an hour plus gas), Piper Colt, Tri-Pacer, Apache, and the venerable old twin Beech. Scud running and being chased into Chatham by the fog “rolling in” was routine. Her article was spot on. And, for the record, Plymouth is not on the Cape—end of story.

Steve Watkins
AOPA 226123
Gainesville, Florida

No passport required

I can’t believe Ian J. Twombly wrote about the Florida Keys and didn’t mention EAA 1241 Museum at the Marathon airport. They are the biggest aviation organization in the Keys, sponsor flight scholarships, advocate for aviation in the county, and host aviation days and Young Eagles rallies. The museum gets thousands of visitors each year. A big miss.

Daniel Mahoney
AOPA 1225915
Punta Gorda, Florida

Far flung

Just a small correction (“Briefing: Far Flung”), but this detail could prevent more loss of life. I am a helicopter and fixed-wing instrument instructor at John Wayne Airport (SNA) and I am often responsible for Catalina checkouts before our 141 school will permit any pilot from taking our aircraft there VFR or IFR. The airport sits on a hilltop at 1,602 feet but the highest terrain is at 2,150 feet and is close by. Turn the wrong way on a missed approach or early on an obstacle departure procedure before reaching 2,300 feet and the unwary pilot can fly into the earth or the antennas. It’s happened more than once and is one of the reasons the manned “tower” at Catalina (technically a nontowered field) listens to all radio calls to discourage IFR landing attempts when the higher terrain is obscured by clouds/fog (below published minimums). We don’t want more pilots coming to grief mistakenly thinking the airport is the highest elevation on the island and therefore there is nothing to hit if you climb.

Kirk Vinings
AOPA 923423
Laguna Niguel, California

Ode to the Super Cub

“Ode to the Super Cub” was truly the best aircraft article I have ever read. It captured my exact and private thoughts of my flying experiences and pleasures. Sometimes I feel guilty that I often do not include others in my aviation moments, but the reality is that for me it is much more private and spiritually connecting unshared.

Mine is a beautiful F.260 Marchetti that captivates me and often asks me to take her flying. Whenever I am with her I feel like the luckiest man in the world. Together we have experienced the most beautiful views of nature and realized how few humans have ever gotten to see or experience such moments.

Thank you, Richard McSpadden, for sharing such a captivating story about the love of flying for flying’s sake and the love of our aircraft that allows us to experience it.

Marc Williamson
AOPA 1091419
Mcpherson, Kansas

Lessons from a CFI

Great article in the March 2021 magazine. Scary to think about what might have happened had Catherine Cavagnaro continued landing with the deer.

Ken Rogers
AOPA 5054127
Wichita, Kansas

Test Pilot

The answer to Barry Schiff’s quiz question about OFF R L BOTH START is quite obvious. The creator’s primary language was Hebrew, and everything written in his language reads from right to left.

Richard Somers
AOPA 1128220
Pacific Palisades, California

Errata
“Natural Wonder” (March 2021 AOPA Pilot) incorrectly referred to the Provincetown Airport as towered. It is not.

“Far Flung” (March 2021 AOPA Pilot) incorrectly described Copalis State Airport as being in Oregon. It is in Washington state.

AOPA Pilot regrets the errors.

We welcome your comments. Send letters to Editor, AOPA Pilot, 421 Aviation Way, Frederick, Maryland 21701 or [email protected]. Letters may be edited for length and style.

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For more on GPS jamming, see “Action: Headache for GA.”