Idaho Canyon Flying: Serious Aviating With a Huge Fun Factor

We've all know people who love to take their single-engine GA plane into the Idaho backcountry to try and slip into some of the famously difficult dirt and grass strips nestled along pristine streams loaded with trout. We've seen the photos, a little patch of nothing between the trees, with a windsock as the only clue this is an actual air strip.

But when you get right down to this type of flying, it is no place for shabby, sloppy airmanship. The pilots who are smart aviators go up there and get the specific training needed to keep from piling your bird into the trees.

Recently, a good friend of mine wrote to tell me of a course he took in the Idaho backcountry, and the tale makes for fantastic reading. With his permission, I am presenting it here for my readers:

I wanted to share that I did take the four day ground/flying course in my T210 with Lori MacNichol, owner of McCall Mountain/Canyon Flying Seminars. There were six of us and six instructors, and we got very good instruction.

Lori flew with me the first day and, having a lot of T210 time as a former McCall Air Taxi pilot, she knew the plane. We spent the first 90 minutes establishing various speeds and configurations, and, the primary one is the one known as “canyon flying configuration”. In my plane, 17” MP, gear up, 10 degrees of flap, yields level fight and 85 kts. That is used to cruise the canyons. Once a strip is identified, we move to a gear down configuration, same speed but 20” MP, level flight. Just knowing what to expect on base and final with various flap and power settings takes much of the guess work out of the descent and approach, and believe me some of these approaches are very different.

Lori teaches the “emergency canyon turn”, not only to get turned around in a blind canyon, but to use as course reversal. The procedure is to be at canyon flying configuration, be heading towards the canyon wall at 90 degrees, and just seconds before hitting the wall, go full power, turn 45 degrees left or right, and, while making the turn, immediately put in full flaps. Once the turn is completed, remove most of the power and adjust the flaps. The result is a turn that is like a ricochet…never seen anything like it. Radius is more like turning a car around in a parking lot.

So, going into Indian Creek on the middle fork of Salmon, it is not possible to do a base and final. We get down to 800 feet off the right side of the canyon, almost in the trees and rocks, fly by the strip, move to the middle of the narrow canyon and in about a minute, the canyon becomes not as narrow and we turn to the right, heading directly towards the rocks and trees. Realize that the rim is hundreds of feet above me and there is no outclimbing the rim. As we approach the rocks, we do the canyon turn, and, once turned around, I come off most of the power but leave my flaps in because we need to come down 800 feet as we go downstream towards the strip, which, due to the winding, tight canyon, I cannot even see yet.

Airspeed control is essential and power is used to control the descent. As we work our way downstream, we eventually get aligned with the dog leg approach, clear the last trees, make a slight turn once we have flown the dog leg, and land.

I did this approach three times and really got my confidence up. Many of the other approaches were not so difficult. Knowing the abort point, where to fly during the abort procedure is essential knowledge for each strip. We started our flying each morning at 06:30 and were back in McCall by 11am, then ground school from 1:15 to 5 pm.

When I flew back home, I applied what I was taught and landed in 800 feet, stopped by the first taxiway. I cannot say enough good things about this outfit.

The central part of Idaho has 4.5 million acres of rugged land, with over 80 strips. I'd like to get back over there in late July and go to either Stanley or Smiley Creek, easy strips in the wide valley of the Sawtooth range. There are lodges at Red Fish lake and horseback riding, good food, etc. I might also go into Indian Creek just to practice the procedure.

See what I mean? I believe my friend made a very smart decision by obtaining this first-class training before trying to take his T210 into these short, unimproved strips. A Turbo Centurion is a LOT of airplane, and even with long runways and flat terrain, it demands the skills of a pilot dedicated to perfecting the fine art of flying by the numbers. So to take that same ship into a patch of ground hidden around a dogleg up a narrow canyon with unforgiving walls of granite on three sides would be INSANITY without the level of training like my friend received from MacNichol.

Through Eager Eyes - Chapter 2

Full of Wonder and Innocence, a Young Girl Romances the Sky

A Short Story by Dan Pimentel

(Note: This is the second of six chapters in this story. Check back every Friday at noon when I will present the next chapter, or click here to read all chapters after they are published - dan)

Chapter 2: Machines That Fly

I have just been introduced to this magnificent piece of engineering masterwork known as Katy. While I do not yet know exactly what her function is, I am beginning to understand that it has something to do with flight. It's becoming increasingly clear that Katy is one of these "airplanes" that DooDah and Daddy speaks of with emotion and elation.

As I stand here on the threshold of whatever this wild adventure will become, it is marvelous how my world is changing with each passing moment. I look far off to the horizon and see another incredible flying machine gliding ever so gently to the Earth, touching down with such grace, it was as if a bed of feathers awaits its arrival. Everyone is pointing to it, as if they think I have yet to spot this flying craft. How wrong they are! Even before its sight was apparent, I heard the glorious sound it was making and knew precisely where in the sky to look. "Yes Daddy, I KNOW," I want to shout, but am too busy gleefully watching the airplane in the distance complete its dance with gravity.

The activity far away out on the runway is drawing me closer, I must investigate. Free of the grasp of anyone, I begin walking with purpose away from my family, away from Katy, across the tarmac, without a clear destination. But before I can complete a few steps in succession, Marmee – my daddy's mommy – gently but firmly grabs my arm and with a delicate touch, turns me 180 degrees back towards Katy. My feet continue to move swiftly, only now I am facing away from the flying machines I see in operation far off across the field.

Marmee seems to always know what is best for me. But in this case, the draw I feel towards the runway is intense, my soul being drawn to the landing airplane like moth to flame. Immediately following the precise moment when her hand leaves my arm, I perform the sweetest of pirouettes and begin a swift march across the tarmac in a fashion that can only be described as "darting." But try as I might, my small but strong legs are no match for Marmee's agility and reflexes as she instinctively catches up to me and scoops me up like an Eagle as it plucks a chipmuck from a meadow. Maybe Marmee cannot know my enthusiasm for flight, but as she quickly lofts me into her arms where I am now forced to reside, she is somehow successful at coaxing my focus away from the distant runway and its intriguing movements.

In a brazen attempt to keep me distracted, the adults surrounding me are all making sounds like airplanes now, it is seriously funny. My Uncle is also here, making gyrating movements with his arms outstretched on either side of his lean body in a comical attempt to get me to imitate him and play as if we are both airplanes. His intentions are of great merit, and I know he only wants to get me enthralled with the day, but I'm already there, times 10. So I throw him a bone and play his airplane game, stretching my arms out far to each side of my tiny frame, following at his heels making what I assume is the sound an airplane makes.

DooDah has helped get me to this point by being a fantastic salesperson for flying. He's a lovable guy, but it is surreal how everything he does in some way involves airplanes. On nearly every visit, my predictable friend can be sure to start making airplane noises, and I feel it the polite thing to do to mimic his sounds. Besides, everyone in my life gets such a charge out of my airplane noises, it is becoming my secret weapon to gain the attention of the large people that surround me. I have discovered that by making a few cute airplane noises, a wave of adult laughter can quickly envelope a room. And I have DooDah to thank for teaching me the correct sounds to emulate "the way of the Cherokee," or to put it more accurately, the way a Cherokee sounds. Someday, a goal will be to understand what is this "Cherokee" of which DooDah speaks of incessantly.

The buzz surrounding Katy is intensifying. DooDah is walking around the airplane, carefully checking all sorts of interesting things. He wiggles a set of movable surfaces on the large things protruding from each side of Katy, could these be wings, like a bird?

As my attention is bantered about, pulled in all directions by endless new things to see and thoughts to process, I focus on Daddy who has his eyes keenly attached to something in the sky above this wide-open field in which we stand. He begins shouting...

"Oh my God, what ARE they," he yells, as he and all other adults in proximity begin gravitating to...something. My Daddy seems more excited than anyone when overhead a group of four sleek black flying craft rocket past us at what looks to my untrained eyes to be the speed of light.

"DooDah," Daddy shouts, "what are those? They are all black, no markings, what ARE they?"

One by one, the slender black fighter jets slip back to the runway far off in the distance. As we all stand nearly speechless watching these mysterious machines arrive, another group of THREE unmarked black craft blasts over our heads, followed by a slow, graceful turn to follow their brethren to the ground. The sight of seven ships of unknown origin or purpose, arriving as if on a mission, baffles my Daddy, an inquisitive sort who is forever pushing to learn more about the world around him. He stands with mouth gaping, and I cannot tell if he is happy, concerned, worried or elated to see these swift black flying machines arrive. DooDah, maybe poking a wee bit of fun, says they may have come from the same air base that sends out the "black helicopters," whatever the heck that means. Daddy mentions something called "the CIA" as he describes the unmarked jets, but again, I have no idea what that means, or if it is good or bad.

While the commotion of watching the mystery ships arrive was oh so cool, it is nothing compared to the excitement that comes when Mommy loads me up into Katy's back seat. It is becoming crystal clear that yes, we are in fact going flying, and Katy is the one to take us skyward. I am so down with that, because in the few short minutes we have known one another, Katy and I are already trusting of each other's capabilities. I look at this great ship and see nothing in her that draws out fear, nothing that prompts uncertainty. No, it is my pleasure to hop into my seat inside Katy where I have a first-class view of a new phenomenal world unfolding right before me.

With myself firmly strapped in, Mommy joins me in the back seat. I am happy to see DooDah get in next, and he takes a position of authority in the left front seat. Next to him, Daddy occupies the right front seat, and soon everyone is strapped in. The excitement inside Katy is clearly building as everyone puts onto their heads the strangest contraptions I have every encountered. As I look around, it is almost humorous to see Daddy, Mommy and DooDah wearing these odd hats, with bulbous lumps covering their ears, and a sort of spike mechanism pointed outward towards their mouths. Each of these strange hats are plugged into Katy via a set of wires, and it is increasingly confusing to see the three adults inside Katy talking amongst themselves despite these giant lumps covering their ears.

The constant movement of DooDah's hands upon the dizzying array of knobs, dials, levers and buttons before him has me hypnotized. He moves with precision and purpose, touching each item on a small card strapped to his thigh while simultaneously touching one of the many controls on the flat surface directly in front of he and Daddy. I watch DooDah's every move – this ritual he is performing can only be described as choreographed, and beautiful.

However, my keen focus on what is happening in the two front seats is instantly shattered when Mommy tries to slip a small, pink version of these odd lumps-over-the-ears hats onto my head. I am startled, it is unnerving. Never before have I had such a confining device attached to my body, and while the sheer force of the lumps are pushing into my skull, what makes me yank them off immediately is that they seem to be designed specifically to prevent me from hearing what is going on around me. Mommy tries to put them on again, and again I swiftly remove them. We do this little dance a few times before she realizes that I will win this battle and have chosen to accept whatever noise comes next with raw, unfiltered joy.

And oh, what supreme joy soon enveloped my ears! Moments after I had made it clear to those around me that I was not going to wear the odd noise limiting hat, DooDah opened a small window next to him, yelled "CLEAR!" and with a blur of movements, brought my friend Katy to life. The large metal spinny thing in front of us makes a few slow revolutions in protest before erupting in a glorious symphony of sounds I have never before heard. The spinny thing whirls triumphantly now, so fast it is now a blur, Katy's heart vibrates, her body shakes in a smooth but powerful fashion. The sensation is one I could have never imagined. As the sound evens out to become a low, forceful growl, I notice everyone is watching me to observe my reaction. What could they possibly be expecting?

After all, I am here, Katy is here, the spinny thing out front seems happy, c'mon people, let's get this party started!

What we Have Here is Failure to Communicate

Maybe this is just crazy, but you'd THINK the Federal Communications Commission would have "communicating" completely dialed in. But no, this being our Federal government – which is having a hard time doing much right under ANY president – has apparently stabbed us GA pilots in the back with new rules designed to prohibit the use of 121.5 MHz ELTs as early as this August.

First, let's have AvWeb bring us up to speed, from their site:

The Federal Communications Commission took the general aviation world by surprise when it said in a recent report it will prohibit the sale or use of 121.5 MHz emergency locator transmitters, effective in August [2010]. The Aircraft Electronics Association it just learned of the new rule today [June 21, 2010], and has begun working with the FAA, FCC and others to allow for timely compliance without grounding thousands of general aviation aircraft. The 121.5 ELTs are allowed under FAA rules. The FCC said its rules have been amended to "prohibit further certification, manufacture, importation, sale or use of 121.5 MHz ELTs." The FCC says that if the 121.5 units are no longer available, aircraft owners and operators will "migrate" to the newer 406.0-406.1 MHz ELTs, which are monitored by satellite, while the 121.5 frequency is not. "Were we to permit continued marketing and use of 121.5 MHz ELTs ... it would engender the risk that aircraft owners and operators would mistakenly rely on those ELTs for the relay of distress alerts," the FCC says. AOPA said today it is opposed to the rule change.

Now a logical person would think that when the FCC was going to effectively BAN a critical part of the avionics systems in this country, they might just consider talking to the industry first to see how this regulation would effect the people who use ELTs. Of course, we know that logic has been mostly AWOL in modern day Washington, DC. It boggles thy mind to see that AEA is learning about this the same day everyone else is. Smells like rat in here.

Let's let EAA's Dick Knapinski clarify a bit, from today's press release:

Pilots Caught in Middle of Conflicting Federal Rules: EAA is working to remedy a situation where conflicting rules written by two different federal agencies will soon place pilots in a precarious position – being in compliance with one but not the other. On June 15 the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) published in the Federal Register a change to 47 CFR Part 87 that will “prohibit the certification, manufacture, importation, sale, or continued use of 121.5 MHz emergency locator transmitters (ELTs) other than the Breitling Emergency Watch ELT.” Meanwhile, the FAA in 14 CFR Part 91.207, stipulates that U.S.-registered civil airplanes are required to have an approved automatic type emergency locator transmitter in operable condition attached to the airplane. The FAA does not specify either 121.5 or 406 MHz, but the overwhelming majority of aircraft are equipped with 121.5 MHz units, meaning they would be in violation of federal law when it goes into effect 60 days after publication, or August 15, 2010. EAA is working with fellow aviation associations to prevent this action and exploring all avenues of action to address this rule before it goes into effect. “This regulatory change would impose a substantial and unwarranted cost on general aviation,” said Earl Lawrence, EAA vice president of industry and regulatory affairs. “And this also creates a burden for the GA community and those ground-based rescue units that continue to use the 121.5 frequency to perform searches and save lives. “At the very least the FCC action is being conducted without properly communicating with the industry or understanding the implications of its action,” he added. The FCC rule also highlights the fact that threats to GA can come from many different agencies, and that agencies outside of the FAA do not necessarily understand the effects of their actions on aviation.

I have a gut feeling this will work itself out when everyone comes to the table to sort out a realistic timeline to convert the entire GA fleet to 406 MHz. And while a conspiracy theorist might think this was a blatent attempt by FCC to give the 406 MHz makers a gift of HUGE sales, I won't go there. That would require slick coordination on the part of two or more government agencies, which at this point seems somewhere between unlikely and impossible.

Not that I don't want a 406 MHz ELT...sure who doesn't. It is a much better system, and I am sure that I'll switch the Katyliner over to that ELT in the future. But it feels like a knife in the back to be FORCED to do that in the next few weeks. I had not planned on coughing up $1,500 for avionics this summer, and am as miffed as the entire GA world is today to have this kind of crap shoved down our throat in the name of government ineptitude.

Through Eager Eyes - Chapter 1

Full of Wonder and Innocence, a Young Girl Romances the Sky

A Short Story by Dan Pimentel

(Note: This is the first of six chapters in this story. Check back every Friday at noon when I will present the next chapter, or click here to read all chapters after they are published - dan)

Chapter 1: Chasing Adventures

The sun was shining bright through the windshield, washing my mother's golden hair with elaborate streaks of bronze, rust and other hues from a most dramatic palette. The one single cloud I can see as the car pulls from the driveway seems almost lonely in the sea of blue that surrounds it. This day was shaping up to be full of bliss and wonder, as are all the days of my young life. That wonder, that sense of what is out there waiting for me, makes me the luckiest girl in the world.

And that girl part? Must have been the pink blankets from my past, because to me, the splendors of my universe are gender neutral. New things are seen and must be learned, new concepts discovered and must be explored. Girl? Whatever, I see nothing in that word that prevents me from reaching glorious heights of personal expression and success.

Maybe it was the smooth, genuine and predictable taste of my morning banana, but things really seemed like they are going my way on this special day. It was sure to be special, because my DooDah – my Daddy's Stepdaddy, whatever that is – was involved. Everything is better with DooDah, and while I have no idea what is going to happen today, with DooDah, it will be fun, this I know.

But what has intrigued me is this endless talk about something else on today's agenda. Apparently DooDah has something called an airplane, and while the adventure in learning about this new concept of "going flying" might open up new horizons and teach me today's lesson, I have no idea what an airplane is. That is the thrill of my life, new doors are opening every minute, incredible paths unfold before me demanding to be walked. As a human, I am fearless, no danger lurks in my world. Glee surrounds my every waking hour, and adventure unfolds before me with every tick of the clock. So this flying stuff – whatever it may be – can only be one more excursion into the new, the unexplored.

"Bring it on!" I feel like shouting, but do not.

The familiar surroundings of my home, my room, my wonderful yard filled with butterflies and strawberries are distant memories today, and the journey we are on is foreign. New vistas slide by the car window, as well they should on any legitimate adventure. With DooDah leading our car on a road I've never traveled, it is encouraging to be out of touch with familiarity. Unlike any other road I have been down before, the beautiful flowers, trees and the occasional dog, dog, dog have been replaced with, well, nothing. Where are we going? Where are the other people, the cars, the houses?

Desolation lives here, and desolation unnerves me, it always has. What could this large, flat area be used for, certainly not chasing puppies through the park, where swings and slides would make this place at least somewhat inhabitable.

As we slow to a stop, DooDah is standing outside our car. Before him is the most technologically-advanced gate I have ever seen, a sentry that protects something important, I am not sure what. The magic of life is everywhere today, and around DooDah's neck is a slice of that magic, a card of some sort, I see his smiling face on it. This card is important, this I know because with one wave of DooDah's strong hand in front of a cute little metal box perched atop a pole, the gate magically begins a leisurely movement away from us. As we drive through, Daddy is giddy with anticipation when he declares that "we are in", as if somewhere between the banana and DooDah's magic card, we became secret agents. Everyone in my car is pleased to be "on the airport" and it is clear that the excitement of the day seems poised to reach yet unattained heights. My expectations of what is to come next are increasing with every breath, I am elated to be part of this new, mysterious adventure.

As the car eases into this strange complex of non-descript buildings, my mind races to discover what this is, where we are, why I am here. As one who loves the brightly-colored neighborhoods of my hometown, these buildings look odd, they are windowless shells devoid of all personality.

But down one drive between the buildings, I glimpse something that is familiar. Do not ask me for the official name, but I have ridden on one of those long, slender vehicles before, way back in the days of my youth. Mommy and me rode for long hours inside one of these metal tubes, which I found to be a very interesting place, with the view out the tiny oval windows changing as we appeared to rise high into the sky as if on some sort of Magic Carpet. From the security of my mommy's arms, I gazed out the window and watched the houses get smaller and the clouds reach out to me, so close I was eager to touch them! Around me, people appeared mystified about my opinion that this odd contraption is indeed a comforting place to sleep, if not to also dream.

Back in the car, it starts to come together as dots get connected in today's riddle. Maybe what I did with mommy before in that pressurized tube was this thing called "flying" and so, quite possibly, that flying machine was an airplane. And since everyone this morning – as well as last night – have been talking non-stop about "DooDah's airplane", could it be that we are at this desolate place with the odd, boring buildings, to fly? My summation of the situation remains unsettled, but if that is the outcome of this adventure, I'll welcome it as I welcome any opportunity to soar with birds in their sky.

From the lap of my mother as she works at her home office, I often gaze out the window at our bird feeder and am in complete wonder and amazement how these tiny creatures defy gravity and flutter about effortlessly. Oh how I want to join them! To be free of the surly bonds that hold me onto this fragile planet, to effortlessly glide unabated through that glorious, unexplored space that resides above my head.

Our car comes to a stop at one of these lifeless structures, and in a blur or motion, I find myself standing before a large set of metal doors. DooDah greets us, and welcomes me as usual with a gentle finger to the tip of my nose and a quick "beep!" What's up with that? DooDah is forever pushing the tip of my nose, I cannot know why. But his funny voice makes me laugh once again. He again mentions this thing called flying, and again, I struggle to comprehend all that is going on around me.

In an instant, DooDah and Daddy slide open the huge metal doors, and the value of this day goes up sharply as a beautiful little flying machine comes into full view. While it looks similar to the large tubes mommy and me flew in, this is a much smaller version, intimate in design and very, very intriguing in personality. As DooDah walks with me around this machine, I am introduced formally to "Katy", a name I was born to immediately love. As I view Katy, she looks strong, capable and I must learn more. With each step, I am drawn towards Katy, her spell being cast on my stream of consciousness. While it makes sense that Katy cannot talk, if she could, I believe I would be invited to take part in a celebration of freedom with her that would take me on endless aerial adventures to places I cannot even comprehend today.

DooDah soon moves me, mommy and Daddy away from Katy, and with a tug of his strong arms, pulls her from this building into the bright sunlight, where the light glistens off her sleek wings, her streamlined physique. This day is getting better by the second, I am eager to see what comes next as I learn more about and become better acquainted with my new BFF, Katy.

Through Eager Eyes - The Complete Story

Full of Wonder and Innocence, a Young Girl Romances the Sky

A Short Story by Dan Pimentel

(Note: This page will display all six chapters in this story as they are published. I will upload the final chapter on Wednesday, July 21 at noon - dan)

Chapter 1: Chasing Adventures | Read this Chapter

The sun was shining bright through the windshield, washing my mother's golden hair with elaborate streaks of bronze, rust and other hues from a most dramatic palette. The one single cloud I can see as the car pulls from the driveway seems almost lonely in the sea of blue that surrounds it. This day was shaping up to be full of bliss and wonder, as are all the days of my young life. That wonder, that sense of what is out there waiting for me, makes me the luckiest girl in the world. | Read this Chapter

Chapter 2: Machines That Fly | Read this Chapter

I have just been introduced to this magnificent piece of engineering masterwork known as Katy. While I do not yet know exactly what her function is, I am beginning to understand that it has something to do with flight. It's becoming increasingly clear that Katy is one of these "airplanes" that DooDah and Daddy speaks of with emotion and elation. | Read this Chapter

Chapter 3: Flight Delayed, Flight Denied? | Read this chapter

This adventure just keeps getting better and better. Now, with Katy's engine playing a new song I have never heard, I find myself listening with increasing glee to the throaty but smooth sounds reverberating throughout her cabin. Maybe this isn't the same song that angels listen to when they lay down to sleep, but to me this rumbling near the front of Katy is soothing, and makes me feel safe. | Read this chapter

Chapter 4: Wheels Up | Read this chapter

Throughout my young life, I have been waiting for this moment to arrive. The sensation of flying in a small airplane is one I shall feel today, a sense of freedom, of soaring not unlike Eagles. It will be grand. Read this chapter

Chapter 5: Fantasy Has No Restricted Airspace | Read this chapter

We float through they sky effortlessly now, and it is as if I'm indeed in Heaven, or at least closer to it now.

Above me lies a vast unknown, blue and inviting. I rejoice in the hue of the sky – it is a shade of blue that is reserved for aviators who pilot their elaborate machines above the layers of air closer to the ground that have been browned by the pollution of too many cars. | Read this chapter

Chapter 6: Wow wow wow | Read this chapter

I do not claim to be very good at navigation. I have heard terms like "north" and "south," but they mean nothing to me. But up here, floating along on Katy's wonderful wings, I can certainly sense things, and get a feel for where we were going before, and where we are going now. | Read this chapter

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A is for Airspace, T is for Toastmasters

I was sitting at SFO recently, waiting for a connection down to Fresno, and had just finished a familiar conversation with a non-aviator who shared my row on United's 1290 out of EUG. It is not the first time I have had this particular conversation, nor will it be the last. The subject: Airspace.

O.K., you might be asking yourself why a pilot would want to discuss the intricacies of airspace with someone who wouldn't know their Charlie from their Bravo. The conversation always starts the same:

I was flying in one of United's 737s that offered ATC transmissions on cabin channel 9, and made a comment to the passenger next to me that it is cool to be able to listen to ATC en route. She had no idea you could do that, but slipped on the worn-but-free headset that United still crams into the seat pocket. I heard nothing from this woman until we landed. As we taxied to the gate, she removed her headset and was pretty much BLOWN AWAY having listened to ATC for the first time in her life. She turned to me and asked, seriously, "how DO they keep all those airplanes from crashing into each other?" It was the opening I was looking for.

I informed her that I was a pilot, so I was qualified to explain how ATC keeps all the inbounds to SFO from trading paint. As we cruised to the gate, I began the speech:

"Inside a certain boundary surrounding large metro areas, all aircraft – regardless of size – are talking to the same air traffic controllers," I said, "so lesson #1 is that nobody flies in the San Francisco Class Bravo airspace without permission. SFO airspace is a positive control area, meaning every airplane is being told what to do and where to go. But the really important thing to remember is that a Piper Cherokee like I fly is of equal importance to the Controller as a 747 loaded with tourists. The reason is that the Controller knows precisely where the airliner is going because he is on a pre-determined instrument flight plan. But the small general aviation plane may be flying under the more relaxed visual flight rules, and in busy airspace, ATC keeps a close watch on the small planes to make sure they don't get in the way of the big ones."

The woman was astounded, as the flying public usually are when they find out that just about everything in the sky is in touch with someone somewhere. I believe that the lady came away with a better understanding of general aviation, and also more respect for us GA pilots who are up there chasing clients or hamburgers. I closed the conversation by trying to emphasize that GA pilots have a very high level of training, and are not that far removed from the two professional pilots commanding the flight deck of an airliner. Except for a long list of regulations and of course a couple of advances ratings, I said, "pilots are pilots. We all fly machines that react to control inputs identically, all have generally the same types of systems, and occupy the same airspace for much of the time. Some just fly higher and faster than others."

The fact that Average Joe, Jane and their kids are unaware that we GA pilots need to be highly-trained to guarantee the safe outcome of a flight into busy airspace cannot be overstated. As pilots, we need to be on the lookout every day for opportunities to talk up GA in a positive way. Your children's school is a great place to speak about flying, and many service clubs like Rotary or business clubs would welcome a presentation to explain why and how we fly.

And maybe – just maybe – we might just spark a fire in one audience member so they seek out a flight school at that little patch on the edge of town and start living their lifelong dream to fly. If that happens, our time spent as a GA advocate will be more than worth it.

And if you think you are too shy to stand up in front of a large audience and speak with confidence and flair, then you need to join Toastmasters International like I did almost 5 years ago. I promise you that anyone can benefit from their once-a-week meetings, and in no time, you'll be able to speak in public without breaking a sweat. You can find out more about what Toastmasters can do for you here, and find a local club here.

Bottom line: If 1,000 GA pilots joined a Toastmasters club somewhere and learned how to address any audience on the positive aspects of flying, we'd have a whole new crop of ambassadors out there on the front lines singing our praise. And THAT would be a great thing.

WHITESIDE COUNTY DC-3 REUNION HONORS HEROES:“SEE THEM FOR THE LAST TIME!”

I recently ran the EAA release outlining their DC-3/C-47 Max-Effort Day Activities on Tuesday, July 27 at Airventure. Now, here is thelasttime.org's release about their planned events in Rock Falls, Illinois, again presented verbatim:
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Duluth, MN (June 7, 2010) – The Last Time plans to honor many heroes during the reunion that the group is organizing for this summer. The year 2010 marks the 75th anniversary of the first flight of the iconic Douglas DC-3 and what is likely to be last time for a large reunion of aluminum and engines with the people that saw it all.

In order to preserve the intimate nature of the festivities planned, and to ensure that all of the honored guests can attend in comfort, The Last Time plans to hold all of its reunion events at Whiteside County Airport, in Rock Falls, Illinois, on July 23-26. The four-day reunion activities are open to the public, and general aviation aircraft parking and camping are available as well.

All DC-3 aircraft will be parked together, and events include aircraft tours, public rides, free media rides, demonstrations, entertainment and music, extensive hangar flying and storytelling by all those invited to share the DC-3 experience—and a mass formation fly-by sure to be a record-setting event. The mass formation flight will launch from Whiteside County Airport on the afternoon of Monday, July 26.

The Douglas DC-2 will be on hand to represent one of the last two flying examples of the airplane, one that flew The Lindbergh Line for Trans World Airlines (TWA) with the encouragement of no less than Charles A. Lindbergh. “It is a great honor for me to participate in the events and the DC-3 gathering planned for the Sterling-Rock Falls airport. Such a gathering in this day and age is extremely difficult to orchestrate and has all the markings of being one of the most unique and historical aviation events ever,” says Erik Lindbergh, grandson of Charles Lindbergh.

Among the numerous honored guests who plan to attend The Last Time activities is Bernice “Bee” Haydu, a member of the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) who flew the C-47 during World War II. Haydu was one of many WASP who were charged with ferrying aircraft or serving as transport pilots to support the war effort. Another hero planning to attend will be Paul Poberezny, founder of the Experimental Aircraft Association in 1953 and lifelong promoter of homebuilt aircraft. Poberezny has more than 6,700 hours in the C-47 and retired from the Air Force with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.

ABOUT “THE LAST TIME”
The Last Time is an organization created for the sole purpose of reuniting flying examples of the Douglas DC-3 and the people associated with them, for one last time. For more information regarding this exciting event, please visit www.thelastime.org. Those individuals planning to attend should register at the interactive “Virtual Reunion Board” here.

EAA Release May Clear Up Oshkosh DC-3 Confusion

It is now clear that there are two separate areas of interest that DC-3/C-47 fans will want to take part in this summer. Without getting into the mud pit with either side, I am presenting this press release explaining what EAA is doing, followed by the information about the Whiteside County event at Rock Falls. Both are presented verbatim without any editing.

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FROM EAA: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

'MAX EFFORT' APPLIED TO HUGE DC-3 ACTIVITIES AT EAA AIRVENTURE OSHKOSH 2010

EAA AVIATION CENTER, OSHKOSH, Wis. - (June 8, 2010) - More elements to the huge DC-3 75th anniversary celebration at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2010, which will be held July 26-August 1, have been added, creating more opportunities to enjoy a unique gathering of these aircraft at "Aviation's Family Reunion."

The latest addition is a DC-3 and C-47 "Max-Effort Day" on Tuesday, July 27, that will include formation flights and aerial displays from all DC-3 aircraft that wish to be flown that day. That includes groups of the aircraft type in both airline and military configurations, plus others.

"This event will celebrate the legacy and people of an aircraft that played a massive part in the development of both civil and military aviation," said Adam Smith, EAA vice president of membership. "Merging both ground and air operations into a single spectacle is sure to leave those in attendance with memories they'll be able to share and recall for years."

Among other highlights of the weeklong DC-3 celebration:

* A very special DC-3/C-47 reunion evening at Theater in the Woods, hosted by David Hartman and including special guest Jim Douglas, grandson of DC-3 designer Donald Douglas;

* "Salute to Veterans" activities in cooperation with Disabled American Veterans (DAV) to include re-enactor displays and personal appearances by WWII veterans of "Easy Company" (known from the HBO series "Band of Brothers");

* Air Show programs throughout the week to include a parade of classic airliners, a unique heritage flight that pairs the C-47 with the modern C-17 Globemaster;

* An appearance by the aircraft and stars of hit Canadian reality TV series "Ice Pilots", still operating the DC-3 in daily passenger service;

* DC-3 movie screenings, including the John Wayne classic "Island in the Sky" at the outdoor Fly-In Movie Theater;

* Numerous public forums related to the people, history and operations of the DC-3;

* A major week-long effort by the EAA Timeless Voices of Aviation team to capture and preserve the video oral histories of all people connected with the DC-3.

* An exclusive DC-3 community cookout hosted by Basler Turbo Conversions of Oshkosh, which refurbishes DC-3s from its base at Wittman Regional Airport for continued use at locations around the world;

* A luncheon on Wednesday, July 28, in the EAA AirVenture Museum Founders' Wing for anyone who has even been connected with the DC-3, including pilots, mechanics, flight crew, veterans, etc. (Registration details will be forthcoming)

In addition, a rare DC-2 aircraft will be joining the assembly at Oshkosh, as well as a beautifully refurbished DC-7B aircraft.

EAA already has commitments from a large number of DC-3/C-47 operators who intend to arrive at Oshkosh. Other DC-3 and C-47 operators who wish to participate should contact EAA at dc3@eaa.org, and will be sent specific details on arrival procedures, aircraft parking, accommodations, and other important logistics.

airventure.org

Why My Words Have Been [Mostly] AWOL From World of Flying

Recently, I discovered that I could order eBooks of my blog posts from a site called blog2print. When I tried to order a PDF of my complete body of work from World of Flying, I think their system crashed (not really) when it found out my first blog post on here was 12.12.05!

So I ordered the first volume – a year's worth of posts – and will someday publish them to paper because for some reason, my legacy as a writer doesn't carry the same amount of sway when the entire collection is in digital form only. Call me a dinosaur, but real books feel more legit when their words are delivered...on paper.

As I skim this first volume, I realized I have been pretty dependable as a frequent poster. Lots of the material has been "ripped from the headlines" as they say, while a good bit of it is just my signature crapola that somehow travels down my arms and escapes my brain through my fingertips.

But recently, my loyal readership might have noticed somewhat diminished productivity from here inside the DanoDome. So I write this tonight to clue everyone in on what is going on. First, some backstory:

I've been a paid professional writer since 1979, and while I will never get rich at this trade if "rich" is measured only in dollars, I am William Buffet if my wealth is measured in terms of sense of accomplishment. I've written everything you can imagine for every conceivable kind of publication, using a gift that allows me to somehow line up words on a page in a particular order to tell a story in a way that makes my readers smile. Of all this body of work, my favorite assignment has been this blog.

As anyone who attempts to keep a blog fresh knows, keeping a blog fresh takes enormous effort. But if you think my less than frequent blogging is due to lack of interest, you would be wrong:

I have been posting less to free up time to write another project for World of Flying, a short story that when finished will be presented here one chapter a week over the course of maybe 10 weeks. Most likely, I'll publish each new chapter on Fridays to allow readers to find consumption time over their weekend. Once the whole saga hits the streets, the plan is to offer the work as a self-published book – yes, on paper – for sale on a yet-to-be-determined site. But with limited time to write outside of the time required to wear a large number of hats as an aviation ad agency owner, finding the time to write random blog posts while writing a 10,000-word work is just not possible.

While I cannot tell you what the topic of this story is, you can bet it involves flying machines..but it also includes kids, or should I say, one special little girl. And I promise that if you show up every week for each new chapter, you will not be disappointed.

So keep an eye on World of Flying, and show up now and again to check in and see what's new. I'm still a few weeks out from launching this "mini-series" short story, and in the mean time, expect more of my regular programming and more guest bloggers.

Thank you for staying with me for nearly five years. With your support, my flying friends, we can make it five more, and five more after that. Oh, and if I ever retire, you can expect this scribe to be a full-time writer, this I guarantee. That's because there is at least a dozen works of fiction dancing around between my ears at any given moment. I just need the time to let them work their way onto the page.

Spin the Dial (If You Still Remember How)

I am just barely old enough to remember TV sets with rotary dials, the kind which coined the phrase at the top of this post that describes what you used to do back in 1964 when nothing much was on the tube. The modern-day version of that is of course the chronic channel changer who blasts between channels on his/her remote, trying to find one good show on any of the 200 channels that the cable company has delivered to their parlor.

The Internet version of that task is what I do when I cannot find any decent "news" out there worthy of comment. And in a recent's web scour, I found a couple of gems...one sent to me and the other found by accident.

The first is TripCart: The Travel Blog, a funny but informative look at the airlines. It is billed as "the best place on the web to find things to do in the United States. Presents a religiously updated blog full of advice and tips for trip planning." There are quite a few posts worth a look, especially when you just look a their headlines:

Baby in the X-ray Machine at LAX
Stewardesses of Yesteryear
More Stewardesses of Yesteryear
The TSA Loves Dressing Up Disaster

and my personal fave:

Airlines Suck Worse than the IRS

Another travel blog that was sent into the World of Flying Tipline (see feedback button at right), is Geekabout, who posted a thorough look at airline seats headlined "Ranked: The 10 Most Comfortable Airline Economy Seats." When you read this post, it makes very good points:

Not all economy seats are created equal. By doing a little bit of digging you’ll find out enough info to help you make a flight in economy a pleasant flight, instead of an unbearable one. Seat pitch and width can vary greatly between airline carriers and aircraft type. Seat pitch is the distance from any point on one seat to the exact same point on the seat in front or behind it. And while it is not the exact equivalent of “legroom”, it does give a very good approximation of how much seat room you should expect. The Bottom Line: the more seat pitch the better!

A number of airlines have about 32" of pitch between their seats, with Japan Airlines offering 34" according to geekabout.com. Only Virgin America and Singapore Airlines offer a seat width in the 19 - 20 inch range. Good stuff, go check it out Here

One carrier missing from geekabout's Top 10 list of most comfortable airline seats is Skywest, which I fly often. I would assume it's because the seat pitch on their EMB 120 Brasilia flying vibrators feels a lot like 28 inches, when in reality it is actually 31 inches of non-reclinable, pew-like discomfort. And their width is spec'ed as 17 inches, but I swear it it feels like 12 inches when a fat tourist is falling asleep next to you, his arm hogging the itsy-bitsy armrest, his head falling onto your shoulder, sushi-induced drool running down his chin.

When I am not flying Katy on Dano Airlines, I usually get my tickets on frequent flyer miles which my aviation ad agency acquires in truckloads. It makes me think that the next time I attempt to fly the friendly skies, I might just spring for a first-class upgrade so at least I can have enough room on the flimsy tray table to open my laptop AND drink a tiny plastic cup of soda pop.