Adam Fast - NASA Report: Uncertain Space Times - Airplanista Aviation Magazine Monthly Column - Uncertain Space Times

This aviation magazine article was originally published in the October, 2011 issue of Airplanista Magazine. You can view the original story in our digital aviation magazine here.

By Adam Fast

The worst fears of space geeks seem to be coming to fruition less than three months since final wheel stop on Shuttle.

The August 24 launch of a Progress resupply mission ended in failure as the third stage engine shut down after a malfunction and was unable to get the capsule into orbit - it came down elsewhere in Russia. As we’ve discussed previously, the Progress is an unmanned Soyuz - so this failure halts all launches of our only way to orbit until questions are answered.

Cargo-wise, the International Space Station is fine - particularly after STS-135 took up all it could to give better supply margins. But with the next crew launch uncertain, a limit on how long already-launched capsules can stay aloft, and a restriction against landing Soyuz in the dark there is a possibility that ISS could be de-crewed for some amount of time while this is figured out.

The current goal is to launch a new crew November 14 - the failure is believed to be isolated and prevented against, but the next month will be stressful as we see if something else pops up. In the meantime, controllers on the ground are preparing procedures in case ISS must be left empty.

So here we are in a situation where the science ongoing on ISS may need to be stopped – because without humans to tend to experiments and make observations, they cannot continue – and there’s absolutely nothing we can do about it. I don’t know for a fact that there are experiments that have been going since it initially became capable 10 years ago but if they have been, the data stops. We also lose our “badge” of having an American in space continually since November 2, 2000.

Fortunately the Space Station itself is safe. The crew members living there have few responsibilities unless on-site hands are required. Without somebody to generate carbon dioxide and dust, filter replacements, cleaning, and other things will not be a factor. Redundancies make it unlikely a systems failure will cripple ISS before crews arrive to perform the fixes necessary. Mission Control will continue watching systems, re-boosting into orbit, and running the systems as they always have. It will remain in orbit until we can re-crew it.

Shortly after the Soyuz incident, NASA announced our “future” space vehicle, the Space Launch System (SLS). With it, we will return to the era of capsules for crew with “Orion” that was being developed for the now-cancelled Constellation rocket. SLS reuses SSMEs (space shuttle main engines) and SRBs (solid rocket boosters); we’ll talk about it in more depth later but it does nothing to alleviate the current situation.

Playing with the Big Dogs - Dan Pimentel - Airplanista Aviation Magazine Feature Story

This aviation magazine article was originally published in the October, 2011 issue of Airplanista Magazine. You can view the original story in our digital aviation magazine here.

Once a private pilot earns an Instrument Rating, the lessons learned are put to the test inside the IFR system. And when your CFI tells you that filing an IFR flight plan is the best way to arrive in busy class bravo airspace, you’ll be a safer, happier pilot if you heed that advice.

By Dan Pimentel,
Airplanista Editor

If you regularly fly IFR into busy Class bravo airspace, either in heavy iron or a fast, composite private ship, this might not be the article for you. You’ve been “in the system” and are able to fly SIDs and STARs with confidence and precision into very large, busy airports. But if you think back to your very first successful trip inside the Los Angeles BravoDome, you’ll know why I’m stoked to have just completed that task.

Yes, to a high-timer flying 777s into LAX, arrivals and departures in the busy L.A. basin are probably close to boring. But to this 500+ hour, instrument rated private pilot, filing IFR into Bob Hope Airport (KBUR) over Labor Day Weekend on a business trip was both exciting and challenging.

To help private pilots who are contemplating the instrument rating, I thought it would make good reading to give a play-by-play of the arrival and departure as a way to illustrate what you might look forward to after you earn the rating and start using it to explore busier destinations.

I have flown into and over the Los Angeles area numerous times, but always VFR. Each time was a new surprise, with crazy routings and plenty of inquiries from Controllers as to route of flight and preferred altitudes indicating that in this airspace, ATC really would rather you file IFR so they know where you are going. Sure, it’s possible to fly VFR around, under and through Los Angele’s class bravo, but like my CFI, Jim Hunt promised, filing IFR into that area just makes the entire affair infinitely easier.

I picked KBUR because it is minutes from where the trip’s core meetings would take place, and my routing after a fuel stop in Modesto, CA was CZQ (Clovis VOR), EHF (Shafter VOR), LHS (Lake Hughes VOR). I had added “No DP” (departure procedure) in my remarks so I could leave KMOD on a direct heading instead of a possible goose chase somewhere. That plan worked out well and I was even able to shave a few minutes off the en route time by asking for and receiving a “direct Shafter” amended routing.

But somewhere about Bakersfield, I was told Center was issuing me an amended arrival clearance. My route was the same, except for the addition of the Lynxx Eight arrival. I had seen this in the charts, and had even briefed it, and had it in a chart folder in Foreflight on my iPad. But on a crystal clear day when I could see KBUR from 40 miles out, I did not really care to fly far west of the field and fly the same arrival as the bizjets and airliners. So I asked for and got radar vectors to runway 15.

Not that I would have had trouble flying the arrival route, but I wanted to get Katy’s wheels on tarmac and get this flight in the logbook in the shortest amount of time. Not long after ZLA (Los Angeles Center) graciously accepted my request (without making silly rookie jokes), they pointed me at KBUR and asked if I saw a JetBlue Airbus at my nine o’clock also descending for KBUR. Upon my “affirmative” call regarding the blue and white ‘Bus, Center told me simply to follow him in which I did. The arrival was as simple as following some guy in a Skyhawk into a Saturday Pancake Breakfast at a sleepy little municipal field.

I will admit that my 1964 Cherokee 235 was almost giggling when we pulled up between the business jets at Atlantic Aviation. Swanky and sophisticated, this is obviously the FBO that the stars use, judging by the high-end flying hardware parked on their ramp. As we were pulling our bags out of the plane, the enormity of it all sunk in when we heard over the Line Guy’s radio that one of the jets on their ramp “only needed 6,000 gallons today!” The Atlantic staff were great and treated us exactly like the high rollers, which, in my world is the sign of a fabulous FBO. Oh, and the free cookies were deluxe.

So the southbound leg of this adventure was in the books, but I still needed to get home. After a few days of magazine and ad agency business, it was time to depart on Monday, and I knew the day might be interesting when I first looked out the window and saw low clouds. A quick look at the NEXRAD revealed a significant line of thunderstorms had moved in to the area, and the most colorful returns were southwest of KBUR, headed northeast across my intended route of flight. I had hoped to skate out of there with clear + 1,000,000 WX, but now I’d have to work at it. All of this was confirmed with a call to the briefer.

My return routing back north was over LHS and EHF, and then I planned to cancel IFR and make a direct flight to lunch with friends in Auburn, CA. I again also added “No DP” in the remarks so I would not get into a conga line of jets all making some strange departure over real estate I did not care to tour. While this might make the high-timers laugh, it seemed perfectly logical to ask for radar vectors instead of a DP and let the competent ATC crew at ZLA aim me in the right direction.

We arrived back at the plane, and as we loaded our bags, I noticed we had a tremendous view of the landing zone of KBUR’s heavily used runway 8. We watched one 737 after another drop into this smallish airfield, sandwiched in amongst the movie studios. As each airliner would arrive, the tire smoke would drift over us, which made the entire ramp smell a bit like the business end of a drag strip when the brackett racers are lighting off their fresh Goodyears.

A look at the sky indicated that things were starting to go our way. I was not afraid to have to pop through a deck on my way out of KBUR, but with CU cells being painted across the NEXRAD, the last thing I cared to do was fly fat, dumb and happy into a hailstorm. So we made a leisurely task out of loading the Cherokee, watching as the weather meandered out of the area.

But a second check of the FBO’s NEXRAD in the flight briefing room looked even more ominous. It looked like the big stuff was pushing east of my course, and if my filed altitude of 10,000’ would keep me under the soup, I felt that I could safely make it north through Tejon Pass. All I needed to do was find out precisely how high the cloud deck was.

The METAR at my time of departure at KBUR was showing the sky was CLR, even though there was a solid deck overhead. This did not compute until I asked a Beechcraft Premier 1A driver who had just landed what he actually saw inbound. He told me the deck was 14,000’ and when I asked why “they” could call this clear, he sort of chuckled as he replied that the METAR’s “CLR” only meant “clear below one-two thousand.” Duh. Had I thought this through a little bit more, I’m sure I would have remembered that part. I do think the bizjet pilot might have almost enjoyed schooling this Cherokee driver.

Once I determined we were fine with the clouds and WX, I jumped on the radio and picked up my IFR clearance. No surprises, and instead of a complex route that the jet drivers have burned into their brains, my “No DP” request gave me back a simple “right turn to 210 direct Gorman (VOR).” Once ground decided which runway they were sending me to, we were off to see how this all would come down.

It is eerie to taxi a small GA plane down the middle of a large airliner taxiway which back at home in Eugene, OR would suffice as a perfectly fine runway. We arrived first in line at the Line Up and Wait line, and that is precisely what we did...waited...for 25 minutes. As the tower sought my IFR release, I sat baking in the SoCal sun, monitoring my mixture and EGTs while getting a VERY close look at the line of airliners arriving on my runway.

The KBUR tower controller could not have been more professional. As we sat, lined up and waiting at what I still call the Hold Short line, she kept me informed of the expected time to release. As I watched a Southwest slide down the glideslope, I could see another arriving jet out over Van Nuys, inbound for the same runway. Right before SWA dropped in, tower told me to “be ready to go in between the inbounds,” which got my attention. Seconds after SWA slammed to Earth, I was sent out to officially Line Up and Wait, which I did with the knowledge that at that precise moment, I was parked exactly where several gazillion pounds of airliner would plant its gear in a matter of seconds. This was no time for errors.

As SWA was exiting the runway for the terminal, I was given a go for launch. Maybe it was the large runway, or the density altitude, but Katy did not seem to be accelerating as fast as usual. Was my brain playing evil tricks on me, knowing I was just a tiny bit freaked to be using the same patch of this planet that another inbound airliner wanted to use? And when we rolled through the large area of freshly-burnt tire rubber in the touchdown zone, I briefly contemplated that quite possibly I had left the parking brake on, because the odor of somebody’s baked tires was permeating the cockpit.

But without fail, we departed and flew the nice, simple heading given in my clearance. It was just minutes before we climbed above the transient VFR traffic below us, on course and gone without incident. The rest of the trip back to my studio in the Pacific Northwest was uneventful and beautiful.

As promised by my CFI, operations into and out of KBUR would be cake if only I filed IFR. I’ll do that now on all flights into the L.A. area, because now I know I can tussle with the Big Dogs and not get chewed up. This is the only way to go in this kind of airspace, because when ATC knows where you are going, they seem to really want to do what they can to accommodate your routing. And when they know what you want as well as you do, a pilot and controller working together inside the IFR system can be quite an impressive team.

The Money Burger - Airplanista Aviation Magazine Monthly Column

This aviation magazine article was originally published in the October, 2011 issue of Airplanista Magazine. You can view the original story in our digital aviation magazine here.

Fill up on ribs in the Arizona Desert - Waldo’s BBQ at Lake Havasu City Airport, Lake Havasu City, Arizona (KHII)

By Chef Stuart Stein
thesustainablekitchen.com

Some might say flying to the desert southwest in late summer is insane. Temperatures can reach 105° F and density altitude is definitely a factor. So why venture out from my new home base of Montgomery Field (KMYF) in San Diego to western Arizona just for lunch? Because it’s pig on a grill!

Lake Havasu City, approximately 175 NM from San Diego and 115 NM from Palm Springs, is known as “Arizona’s Playground”. This unique destination offers three hundred days of sunshine a year and a myriad of family-friendly activities. The clear, pristine, warm waters make Lake Havasu one of the best boating, swimming and fishing lakes anywhere. Vacationers aren’t limited to water sports. Off-roading, hiking and golfing makes this an exciting and diverse Arizona vacation spot. What started out as an Army Air Corps rest camp during World War II, is now a little oasis town in the south western Arizona desert.

I’m an aviator and a chef, so I came for the flying and the food. I waited for the all too familiar morning marine layer to clear and departed the San Diego airspace. The goal was to cross the Laguna Mountains and reach the Arizona border before the afternoon desert heat set in. Lake Havasu City Airport (KHII) is an 8,001 ft. x 100 ft., 783 ft. MSL, non-towered airstrip with both a RNAV (GPS) and VOR/DME instrument approach. Operating in the current location since 1991, HII is located adjacent to Arizona State Route 95 and just east of the Colorado River. It sits approximately six miles north of the city and near the western foothills of the Mohave Mountains.

I touched down at Lake Havasu City Airport just before noon. Take my advice and make a call on 123.3 to announce your arrival to Desert Skies Executive Air and a “follow me” red truck will escort you to transient parking. Desert Skies is the longest operating of the three FBOs on the field. Manager John Gallup certainly knows customer service. They offer relatively inexpensive fuel and a complete array of services that include a flight school, aircraft rental, charters, G.P.U., 100LL, free high speed Wi-Fi, rental cars and two courtesy vans for those who would like to go into town and checkout Lake Havasu’s famous London Bridge. They have complimentary coffee for the caffeine addicted and a free slushy to beat the desert heat.

Proprietor Clay Caldwell has been operating restaurants around the Phoenix area for more than 20 years. His Havasu airport location of Waldo’s BBQ is located adjacent to Desert Skies and is the newest of his four establishments. The aviation themed, sports bar has a number of big screen TVs, a saloon-style bar along the wall and an airplane suspended from the ceiling. The over-sized couch and throw rugs make the place feel like you’re hanging out in your friend’s living room watching a game on the tube.

Waldo’s specializes in Central Texas style BBQ. Their version is similar to Memphis and Kansas City BBQ but the opposite of the vinegar based North Carolina BBQ. Mae West said, “Anything worth doing is worth doing slowly” and this is the credo of true BBQ. Waldo’s dry-rubs and slow smokes their meat over indirect heat from white oak. They don’t automatically moisten their meat with sauce. You’re in control. You have a choice of the Original rather thick, sweet, molasses-based sauce, the Louisiana spicy, the Jerk sweet n’spicy, the Mustard with a hint of vinegar or simply nothing at all.

The ribs deservedly have their own section on the menu ($8.95-$21.95). Choices abound. The meat-on-a-stick options rang from the ubiquitous Baby Back and Country ribs to my favorite, the lip smacking and unctuous St. Louis spare ribs. St. Louis pork ribs are the perfect balance of meat and fat; a mélange of spicy rub, a slightly bitter tinge of hardwood smoke and the sweetness of pork. They’re juicy and tender without completely falling off the bone. These are the kind of ribs that make you want to lick your fingers for hours.

Waldo’s isn’t limited to ribs but certainly could be. The pulled pork, pulled beef and pulled chicken sandwiches with sweet potato fries ($5.95 small, $6.95 large) are heavenly. The meat is cooked over a low, smoky fire to the point where it can be pulled apart by hand - meltingly tender, moist and juicy. They also have a few other sandwiches. The 1/3-pound BBQ Angus beef burger, a sirloin steak and Texas hotlink ($6.95-$7.95) are passable. If you’re going to bypass the four-legged protein, head for the cornmeal-breaded version of the Catfish Po’Boy ($6.95). The crispy and moist fish sandwich is served on a soft, poppy seed baguette and worth topping off with Waldo’s rich, creamy coleslaw ($.49 extra.).

If you want to get a good understanding of what Waldo’s is about, try the Sampler ($11.95) or share the Super Sampler ($15.95). With the Super, you can choose a 1/2-slab of ribs and any three meats from the choice of pork, beef, chicken brisket or hot links. More artery clogging flesh than you can consume in two sittings.

Still have room for dessert? Try the Skookie ($4.95), a chocolate chunk skillet cookie topped with vanilla ice cream. Reminds me of those chocolate chip cookies my mother use to bake when I came home from school. This monster is crisp, chewy and gooey, a little messy and a whole lot of fun.

Waldo’s BBQ and the Lake Havasu City Airport are under-discovered gems. A place where it’s worth stopping just for inexpensive 100LL, great BBQ or even a little weekend recreation. Be aware that your shoulder strap will be a few notches looser on the trip home.

Waldo’s BBQ Havasu Restaurant
5600 N. Highway 95, # 6
Lake Havasu City, Arizona, 86404
Phone: (928) 764-FOOD (3663)
Hours: Open daily
10:30am to 8:00pm Sunday thru Thursday
10:30am to 9:00pm Friday & Saturday

Chef Stuart Stein has worked as a cook, executive chef, culinary instructor and restaurateur all over the U.S. and France, and is the author of “The Sustainable Kitchen: Passionate Cooking Inspired by Farms, Forests, and Oceans.”

Broaden Your Horizons - Airplanista Aviation Magazine Feature Story

This aviation magazine article was originally published in the October, 2011 issue of Airplanista Magazine. You can view the original story in our digital aviation magazine here.

Chicagoland pilot and card-carrying Airplanista Todd McClamroch says flying is all about the experiences we enjoy in the air. He says that as aviators, we should always be looking for new aviation opportunities. Go ahead, take Todd’s advice and get out there to grab a new rating, go fast in a jet, strap on a parachute or snag a ride in a piece of flying history.

By Todd McClamroch
myflightblog.com

The vertical speed indicator would be indicating a nearly 10,000 feet per minute descent if I had not left it behind in the de Havilland Twin Otter when I jumped out of it with U.S. Army Golden Knight Staff Sergeant Matt Accord strapped to my back. Earlier that morning, Matt told me despite my being a pilot for the past seven years, I had not really flown and that he would show me true flight. Descending at 120MPH, I challenged his interpretation of flight but nonetheless had as much fun in the sky that one can have without access to an airplane.

Since becoming a pilot, I’ve had the opportunity to meet people in all walks of the aviation world, and I firmly believe there is no better community than the one built around aviation. The common bond of flight has helped build tremendous friendships and given me great access to amazing flight experiences. Pilots love sharing their passion and I have often found a new and exciting experience is just a request away.

Greg Morris of Gauntlet Warbirds recently gave me a Top Gun-esque experience by taking me up in their Czech-made L-39. He handed me the controls at 14,500 feet and walked me through my first aerobatics in a jet despite only having flown aerobatics once before and having no jet time in my logbook. After one of my best hours in the sky we discussed what drives most people to fly. It is not the prospect of flying for the practicability of business or for a weekend getaway travel. Instead it is for the sheer thrill of flying.

As a young boy, I was enamored with warbirds, so having the chance to fly in the Colling’s Foundation Nine-o-Nine B-17 from Valparaiso, IN to Chicago Executive Airport was a dream come true. This experience was made all that more special when I learned one of the other passengers was taking his first flight in a B-17 since he piloted one in WWII. He was joined by his grandchildren. Hearing his stories and seeing the emotions he shared in his expressions made a flight in this living relic unforgettable.

Flying is about experiences and I challenge everyone to make sure they seek out new experiences yearly. Whether it is a seaplane rating, mountain flying experience or taking an aerobatic lesson, seek out a new and exciting opportunity to broaden your aviation horizons.

ERAU Opens New Buildings in Daytona - Airplanista Aviation Magazine Monthly Column

This aviation magazine article was originally published in the October, 2011 issue of Airplanista Magazine. You can view the original story in our digital aviation magazine here.


By Joe Clark
bluewaterpress.com

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University has completed a $22.1 million construction project culminating in a grand opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony at 9 a.m. Friday, September 9, 2011. Seven new buildings comprising 97,550 square feet of additional space to the campus will support more than 2000 students in the Aeronautical Science, Air Traffic Management, Aviation Maintenance Science, Homeland Security, Meteorology, and Safety Science programs.

The ribbon cutting ceremony took place in the courtyard between the new Emil Buehler Aviation Maintenance Science Building and the Flight Operations Building and drew quite a crowd of students, and in addition, many local citizens. The speaker’s podium was located in front of a 20-foot high stainless-steel sculpture titled, Pathways to the Sky, by artist Peter Forster.

Those who graduated from ERAU sometime in the 1960s, 70s, or 80s, truly will not recognize the campus as it stands today. In ”the old days,” the buildings consisted of ancient structures originally constructed on the airport property, which once served as a naval training facility during World War II. The parking lot was actually a portion of an old, closed runway.

Speaking to the assembled crowd, President of the university, Dr. John P. Johnson, said this is “truly a day of celebration as we launch a new era” in aviation. He went on to introduce other speakers including Dr. Tim Brady, Dean of the College of Aviation in Daytona, Daytona Beach Mayor Glenn Ritchey, and graduates Jim Hagedorn and Mori Hosseini.

Daytona Beach Mayor Glenn Ritchey, who is also a member of the university’s board, said Embry-Riddle is a “critical economic” generator for the city and county, and it continues to grow with even more new buildings on the horizon.

“Every success Embry-Riddle enjoys, we enjoy as a city and county,” Ritchey said. The mayor went on to note the economic impact of the university on the local economy was $400 million a year. He spoke of the days in the early 1960s when many of the residents of Daytona helped the university relocate from the Miami area to Daytona.

Hosseini, who serves as the vice chairman of Embry-Riddle’s Board of Trustees, was instrumental in helping the university after the Christmas Day tornadoes of 2006. Touring the carnage with President Johnson, Hosseini voiced the opinion that rather than repair, rebuild.

Hosseini said the first time he walked onto the Daytona campus and into the buildings, he “fell in love” with the school. Talking to the students and others assembled at the ribbon cutting, he said he wanted other students to experience similar emotions.

After Hosseini concluded his remarks, Hagedorn took the podium for his comments. A 1979 graduate of the university, he serves as the chairman and CEO of Scotts Miracle-Gro. He attributes ERAU as the place where he found direction in his life and discovered what he “wanted to be—a fighter pilot.” After graduation, he served seven years in the Air Force rising to the rank of captain and piloting F-16s.

Hagedorn contributed $2.5 million to the construction of the facility that bears his name. In describing the complex, he referred to it as a temple.

“It’s a temple of aviation and a temple of dreams for all the people who walk through those doors and walk out aviators,” Hagedorn explained in describing the facility.

At the conclusion of remarks by the various dignitaries, they gathered in front of the crowd and with overly large scissors, cut the purple ribbon in front of the crowd. The new buildings were then open and available for tours.

In addition to the contributions by Hosseini and Hagedorn, the Emil Buehler Perpetual Trust and the family of Sam Goldman also provided funds for the construction project. Another contributor to the university was Helen Wessel, who commissioned the artworks for the facility. In addition to Forster’s work, Pathways to the Sky, another piece of art titled Reaching New Horizons by artist Kerry Transtrum, graces the atrium of the Flight Operations building.

The Emil Buehler Aviation Maintenance Science Building is 48,680 square-foot building which will provide classroom and lab space for training students who aspire to become aircraft technicians. One unique feature of the building is the large observation deck on the third floor overlooking the Daytona Beach International Airport.

Across the courtyard from the aviation maintenance building is a two-story structure that houses the Flight Operations Building. This almost 34,000 square-foot building is the heart of flight training at the university. It contains offices and classrooms, a control tower overlooking the ramp, flight planning facilities, and the dispatch desk.

Next to the Flight Operations Building, stands a 15,000 square-foot maintenance facility. The Samuel M. Goldman Fleet Maintenance Hangar is where the maintenance technicians service the university’s 92 aircraft.

If you’re ever flying down the Florida peninsula, take a moment to land and check out all that is available at the school. It is worth the stop.

AOPA Summit: Happening in Hartford - Airplanista Aviation Magazine Feature Story:

This aviation magazine article was originally published in the October, 2011 issue of Airplanista Magazine. You can view the original story in our digital aviation magazine here.

Line Pilot Pat Flannigan lands at AOPA’s annual expo to sample the latest in toys, slick avionics, and new flying machines. In between booth hopping and dodging rain clouds at the static displays, he was involved in spirited conversation about user fees, which in this venue was identified as public enemy #1 for GA.

By Pat Flannigan,
aviationchatter.com

Aviation professionals, insiders and pilots converged on downtown Hartford Connecticut for three days of airplanes, technology and fun. AOPA put on a great show with planes and products on display, hours of educational seminars and a slew of great social events.

A big topic of discussion amongst pilots was the new threat of user fees present in President Obama’s deficit reduction plan. The plan calls for a $100 surcharge per flight for any turboprop or private jet operating in the air traffic control system. AOPA President Craig Fuller and EAA President Rod Hightower promised a united front against user fees and indicated that discussion was already underway with the FAA and congressional representatives.

Another big news item was the announcement of a cooperative effort to eliminate FAA medical certificates for non commercial aviation. AOPA and the EAA are petitioning the FAA for a waiver that will allow recreational and private pilots to operate a civil aircraft with a driver’s license in lieu of a third class medical. The proposal will require pilots to attend some form of medical self-certification training and builds upon a perfect seven year safety record under the sport pilot rule which does not require a medical exam.

Cuba Gooding Jr. made an appearance to promote his new film, Red Tails, an action film by George Lucas about the first African-American fighter squadron. Lucasfilm set up a screening room near a Commemorative Air Force P-51C and gave AOPA members a first look at the trailer for Red Tails. The film is slated to be released January 20.

One of the best things about Summit are the many talks by industry legends and this year was no different. Encouraging pilots not to rush was a common theme across the seminar floor from Michael Goulian’s discussion on establishing a safety-culture to John and Martha King’s cautionary tales of unwanted adventure.

All eyes were on the iPad this year as evidenced by the overwhelming interest in the hour-long seminar, iPad’s in the Cockpit, by Ian Twombly and John Zimmerman. Over 400 people attended the talk which demonstrated the many uses of iPads from preflight planning to inflight use, including an inside look at how Alaska Airlines organizes their manuals and charts.

iPads were a big hit on the show floor too, most notably around the Aspen Avionics booth. Aspen has made a bold step towards the future by fully integrating the panel with mobile devices. The new technology, called Connected Panel, allows pilots to check weather and build flight plans at home and with the touch of a button, sync them with the airplane.

Despite some rainy weather, there was plenty of foot-traffic at AirportFest, a static aircraft display at the nearby Brainard Airport. Cessna had the biggest showing, featuring almost their entire product line, from the Skycatcher all the way to the one-year-old Citation CJ4.

But Liberty Sport Aviation took center stage when they unveiled the Bristell. The sleek all-metal airplane from the Czech Republic was the brainchild of Milan Bristela, who was involved in designing the Evektor Sportstar and Piper Sport. Bristell is powered by a 100 hp Rotax 912, has a range of 700 nautical miles and can carry a useful load of 617 pounds. The airplane looks sporty and features a spacious and comfortable cockpit.

As is always the case, next year’s AOPA Aviation Summit moves to the West Coast and will be held in Palm Springs, California, Oct. 11 through 13.

Flying, Across the Pond - Flying in Thin Air

This aviation magazine article was originally published in the October, 2011 issue of Airplanista Magazine. You can view the original story in our digital aviation magazine here.

Flying in Thin Air

By Vincent Lambercy

With an elevation close to its runway length, Samedan Airport (LSZS) is very unique. It is located close to St. Moritz, at an elevation is 5,600 feet MSL in the Engadin Valley in Switzerland. With a runway only 5,900 feet long, even pilots flying with turbocharged engines notice a significant difference in takeoff performance due to the thinner air.

At LSZS, the take-off roll, with a normally-aspirated engine, seems to last forever. Pilots who don’t stick to the best climb speed put themselves at risk of being hit by a ball when flying over the golf course located 800 meters from the departure end of runway 21.

Samedan is a military airport open to civil traffic, and the traffic can be dense in both summer or winter. The pattern for single-engine aircraft is at 1,000 feet above airport level but because of the surrounding high terrain, it is much lower above ground level. Most of the summits around peak at 7,000 or 8,000 feet, and some even reach 10,000 MSL. The valley is indeed so tight that there is no room for a base leg, even flying at 70 or 80 knots in a Diamond DA-40 like we flew into Samedan. Light twins, turboprop and jets have to fly direct approaches.

This part of Switzerland is not easy to reach. Zürich is only 75 nautical miles away...in a straight line. But driving between the two cities by car takes close to three hours, in good weather, and you must cross several high passes. There are no direct roads, and train connections are not faster. This makes flying a serious option for those who are worthy enough to consider it an affordable option. The airport can accommodate aircraft up to the size of a Boeing 737 Business Jet, and many makes/models of business jets are frequently flying in and out of Samedan because of its proximity to St. Moritz.

During summer, the altitude combined with temperatures in the high 70s makes Samedan one of the most challenging airports in Europe. Gliders, paragliders and skydivers are also part of the game. In such a terrain, any strong wind is a no-go. Operating in Samedan in winter is even more complex, because of snow. Samedan is in the heart of the Alps and it is not unlikely to see up to 20 inches of snow fall within less than a day. Keeping the runway and tarmac in operational conditions is a challenge for the airport operator in inclement conditions.

The proximity with Davos, Switzerland makes Samedan the airport of choice during the yearly meetings of the World Economic Forum, each winter. During this time the airport is closed to most traffic and large prohibited areas are in place and enforced by the Swiss Air Force. Several supplements are published in the Swiss AIP to make sure all the extra restrictions are clear for all pilots in the vicinity.

Three accidents involving business jets in 2009 and 2010 led to the introduction of a mandatory briefing for commercial operators. In the 2009 accident, the wingtip of a Falcon 10 did hit a snowbank along the runway, which was identified as a contributing factor by the investigation report. The aircraft veered and broke into two pieces. Reading the report shows how challenging a landing in Samedan can be in rapidly deteriorating weather conditions - the snow bank was was 13 feet high!

But if you prepare and execute your flight well, the region has a lot to offer to treat yourself. One of the specialities of the canton (state) of Graubünden where Samedan is located is a dried meat called “Bindenfleisch”. This is beef meet, dried in open air, and then served in thin slices. This makes a perfect starter dish.

After landing into Samedan, like in most European airports, you’ll have to walk to the control tower to pay your landing fees. But there, to make it less bitter and more sweet, you can also buy the second local culinary speciality: a Bündner Nusstorte. This is a honey and nut pie, and no visitor should miss it. You can have one at the airport’s restaurant, or explore the surroundings.

The Graubünden area offers every possible mountain-related activity - skiing, snowboarding, hiking, golf, mountain biking and some of the most luxurious spas of the country. There’s no better way to relax after a flight than bathing in open air hot springs, surrounded by the glorious snowy mountain peaks of the Swiss Alps.

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Reflections on a Bad Day - Airplanista Aviation Magazine Monthly Column

This aviation magazine article was originally published in the October, 2011 issue of Airplanista Magazine. You can view the original story in our digital aviation magazine here.

By Dick Knapinski,
EAA Communications Director

The original intent for this month’s column was to outline some of the early attractions coming to Oshkosh in 2012, along with some of the fall maintenance chores and other things that are going on throughout the AirVenture grounds.

That can wait, though.

All of us in aviation have been following the events and aftermath of the tragedy at the National Championship Air Races in Reno that took place on Sept. 16. Your heart breaks for the families of those lost or injured in the accident, and some of us recall friends that may have been lost that day.

The ripples from that event spread farther than just the boundaries of Reno-Stead Airport. It affects everyone one of us who flies or watches those who fly high or fast or on the edge. It also leaves an indelible mark on those who devote themselves to organizing the events that bring us together in aviation, whose toil and effort are focused on allowing the rest of us show up and have a great time.

Right after the Reno accident, and the initial thoughts of those involved and the safety of the EAA personnel on the scene, my reflections were about those who would have to stand in front of the media and describe the day and what happened. Even though the people who faced that chore are more than passing acquaintances, and I’ve never met most of them, I felt an instant connection. I’ve been there in similar circumstances. Those in that role know what it’s like to go from everything humming along smoothly to what could become your worst day ever.

When accidents occur at larger events, the plan is typically in place and the assignments are designated. Just please don’t call it a routine, because there’s nothing routine about it. There is an instant chaos factor – what happened, what’s happening now, who’s on the scene – followed by an enormous wave of requests and demands (use the appropriate word here of your choosing) of media, staff, volunteers and countless others who want information immediately.

Tidbits of information are flying everywhere at a time like this. Some of it is credible; some is nothing more than the vapor of a rumor. Part of the job in a communications role is sorting through those things by quickly verifying facts or trying to reach people who are frantically trying to do their job as well. Chaos is part of the moment. The best plan in the world designed at a calm meeting will be stressed because of human emotion and adrenaline.

Answering the first round of media questions might be the toughest time for those in that situation. I’m friends with hundreds of media people; I came up through that profession myself. I realize they have a job to do. Many are fine, sensitive people; some are in a hurry for a story and others are, well, the seamy underbelly of the media business. Replying to the questions as honestly as one can with the confirmed information available is all one can do, even as the rumors and frenzy may offer something else.

There’s another element that complicates a response at times like this: the explosion of social media. There a good likelihood that a photo or video from an accident will be on the Internet even before most people organizing an event know about it.

Here’s where sometimes we as aviators get in our own way of media coverage of flying. There’s a human nature to show people that something that you might be able to make available to the world. Thus, we’ll post that photo or video of an accident or its aftermath on our YouTube, Twitter or Facebook page or, even further, hawk it to the local media.

While it’s not fair to get up on a soapbox and say “don’t do that,” it’s important to remember the impact of that posting. How many non-aviators will see it and build their own perceptions about flying from it? Is that what you, as a flying enthusiast, want to show people as you talk about the fun and attraction of aviation? Is it the impression you want the media to have of what we do and enjoy? Those are questions that we each must answer individually.

Within flying there is joy and risk, there’s freedom and responsibility. We accept it a part of being involved. It’s also why we share the sadness when tragedies happen and share the enthusiasm and happiness when we see flying accomplishments, great and small.

Meet a Motivated Young Airplanista - Feature Story from Airplanista Aviation Magazine

This aviation magazine article was originally published in the October, 2011 issue of Airplanista Magazine. You can view the original story in our digital aviation magazine here.

by Dan Pimentel,
Airplanista Editor

Airplanistas come in all sizes, genders and ages, and can reside in any part of this globe. To compliment my story on EAA’s Young Eagles Program, I wanted to investigate just what the future of aviation looks like to a 12-year-old girl, one with her eyes firmly planted in the sky. To obtain this information, I had to look no further than Amy Jens Hansen, a polite, articulate future pilot from Southern California.

I met Amy at Airplanista Magazine’s Tweet-up event this past summer at EAA AirVenture. What amazed me about this young girl was her clear articulation of her flying passions. She is mature beyond her years, and after reading the following interview, I think you’ll agree with me that there is a 1,000% certainty that this girl will earn her place in the left seat of something shiny and fast as soon as she possibly can.

Airplanista Magazine: How old were you when you were first introduced to flying?
Amy Jens Hansen: I was nine-months-old when my dad took me flying for the first time in the RV-6A plane that he built. To protect my ears, my dad fashioned some foam inserts to fit around my ears and my mom sewed them into my baby bonnet and that’s what I flew with until I got my own headset! My Dad flew me around the field and did some pattern work. As we taxied by some fellow pilots he unclipped me from my seat and held me up so they could see he was introducing his daughter to flying at such a young age.

AM: When did you know for sure that you wanted to be a pilot someday?
AJH: I was about seven years old and I remember just the sense of awe of lifting off the ground and no longer being anchored to the earth by gravity. I loved that feeling and knew right then I wanted more of it.

AM: I understand military aviation runs in your family. Is being a military aviator something that interests you?
AJH: Well, that’s a deep and especially meaningful question to me. My grandfather, Richard J Hansen, flew in many major operations during WWII. He flew a C-47 in the 93rd Squadron of the 439th Troop Carrier Group. He flew in Operation Market Garden, Operation Varsity and also flew in the Berlin Airlift. The courage and skill that he and other pilots had to have is evident in looking at the pictures depicting the flight operations, especially the formation flying with double glider tows. Being a military aviator interests me because I’d love to carry on my grandfather’s legend and the military offers nearly unlimited access to cutting edge technology and aircraft. Being a part of one of America’s main prides would be an honor. My grandfather inspired me in many things and is, and always will be, a dear memory in my heart.

AM: Your dad builds experimental airplanes. Do you help him, and do you feel this time together building planes with your father is quality time?
AJH: Yes, I do help my dad build. Currently we are building an RV-10 for the family and I help put rivets in and inspect them with the rivet gauges to make sure they’ve set correctly to depth and diameter. Most recently, we built fiberglass panels of the door, which was a very intense process that required the entire family to participate because the dry time was very short! It is so fun to build planes with my family. I don’t know what my life would be like if we hadn’t started this project. We hope to fly into Oshkosh in 2012 for the EAA Airventure show that will be honoring Richard Van Grunsven, the inventor of the RV series. This is quality time for me and my dad because most dads spend all day away at work and I get to help my dad with his work!

AM: You mentioned that you intend to enroll in an aeronautical university. Tell us what your research on this topic has uncovered.
AJH: If ever there was an aviation university that could offer me everything I wanted as far as degrees I want to pursue and aviation experience I will need to succeed, it is Embry Riddle Aeronautical University. ERAU is a strong candidate as a college for me to go to because it offers the normal four-year degree that I could get at other universities while earning my aviation ratings at the same time. With 150 campus centers throughout the U.S., Canada and Europe I’m sure there is one that will suit me. In my eyes, ERAU is awesome!

AM: When I met you and your family at Oshkosh this summer, you mentioned that AirVenture was a good experience for families with young girls who want to become aviators. Why?
AJH: The trip was extremely educational and fun because not only did we have the wonderful Airventure Oshkosh experience, we also toured many wonderful things in the U.S. including five state capitols along the way. This is definitely a good experience for young girls because it not only provides one-on-one family time, it also gets them stoked for aviation! They started Women Venture a couple of years ago and they are really focusing on young girls and helping them achieve their dreams of becoming pilots. People like Julie Clark and organizations like Girls With Wings and the 99 Club all have a focus on helping young girls towards their aspirations to be a pilot.

AM: What was the coolest thing you saw at Oshkosh?
AJH: The coolest thing about Oshkosh is definitely the people! They are of one mind, all mingling together, coming from all corners of the world to become one throbbing heartbeat for aviation.

AM: Describe your deep inner feelings about flying.
AJH: I literally dream about flight! I love the sensation I get when the wheels leave the runway, the vibration that rolls up my spine to my head and it’s just the sense of wonder! It gives me chills just thinking about it! Then when I’m up there, I feel this sense of peace, like I’m all alone and nothing can harm me when I’m up there. Living in California, the only thing I’d want to be doing during an earthquake is flying! Flying is a great joy, but it is also a great responsibility. It is sad to hear about the long-time small airports that are being shut down. It is sad to think of the pilots who have made these airports their home base and the airports are being closed down and being replaced by houses or other city uses. It is a wonderful freedom, but with freedom comes responsibility. We need to protect our small airports by using them, speaking up in protection of them and letting others know that they are a unique symbol of American freedom.

AM: As a young girl, what do you think the GA community needs to do a better job of to interest other girls in flying?
AJH: We need to recognize the bravery of women pilots who blazed the trail of aviation for women and bring that knowledge to young girls. Airventure at Oshkosh should have more girl-based things. They have KidVenture and they have WomenVenture, but they should have GirlVenture with competitions that would give girls a chance to win a piloting session with a flight instructor while at Oshkosh. Or a chance to have a flight with someone like Patty Wagstaff or Julie Clark. And we have the Blue Angels, we should have a squadron of Pink Angels to inspire girls and women pilots.

AM: Do you think the same opportunities exist for both young men and women to become professional pilots?
AJH: Yes. A long time ago it was proven that girls can do things as well as boys and sometimes…even better! Girls have to be willing to pursue their dreams, but we have fashion, time at the mall and talking on the phone with our friends that gets in the way of our focus on aviation. But, of course, flying fashionably requires cute clothes!

AM: GA seems to have lots of negative issues coming at us all the time right now, such as questions about 100LL fuel availability, FAA funding, and increasing costs of airplanes and fuel. Do you think this instability is keeping people from learning to fly?
AJH: Yes, it does keep people from wanting to learn how to fly. I think people who want to learn aviation say no because they are afraid it will be a wasted investment because of our poor economy; without realizing that aviation is rewarding and worthwhile and will serve many good purposes in many good ways.

AM: As the next generation of pilots, what will young people like yourself have to do to help grow a stronger GA community?
AJH: We are going to have to cherish general aviation now for what it is, because if we don’t cherish it now, we’ll lose it forever. When I said cherishing I meant that we need to use general aviation, take advantage of its opportunities to keep it alive to let people know we haven’t let it go to waste. Bring attention to organizations that are using general aviation to do good like Pilots N Paws (pilotsnpaws.org). That is an organization that is using small airports to transport and deliver rescued animals to new, loving owners. Continuing to use small airports makes sure that general aviation and small airports will stay in use.

AM: There are plenty of news reports and research data out today that suggests girls are less likely to excel in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. How important is it for girls in your generation to study this curriculum if their eventual goal is to become a pilot?
AJH: First of all, if girls were given the proper opportunities to be encouraged to pursue science and mathematics then I think that statistic would be different. Today there is so much emphasis on the fashion world that girls often lose themselves in that without realizing that they’re taking a chunk out of their futures by not pursuing math and science. Aviation has a lot to do with engineering. Engineering has a lot to do with math which goes hand in hand with science. It is extremely important for girls to study math and science. I’m also homeschooled, which has offered me the opportunity to pursue higher levels of science and math.

AM: Look out in the future 10 years to 2021. What do you think the general aviation world will look like?
AJH: I see solar powered planes landing on roads to get a Starbucks only to take off again on their way to Hawaii. I see hybrids and electrics booming by the year 2021 and most everyone will have a personal airplane in addition to a car. Science majors will have opportunities in the next ten years to bring technology to fruition that right now is only on the cusp of being discovered. The jobs will be plentiful as my generation creates new and improved technology.

AM: If you could describe your perfect flying life as an adult, what do you aspire to do, to be and why.
AJH: I will have a 2022 Ford Mustang that has jet propulsion as its hybrid extension, allowing it to fly as well as to travel on roads. So when I feel the need for speed I can meet that need in the air or on the road. Now back to real life, I’d have my pilot’s license, an RV-6A to fly, a major in science, my own private business and be flying to a different airport every weekend and I would be a yearly attendee of the Airventure Oshkosh event. Because aviation is in my blood, it’s my passion and without passion you have nothing.

Help save GA by filling your right seat with future aviators - Airplanista Aviation Magazine Monthly Column

This aviation magazine article was originally published in the October, 2011 issue of Airplanista Magazine. You can view the original story in our digital aviation magazine here.

by Dan Pimentel,
Airplanista Editor

We’ve all seen that table full of senior pilots at the local airport cafe, chatting while they solve all of the world’s problems. Each one has a different story to tell. Some might be veterans, others are retired line pilots. One guy might have built numerous experimental ships, or a lady seated there might own a few Women’s Air Race trophies.

While it’s true this group has answers for nearly every aviation question, but none of them have successfully found a way to stop time.

As these senior pilots age out altogether and lose their FAA medical privileges, it is of critical importance that a new crop of young, active pilots are being licensed at the opposite end of the private pilot age envelope. If we are to maintain the numbers of licensed pilots in our aviation family, it is vital that we keep the best and brightest young people coming into the system at least as fast as the seniors pilots are closing their logbooks...forever.

This “churn rate” of one pilot in, one pilot out can be best maintained when we expose kids to flying early in their life, so that their dreams to fly can be realized as they mature into adults. The best program to achieve that goal is EAA’s Young Eagles, a wonderfully efficient endeavor that has introduced flying to 1.6 million kids.

In this issue, you will meet one of those Young Eagles who will be joining us in the sky as soon as she possibly can. I met Amy Jens Hansen at AirVenture this summer, and I was impressed by the articulate ease in which she could describe her passion for flying. She will fill the spot in our pilot population vacated as a senior stick is relegated to full-time passenger status, this I guarantee you. But if the future of aviation in this country is to have a fighting chance, we need 1,000s of boys and girls like Amy all gazing skyward with that look in their eyes that we once had, and the fire in their souls we pilots all have.

As you read these articles in this issue, think about what YOU are doing to introduce young people to flying. If you’ve taken a future aviator flying recently, you can call yourself an Airplanista.

EAA Young Eagles - Producing our future aviators - Airplanista Aviation Magazine Feature Story

This aviation magazine article was originally published in the October, 2011 issue of Airplanista Magazine. You can view the original story in our digital aviation magazine here.

By Dan Pimentel
Airplanista Magazine Editor

Each day, some of our “senior” pilots will not have their medical certificate renewed, and the aviation family loses a few more licensed pilots who buy airplanes, fuel and $100 hamburgers. In an age where general aviation is being hammered from all directions with threats to our flying freedoms, it is critical that we as a community work to bring young people into the system as fresh student pilots.

In this special report, Airplanista looks at this topic from two angles. We present an in-depth look at EAA’s Young Eagles Program, and also introduce you to Amy Jens Hansen, who at 12 years old, already knows she’ll soon be one of those future student pilots.

When you ask 1,000 current, licensed pilots what one thing we in the aviation community should be doing to help preserve the future of general aviation, 999 of them would answer that we need to take more young people flying. And that one other pilot? He wouldn’t have time to answer the question because he’s headed out to the airport to take a neighborhood girl up in his Skyhawk...it’ll be her first GA flight ever.

Actually, that dramatization is only slightly more colorful than research data from the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) shows. In 1991, EAA surveyed long-time members to determine the association’s future priorities, and nearly 92 percent said EAA’s primary objective should be to involve more young people in aviation. From that information, EAA’s Young Eagles Program was developed, and it was officially introduced in Washington, D.C. in May, 1992.

Taking a young, impressionable kid flying in our glorious, magical flying machines is a thrill many pilots enjoy. To look over in the right seat and see a wide smile, eager eyes and a soaring soul when a kid takes their very first small airplane ride is one of aviation’s most golden moments. To know that you might very well be lighting the fire that eventually burns hot enough to propel that future pilot to earn his or her private pilot’s certificate is a gratifying feeling that we should all experience as much as we can.

Many pilots freelance in this capacity, randomly finding young people to take flying. But for about 42,000+ aviators like EAA members Fred Stadler and Larry Durst, it makes sense to fly these introductory flights under the umbrella of the Young Eagles program, a highly successful and mature curriculum that provides maximum excitement for the young person while organizing tasks for the pilot. To date, the program has been able to introduce 1.6 million young people to aviation, with their names all placed in EAA’s “world’s largest logbook.”

Young Eagles is a polished, well-developed program that offers much more to the young person than just a pleasant airplane ride. Once a young person completes their flight and earns their very cool Young Eagles Flight Certificate, they become eligible for some amazing benefits, including free EAA student membership, free electronic copies of EAA Sport Aviation Magazine, free admission to over 300 science and technology museums, free access to Sporty’s® online Complete Flight Training Course (a $215 value), and other EAA member benefits.

Stadler and Durst are the top two Young Eagle pilots in the program, measured by flights given. These two pilots are the “Eagle Kings,” and exemplify the true meaning of “paying it forward,” which is the fundamental theory behind the success of Young Eagles. Both pilots have aviation hard-wired into their souls, and their contributions to this article are meant to help other pilots understand the importance of introducing the next generation to the sky.

Let’s take a closer look at what motivates Stadler, and the Durst’s, Larry and his wife Maxine, who is a vital part of the couple’s Young Eagle success story.

Fred Stadler - 4,659 Young Eagles flown

“Aviation has always been enjoyed by a tiny fraction of the population, but may never have been as threatened as now,” says Fred Stadler, a long-time Young Eagles pilot and also volunteer pilot at EAA’s Pioneer Airport. “Any pilot who enjoys the freedom we have in American aviation should seek ways to protect that freedom. And the most basic way to do that is to ensure that the majority of the public that is not directly involved with aviation is supportive, or at least tolerant of our interests.”

The Young Eagles program, explains Stadler, provides a “structured way to present the benefits of aviation in a direct and personal way not only to the young people, but also to their parents.” While a major goal is to stimulate future pilots, he is quick to note that the program has other important benefits.

“Young people are smart and quickly know what they like when presented with experiences.” Stadler said. “A high percentage of the Young Eagles I fly have never been in any sort of airplane. If they and their parents simply become “aviation tolerant,” that’s a positive effect from the program. There also is some value in a young person seeing that an adult, not a relative or teacher, is interested in sharing something with them. Hopefully that sets a standard for volunteerism that may yield benefits for society in the future.”

The flights are much the same for young people at both ends of the Young Eagles age envelope, which is 8 - 17 years old, but the conversations during and after the flights often vary a lot. “At age eight,” Stadler says, “young people can be very smart and remarkably insightful, although they may not be able to articulate their thoughts completely. With these younger kids, I emphasize the fun and discovery aspects of the flight, and with older ones I take extra time to make sure they and their parents know what they can do right now to pursue an aviation interest.”

Stadler’s chosen means to reach the public is to fly Young Eagles flights primarily in RV-6s and GlaStars, although he has used his Cessna 310 for the mission too. And these flights are far more than just a casual joy ride to poke holes in the sky, when you think it through as thoroughly as Stadler has.

“Planning a Young Eagle flight should start with deciding what ‘take-away points’ you want the Young Eagle to derive from the discussion and flight,” he said. “I’ve focused my expectations to two primary messages: I want the Young Eagle to decide that flying is fun and I want them to realize that they can do it. Those objectives drive every aspect of my preflight discussion, the flight itself, and the discussion afterward. On my first Young Eagle flights, I probably tried to explain too many different things. I’m sure I was excited to share my enjoyment of aviation and I wanted the Young Eagles to know everything about the airplane and the flight. I’ve since worked to focus my comments on information that will be interesting and useful for the Young Eagle.”

Stadler starts a flight by having the Young Eagle touch the plane, sometimes on the guise of inspecting it to find what it is made of. Often their parents may have told them not to touch anything and while he wants them to be cautious with the propeller, his goal is for the Young Eagle to be comfortable with the plane and to satisfy their curiosity about it. “I’ve found that having each Young Eagle operate the controls on the ground with the engine off greatly increases the likelihood that they will be comfortable with flying the plane in the air. I’d estimate that about four out of five Young Eagles operate the controls for a good portion of the flight. I always include the parents in the preflight discussion,” Stadler said.

Stadler does not miss any details, and after well over four thousand missions, he knows that the little things count on this very important day for the Young Eagle. “How the Young Eagle boards the plane has some considerations of its own,” Stadler explains. “I want each Young Eagle to view themselves as a crew member, not just a passenger, so I find a way for them to climb into the airplane themselves without being picked up by their parent and plopped into a seat. Proper seat cushions are very important so that the Young Eagle has a good view forward, both to enjoy the flight and to be able to control the plane. I keep a parent nearby when attaching the Young Eagle’s seat belt and shoulder harness. Then I try to ensure that the parent gets a good picture of the Young Eagle wearing a headset in the plane with a “thumbs up” pose. The picture can be a strong reminder of their flight for the Young Eagle.”

As he taxis to the runway, Stadler highlights the instruments that the Young Eagle will need to reference during the flight. Rather than describing the function of every instrument, he focuses on the altimeter, for example, which the Young Eagle will use as a reference for holding altitude.”

Immediately after takeoff, Stadler starts pointing out things of interest on the ground. Once the plane is leveled off in cruise, he points out the sight picture of the horizon forward so the Young Eagle will be able to maintain the pitch of the plane. “With the plane trimmed, I have them fly, first maintaining altitude. Then I have them make some gentle turns and fly toward clearly identified locations on the ground. When possible, I have the Young Eagles “race” a car on a road below, illustrating the speed of the plane, which often is not evident to them. The emphasis is not so much on technique as it is on being fun and easy,” Stadler said.

As to the costs incurred by flying Young Eagles, Stadler doesn’t attempt to rationalize the flights on a financial basis. “Aviation is my hobby and while it is expensive, there certainly are more expensive hobbies enjoyed by other people. I believe there are substantial public benefits from the Young Eagle activity, but my participation is based primarily on the substantial personal reward it provides,” he said.

Stadler points out that the biggest secret of the Young Eagles program isn’t what the youngsters or their parents receive – it’s what the Young Eagle pilots get. “As pilots,” he says, “we will never have the chance to relive the exhilaration of our own first flight experiences. But the closest thing is to be sitting next to a young person when they first look down at their world and see it in a different way. We can vicariously share in their excitement and be reminded about the wonder of what we otherwise may take as routine.”

Larry and Maxine Durst - 4,575 Young Eagles flown

The Dursts feel that we in the aviation community need to always be promoting general aviation by our conversations and our actions to the non-flying public. One of the best ways they have found to keep that conversation going is through the interaction that is achieved when parents bring their children to the airport for Young Eagles rides. “I feel public relations is a VERY important function the program,” says Larry Durst. “We receive nothing but positive comments about the program from the parents. They appreciate that we donate all of the costs, and that we are willing to spend many weekends during the summer flying their children. This kind of positive PR never hurts if we need a few more sympathetic voters when there is an airport issue.”

It is important to understand that this is a two-person Young Eagles team, with Maxine Durst playing a role equal to her husband Larry. How they came to fly thousands of Young Eagles flights is an interesting demonstration of spousal teamwork.

“I came home from our EAA Chapter’s Young Eagle’s Fly Day on June 21, 2003 and announced to my wife that I now had a total of 433 Young Eagles flown,” Larry explains. “She asked me if I was going to have 500 by the Wright Brother’s Anniversary, and I said no. She asked that if she could get me the kids, would I fly them. By the time the weather stopped our routine flying that summer, Maxine had recruited 210 kids for me to fly, and we ended 2003 with 643 Young Eagles flown.”

From that successful year, Maxine Durst has been a one-woman Young Eagles recruiting machine, and since 2003 she’s spent many hours presenting the Program to grade schools in Southern Oregon. She does all of the scheduling of flights, and calls all of the parents the day before the flight to remind them. After arranging the flights, she then spends all day at the airport in all kinds of weather presenting the kids with their Young Eagle Certificates and doing Young Eagle and general aviation public relations with the parents. To date, Maxine has scheduled some 4,300 kids, with Larry flying 4,127 of that group. The other approximately 173 kids were flown by other pilots.

Larry is more than appreciative of the stellar work his wife has done for the program, and for GA advocacy. “I can’t give enough credit and appreciation to Maxine for her work in the Young Eagles program. Her untiring and unending effort for eight years in scheduling the kids, promoting the Young Eagles program and talking up general aviation to the parents while I am flying their children is worth a medal of honor in my book.”

Team Durst knows that not all young people they fly in the program will become pilots. But, as an avid gardner, Larry sees some similarity to planting his annual garden when he flies Young Eagles. “I strongly feel that the Young Eagle program is a multi-faceted, win-win situation for aviation. Our philosophy is to take not only students that want to become pilots, but to give as many of our young people as possible an opportunity to experience an airplane ride. I like to say the Young Eagle program is similar to gardening. I’m planting a flying seed in as many young minds as I can, and don’t really know how many of those seeds will germinate.”

Larry and Maxine focus primarily on flying elementary school children, up to the fifth grade. They have found that many 8-12 year olds are not interested in doing a preflight, so that part of the flight is not explained unless asked, and then it is usually more for the parent than the child.

Even with so many flights in his logbook, the costs of his participation as a Young Eagles pilot can be justified easily by Larry. “You can’t equate a dollar sign to something you strongly believe in and truly enjoy doing. If I had to justify the cost of each fish I caught or animal I bagged, I would sell my fishing and hunting equipment and take up knitting. I do this because of the kids, and love it when they show their appreciation by repeatedly thanking us for taking them on their first airplane ride. Sometimes we’ll receive a hand-drawn thank you card telling us how much fun they had, and I can’t think of any greater reward than that kind of sincerity. Top that off with the parent’s appreciation, and it is more than worth every minute and penny we spend. If these comments don’t give you a warm fuzzy feeling, nothing will.”

For the last nine years, the Dursts have been awarded the George Bogardus Award for flying the most Young Eagles in Oregon. In 2006, they were the recipient of the EAA’s Horizon Award, presented to them at AirVenture by actor, Harrison Ford, a former Young Eagles Chairman.

Another pilot who is currently devoting a large portion of his life to the Young Eagles cause is US Airways Captain Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger, who along with his First Officer on their famous “Miracle on the Hudson” flight, Jeff Skiles, is a co-chairman of Young Eagles.

“I can vividly remember knowing by age 5 that I was going to spend my life loving airplanes and pursuing my passion for aviation,” Sullenberger said recently. “It has been a very rewarding thing to do. I think for every pilot, it provides a great sense of satisfaction to know that you will be helping someone else discover something to be passionate about. The Young Eagles Program is a great way for all licensed pilots to participate and ensure the future of aviation in our country.”

Captain Sullenberger makes our concluding point by providing this article’s take-away moment: “It is critically important for everyone in GA to become steadfast advocates for aviation,” Sully explains, “because there are so many other avenues to which young people can devote their time, their attention, and their resources. All pilots should work to make others aware of the many benefits of general aviation and local airports to our communities. Traveling by private plane or just hanging out at the airport watching airplanes go by is a great way for families to spend quality time together.”

For more information on the EAA Young Eagles Program
877-806-8902 or (920) 426-4831
E-mail: youngeagles@eaa.org
www.youngeagles.org