Best of the Web

by John on January 29, 2012

Remembering the Apollo 1 Tragedy. The Aero Experience blog has reminded us that January 27th was the 45th anniversary of the tragic fire that destroyed the Apollo 1 spacecraft and killed 3 astronauts at Cape Kennedy Launch Complex 34. The Apollo 1 tragedy led to a number of design changes that ultimately made manned spaceflights and moon missions safer.

WASP Collection to Be Digitized. On another historical note, the Winged Victory Women in Aviation Webzine has mentioned an article (WASP collection coming to digital domain) noting that the Texas Woman’s University has announced that it had received a $100,000 gift from an anonymous donor to continue the digitization and preservation of the The Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) collection. The WASP collection contains photographs, letters, diaries, postcards, uniforms and artifacts from women who were part of the organization between 1942 and 1944.

LSAs Are Earning Respect. Meanwhile, AVweb has posted a podcast interview with Dan Johnson, president of the Light Aircraft Manufacturers Association (LAMA), who talked about the Light Sport sector and how its earning a respected place in the general aviation.

Aerial Photos of the Bay Area and Northern California. John Ewing of Aviation Mentor has posted a number of great shots of the Bay Area, the coastal range and Northern California. The photos included plenty of clear skies along with a few shots of the coastal fog rolling in.

FAA Changes Prompt Chart Provider Shutdown. In the wake of new fees for digital chart products being on the horizon in the US, EZFlightChart.com, a California producer of wire-bound books of charts, has already shut down because the FAA’s AeroNav program office cut the lead time on the release of digital charts from 17 days to one day prior to expiration. Meanwhile, AOPA officials are continuing to meet with FAA officials to preserve pilots’ access to aviation charts.

Tools for Airport Snow Removal. For pilots and airport employees in colder climates, Vincent, the blogger behind the Plastic Pilot blog, has a guest post about the tools needed for adequate snow removal or for dealing with icy conditions in general at airports.

New Ways to Prevent Ice Buildup. In addition, General Aviation News has reported that research scientists at Battelle are working on a new way to reduce or prevent icing on aircraft through the use of carbon nanotubes. Apparently, Battelle’s anti-icing technology deploys carbon nanotubes into the aircraft’s coating. Hence, its lighter than traditional ice protection systems and can use much less power plus it’s applied using simple painting methods so that it can be sprayed on a variety of curved surfaces.

Lockheed Martin F-35′s Glass Cockpit. Finally, David Cenciotti has posted a screenshot to give people an idea of what the Joint Strike Fighter glass cockpit looks like. Apparently, its filled with high-tech features expected of the latest tablet computer or smartphone – including full touch screen, HOTAS, voice activated commands and system monitoring with all information displayed on a “portal” that makes the most advanced and expensive 5th generation aircraft ever built “amazingly easy to fly.”

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A Cessna 150 (literally) freezes on the tarmac

by John on January 28, 2012

Hat tip to Sylvia from the Fear of Landing blog for finding and posting this video of a Cessna 150 that literally froze on the tarmac. According to the Youtube caption for the video:

After a night of freezing rain, this is what we showed up to. Almost an inch of pure ice on almost every surface of the plane. Even the antennas were completely cased in ice.

However, there was no mention of where or when the video was taken (it was uploaded earlier this month) but we can probably assume it was recently taken in some very Northernly latitude.

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Just how exposed are pilots to civil and criminal proceedings?

by John on January 27, 2012

Its probably a good time to revisit pilot exposure to both civil and criminal proceedings in the wake of the Costa Concordia grounding off the coast of Italy. And while a guest post on the Thirty Thousand Feet blog by Michael W. Johnson, the President and CEO of Paramount Aviation Resources Group, does not mention the recent maritime tragedy, the post was motivated by the conviction for involuntary manslaughter of Continental Airlines mechanic John Taylor for the crash of the Concorde flight AF4590.

Specifically, Michael noted that one of the interesting (and perhaps even scary) aspects of this case was the fact that Taylor, who is an aircraft mechanic living and working in Texas, was both charged and convicted of the crime despite the fact that he has never entered the jurisdiction of the court that ruled on the case. Michael then cited other examples of pilots or aircraft crew being held liable for accidents, including:

  • A  court in Lebanon convicted the captain of UTA Flight 141 in October 2010 and jailed him for 20 years after a December 2003 crash after his aircraft took off 20,000 pounds over the maximum allowable gross takeoff weight.
  • A court in Italy convicted and gave jail sentences to both the captain and co-involved in the 2005 Tuninter Flight 1153 crash off the coast of Sicily after ruling they failed to take adequate emergency measures prior to the crash.
  • A court in Brazil charged two American corporate pilots following a mid-air collision that caused the 2006 crash of a B-737 over Brazil – despite evidence that places the blame for the tragedy on Brazilian ATC.
  • A Japan Airlines (JAL) pilot was indicted for professional negligence in the death of a crewmember and for 14 passenger injuries after a 1997 in-flight turbulence incident. Although the pilot was found not-guilty, his career and reputation were irreparably damaged.

Michael then made the point that pilots and crew members can never be complacent – especially given how much the law can vary from one jurisdiction to another and how all crew members can be held accountable for the actions or inactions of another. Michael also provided a list of good operating procedures that can help to mitigate the potential exposure to legal liabilities by pilots and crew members.

Hence, Michael’s entire post is a must read – whether you are a commercial pilot, a private general aviation pilot or involved in aviation some other way.

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More people are searching for private jets online

by John on January 26, 2012

Dan Robles has written a very interesting post on Plane Conversations about using data from Google Think Insights to determine that more and more people are searching the Internet on terms such as private jet, jet charter, jet charter cost, VIP travel etc. Specifically, here is the data that Dan found from Google Think Insights:

Plus these related searches:

(Note: All the data is from January 2008 and December 2011 and for the USA)

So what does this tell us about the state of the private jet or business jet market along with the economy? One way to look at things is that people just happen to be using the internet more to find information about renting private jets. On the other hand, the data could also suggest that more people are also interested in renting private jets as well because after all, there are plenty of good reasons to do so given the state of commercial aviation (e.g. delays, security hassles, lack of flying options to smaller markets etc.).

For his part, Dan noted that Social Flights has long suggested that there are opportunities to increase private charter shuttle services between key locations as well as for companies to share private aircraft scheduled to fly between regions. He also concluded that search term trends are important because they can indicate the intentions of the market as well as new opportunities to serve it.

At the very least, the Google data does look interesting and bodes well for the private jet market in the USA.

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Paying for flight training tips

by John on January 25, 2012

Learning how to fly and especially the actual flying time spent in the cockpit is an expensive endeavor for most pilots. Hence, a question posted by Kevin Jones on the Ask a Flight Instructor site along with the responses it generated are well worth reading. Specifically, Kevin noted that he began taking flying lessons about 10 years ago until school and work took over. However, he is not set on becoming a pilot but not on taking out loans or using credit cards to do so. Hence, he asked:

Is it more normal for me to wait and save up the money over time or take lessons as I have the money along the way. I have such a desire to get into the air and don’t really want to wait. Any Pros or Cons would be helpful in making my decision. I am afraid if I wait and slowly save up the money something else will come up that I will have to use the money for. So…. is it normal for students to pay as they come up with the money?

Micah responded by saying that he will usually tell his students not to start flight training unless they have enough money saved up in order to complete the training. Otherwise, he would suggest that once someone has a good idea of the budget needed, he or she should save up a significant portion ahead of time under the expectation that the rest will be set aside before the flight training is finished.

Michael Ladd then noted that in many cases, “paying as you go” will end up meaning flying a couple of times a month rather than a couple of times a week. However, he noted two things that he did which helped him considerably:

  1. He saved up a good chunk (about 1/3) of the funds ahead of time. 
  2. His flight school offered “block time” where if you pre-paid 10 hours, you could receive an hour free.

Meanwhile, Earl Kessler pointed out that training sporadically is like going to the gym once a month – while its better than not going at all, its not much better.

Finally Jim Foley wrote that he flew whenever he had the money but this meant that he also had to repeat many flying lessons. Moreover, many of his flight instructors were just out of college trying to build up their hours – meaning they were coming and going and he ended up having 8 instructors during his training with his first or second flights with each one being so that they could find out what he knew. In addition, his flight school was also buying, selling and leasing back aircraft – which further threw off his training. 

However, we want to ask you our readers, especially any based in the UK or in Europe, any tips you may have for keeping flight training costs down. In other words, have we left anything out?

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Surviving after a winter plane crash

by John on January 24, 2012

Alyssa Miller has recently written a great first-person account for the AOPA Pilot Blog about participating in the Surratt Winter Survival Clinic in Marion, Montana. As part of the winter survival clinic, Alyssa spent one night inside an icy fuselage and another night in a survival hut to simulate what it would be like to crash in winter conditions and have to stay outdoors waiting to be rescued.

In this particular simulation, Alyssa got to choose the aircraft she would “crash in.” She opted for a Cessna 182 because in theory, the extra padding and insulation for noise reduction would also keep her warmer.

Thanks to plenty of warm clothes and a mummy sleeping bag, Alyssa wrote that she did not actually get too cold but it should be noted that sheltering inside a downed aircraft’s fuselage may not be your best option as its too large of a space to heat.

In fact, Alyssa wrote that she was warmer the next night in the survival hut but much lonelier as she was alone there. Hence, she noted that a key to surviving in such a situation would be to keep one’s mind occupied. In addition, she noted that having one’s back up against some kind of solid structure for security, even if it’s the cold fuselage or the side of a survival hut, will also help.

Nevertheless, Alyssa also said in the short video piece she made from her survival hut that she hopes never to have to put the skills she learned to practice in a real emergency. After all, spending a January night outside in Montana is not particularly fun!

Sleeping in an icy fuselage during winter survival clinic

Photo by Cameron Lawson

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A Lufthansa pilot reminisces…

by John on January 23, 2012

Lufthansa Pilot to co-pilot, forgetting that the frequency was open: "We used to come up the Thames, and turn over here for the docks…."

Voice on frequency: "ACHTUNG SPITFEUR"

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Best of the Web

by John on January 22, 2012

A Tale of Two Captains. Over the past week, the Costa Concordia grounding in Italy has dominated the airwaves but Paul Bertorelli has pointed out on AVweb that it happened roughly three years to the day that Chesley B. Sullenberger III ditched USAir 1549 into the Hudson River (January 15th, 2009) – and more importantly, stayed on board until the last passenger was safely off. Rob Mark has also written extensively about the Costa Concordia accident and why in aviation, its always about the passengers but Jon Ostrower of FlightBlogger probably summed things up best with the juxtaposition of these two photos that do a good job of showing  safety and professionalism – or the lack of both in the later case:

NTSB Hearing on Air Shows and Air Races. In other news, General Aviation News has reported that the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) recently had a day long meeting back on January 10th that concluded that both air shows and air races are safe in the USA – but could be made even safer. The meeting was called after the Reno Air Races tragedy last September that killed 11 people and injured 70 others.

All About Aircraft Leasing. If you have ever wondered how the global aircraft leasing business works, the Cranky Flier Blog has a lengthy discussion of the business from a guest writer. You might be surprised to learn that Ireland is a global hub for aircraft leasing with 9 of the top 10 leasing firms in the world operating there thanks in large part to favorable corporate tax rates that make aircraft leasing competitive.

How Much Do You Know About Your Aircraft Engines? On a safety note, the Air Safety Institute safety quiz will test your knowledge about general aviation engines.

Cape Cod to Cape Horn in a 172. On an interesting note, AVweb has a podcast interview with Chris and Corinne McLaughlin who are on their way down the coast of South America in a 1978 Skyhawk for a two-month journey from Cape Cod to Cape Horn to raise awareness about the need for more organ donors. Chris was once a 747 pilot but became ill and eventually received an organ donation that saved his life.

ASA Adds Another iPad Kneeboard. If you are looking for a kneeboard for your iPad, General Aviation News has reported that ASA has added a second iPad kneeboard to its product line. Kneeboard also includes a plastic cover that not only protects the iPad screen but also allows for complete touch-screen functionality.

New Pilot Guide. If you are not yet a pilot, the January/February issue of FAA Safety Briefing is full of resources to help you in your quest to become a pilot. Articles will tell would-be (US based) pilots how to leverage the information contained in aviation handbooks and regulations plus tips to prepare for a checkride and to find the right aviation school that will fit your needs.

Plans for a Hypersonic Passenger Plane. Finally, the BBC News Magazine has recently reported about the European Space Agency’s goal to create a hypersonic passenger plane that can fly more than five times faster than the speed of sound and six times faster than a standard airliner – meaning it will be able to fly from Europe to Australia in just four hours. Nevertheless and while some progress has been made, there are plenty of problems and issues that need to be solved before you can jet off to Australia for a long weekend.

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Should you change planes during training to save money?

by John on January 21, 2012

For student pilots concerned about the cost of training, a student pilot named Gregg recently posted a great question on the Ask a Flight Instructor website:

I have appx 10 hours (+/-) left of flying until I can take my check ride. I have been flying a Cessna Skyhawk 172SP. My flight school just got a Skycatcher and its appx $50 an hour cheaper to fly. Is it ok to switch planes or do I need to stick with the 172?

Bill Trussell responded by saying that Gregg would probably find the skycatcher to be a lesser aircraft from a performance perspective – meaning it will take some getting used to. Bill concluded that when training for the first rating, its best to stick with the same aircraft and then transition to another one after the checkride.

Commenter Nathan Parker then pointed out that it makes less financial sense to transition the closer one is to their checkride. If Gregg is actually just 10 hours from a checkride, he will save $500 but if the transition takes an extra 5 hours, there goes the cost savings.

Finally and on a different take though, John Parsons wrote that he was forced to change aircraft and he was annoyed that his routine was disturbed. However and in the end, he also felt it was better to be exposed to more aircraft. Hence, John concluded that cost considerations aside, you can’t really loose out by having exposure to another type of aircraft.

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Need a fighter and commuter jet combo for yourself?

by John on January 20, 2012

Hat tip to the FlightSchoolList.com for finding and posting this video of the MS760 Personal Airliner "Paris Jet" – the first commercial light jet that will allow you to soar to 25,000 feet or 7,600 meters as well as perform combat maneuvers, acrobatics or fly in close formations.

Apparently, the MS760 was the world’s first “Very Light Jet” or Personal Jet having been designed in France in the 1950’s to be used as a jet trainer and liaison aircraft. They were then utilized by the French, Argentine and Brazilian militaries for over 40 years until being retired from service in 2007. Forty of the original aircraft that were manufactured between 1954 and 1961 are now available from MS760 Corp. for sale at prices ranging from $350k to $750k.

With a range of 900 miles or 1,450 kilometers and the capability to transport 4 passengers and their baggage, the MS760 is being billed as perfect for a pilot/owner who needs both a fighter jet and a commuter aircraft – all in one aviation machine!

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