Presidents Corner
by Richard Bartlett-May

Dear Fellow Members,

Vacation season is here and I am happy to report that our planes are flying all over the Western States. It does seems a little strange to walk onto the field and see an empty ramp, but it is pleasing to know that the planes are being utilized and enjoyed to the fullest by the membership.

My family and I just recently came back from a trip to Sedona, Grand Canyon, and Las Vegas with the Dakota. To say I was pleased with the performance of the Dakota would be an understatement. For years we have talked about having a plane that could carry 4 adults with baggage and fuel for a 4-hour trip plus have the ability to handle the density altitude problems we face out West. On our departure from the Grand Canyon Airport (elevation 6,602) our pressure altitude was 7000 ft., we were 80 pounds below gross, the temperature was 32C, with a density altitude of 10,400 ft., and we still managed a rate of climb of just under 500 fpm at 85 kts!

We are planning another GPS workshop at the beginning of September. This will be a practical workshop with a simulated IFR cross-country with 3 approaches. We are planning to hold this on Saturday the 9th of September at 9 in the morning in the hangar at Royal Jet. We will be using a VCR camera in the cockpit of the Dakota and have a TV set up next to the plane so all can see. The club will provide coffee and doughnuts; please bring along your own chair.

I would like to take this opportunity to welcome our new members to the club and look forward to meeting you all at the general meeting in August.

Fly safe Fly often.

Richard

From The Old Timer
by Harry McCoy

A LOVE OF MY LIFE
Part 3--1945

For a long time, there was a lot speculation of some un-natural forces at work in the Bermuda Triangle that interfered with our radios or navigation—or something. We pilots though, had our own opinion, and to this day, we all think we are right. The “Plow back Instructor” was leading this group of 3 airplanes. It was a beautiful day but had large cumulus cloud buildups. He couldn’t see land and got confused and led the flight down through the clouds. In Florida, in the summer, the humidity runs 90 to 100% most of the time, which meant the base of the clouds was very low. The 3 had to fly wing-on-the-leader with intense concentration. In a sense, you are following blindly, and in this case, it was true, because he went down through the clouds with the intent of breaking out VFR underneath and seeing land. However, it was probably a fairly steep descent and he flew them right into the water because nothing much was found of any of the planes.

It was sad, too, because not only did we lose 4 pilots, but a PBM seaplane with a crew of about 7 people went out to look for them, and it blew up and all were lost. This plane had a reputation of doing that occasionally, and it was blamed on gasoline. It was a high-wing plane with 2 engines and, in order to control balance of the fuel from the wings, the lines had to be routed down to the cockpit and then back up to the engines. In those days we didn’t have “O” rings; they used graphite-coated string for packing nuts—and they leaked!! It would leak into the bilge of the plane and the first guy that lit a cigarette ignited the fumes and “that’s all she wrote.”

We went aboard the carrier again but this time it was more fun. Our TBM’s were the easiest of the group of planes to land. When you had completed your 6th satisfactory trap, they would chock you and you jumped out of the plane and another pilot jumped in, and in a couple of minutes, he would be airborne in the pattern.

In those days, we had a Landing Signal Officer. He stood at the corner of the deck where you could see him all during your approach, and he had a pair of red flags to tell you what to do to be in the perfect position to land. If he raised the flags, you were too high, lowered, to low, and appropriate signals for speeding up and slowing down. There was a large safety net just off the deck so if an airplane came in too low or got dangerous in any way, he would jump into the net. He used it occasionally.

I got my civilian pilots license in Miami. They were generous and gave us a Commercial. I was anxious to take my wife for her first flight and I rented a low wing, all wood, Fairchild training plane (PT-19, I think). It had an inverted straight 6-cylinder Allison engine that sounded like a sewing machine when it was running. It also had a big, old wooden prop. We had a gosport helmet—I could talk to her, but she couldn’t talk back!!! There was a thin cumulus cloud layer at about 1500 feet so I said we would climb above it so she would see what it looked like. After struggling for 15 minutes, and not making it, a flight of 4 F4U Corsairs popped out of the clouds not far from us. Enough of that, there would be clouds some other time!!!!

To be continued...

Safety Corner
by Carey Peterson

All of us have done it-nervously running through our engine-out procedures in flight while the instructor calmly sits in the passenger seat monitoring our every move. Most pilots are fairly knowledgeable when it comes to checking the basic items like fuel, mixture, carb heat, mags etc., but tend to overlook some of the smaller, but equally important things.

How many pilots have actually considered, or even thought about, what needs to be done AFTER a precautionary or forced landing? Most instructors wrongfully handicap their students during primary training by not covering the safety issues after the landing is accomplished. When considering the possibility of being in a survival situation, successful survival is largely a result of mental condition. Many experts believe that survival is 80% mental, 10% equipment, and 10% survival skills. When you have the mental presence to analyze the situation calmly, you have a much better chance of dealing with the situation successfully.

Engine-out troubleshooting procedures need to be memorized and rehearsed in case there's not enough time to pull the checklist for reference. I personally use and teach my students to follow a "flow-check" pattern whereby each item is checked in the same order every time. This way, nothing gets missed by skipping around. I always begin with the fuel selector on the floor and then work up and across the panel checking each item and finally finishing with the radio stack/transponder last. Once you find a comfortable flow pattern to follow, it can be practiced by just sitting in the plane and rehearsing.

Once committed to a forced landing, how about popping the door(s) open to avoid being trapped in the cabin by jammed doors? After the landing, the safety of yourself and your passengers obviously takes precedence. The next item of importance concerns the preservation of the plane (everyone remembers NTSB Part 830, right?) while waiting to be rescued. Basically, it states until the NTSB/FAA takes custody, no person may move or disturb anything except when necessary to: 1) remove injured or trapped people 2) protect the wreckage from further damage 3) protect the public from injury.

The amount of time it takes to be rescued largely depends on how populated the surrounding area is, and whether ATC knows of your emergency and last known location. This is why it is important to utilize those flight plans and/or flight following. Numerous lives have been unnecessarily lost due to the fact that no one knew they were missing!! Another tip in expediting the rescue process is to manually activate the ELT switch. As you see, there's much more to a forced landing than most pilots tend to consider. The best form of protection is to ensure you are prepared both mentally with knowledge, and physically with the proper survival equipment. Remember to utilize the Club survival kit, which can be checked out from Jean at Royal Jet. Happy flying.

Fly Safely.

Montana Adventure
by Grafton Huston

You have read stories from members who have done it all. This is about a trip from a new pilot. I got my license last November, trained by Carey in 46404. What may be routine to most of you was quite an adventure for my 6-year-old son and me. With 40 hours since my check ride I left a few weeks ago for a family reunion in Ennis, Montana. In the weeks before the trip I planned my stops, bought sectionals for Las Vegas, Salt Lake City, and Great Falls. In the days before the trip I checked the weather all along my route, worrying about thunderstorms, desert thermals, mountain waves, and winds.

I was hoping that the calmest weather and least chance of thunderstorms would be to travel during the evening and morning hours, so on a Saturday after work my son, Grafton, and I left in 8788E for Boulder City outside of Las Vegas. I used flight following and remembered to open my flight plan, but still nervously watched for other planes as I listened for the engine to hesitate, which in never did. After a smooth flight and only a moderate headwind we landed at a deserted airport. By the time I fueled and tied down it was getting dark and still about 95 degrees. Unable to get a ride to the closest motel (no taxis, no transport-the Flight Guide was wrong?!) we walked an hour, watching bats hunt for bugs. Burger King and a swimming pool when we got to the Nevada Inn felt better than staying at the Ritz. (Did I mention that the walk was all uphill?) Sunday morning we got up at 6 am and headed for the airport. This time we hitched a ride down with a guy who was on his way to the cemetery next to the airport to visit his father for Father's Day.

It was already hot when we left. After a couple hours we made it to our next stop, Delta, Utah. On the chart Delta looks great. Two runways, directly along our route, with fuel and services. From the air it's not much to look at in the middle of farmlands-just a few trees and grass blowing in the wind. Lots of wind. There had been a 20 mph tailwind the whole way, and now the wind was blowing the windsock straight out at a 45 degree crosswind from either runway. No answer on multicom, no traffic, just a gusty, bouncy approach. Over the threshold I decided on a go-around because I didn't hold the centerline well enough. A wide pattern gave me time to remember to breath again and get things lined up. Another bumpy approach, and this time I was straight, but the bottom dropped out when I was about a foot off the runway. I wasn't sure if I was having any fun at this point.

I taxied to the pump while my palms dried, then chocked the plane to keep it from blowing away. There were a few crop dusters tied down, and a one room FBO with the door locked and a sign with a number to call for fuel. I called the number and after a while an old guy came out to pump gas. He looked at the windsock and said on days like this they landed and took off down the taxiway, which was pretty much lined up with the wind. Then he left and all I could hear was the wind again. After a few minutes I decided that takeoffs were easier than landings and headed for the taxiway. It was narrow, grass growing through the cracks, and the wind looked like it was blowing any way it pleased, so I headed back to the runway. Thanking Carey for crosswind practice, I had aileron into the wind, stayed on centerline, and thought OK, this isn't so bad. Then, as soon as I took off, either because I had the yoke too far to the right, or because of a gust, my right wing suddenly dipped toward the ground. It didn't touch, so I crabbed my way into the air, and after a few minutes my heart started up again. The rest of the two-hour flight was great. I got cleared through Salt Lake City airspace to Ogden. This time the bumpy approach was only into an 18 mph, 15-degree crosswind, and compared to Delta, the landing was perfect.

After we landed about 1 pm I took Grafton on a tour of the control tower. One of the air traffic controllers, Chris Green, was from Coronado Island, where his dad was a high school coach. I hope all controllers are as helpful and friendly. Back downstairs, the Great Western FBO lent us a car for the night, so we went driving around Ogden looking for Chinese food. My recommendation is to go there for the beautiful scenery, not the Chinese food.

Once again, at 6:30 am we got up and going. The wind was calm, and the cumulus clouds weren't too big yet. I followed I-15 north into Idaho. That same road that leaves San Diego goes up all the way to Canada. I had to keep reminding a bored Grafton that if we had been driving we would be about to Las Vegas by now. Thank heavens for Game Boys! This 1 1/2 hour flight was the most beautiful I have ever flown. The Great Salt Lake was behind me, a broad agricultural valley below me, and snow-capped mountains occasionally shrouded in clouds to the east and west. I wove my way between rain showers into more sun towards a huge flat valley in the heart of potato country, wherein lay Idaho Falls, our next stop. The wind was gusty here, too, but again I redeemed myself with a good landing. This FBO, Aero Mark, had a weather computer that was showing me things I didn't want to see. Two convective SIGMETS covered the screen-one to the south where I came from and one to the north where I was going. Time to wait around and eat breakfast. Next door to the restaurant was Idaho's largest army surplus store. We could have stocked up on grenades, camos, and tank parts. I think there must be some survivalists living in the area, growing potatoes and staying prepared. Without a tank, but with a few strange nuts and bolts to keep Grafton occupied, we went back the airport. The storm hadn't moved. Ennis, Montana was 100 miles away in the middle of a gigantic black cloud. So I parked the plane, rented a car, and drove. I drove through rain, hail, and lightning up over the Continental Divide past Yellowstone and into Montana, and enjoyed every minute of it.

The family reunion was fun, but I won't bore you with that. I was there three days at a fly-fishing camp, where we ate, told old stories and bad jokes, went to ghost towns and the Louis and Clark Caverns, and watched the clouds go by.

Thursday afternoon we headed back to Idaho Falls. On the way we stopped at Bear World where you drive around while bears come up and hope your windows are down. Friday morning we were up early again and flew in nice weather down to Provo, Utah, on the south side of Salt Lake City. They clear you through Hill AFB, and you stay out of the rest of Class B by going right over downtown Salt Lake City. Provo is an uncontrolled, three runway airport on the edge of a lake. Both Ogden and Idaho Falls were controlled, jets parked here and there, but not very busy. Provo, on the other hand, had Katanas by the squadron everywhere. There were five in the pattern, all seeming to be on downwind at the same time. I found out that flight schooling is a big business in Provo. It's beautiful country, and if you like to fly Katanas, it might not be a bad living.

We stayed just long enough to fill up and eat a Snickers bar. Back into the traffic and slowly climbed over the lake. The density altitude was about 7,500 feet. This flight was another two hours. The sun gradually got more obscured by cumulus, and off to the south over the mountains was a huge thunderstorm. Just past it was our destination, Cedar City, Utah, gateway to Zion National Park. We tied down, reserved a motel room, rented a car, and spent half a day in Zion. What a spectacular canyon. You can't drive into most of the park, so they have a shuttle bus that takes you from place to place where you get out and hike. At the top of the canyon is a place called the Narrows where the stream that carved the park comes through high stone walls. Graf and I hiked up a little ways, but the thunderstorm we had previously flown past was getting close. When it rains, a wall of water rushes down the Narrows, making things exciting for the tourists. Flying was excitement enough for me, so instead we drove back to town. All the way back to Cedar City there was thunder and lightning flashed and it rained all night. What we miss by living in San Diego.

On Saturday morning it was gray with high overcast. We got into the plane and headed southwest towards Las Vegas, where I'd promised Graf we would spend the day. To the south, Zion was ridge after ridge of sheer rock canyons. In the Park we had seen an IMAX movie telling how those canyons are full of superstitions and Indian ruins. It was easy to believe that many of those crevices are still unexplored. Gradually the mountains faded away and the sun came out. Ahead of us were Lake Powell, the desert, and LAS. Las Vegas approach kept asking if I was familiar with first one landmark, then another. After awhile they got tired of hearing "Negative" and cleared me in directly to a left base for runway 19R. It was ten in the morning and 100 degrees. We parked at Eagle Aviation and walked to the Strip, where we spent most of the day at Circus Circus. That place is noisier than inside the plane with no headset. After half a day of roller coasters, putt-putt, and shooting galleries, I was glad to get back into the 105-degree heat of the airport.

I had planned to leave about 5 pm after it had started to cool down, but it was still over 100 degrees when I finally did leave at 6 pm. ATIS, clearance, ground, tower, and trying to find the right runway competed with the heat for the attention of my sweat glands. I was so ready to leave that I didn't even mind the 10 mph tailwind on takeoff. Runway 19R is plenty long. After another slow climb it was finally cool again. A headwind made it sunset by the time I got to Julian, and dark by the time I landed Saturday night.

This may be a long story, but it was a great trip, and it's fun to think about it again. I would go back to every one of those places (Delta only if I had to!). It was fun but never really relaxing up there, always thinking of what to do if, where to land if, and what am I forgetting to do? However, thanks to Carey's good training and good luck, things went well. The excitement and fun of it all turned what could have been a just a trip into a great adventure. I guess that's what it's all about.

Operations Report
by Bob Finnin

8788E -- Oil changed and a new tire on left main gear. (6/26/00) A new interior light cover is on order and should be mounted soon. The landing light was replaced. Annual inspection will be Aug. 29 - Sept. 1.

46404 -- DG precessing. I had the DG checked and it was found to be within specs. I then had the Mag. compass calibrated and found that it was about five to seven degrees off but realigned to within one to one-half degrees. Annual inspection will be Aug. 1-30.

3015U -- A report that the face plate on COM 1 is changing frequencies when it likes to is under study. Radio shop said it may be a problem within the radio. I have had only one report of this happening so far. So we are monitoring it with hopes that it was a single item occurrence. The prop has a nick in one blade and will be dressed out as is appropriate in such cases. Annual inspection will be Aug. 16-18.

2904K -- The missing check list was found. The IFR certification is in process and should be completed soon. I furnished form 337 which seems to have been done correctly and will help speed up the new form that needs to be completed. The vacuum switch that operates the annunciator panel has been replaced. Don Larson said the plane performed very well on his last trip.

General -- Temporary repairs to the cover on 88E have been done and new covers are in the process of construction and should be done soon.

Thanks for the help and fly safe!

Treasure's Report
by Terry Paik

June's P/L Net was -$2,487 and YTD was $13,517, however we did pay the quarterly insurance premium ($2689) and a number of one-time repairs/improvements on 2904K. Total in bank as of July 1, $36,244, July Receivables are $8,129.

We flew 170 hours last month-a new record! Keep it up. Also we're at 58 Full Members and 4 Associate Members. Don't forget we would like to get at least 10 new members this year. And as an incentive for you to take prospective members for a "test ride", the Board recently added the following to our SOP's: "If a member takes a prospective new member for an introductory ride and the prospective member subsequently joins the Club, the host member will be eligible for a $50.00 flight time credit."

Welcome new members Bruce Barron, the Clarks (Jim, Jared and Heather), Frank Norris, and Wurzel Parsons-Kier!!!

If you have any questions, leave them at the Club Phone, 619-441-2610 or email me (tpdvm@home.com).

Remember, the more we fly, the cheaper we fly!