Presidents Corner
by Richard Bartlett-May

Dear Fellow Members,

Not much to report this month. Things are running very smoothly and all the aircraft are flying. 15U is going in at the end of November to have its engine overhauled and, if all goes well, will be back on line just in time for the Christmas Holidays.

I guess you all have noticed the increased cost of fuel at the pumps lately. The two-dollar a gallon gas seems to have arrived to stay for automobiles and rumor has it that with the crises in the Middle East, oil prices will be volatile for some time to come. We are keeping an eye on Avgas prices, which also continue to climb at an ever-increasing rate. It is the Board's hope that we can keep our hourly rates at their current level for the foreseeable future. We will continue to monitor this closely month by month and keep you all informed of any planned change in rates if required.

The Dakota is finally in the radio shop having the GPS certified for IFR en-route and terminal. Terminal means the GPS can be flown down to the FAF and then the remainder of the approach must be flown with the VOR. The GPS can still be used for the DME on the approach however. I hope by the time you read this newsletter that the certification is complete and O4K is ready to go bust some clouds.

I will be out of town for the first 2 weeks of November; VP Darrel Cook will be at the helm so we are all in good hands.

Fly safe Fly often.

Richard

Annual Holiday Gathering

The Christmas pot luck and cleanup day is just around the corner. I hope you can all keep that Saturday the 9th of December free for this. Please feel free to bring family and friends along to this event.

November Meeting Announcement

You'll really enjoy November's Program! Recent new member Steve Dari will be demonstrating Control Vision's new portable flight navigation system. He guarantees it's the most amazing device you've ever seen in general aviation! For a preview, go to www.controlvision.com/map.htm then come to the general membership meeting to actually see it work.

WARNING: You may have to revise your wish list to Santa after attending this presentation. See you there!

From The Old Timer
by Harry McCoy

A LOVE OF MY LIFE
Part 6--1945

By morning, the typhoon had passed through and our only casualty was one sailor who got a cut on his leg from a piece of flying galvanized tin.

The first thing for us to do was to see about our Quonset hut; since we had just arrived we had no duties. As I said, the wind moved it about 10 feet off its palm tree stump foundations. It wasn't very long before a cherry picker with a telephone pole came along. They ran the pole inside at the top of the Quonset hut and lifted it up and set it back on its foundations! Pretty tricky!! We unpacked and of course, there was no electricity so the light bulbs in the bottom of our closets to control humidity were out. The galley also was out of commission so we all ate C Rations. We scratched the wax off the covers and, with some string, made ourselves some candles. Fortunately, this didn't go on too long.

The second day we found out what our jobs were going to be. My roommate who was also a TBM pilot and I were both assigned to fly a TBM that had a 400-gallon tank installed in the bomb bay for DDT. As far as checkout, it wasn't necessary since we were both trained in the TBM. The only thing different was the 400-gallon tank and how to dump it. Very difficult!! You turned on a switch!!!!

We had to get up early before the breeze came up so the DDT would settle. What it amounted to was legal "Flat Hatting" (comes from a sailor's winter hat which was very flat compared to the white that is normally worn!!). We had sectors and we flew 50 to 100 feet off the ground. It was great fun!! I'm sure the Guamanian people didn't appreciate us screaming over their houses at 7 in the morning, but because we killed the mosquitoes, I never heard any complaints.

The second morning that I sprayed, I had emptied and was headed back to base and all of a sudden there were huge power lines ahead of me. I hauled back and barely cleared them. Nobody had mentioned there was anything like that to be careful of. Turns out they were 20,000-volt lines!!!

The airport had considerable DC-4 traffic to and from the states and Japan. It was a 33-hour trip-long and boring!!! They usually fed the passengers and crew at this stop.

There were quite a few reminders of the war. On the north shore of the island, one of the early American casualties was a battleship; I believe it was the USS Oregon. All around the town of Agana there were tanks grown over with vines. We had no snorkels, but with glasses we found various things, both US and Japanese, in Tumon Bay. At one point, there was a cliff approximately 500 feet high that was completely tunneled by the Japanese, and occasionally we found things there. I came home with a Japanese rifle.

The other end of the island had the airfield where the B-29's departed for the bombing of Japan (about 800 miles away).

To be continued...

Safety Corner
by Carey Peterson

Many different illusions can be experienced in flight. Some can lead to spatial disorientation. Others can lead to landing errors. Illusions rank among the most common factors cited as contributing to fatal aircraft accidents.

There are some VFR pilots who believe they never have to worry about spatial disorientation since they can't fly in the clouds, and they never fly in poor weather conditions. Many pilots believe actual instrument time can only be experienced and logged while flying in the clouds. Not true!! Anyone who has flown over our local deserts on a moonless night or flown over the ocean away from the city on a dark night can attest to this fact. By definition, actual instrument time includes all time during which the aircraft is controlled without visual reference to a horizon. The weather conditions could be clear with 50 miles visibility but when flying over featureless terrain at night with no horizon, the unsuspecting VFR pilot will soon be experiencing dangers of spatial disorientation. As with many areas of aviation, just because its legal doesn't mean it's safe.

Although there are several illusions, among the most common are: the leans, coriolis illusion, and the graveyard spiral. The leans usually occurs with an abrupt correction of banked attitude, which has been entered too slowly to stimulate the motion sensing system in the inner ear. This can create the illusion of banking in the opposite direction. The disoriented pilot will roll the aircraft back into its original dangerous attitude or if level flight is being maintained, will feel compelled to lean in the perceived vertical plane until this illusion subsides.

Coriolis illusion can be experienced with an abrupt head movement while in a prolonged constant rate turn. This can create the illusion of rotation or movement in an entirely different axis. The disoriented pilot will maneuver the aircraft into a dangerous attitude in an attempt to stop the rotation.

The graveyard spiral is an observed loss of altitude during a constant rate turn that has ceased stimulating the motion sensing system. This can create the illusion of being in a descent with the wings level. The disoriented pilot will pull back on the controls, tightening the spiral and increasing the altitude loss.

Various surface features and atmospheric conditions encountered during landing can create illusions of incorrect height and distance from the runway threshold. A narrower than usual runway can create the illusion that the aircraft is at a higher altitude than actually being flown, resulting in the pilot flying a lower approach with the risk of striking objects along the approach path. A wider-than usual runway can have the opposite effect, with the risk of leveling out high and landing hard or overshooting the runway. Rain on the windscreen can create the illusion of greater height, while haze creates the illusion greater distance from the runway.

Landing errors from these illusions can be prevented by anticipating them during landing, using electronic glide slope or VASI systems when available, and maintaining optimum proficiency through regular practice. In-flight illusions are best avoided by not flying long distances at night or in conditions where reference to the horizon may be difficult. Cross-country flying at night over featureless terrain can be accomplished safely with the proper amount of training and proficiency. Some simulated instrument time with a competent safety pilot or instructor and regular practice can help to keep us all prepared.

Fly Safely.

Operations Report
by Bob Finnin

8788E: A reported problem with the DME was solved. The unit was tested and reinstalled in the aircraft. The problem was created by the fact that the unit had worked loose and was not making proper connections.

2904K: No major problems with this aircraft. It has been taken off line in order to have the GPS certified for en-route navigation. I am hoping this will be done in one week. (Oct. 23-27)

3015U: 15U continues to have a problem with over-charging and this is being attended to at Southern Cal. Repair.

46404: 404 is working well.

New covers for 88E and 404 are on order and should be on the aircraft soon.

If it is necessary to add oil to any of the aircraft, please use the extra oil in the aircraft. We try to keep at least two quarts in the aircraft at all times. There is a carton of oil located in the storage locker inside the Royal Jet hanger if you need additional oil.

Please remember to install the Pitot covers after you fly. Please do not store them in your flight bag, as it is easy to forget and walk off without installing them.

Thanks for the help and fly safe!

Board Meeting Summary
by Don Davis

Board of Directors Meeting 10/5/2000

Donn Larson was appointed to the Board of Directors to replace Jean Garrow. Donn was welcomed aboard by President Richard Bartlett-May and thanked for agreeing to serve on the Board. Donn will make an excellent member of the Board.

The GPS Certification for 2904K has not proceeded as planned. Due to a very heavy workload Bill Cardwell's radio shop will not be able to begin the certification process for several weeks. After a discussion the Board decided to take 2904K to the radio shop at the Ramona Airport to have the certification completed as soon as possible.

After a discussion of the options available for replacing the engine in 3015U the Board decided to have the engine overhauled at SoCal aircraft. SoCal does most of the maintenance work on our aircraft and the Board feels they are well qualified to do the overhaul expeditiously and at a reasonable price.

The Club has reached the maximum number (65) of regular members established by the Board. No further members will be accepted until an opening becomes available. Sixty five (65) members will maintain a satisfactory pilot to aircraft ratio to insure reasonable aircraft availability for our members. A waiting list of applicants will be established and new members will be selected from the list when openings occur.

The Christmas potluck cleanup day will be December 9, 2000, 0900 at Royal Jet. The last Christmas potluck was a great success. Contact Richard, aka the President, for what to bring. Come and join in on the fun.

Fly often, fly safe.

Treasure's Report
by Terry Paik

September Net was $2,488; YTD was $25,449; total in bank as of October1, $46,130. Our Allocated net is -$9,253. Current A/R is $10,422 and we flew 157 hours last month with over 40 hours in each of the low-wings!

We are currently at 70 members (65 Full/5 Assoc.). Welcome new members Phyllis Trombi, Andrew Conley, Arthur Williams, and returning member Steve Kaminski.

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!