Close Calls

Aviation Celebrations

Fri, 2 Jul 2010 11:31:06 -0400

Public aviation events such as air shows, exhibits, and expos are very important to the continued viability of aviation. They are an opportunity for enthusiasts young and old get up close and personal with any number of fascinating flying machines, an experience that stokes the flames of the passion burning within us all.  The crew of The Aviators just returned from a successful trip to Sun ‘n Fun in Lakeland, FL (our first time there) and are, of course, looking forward to AirVenture in Oshkosh, WI in July. But you might be surprised to know that at least monthly, if not weekly, there are smaller air shows that take place across North America. Several are likely not too far away from where you may be right now.  In the Toronto area, for example, within a four-month period we have the Canadian Aviation Expo, Wings and Wheels, the Waterloo Air Show, the Borden Air Show, and the Canadian International Air Show to name a few.  The latest to be added to that local list is the Battle of Britain Air Show. Dubbed “Thunder in Little Norway,” the show is held in the heart cottage country at the Midland-Huronia Airport on July 17th and 18th, 2010.  Like many air shows and exhibitions, the Battle of Britain Air Show has a mandate to educate, preserve, and protect aviation while at the same time honoring war veterans and aviation pioneers. These shows cater to history buffs and aviation enthusiasts tens of millions strong throughout North America according to the International Council of Air Shows, who also reports that air show attendance is encouragingly on the rise.   The show returns after a decade-and-a-half long hiatus thanks to (not uncommonly) the tireless work of countless volunteers to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the Battle of Britain and the Battle of Norway. Most of the warbirds on display on the ground will also be putting on a show in the air. Organizers claim to have assembled the largest number of flying British World War II war birds and trainers in North America including a Spitfire, a Hurricane, and the only currently flying BF 109E Messersmidt.  Air shows are the places where negative media depictions of aviation can be counter-balanced. Where a tragic though spectacular newsworthy incident can be seen as an unfortunate rarity, not to diminish or overshadow the great and important things aviation does for us all each and every day.   They are celebrations of the wonder of aviation for fans of all ages. But there’s an extra special importance when it comes to tomorrow’s aviators… today’s children. The future of aviation lies with them. How about taking the kids out to a nearby air show next weekend?  Eyes to the skies. Fly safe(r).

Well, We Made It!

Tue, 1 Jun 2010 00:01:52 -0400

It was 1985 when our passenger was asked by his close friend and new pilot to accompany him on a leisure flight. Our pilot was a Palo Alto, CA area renter of Cherokee 150s and 180s. The two flew around the bay area having lunch at a spot in the central valley before returning home. Both enjoyed the short flight so much they immediately planned a weekend trip with their wives.  The big weekend arrived and our pilot, our passenger, and their better halves departed for a dirt strip near Lodoga, CA where there was a concession owned by a friend of the group. Our pilot determined that the best way to land at this dirt strip was to fly over the nearby foothills and then make a diving approach to the strip being careful to avoid a huge oak tree at the near end of the runway.  Getting into position, our pilot decided to “buzz the lake” just to the west of the foothills before going in to land. They descended sharply onto the strip missing the tree but landing hard enough to bounce back up and off the runway 60 or 80 feet laterally into a field.  They bounced in the field once or twice more before our pilot gave the aircraft full power aborting the failed landing attempt. After regaining his composure our pilot opted to try coming in from the other direction choosing a tailwind over the steep approach and the oak tree.  Our pilot executed what seemed like a less complex approach and while coming in faster than usual all seemed to be taking place without event. That was, of course, until their ground roll reached the mid-point of the strip where to their surprise they discovered a four-foot dip that crossed the runway.  The dip essentially acted as a ramp that catapulted the fast-rolling Cherokee 20 feet into the air. Since the aircraft was not equipped with footbrakes, our pilot was frantically grabbing for the handbrake trying to bring the aircraft to a quick stop when the wheels returned to the ground.  Struggling with what seemed to be an ineffective handbrake, our pilot was cursing as he realized the reason the brake lever wasn’t stopping the plane… because it was the microphone!  Finally, throwing the mic aside and taking hold of the actual handbrake lever, our pilot pulled with all his might as the aircraft reached the end of the runway fishtailing around that seemingly ever-present giant oak tree, missing it by not so much.  All aboard were sitting in silent shock pondering their harrowing experience as the massive dust cloud around them slowly settled. Our passenger, in the right-seat during the flight, broke the silence by looking over to our pilot saying in a strangely casual tone “Well, we made it!”  The experience was also shared by those on the ground. Two campers had pitched a tent by the oak tree and scattered for their lives as the out of control plane was heading towards them. As the group walked into a nearby restaurant, their landing was the dominant subject of conversation. “Were you guys in that plane?” asked one man “We thought for sure you were going to kill yourself!”  There was obviously much to have been learned from this flight. Our pilot immediately took to avoiding remote, challenging airports without first becoming more familiar with them. As lessons go, that may certainly be a start!  Fly safe(r).

Getting Back On The Horse

Sat, 1 May 2010 08:28:12 -0400

Our pilot was a student pilot who experienced his close call during a flight lesson. The occurrence was enough to have him seriously consider the acquisition of a portable collision avoidance device immediately… the very next day, in fact, with little time to spare before his next flight!  Our pilot (and instructor) was practicing forced approaches in the southeast portion of a practice area near Calgary, Alberta. In the same practice area was another club plane doing their work in the northeast portion. After sharing the same general area for a little while, the other aircraft announced he was headed back to their base airport at an altitude of 5500 feet proceeding just west of the highway commonly used to guide them back.  Our pilot immediately responded that they too were heading back from east of the highway with plans to intercept it and follow it back. There was no reply but our pilot and instructor assumed their message was heard and just that there wasn’t a response because there was no conflict.  Upon reaching the highway a few minutes later and turning south, our pilot suddenly spotted the other aircraft at his two o’clock position “no more than a few hundred yards away!” Our pilot instinctively took evasive action to avoid what he believed would be a collision.  With both aircraft not yet in controlled airspace, our pilot’s instructor called out to the other plane on the en route frequency but there was no response. Despite the apparent close call, both aircraft carried on back to the airport and arrived safely.  A short while later on the ground the details of the occurrence began to present themselves. Evidently, the other aircraft had already switched from the en route frequency to the outer tower control frequency. Given their position at the time, this was earlier than would be usual practice. They were also directed by ATC to steer left directly to the runway. The instructor of the other aircraft noted that they did see our pilot’s plane, but only after he had taken his evasive action.  Says our pilot “I don't know yet how blame should be apportioned. If ATC had my colleague on radar, he should have had us too, as we were at the same altitude. While we were both in uncontrolled airspace, apparently ATC directed them into our flight path.”  He continues “At this point I am shaken, and considering giving up my childhood dream of flight. Perhaps there will be some follow up debriefing before my next lesson.”  My gut (unqualified though it may be) tells me that the controller probably had both aircraft on their screen and didn’t believe there to be any elevated risk. And if that was indeed the case then our pilot was merely taken aback by having been surprised by the sudden appearance of the other aircraft at his two o’clock.  Whether or not any real danger existed in this particular case, it doesn’t make his being surprised feel any less surprising! And it doesn’t make his thoughts of stepping away from his dream of flight as a result any less real.  Close calls are all very subjective. What any given pilot feels within themselves as the result of their own close call really can’t be fairly judged. We all feel what we feel. And we all react how we react. For some, nerves can invigorate and challenge us. For others, they can take us down.  With the added security he thought he’d get from a $500 collision avoidance gadget he can pull out of his flight bag before every flight, our pilot got back on his winged horse and returned to flying a few days later. The dream lives on.  Fly safe(r).

The Aviators FAQ

Thu, 1 Apr 2010 00:01:26 -0400

As many of you may be aware, for more than a year now I have been working with my friend and mentor John Lovelace (creator and 10-year host of Wings Over Canada) on a new television series entitled The Aviators.
With production now in full swing, I thought I’d take an opportunity to answer some questions that I’ve been getting with increasing regularity from pilots and fans of aviation from across North American and around the world.   What is The Aviators?
The Aviators is a new weekly magazine-style TV series celebrating the people, places, and planes of North American aviation. We will be featuring the latest aircraft, the coolest technology, and the greatest fly-in destinations. We will take you behind the scenes to show you how airline pilots train, how planes are built, and how ATC works. We will profile aviation businesses and showcase aviation products. We will provide safety tips for private and recreational pilots and career tips for professional pilots. The Aviators is all-things-aviation: “For everyone who has ever gazed skywards.”  Will The Aviators be on the Internet?
While episodes of The Aviators will indeed be available at www.TheAviators.TV, The Aviators is a broadcast television series and will have a broad audience. In the United States, The Aviators will be distributed to all 356 Public Broadcasting Stations in the fall of 2010. The series will also air across Canada on a national network and is being presented to European and Asian broadcasters at the MIPTV festival in Cannes, France.  Will I get The Aviators in my area?
The best way to be kept apprised of broadcaster updates leading up to the premiere is to visit www.TheAviators.TV and subscribe to The Aviators Update List. We send out a short newsletter once every 2 or 3 months with updates on the show including broadcaster announcements. Another reason to subscribe to the list is to participate in our new contest where we are awarding up to two pairs of $249 Scheyden sunglasses every month.  Can I submit a story idea?
Absolutely… and we’d love to hear from you. You ARE aviation, and we want to tell your stories, share your experiences, and celebrate aviation together. Stories that inform, educate, or would be of interest to a broad audience are stories that might be a good fit for the show. Send an email to info@TheAviators.TV or visit our website for more information.  What else can I do to get involved?
Word of mouth is a powerful tool. Tell your friends, place posters on bulletin boards at your flying club or airport, share information about the show in newsletters, etc., The Internet is also a powerful tool. Join our Fans of The Aviators Facebook group, discuss The Aviators in the many aviation chat rooms and forums, visit our website, and subscribe to the Update List. Through the List we are organizing a coordinated email campaign so that when the time comes (and it’s coming soon, but not quite yet) you can email your local affiliates en masse and tell them YOU WANT THE AVIATORS!  Why?
This isn’t really a question we get but the enormous positive response we’ve received from the aviation community to this point is so encouraging it helps us to realize the importance of a show like The Aviators at this time in our history.
General aviation is misunderstood by most of the population at large. Our numbers have been in decline. Fuel costs are rising. And some in power can quick with their criticisms. But aviation is no less wonderful, no less miraculous than it was over 100 years ago. In fact, it has become an essential part of our lives despite having to dodge slings and arrows.
But most of all flying is just plain fun. It’s been said that learning to fly makes you better at everything. I happen to believe that, unquestionably. Learning to fly was the best thing I’ve ever done for myself. It has given me an unparalleled sense of achievement and provides me with an ongoing peace.
And these are messages that worth communicating on the biggest and best medium ever invented (I’ll leave you to debate whether that’s television or the Internet… but we’ll have them both covered in any case. Print too, in fact.)
Fly safe(r)… and Stay Tuned!

A Hard Day’s Flight

Mon, 1 Mar 2010 01:14:33 -0500

Professional pilots are required to track their duty times in an effort to reduce the risk of errors that may be brought on due to pilot fatigue. No such mechanism formally exists for private pilots but then again, seldom do most private pilots fly long enough to warrant one. But that’s not to say that there isn’t a point where the skills and attentiveness of a non-professional pilot, not used to a long and taxing day of flying, might begin to suffer. On any given day, how much flying is too much?  One day a few summers ago, that number of hours for our pilot was somewhere between 8 and 9.  The trip had been planned for months. Our pilot was going to attend a fly out with some friends to join up with a group of other aircraft from the northeastern United States. It was an early wake up call that Saturday morning with the usual pre-flight routine – weather briefing, flight planning, gathering the gear, pre-flighting the aircraft, and meeting up with the passengers.  Their journey across upstate New York and the New England states was the longest of all the planes participating. Their flight time would be a little over 4 hours each way. With a fuel endurance comfortably over 5 hours, the capacity of the bladders of those on board had more of an effect on the decision whether or not to break the trip up into two legs than fuel. Our pilot decided that with full tanks – switching every hour – fuel wouldn’t be a problem. As for passenger bladders, well, that second cup of morning coffee was discouraged.  It was a perfect flying day and the trip in was pleasurable for all on board. Their anticipation peaked as their destination airport was came into sight. Our pilot landed and parked and the four of them joined their comrades in the lobby of the FBO.  It was now early afternoon so the group carried on to their planned spot for a late lunch/early dinner. Eating and socializing, hours and hours went by as the entire group shared stories and had a great time. Most of the group was either staying the night or making a very short return flight home. Our pilot and friends though had planned on making this a day trip from the start and found themselves heading back to the FBO preparing for the return flight just as the sun was setting.  The trip home under the moonlight was quiet and peaceful. During the latter half of the trip home our pilot hummed to himself as his passengers slept. By now, our pilot was himself feeling tired and happy to be within an hour or two from home, but still felt more than sharp enough to carry on.  Approaching their base airport, our pilot woke his passengers and landed his faithful bird between the welcoming lights of the otherwise dark runway. They parked the aircraft and headed to their respective beds, all happy to be home.  So where was the close call? Well, a few days later our pilot was preparing for a short pleasure flight. As he was performing his walkaround and dipping the fuel tanks he found that the right tank had more fuel than he was expecting and was shocked to discover that the dipstick emerged from the left tank dry! He checked inside the aircraft to find that the fuel tank selector was on (you guessed it) LEFT.  Thinking back, our pilot determined that on the late and quiet trip home from the flyout, he must have neglected to make the last switch of his tanks. He was astonished that during the left turns in the circuit, considering just how little fuel remained in the left tank, that there was just enough fuel to feed the engine.  Of course, this wouldn’t have been an issue if he had switched tanks in the last hour of the trip as he should have. What if the trip was just a little longer… enough to run the left tank out? What if fuel flow was interrupted during a low altitude turn in the circuit?  So much potential for an entirely avoidable engine outage caused by fatigue-induced pilot error? Such as simple missed step: a tank switch. Our pilot feels lucky to have learned a valuable lesson without having had to pay any more than a startling discovery after the fact. Our pilot now sets a fuel timer on his GPS and, more importantly, is much more cognizant of human factors and personal limitations.
Fly safe(r).

Buyer Beware

Mon, 1 Feb 2010 15:59:59 -0500

Our pilot was in the process of purchasing a Piper PA-22, a classic cloth covered aircraft. After much research, he found one that had been recently re-covered so he contacted the seller for more information. Our pilot thought the seller seemed “like a legit guy with some knowledge in aviation.“ While in town on business a couple of weeks later, our pilot thought he’d stop in to check out the Tripacer in person.  At first glance it seemed very nice with only some minor signs of age, but nothing that turned him off. A look-over from his mechanic revealed a frayed trim cable. On the condition the cable would be repaired our pilot made on offer and proudly purchased the Tripacer.  On delivery day a short time later, our pilot completed his walk around, filed his flight plan, and departed for home in his new-to-him PA-22. He climbed out at an impressive 1100 feet per minute and leveled off at a relatively low 2800 feet ASL (1000 feet above ground) due to clouds.  About 15 minutes into the flight, cruising at 120, our pilot suddenly heard a loud “Bang!” and then another! A third “bang” was followed by the sound of “lots of wind” and was accompanied by a slight nose down, left bank attitude.  Our pilot’s first thought was “Oh no, I forgot to lock down the cowlings” but he looked over the windshield and saw nothing despite now descending more significantly. He trimmed nose up which made little difference as now he was “dropping like a rock!” Out of options, our pilot declares an emergency and plans a forced landing. He spotted a road no wider than his landing gear and managed to land hard, bouncing twice, but safely all in all. He shut down the engine and called flight services to update them as well as the Transportation Safety Board who had now been advised of the incident.  Our pilot examined the Tripacer to see if he could find anything wrong. He noticed that the passenger door behind him had come open and deduced that this was the source of the trouble. After having called his mechanic, the TSB, and the police and checking everything on the aircraft he could think of, our pilot deemed that the plane was intact.  Intent on resuming his journey home, our pilot started down the narrow road now serving as his runway. At 60 MPH the Tripacer bounced into the air but at just 500 feet above ground our pilot began to notice a vibration as the PA-22 began to pitch up and down on its own! Admits our pilot, “I realized I had made big mistake taking off again and that there was something seriously wrong with this bird.”  Looking around, he noticed that the horizontal stabilizer was moving up and down quite a bit. As he started planning for his second forced approach of the day, the aircraft suddenly pitched downwards out of control. He pulled the controls back and trimmed full nose up as he located the field he would land on this time. The uneven but soft and muddy ground took hold of the Piper as it slammed into the ground stopping in no more than 100 feet.  With the engine off our pilot froze, thankful to be alive. Surprisingly, the rugged little aircraft was no worse for wear. Our pilot contacted a friend advising him that he’d gone down. Not believing at first, the friend soon realized our pilot was serious and immediately began the hour-long drive to retrieve him. Our pilot decided that this time the plane wasn’t going anywhere until thoroughly examined by his mechanic, who had already begin his better than 3-hour journey to the scene. Of course, flight services and the TSB were also updated on the situation.  A while later our pilot, his friend, and his mechanic are all checking out what seemed to be most obvious, the recent repair of the trim cable. They all were critical of the repair and proceeded to improve upon it in the field, but the imperfect repair didn’t in and of itself seem to be enough to cause such a drastic loss of control.  Still puzzled, they all began a very detailed walk around. Our pilot was looking at the nose plane above the windshield when he called out, “Look!” It was then that they discovered a crack in the fabric above the windshield that was found to expand and disturb airflow in flight.  An Airworthiness Directive (AD) had been issued to address the noise and control problems experienced by our pilot. In many of the previous cases, the pilots had unfortunately not fared as well. The previous owner had explained that when the fabric-covered Tripacer was re-covered, it had been in accordance with all relevant ADs. However, having used an aftermarket covering the AD wasn’t applicable and therefore wasn’t followed, but installing the covering in accordance with the AD nevertheless was understood to be a best practice.  The aircraft was transported by truck to its new home where a comprehensive inspection was carried out during which a number of comparatively minor snags were revealed that were previously unknown. Our pilot is grateful to all that provided assistance during that all-too-memorable journey and can not overstate the value of a good and through pre-purchase inspection. There might also have been some other lessons learned that day too!  Fly safe(r).

Confessions of a Pilot

Fri, 1 Jan 2010 09:11:17 -0500

Our pilot had only received his private license a few short months earlier and was anxious to take family and friends flying whenever he could. Since most of his training was done in a Piper Tomahawk this is what he rented from the local flight training facility in order to take his brother for a ride on that hot summer’s day. Our pilot’s brother was a healthy 6 foot 4 weighing in at about 230 pounds – a good thing in some situations but not just then given density altitude considerations and the fact that the wind at the time favored the shortest of the three runways.  “By now it should be obvious that this is not the best scenario for beginning a pleasure flight or any flight for that matter,” our pilot admits. “To be honest, I don't remember what our fuel load was or if in fact we were over gross. We did manage to take off and clear the (not so) far end of the runway ‘safely’ followed by a much deteriorated climb rate.”  With years to reflect on the day’s flight our pilot already faults his novice judgment, but his self-critique peaks when he remembers that it was not very long afterwards that he looked over to his brother and asked “Would you like me to demonstrate a spin?”  Humbly adds our pilot, “No doubt my brother agreed, I’m almost ashamed to say, because he trusted my ability.”  The Tomahawk was at 4000 feet, which our pilot initially thought should be high enough, but continued up to 5500 feet just in case. “Thank God we did,” exclaims our pilot, “because my mother could very well have lost two sons in their mid-twenties that day and it would have been my fault!”  After the well-engrained pre-checks and clearing turns, our pilot pulled back the throttle and pulled into a high nose up attitude. Very high… almost vertical! As the speed diminished he abruptly applied plenty of rudder and within seconds they were in a fully developed spin.  “Okay, enough already” he remembers thinking. “Time to recover.” Ailerons neutral, he pushed the yoke forward and applied opposite rudder. But the Tomahawk failed to respond!  With terra firma getting ever closer and adrenaline rushing, our pilot thought he was doing all the right things to recover from a spin. “Then in an I-don’t-want-to-die type of panic I pulled back the column,” he explains.  The airplane finally stopped spinning. But bewildered and not paying attention to airspeed a wing soon dropped and they began another spin in the opposite direction! This time they recovered, apparently normally, after a few turns.  “When control was finally regained I was probably too scared to even look at the altimeter,” confesses our pilot, “but I remember thinking that the elevation appeared to be more like the view at circuit height.”  Before he flew again our pilot contacted a respected instructor and booked some dual training in the Tomahawk performing numerous spins and recoveries. He and his instructor tried to figure out what went wrong – aside from perhaps his over exuberance to have fun with an airplane. One possibility was that his tall passenger might have braced himself against the rudder pedals during the precarious maneuver. Another is that due to an improper technique for inducing the spin our pilot unknowingly entered an inverted spin, something was completely unfamiliar with.  He concludes, “I know in retrospect that with the limited training and experience required to attain a license, I should not have been doing deliberate spins.”  Live and learn… learn and live!  Fly safe(r).

A Rookie Mistake

Tue, 1 Dec 2009 18:15:34 -0500

Mont Tremblant is a quaint and beautiful resort town in Quebec. In the winter, Tremblant is famous for it’s skiing, but the area is also a wonderful summer destination with a host of activities including some incredible golf. Mont Tremblant International is about a 45 drive to the north but for private pilots the summer season offers the convenience of a grass strip right in neighboring St-Jovite only minutes away from the Village.  Our pilot was a newly licensed private pilot with less than 100 hours. When thinking about a day-trip destination to fly his recently acquired Piper Cherokee he decided on Mont Tremblant. Not only would he be able to add a few hours to his logbook, he’d even get in a round of golf with a friend.  About 30 miles from St-Jovite our pilot began hearing position reports on the radio. He wasn’t able to understand the French language calls but that didn’t stop him from making his own calls in English. His concern for the whereabouts of nearby traffic provided just enough of a distraction that our new pilot without realizing it, started falling behind on the organization of his planned arrival.  Unfamiliar with the aerodrome to begin with and never having so much as spotted a grass strip much less land at one, our pilot, despite his usually thorough pre-flight planning, began to feel a little overburdened as he began his descent into St-Jovite.  There were no replies to his request for an airport advisory but he had expected runway 20 so called “inbound to cross over the field for the turnaround, runway two zero.” He was approaching from the west, would cross over the airport, turn back, then join mid-left downwind. That was his plan and he thought he had it all straight. But let’s review…  Approaching from the west… crossing then turning back over the airport – now westbound… then turning for the mid-left downwind – southbound, right? That would make final northbound?!?! Not 20… but rather 02!  Our pilot’s turn calls continued, ending with “two zero” while all the while in the pattern for what was in fact zero two. On final and unwittingly downwind, about to make his first grass field landing our pilot was further down the runway than he had hoped before the Cherokee’s wheels finally touched the ground. But that’s only where the excitement began.  With the end of the turf fast approaching and a forest just beyond that, he had to decide between hard braking (that he thought might be ineffective on the grass) or throttling back up to make use of his speed and going around. His still immature instincts chose the latter.  The 140 horses gave their all and the little Cherokee climbed as best it could just edging into stall horn territory. With only feet to spare, our pilot cleared the treetops only to face his next obstacle – Mont Tremblant.  “I tried to keep the climb going as much as I could but had to point the nose down every few seconds to regain the speed I was bleeding off” our pilot recounts. Within seconds (that seemed like minutes), the Cherokee finally cleared the mountain and leveled off.  Our pilot did his best to gather him thoughts and prepare for another attempt at the landing. He turned and entered the downwind leg for the same runway. Still calling it two zero (though it was zero two), and again with a tailwind on final, our pilot this time set the Cherokee down early enough on the turf that speed was no longer a factor as they coasted to the end of the runway.  Two people emerged from the airport office exclaiming, “We thought you were going to kill yourself!”  After realizing the significance of his geographic disorientation and the resultant avoidable (though nevertheless very real) dangers, our pilot mentally reenacted the scenario. “Boy, I’m very lucky to be able to have learned a lot from that simple, stupid mistake,” he admits. “From that moment on I began mentally and visually mapping out my every arrival detail – headings, altitudes, everything!”  As has been often spoken by wise old pilots… Never let your aircraft take you somewhere your brain didn't get to five minutes earlier. Our pilot seconds that.  Fly safe(r).

Surviving a Flat Spin

Sun, 1 Nov 2009 08:30:30 -0500

Up until the afternoon of the August 13th 2007 our pilot in Great Britain had thought that the flat spin was the province of much more thoroughbred aircraft than his Tipsy Nipper. He also believed it was a maneuver that required positive actions to enter. On both counts he was quite wrong.  Our aerobatic pilot would enter the spin from a wings level, fully stalled condition. Throttle closed at the stall he sharply applied full right rudder, full left aileron, and full back stick. Within half a turn he noted the higher nose attitude and rate of rotation. Within a full turn he knew the spin had gone flat.  Application of full opposite rudder, centered ailerons and progressive full forward stick did nothing. After a couple of turns our pilot centered the controls, checked the throttle was fully closed, and reapplied spin recovery. This too had no effect. During these inputs there was little or no control load.   He recalled reading that the flat spin was entered by application of power with opposite aileron and progressive back stick, so he really did not want to use power. However, locked into a maneuver he didn’t know how to recover from he was game to try anything.  Tentative applications of power against anti-spin rudder seemed to have no effect. When he tried giving longer bursts of power the engine stopped! With no starter motor installed in the aircraft, our pilot considered losing his engine to be “the least of my problems” as he continued hurling toward the ground at 3000 feet per minute, completely out of control still in a flat spin.  It was then that our pilot grimly uttered to himself “Well, this is it Neil.” But human nature being what it is he was not prepared to give up.  The rate of rotation was quite high, and the only controls with any aerodynamic load that he could perceive were the ailerons. Our pilot desperately formulated that if he applied full right rudder, full right aileron, and forward stick he might just be able to tip the aircraft into a steeper spin from which he could hopefully recover.  Finally, the control inputs started to take effect and as he had predicted (and hoped) he recovered into level flight.   “After 26 turns you would not believe the level of disorientation” shares our pilot. “Unable to read the instruments, struggling to maintain straight and level flight, heading away from friendly soil I recovered enough to consider a forced landing and the wind direction. With no altitude to air-start the engine the landing area was quickly diminishing. Turning into wind I could see an area that looked survivable, but as I pitched up for the soft field landing the main gear caught the top wires of a barbed wire fence that I was unable to see.”  The wires flipped the plane onto its nose and it settled inverted in a small marshy hollow. There was no fire and although the port wing tip was underwater there was no risk of drowning. Since the canopy opened outward and the grass was against it our pilot would have to try to break the Perspex and crawl out through the water and mud in order to egress.  “This didn’t seem necessary, as I was in no immediate danger,” he assessed. “The inverted fuel system was not leaking and the tide wasn’t coming in. A call on 121.5 went unanswered, so I tried Essex Radar as I knew commercial traffic above me would be on that frequency. A Ryanair eventually relayed my mayday and only 20 minutes later the police support air unit arrived. Two of the crew lifted the tail to enable my escape. A full turnout of fire brigade and paramedics arrived shortly thereafter, and once it was established that I was completely unhurt we carried the Nipper to the grass track that I might have made had the fence not intervened!”  Our pilot reflects “What have I learned from the experience? Never assume the maneuver you are about to perform will end the same way… and a lot about flat spinning!”  On this day our pilot’s maneuver-entry altitude was 3500 feet, 500 feet higher than usual since he was trying something slightly different. He concludes “I judged that I recovered at height of 500 to 700 feet… I will leave the math to you! Remember: Altitude or airspeed, preferably both.”
Fly safe(r).

The Centennial Odyssey

Thu, 1 Oct 2009 00:08:14 -0400

We flew a total of almost 6000 miles – from the Toronto area to the shores of the Pacific ocean, then all the way across to the Atlantic before turning back and heading for home. And oh, what I’ve learned from the once in a lifetime experience of the recent Cross Canada Century Flight. Though there was a lot of it, it wasn’t just about the flying. As the journey progressed it became even more about the people, the places, and the awesome wonder of this incredible country.  It is easy to become regionalized in such a vast nation. But after having experienced the warm hospitality of a wide range of Canadians from across the country I have learned that I need to try harder to think about Canada as more than just what I know from within my own regional “silo.”   As aviators, we were consistently greeted as heroes by hundreds, sometimes thousands, along with waving flags and bands playing. Though heroes we were not but rather participants, like those who welcomed us, in a cross-country tribute to those who with their courage and ambition gave us aviation as know it today. All who sacrificed before us, risking their lives to make flying safer – even possible at all, are the heroes. And our journey was in honor of them.   A countdown of almost 2 years finally reached zero when on the morning of July 17th, 2009 good ol’ Cessna Foxtrot Lima Romeo India, our 206, fired up and became the first to launch from Boundary Bay, BC. It was only 18 hours before that we were in the midst of our westbound crossing of the Rockies, a first for everyone on board, to arrive at the opening ceremonies of the Century Flight. The next morning we were on our way over the colossal and wondrous mountain range again. Flying at the height of some of the peaks of the mammoth Rockies is truly the definition of the word “Awesome!”  The approximately 80 aircraft that departed British Columbia were joined by others in Calgary, Alberta taking the count to close to 100 heading into Brandon, Manitoba. Engine troubles befell one aircraft that rejoined the flight a little later on after a quick cylinder replacement. But it was upon our entry into Ontario that the weather gods stopped smiling.   A series of systems north of Lake Superior scattered the flight to various diversion points. Some were lucky enough to beat the weather while most waited for openings as one system passed just ahead of the next one. Some simply couldn’t get out. In fact, much of the latter group were forced to stay put for several days ending the journey for many of those aircraft.
Onward to Marathon then Sault Ste. Marie where weather once again delayed our arrival into Brampton, Ontario – my stomping grounds. It seemed it was no sooner we finally got into Brampton that we were already planning our departure ahead of – you guessed it – more weather!   Into Quebec and over Maine our numbers dwindled a little more as weather diversions became necessary with increasing regularity – some brief, some extended. Over the course of our stay in Fredericton, New Brunswick we regained several of our stragglers but weather continued to challenge the flight as it narrowed the departure window to Sydney, Nova Scotia resulting in a somewhat smaller contingent than expected at the official airport renaming ceremony that was planned to coincide with the arrival of the Century Flight.  Determined, those that were held back continued on when able, leading to an impressive presence at closing ceremonies held at the Alexander Graham Bell museum in Baddeck, Nova Scotia, overlooking the site of the first flight in Canadian history.   The odyssey completed, we said our warm goodbyes and dispersed. Some chose to extend their east coast stay, a few headed to Oshkosh, others returned to their homes near and far. The long-planned journey, despite some unavoidable challenges, had concluded successfully – and more importantly, safely.   We’re now hard at work producing the television special that when it airs on PBS, Global, and History Television this fall will almost certainly be more emotional personally than I had ever expected it would be. It will be a chance to relive this journey of a lifetime that was shared by thousands across the country including a couple of hundred of my newest friends.
Fly safe(r).

Lucky to be Alive

Tue, 1 Sep 2009 11:58:47 -0400

Our pilot lived in San Diego, California in the early 1950s and spent his extra money feeding his Ryan PT22 fuel. He worked the swing shift at Conair at the time. That gave him a lot of available time that he used for flying. Friends would say to him “next time you’re going flying on a nice day, I’d love to go”. If the weather was good and their schedule permitted, our pilot gave friends an open invitation to fly that they could take him up on by calling if they wanted to fly.

One day, a co-worker did just that so they made plans to go for a ride the next day. The weather over San Diego was broken clouds and wind from the west about 15 mph. It seemed perfect. Our pilot planned to go to Borrego Springs in the dessert just over the mountains. It would be a beautiful ride in a PT22.

Borrego Springs was just starting to develop. The sales office even had a dirt runway at their site. Upon landing they would send a limousine out to pick you up, bring you to their office, and try to sell you a lot in the dessert. After the two underwent the sales pitch then had lunch at the restaurant when our pilot realized the time. It was getting a little late so they rushed back to the airplane. This is where the tale really begins.

Taking off from Borrego Springs, the mountains climb very fast. Our pilot didn’t want them to be late for work so instead of climbing over Borrego for some altitude, he chose to fly up a wide canyon where he thought he could go into a gradual climb. Well, the mountains were climbing faster than the PT22 could. The oil pressure was dropping and the cylinder temperature was redlining. Our pilot hugged the side of the canyon with hopes of making a 180-degree turn.

“I felt I could reach out and grab a handful of dirt and rock” our pilot recalls. “Air speed was slowly disintegrating. I didn’t think I had enough room to do a 180. I had a little more throttle left and did a chandelle.”

“I’m still here, it worked!” thought our relieved pilot. “I always wondered for what purpose those maneuvers were taught.” He continues, “Coming out of the 180 I could clearly see the small pebbles on the ground. At that point there was a sigh of relief. My friend was not aware of any problems. I cautiously gained altitude to clear the mountains and now see scattered clouds. The closer I got to home the less scattered they were and the tops were getting higher. Panic started to set in again.”

Our pilot with map in hand began to lose sight of land. Occasionally he would spot a hole in the clouds at about 7,000 feet. At the time that he calculated that at that point they should be just about over the airport no such holes existed. If he couldn’t get down they would be over the sea.

Just then appeared a small hole in the cloud. Our pilot could see the airport from 7,000 feet. “I did a tight spiral, almost a spin down to 2,000 feet hoping the clouds wouldn’t close up the hole and suck me in.”

“We made it. My friend Nelson couldn’t stop talking about the beautiful ride he had.” Our pilot concludes, “Nelson never knew there was a problem. After landing, my knees could not stop shaking. I never told Nelson the truth. Nelson from Detroit, if you read this, you are lucky to be alive.”

Fly safe(r).

Oh, What a Century! - Redux

Sat, 1 Aug 2009 11:57:10 -0400

Last February, on a cold day in Baddeck, Nova Scotia, Canadian astronaut Bjarni Tryggvason lifted off in a working replica of the legendary Silver Dart to commemorate the centennial of flight in Canada. July 2009 will mark the journey of 100 aircraft from the west coast to the east coast so that as a mass the Century Flight may congregate on the historic maritime site to celebrate the time when 100 years ago J.A. McCurdy mounted the original Silver Dart and embarked upon the very first flight ever to take place in Canada. It was on February 23, 1909 on the property of inventor Alexander Graham Bell in Baddeck. Of course, several years earlier on December 17, 1903 Orville and Wilbur Wright made history in Kitty Hawk, NC when THE first flight occurred opening the era of powered flight.

The past 100 years (or 106 for our American cousins) has seen some previously unimaginable achievements. As incredible as flight itself is, we’ve since broken the sound barrier, been to the moon, and are arguably within a generation of some form of commercial space travel. Generally, flight is somewhat less mystical on the whole now as it was even 30 or 40 years ago since today flying is as much a contemporary norm as is driving a car.

This sentiment relates mostly, however, to commercial travel as we, the relative few who take command of the flight controls in GA aircraft, know that sitting in seat 26B of an A320 is nothing at all like sitting in the left seat of a C172! But whether you fly the bigs, buzz around in something smaller, aspire to do either, or simply fashion yourself an enthusiast, 100 years of flight will without a doubt mean something very special to you.

The Century Flight is one of many celebrations planned across Canada throughout 2009 – some large and some small. This includes dedicated portions of major annual events such as the COPA Convention from July 17th to 19th in Calgary and EAA’s AirVenture from July 27th to August 2nd at Oshkosh. Both events will commemorate the Canadian centennial and between these two aviation celebrations will be other parties from coast to coast in places like Boundary Bay, Brandon, Marathon, Sault Ste. Marie, Brampton, Fredericton, Sydney, and Baddeck itself – all welcoming the arrival of the Century Flight with pomp and circumstance.

Our acclaimed host, television pilot John Lovelace, will be leading the charge across the country in his Piper Navajo attending the COPA Convention as well as all of the specially selected official venues already mentioned. The plan was to get 100 pilots to accompany him (your writer included) but we now have greater than number in aircraft count alone! The entire journey will be filmed for a television special airing across North America late in 2009 with footage also being used for “The Aviators,” a new weekly television series that will premiere in the fall of 2010. The 100+ aircraft from various official launch points across Canada will take part in some or all of the historic coast to coast journey making stops at venues along the way until arriving at Baddeck for the grand closing ceremonies. Participants will be welcomed as celebrities at each of the official venues. Community members, pilots, and enthusiasts of all ages will be invited to join in on the many celebrations that will be planned.

We’d like to extend our thanks to all Century Flight participants, volunteers across the country, and well- wishers everywhere as we embark on this journey of a lifetime!

Fly safe(r).