Red Alert Winter 2014W - Redstar Pilots Association

Transcription

RED Alert
THE MAGAZINE OF THE REDSTAR PILOTS ASSOCIATION
Winter 2014
2
Red Alert Winter 2014
Red ALERT
Features
Desert Thunder....................................................................................... 6
Challenge In The Desert
NWOC 2015........................................................................................... 10
6
What's It All About?
RedStars Fly SF Fleet Week. . .............................................................. 12
Bay Area Celebration
Brotherhood Of The Wing. . ................................................................. 14
Few Will Ever Know
Pre-Purchase Inspection...................................................................... 16
12
Buyer Beware
Gotcha Covered. . ................................................................................... 19
Fly Confidently Knowing Your Family Is Protected
South Central FAST Clinic..................................................................24
Lamar, Colorado, September 2014
Mike Eaton's CJ-6A. . .............................................................................28
Mike's Mount
16
Santa Barbara Veterans Day Weekend..............................................30
Spectacular Celebration
MacAir Aero Club................................................................................. 37
From Where Orville And Wilbur Lived
So You Want To Fly Formation. . .........................................................42
An Insight Into The RPA Clinic Environment
26
The Great Gator Chase. . ...................................................................... 46
Waycross, Georgia
Brazil, A Segunda Viagem. . ..................................................................48
South American Delivery
Columns
President’s Message. . ..............................................................................4
30
Year End Wrap Up
Donor Report.........................................................................................20
Recognition
Aviation Medicine. . ...............................................................................22
Is Flying As Bad As Smoking?
Gadgets...................................................................................................20
A Simple Monitoring Solution
38
RPA Website, Part Deux.. .................................................................... 27
Upgrades And Improved Functionality
KONG's Korner.. ....................................................................................36
Who's Next?
Tactical Training...................................................................................38
Bomb Dropping
Flight Leader.......................................................................................... 41
48
Creative Leadership
www.flyredstar.org
3
President's Message
G
reetings, Comrades! Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and Happy New Year! Once again, another exciting and event filled trip
around the sun! Is it just me, or did this year seem to f ly by a little faster
than last year? In my last message for 2014, I will give you a snap shot of
your RPA, recognize some very special members, and tell you what we
will be working on for next year.
We are ending this year with 451 members. This is a 9% increase over
last year. I think the inclusiveness of our membership, the quality of
our training materials and pilots, the variety, intensity, and fun of our
events, and the world class quality of our print and digital publications are responsible. Included in this number are 33 members from
Australia, New Zealand, Canada, England, Germany, France, and the
Netherlands. We have 165 formation pilots including 14 new wingmen,
nine new Flight Leads, and one new IP. Well Done, everyone, and welcome to a very exclusive fraternity! Since we became the RPA 12 years
ago, we have trained 415 FAST qualified formation pilots. Our regional
organizers hosted approximately 18 multiple-day formation clinics including standard, tactical, and special event f lying. Several clinics partnered with local airports and sponsors to create an exciting community event. The RPA,
again, had a large presence at major air shows
including Sun-N-Fun, AirVenture, and the
Rocky Mountain Air Show. We also supported
an increasing number of veteran and special
event f ly-bys, picking up the slack from our
over-tasked military aviators.
At AirVenture, the four mass formation signatories collaborated with the air bosses, EAA,
and WOA to introduced three new elements to
our portion of the Warbird Air Show. First, we designed a new opening,
giving each group a low altitude parade pass following the initial simultaneous low altitude, mass group pass. Second, we provided an on-call
3-ship for the air boss to use for filling in dead space during the show.
The Aerostars f lew this option as the proof-of-concept team. The plan
for 2015 is to expand this option to include a 3- or 4-ship of low altitude
formation/acro qualified pilots from the four signatories. Finally, the
RPA was the proof-of-concept signatory for the mass formation f lyby
dog fight option.
All of this happened because of you, our energetic members, our officers and BOD members, our event organizers, and volunteers, and our
talented maintenance and support experts. Personally, and on behalf of
the RPA, I thank all of you and offer a hearty “Well Done” for filling
2014 with outstanding f lying, quality aircraft, and unique opportunities to do something different in aviation. I also need to specifically
thank the following volunteers:
Mark Weidhaas, Ron Lee, Harry Dutson, Byron Fox, Gil Lipaz, and especially Chuck Daley, our administrator, for the countless hours they
devote to the paperwork and data management required to keep our association’s treasury, tax, 501(c)3 filing, administration, store, and membership/FAST data bases running efficiently.
Mike Filucci, Robert Genet, and Alan Cockrell for producing Red Alert,
the BEST signatory magazine on the planet! I must also thank all our
4
talented and prolific writers and photographers for providing a wealth
of outstanding material for the editors.
John Warwick and Kirk Heiser, our Mad Men, for aggressively expanding the ability of our vendors and maintenance shops to connect with
the membership through advertisements in both Red Alert and on the
web site.
Gill Lipaz, Mike Filucci, John Warwick, Kirk Heiser, and Robert Genat,
the Website Committee, for the recent improvements. The look and
content have been significantly improved. New functions, like the forum, have been turned on. We have increased our usability of the web
site to about 50%, with more on the way.
Listed on page 21 are some 102 Volunteers. In addition to the three major air shows, these folks also brought us ARS, Thunder Over Louisville,
Desert Thunder, Shoals Warbird Weekend, Easton, Lamar, Kingman,
and the Gator Chase, just to name a few. Their tireless effort got us
fuel discounts, food, lodging, transportation, sponsors, ground schools,
instruction, check rides, and admin and maintenance support. Their
quality work attracts not only RPA members,
but members from other signatories as well.
Listed on page 20, you will find the names of
our generous Donors. These folks have invested in the mission and spirit of the RPA with a
charitable contribution.
Their generosity will help the RPA grow and
increase the value of your membership. I especially want to thank our five $5000+ Lifetime
donors for their significant contributions.
In 2015, we will be dealing with two major efforts. The first involves
FAR 91.139, Experimental/Exhibition Aircraft overf light of “densely
populated areas.” On page 9 you can read an early synopsis of what
the FAA is now doing. I have been talking with Harold Cannon, WOA
President, and Jim Tobul, FAST President, about what we can do. They
have told me that we will all be contributing to a combined EAA effort
to resolve this in a timely manner. The RPA has two members who have
been actively involved at their FSDO level to craft a solution. I have
asked them to produce a summary of the procedures they use to enable
formation f lights at special events. As soon as I get their information, I
will be sharing it with you, EAA, WOA, and FAST.
The second is a make-over of the RedStars program. Several of our
squadrons have become very successful supporting veteran and special
events with ceremonial f lights and f ly-bys. I would like to build on their
momentum and experience to enable the entire RPA to honor veterans and support special events with our unique aircraft and formation
skills, and get reimbursed for our operating expenses.
Have a great Holiday Season and, again, I hope Santa brings all of us
4000 gallons of 100LL!
Best wishes, Terry “Mags” Slawinski
RedStar Pilots Association
VOLUNTEERS
OFFICERS
President Terry Slawinski yakski@earthlink.com
Vice President Scott McMillan aviatr@aol.com
Secretary David Jester djester@gjtbs.com
Treasurer Gil Lipaz glipaz@yahoo.com
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Southwest Scott Andrews onthegoaz@aol.com
Northwest Joe Griffith joegriff@chugach.net
Southeast Dave Jester djester@gjtbs.com
Northeast Rob Mortera robwork@robinhill.com
Northcentral John Shuttleworth jhnshuttleworth@yahoo.com
Southcentral Joe Wilkins yak52driver@aol.com
National Mike Carter beavcarter@cox.net
National Scott Glaser scott.t.glaser@defiantco.com
National Rich Hess hess737@aol.com
MANAGERS
Public Relations John Graham cubflyer1940@yahoo.com
Standardization Skip Slyfield norske.fly@gmail.com
Maintenance Jill Gernetzke jill@m-14p.com
Flight Physiology Chuck Crinnian, MD chiefpilot@aviationdoc.net
RPA Store Byron Fox byronmfox@gmail.com
IT Dean Henthorn dinoh@clutchmania.com
RPA/FAST Records Mark Weidhaas dicepilot@yahoo.com
Senior Sales and Advertising Kirk Heiser kehpilot@gmail.com
RED ALERT
Editor Mike Filucci mfilucci@gmail.com
Associate Editor Alan Cockrell yakpilot@bellsouth.com
Associate Editor Robert Genat robertgenat@yahoo.com
Associate Editor John Warwick john.warwick1@gmail.com
Sr. West Coast Correspondent Robert Genat robertgenat@yahoo.com
Contributors
Craig Barnett craig@schemedesigners.com
Donna Davis donna44yk@gmail.com
Chris Dilley s3onewire@yahoo.com
Robert Genat robertgenat@yahoo.com
John Knolla jlknolla@aol.com
Gil Lipaz glipaz@yahoo.com
RED
Mark Loper markeloper@gmail.com
Ron Malec rsmalec52@gmail.com
Stacy McNutt
Dan Newcomb dannewcomb3@gmail.com
Daniel Popinga dr.p.spotter@gmail.com
Robert Turchick rob@yipdogstudios.com
Advertisers
Ladd Gardner Aviation Insurance................. 2
NWOC 2015................................................... 11
Compressed Gas Systems.............................. 13
M-14P ............................................................. 23
Gibson & Barnes............................................. 27
Retro Air Designs........................................... 36
Whirlwind Propeller...................................... 37
Don Mayer Parachute Shop.......................... 42
Pacific Coast Avionics.................................... 43
Flying Eyes....................................................... 44
Air Power Insurance...................................... 49
Mort's Aero...................................................... 54
Straube's........................................................... 55
Red Alert is your magazine and would not exist
without your input-your stories and experiences are what bring the magazine alive.
Mike
2015 ISSUE DEADLINE
Spring: 25 February
Please submit material to:
Mike Filucci mfilucci@gmail.com
Material contained herein is published for examination and evaluation of the reader. The RedStar Pilots
Association has made no attempt to verify any of the
contents and accepts no responsibility for any items
printed in this publication. Articles written and published in this magazine are for entertainment only and
are the opinion of the author(s). They are not intended to be instructional in nature nor promote deviation from a published flight procedure in any aircraft
or technical flight manual, FAR, law or other regulation. The contents are not intended to be construed as
offering legal advice or counsel.
Alert
THE MAGAZINE OF THE REDSTAR PILOTS ASSOCIATION
Cover
To wake himself up, Darrell
"Condor" Gary substitutes a few
yanks, banks, and verticals for his
traditional morning coffee.
Photo by
Robert "Speedo" Genat
Winter 2014
www.flyredstar.org
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By Darrell "Condor" Gary darrell@garyhouse.net, photos by Robert Turchick rob@yipdogstudios.com, and John Knolla jlknolla@aol.com
D
esert Thunder has evolved over the years to become one of
the RPA’s premier events. While safety is always the first
mission priority, this event is constructed to preserve, perfect,
and pass on critical skill sets. Mission planning, contact navigation, tactical formation, look-out, mutual support, defensive maneuvering, communications, forward air control procedures, and
precision aircraft maneuvering are all emphasized. The training
opportunities available at Desert Thunder are truly extraordinary.
The credibility of the staff, instructors and event coordinators,
combined with the tactical assets, make Desert Thunder a truly
unique experience. Many of our lead pilots have extensive tactical experience. Several have backgrounds as instructors in the
USAF or USN Fighter Weapons Schools. Qualified forward air
controllers (F.A.C.) lead the air-to-ground training and the scenario. This F.A.C. contingent has military digital radios, smoke
grenades, and helicopter support to ensure their effectiveness in
controlling the environment within the “Kill Box.” A formidable
Red Air opposing force is deployed in a controlled environment designed to optimize the training value for
participants.
Desert Thunder culminates in a scenario driven event
designed to provide a realistic test of all of the skill sets
that have been the focus of training. While this task
saturated environment pushes participants to their
limits, the rapidly improving competency level of our
pilots has made it necessary to continually restructure
the event and increase the level of complexity.
This year provided a series of challenges that clearly
demonstrated the adaptability and bench strength
that has become the hallmark of the SW Region. After months of planning and coordination, the event
had to be rescheduled at last minute in response to the
whims of county authorities. Apparently we all work
for the government. As a result we lost some support
OH-58 deploying the forward air controller.
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assets and a few participants. As you will see later, Mother
Nature conspired against us as well.
Ground and air training were conducted on Thursday
and Friday. As is the custom, the Friday evening BBQ was
held on the ramp with the Red Air heavy iron, Yak-52s,
Nanchang CJ-6s, and T-34s in the background, fueled
and ready for action on the following morning. The BBQ
was highlighted with a brief on applied tactics given by
Mark McKinnon, a former F-15 Fighter Pilot credited with
two Mig-29 kills during the first Gulf War. This insightful briefing provided both motivation and purpose for the
training that we were all experiencing.
As we awoke Saturday morning, there was tension in the
air. This was game day and each of us would be tested, and our
performance measured against a standard criteria. It would be
impossible to hide any inability or lack of preparation. Each element was assigned a time over target (T.O.T.), given the route, the
F.A.C. frequencies, and target data. “Big Eye” would control all of
the aircraft on the range and Red Air with all of its performance
and tactical advantages would be hunting us along the route.
With all of the aircrews briefed, the OH-58 helicopter and the
F.A.C. contingent set to deploy and Red Air set to launch, the
pressure to start on time permeated the group. This is when
Mother Nature intervened and our leadership and adaptability
would be tested. With swirling winds gusting to 35 knots and the
target area partially obscured in blowing sand, the decision was
made to “rolex” the T.O.T.s. With everyone “spring loaded to the
GO position,” the wait felt interminable and there were grumblings amongst the group. Finally with safety as our first mission
priority, the decision was made to scrub the scenario and conduct
ground training.
Dean “Frito” Friedt and Mike ‘Beav” Carter led an interactive
session on threat reaction. This included comm., comm. brevity,
and defensive maneuvering given variable dynamic situations.
This had been one of the central elements of our training and
one of the most difficult in which to gain proficiency. The quality
Tiger f light outbound from target.
Red Air Bandits—feared by all.
and content of the presentation kept everyone’s attention.
After reviewing local forecasts, the decision was made to try to
conduct the scenario early on Sunday before everyone launched
for home. The Saturday night banquet was held as scheduled but
some of the awards would have to wait. The banquet is always
memorable for the acknowledgement of achievement as well as
the levity at the expense of others. If one has a fragile ego or thin
skin, this event should be avoided.
Desert Thunder would not happen if it were not for our sponsors and volunteers. Rachelle Gary and Amanda Walthour spent
months planning the event and performing all of the tasks that
none of us wanted to do in order to make it a success. Our Operations Officer, Duke Molter, and our Air Boss, Andrew Webb, set
the tone for operations and ran the schedule. Doug Matthews,
Carter Teeters, Mike Pf leger, Dean Friedt and Mike Carter provided the Red Air assets and the skills necessary to deploy them
effectively. Thanks to Dave McNary and Bo Ryan for standing in
the desert and providing the forward air control and guidance
necessary to ensure safety and optimize the air-to-ground component. We all wish to thank our sponsors Mike Maloco, Warbird LLC and especially Mitch Allee whose generosity makes this
event accessible to many.
A special award was presented to Ron “L.W.” Lee. This
was a small token of appreciation for his seven years of
exceptional service as Treasurer of the RPA. Best Costume
(it was Halloween) went to Mike Carter and Dean Friedt
the Taliban twins. Skip Slyfield was designated to award
the Bone because of his excellent speaking delivery and
his cutting edge wit. As fate would have it, when the votes
were tallied, he awarded the Bone to himself for actions or
inaction ref lecting a lack of SA, and or airmanship, or any
cognitive ability.
The call sign nominations were posted and voted on. By
popular acclaim our two rotary wing pilots are now forever known as: “Bulls eye” (Pat Rodgers) and “B-2” (Carl
Allen). Our benefactor Mitch Allee is now “Capo” and our
F.A.C. Bo Ryan was to be 10. However, the call sign re-
www.flyredstar.org
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F.A.C. Dave "Hobbs" McNary adjacent to target.
Mitch "CAPO" Allee expresses his appreciation for the professionalism of the RPA.
view board subsequently reassigned his former call sign awarded
while on duty in Afghanistan, “Shooter.”
The Sunday morning scenario brief came early for many. At
breakfast, by unanimous acclaim, our F.A.C. Dave “Hobbs” McNary was awarded the Night Crawler award for sustained performance after hours. Mother Nature cooperated and the event
went off without a hitch. There were some egos left shattered on
the ground but in the words of the F.A.C. and Red Air, the entire
group was outstanding except for comm. There were no violations of R.O.E. or safety parameters and no mechanical problems. When the Post Op grading was
complete, the struggle for top spot
was very close with several groups
turning in outstanding performances.
However, experience edged out youth,
good eye sight, quick ref lexes and aggression. Thanks to good look-out,
effective threat reaction and mutual
support, “Condor” f light was awarded
the Air-to-Air Championship award.
On the Air-to-Ground side, solid
F.A.C. procedures, good comm. and
the direct hit on the first pass by Mark
“Flex” McKinnon cemented “Condor”
f light's first place with a score of 195
out of 200.
Wildcat on the prowl.
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Desert Thunder was both unusual and at the same time very
memorable this year. We learned much, improved our skill sets,
cemented friendships, and departed wondering how it can possibly get any better than this. Applying the lessons learned, the
planning has already started for next year. Desert Thunder 2015
already has sponsorship money which will allow us to expand the
scope and complexity. Standby, this should be good.
Check Six, “Condor”
RED ALERT
Flyovers and FAR 91.319
W
ith the advent of sequestration in 2013 and the subsequent
grounding of most of the military demonstration teams,
our pilots became more in demand for f ly-overs at public events.
public comment, and so on. I understand that the process normally takes four years or more and it hasn't started yet.
Just prior to Veterans Day weekend, the FAA directed its FSDOs
to issue warnings to demonstration teams all across the country
concerning overf light of NFL games, NASCAR races, and other
public events. At issue was FAR 91.319 and the f light of experimental and experimental exhibition aircraft over public venues.
The FAA decided to review this activity and subsequently issued
the warnings advising pilots of experimental/experimental exhibition aircraft to be aware of the "regulatory implications."
Another option is to create a process for teams to be granted
an exemption for important fly-overs at sports stadiums and
other large venues. One important part of the exemption process will be comprehensive safety procedures that will assure
the safety of the public on the ground will not be affected. I
expect these procedures will cover both pilots and aircraft.
The process will probably also cover flight planning to include
flight paths, minimum altitudes, glide distances and emergency landing areas for the flight.
The FAA's action prompted an immediate response from the
aviation community and, as a result, the Experimental Aircraft
Association (EAA) and the International Council of Airshows
(ICAS) became involved. Mark Peterson of the CJAA wrote the
following summation of the present situation.
We are going to need a very logical, data-based program to
make sure that safety can be maintained with less restrictions.
I believe the FAA will not reduce restrictions on experimental
aircraft operations if they believe that the general public will
be less safe as a result.
"We need to stay coordinated on this effort to address flight
over stadiums and public events.
The FAA will NOT do anything just because we want them to."
In my opinion, nothing is going to happen quickly. FAR 91.319 is
a Federal Regulation and cannot be easily waived or modified
by the FAA. The FAA has a responsibility to protect the safety
of the general public. The process to modify any regulation is
a long one. Drafting, internal reviews, legal review, posting for
The takeaway from all this is for you to be very careful so as
not to place yourself in a situation where the FAA is taking enforcement action against your certificate. Be aware of your operating limitations, the regulations, and how they apply to your
specific situation.
Tire Incident
T
his past September, one of our comrades had an incident
with his Yak-52TW that all should be aware of.
The Yak-52TW had just undergone a routine tire change prior to
the f light referenced here.
The replacement tires were Desser Tire recaps. When the pilot
arrived on downwind at his destination airport and selected
landing gear down, he discovered that the right main gear indicated unsafe. He tried all the usual emergency procedures for
gear extension. When the gear still did not extend, he tried other
techniques, such as pulling maximum Gs to effect the gear extension. After trying all the tricks in his arsenal, and running low on
fuel, the pilot elected to land gear up on the runway.
The pilot was unhurt and there was minimal damage to the airplane.
Subsequent inspection of the two recapped tires found that there
was a ¾ inch difference between the circumference of the two
replacement tires. Obviously, the oversized tire was responsible
for the jammed gear.
Based on this incident, it is advisable to carefully check the dimensions of replacement tires. The ultimate check is to jack the
airplane up and swing the gear before you take it in the air.
www.flyredstar.org
9
NWOC 2015
NWOC—What’s It All About?
By Phil Wood woodp@woodp.com
F
or the last 20+ years, warbird owners, operators and maintainers have gathered to assess the state of the warbird community. Their interest spans from the lightest Stearmans to the
heaviest Bombers, and includes all models of trainers, jets and
fighters in between. Ultimately, their goal is to share experiences
and examine the operation, maintenance, and regulatory aspects
of warbird ownership.
That gathering is called The National Warbird Operator Convention, or simply NWOC, and this year it takes place in New
Orleans over the Feb 26 to Mar 1, 2015 weekend.
For those new to the NWOC, the humble beginnings of this gathering may be somewhat vague or even confusing. It’s really quite
simple.
In 1992, while on the ramp at the National Championship Air
Races in Reno, Nevada, EAA Warbirds of America president Bill
Harrison and Lone Star Flight Museum administrator Ralph
Royce conceived the idea of a gathering of warbird organizations,
aviation museums, owners and mechanics. What’s the purpose of
NWOC? Essentially, it’s to discuss common goals and to evaluate
the changing environment in which we operate warbird aircraft.
The need for the gathering became critically apparent when the
FAA imposed a moratorium on the importation and licensing
of surplus military, turbine-powered aircraft. As it turned out,
other issues were also tugging on sleeves which needed prompt
attention. Bill Harrison spoke well when he remarked, “We don’t
necessarily need to come away from this meeting with all the
answers, but we do need to find out what the questions are and
develop a plan to answer them.”
Perhaps the best known answer to come from the initial conference was that of standardized formation f lying protocol. Before
the FAA could impose rulemaking on the subject, then FAA National Air show Coordinator John Thiem gave the warbird community the opportunity to establish the criteria, subject to final
FAA approval. It worked and today we have the Formation and
Safety Team (FAST) program to show for that first year’s effort.
That first gathering in Galveston also disproved a myth that
warbird organizations, museums, and individual owners could
not work together for the common good. It may have taken some
years for this to occur, but it succeeded, and continues to work to
this day. Not wanting to be tied to any one location, the conference organizers wisely chose to seek new cities to host NWOC.
Museums and warbird organizations generously gave of their
time and resources to put together this outstanding event.
After twenty NWOC conferences, one might get the impression
that the entire range of topics for discussion has been exhausted.
And yet, each year, that theory is disproved. To be sure, some
topics are revisited frequently, but for good reason. Training and
education sometimes require repetition in order to ensure comprehension. Each year NWOC presents new information, which
attendees share with others upon their return to home.
To attract more participants to the conference, organizers also
debated the idea of an exhibitors' area, in which membership organizations, restorers, and other warbird-related business could
advertise and “show their wares.” This idea came to fruition in
2003 in Mesa, Arizona where the first “Warbird Wing” was assembled—with very positive results and feedback. The “Warbird
Wing” continues today. Sponsorship and vendor opportunities
for NWOC 2015 are still available.
Of course, some “play” time is scheduled during these conferences, mostly with aviation museum tours. Those who have been
to all, or nearly all, of the events have witnessed some of the best
collections of aircraft and memorabilia this country has to offer. Lone Star Flight Museum, American Airpower Heritage Museum, Cavanaugh Flight
Museum, Champlin Fighter Museum, NASM’s
Paul E. Garber Preservation, Restoration and Storage Facility, Vintage Flying Museum, National
Museum of USAF, and the Planes of Fame Museum
… been there, done all those.
Ultimately, it is the exchange of information that
attracts most, if not all, of the participants. From
medical information, to insurance concerns, to the
future of the fuel supply, to engine and airframe
maintenance issues, to pilot attitude and training,
to government programs, and a whole host of subjects in between, knowledge is king at NWOC.
One outstanding new benefit of attending NWOC
was added several years ago. For mechanics attend-
10
ing the conference, they can get credit towards renewing their
FAA Inspection Authorization (IA). Many have taken advantage
of this benefit.
To remind the participants of one of the purposes of the gathering, Jim Fausz made a remark at the first conference, which
has been repeated numerous times to great effect. “Leave your
organizational allegiances at the door and your politics on final
at 500 feet.” That one statement has served the NWOC well over
nearly a decade of camaraderie.
NWOC represents the best opportunity to join in a world-class
gathering of warbird pilots and enthusiasts to prepare for the upcoming air show season. Networking with your friends—other
owner/operators and industry professionals at NWOC is a key
component of the conference. Don’t forget—NWOC is also great
fun! From the opening night Welcome Reception, to the fantastic local dining opportunities, to the Saturday museum tour and
dinner, NWOC is an event you can’t miss. Mark your calendar
for NWOC 2015!
The 2015 National Warbird Operator conference is scheduled for
February 26 – March 1st in New Orleans, LA. For conference
registration information please visit: http://nwoc.aero/.
We hope to see you there!
NWOC Has Taken Place All Across The Country
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
2000
2001
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
Galveston, TX
Fort Worth, TX
Midland, TX
Nashville, TN
Dallas, TX
Nashville, TN
Las Vegas, NV
Washington, DC
Mesa, AZ
Oklahoma City, OK
Seattle, WA
Orlando, FL
Dayton, OH
Palm Springs, CA
Washington, DC
San Diego, CA
Pensacola, FL
Chino, CA
Seattle, WA
Dallas, TX
New Orleans, LA
Lone Star Flight Museum
Vintage Flying Museum
American Airpower Heritage Museum
EAA Warbird Squadron 1
Cavanaugh Flight Museum
EAA Warbird Squadron 1
Harrah's Las Vegas
Alexandria
Champlin Fighter Museum
FAA Facilities
Museum of Flight
Fantasy of Flight Museum
National Museum of USAF
Palm Springs Air Museum
National Air & Space Museum
San Diego Air & Space Museum
National Naval Aviation Museum
Planes of Fame
Historic Flight Foundation
Cavanaugh Flight Museum
National WW II Museum
Note: NWOC did not convene in 1999 and 2002
www.flyredstar.org
11
RedStars Fly SF Fleet Week
By Dave “Costco” King KingCJ6@aol.com, photos by Mark Loper markeloper@gmail.com
E
ach fall, Columbus Day
marks the conclusion of San
Francisco’s largest community
event, the U.S. Navy Fleet Week
celebration. The annual Fleet
Week Airshow attracts more
than 1,200,000 viewers, watching
from boats on the bay, the city,
and surrounding shorelines.
This year, the Bay Area’s RedStars were again honored to be selected to f ly in the airshow, along with the Blue Angles and other
f light demonstration teams.
The selection and credentialing process for Fleet Week is quite
extensive. First, the Leads from prospective teams are interviewed and past airshow performances reviewed by the Fleet
Week Executive Director. If selected, the participating aircraft
are ramp checked by the FAA not more than two weeks prior to
the show.
12
If the planes all pass inspection, further aircraft and pilot credentials are then submitted for review/approval including: Airworthiness Certificate, Registration, Operating Limitations,
Annual sign-off, F.A.S.T. Card, practice recency, pilots license,
parachute re-pack date, BFR date, Annual Program Letter, and
medical. Once approved, the performance Maneuvers Plan and
announcer script are submitted for final OK.
While the Blues and other teams staged out of SFO and OAK, we
were allowed to operate from DVO in Marin, 20 nm to the north.
Because of a Presidential TFR, all f lights were assigned a discrete
squawk code and cleared into the TFR by OAK Center prior to a
hand-off to the Airboss. We then held at 3000’ in the waivered
airspace east of Angel Island, on comm with the air boss, until
our segment start.
The 300’ x 10,000’ “show box” on the water was between Pier
39 and Alcatraz Island, and marked at four corners by U.S.C.G.
boats with yellow tarps on their bows. Show center was denoted
by a white U.S.C.G. Cutter.
Given that we are only somewhat slower and quieter than the fast
movers, we decided to enhance our maneuvers within the nearly
two mile long show box. We started with a soft fan break from
echelon, then a twisting diamond, and finished with a crossing
close trail—approximately five minutes of glory!
Fleet Week RedStars Team:
The Team attended a private performer’s reception Saturday evening in San Francisco, along with local officials, the Fleet Week
Committee, and the other demonstration teams. It was quite inspirational being one-on-one with the Blues in a private setting,
drinks in hand, discussing formation f lying, albeit at very different levels. The Mayor presented the Blue’s Lead a fine engraved
wall clock—we received drinks and a heartfelt ”thanks.” Maybe
next year…
#4: Blitz Fox
#1: Dave King
#2: Brian Neunzig
#3: Kurt Howerton
Flying Fleet Week—one more Bucket List item now checked off!
To view the “KOH Productions Ltd.” video enter “SF Fleet Week
Airshow 2014 Youtube” in your search engine and select the HD
viewing mode.
air tank hydro
testing
little
sticker
big deal
CGS
Compressed Gas Systems
www. CGS.aero
13829 Artesia Blvd, Cerritos, CA 90703
(855) 875-2226
FAA 20XR229C
www.flyredstar.org
13
Brotherhood
By Alan Cockrell yakpilot@bellsouth.net
T
he guy who had crawled into the back pit of the CJ-6
I was f lying a few weeks ago had tens of thousands of
f lying hours. A corporate pilot, he was current in Kings,
Lears and Citations. He was a man who couldn’t get enough
of f lying, and so he f lew many different mounts when off
duty with his company, even powered parachutes. But the
ride he was about to take was life-changing. It was to be his
first formation ride.
After the join-up he yelled into the intercom, “UNBELIEVEABLE! FANTASTIC! I’ve never experienced anything like this in my life!” As the four-ship f light progressed he giggled and babbled like a giddy school kid, and
when we were down his grin ref lected the boundless joy
that I remembered from my first formation f light. Do you
remember yours?
For me it was a hot day in northwest Oklahoma when my IP
demonstrated the join-up and then nestled into the armpit
of another silver T-37. I sat there awestruck at the sight of
another plane inches away, big and imposing, yet seemingly
as unthreatening and as awe-inspiring as a mural on a wall.
He gave me the controls and after I settled down and managed not to hit Lead, the thought f looded me, “I can do
this!”
And as the weeks went by we traded in the slow, pudgy T-37
for the T-38—a very fast, sleek and sensitive jet, and again
I discovered that I can do this, and it was even better than
before. It was a new-found freedom that I never imagined I
would experience. But “freedom” is not word that comes to
mind when you are on the wing. You’re anything but free.
You will hold position and you will comply with Lead’s
wishes. Yet in that gridlock of discipline and dependency
there is a freedom of the spirit that few will ever know.
Before I knew it check-ride day was on us and I was paired
with Willy Mays. The T-38 formation check was a huge deciding factor in what we would f ly on the line. We were
down to the wire—the biggest ride of the pilot training
year. We briefed with our examiners, suited up and stepped
onto the f light line bus.
14
Willy was the most popular guy in the class. Funny and
out-going, supremely articulate and smart-minded, he was
a clown one moment and a philosopher the next. He had
a down side too; when he got moody it was best to leave
him alone. I spent a lot of time with him, and we staggered
shoulder-to-shoulder on many a Friday night from the club
to the barracks. So when formation check ride day came
and I saw his name on the scheduling board in the 2-ship
f light with me I was delighted.
On the bus ride out to the planes we eyed each other and
smiled. We knew the common practice was for the student
leading to be easy on the one winging, but we had discussed
the ride privately and agreed the examiners would be looking for assertiveness and aggressiveness in potential fighter
pilots. This was a do-or-die quest to get a fighter job. Turning in an average performance was akin to dying. There
would be no quarter offered or expected.
He led first. The join-up was good and within minutes we
were in the high “tubes” west of Vance AFB, and without a
moment’s hesitation Willy put me through 60 to 90 degree
lazy-eights and 4G pulls. I bobbled a bit but managed to
keep his wingtip superimposed on his side fuselage star, as
we were taught. Then we went into extended trail. I had no
sooner called “Two’s in” when he started an immediate pull
up into a loop. There would be no warm-ups. As I pulled
the stick back my examiner said, “Damn! He’s puttin’ the
pressure on you!”
Sweat rained from my forehead as I pulled into the vertical,
and that’s when one of the most fantastic sensations that I
have ever experienced happened. As Willie’s jet went vertical a contrail suddenly spat from his tailpipes and lashed
out at me like a big white snake striking at my face. It happened so fast I f linched. It seemed as if he suddenly reversed course and raced straight back at me. No drug could
possibly produce such a sensation as that. Willy himself had
coined our class motto “Naturally High,” which was emblazoned on our shoulder patches, and he delivered on it.
of the Wing
I followed the contrail over the top of the gargantuan loop
and back down toward Oklahoma grinning like a fool and
thinking I had entered some mystical portal few had gone
through. Nobody had obviously ever experienced this before, I reasoned, or books would have been written about it,
movies made, sermons preached and immortal tales told.
Surely we were among the chosen.
Then it was time for me to demonstrate that I could lead,
and I dished it out to him as hard as he had to me. I put him
in a 45 degree bank and commanded a cross-under with
the standard Air Force signal: a wing dip. They had never
trained us to do that in a bank. My examiner said, “What
the hell? Do you guys hate each other, or what?”
My lead session went well until we approached the VFR
entry point to the overhead pattern. It was here we were
supposed to call tower, not wait for Approach Control to
hand us off. In a brain fart, the likes of which would pester
me my whole career, I forgot to make the call. About one
mile from the point—mere heartbeats in a T-38’s hurried
life—Approach Control told me to call tower. I had never
heard them do that. They weren’t even supposed to do that.
But they did and I was saved, so said my examiner in the
debrief. He said I should buy that controller a case of beer
because he saved an outstanding ride from an UNSAT.
I was grateful to that unknown controller, but I was more
grateful to Willie, who forced me to the top of my game by
challenging me rather than coddling me. We both passed
with high marks.
One morning I opened the newspaper and saw where four
USAF Thunderbirds had crashed in a training maneuver in
the Nevada desert. There on the front page were their pictures with Willie’s boyish grin staring out of the page at me.
They were practicing a line abreast loop. Flying line abreast
in close formation is tough enough straight and level, let
alone inverted with a loaded stick. When you’re looking
straight across your shoulder you can’t check your minimum altitude across the top of a loop—you have to depend
utterly on your leader. The official USAF report classified
it as an elevator restriction causing Lead not to get enough
back-stick, but I and many others have serious doubts about
that conclusion.
And so now, many years later, I have never forgotten Willie
and the sacrifice he made for his country. When I get the
opportunity to introduce another pilot to the adrenalinpumping, exultant—almost spiritual world—of formation
f light, I remember Willie and the assault of his contrail and
the brotherhood of the wing that few will ever know, and I
dedicate that moment to him.
Note: Some of this material was adapted from the author’s
book, Tail of the Storm, University of Alabama Press, 1995.
Alan Cockrell is based at Moontown Airport, Huntsville,
Alabama. He owns an RV-6 and has experience in Yak-52s,
and CJ-6s. He is a USAF/ANG veteran (A-7D, C-130, C-141)
and is a retired United Airlines pilot.
Before we knew it undergraduate pilot training was over
and we parted company all too soon, both headed for tactical fighters. For years afterward I cherished those months
and those times at Vance—it was one of the best years of my
life. The USAF issued me wings one day and a wife the next
and I went on to serve a tour of active duty before transferring into the Guard. After a tour in Phantoms Willie went
back to the T-38, joining the Thunderbirds and becoming
their narrator his first year with the team. After that he became Thunderbird Two. He never f lew a single show.
Capt. Willy Mays, USAF
www.flyredstar.org
15
Pre-purchase Inspection
By Craig Payne cpayne@joimail.com
S
o you want to buy a Yak or CJ; real easy, just bring money
and f ly it home…maybe. Maybe you will win the Lottery too.
Sometimes that happens but more often the buyer ends up with
a laundry list of known squawks and for a bonus, some “gotchas”
too. What does the prudent buyer do?
The Yak or CJ is a specialized aircraft with lots of differences
from everyday general aviation aircraft. There really aren’t that
many folks out there with deep knowledge of the systems and
troubleshooting, especially in the A&P ranks. I hope this does
not come as a shock, but all A&P’s are not created equal. In my
experience, “experts” in either aircraft have their strong and
weak areas. There are certain tasks that I shy away from as an
A&P but I’m always amazed by what many owners will jump
right into without a work plan.
absolute must have for both safety and longevity. Fortunately,
for Yak buyers, the pipes are stainless. Having an oil filter and
air filter installed means less engine wear from silica, “dirt” in
other words. The question is: How long ago it was it installed?
Decent radios and functional US instruments are another must
have. Baggage compartments can be overdone and could add too
much weight. Simple is good for me. Look at the price of seat pack
parachutes today and hope there is a decent set included in the
purchase. Don’t forget a stainless air-water filter.
Documentation
Given this scenario, how does the prospective buyer select a good
airplane for a fair price? I have performed a few pre-purchase
inspections on a variety of aircraft. Over the years I have come
to start my pre-purchase inspection by looking at paperwork
and provenance, using the logbooks and what records I can find.
Who were the people who have owned the airplane? Who did the
importation and the certification? Who owned it since, and what
did they do. Often the logbooks tell me as much about what is
NOT in there as what has been recorded.
Yaks have factory issued service bulletins and change modifications but the CJ-6 only has a few documented service items—
most were found by hard experience here in the U.S.
Recently I assisted in the repair of undocumented damage to a
straight-tail 182. The previous owner had managed to rip the
fixed gear off the fuselage in a landing on a grass strip and then
paste it back together using shoddy workmanship and no mention in the logs. At least he was consistent, the AD compliance
was covered with the blanket statement: “All AD’s complied
with.” The new owner did get some compensation on the price
but later got stung when he found that the Yellow Tag for the
prop did not fit the Serial Numbers and was the wrong prop for
that model. No STC either—somebody had swapped tags from
another propeller.
Modifications
I’ll use the Nanchang CJ-6 as an example because they generally
have several times the total time that a Yak-52 has accumulated,
and they tend to have a lot more mods. “Mods” means anything
from a baggage compartment f loor to a re-wiring job. Seldom are
these mods documented in the logs or have installation instructions, such as an STC for certified aircraft. It is up to the inspector to ferret out what has been done and how it was done.
Equipment
The scope of modifications is really wide with the Nanchang.
At the top of my list is the stainless steel exhaust system. An
16
Fluff
Then there are mods that add wow factor but add little value or
performance. Dress-up items—instead of chrome and polished
metal, I'd rather see stuff like fire sleeving over the hoses. Gun
sights, fake guns, rocket pods, the old Yakkity Yaks Beauty Bump,
and other similar mods all add “character,” but also weight and
drag.
High End
And then there are serious mods that could really ring up the
bill if you tried to buy the pieces separately. The M-14P engine
conversion also requires the exhaust system. A compatible shutter system or modification to fit the two or three-blade prop, plus
a spinner, really racks up the bill. Incidental costs include new
hoses, engine mounts, and numerous other bits. To do this in
2014 would cost $35,000-$45,000 and up, and that is with a midtime engine and two-bladed prop.
Closer Examination
Compare what has been done in the logs with what you see on the
airplane. Sometimes it seems if the logs are for another aircraft.
General Condition log entries may only have the required Program Letter statement but the preceding logbook entry should
have a detailed description of the work performed, and the method by which it was done. Such as: “In accordance with 100 hour
inspection work to be performed as listed in the CJ-6A maintenance manual.” Often abbreviated as “IAW manufacturer’s
maintenance instructions for the 100 hour inspection.”
Well maybe, then again any repair shop will include a copy of
the Work Order on which the work was performed. I specifically
look for items scheduled for 500 hour and/or five year recurrence.
When were the air tanks pulled out, checked and cleaned? Was
the oil cooler ever removed and overhauled? How many hours
and years on the hoses? Check valves? Retract cylinders? The list
is long and after a succession of owners, documentation may be
sparse.
Again, it is up to the inspecting mechanic to find out what has
been done and might need attention. This is where that deep
knowledge earns that fee. Just because that warbird has cool
paint and a chrome engine dress kit does not mean it is worth
buying. However, the world being what it is, glitter often wins
over dull truth.
At this point I will confess that I installed several mods over the
years that I later yanked out. The accelerator jet plug mod was
popular for a while, until I discovered that doing so reduced full
power available. Mods of my own design also failed to make the
grade and I removed them.
Selection of a mechanic is problematic. Reputations are usually
built by hard work and experience and then sometimes are squandered by the push for the dollars or the need to maintain a larger
operation. The value of networking with the RedStar community
cannot be understated. Attending events, f lying with different
folks helps build relationships that can pay off in dollars saved
and headaches avoided when you need to find somebody reliable.
In today’s depressed market, the high end upgrades can be had
on the cheap if already on the aircraft. No more than $10,000 to
$35,000 separates the “Big Engine” from the straight 285. Looks
like a real deal to me. Yak-52s remain a great buy. Low time airframes with mid-time engines are solid value to the folks who
want a strong aerobatic trainer and a warbird on the cheap.
While there is no substitute for education on the aircraft and
systems, the prospective owner needs to keep an open mind as
well as open eyes. When operating my engine, I use book settings
for RPM and manifold pressure. This allows me to expect a certain level of performance at a given setting and helps evaluate the
health of the engine, trim of the airframe and other parameters
as well. Thus I set a frame of reference and when doing a prepurchase inspection, the frame of reference is book performance
and book condition for a “straight CJ.” Evaluation of the Yak is a
lot more straight-forward because there are fewer changes.
Caveat
Be wary of the guy who installed $1000 worth of chrome but chiseled on a $100 hose. One tip: figure the cost of “catch up” main-
www.flyredstar.org
17
tenance, both at purchase and two years out, and add it to the
purchase price to evaluate different purchases.
•
Avionics
Avionics are a little like beauty—the eye of beholder decides what
is best. Today’s technology moves so fast that many cockpits are
outdated quickly. The newest trend is using low-cost tablets wirelessly connected to handheld “gee-whiz” devices that offer substantial capability and can be reconfigured as technology changes. I would hesitate, either as a seller or buyer to invest too much
in new panels.
Should-Haves
Add if not installed to calculate required future costs.
Moreover, it is the capability that is important. Does the aircraft
have servos installed that can be interfaced to different auto pilots? How about a f lexible avionics bus? Are avionics power supplies installed? The buyer must decide how the aircraft will be
used and whether the investment is worth it.
Valuation
Current market values vary, so how does the buyer compare different aircraft values? I have compiled a few lists.
Stainless steel air-water separator (Yak and CJ)
$300
•
Stainless Exhaust (standard on Yaks)
$1,800
•
Two seat-pack parachutes with recent pack dates
$3,500
•
Good canopies
$3000-$3400
•
Oil cooler OH cost with new hoses and shipping (CJ6)
$750
•
Bracket air filter for CJ-6 & Oil filter installation
$300-$500
•
Replace loose, peeling or chipped paint
$8,000-$12,000
Wish-I-Had
Add if not installed to calculate acquisition cost.
The Must-Have list covers piece of mind and safety of f light
items. A buyer must install these items if they are lacking. Subtract the cost of these missing items from average market price to
compensate what a buyer would have to spend to bring the airplane up to standard. The purchases might be spread over a year
or two. In the case of a tired engine, remember that the Devil will
have his due one day.
•
“Big” engine conversion for a CJ-6
$35,000-$45,000
•
360 or 400 HP conversion for the Yak (less if exchanged)
$30,000-$35,000
•
Extra Capacity fuel bladders Yak or CJ
$6,000
The Should-Have list includes those items that the buyer needs to
gain any real utility over the next few years. Add the costs to the
expected purchase price to arrive at a reasonable estimate of what
the airplane will cost over the next few years.
•
Two-blade after-market propeller blades
$6,000
•
Three-Blade after-market propeller
$12,000-$16,000
The Wish-I-Had list includes major upgrades and retrofits that
generally cost more to buy and install than if included in the initial purchase. For the Nanchang, many modifications are available; some are even useful.
•
Big propeller spinner
$1,200-1,800
•
Electronic ignition system to replace mags
$7,800
Must-Haves
Subtract from asking price if not installed to compare value with
similar prospects.
•
Electronic ignition magneto conversion
$1,000-$2,000
•
Throttle body fuel injection conversion
$5,000
•
Malcom Hood in front. Parts and labor
$400
•
Deficiency items discovered during mechanical inspection. $ ???? as required
•
General Condition inspection if out of annual or close
$1,200 average
•
Top Overhaul for engines over 800 hrs SMOH
$9,000-$11,000
•
Horizontal stabilator spar reinforcement (CJ6)
$ 350-$600 parts & labor
•
FOD barrier (Yak-52)
$ 150-$250
•
Single working radio in good condition
$1,200
•
Mode C transponder in good condition
$1,000
18
Gotcha Covered
Fly Confidently Knowing Your Family Is Protected
By Gil “NAFOD” Lipaz glipaz@yahoo.com
I
n my previous article (Spring 2014), I wrote about asset protection and how you can protect your “stuff ” in case of the
unexpected. In this article, I am writing about life insurance and
the impact that being a pilot, a formation pilot, a pilot of experimental aircraft, and a warbird pilot, have on your life insurance
premium and coverage.
limitations. Most policies are limited to $1,000,000-$1,500,000
in maximum coverage. Most can’t be purchased after age 65,
and most will reduce your coverage dramatically when you hit
those ages (Harvey Watt & Co: “Coverage reduces to the lesser of
$50,000 or 50% at age 65”). Check the fine print. It’s always there
and it’s always fine, but its impact can be substantial!
If you bought life insurance in the past, before becoming a pilot, you are covered. Insurance companies always take a risk that
someone applies for insurance and later in life chooses to f ly, or
skydive or bungee jump. That is on them. But, if you are applying
for life insurance after you have begun f lying, even as a student,
you are obligated to disclose the fact that you f ly. Somehow they
perceive your f lying as hazardous to their financial health! So,
you must disclose, and every insurance company will ask you to
complete an aviation form in which they ask you to disclose all
the details of your aviation history, hours, ratings, future f lying plans, and other relevant information. This allows them to
evaluate your f lying and determine whether it will affect your
rates or whether the policy will cover you in case of an aviation
accident. If they insure you, they might add the dreaded “aviation exclusion” or hike your rate with what is called a “f lat extra.”
Exclusion means you are not covered if you die while f lying! A
“f lat extra” is an additional charge in your premium to cover the
risk of f lying. Of course, failure to disclose your aviation habit is
fraud; in case of an aviation accident and subsequent death, the
insurance company could investigate and if they determined that
you failed to disclose your f lying, they would simply refund your
premiums and not pay the death benefit! Always disclose.
AOPA offers a group level term policy for 10 or 20 years or a
group policy where premiums go up as you get older. Again, it
is good to compare these rates to policies available through an
agent specializing in aviation coverage.
The problem is this: most insurance companies do not understand how to underwrite pilots, especially pilots of warbirds or
experimental category aircraft. They will either add an Aviation
Exclusion or they will hit you with high premiums.
The fact is that pilots are, generally, a low risk group. Pilots tend
to be on the wealthier side so they tend to have better healthcare and tend to live healthier lives than the public at large. Your
experience may differ! So, their medical risk is actually lower.
Some insurance agents understand this and do a good job underwriting pilots but most don’t.
Some companies offer pilots coverage through group plans such
as the one offered through AOPA, which do not have aviation
exclusions. But, these can be expensive and limited in coverage.
The fact is that by offering a group policy, an insurer takes on
additional risk so they price the policy to account for that risk.
Group policies are a good deal for high-risk individuals but a bad
deal for healthy, low risk individuals who could get better rates
by doing their own policy. Group policies for pilots also have
Example: A 55 year old, male pilot in preferred health seeking
$1,000,000 in term coverage with no aviation exclusion:
•
AOPA 10-year level term group rate is $300/month. These
rates are through AOPA’s group plan.
•
Principal 10 year level term rate is $115/month. These rates
require individual underwriting.
Clearly doing your homework and utilizing an agent that understands aviation life insurance can save you lots of money that you
can now deploy at the avgas or jet A pump.
In the case of permanent insurance, whether whole life or universal life, there are even more moving parts and most insurance
companies will not issue new coverage to pilots after reaching age
65 or 70 without an aviation exclusion, even through an aviation
expert. Most people use this type of insurance for estate planning purposes so buying it while you are younger and healthier
is important if you want to avoid the aviation exclusion on your
permanent insurance.
If you have existing insurance and want additional coverage, or
if you are looking for new insurance, just be sure to work with an
agent that has expertise in aviation coverage. Also, if you f ly formation or f ly experimental category aircraft, be sure to discuss
that with your agent. It will help the insurance company to underwrite you properly and assure your family coverage for aviation. Remember, there is a difference between a pilot who does
show passes in a P-51 or a Yak, and a pilot who does the inverted
ribbon-cutting. There is a difference between a pilot who does
high altitude aerobatics and the one who has a low-level card and
performs acro routines in airshows. Insurance companies see
them as the same and don’t understand the differences.
Always f ly safely and prudently, but be protected.
www.flyredstar.org
19
F
RPA DONOR REPORT
or the third year in a row, it is my honor, and pleasure, to recognize and thank our very generous
RPA Donors.
As a 501(c)3 charitable organization, our Volunteers invest TIME and MONEY to increase the membership’s bang for the buck. Both are precious commodities. Both are greatly appreciated. We all invest a
lot of personal time and money enjoying our chosen level of RedStar aviation. Through personal philanthropy, our Donors have taken their passion for, and vision of what the RPA is, and can be, to a higher
level. Again, this year, we will use two Donor reports to recognize our Donors' generosity.
Personally and on behalf of the RPA, I thank each of our Donors for their very generous contributions
to our association.
Terry “Mags” Slawinski
2014 honorable DONORs
lifetime honorable DONORs
$100-$200
$1000
Duke Molter
Bay Bombers Squadron
Scott Glaser
Rich Hess
Ron Lee
Duke Molter
Doug Sapp
Red Eagle Squadron
Tiger Squadron
Andrew Webb
Mark Weidhaas
$200-$500
Mike Carter
Dean Friedt
Bay Bombers Squadron
Jill Gernetzke M-14P
Gibson & Barnes
Michael Maloco
The Tormentors T-34
$1000-$2000
$2000
Doug Sapp
Kim Slawinski
Terry Slawinski
$2000-$3000
$4000
Darrell Gary
Doug Matthews
Mitch Allee
$4000
Mitch Allee
$5000
Bob Cannon
Ron Lee
Doug Matthews
Jeffrey Ying
$10000
Darrell Gary
20 Red
RedAlert
Alert Winter
Winter2014
2014
20
W
hen very good people work together as a team, they are exponentially much better at achieving
their goal. In 2014, the RPA had an outstanding year at our many clinics, f ly ins, and air shows.
Volunteers put in countless hours organizing, running, and supporting these events. Others contributed
to our magazine Red Alert, or worked behind the scenes in other ways to contribute to our Culture of
Excellence. Their dedicated efforts significantly contributed to the success and professionalism of the
RPA. Personally, and on behalf of the RPA, Thank You and Well Done!
Terry “Mags” Slawinski
Zoë Albrecht
John C. Allee
Mitch Allee
Carl Allen
Don Andrews
Scott Andrews
Craig Barnett
Jay Beckman
Steve Biegler
Mike Carter
John Casper
Stephen Chapis
Alan Cockrell
Chuck Crinnian
Chuck Daley
Kibby Dalton
Steve Dalton
Donna Davis
Greg Davis
Mark Davis
Chris Dilley
Lysandra Donigan
Harry Dutson
Craig Ekberg
Mike Filucci
Byron Fox
Dean Friedt
Darrell Gary
Rachelle Gary
Bill Geipel
Robert Genat
Jill Gernetzke
Pat Giery
Scott Glaser
Amy Glover
Shane Golden
Scarlette Golden
Richard Goode
Jim Goolsby
Paul Gordon
John Graham
Joe Griffith
Marian Harris
Carl Hayes
Kirk Heiser
Dean Henthorn
Rich Hess
David Jester
Craig Kern
Dave King
Paul Kirik
Steve Kirik
John Knolla
Ron Lee
Vlado Lenoch
Jeff Linebaugh
Gil Lipaz
Mark Loper
Ron Malec
Mike Maloco
Rich Martindell
Doug Matthews
Steven McCrank
Dave McNary
Stacy McNutt
Jim Meadows
Sue Ella Meadows
Scott McMillan
Zac McNeill
Duke Molter
Rob Mortera
Dan Newcomb
Julie Nunes
Craig Payne
Michael Pf leger
Daniel Popinga
Hartley Postlethwaite
Scott Powers
Todd Robinson
Pat Rodgers
Bo Ryan
Doug Sapp
Robyn Sarvis
Dan Schiffer
Terry Shelton
John Shuttleworth
Julie Sims
Terry Slawinski
Kim Slawinski
Skip Slyfield
Don Spering
Carter Teeters
Al Tinnes
Robert Turchick
Amanda Walthour
John Warwick
Bob Watts
Andrew Webb
Mark Weidhaas
Joe Wilkins
Phil Wood
Vladimir Yastremski
www.flyredstar.org
www.flyredstar.org
21
21
Aviation Medicine
Is Flying As Bad As Smoking?
By Chuck Crinnian, MD
T
alking with a group of retired professional pilots, the question came up about cancer risk and a career of f lying. Everyone knew of a few pilots that developed a diagnosis of cancer.
The question then was presented regarding the relationship to
the profession of aviating and increased risk of developing cancer. If so, what types of cancer are most prevalent in pilots?
It is well accepted that radiation can cause cancer. Ionizing radiation can damage the DNA in our cells and trigger the cells to
replicate abnormally, that basically is what a cancer is. Also well
accepted is that higher ionizing radiation is found at altitude and
in the polar regions of the planet. Cumulative radiation doses
may be a risk for increasing cancer risks.
However, there are confounding factors that also can contribute
to an increase risk of cancer. These lifestyle factors can parallel
the typical lifestyles of pilots. Poor diets can increase the risk of
colon cancer. Sun exposure as a child will increase the risk of
skin cancers. For women, later first pregnancy will increase the
risk of breast cancer. Recently, it is recognized that poor sleep
hygiene may be implicated on some forms of blood cancers. Various environmental exposures, not directly related to f lying have
been implicated in cancers. The challenge in epidemiological research is to tease out the various other factors from pilot data to
determine the actual increased risk of a career of f lying activity.
In the last 10 years, there have been 10 new studies of pilots and
cabin crews relating to the risk of developing cancer and f lying.
The one consistent finding in all the studies is that the risk of
malignant melanoma and breast cancer is increased in pilots.
Additionally, there appears to be an association between a career
of f lying and acute myeloid leukemia and prostate cancer. Previously, it has been suspected that rectal and brain cancers were
increased among pilots. However, current data analysis does not
support this.
Aviators are at an increased risk of several types of cancers. Direct aviation exposures as well as non-aviation exposures contribute to the increased risk. Further studies are underway to analyze possible elements of work history, f light routes, exposure to
cosmic, UV, and electromagnetic radiation. This hopefully will
give us some advice to develop preventive measures to reduce the
risks.
What can you the aviator do now for cancer prevention? Wear
sun protection-sun screen, hat, and long sleeves. Get your skin
checked by a Dermatologist yearly. Yearly exams for lymph nodes,
prostate, and colon health are essential for cancer screening. Eat
well, sleep well, and maximize your enjoyment of aviation—this
22
aids your immune system. Your immune system is your first line
of defense against abnormal cells that are the foundation of cancers.
The next question to address is: What if I do everything correctly
in terms of prevention and I get a malignant tumor? Title 14 of
the Code of Federal Regulations, sections 67.113(b), 67.213(b),
and 67.313(b) make a pilot in-eligible for medical certification.
But, CFR 67.401 provides a pathway to get a Special Issuance.
That said, the first thing you must do is to treat the cancer. It will
not go away if you ignore it.
The FAA will disqualify a medical certificate for a diagnosis of
cancer. The major concerns are that of sudden incapacitation,
cognitive dysfunction, or sensory dysfunction. Most chemotherapy agents have not undergone FAA aeromedical evaluation
for side effects that potentially impact a pilot’s ability to think
and react. Thus, a blanket policy is that of no authorization of
the current use of chemotherapy agents is allowed for medical
certification. Some cancers have the capacity to spread (metastasize) to the brain and other organs. It is a “no brainer” to see
why any lesions involving the brain are a no-go due to seizure
risk or impact on cognitive and sensory functions. Tumors in
the lung can affect altitude-tolerance hypoxia. Liver involvement
will potentially cause poor clearance of toxins—lethargy and
cognitive issues. Also, any process that decreases the numbers
of red blood cells (anemia) will cause hypoxia, a significant risk
to mental acuity and critical decision making. As you see, any
process involving virtually any organ system has the potential to
affect optimum physiologic and mental functioning.
The FAA Aerospace Medical Certification Division (AMCD) has
a panel of experts that meet regularly to review applications for
Special Issuances (SI). When you have completed all your cancer
treatments, it is time to organize your portfolio to secure your
SI. In general, you should organize the following to have your
AME submit to the AMCD. First, a detailed status letter from
your treating oncology specialist. This needs to include the diagnosis, staging workup, treatment outline, operative reports, and
prognosis. Many chemotherapy agents may have lasting effects
on cognitive processes “Chemo Brain.” So you may be asked to
have a neuropsychological evaluation. If the tumor has potential
for metastatic spread to the brain (melanoma, breast, colon) then
an MRI of the brain will be required. For prostate cancer, a bone
scan is required as this form of cancer can spread to bones and
potentially incapacitate the pilot.
You should work closely with an AME that is skilled and motivated to be an advocate for your situation. There are far too
many types of cancers and variations on presentations to make a
checklist of what is needed for certification. But, the take home
points are: 1. Have a well-crafted narrative of your cancer treatment, staging and evidence that there is no active clinical disease.
2. There is no evidence of metastatic spread, and 3. There are no
active side effects from chemotherapy. Done properly, your case
can be processed in weeks. If you are not proactive, it will take
months, or longer. You fought cancer and won, you can do this!
Chuck Crinnian MD is a RPA Member, FAAST Lead Representative, ATP, CFI and AME. Please call Chuck if you have any questions regarding the FAA Wings program, safety or medical certification concerns. Office#: 480-451-7676 or go to his website:
www.aviationdoc.net
www.flyredstar.org
23
South Central FAST Clinic
Lamar, Colorado, September 2014
By Scott “KONG” McMillan aviatr@aol.com, photos by Donna Davis
T
his year’s South Central FAST Clinic was again one not to
be missed. We had attendees from all around the region.
Our hosts, Allen “Raid” and Mickey “Fraid” Tinnes, made us
feel right at home once again. Lamar has become one of those
places that is a must attend for most of us in the region. We
seem to always make the best use of our time while there.
Thanks also to David Payne, Danny Tinnes, and the sponsors,
and friends of the Lamar “Planes to Plains” f ly-in and air show,
who treated us like kings.
The week started with a few arrivals on Wednesday, including
T-34 driver Patrick Brown. Patrick was a great addition to this
year’s clinic and came along well in his training. Likely by now
he’s a newly minted wingman. We spent the evening in Danny Tinnes’ “Man Cave” watching YouTube videos and sharing
good stories. Thursday we got to work getting FPRs and other
training going. We didn’t mint any new wingmen this year but
we all got our currency back up to par. Thursday night, we were
back at the man cave having BBQ with the Tinnes family. We
all took turns shooting shotguns and other assorted firearms
at several targets generously donated by Al and Danny. KONG
showed off his night skeet skills by shooting tracer rounds at
clay targets. No kills, but a lot of fun was had by all.
As the fun continued on Friday we prepared for a couple of local events. We were invited by local high schools to take part in
the opening ceremonies with a f ly-by. One note here, our fearless leader KONG has become quite adept at being in the wrong
place at the right time. Unfortunately the GPS coordinates from
Google didn’t match the site of the game, but we only missed the
Inbound to the Wiley football game.
actual location by a couple of minutes, as a last minute course
correction kept us within four minutes of our TOT. Friday evening we were hosted by the local community of Lamar, and the
sponsors of the next day's airshow. We always feel so welcomed
by the Lamar folks.
Left to right: Scott "KONG" McMillan, Stewart Bergner, Larry "Skid" Winnerman, Al "Raid" Tinnes, Ron "Myagi" Stark, Tony Englert, Mark
"Navy" Davis, Donna "CK" Davis, Mike "Blade" Filucci, Stephen Hayne, Dale "Chip" Matuska, Deen Reed, Jeff "Hulk" Davis, and Peter Page.
24
Saturday was our big day as we participated in the
show, f lew f ly-overs at the Lamar High football
game, and the local race track, and generally had
one heck of a good time. Our annual awards banquet was held at our home away from home for the
week, the fabulous Cow Palace. This has become
the place to be when in Lamar. You haven’t stayed
in Lamar until you’ve stayed at the Cow Palace.
As we departed for home on Sunday, we noted
how much good training we accomplished during the clinic. We f lew more sorties and accomplished more training than we have in recent
years. Thanks to all who made the effort to lead,
follow and learn. We have a great group of pilots
in the South Central Region and we are all grateful for each other’s support.
Left: Al "Raid" Tinnes mounts up.
Certificate of Formation Qualification
Presented By The RedStar Pilots Association To:
____________________________
In recognition of the successful completion of the prescribed Wing Pilot
course of formation training as required by the RedStar Pilots Association and
the Formation And Safety Team (FAST)
Aircraft Make, Model and Registration Number:
______________________________________________________
Recorded on this ______ day of __________ in the year __________
__________________________________
Qualifying Pilot
__________________________________
Check Pilot
Congratulations to our pilots who have achieved
formation qualification
Wingman
Carl Franz
10/02/2014
Terry Lutz10/02/2014
Todd Bohlman11/16/2014
Flight Leader
Bruce Shipp
09/06/2014
Dan Sullivan09/06/2014
James Burke10/10/2014
Ahmed Ragheb10/11/2014
Kevin Carson11/24/2014
www.flyredstar.org
25
Gadgets
A Simple Engine Monitoring Solution
I
am in the process of building an M-14
Engine for my CJ-6 and have been
looking for several months for a way to
monitor more than just the basic engine
parameters. Because my engine will have
a number of high performance modifications, I wanted to know the health of all
cylinders, not just a select one or two. The
answer might be a full-blown engine analyzer, but it is overkill for most of us, not
to mention very expensive.
Earlier this year, Aerospace Logic of Canada introduced the 200 series of 2¼ inch
engine gauges, which included a nine-cylinder CHT unit, the CT209. I contacted
the company and they sent me a demonstration unit, which I was able to bring to
Desert Thunder. It was well received, and
we’ve placed an initial set of orders.
By Mike "Beav" Carter beavcarter@gmail.com
ring-style CHT thermocouples, which
mount under the spark plug of each cylinder. These probes come in three sizes,
12mm, 14mm and 18mm (I use automotive plugs, so I ordered the 14mm size). Installation is as simple as routing the wires
from each thermocouple to the gauge and
connecting a 6-36VDC power source and
ground (I ordered a 10' length of probe
wire for my CJ-6). The gauge can be configured with a dimmer for night use. The
wires terminate in a single DB-25 connector on the back of the gauge, with a total
depth of less than 2” (with the connector
installed). An output is also available that
can trigger an over temperature alarm.
Even thought the CT-209 by itself does not
have the ability to download data, you can
look at a bar graph display of the past 20
seconds on a separate page. The data can
be frozen with a “hold” feature (Photo 3).
The CT-209 retails for $1182.00 and includes eight feet of CHT leads (measured
from the probe ring to the DB-25 connector). Additional lengths of probe wire
bundle can be added for $18.00 per foot.
While I have not yet installed and f lown
with the CT209, I was able to evaluate it
using the demo module. This article is a
summary of the features of the CT209.
I’ve known several CJ and Yak pilots who
have had problems with the original CHT
gauges being inaccurate. So inaccurate, in
fact, that those gauges have caused several
overheated engines. Even if you are not interested in this product, I urge you to at
least check the accuracy of your original
equipment CHT gauge to prevent a very
expensive top overhaul of your engine!
Basic Operation
The CT209 is a no-frills, digital CHT
monitor, with a full color, programmable
display (Photo 1). The kit includes nine
26
is at the maximum indication. Shock cooling is indicated by cylinder bar(s) turning
blue and f lashing.
A simple programming of the gauge will
set the minimum green arc temperature,
the caution area, red-line temperatures
and shock-cooling threshold. The gauge
can also be configured to display either
degrees Fahrenheit or degrees Celsius.
Display Modes
Normal monitoring shows all nine cylinders in a bar graph mode, with minimum
and maximum temperatures displayed
digitally. Individual cylinder temps can
be continuously monitored if desired.
Photo 2 shows an out of temp condition.
Based on the parameters programmed, the
display will show a yellow bar if over the
maximum continuous CHT, and red when
the maximum CHT value is reached. Note
that the maximum CHT will still be displayed digitally, even though the red bar
Conclusion
The CT-209 is an elegant and simple solution for the monitoring of CHT in our
piston powered RPA warbirds. It is simple
to install, and relatively inexpensive. It is
a TSO certified unit with good reviews in
the GA world. Aerospace Logic has been
very helpful and responsive in providing
information and even a discount for our
initial orders. I hope to have the unit (and
my M-14) installed by the first of the year,
so if you have any questions, please don’t
hesitate to contact me.
Aerospace Logic, Inc
684 Mud Street East, Hangar 7
Stoney Creek, Ontario
L8J 3C9
CANADA
www.aerospacelogic.com
416-628-0725
RPA Website, Part Deux
By Gil "NAFOD" Lipaz glipaz@yahoo.com
W
ell, as you may know, the RPA had to build a new website
last year after the technology of the old one failed and was
not worth the cost to rebuild. We moved to hosting our website
with StarChapter, a firm that specializes in websites for associations. And while the technology and power of StarChapter is terrific, it was largely untapped until now. We had to set up the site
and get it functioning although the volunteer pool was shallow
and nobody had the time to make it sing.
Fortunately, an ad hoc committee of people with little free time
but lots of enthusiasm formed to bring the site to cruise power.
That committee has been working tirelessly on cleaning up the
website, populating documents where they belong and getting
functionality back up. While it is still not complete, the project
has advanced significantly. We have learned to use some of the
admin tools, including group emails for disseminating information to the membership, such as the membership renewal notice.
To reduce confusion on the site, there are now a lot fewer tabs.
The membership renewal page is fully functioning and easy to
use. The pilot search page is functioning again. On the left side,
under Quick Links, we now have a link to RPA-tagged YouTube
videos as well as a Photo Loader where members can upload their
photos to the RedStar Gallery. On the menu bar, we have created
a Training tab where you will find the Wing Pilot Course and the
Flight Lead Upgrade Course.
There is also a new tab, labeled Library, that is the repository for
all the RPA forms, documents, and manuals.
If you are holding an RPA event, please contact your Board Member or any of the RPA Officers for directions on how to set it up
on the website. It is an easy process and will help spread the word
for your event. Coming soon—online instructions that you can
print out to guide you through the event posting process.
Coming up, we will be adding aircraft training syllabi for both
the Yak-52, and the CJ-6. Thanks for your patience, and please
visit the RPA website to see future improvements and additions!
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www.flyredstar.org
27
Mike Eaton's
Manufacturer : Nanchang (1985) Model: CJ-6A
Stock 285 HP HOUSAI ENGINE
Misc. Upgrades:
Garmin 430
Fuel bladder tank & fuel vent valve
Smoke System
Paint by International Jets
28
28
CJ-6A
Chris Dilley
www.flyredstar.org
www.flyredstar.org
29
29
Santa Barbara Veterans
Day Weekend
O
By Michael "Viper" Malaco with photos by Robert “Speedo” Genat, Dan “TCAS” Newcomb, and Gil "NAFOD" Lipaz
nce again, we had a very successful Veterans Day weekend
here in Santa Barbara. Months of planning, attending meetings, talking with the FAA, making sure hotel rooms are held,
and paid for, and on and on—it’s exhausting. However, when
one sees the final results, as well as the accolades bestowed upon
us from the Santa Barbarians and those just coming up for the
weekend, it was all worth it.
The weekend started on Friday, November 7th when what should
have been five of us who had planned to get together so we could
knock the rust off our f lying, ended up being only four T-34s.
The only CJ-6 scheduled had problems with gurgling, or was it
burbling, in the fuel system?
Saturday morning started out very early, aircraft had to be on the
ramp and ready to go before our 0600 briefing at the Camarillo,
California’s CAF headquarters. On this sortie we were scheduled
to f ly over the start of the Santa Barbara Veterans Marathon.
First pass at 0712 over the start of the half marathon, then a short
30
hold over the water for the start of the full marathon at 0727.
Both passes came off as scheduled and the weather was perfect.
The f light landed at KSBA for what should have been a relaxing
breakfast, but the local ROTC chapter had some problems and
our breakfast transportation showed up one and a half hours late.
Oh well!
At 1000 it’s a quick briefing and we’re back in the sky—again
blessed with smooth air and clear skies. Next on the Saturday
schedule was a f ly-over of the Veterans' Mile, a street lined on
both sides with multiple American f lags as well as some military
vehicles. Following that pass, it was back over the marathon finish line.
Being the lead has its benefits. While the other pilots are watching me, I can catch a glimpse of what’s going on at ground level.
It was a beautiful sight to see, with all the f lags lining the road
for one mile.
Sunday is the big event, and every year
in preparation I’m asked the same
question by the Pierre Claeyssens Veterans' Foundation, “How many aircraft?” The answer is always the same:
first—what’s my budget? Second, I
can’t tell you till the actual day of the
event as there are too many variables,
family, personal health, mechanical
and weather.
A quick Sunday morning brief and
blades were turning at 1150. Checkin goes well and everyone is ready.
Crowds gather at the airport restaurant to watch this gaggle of warbirds
taxi. The local tower did its best to
accommodate us and did an excellent
job.
(Left) Gil "NAFOD" Lipaz f lies
stinger on Sherman Smoot's C-47.
Normally, in the past after takeoff, we
need to orbit so we can gather everyone together. Not this year, everyone got
on board quickly and it was a straight line to State Street in Santa
Barbara.
Michael "Viper" Malaco organized and was mission commander
for the weekend. Here he leads Saturday morning's T-34 f light.
Saturday night a few of the pilots attended the Veterans' Military
Ball at the Fess Parker Hotel. This event is always a full house,
with many who would like to attend being unable because of
space. Dress code for this event is very strict for the men, and the
ladies, what can I say…they always look spectacular.
Ron Alldredge f lew in both Saturday's and Sunday's events in his
beautifully USAF marked T-34.
The Sheriff ’s Huey starts the air assault on the parade route by
making some noise and getting everyone on the parade route
looking up, followed by eight T-34s, nine CJ-6s, a Yak-52, and
a C-47. And above it all, a Beech Bonanza photo ship (see pilot
www.flyredstar.org
31
list). I’m very fortunate, as most of these pilots are the same ones
I’ve had the privilege of f lying with for the past five years of this
event. This is wonderful because they all know the drill.
On the canopy frame in my aircraft I have two large adjustable
oblong mirrors. When I looked into these I could see the most
beautiful sight (other than my wife)—19 aircraft, in separate
f lights, yet all gathered up nice and tight. Starting out with a Vic
of five T-34s, followed by three additional T-34s, then the Yak
with four CJ-6s on its wing, followed by the C-47 with five CJ-6s,
two on each wing, and Gil Lipaz, in tight, as a stinger. We made
five passes over the parade route, with the sixth and last being
the missing man.
Upon completion of the last pass, the formations broke up as
some of the members had other events for which they were scheduled. For the rest of us, it was back to Camarillo for lunch.
This by far was the greatest formation f light we have ever f lown
for this event. It was very gratifying to be part of this event.
Everyone I talked to that witnessed this f ly-over had the same
comment—the best they’ve seen, like having their own, private
airshow. To each and everyone who participated, I’m eternally
grateful.
Sheriff’s Huey: Gregg Weisman
T-34 Pilots: Terry “Stinger” Norbraten, Rich Martindell, Mike
“Donut “ Hohls, Ron Alldredge, Jim Ostrich, Larry Bierma, John
“Flipper” Flippen, Michael “Viper” Maloco
CJ and Yak pilots (Tiger Squadron): Craig “Hey Zuse” Eckberg,
Gil “NAFOD” Lipaz, Dan “Dawg” Delane, Scott “Gomez” Glaser,
Ryder “Hammer” Adams, Wayne “Parkher” Grau, Guido “Rolex” Rietdyk, James “Bear” Bu, Brad Ammann and Doug “Professor” Zeissner.
C-47 Pilot: Sherman "Rugdance" Smoot
Photographers: Robert “Speedo” Genat, and Dan “TCAS”
Newcomb, and Gil "NAFOD" Lipaz.
Photo ship pilot: Marc Russell
Last but not least, I want to thank my GIB, Werner “MULE”
Holderied, who’s always there willing to help.
Tiger Squadron members Ryder "Hammer" Adams
and Wayne "Parkher" Grau bank over the Santa
Barbara harbor following one of the passes over the
parade route.
32
www.flyredstar.org
33
(Above) The f light of four T-34s
rolls in for one of its early Saturday passes.
(Above right) With smoke-on, five
Tiger Squadron members escort
the C-47 on its Sunday f light.
(Right) Following the Santa Barbara f ly-overs, nine of the Tiger
Squadron members formed up
smartly as they left Santa Barbara
for their next scheduled Veterans
Day f ly-over.
34
www.flyredstar.org
35
KONG’S Korner
Who's Next?
By Scott “KONG” McMillan aviatr@aol.com
F
or the past year and a half I have been involved in the recruiting and interviewing of pilots at United. It’s been one of the
most rewarding and enjoyable times in my career. Long before I
started interviewing pilot applicants for United I recognized that
mentoring the next generation of pilots was something for which
I would always have a passion. I have been returning to my alma
mater each semester to talk to aviation students and share my experiences and passion for aviation with them. As the years have
gone by, almost 30 now, I have started to see them much younger
and myself much older than ever in the past. So what, you say,
we’re all getting older. That’s the point!
young people in your lives that might just develop that spark in
the same way we did when something, or someone, involved with
f lying touched our lives. For me it was my grandfather. For you it
may have been a family member, neighbor or teacher that lit the
f lame. How many times at the airport have you been approached
by a young person asking questions about your airplane or why
you wear that green f light suit. How many times have you just
tried to get rid of them because you are too busy changing oil or
wiping down a wing after a f light. Think how much you would
have jumped for joy had just one of those pilots in your young life
offered a chance to sit in their plane, or better yet, offered a ride.
During my last visit about a month ago, I realized that the next
generation was more important than ever to our industry and to
the survival of general aviation. What shook me so hard was the
fact that these kids are sitting at the beginning of one of the biggest hiring booms in the history of aviation. How little they know
about the struggles the industry and those that the many of us
have faced in the past 13 years. It really reminded me that my role
as a mentor was more important than it had ever been
RPA members are a special breed of pilots. I have never met one
of you that haven’t offered a kid the chance to sit in your plane at
an air show or a f ly-in. I’ve witnessed many RPA members spending hours in the sun talking to complete strangers about their
passion and their plane. We have an obligation to inspire the next
generation of pilots. We are leaders in the warbird community
and it’s time we take a leadership role in bringing aviation to our
kids and the generation that will carry the torch when we hang
up our goggles. I encourage each and every one of you to take a
young person f lying and light that f lame that will keep aviation
alive and well long after we have f lown our last f light west.
It is with these thoughts in mind that I write my winter note
to you all. In the last issue I asked you to remember the importance of our RPA family. Just as important is to think about those
Retro Air Designs
AVIATION AND WWII COLLECTIBLES
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36
MacAir Aero CLub
From Where Orville And Wilbur Lived
I
By Craig "Keys" Kern, photos by Stacy McNutt
n June 2012, the Base Commander closed the Wright-Patterson
AFB (WPAFB) Aero Club. The Club contained a small cadre
of RedStar pilots who regularly trained and practiced their formation skills. This group was organized and led by Terry "Mags"
Slawinski when his wife was the hospital commander.
Upon the WPAFB Aero Club closure, it was fortunate enough to
move its operation to the Greene County-Lewis A Jackson Regional Airport (I19), OH, but here's the kicker—all the club aircraft had been sold off by the AF. The Macair Aviation Services
welcomed us and we became the MacAir Aero Club. It took approximately six months before a number of suitable aircraft were
obtained so that the cadre of pilots could resume practicing their
formation skills.
The sequestration of 2013 eliminated all military participation
in airshows and f lyovers at patriotic events such as 4th of July
parades and veteran's funerals. The MacAir Aero Club Red Star
pilots offered a formation f lyover of the Fairborn, OH 4th of July
parade in 2013; however, low ceilings and light rain precluded any
f lyover that day.
The group did
provide a Missing Man Formation for a veteran's funeral in
late August.
The
Fairborn
4th of July Parade Committee
again asked for
a f lyover this
past holiday. Jim
'Who" Wilson
assembled the RedStar pilots and we were able to launch a 6-ship
formation of "Thunderf lash" Piper Warriors. A practice session
was established for two days prior to the event but it was washed
out, so the event was done "cold turkey." There was a considerable
amount of coordination required with the WPAFB control tower
as Fairborn lies within their Class D airspace. We didn't think
this would be a problem on the holiday, however, Hurricane Arthur displaced a wing of F-15s to WPAFB the day before, and they
were preparing to depart on the 4th.
The weather was crystal clear and three passes were made over
the parade route. The first pass was a "double vic," the second
pass was an "arrowhead," and the last pass was a "starship." Upon
completing the last pass over Fairborn, the group moved approximately 10 miles south to make the same three passes over the
Centerville, OH parade. The Wright B Flyer, a replica of the first
military aircraft, f lown by a RedStar pilot, proceeded our Centerville f lyover. Both events were warmly received.
Left: Jim "Who" Wilson, Col. John "JLo" Long, Craig "Keys" Kern, Mike
"Gib" Gibney, Mike "Chocks" Nowak, & Kevin "Thing" Adams in starship
formation. Above, left to right: Mike Long, John Long, Jim Wilson, Mike
Nowak, Kevin Adams, Mike Gibney, Craig Kern, & Doug Degenhart.
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37
Tactical Training
The Basics of Ballistic Weapons Delivery (aka, Bomb Dropping)
By Mike “Beav” Carter beavcarter@gmail.com
W
hether you are dropping f lour bombs at Desert Thunder,
rubber chickens at Easton, Maryland, or pumpkins at Sanford, Maine, the art of weapons release is a subject that has mostly been referred to as myth, legend and black art. While good
weapons delivery is truly an art form, there are ways to quantify
the how’s and why’s of ballistic delivery from aircraft. I will attempt to interject some science into this topic, with much of this
discussion derived from academics I taught to new F-16 pilots at
Luke AFB. The delivery platform and weapon may vary, but the
principles of bomb dropping are universal. This will be the final
article in my series of Tactical Training Topics.
problem. In the F-16, we dropped BDU-33, 25 pound practice
bombs on the range. These were aerodynamically identical to the
popular low-drag weapons: the 500 pound MK-82, and the 2000
pound MK-84. Even though the weight and mass differences between a 2000 pound and 25 pound bomb are great, the ballistic
characteristics were almost identical. The same holds true for a
five pound or one pound f lour bomb. They will have roughly the
same range when released from an aircraft. Release range is defined as the distance along the ground the weapon will travel
from release until ground impact. It is greatest in a level delivery,
and zero for a 90° dive (think Stuka and Dauntless dive bombers).
Definitions
Weapons delivery, be it air-to-air or air-to-ground, is a very dynamic problem. In order to understand this bombing problem,
we need to simplify the variables, review a few definitions and
make some assumptions. This, in turn, will make the discussion
relevant for our low-tech airframes. Please also note that we will
ignore the effects of wind, rotation of the earth, weapons stabilization and whining from your back-seater. In short, this will be
an executive summary of the bombing problem! Refer to Figure 1
for the following terms and explanations.
Dive angle is based on the aircraft’s depressed angle below a level
horizon at time of release (we will ignore the effects of AOA). Aim
point is infinity for a level release and zero for 90° of dive. The
roll-in point is the beginning of the bombing run, with tracking
time being the time the pilot is able to guide the aircraft prior to
the release point. In combat, this should be as short as possible,
but for our sport bombing, this is typically 7-10 seconds.
Minimum altitude should be of paramount importance during
weapons delivery. The only F-16 combat loss in Iraq occurred
during a strafing run when the pilot failed to monitor his minimum altitude while fixated on an enemy target. He
hit the ground at approximately aim-off distance.
For our purposes, I suggest a 300' minimum altitude
(this was required at Desert Thunder). In a dive delivery, you need to add to this number the altitude
lost in the recovery to at least level (if not climbing
f light). Figure 2 has the dive recovery numbers for a
typical delivery airspeed of 160 KTAS (approximately 150 KIAS). We should also calculate a two second
reaction time prior to the onset of Gs.
The standard USAF recovery was based on four Gs
in two seconds. This was based on average pilot reaction time, and typical pullout techniques.
Ballistic weapons delivery is simply “the unguided fall of a weapon from an aerial platform.” The two major forces on a weapon
in f light are gravity and aerodynamic drag. Whether releasing a
weapon in level f light (laydown delivery), a dive (dive bombing)
or a climb (toss bombing), these two primary forces will determine where the weapon will impact. We will ignore toss bombing
in our discussions, if you can figure out how to do it from a Yak52 or CJ-6, then let me know!
Interestingly enough, weight has little to do with the bombing
38
The biggest variable in the bombing equation is
weapon release range. When a weapon is released,
it begins to slow its forward velocity (if it is not powered) and descend (it has minimal lift). A rubber
chicken will slow quickly because of aerodynamic effects, before gravity takes over. A f lour bomb or pumpkin will be
inf luenced initially more by gravity than by aerodynamic effects,
but all of these need to be considered. Empirical data analysis
from Desert Thunder puts the average release range for a one
pound f lour sack at approximately 800' from a 400' AGL delivery
at 10° of dive and 150 KIAS. Figure 3 gives approximate release
ranges for a one pound f lour sack, using assumptions for drag
(0.1 square meter) and a pure ballistic trajectory. They are only a
starting point for your particular weapon.
Dive Angle
2 Gs
3 Gs
4 Gs
5 Gs
2
1
1
0
0
5
8
4
3
2
10
33
17
11
8
15
74
37
25
19
20
129
66
44
33
25
198
101
68
51
30
278
143
96
73
45
567
302
206
156
60
895
493
340
260
90
1531
895
635
493
Roll-In Speed
Roll-In Altitude
Dive Angle
Release Airspeed
Release Altitude
Figure 2 - Dive Recovery Chart (160 KTAS)
Constructing a Bomb Delivery
In building a bombing delivery, several methods are available,
but the most common is the “Z” method. (Figure 4). The “Z” is
a simplification of the bombing diagram shown in Figure 1. It
can be used for mission planning against a fixed target (like in
a bomb drop competition) or in real time when doing close air
support (like in Desert Thunder).
Minimum Altitude
We always begin from the bottom of the “Z” with the minimum
acceptable altitude. Let’s choose a minimum recovery altitude of
300' AGL. We will plan a 10° dive attack at 160 KTAS. The altitude lost during a four G recovery is 11', plus the two second
reaction time at 10° adds 94' of altitude loss (270/fps x sin10° x
2 seconds) for a rounded-off total of 100' (I can’t read any closer
than ±50' on an altimeter in the heat of battle!). That makes our
planned release altitude 400' AGL at 160 KTAS (approximately
150 KIAS). I’d like to have seven seconds on final, so the altitude
lost while tracking the target is 270/fps x 7 seconds x sin10° = 328'
(rounded to 350'). That gives me a roll-in altitude of 750' AGL at
approximately 120 KIAS (a good maneuvering number). As you
see, you can vary these numbers any way you like, with a level
delivery meaning the “Z” is completely f lat and not applicable.
Altitude/Airspeed at Release
Level
AGL
KTS / MPH / KPH
FPS
Bomb Range /
(ft/min)
300
130 / 149 / 240
219
613 / 186
400
130 / 149 / 240
219
707 / 215
500
130 / 149 / 240
219
793 / 241
300
140 / 161 / 259
236
661 / 200
400
140 / 161 / 259
236
761 / 231
500
140 / 161 /259
236
854 / 260
300
150 / 172 / 277
252
707 / 215
400
150 /172 / 277
252
816 / 248
500
150 / 172 / 277
252
914 / 278
300
160 / 184 / 296
270
755 / 230
400
160 / 184 / 296
270
871 / 265
500
160 / 184 / 296
270
977 / 297
Figure 3 - Flour Bomb Ballistic Table
Figure 4 - The Bombing Z
Release Range and Bombing Accuracy
In order to hit our target and win fabulous prizes, we need to
release the weapon at the exact
10°
20°
instant that the bomb range
equals our aircraft’s slant range
Bomb Range /
Bomb Range /
from the target. With our long(ft/min)
(ft/min)
nosed, radial engine aircraft,
595 / 181
491 / 149
this can be difficult to do, as
711 / 216
604 / 184
the level delivery range for a
f lour bomb at 150 KIAS is ap793 / 241
709 / 215
proximately 700' at 300' AGL.
628 / 191
510 / 155
Diving deliveries give us a lon722 / 222
630 / 191
ger time to see the target, and
818 / 257
742 / 225
despite the calculations needed, are the most accurate way
660 / 200
416 / 126
to deliver ordnance. If we had
792 / 241
480 / 145
dive brakes (Does a Yak-52 have
913 / 278
537 / 163
three built in dive brakes?),
then a 45°+ dive angle would
687 / 209
444 / 135
allow us to see the target all the
828 / 252
513 / 156
way to weapons release. Howev957 / 291
575 / 174
er, this is not only a somewhat
dangerous maneuver, but it’s
extremely uncomfortable to be
www.flyredstar.org
39
that steep close to the ground. My preferred method, as stated
above, is a 10°-20° dive as a good compromise between comfort,
release range, and safe recovery.
We have one more leg of the bombing triangle shown in Figure 1
to discuss. This is an important one, and will allow us to release
a weapon at the right slant range from the target even when the
target is not in sight. That parameter is Aim-Off Distance, or the
distance from the target to the aim point shown in Figure 4. Once
you have established your dive toward the target, the pilot should
hold aim-off distance constant (this will require nose down trim
as airspeed increases). If the aim-off distance and aim point are
perfect, then as long as airspeed is as planned, the weapon can be
released on the desired altitude and Newton will take care of the
rest. Of course, it’s rarely that easy, but you get the point. Let’s
look at how to calculate an aim-off distance.
If we use our 10° attack example from above, lets assume that the
bomb range at release altitude of 450' AGL is 900' (interpolated
from the release table). Looking at Figure 4, we can calculate the
aim-off distance (AOD).
From right angle geometry, we know that Adjacent = Opposite
divided by the Tangent of the angle or solving for AOD (Adjacent
distance = Release Range + AOD)
AOD = (Release Altitude / TAN Dive Angle°) – Release Range.
For crosswinds less than five knots, the same holds true for us—
you MUST f ly your ass over the target, or the weapon will impact
left or right of the target. A miss is a miss, even if you release at
the perfect slant range. Again, you will lose the target below your
nose prior to weapons release, but a good aim point that is held
exactly along your run-in attack heading will keep you over the
target. For a level release, you need to pick not only a point on
the horizon to ensure you f ly directly over the target, you need
to have a point to estimate when to deploy the weapon based on
your release range. You can calculate this ahead of time (let’s say
the release range is 800'), then look on a map or photo and pick
a landmark directly abeam your 800' release point. When your
wing tip passes abeam the release point, with your aircraft tracking directly over the target, and at the proper altitude and airspeed, you will be assured a direct hit. If crosswinds are significant in either a level or dive delivery, pick a new run-in heading
to minimize crosswind, or hold your crab to again f ly directly
over the target. Yes, you could release the weapon upwind, but it
would be only a guess to determine how far.
Conclusion
As you can see, bombing is part science, part art. Good bomb
droppers used “zen” to estimate the slant range needed to make
the bomb hit the target. When computed deliveries became possible with the advent of modern fire control computers and continuously computed impact points on a heads up display, many
fighter pilots neglected the basics of bomb dropping.
No matter how good the computer in the jet is, if the
aircraft was not in the proper, stabilized position for
weapons release, the weapon would not be a “shack” or
hit the bullseye.
We’ve covered the geometry of bomb dropping, the
safety considerations for minimum altitudes, refining your sight picture to set up your aircraft as a stable
bombing platform, and techniques for determining
weapons release range for level and dive deliveries. As
with anything aviation, practice and experience will
yield good results. If you have the ammunition and a
place to (legally) drop, then you can refine techniques
that work for you. Even doing “dry” bombing runs
with pre-calculated parameters will pay dividends.
As always, I certainly do not have all the answers, and
welcome your input and comments. Please contact me
with any questions.
For our example, AOD = (400' / TAN10°) - 900'. The AOD in this
case is 1368'. I’ll round that to 1400', and remember that estimating distance along the ground is extremely difficult. If we set
up an initial aim point 1400' beyond the target, and track that
point motionless in our wind screen (trim nose down as airspeed
increases to exactly 150 KIAS) and our GIB releases the weapon
at exactly 400' AGL, then we should walk away with the bombing trophy. Simple, right? Of course, as with everything aviation,
there are a few more things to consider.
I told F-16 students repeatedly to “f ly your ass over the target.”
With low drag weapons released from low altitude, the effects of
cross wind are negligible at fighter release speeds of 450 KIAS.
40
Beav is a retired F-16 pilot with experience as a F-16 Fighter Weapons School Graduate and F-16 Basic Course Instructor. He was
also a member of the 1989 Gunsmoke Team from Misawa AB, Japan. Gunsmoke was the USAF’s biannual weapons meet, the “Super Bowl” of bomb dropping. Over four days of competition, 18
4-ship teams consisting of four different aircraft types f lew both
tactical and conventional bombing missions. Beav finished second
in the 10° Low Angle-High Drag competition and his team finished
3rd overall, with the highest score of any active duty team.
Flight Leader
Creative Leadership
By Rich "Mongoose" Hess hess737@aol.com
The author, Lt. Colonel Richard E. Hess (ret.), wrote this article
when he was serving as the Chief, Wing Standardization and Evaluation, for the 172 Airlift Wing (ANG), Jackson, Mississippi.
I
’ve been reading some interesting books lately on personal development and realized the concepts presented could be put to
great use by all of us in the 172nd AW. We live in a fast-paced,
ever changing world. Just look at what’s on our time horizon: the
C-17, TALCE, and all the planning, training, and construction
needed to bring these changes to fruition.
The one constant in our world is change, and with it is a requirement for creative leadership. Creative leadership challenges what
is traditional and accepted – not because tradition is bad, but
because it is often insufficient and inappropriate when applied
to the changes at hand. I’d like to explore just what makes up
creative leadership.
First of all, maintaining the status quo is not leadership. Secondly, being followed is not, in and of itself, leadership. Even a
mother duck is followed by her chicks. In his book, The Practice
of Creativity, George Prince wrote, “To describe a man who left
things as he found them as a ‘great leader’ would be a contradiction in terms.”
4. Creative leaders give others permission to be successful.
Control is necessary to establishing order in any military organization. However, a good leader knows when to let people
‘run with the ball.’
5. Creative leaders think process, not product. David Dewitt
said, “Control thinks in terms of products. It asks quantitative questions: How much? How many? When? How long?
What time? For whom?” But teaching control is not enough.
In a fast-changing world, particular products only have a
temporary value. The specifics are often out of date soon after they are developed. For example, look at the blistering
development pace of computer capabilities. Therefore, we
must emphasize innovation and the ability to look beyond
the present.
6. Creative leaders are people, not positions. A great quarterback once told a reporter, on the eve of his retirement, “I’m
not a quarterback. I’m a human being.” We’re all guilty of labeling ourselves, and others, by our positions. Instead, leaders need to remember to:
Be task-oriented—but never be defined by the task.
Be serious—but never take the job too seriously.
So then, if leadership is not maintaining the status quo or being
followed, what is it? David Dewitt wrote in The Mature Man,
“Creative leadership is instilling in others the motivation to
change what they do – not necessarily so that they become what
he is, but so that they develop into what they ought to be.”
Provide answers—but always believe the questions are more important.
Many Biblical leaders were creative leaders because people were
being changed by them. Perhaps the perfect example of leadership was Jesus. He had no job, no income, no possessions; He
broke religious traditions; He offended religious leaders; And He
answered questions with more questions. Yet, He had the greatest
inf luence on Western society of any individual in the last 2000
years. He did this by challenging traditions and exhorting people
to change for the better.
Because creative leaders are usually trying to affect some kind of
change, they are not always found at the top of an organization.
Rather, it is often the person in the ‘trenches’ that has the clearest
view of just what needs to be done. Armed with these and other
concepts, and applying the wonderful ‘can-do’ spirit ref lected in
so many of our members, I have no doubt the 172nd AW will
weather the enormous changes that are just over the horizon.
Do things—but value people.
Work to benefit the system—but never let their identity come
from the system.
So how do we become creative leaders? Here are six qualities that
we can all develop:
1. Creative leaders expand orderly situations. Military discipline should be used as a stepping-stone, not as a wall of protection, isolation, and stagnation.
2. Creative leaders have integrity. Control and order should
encourage others, by example, to conduct themselves with
soundness and moral uprightness.
3. Creative leaders are coaches. They think about attending to
problems; they are people-oriented; they try to impact people; they see "problem people" as a challenge.
www.flyredstar.org
41
So You Want To Fly Formation
An Insight Into the RPA's Clinic Environment
By Scott "Lawbreaker" Powers powers10@comcast.net
first discovered the RedStar Pilots Association while reading
Warbird Digest. The article talked about an RPA formation
clinic that is held annually in Easton Maryland, at the Easton/
Newnam Airport (KESN). I had recently acquired an amateur
built RV-8 and, as fun as the aircraft is to f ly, I was getting bored
with boring holes in the sky. I had been f lying formation for several decades, in as unlikely a mix of aircraft as Luscombes, Zlins,
Cubs, and Cessnas—sometimes all in the same formation. Sadly,
most of my formation buddies, all WWII and Korean War pilots,
had passed away. With their passing, regular formation f lying
seemed well behind me, a much-loved practice of a bygone era. I
didn’t know any pilots locally with which to practice and, frustratingly, those pilots I did know, had zero interest. IF you could
f ly formation with an iPad, maybe—but if it’s not a gadget, they
didn’t seem interested. The Warbird Digest article, however, informed that just 90 miles away, the RedStar Pilots Association
held an annual formation clinic every Fall! September was just
around the corner! Well, that put a whole new twist on things.
As a RV-8 owner, I was not sure if I would be welcomed. It’s not
a warbird. It wasn’t built by a drunken communist during the
Cold War. It didn’t have a round engine that drank fuel faster
than its builder could swill vodka! Happily, after a quick email to
its principle organizer, Steve Dalton, I was given the green light
to attend. So began an educational and fun journey that has led
to many new friends, along with a greater appreciation for the
aircraft they f ly.
I
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The event was the 2011 Easton RPA Formation Clinic, held over
the same weekend as Easton Airport Day. I had no idea what to
expect when I arrived. I was happy to see that my early arrival
was met with open arms by what I have since come to know as an
outstanding group of pilots—as well as malcontents, jokers, and
pranksters. Yes Bear, that means you. And the Judge. You Bastards. In other words, folks who know not only how to train well,
f ly right, but who go the extra mile to help a new guy learn the
ropes the RPA and FAST way. Folks who make you feel welcomed
in the process.
Let me restate that more to the point. If you are new to the RedStar Pilots Association and have not attended a formation clinic,
do not dally out of concern for your skill level. Nor for your lack
of current familiarity with formation f light. Nor for that matter,
your inexperience with the typical aircraft f lown by the RPA.
RPA will provide you with someone well versed and ready to help
you on this journey! I cannot recall a moment during those first
three days where I felt f lustered, out of place, or lost. My GIBs
made sure I f lew to “spec” while being informative, safe, and entertaining.
When looking into the group, I eventually discovered their website and voraciously read everything I could about FAST formation requirements and RPA recommended equipment. The RPA
website provides plenty of training material, forms, and most importantly, the RPA manual. Everything one needs to get a head
start prior to an event.
September approached and my kit was ready. Upon arrival at
KESN, I was logged in and assigned a GIB/instructor for the
weekend. Much to my surprise I was given Andy Michalak. A
very tall and lanky individual who, I was told, was an experienced Spitfire pilot, proficient as well in many other assorted
birds of the Heavy Iron variety. My surprise was not from the
experience of the man, but the fact that someone expected the
poor bastard to fit into the back of my RV-8! Humor, as well as
professional training, runs deep in the RPA! This was my first
glimpse into the kind of folks I would be f lying with for the next
three days. I can still see poor Andy, with his knees up by his
chin, crammed into a tiny space appropriate for a typical 120
pound wife, calmly talking me through a rejoin as if he was as
comfy as a dog in bed. As a prospective RPA formation pilot,
this is something you will want to know—of the two or three
individuals who f lew as my GIB during that first clinic, each one
brought something unique and interesting to the table. Each ex-
hibited a level of skill only achievable through
long experience. None ever let me do anything
totally stupid. Not that I didn’t Try! But their
calm and precise delivery through the headset
was always welcome and informative. Should
you need an example of the skills they demonstrated, here is my favorite: Unhappy with
the lack of precision and speed of my rejoins,
one GIB asked to be allowed to show me how
it’s done. He had never f lown an RV-8, and
my particular RV has no rudder pedals in the
back. Yet with throttle and stick alone, this
man performed the fastest, smoothest, most
precise rejoin I have ever experienced. It was a
pleasure to witness and a goal to achieve. I’ve
come close since, but may never match it with
the same level of precision. I still cannot do it
without rudder. Nor would I try! But he made
it look like child’s play. It immediately showed
me what is possible and I needed to see it to
understand. Rejoins thereafter improved
drastically.
Day one began about as I expected. As I had
some prior formation experience, Terry Slawinski first brushed me up on the sight lines
used for the various aircraft off which I would
be f lying, pointing out the differences between
a CJ-6 and Yak-52. We went over some safety
items, discussed bearing lines, hand signals,
lead and lag pursuit, and rejoins. Basically all
the core requirements for a successful first day
of formation f lying with the RPA. You will not
go aloft ignorant. Much emphasis is placed on
bringing new guys into the fold and incrementally working their skill to higher levels with
each new f light.
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Four years later I cannot recall all of what
went on that first day, either on the ground or
in the air. It was both exhausting and exhilaYou’ll be glad you did.
rating. We managed to get in four hops on that
Friday and by Saturday noon I was fairly confident that I would not totally bugger the mass
T ALL
WE BEATISED
formation during the Big Show. The highlight
ADVER ES!
Aurora State Airport • 22783 Airport Road, N.E. • Aurora, OR 97002
PRIC
of that particular Mass Formation was f lying
Email: Info@PCA.aero • Mon. – Fri. 7:30 – 5:30 PST
wing off a T-6 Texan, piloted by Weeds (Kurt
Holstein). One has to pause and ask, is there
PCA_RedStar-HlfPg.1.indd
10:19 AM
a single T-6 pilot who is not, or has not been called
Weeds? But 1brought all 600 HP to life, I do not recall hearing my6/2/14
O-360 for
I digress. Yes, T-6 and RV—if you are unfamiliar with the Van- the rest of the f light! That snarling exhaust note is either sublime
grunsven RV-8, you might enjoy the mental picture: Think of or brutal, depending on your perspective. This experience alone
the old Bugs Bunny cartoon with the massive, muscular bruiser made the trip worth it! Where else would a guy with a small amaof a Mastiff (T-6), being followed closely by a tiny little lap dog teur built aircraft get to “park” off the wing of a T-6 in a mass
(RV-8). The proverbial f ly on the horse’s posterior. Once Weeds formation? I was sold. Hooked like a junky after his first date
www.PCA.aero 1.800-353-0370
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relaxing. Time the break so that the f light rolls
out lined up approximately 500 feet behind the
preceding aircraft, and stepped down below
their wake. You will follow the aircraft ahead
through a series of shallow to ever-increasing
steep turns, climbs and various maneuvers. It’s
really great fun and a results in a nice f lowing
ballet of wings. By the second practice f light
we then started extended tail proper, as in a
tactical-like exercise involving lead and lag
pursuit. This is performed from 200' to 500'
behind the preceding aircraft and is reminiscent of gunnery practice—as in trying to lead
a target for a shoot down. The rules are simple. Get too close, switch immediately to lag
pursuit to increase your spacing. Start to trail
too far behind, increase your lead to close the
gap. Performed at high angles of attack, bank,
and YANK, this is serious fun and fairly hard
work. Pretty quickly you can get spit out the
side and end up outside the ideal cone or distance limit. For the new formation pilot, this
may be the most fun you have! You get to shake
out the kinks from close formation while also
brutalizing yourself with a fair amount of G.
Concentration is needed to hang onto an aggressive lead, but the stress level is lower than
close formation. I would change the name of
the exercise to Shits & Giggles but no one seems
willing to put that in print or make it official!
Let’s just say that if you have any Walter Mitty
in you, here is where he gets to shine.
After another rejoin or two you will experience
my personal favorite moment in formation.
Close trail. To my twisted way of thinking,
there is nothing more entertaining than park• MICRO THIN TEMPLES INCLUDED
ing your aircraft 10' to 20' (while stepped down)
behind the aircraft in front of you, while they
maneuver in a series of gentle or increasingly
steeper wing-overs and chandelles. It is one of
the biggest joys formation brings. Aerial ballet.
• REGULAR TEMPLES INCLUDED
The sight borders on sublime for some, and intense for others. Its work, but it’s also relaxing
in a way that is hard to explain. Like watching
dolphins swim in a bow wave. The f low of it, it’s
addictive when done right. Don’t get me wrong,
it can be stressful as well, especially the first
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few times. Even more so once you have, more
or less, mastered it and your lead starts working you for real. But if you get spit out during
a wing-over, no worries. You will already know
with a Victoria Secrets model. Welcome to the Addiction Mack. I what to do. Call “Number 2 breaking out.” Clear the f light and
hope your bank account can cover what’s to follow. But it doesn’t let the lead know your position relative to the rest of the aircraft.
He will guide you to a quick rejoin and will have you back in
end there. We had two more f lights to go that day!
the groove. No harm, no foul. No incriminations. You are here
Back to the training. After forming up and doing a little wing to learn, and learn you will. Just remember why you got tossed
work, we begun working on extended tail (tail chase) on the first out—it WILL be discussed at the debrief.
f light. For trainees this is kept pretty simple and meant to be
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The RPA clinic is not always just about air work. One afternoon
Ski gave a safety seminar on the value of situational awareness
and about having a plan well before you ever run into an emergency. To illustrate this Ski used footage of the July 2011 mid-air
of the P-51D “Big Beautiful Doll” and a Skyraider at the Imperial
War Museum airshow at Duxford, England. I wish I could have
recorded that seminar as I firmly believe that it should be required viewing for every clinic, group or individual planning on
f lying formation. What we do we do for fun, but it requires a level
of professionalism and skill. It also requires a higher level of situational awareness than your run-of-the-mill cross country f light.
While formation, just like aerobatics, is generally safe, bad things
can happen and being prepared for certain situations ahead of
time is a valuable asset. Even a question as simple as “what do
you do with your headset or helmet cable before you bail out” has
consequences that the smart pilot will have already considered.
How dirty is your cockpit? When you pop your canopy, will you
be blinded by debris? Do you wear a parachute or are you one of
those “it will never happen to me types?” The YouTube videos
of the Duxford incident gives one a graphic example of the timing of a catastrophic event. Life sustaining seconds from initial
impact to feet on the ground, with only 500' remaining when
the parachute opened. Your survivability is only as good as your
planning. As Ski put it, a lot can happen in 22 seconds and in that
short time, the pilot of the Doll suffered a catastrophic impact
close to the ground, yet he also managed to get feet on the ground
under an open canopy in time to save his life. Without belaboring the point, it is quality classroom fodder like this that sets a
formation group apart. Fly how you train and train how you f ly.
Other talks for us nuggets covered hand signals, aspect angles,
various visual cues for aligning and approaching other aircraft,
emergency procedures, and radio discipline. Not to mention Ski’s
famous dissertation (one can hear the collective moaning as I
type) on the overhead break and the EXACT numbers one needs
to achieve for the perfect approach. While I had read the RPA
manual before attending, these discussions were of great value
as one put them into practice in the air. Here again one cannot
stress how helpful various individuals were during that first clinic. Some of the discussion was properly formal and classroomlike in nature. Just as many resulted from an experienced pilot
observing something that needed tweaking and taking the time
out of his own busy schedule to help. A great example is a gentleman I would like to now think of as a friend, Hartley Postlethwaite. At the 2013 Clinic, he saw a group of us RV pilots (we
had grown to five or six by then) having an issue and took the
time to walk us through a better way to think about the dynamics
of the rejoin. We were, frankly, not operating as a team should,
and Postal gave us much needed advice. Sometimes an outsider
sees what is being blindly ignored by those too close to the issue. It was not that we were unskilled at rejoins, or unsure of the
concepts. But his approach to our specific issues, his break down
of each phase, immediately fixed what issues we were having. He
was not acting as our instructor that day. He didn’t have to say
a word to us. We were performing well enough, but he knew we
could do better and took a moment to make sure WE understood
we could. And that seems to be the RPA way.
As a new RPA pilot you will experience many things simply not
possible when f lying on your own. The clinics are the foundation
of everything that is to follow. From lasting friendships to training partners, to just having a reason to f ly, maybe even to some
tactical events that smack of real military training exercises. If
you are new to a Yak or a CJ, or even an RV, these clinics will
increase your comfort level and skill in your chosen steed.
This article may lack on the nuance that can only be experienced
once you commit to and attend one of these clinics. But one
hopes these words will inspire you to take that leap. A formation
clinic takes a lot of planning and commitment on the part of the
organizers. That planning makes your stay much simpler than it
might otherwise be. Their hard work is all to your gain. Clinic
planning involves having food on hand for us, entertainment,
pre-arranging various outings for our spouses, f light schedules,
hotels, and sometimes, transportation. A typical clinic can feel
laid back and free f lowing, or military like in execution. In either
case it’s an achievement of much prior work. You will benefit in
many ways, and not only in increased f lying skills. In this day
and age of newer pilots who rely on gadgets rather than good
sense, the friendships made at a clinic, with pilots of like mindset—well, this alone is worth its weight in gold.
However, a case can be made that the most important thing in
the end is Stick Time. Time that is focused and filtered down to
a finely honed level. There is none of the typical BS you get on a
local gaggle f light to your favorite burger joint. No maverick local who cannot or is unwilling to use even the simplest of formation etiquette. Every second in the air at an RPA clinic is spent
on something specific and geared to making you a better pilot.
Whether you come to a clinic with prior experience or none at
all, there is always something to learn. And new friends to meet.
Or to prank. Or to bust on when they forget to turn their smoke
system off on final and fog the taxiway. The ENTIRE taxi way,
right up to the FBO. Oh yeah, there is no end of potential entertainment and call signs to be earned.
We all have egos. We all like to perform well. We all hate it when
we do poorly either by lack of judgment or lack of skill. Or just
the lack of a good night’s sleep. What RPA offers you, as a pilot
wanting learn new formation skills or to improve his existing
skills, is an environment that is instructive without being over
bearing, fun while providing a work out, and something you will
take home long after the event ends— pride in a skill set earned
the Hard Way, by DOING. Once you take the first step and commit to learning the skills required to be a proficient formation
pilot, the RPA will bring you into a new realm of people, friends,
mentors, and advocates, all pushing you to improve, through appropriate criticism, instruction, and repetition. You might hate
your first debrief until you realize ego has no place in this world
of performance. The things you’ve done wrong are pointed out to
you to make sure you remember to do them right from then on.
The structure of the clinic is your key to mastering your aircraft.
Turn that key and join us at one of our clinics in 2015!
www.flyredstar.org
45
The Great Gator Chase
Waycross, Georgia, Clinic
By Jim "Pappy" Goolsby cjpilot710@aol.com, photos by Ron Malec rsmalec52@gmail.com
T
he serendipity of some good intention going awry, yet turning into a good thing, is always a pleasant surprise. So it was
when a T-34 Lima Lima f light leader asked me when we would be
doing another formation clinic. Some of his guys were in need of
training and he thought it would be good to get a critical mass
of aircraft together to make it happen. We ended up at our old
standby, Waycross, Georgia (KAYS). Big ramp, three wide runways, open airspace, and, best of all, the best county run FBO in
the southeast, right dead center of RPA’s SE Region.
Only two T-34 guys showed up, but our RPA guys showed up in
force. At one point we had 17 aircraft on the ramp.
I started this endeavor without any other ground help with just
me doing the planning. But immediately a great guy saw my apparent overload and stepped right in. Bill Bowers (the other T-34
guy) showed up without his T-34 (broke) and pitched right in to
give me a hand. He did the gofer work of picking up the sandwiches and drinks each day and making sure the water coolers
were stocked with ice and drinks. I can’t express how much of
a load that took off me and he’ll be “A Number One” guy in my
book from now on.
The weather was nearly perfect every day, except for one morning when very thick fog hugged the ground until 1000 hours.
Weather to the north also hampered some troops from in getting
in on day one. The foggy morning caused some rather unforeseen
events, justifying the “Boner Award”—but more about that later.
I tried a new procedure that I thought would help me and others
accomplish a number of training goals. In the briefing I called
it the “To Do List” that each pilot was to try to do during the
time they were there. I made up a roster and beside each name
were eight columns—each column represented a specific train-
46
ing event. Simpler than the RPA training record, but for all to see
and use. The columns were labeled : Element TO, Element LNG,
Emergency Evac, Flew Lead, #2, #3, #4 and, Flew Formation Proficiency Report (FPR). Each pilot was responsible to fill in with a
simple check mark each time he f lew in that particular column.
This helped me keep track of what was happening, but I think the
other guys were able to get more rounded training. The “Emergency Evac” was simply having the guys get out of the cockpits
at the end of a f light with all their f light gear on as quickly as
possible. It was meant to show them some of the difficulty if they
were to need to bail out. It worked out, too, as an end-of-event
report for me to reference.
Day one, Oct. 9, had me arriving on my trustee steed at 0930. The
FBO troops met me with the usual good cheer, plus plans for the
cook out on Saturday evening, along with the keys to a 10 passenger van. Not far behind me came “The Geek,” Ernie Martinez,
who is back in the RPA fold with a CJ-6 after selling his first one
some five years ago. Promptly, at 1600 hours, I started formation
ground school. By this time all the fresh new guys (FNGs) who
had signed up, plus two or three others, had arrived and were
sitting in. At the appointed finish of 1900 hours, we headed out
for dinner. The first night we gathered at the Mexican restaurant
Rodeo, that has become an RPA tradition at Waycross. This was
a get-to-know-folks type dinner and discuss plans on what training/f lying was needed by whom.
The next morning dawned VERY foggy! At 0810 we headed for
the airport. Visibility was at some points less than 100’! But that
didn’t deter us, as we needed to do a general area briefing anyway.
Briefing done, we suddenly realized we were missing one man—
“The Geek.” Well, to make a long story short (and definitely NOT
boring ), we ended up calling 911 and making a missing person
report! The county Mounties and local cops executed a search.
No Geek! The hotel room he was registered in was empty and
he didn’t answer his cell phone. Well, after several hours the fog
began to lift and with it, a call from our missing pilot. It seems he
was in a different room from what the hotel had him registered,
and he had turned off his cell phone ringer! Suddenly, I was trying to assure a panicked wife that her Geek was alive and well,
and call off the search parties, who were at this point searching
the back alleys and garbage cans around the hotel for The Geek.
And that, friends, was the major scare for this entire endeavor.
Despite the late start because of the morning fog, a number of
training f lights with the FNGs were accomplished, along with
some FPRs. At 1800 an end-of-day debriefing, plus a short BS session (a.k.a. Safety Briefing), was held before heading to Cavagnrnaros restaurant for dinner.
Like the Mexican place, this Italian place could take on large
(noisy) groups. BTW, the locals love us and really put up with
our noisiness—airplanes and crews. There was some coin taping
going on, with the FNGs trying to figure out what that was all
about. A toast was made to those whose shoulders we stand on
plus a number of other “pronouncements.”
After dinner, we headed to our favorite bar, Oscar’s Bar & Grill,
where a bottle of Jeremiah Weed is kept on the shelf. That bottle
is there just for the RPA when we’re in town—no local would
dare touch it. Of course, there were the usual coin taping and
challenging to take shots of JW “straight back.” A procedure that
insured "lock jaw" clenching of teeth, and a single long gasping
breath. It’s probably a good thing the karaoke machine was broken, the party might have lasted a lot longer.
Saturday dawned clear and, by this time, ground transportation
was two, 10 passenger vans plus the crew car, all at no expense,
courtesy of the City of Waycross. Flight operations were started
with engines turning right after 0900 hours. Several f light checks
were completed along with a number of FPRs. Ahmed “Med” Ragheb, and Jimmy Burke successfully completed their f light leader
qualifications. The FNGs got plenty of f lying and some are now
ready for recommendation rides.
Friday morning fog on the f lightline—not unusual for Waycross.
up with some of my favorite trivia questions before two winners
could be found.
The Boner Award really didn’t need much thought in the end.
While there were some miscues on the f light line or in the air in
formations that might have, at any other time, qualified as HMFIC, I was able to easily convince the throng the award should go
to “The Geek.” After a bit of noisy bantering a cry ensued. “Ernie!
Ernie! Ernie! Ernie!” and thus Ernie “The Geek” Martinez was
welcomed back into the fold.
Sunday dawned clear. At 0810, again, the vans headed for the
airport. A mid continent weather front prompted a number of
"northerners" to head out early. A few more FPRs and final check
rides were done. Planes started to depart only after hand shakes
and a few warm hugs. (Yes some pilots are huggers). By 1700,
Mike “Pod” Foster and I were the only ones on the ramp. We did
an element takeoff with Pod leading, and did a low f ly-by, down
the now empty ramp with smoke, as a ‘good-by’ to great people at
Waycross. I followed Mike down the east side of the Great Okefenokee Swamp and watched as he pealed off for his home base at
Herlong, west of Jacksonville. I suddenly found myself alone on
course for FD44—home. But now I had more memories of good
food, good drink and good friends. And, like good f lying, its like
gold in life.
Saturday night’s low country boil in a local’s hangar was courtesy of the Waycross Airport. Those guys went out of their way.
Hot dogs, chilli, and the low country boil was the best food ever.
The only thing we had to pay for was the beer! When it comes
to hospitality, there is nothing better anywhere than Waycross.
And guess what fans, they are like that with every transit aircraft. They just love people.
Of course, there were important things to be done at such a shindig. Most importantly, the awarding of the “Boner Award.” But
first we held a trivia contest. Prizes were two wooden F-15 models. This turned out to be a lot of fun. One question, everyone
knew, much to the chagrin of its author. However, the group
missed the answers to all the other questions! I ended up coming
Matt Lazar, Craig Payne, and Wayne Altman on Bill Mills' wing.
www.flyredstar.org
47
Brazil,
A Segunda Viagem
By Rich "Mongoose" Hess hess737@aol.com, photos by Daniel Popinga dr.p.spotter@gmail.com
F
or those who read my first article about ferrying an L-39 Albatros to Brazil in January 2014, you know I named the article, "Brazil, the Hard Way," for a good reason. Well, the aircraft I
moved eight months later was no different. I had a visit from Jose
Barth Freitas, the broker for the Brazilian buyer in the spring. He
inspected the aircraft we had for sale at International Jets and
negotiated a deal for N139L, and very nice 1984 aircraft owned
by one of my partners.
The longest and hardest part of the pre-departure process was
getting US State Department approval for the export of an International Traffic In Arms (ITAR) controlled item. Ultimately,
after a four month wait, the US Embassy in Rio de Janeiro had to
send someone to Florianopolis along the south coast to interview
the buyer. Once they reported back to DC we finally received the
export permission.
That was a much longer process than anticipated. Again, I can’t
say enough about everyone at IJ for processing all required paperwork and getting the aircraft ready for the 5000 nm ferry
f light. Many thanks to Kathy, Jacob, Richard, Steve, Brett, Corey,
and Jonathan, as well as Barth and his assistant Grazy in Ft Lauderdale. Everyone pitched in to make this work.
One thing different this time was the use of Baseops in Houston,
Texas, as the handler. They provided f light planning and permissions until we entered Brazil in Macapa. Barth and Grazy made
their own notifications and fuel arrangements. Obviously they’ve
done this dozens of times and their fuel contract price averaged
40% less than my last ferry to Brazil—a very significant savings.
All handling and notifications in Brazil were arranged by Grazy
and Barth.
48
Day One
The first day was relatively easy. I filed a 560 nm direct f light
plan from KGAD to KFXE in South Florida. Of course ATC routed me down the west coast of Florida to almost Ft Myers before
finally allowing me more direct routing. The arrival at Lauderdale Executive was VFR and uneventful.
Barth was to be in the back seat for the ferry but had never been
formally trained in the L-39 so we spent much of the afternoon
reviewing training power points as well as reviewing a long laundry list of items we needed to bring with us: updated GPS data
cards, 406 beacons, life preservers, raft, approach and enroute
charts, and a ton of paperwork for US and Brazilian Customs. I
was reminded about the joke about the paperwork equaling the
weight of the aircraft! Again, his assistant Grazy was very helpful
and ran numerous errands to gather what we needed.
We finally went out for a nice steak dinner and retired to Barth’s
condo to clean up and get a good night’s sleep. Tomorrow was going to be a long day with four legs to St Martin TNCM.
Day Two
We got up at 0600 hoping to takeoff at 0800. Instead we waited
three and a half hours as Grazy drove to KFLL to wait for US
Customs to clear our departure and issue the necessary paperwork. We did our best the rest of the day to make up some time
but with only one hour planned at each stop it was difficult.
Our first stop was Exuma, Bahamas MYEF. It was the first of a
number of either uncontrolled or limited com airports we would
use for a more efficient and cheaper routing. We quickly fueled
and departed VFR so as to receive our IFR clearance while air-
borne from Miami Center to Providenciales, Turks & Caicos
MBPV. It’s a great airport with efficient service. I had spent the
night here last trip but we were only half way to St Martin.
The next leg was to Punta Cana, Dominican Republic MDPC. A
good airport, the general aviation ramp is at the east end of runway 26, hidden from view until you’re right on top of it. The FBO
building had a thatched grass roof. Very quaint!
It was getting late so we hustled to fuel and depart for the last
leg. We crossed back into US airspace and traversed just north of
Puerto Rico on our way to a night landing in St Martin, Netherlands Antilles TNCM. The weather had been good all day with
a big storm system moving north and out of our path during the
day. The delay in Ft Lauderdale had actually helped! Of interest
also is that even though the weather was VFR at each destination
that day, I was required to f ly a full RNAV GPS approach, sometimes in non-RADAR airspace.
We put the airplane to bed and were driven to a beautiful hotel very close to the airport, with a casino across the street. Of
course everyone in the hotel looked at us strange because of our
f light suits. Cleaned up, we found a beautiful little restaurant
nearby and had a wonderful fish dinner and shared a bottle of
wine. Then it was off to bed for a good night’s sleep.
Day Three
Day three turned out to be much more on schedule. We departed
St Martin around 0900 and f lew a scenic leg past the Windward
Islands to Barbados GAIA. The agents were very friendly and
helpful. We fueled and departed for Georgetown, Guyana SYCJ.
It was a very uneventful f light but much more off the South
American coast than last trip. I appreciated the dependability of
the AI-25TL engine! I f lew the ILS approach and we managed to
do a quick refueling.
Next leg was to Cayenne, French Guyana SOCA. No issues and
another ILS approach. There was an Antonov AN-124 parked on
the main ramp. It was also there in January when I landed at
SOCA so I had to ask. It’s contracted to f ly in the payloads for
the Ariane rocket launches at the Centre Spatial Guyanais (CSG).
Big bird! I did a little departure show and the tower was most appreciative, even asking us to come back again!
The last leg to Macapa, Brazil SBMQ went very smoothly. There
were a few small thunderstorms to deviate around. I remember
looking down at the dense jungle on these last two legs and being amazed to think there were many miles of no human habitation. We let down in the dusk and landed again at night. Another
long day was done but at least it was completed almost exactly as
planned.
Call Tom ‘TJ’ Johnson
@ 866 475-9199
TJ@airpowerinsurance.com
www.flyredstar.org
49
We put the airplane to bed and cleared Brazilian Customs. Macapa is both on the Amazon River and the equator. One of Barth’s
friends met us. Victor drove us to a hotel very close to the river
but there was a convention in town! It took six hotels to find one
room each in the last two hotels. We cleaned up and went to a little restaurant that served some of the best river fish and shrimp
I’ve ever eaten! Then it was finally time to get some rest and hope
ANAC (Brazilian Civilian Aviation Authority) and AVANAC
(overf light and landing clearance authority) would work quickly
tomorrow so we could continue the ferry.
Day Four
I got up early, had a nice breakfast, and waited for Barth and Victor to pick me up. Turns out ANAC was working slowly. So, we
drove down to the Amazon River to take some pictures. The river
is huge, 14 miles across at Macapa! The river suffers quite large
tides this time of year. In the morning it was 5 or 6 feet below
the seawall. By 1800 it was lapping over the seawall with a 3 foot
chop. Amazing!
Barth and I checked out of our separate hotels and checked into
one for our second night in Macapa. Seems ANAC was dragging
their feet issuing our clearance to proceed. The new owner had
contact with the agency’s boss so we worked as late as 2100 with
ANAC to give them all the info they required. We then joined
Victor’s boss for a late dinner at a Lebanese restaurant owned by
50
a former Hunter pilot! We had a great meal and I was once again
amazed by the wonderful surprises these trips can bring.
I was surprised by the questions ANAC asked or items they
wanted to see. They wanted to see my ATP and CFI licenses,
again. They wanted me to prove I’d had a proficiency check and
then walk them through FAR 61.58 to show them that a Part 121
checkride was acceptable. They wanted proof from the f light
manual that the aircraft could be f lown “single pilot.” All this
work paid off and the next morning we were cleared to proceed
to destination, Florianopolis SBFL.
Day Five
Once we had our clearance to proceed late that morning, we had
to go downtown Macapa to a government building where once
again, all the paperwork was reviewed to include the bill of sale,
and Customs clearance would be issued. Taxes would be paid by
the owner at final destination and everything had to be correct
before continuing. Of course the agent was very gracious but
asked us to give him three hours to complete the processing.
Victor, Barth and I went out for a little lunch then killed some
time at the Aerotop office at the airport. Aerotop was very helpful providing us internet access, f light and weather planning,
and refueling. We drove downtown at the appointed hour. All
the paperwork was in order and I was given a 60 day permit for
first L-39 to ever grace these little airports. It was very
gratifying.
We were excited as we neared our final destination for
the day, Tutui SDTF, north of Sao Paulo as this was
Barth’s hometown. We did a little arrival show and
then landed to a sizable crowd. Once again we were the
star of the show! We showed the airplane to many of
Barth’s friends and family then put it to bed. I toured
Barth’s busy maintenance facility and finally we drove
to his house.
Since it was Saturday night, Barth decided to have a
Brazilian barbecue party. He invited many neighbors,
friends and family. These included the mayor, the local
sheriff, and two doctors. This guy was really connected! The food was wonderful and beer f lowed freely. By
midnight I said goodnight and wandered off to sleep.
operation in Brazil with our US registered L-39. However, by the
time all the processing and aircraft preparations were completed,
there was only daylight for one leg so we f lew an evening f light
to Maraba.
Maraba is situated at the conf luence of the Itacaiunas and Tocantins Rivers. The city’s name comes from the local Indian vocabulary “Mayr-aba’” and means “son of the indigenous woman and
a white man.” Sometime less is more! We stayed at a nice hotel
close to the airport and went to a very nice family restaurant
where again we had an excellent meal of
local fish and shrimp. Then it was time
to rest.
Day Seven
I woke up before the rest of the household. A housekeeper had already laid out a nice breakfast and was
busy cleaning up the remains from the previous
night’s party. By mid-morning we were up, fed, and on our way
to the airport in Barth’s 1976 Corvette. Too cool! I gave a short
demo f light to Barth’s partner and then we fueled up and filed
for the leg to Sao Jose SSKT. Edio, one of the new owners, f lew to
Tutui to meet us and see his airplane. I ended up f lying the next
two legs with Wagner, his professional instructor pilot.
We coordinated with Florianopolis Approach and performed
a little arrival show at SSKT. With overrun, its only has about
a 4000 foot runway so short field procedures were appropriate.
Once again we taxied in to a sizable crowd and spent the next
Day Six
We woke up Saturday morning, had a
nice breakfast in the hotel, and then took
a taxi to the airport. It didn’t take long
to pay airport fees, check weather and file
a f light plan to Gurupi SWGI, the first
of three uncontrolled airports we would
land at that day. We would takeoff VFR
and get our clearance once airborne. On
descent through FL150, we would cancel
IFR and proceed to the airport VFR.
Brasilia Center routed us over the capital and then westerly so as to avoid military airspace. Gurupi was a quick and
uneventful stop, just refuel and takeoff
again. Next stop was Rio Verde SWLC.
I didn’t see any river. In fact it was hot
(32C), dry and the land reminded me of
western Oklahoma with miles upon miles
of prairie. Each landing brought everyone out to see the plane. This was the
www.flyredstar.org
51
late dinner at a Mexican restaurant.
It’s different than those in the US,
especially a ritual performed by the
waitress when customers do tequila
shots. It involves lots of loud chanting, foot stomping and stirring of
the drinker’s head. You just have to
see it for yourself!
hour showing the airplane to all of Edio’s and Guillerme’s family
and friends. I also took a while to explain servicing to their two
mechanics.
Finally it was time to f ly the short 15 nm hop to Florianopolis
SBFL where the aircraft would be inspected once again, and all
the paperwork checked so the owners could pay the import duty.
This is a city everyone should see. It has moderate temperatures,
lots of lush greenery, and mountains and ocean all within a single
view. Guillerme is an owner of a Sofitel Hotel on Santa Catarina
Island and that’s where I stayed the night. It was a truly luxurious night!
Day Eight
I got up early that morning, went to the top f loor of the hotel and
had a nice workout in their gym. Again, what a wonderful view
from the pool looking out across North Bay and the mountains
in the background! Then I went down to breakfast and met the
owners, Wagner and the two mechanics. We used a conference
room and went through a number of training power points.
By late afternoon I was heading to the airport for a short f light
on GOL to Sao Paulo to catch the night f light home to Atlanta.
Getting the taxes paid so we could f ly the aircraft again was going to take a week so I might as well go home and come back later.
Delta filled the first f light so I caught the second one that night
after a 90 minute maintenance delay and slept most of the way
back to Atlanta.
Ten days later
I got the call to return from Barth. The taxes were paid and we
had only a few days to move the aircraft to Sorocaba SDCO where
the Brazilian registration process would occur at Barth’s maintenance facility. I f lew commercial to Sao Paulo, met Barth, and we
f lew GOL to Florianopolis. After checking into the same Sofitel,
we spent the rest of the day and evening doing more training
with the pilots and technicians. Afterward, Barth and I had a
52
The next morning Barth and I f lew
N139L to Tutui as the runway at
Sorocaba was closed for the morning due to maintenance. We had a
nice lunch then f lew the short 24
nm f light to his maintenance facility. SDCO is quite a bit closer to Sao
Paulo and is a busy maintenance
base for turboprops and business
jets. Everyone came out to watch our
arrival. We drove an hour back to
Barth’s house and had a great little dinner party with one of the
doctors cooking a gourmet dinner for all of us. Once again it was
midnight before everyone went home and I crawled into bed for
eight hours of shut eye!
The third and final day, Barth and I drove back to SDCO and
f lew a local training mission with him in the front seat. Then he
made arrangements for a car and driver to take me to SBGL for
the night f light home. A 120 km trip took 4.5 hours! I’d never
seen such terrible traffic. I rushed into the terminal, signing in
for the f light with minutes to spare. Through security and Customs, we boarded the f light shortly afterward. I was so sure I
wasn’t going to make it in time!
Post Script
Once again I was impressed, and sometimes frustrated, by the
bureaucratic requirements and delays from the US and Brazilian government agencies. However, these procedures must be followed so it was best to grin and bear it.
The trip itself was great. The aircraft performed perfectly, using
only half the pressurization nitrogen and 0.75 liters of engine oil
after 16 sorties and over 20 hours of run time. All the enroute
airports provided wonderfully friendly service. My only nervousness was the long over water leg from Barbados to Georgetown, the dense jungle on the next two legs, and of course Sao
Paulo traffic.
As I’ve said before, these trips across oceans and jungles are not
for everyone, but if you get a chance, f ly one. It’s an unforgettable
experience seeing grand sights, meeting interesting people, and
eating wonderful, exotic food. I’m excited to be going back once
the new registration is complete to train the owners but that’s
another story!
Remember, f ly safe and always check six!
www.flyredstar.org
53
W
inter is upon us and the ops tempo is slowing down for those of us that
live in the frozen wastelands of the North. But there's still a lot of flying
and training for you Lotus Eaters in sunnier climes. You know who you are. So
Lets take a moment to consider taxi intervals. One of my pet peeves (I actually have
a veritable zoo of pet peeves) is that lots of
folks either taxi far too close to the aircraft
in front and/or are a bit hazy about how to
judge the correct interval. On the first point
we should all remember that the air brakes
on our Russian and Chinese planes are just
not particularly effective or robust. Also
we use differential braking since we don't
have nose wheel steering, and that limits
both our taxi maneuverability and ability
to recover from brake fade or loss. Remember that there are no Points for First Place
when we're taxiing a formation flight and
it’s going to be hard to justify chopping off
someone's tail because we like to taxi nuts
to butts (that means follow too closely for
you Air Force types). So the “Blessed Document” (the RPA Formation Manual)
states that the taxi interval should be two to four airplane lengths. How to judge
that? Well, the fine aviators at Deer Valley have done a little investigation and
discovered that when following a Nanchang or a Yak 52 in staggered taxi, if you
place the tail skid or aft tie down handle midway between the nose gear and
the main mount on the far side you'll be about three airplane lengths away. If
you place the tail skid on the opposite main mount tire you're about 1.5 airplane
lengths behind the aircraft in front. You can of course adjust this for the width of
the taxiways as well as develop a gouge point for other types of aircraft. If taxiing in line astern, it's a little more challenging, but my technique is to brief using
a length of a taxi light as minimum separation between airplanes. I think that's
about 60 feet at most airports, give or take.
So what're your gouge points? As always I look forward to flying with you and
hearing any concerns or ideas that you have to keep us all scrubbed squeaky
clean and standardized.
Skip "Ranger" Slyfield, Standardization Manager
Mort’s Aero
Conveniently located at THE FLYING W, N14 LUMBERTON, NJ
CJ6 and Yak Experts
MortsAero@comcast.net
(856) 495-3159
Morten Stoverud CFII, MEI, ATP, FE, A&P, IA
54
Mort’s Aero
AIRCRAFT SERVICES
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Locations:
(928) 757-2727 - Kingman, AZ (801) 399-1699 - Ogden UT
(808) 682-2903 - Honolulu HI & Mobile Crew
jim@airstraube.com www.airstraube.com
Get your Paint Scheduled Now !
* Custom Paint Schemes & Logos
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* GSA Contract
www.airstraube.com
Contract Holder
GSA Contract # GS-06F-0078P
www.flyredstar.org
55
Forward all non-deliverable mail to:
RedStar Pilots Association
C/O Byron Fox
80 Milland Drive
Mill Valley, CA 4941
The RedStar Pilots Association is a notfor-profit organization dedicated to the
safe operation of all aircraft. For further
information or to become a member,
please visit: www.flyredstar.org
To advertise in this publication, please
contact the RPA administrator at:
admin@flyredstar.org

Red Alert Winter 2014W - Redstar Pilots Association

Transcription

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