July 2013 - Idaho Aviation Association

July 2013
Beautiful Day at Big Creek
Corporate Sponsor Renewals!
Aviat Aircraft
McCall Mountain/Canyon Flying Seminars
City Service Valcon
Aircraft Exchange Network
High Range Aviation
Welcome New Members!
Don McIntosh, Sandpoint, ID Big Creek Level
Tom Stelmak, Belgrade, MT
Brian Hawkes, Hamilton, MT
Thank you Contributors!
Niel W. Ring, Buhl, ID Johnson Creek Level
Paul Nemeth, Orofino, ID Johnson Creek Level
John Johnson, Redding, CA Johnson Creek Level
Philip Swensen, Hyde Park, UT
Facebook page for Big Creek is launched!
For those of you who are Facebook followers/enthusiasts,
IAF has launched a Big Creek Lodge Idaho page to keep
you updated on activities, photos and plans. You can see
what you missed at the First Big Creek Breakfast Event of
2013, and much more. Please "Like" us and follow the
news at www.facebook.com/BigCreekLodgeIdaho.
FUEL DISCOUNTS AVAILABLE TO ALL IAA MEMBERS
Print your IAA membership card for your wallet, and call:
Western Aviation
Boise
338-1833
Turbo Air
Boise
343-3300
Jackson Jet
Boise
383-3300
Aero Mark
Idaho Falls
524-1202
Atlantic Aviation
Hailey
788-7511
Back Country Fuel
Emmett
861-9055
AvCenter
Nampa/Pocatello
866-3740
Reeder Flying Service Twin Falls
733-5920
More information available at www.idahoaviation.com
Tell our sponsors “thanks!” when you stop by!
NOTAMS–PIREPS–TFRs–FIRE SEASON
Always check NOTAMS for closures or Fire TFRs
BEFORE YOU GO: CHECK DENSITY ALTITUDE
Don’t be: “That Guy”
Please send calendar and editorial submissions to:
editor@idahoaviation.com
Deadline is the 20th of the month
Events Calendar
July 5–6 Steve Rogers Fly-in & Campout: Treeport (ID22) Spirit
Lake, donation supper Fri night, presentations, movie, Sat breakfast.
July 12–13 Cessna International 180/185 Club fly-in at Garden
Valley: Campout/BBQ, www.skywagons.org.
July 13 Breakfast at Big Creek: www.rebuildbigcreek.com.
July 12–14 Wilderness Within Reach: Sulphur Creek Ranch, call
Joe Corlett 208-890-1819.
July 20 Breakfast at St. Marie’s(S72)
August 2–4 International Cessna 180/185 Club Fly-in at Johnson
Creek: Campout, BBQ, www.skywagons.org.
Aug 3 Breakfast at Big Creek: www.rebuildbigcreek.org.
August 23–25 Cavanaugh Bay Fly-in: Campout and potluck BBQ
More info call Doug 208-861-6926.
August 24 Oregon Pilot’s Assoc. Aviation Show/Meeting: Albany
Airport(S12),9 a.m.–5 p.m., seminars, festival, www.oregonpilot.org.
MORE FLY-INS AND EVENTS ON WEBSITE CALENDAR.
2013 Work Party Schedule (weather permitting)
Come help your friends, get dirty, and have fun!
July 6 - Chamberlain Basin
Doug Culley 861-6926
July 13 - Big Creek
Dale Gust 375-6759
July 20 - Cold Meadows
Mike Weiss 634-8273
Check the website for more details and updates
Cascade Airport Requests IAA Help!
In preparation for resurfacing the runway at Cascade
Airport, Ray Arnold would like some help from IAA
members. On July 13 he will be digging up existing runway
lights and would like some volunteer assistance. Be ready
to begin at 9 a.m.; bring a shovel. Lunch & refreshments
provided; call Carol at 208-382-4844 so she knows how
many lunches to make. Check airport website for runway
conditions; www.cascadeairport.com.
See a problem at an Idaho airstrip? Tell us!
Please log on to www.idahoaviation.com, go to “Idaho
Airstrips” and scroll down to “Airstrip Maintenance” to
submit your report.
The Idaho Airstrip Network Coordinator, Larry Taylor, will
contact the appropriate agency, group, or property owner
to seek remedies ASAP. You can also leave a PIREP and
upload your photos. Let’s work together to keep Idaho’s
backcountry airstrips as they are: second to none!
The Flyline is in FULL COLOR online!
The online version has more photos—Just log on to
www.idahoaviation.com
Click on “IAA Newsletters”
for past and present newsletters
President’s Corner
District 2 – Lewiston/Moscow
Jim Davies
Bill Ables
It seems like we are off to a great
start for this year’s primary flying
season. Weather has been good,
there is no smoke, at least yet, and
according to
the
proprietors,
business at places like Sulphur
Creek Ranch is booming.
We always encourage you to get
out and fly. Not just because it is
enjoyable but also because it helps
to ensure your personal proficiency and comfort. The
result, though, is crowded skies. I am still amazed at how
many people there are on the radio, especially on
weekends and holidays. Please stay aware of all the other
fliers out there. Listen up, paint a mental picture of where
nearby traffic is and, if necessary, confirm their position
and altitude with a courteous query. Also, PLEASE keep
the chitchat and uninformative chatter off of 122.9 when
flying around the backcountry. It is a small geographic area
with lots of traffic and we need to keep the frequency clear
for traffic advisories.
Enough preaching for now. I know that most of you are
operating safely and having a great time in our treasured
flying arena. Last week I met a couple having breakfast at
Sulphur Creek Ranch. It was a pleasure to hear their story.
Newcomers to the central Idaho backcountry, they had
gotten instruction from one of the local pros before starting
their vacation. They were introduced to the skills required,
some of the airstrips, aircraft performance limitations and
backcountry etiquette. They obviously had learned some
valuable skills, acknowledged their experience level,
respected the limitations of their aircraft’s performance
envelope and were having the time of their lives. I have no
doubt their week of flying turned out to be rewarding and
safe. I am sure we got two new members, as well.
As you know, I am always encouraging people of all
experience levels to get regular instruction, be it a tune up
or a check out. One of the common questions we receive
from our newsletters and website is, “Whom should I call to
get this instruction?” If you have not noticed it yet, please
check out the new page on the website where instructors
are now listing their specialties and contact information. Be
aware that IAA is not validating or sanctioning the list but it
is a good place to start your search. I would also solicit
instructors out there to participate in the listing and we can
build up a valuable database of available CFIs. Look under
www.idahoaviation.com/AviationResources.
Well, that’s it for this month. Thank you for your
membership and for your support of our valuable program.
I’ll see you out there.
Summer is officially here in
District II and it is very welcomed.
With
June
weekends
being
numbered, you’ve had to choose
which airstrip work party you would
like to go to, with some weekends
having two or more work parties
going on at the same time. To
those of you who have taken part in
one or more of these work parties,
my hat goes off to you, as your efforts make a big
difference in the safety and enjoyability of our backcountry
strips. One name that always comes to mind when I hear
the words work party and that is Stan Clark!
We had a very successful work party at Lord Flat on
June 8th. Five aircraft, three 4-wheelers, 13 volunteers, and
an unsuspecting couple camped nearby with a pickup all
took part. A small pasture harrow had been flown in prior
to the work party that was to be pulled by 4-wheelers, as
pickups can’t access this area this early in the summer.
Wrong! One of the planes coming to the work party
observed a pickup parked near the airstrip. A pair of
persuasive pilots walked to the camp of a couple who had
come out to enjoy the area (after cutting and moving 31
fallen trees that lay across the road on the way), and
invited them to come and help out. The couple agreed and
brought their pickup, which was able to pull an old disc that
has been onsite for many years. After several passes with
the disc, our new friends were given lunch, drinks, and
many thanks. The harrow was then used and grass seed
was spread. With the help of this gracious couple, more
work was accomplished in that half-day than could have
been done in 10 work parties by hand.
Be sure to come out to one of the Big Creek breakfasts
that will served over the next month or so. Enjoy some
great food and you might even want to donate a little work
to this exciting IAF project. Hope to see you there!
Jim
Lord Flat airstrip gets smoothed out by helpful campers with the
aid of their pickup. Bill Ables photo.
Page 2
More Lord Flat Photos:
District 3 - Boise/McCall
Wayne Thiel
Page 3
On May 25, Bob & Mary Sue Patrick
and the Treasure Valley Chapter
hosted the 3rd Annual Weiser Flyin/Drive-in Breakfast in the Patrick’s
hangar at the Weiser airport. It was a
nice sunny day with a light breeze out
of the north. There were 35-40
airplanes that flew in and 75 breakfasts
served. Not bad for a holiday weekend.
On June 2 I flew a friend to
Deadwood airstrip to check conditions.
The strip is in great shape. The work
parties we have done there along with our member Hank
Clancey’s grading efforts have really paid off. Our next
stop was Sulphur Creek Ranch for a great breakfast and a
nice visit with ranch managers Kerrie & Val.
On June 15, the Idaho Aviation Foundation hosted a flyin/drive-in (if you could) breakfast at Big Creek airstrip at
the location of the “old lodge” and right where the “new
lodge” will be built in the near future. What a beautiful day
it was. The weather was great when Linda and I and our
guest, Scott Fuhrman, took off from Garden Valley about
7:30 a.m. We were mentoring Scott by taking him (a fairly
new pilot), for his first trip to Big Creek. I believe his words
were “wow, I see why you are hooked on mountain flying”
(or something to that effect). The chatter on the radio that
morning reminded me of how it sounded on almost any
summer weekend 6 or 8 years ago. As we flew over
Johnson Creek, it was lined on both sides with airplanes
and tents from annual Super Cub fly-in. When we came
over Profile Gap, there were several airplanes behind us
and 2 or 3 ahead in the pattern. Linda counted 17 on the
ground as we flew crosswind to check the strip. The IAF
served about 85 breakfasts; there were over 40 aircraft.
Check the website for the next event there.
Linda and I took Scott back to Garden Valley with a tour
over Deadwood and down the South Fork of the Payette.
We landed at Garden Valley where Scott took off for
Nampa in his newly purchased Piper Tri Pacer. We visited
with friends and helped get things ready for the campout/pot luck BBQ which had about 45 attendees. Mo Miller
was there with his gas powered blender making margaritas
(Mogaritas) for which he is famous.
Sunday morning was the Treasure Valley Chapter’s
annual Father’s Day Fly-in/Drive-in breakfast. Hosts Jerry
Terlisner and Doug Culley and crew did a fantastic job. I
believe this was our best turnout ever; 129 breakfasts were
served. There were fewer fly-ins than usual, with about 42
aircraft, but the parking lot was full of cars.
The next big event for District 3 will be our annual cross
country to Cavanaugh Bay (66S) on Priest Lake in north
Idaho on August 23–25. If you have not been there, you
should mark your calendar, get your camping gear ready,
and of course your airplane should be ready. This year will
be my 13th or 14th trip there. It is a beautiful setting with
the lake, mountains, grass strip, clean showers and fresh
coffee made by caretaker Allen Lieske. Contact person for
this event is Doug Culley at 208-861-6926. There will be a
potluck BBQ Saturday evening (bring something to grill
and something to share).
There are new owners at Mackay Bar and even though
they cater to pilots, you need to call or e-mail before you
go for breakfast or to make lodging reservations; 208-9658355 or info@mackaybarranch.com. No drop ins!
Fly safe and fly often,
Wayne Thiel, 4775B
208-890-8866
wthiel@idahoflyer.com
Big Creek Public Events Start w/a Bang
Colleen Back, IAF VP & Big Creek Project Manager
The Idaho Aviation Foundation project
to rebuild Big Creek Lodge in Idaho is
moving along at a rapid pace, and
continues to achieve major milestones.
On June 1–2, the IAF hosted the first
public work party on the burned site.
About 30 volunteers pitched in to start
transforming the site from suffering years of disuse to
being ready for public events during the summer--only
without the lodge! Volunteers cut down nearly 30 snags
killed from the 2008 fire, cleaned and disinfected the
duplex cabin, fixed doors on the old general store (now
being used for storage), and worked on the various water
systems to get them running again. It was a huge success,
and the IAF will be scheduling another work party
(tentative date is July 20, but IAF will confirm).
On Saturday June 15, the IAF hosted its first public
breakfast at Big Creek since the fire in October 2008. It
was very well attended, with 85 eager visitors enjoying
pancakes, ham and eggs on a gorgeous, cool Idaho
mountain morning. Some came from the SuperCub.org flyin at Johnson Creek (which drew visitors from all over the
US), while others came regionally from Washington,
Montana, Oregon and all parts of Idaho. In addition,
District Ranger Anthony Botello and Clem Pope from the
US Forest Service attended the event. Botello and IAF
President Jim Davies ceremoniously signed the 30 year
Special Use Permit for Lodge operations, which enables
the IAF to host events at the site before and after lodge
construction is complete. The 30-year Permit is exciting for
the project, since normal permits for this type of operation
last 20 years. This news underscores how supportive the
USFS is of this project. In honor of this large milestone,
and to celebrate public activity on the site, volunteers
raised the U.S. flag while happy visitors applauded.
Later that evening, Colleen Back accepted a $1,000
group donation from SuperCub.org during a project
briefing she gave to the 100+ fly-in visitors at Johnson
Creek Airstrip (3U2). The Super Cub community has long
supported Idaho's backcountry flying with group donations
to several organizations. In addition to this kind donation,
the IAF received another $4,500 in donations at the
breakfast event (separate from breakfast proceeds) and
online donations during the weekend. Thank you!
Big Creek’s Beautiful Airstrip
Steve Burak cutting a fire-killed tree
Thanks to all the volunteers who helped at the work
party and thanks to all who have donated to this project.
We are well on our way! Please keep those donations
coming! Stop by at our upcoming breakfast events, July
13, July 20, and August 3.
www.RebuildBigCreek.com
Page 4
District 5 - Blackfoot/Pocatello
Kerry Requa
As we begin the summer flying
season we all need to be aware
of the hazards of mountain flying.
Hopefully, most pilots who fly into
Idaho have attended or will attend
a seminar or a mountain flying
school. (Ed: several CFIs with
mountain flying expertise have
placed contact info on the IAA
website, www.idahoavation.com/instructors.php). We all
engage in stories about our flying experience and discuss
ways to operate safely and with respect to others who also
enjoy the backcountry. We see rafters, horseback riders
and hikers doing what they love in the mountains and
rivers of the greatest state in the nation for these types of
activities. Everything we do has a risk of some sort; we
should all know what those risks entail; ignoring them will
cause a problem sooner or later. We also hear tips on how
to do things that make flying in the backcountry safer and
easier. We learn many procedures on our own and often
share them with others. I have learned, for example, that it
is very easy to pick up a rock and get a ding in the prop
while operating from unpaved strips. We all know that
applying the throttle in a slow and deliberate manner can
reduce the possibility of getting a nick in the prop. I have a
tip: next time you park your airplane, if possible, park in a
slight downhill direction. That way on start-up you can get
the airplane moving much easier without a huge blast of
power. Most prop dings occur when you start up and begin
to move. This happens more often when you need a large
application of power to make the airplane move and you
have a bit of an uphill direction to start with. Another tip is
to remember to put your fuel selector in the proper position
when you park. On most Cessnas, for example, we have a
left, right, both, or off position. On the landing checklist it
suggests that we position the fuel selector to “both”. That is
great, but if you park on a side hill and leave the fuel
selector in the both position you will find the fuel will
transfer to the lower or downhill wing. Depending on how
much fuel you end up with in the lower wing, your
expensive fuel could drain out or present an imbalance
problem when you depart. So my tip is to turn the fuel
selector to the fullest tank after you land, then back to both
prior to departure. I do not like to turn the fuel to the “off”
position. If you do not use a check list you may forget to
turn it back to the correct position for takeoff. By putting the
fuel selector on the fullest tank you have some margin of
safety if you were to forget to use your checklist prior to
takeoff. I would like to remind everyone to be aware that
when you leave your parking area, try not to throw rocks,
debris, and dust toward other aircraft. Be conscious of the
direction of the prop blast and where aircraft are parked or
people are present. Hopefully we can all enjoy the
backcountry and do so with courtesy and respect for
others.
Tailwinds,
Kerry Requa
District 5
Master Machinist Restores Military
Aviation History— by Bill Miller
When restoring old military aircraft, it seems one never
can find original parts to replace old, corroded, and bentup components on these tired birds. But for IAA member
Bruce Whittig anything is possible, including complete
from-scratch production of any imaginable part. For
example, Bruce was asked if he could repair the pitot head
from Idaho Military Museum's MiG-21 aircraft. Because the
head was hollow, bent at a 90-degree angle, and virtually
irreparable, he made a new one from scratch. The picture
shows his finished craftsmanship.
Another job arose shortly after the Museum acquired and
restored a Korean War-era F-86 Sabre Jet. Although the
Sabre's body and main components were restorable, the
nose gear doors were severely damaged, with no parts
available. Another challenge for this ex-Air Guard
Lieutenant Colonel: he'd “just” reform the bent surface substructure, re-skin the surfaces, and re-finish by painting
one side and polishing the other. The before-after images
show the result of Whittig's engineering and craftsman
excellence.
Whittig has been at this hobby since he was a kid. He
hand-built an all-metal Midget Mustang sport aircraft during
the 1970s. It won the 1983 Best in Show award at the
EAA's home-built aircraft competition. During this time he
was also a part-time jet jockey for the Idaho Air National
Guard, a corporate pilot, and college student. In an earlier
life he was known for building high performance boats and
custom cars. The Idaho Military Museum is proud of its
continually growing collection of military equipment and
aircraft, and volunteers like Bruce Whittig who have
donated time and talent to preserve Idaho military history.
Bruce is now retired, but enjoys his hobby and work in his
business, Sport Aircraft Components. Bruce Whittig is a
remarkable ambassador for aviation and the IAA.
Gear before & after
New pitot head
Page 5
Dr. Pamela Bird in Women’s Air Race
Advise Your Passengers
Rachel Riddle Schwam, Bird Museum Director
Don Lojek, Aviation Attorney
Women’s air racing started in 1929 with the First
Women’s Air Derby. 20 pilots raced from Santa Monica,
CA, to Cleveland, OH, site of the National Air Races.
Racing continued through the ‘30s and was renewed again
after WWII when the All Women’s Transcontinental Air
Race (AWTAR), better known as the Powder Puff Derby,
came into being. The AWTAR held its 30th, final and
commemorative flight in 1977. When the AWTAR was
discontinued, the Air Race Classic, Ltd., (ARC) stepped in
to continue the tradition of transcontinental speed
competition for women pilots and staged its premier race.
The Air Race Classic was reincorporated in 2002 into the
Air Race Classic, Inc., a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization.
This year, the Bird Aviation Museum and Invention
Center was represented in the Women’s Air Race Classic
by museum co-founder Dr. Pamela Bird. Dr. Bird flew with
Tookie Hensley, a seasoned pilot who has her own flight
school and is 78 years young with over 1 million miles
flown. Hensley has participated in 22 past ARC races, has
won the ARC before, and states, “Anyone who competes
is a winner.” Dr. Bird is a member of the Northwest
Chapter of the 99s, the Friends of Sandpoint Airport and
the EAA #1441, and is proud to represent the Pacific
Northwest and Northern Idaho. The Air Race Classic
competition is a 2,000 mile race that begins in Pasco
Washington, with stops in Mountain Home Idaho, Logan
Utah, Rawlings Wyoming, Spearfish South Dakota,
Brookings South Dakota, Holdrege Nebraska, La Junta
Colorado, Woodward Oklahoma, and terminates in
Fayetteville, Arkansas. The Air Race Classic is an
“organization dedicated to encouraging and educating
current and future women pilots, increasing public
awareness of general aviation, demonstrating women’s
roles in aviation, and presenting and promoting the
tradition of pioneering women in aviation.” Hensley and Dr.
Bird were team number 9 in the competition; their team
name is Blue Birds of Happiness. To learn more about the
Bird Aviation Museum, visit www.birdaviationmuseum.com.
For more information on the Air Race Classic, visit
www.airraceclassic.org.
Negligence is defined as what a reasonably prudent pilot
would do under similar circumstances. One of those things
is to assure, in a reasonable way, the safety of your
passengers.
Part 91 pilots have to follow 14 CFR 91.107 which
mandates the instruction of passengers on the use of
seatbelts. We are all familiar with the flight attendant
demonstrating for the 20 millionth time how to buckle and
unbuckle your seatbelt. That demonstration is not the
airline’s idea, necessarily. More detailed passenger
briefings are mandated by 14 CFR 91.519 applicable to
large and turbine-powered multi-engine aircraft.
Even though all of these regulations might not
specifically apply to your Cessna 172 passengers, as the
PIC you must instruct on seatbelts with your passenger.
You need to brief your passenger on how to work the
seatbelts and when the seatbelts should be worn (like
always). Additionally, a prudent (non-negligent) pilot
should do more than the minimum required by the FAA.
For example, positioning of the seat is important, as are
instructions for exiting the aircraft, not only in case of
emergencies, but also under normal circumstances. A
passenger with balance problems might need a little extra
instruction on how to step to the ground safely. Should
there be a mishap on landing or takeoff, you want the
passenger to know how to a) unlatch the seatbelt; b) open
the door; and c) get out the door and away from the
airplane.
If you have a fire extinguisher installed, every passenger
should know where it is, how to access it, and how to use
it. If there is an overwater flight and you have emergency
floating equipment, a briefing on how those items are
accessed and inflated would be in order.
If you have an aircraft (like mine) with only one exit door
and the pilot cannot be the first to exit, your passenger
should be briefed on the importance of a quick exit in case
of an emergency, how to exit and where to stand while
waiting for you to follow. A passenger wandering around
on the ramp or standing in the vicinity of a possible fire is
not a good thing.
Finally, an extra pair of eyes in the aircraft is a good
traffic avoidance system. Passengers should be
encouraged to keep a lookout for other aircraft and a
system of communication between pilot and passenger
should be briefed if there is no operable intercom
capability.
In a worst case scenario where, for example, the landing
or takeoff results in an unexpected mishap causing a fire, a
passenger who has to fumble with a door latch or seatbelt
buckle might hold the pilot accountable for injuries if
he/she had not been instructed on emergency exit
procedures and injured because of an exit delay. You,
yourself, might be trapped if your passenger delays in
exiting the aircraft.
Negligence can be an act of omission as well as one of
commission. So, pretend you are a uniformed flight
attendant and take a minute or two to advise your
passengers appropriately.
Page 6
Tookie Hensley
Dr. Pamela Bird
Owyhee River Airstrips
Bill Miller and Jack Blackwell
IAA continues working with the Idaho Aviation
Foundation, the Oregon Pilots Association and the RAF to
secure the reopening of a few Owyhee River airstrips
located just upstream from Owyhee Reservoir. To date,
we’ve had meetings and letter exchanges with the Vale
BLM office to see if the BLM will reopen the airstrips, or
whether we must take stronger action. So far, we’ve
received several BLM documents under the Freedom of
Information Act (FOIA), reviewed federal laws, BLM
management documents, and other data to see if there
were any mistakes or improper procedures when BLM
produced their 1993 Owyhee Wild and Scenic River
Management Plan and subsequent 2002 SE Oregon
Resource Management Plan.
We believe their public participation procedures were
questionable along with their decision to not enforce the
closures until some date in 2010. In May, we made a
formal request for reopening the airstrips. If the BLM
denies our request, we have enough documentation for an
aviation-friendly attorney to determine if the BLM erred
when they developed their Management Plan. The Plan
closed the Owyhee River Canyon to aircraft landings. At a
recent meeting with the BLM, we provided them more
justification for reopening. We will get their formal
response in July.
Some time ago, they responded to our request and
removed hazards from one airstrip runway. Perhaps we
can work cooperatively on this matter. I now ask pilots not
break our trust with the BLM, and continue to regard the
Owyhee closures as valid. Meanwhile, we continue to seek
reports from pilots who have used these airstrips in or
along the lower Owyhee canyon. We’ve already heard
from a few, but we need some more, so urge you and your
wingmen to report anything that will help us get these
airstrips reconsidered.
Below: Here is the Birch Creek property (formerly, Rust
Ranch, or Morison Ranch). The foreground trees are at the
south end of the alfalfa field/airstrip right along the east
shore of the Owyhee River, about 5 miles upstream from
the Reservoir’s high water.
Below, in the aerial view: Looking northeast at the same
field. Approximate airfield dimensions are: elevation 2,700’;
airstrip length 1,500’. But remember, all these lower
Owyhee airstrips are presently closed, and we’ve promised
the BLM we’ll advise our pilots. Let’s keep the BLM on
friendly terms as we convince them the public needs air
access to these places!
No Good Options in FAA ATC Demands
Airshows Cancelled Across the U.S.
AirVenture's importance to GA overriding factor
Military Aircraft Unavailable Due to Sequester
June 13, 2013—Facing a spectrum of unpalatable options,
EAA today finalized a one-time agreement with the FAA to
cover nearly $450,000 in expenses related to air traffic
control services at the 2013 EAA AirVenture Oshkosh flyin, which begins on July 29.
"Let me be clear: We have consistently regarded the
FAA's move as holding AirVenture and GA hostage this
year," said EAA Chairman Jack Pelton. "There was
considerable, detailed thought given over the past month
to every option and possible scenario. Ultimately,
AirVenture's importance to the entire general aviation
economy and community, as well as to EAA's year-round
programs, was the overriding factor in our response.
AirVenture will go on, and our attendees deserve nothing
less than the best air safety and services we can provide.
"As far as we're concerned, this isn't over. We entered
this agreement only because there was no other realistic
choice to preserve aviation's largest annual gathering. We
also look forward to FAA's leadership coming to Oshkosh
this year to explain their policy to the nation's aviators."
Along with the completed agreement, EAA included a
letter stating that it signed the contract under protest.
Failure to sign with the FAA would have meant cancelling
AirVenture, which would have been catastrophic for EAA's
year-round programs. The agreement allows for a partial
payment of the $447,000 total bill prior to the event, with
the remaining sum to be paid after the FAA has completed
its AirVenture duties at Oshkosh.
The FAA's demand for payment in relation to air traffic
services, first unexpectedly revealed by the agency in midMay, left EAA, exhibitors and others in a position where
millions of dollars had already been committed to
AirVenture 2013. In addition, refusal of FAA services or not
meeting the agency's standards would have caused the
FAA to void the necessary waivers that are essential for
Oshkosh air operations during the event.
The one-time agreement will allow AirVenture to have a
full complement of 87 FAA air traffic controllers and
supervisors at the event for essential air safety services.
Federal budget sequestration, however, will diminish the
FAA's presence at Oshkosh this year in areas such as
forums and exhibits.
Pelton added that EAA members and other aviation
enthusiasts need to be involved to counter FAA's stated
policy of expanding these financial demands on the
nation's aviation events in future years. EAA maintains that
this equates to the imposition of GA user fees without
Congressional approval, and 28 U.S. Senators have
already signed a bipartisan letter calling the FAA move
unacceptable and demanding immediate reversal.
"Our quarrel is not with the hard-working FAA employees
who do their jobs at Oshkosh," he said. "We understand
that AirVenture and other GA events are pawns in the
larger sequestration political standoff, so it's important that
we stand together and let those in Congress and the White
House know the importance of aviation. We will do that in
Oshkosh and we look forward to having those who love the
freedom of flight stand with us."
While EAA and Sun 'n Fun weren't happy about paying
for their own controller staff for their airshow events, at
least they had the resources to do it, which isn't true for
many smaller events around the country. Many local
airshows have also been cancelled due to the
unavailability of military aircraft, especially the Blue Angels
and Thunderbirds. In Rhode Island, the annual June
airshow, hosted by the National Guard since 1991, was
cancelled when the Blue Angels were grounded. The
event, which is free to the public, has raised more than
$1.5 million for a local children's hospital. At least 64
airshows across the country have been cancelled due to
the lack of military participation, according to John Cudahy,
president of the International Council of Air Shows, and the
number is still rising. Cudahy also said that U.S. airshows
bring in $1.5 billion to local communities. That impact has
been significantly reduced this year.
Food, Forum, & Flight Safety Program
50 pilots and guests recently gathered at the Cascade
Airport (U70) for a Food, Forum & Flight Safety Program
hosted by Rich Stowell and the Boise FAASTeam. After
breakfast Kelly's Roadside Grill, Stowell transitioned into a
rapid-fire, 45-minute talk on stall/spin awareness followed
by a live spin demonstration over the airport in a Super
Decathlon. Participants observed from the ground as
Stowell performed eight spin departures, talking through
the spins via radio to handhelds on the ground, one
of which was broadcast on a loudspeaker. Cockpit video
shot during the spin demos has been distilled to 3-3/4
minutes and is available on Stowell's YouTube
channel:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J9xYX8R_uUU
The program was successful enough that a second
annual Food, Forum & Flight Safety Program may be
planned for next year.
Contacts
State President: Jim Davies
Vice Presidents:
Jack Kotaki—Back Country Issues
Bill Miller—Gov’t Affairs
Larry Taylor—Agency Liaison
Jerry Terlisner—Activities
Doug Culley—Membership
Joe Corlett—Communications
Paul Jorgensen—Awards
Nadine Burak—Secretary/Treasurer
Directors:
Dist #1 Jan Lee
Dist #2 Bill Ables
Dist #3 Wayne Thiel
Dist #4 Galen Hanselman
Dist #5 Kerry Requa
Dist #6 Mike Hart
FLYLINE Crista Worthy
editor@idahoaviation.com
859-5537
340-7177
853-8585
855-0261
859-7959
861-6926
336-1097
343-0290
861-9056
255-9954
(541) 263-1327
890-8866
788-5176
785-8980
528-7672
(310) 560-7324
Page 8
The Treeport
Homeowner's
Association, Inc. will
be holding a Med
Evac Helipad
Commissioning
Ceremony beginning
at 4 pm on 5 July. The
new Helipad is
located at the EAST
END and on the
NORTH SIDE of the
Runway. A Med Evac
Helicopter is expected
to be arriving at about
4 pm and will be on
static display until 6.
Friday - July 5th:
Arrivals begin @ Noon
Donation BBQ Supper
(please bring Potluck
dessert @ 6 pm.
Presentation by Allen
Hoyt of Boise, Idaho
regarding the Idaho
Aviation Foundation
reconstruction project
at "Big Creek" Lodge.
Fly-in fund raiser
Auction! (proceeds
go to safety
improvements for
our Annual Fly-in)
Donated Items
include:
Dahon folding bike,
Electric Airplane
Tow Bar, and a one
of a kind Craftsman
Drag Racer!
Free Hangar
Movie: “Backcountry
Idaho” @ 8:30pm
featuring back country
expert Todd Peterson
at the controls of his
high-performance,
custom designed,
Super-STOL “King Katmai”.
Lights out @ 11 pm.
Saturday – July 6th:
Pancake Breakfast begins @ 8 am.
Lots of beautiful aircraft on display, great flying stories, and
a chance to meet some of the friendliest people!
Classic Car Show on the Field same day!
Door Prize opportunities for Pilots by category such as
furthest flown to the Fly-in, Oldest Aircraft in attendance,
Smallest Aircraft in attendance and Largest Aircraft in
attendance!
Page 9
Page 10
GALEN HANSELMAN’S NEW MONTANA CHART
Crista Worthy
By now, every Idaho Aviation Association member
should have at least one copy of the Idaho Aeronautical
Chart created a few years ago by Galen Hanselman. This
chart shows the entire state and all its airstrips. The no-rip
folding chart is $10 in the shop at www.idahoaviation.com.
The limited edition wall chart, signed and numbered, is
available for $34.95 on his website, www.flyidaho.com.
I was reminded the other day how handy these charts
are when my daughter and I stood in front of my framed
chart and I pointed out landmarks to her. She has just
moved to Idaho; these handmade charts are extraordinary.
The great news is that you can now also buy the brandnew MONTANA AERONAUTICAL CHART, $34.95. Hang
it on your wall next to the Idaho chart and start dreaming of
your next flying adventure. Limited to 100, all signed and
numbered. And the back is beautiful; filled with photos of
WHY WE FLY, and helpful tips and diagrams. I think I am
going to order another so I can look at the back too.
Mackay Bar Updates
(Editor: For those of you who have not flown into Mackay
Bar, the ranch is under new ownership. Things have been
spruced up; the grounds, cabins, and rooms are beautiful.
Fly fishing on the South Fork and steelhead fishing on the
Main Salmon are superb. Jet boating, hunting, or a short
walk upstream and across the bridge to Wilson Bar round
out your visit. Note that in 2010, the runway was surveyed
at about 1500 good condition, plus 200 marginal, for about
1700 feet total length. Watch for sprinklers, slippery grass
in the morning, and heat later with the low elevation of
2,200 feet.) www.MackayBarRanch.com
From the Owners Buck and Joni Dewey:
*Reservations are required and we welcome pilots to
land for fly-in breakfasts, meals, or overnight
accommodations! This is to ensure availability and so we
can plan for meals/groceries/etc.
*We are a private airstrip and the airstrip is open to
Mackay Bar Outfitter’s Guests Only (meaning breakfast/
lunch/ dinner flyins; lodging guests; any guests with
reservations, etc.) & of course the mail plane!
*Advance notice of landings is required by phone or email;
call at the ranch office at 208-965-8355; 208-413-2109
Joni’s cell; or by email to: info@mackaybarranch.com.
*We are starting to book larger groups, weddings and
functions, in doing so, at times we reserve the entire ranch
(including airstrip) to our guests and the airstrip will be
closed. That is why we are asking for confirmed
reservations for fly-ins.
*We no longer offer “tent camping” although pilots are
more than welcome to make reservations for lodging.
*For those of you who are transporting rafters out - please
advise them to contact Mackay Bar before arrangements
are made with your company to ensure airstrip availability
on our end.
Landings are not approved for enplaning or deplaning of
FISHERMAN or HUNTERS who are not booked clients of
Mackay Bar Outfitters & Guest Ranch, Inc., an Idaho
corporation and licensed outfitter.
AIRSTRIP RULES AND REGULATIONS 2013:
The aircraft operator is fully responsible for plane
airworthiness, pilot qualifications and experience.
All aircraft and flight operations shall conform at all times
with FAR Regulations part 91 and part 135, as applicable.
Unmonitored, straight-in approaches are prohibited. Before
any landing (and takeoff), all pilots must visually inspect
the airstrip to ensure there are no obstructions on the
runway (planes, sprinklers, vehicles, people, animals, etc.)
Fees. Presently, Mackay Bar Airstrip, LLC does not charge
landing or take-off fees. All landings, take-offs, taxiing and
parking at Mackay Bar are at the sole risk of the aircraft
operator and those persons occupying the aircraft.
Pursuant to Idaho Code 36-1604, Mackay Bar Airstrip, LLC
assumes no liability for damage or injury to any plane or
person. Mackay Bar Airstrip, LLC reserves the right at any
time in its sole discretion to modify this policy and begin
charging reasonable landing and take-off fees.
Operators will use their best efforts to minimize ground
time of aircraft and guests.
Mail plane departs during Galen’s survey, July 2010
Page 14
Page 15
Please support our Sponsors! After all, they support the IAA!
Idaho 1958 Cessna 175 Skylark
See this plane and more Idaho and Montana aircraft.
www.aircraftexchangenetwork.com
Call Sherry 406 544-6182
Turf Airstrip, Rambler, Barn, Private, Quiet, Green
38 acres, Skagit Valley, $487,950,
(206) 595-1409
Classified
Idaho Aviation Association
PO Box 2016
Eagle, ID 83616
The FLYLINE
July 2013
The Monthly Newsletter
of the
Idaho Aviation Association