What's Up?! - May 2011
Before I begin … I never know where …
By Larry Shapiro
I never know where to place items of special importance to me, and hopefully to you. Should they be at the beginning of my column or at the end of it? This is especially true when it’s sad news. I’ve told you many times that there are many great Airshow stars out there giving people major neck problems. There are some class acts and there are some really classy acts.
Most of you know how painful it is for me personally when I lose one of these class acts and that has just happened again with the passing of Bill Reesman. Okay, so he was the Air Force officer I always wanted to be. Okay, so he flew the Red Bull Mig. Okay, so he also owned Bob Hope’s corporate jet. Okay, so he married the beautiful and lovely Julie and no matter what anyone says, he stole her away from me. Okay, so that’s my other fantasy. The Airshow business lost a star. I’m angry and I’m entitled to be angry … because I said so and as I always remind you, this is my column and I can feel any way I want.
I’m going to miss Bill, I’m going to miss his smile, and I’m going to miss his behind-the-scene stories and laughter. Rest in peace Mr. “R,” and I’m glad you finally got it; now you know What’s Up! (Right Doc?)
Wake Up!
No one will be surprised that I’m chiming in with my two cents worth on the sleeping beauties in our nation’s control towers and centers, etc. Okay sports fans here’s the scoop as I have seen, lived, and laughed at.
This dozing problem has existed since the invention of radios and night shifts. Come on, give me a break, do you really think this is something new? We have survived uncontrolled airspace and airfields everywhere forever. If we wanted a quick fix to make the politicians happy I could solve the problem in one day … of course I get royalties and applause whenever I walk into a hangar.
Here’s the deal … first a question for some of you who still fly; picture this, it a dark and not so stormy night. The tower at your final destination shut down just ten minutes before your arrival. Oh lord, what now? It’s dark, there aren’t any runway lights on and you’re all by yourself.
There is one bright spot and it’s coming from the light bulb that just went off in your little head. That bright spot tells you to depress your PTT seven times on the assumption you are on the right frequency and behold, the runway lights come on and so the story is written. Reminds me of Moses when he parted the Red Sea … love that story and look forward to Passover and Easter knowing that I will get to see most of the commandments before I fall asleep. I try to hang on until the water scene is over.
Oops, now where was I? Okay, now we have the lights on and we’re set to call it a day. I’ll assume you have landed and are taxiing to somewhere appropriate.
So here comes my million-dollar idea: we can use the same frequency or one to be chosen at a later date by someone who knows nothing about aviation but is running for some office. Here’s how it will work; when we get a busy signal or no answer when we call up our friendly FAA dudes or in this case duds, and when there is no answer we go to work on our new, kick’em in the butt frequency that flashes lights, turns on sirens, blows horns, and finally, shakes the tower.
Now I ask you, what could be easier? I couldn’t care less if they sleep between flights, earthquakes, floods and the end of the world as long as they are there for me and you, or is that you and me, well, you get the idea, right? So here’s the bottom-line: this problem is always going to be here, let’s move on to other things that might actually make airports safer, like driving slower on the ramps, no smoking around parked airplanes, and finally, make the “bottle-to-throttle” rule longer.
Long Distance Calling …
One of the things I love most about my day job are the calls I get, who I get them from, and where they come from. When I started this month’s column I got a call from Colorado. That was followed by a call from Canada. Thirty minutes ago I received a call from Israel and it wasn’t even collect. All these calls were business of course except the one from an old girlfriend from 20-plus years ago that still can’t take “no” for an answer. Okay, maybe that wasn’t the reason for the call, but it was fun anyway. She reminded me of a flight I took her on so she could see the Golden Gate Bridge from the ocean side. Even I have to admit after all the times I’ve done that flight it still gives me chills.
Ready, Aim and you’d better fire …
… off a note to someone and start protecting the Santa Monica Airport.
Now they are taking aim on the flight schools. Remember, I don’t make the news I only report it.
While I’m at it …
AOPA study examines student pilot dropout rate. The majority of student pilots drop out before obtaining their private pilot’s license, according to a study by the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association. AOPA plans to offer meetings on the results of the study in six U.S. cities …
Cost may be playing a role in this, as well as defining the purposes of the training. They are taking and examining the end results, recognizing that pleasure flying makes more sense than a career move depending on the student’s age and dealing with the low income in the entry level positions.
Sound Familiar? This has cost me personally two years of flying!
As I was saying and as I have been saying for the past two years plus …
This is long overdue, very long and overdue! AOPA is supporting changes to the rules of the National Transportation Safety Board to make them fairer to pilots. The NTSB serves as an appellate court to FAA attempts to suspend or revoke a pilot or medical certificate. AOPA’s efforts are particularly aimed at the FAA practice of often immediately grounding a pilot, on an emergency basis, before he or she has had a chance to make a defense to the emergency determination. Under current rules, the FAA wins 95 percent of the emergency challenges. AOPA wants the NTSB to get rid of the “assumption” and leave it up to an NTSB law judge to determine the legitimacy of the FAA’s “immediate grounding.”
Don’t put your pen down yet … today it’s the other guy, tomorrow it might be you. Stay in their faces or we will lose whatever is left of our rights.
Been there done that!
I was reminded of a winter trip I made flying East to West during the Christmas break from something. I hadn’t anticipated too many delays and certainly not the one that grounded me in Nashville for a week plus. When I read the following story, I remembered how I ran out of patience and jumped off at 1700 hours in falling snow just hoping to get at least 100 miles away from where I was. Memphis was my goal for the best ribs in the world even if the Rendezvous was closed at that hour, and it was Monday anyway and they are always closed on Monday. I suppose I thought I might be stuck there long enough for them to open the next day. I actually ended up in Oak City via Bill Clinton’s hometown. That was a chilling experience, 13 degrees smack into my face.
Sometimes conditions just don’t cooperate, and it doesn’t matter how badly you need to be on your way. On Jan. 4, 2010, a Cessna 172 took off from Bangor International Airport in Maine. Thirty-six minutes later it crashed through the ice on the Penobscot River, killing the solo pilot. The airplane was bound for Goose Bay, Newfoundland, on the first leg of a transatlantic crossing. The pilot had told the flight service briefer that he had been “stuck for a week here.”
For all of you reading this who would fly a 172 from anywhere to Goose Bay raise your hand … that’s what I thought. I’m not going to say any more on this incident, it’s too painful.
Before I forget
Here’s a short update on Kyle and Amanda Franklin. Kyle is doing better, Amanda is still fighting and hanging in there, and your support is still needed. For those who responded, thank you! I found this picture of Kyle and me from the good old days. Guess which one is Kyle! (Insert Picture Here)
I Was Reminded
I was reminded last month about another reason I love my day job. Working with first time buyers and student pilots brings pure joy to my sometimes boring days at the airport. When I get young excited folks wanting to join us in the friendly skies sitting at my little round table in the front part of my office, that really is my happy place. I had that experience again last month when I spent some time with two very ready-to-go young men who wanted their first airplane and couldn’t wait to log their first hour. From that meeting on I become the “big brother” (not their big bother) and together we embark on the road to their first solo. I wish all of you could experience that feeling; there’s nothing better that I can think of if you are going to be in my business.
It’s Going To Happen!
After so many of you telling me to write “the book,” heads up for my first forthcoming book – make that books. They are started and I hope to have the first one in your hands before too long. I can’t tell you how excited I am that this is really going to happen. I’m referring to this time in my life as Chapter Three.
May Days! ! !
I know you don’t need me to remind you of the special days that lie ahead during this month. We all have or have had a Mother. Whether you still have her with you or not, remember “her” day. Hard as it may be for you to believe this, my Mom is 90 and still sends me to my room.
A few more special days for this writer, who will be watching his youngest daughter graduate from college. Phew, glad that’s over! I have two other kids out of our five with birthdays, and I suppose the most important day is my wedding anniversary. What a great month!
Finally, I always try to include our troops in my columns in some way. You can honor those troops past, present and future by making sure your flags are out and flying with pride in front of your homes on Memorial Day.
That’s Thirty!
“Over”
