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Contrails: A Hand Me Down Flying School
By Steve Weaver
When I think about the aircraft that populated our flying business in the late ‘60s, I realize what an eclectic mix of airplanes it was. We had two, four, and six place airplanes, very old airplanes, one almost new airplane, and even a twin in the person of an old Aztec. Each had a role in the business, and each one had a distinct personality that I still remember.
At birth, except for colors and optional equipment, airplanes are pretty much identical to the brethren that share the production line. In 1977, while working for Cessna, I parked my new 310 demonstrator on the ramp at Allegheny Airport in Pittsburgh while I went inside to meet with someone. I returned a half hour later just in time to see a gentleman thoroughly pre-flighting my 310. I watched from a distance while he did a textbook preflight inspection. He drained all the sumps and inspected the fuel sample for dirt or water, he checked the oil in both engines, then slowly circled the airplane, poking this and wiggling that.
On Low Tide
Editor’s comment: The “precautionary landing,” is not a topic that is directly addressed in the FAA Practical Test Standard. A diversion to an alternate airport is part of testing scenarios, but the concept of simply getting the airplane on the ground, perhaps not at an airport, is seldom taught and certainly not tested. It is tragic that accidents, which occur every year, could have been avoided if the PIC had simply accepted the fact that continued flight was not possible. In many cases, a landing on a suitable surface could have safety prevented continuing flight into worsening weather conditions or a power-off landing caused by fuel exhaustion or mechanical difficulties.
It is interesting to note that our Canadian neighbors face the potential of off-airport landings head on, especially if flying with Anna Serbinenko, a class one airplane and class one aerobatic instructor. Anna is also the only female aerobatic performer in Canada. Her passion for flying lifts her away from the daily routine into the sky with a three-dimensional freedom called “Sky Dancing.” Anna flies with the Canadian Flight Centre.
Established in 1979 and now in two locations, Boundary Bay, Vancouver, BC, and Kamloops, BC CFC has trained more than 3,000 pilots from over 20 countries. Graduates of Canadian Flight Centre are currently working at airlines around the world. Today, under Anna’s leadership, CFC trains “from tail wheel to turbine,” with a big variety of courses and aircraft. Special programs are now being offered to U.S. Pilots that include the techniques and skill described in Anna’s latest contribution to In Flight USA. For more about Anna and her airshow schedule: visit www.annaserbinenko.com. For beach landing experience and training in BC, contact Canadian Flight Centre www.cfc.aero, flying@cfc.aero, 604/946 7744.
One last note, you MUST visit this area of the world, just north of Seattle. It is SPECTACULAR!
By Anna Serbinenko
Anna Serbinenko after one of her “off airport” beach landings.When I was a student pilot, we were strictly banned from any “off-airport” landings. On one hand, now that I am a flight instructor, I can sympathize more than ever with the school’s mistrust of a student pilot’s common sense decision making skills, and the paranoia about the insurance. On the other hand, I cannot possibly think of endorsing a commercial pilot who has never landed in anything less than 2,000+ long paved level runways. They are simply not fit for commercial pilot duties.
In the Canadian airplane pilot syllabus, there’s an exercise called Precautionary Landing. A typical scenario used to motivate the student is, “what do you do if you are low on fuel?” Or “ what if you have a sick passenger on board?” Fuel management issue aside (what was so difficult about landing at the last airport you passed and put a few gallons in the tanks?), why on earth would you land with a sick person on board in the middle of nowhere instead of heading to the nearest airport to get qualified medical help? But what if there is no airport close by, a real issue in rural Canada (most of the country), or weather blocks access to an alternate airport?
Contrails: Busting Sod
By Steve Weaver
Lewis Field in 1969 (Steve Weaver)From my present perch of experience and years I sometimes think about the early days of my flying career and I have to say I often give myself goose bumps with the recollecting. Casting my thoughts back and reliving some of the dumb things I routinely did with airplanes in those halcyon days, I wonder how I could have gotten away with it. I shouldn’t have, you know.
One of the things that give me shivers is recalling the airports that we were flying from during this period. I wonder what in the world I was thinking when I flew the airplanes that I did from the short grass strip that was our runway at Lewis field where we ran the flying school. The strip was 1,600-feet long, with the ends stoutly defined by fence posts and barbed wire, so there were never negotiations available about the boundaries when summer pushed the density altitude up.