In Flight USA Article Categories
In Flight USA Articles
Editorial: Pilot Report by a Newbie
By Ed Downs
The Dromida Drone was a learning experience for this writer. (Courtesy Dromida)Like it or not, drones (Unmanned Aerial Systems) are becoming a major player in the National Airspace System. This writer decided last year to add one more pilot rating to the list I now have by becoming an FAA UAS pilot. Sure enough, I visited www.faasafety.com, took the UAS pilot training course, fought my way through the IACRA process (electronic 8710 form) and presto, I was a drone pilot … sort of. Yes, I had the plastic in my pocket, but had never actually flown a drone. Leaving that small detail behind, In Flight USA reached out to drone manufacturers, inviting them to submit news announcements that might help us provide the most current information to our reader base of contemporary (real?) pilots. In Flight USA is even attending the Drone World Expo, being held in San Jose in early October. But, the results of our outreach have been mixed, as the gaming and business world of drones has been slow to pick up on the fact that they are a part of the family of flying machines, mixing in with airplanes stuffed with people. But that suddenly changed, about two weeks before this October issue went to print.
An e-mail announcement from Hobbico Inc. suddenly showed up. Don’t recognize the name? Hobbico is the largest distributor of model products in the world, with more than 400 brand names and some 60,000 products. Do the names Revell Model, United Model, Tower Hobbies, Walmart, Target, Toys R Us, or Hobby Lobby ring a bell? Yep, this employee-owned company holds a leadership role in the world of drones, ranging from toys to professional commercial versions. The announcement addressed a new, low end, drone that probably falls into the “toy” category, but seemed to have some of the features normally reserved for the big guys. With a Wi-Fi connected camera that take photos and videos (direct to an app on your smart phone), hand controller, 3D goggles and all the accoutrements needed to fly (including spare rotor blades and even a small screw driver), my interest was piqued. With an MSRP of $89.99, this intrepid aviator figured, “how about getting hold of this critter and actually learn how to fly a drone, from the perspective of a pilot report.” Thus, began a trip into the world of technological humiliation, ending with an enlightenment about the world of drones that exceeded my expectations. Yep, an old dog can learn new tricks.
It’s All About the Journey… And the Eclipse!
By Sarah Fishman
The author getting set up for the perfect eclipse shot. (Courtesy Sarah Fishman)At 7 o’clock on the morning of Sunday, Aug. 20. I got into my beloved Chevy Trail Blazer and left my house in upstate New York, setting out for… somewhere on the path of totality. I wasn’t quite sure of my destination. I thought maybe it would be Charleston or Nashville, as they were about equidistant from my starting point, but figured I’d play it by ear and just head generally south until I made my decision.
I was making great time and didn’t feel restless or bored behind the wheel at all. Going in to the trip, I had worried about spending so much time alone with my thoughts, as I had just learned that my ex-boyfriend was cheating on me for half of our relationship. I was pleased to find, however, that being alone with my thoughts wasn’t scary at all. It was actually quite cathartic. I was able to think through all the reasons why it was a good thing he was out of my life for good. It was right in the middle of one of those thoughts, speeding down I-81 South in West Virginia, that I felt a jolt in my car. I looked down at my dashboard to see that my RPM had skyrocketed to 5,000 but my gas pedal wasn’t responding at all.
I quickly pulled off to the side of the highway and put the car in park. Realizing I wasn’t as far off the road as I would have liked, I shifted back into drive and attempted to pull a little closer to the guardrail. Instead the RPM jumped to 5,000 again and I started rolling backwards into oncoming traffic. Immediately I turned off the car and decided I was fine right where I was.
Tampa Fly-In Right Around the Corner
Schweiss Keeps Shomotion Moving
More on Air Traffic Control Privatization
This Saturday at Planes of Fame
Planes of Fame Upcoming Event
Waco Aircraft News and Updates
Seattle Avionics in New iPad App
Sun Flyer 4
EAA September Newsletter
Opposition to Air Traffic Control Privatization
Video Footage of Hurricane Irma
Step Into the Future with Tomorrow's Aeronautical Museum
Skies to Stars: Eclipse = Nerd Time
By Ed Downs
2017 American Eclipse (Ed Downs)Okay, this writer must admit to being a science nerd. Add the disciplines of astronomy and astrophysics to the word “science,” and this writer will go on a genuine “nerd binge.” The much-touted “American Eclipse” on Aug. 21 gave our entire country a chance to unabashedly “nerd out” with family fun and a national interest in science that lent great relief from the hodgepodge of today’s dearth of unwelcome news, insulting politicians, and threats of nuclear annihilation.
You see, our Sun, a very average mid-size star, located between the Perseus and Sagittarius arms of a very average galaxy called the Milky Way, in a local neighborhood called the Orion Spur, is kind of important to us. Given the Milky Way’s total diameter of about 100,000 light-years, our Sun is about 26,000 light-years from the center of our galaxy, which contains a great black hole that is trying to eat us. For you aviators who have become totally dependent upon the GPS, try loading that location into your database! As big as all that sounds, there are billions of galaxies in our universe, each have billions of stars supporting trillions of planets. Yep, I like remembering these stats whenever I meet someone who thinks they are the singular most important life form in existence.
As puny as it might be, our Sun is still the power source of life in our tiny solar system. The Sun is especially important to the third orbiting rock, where a struggling life form, homo sapiens-sapiens (yep, you must say it twice), is utterly depended upon the Sun’s significant energy for survival. It is not by accident that the ancient Egyptian civilization chose Ra, the Sun god, as their choice for worship when they chose a temporary path of monotheism. Our Sun’s energy is, in fact, so great that without the Earth’s powerful magnetic fields (forming a Star Trek like “shields up”), our atmosphere would have been boiled away millions of years ago, and we would look a lot more like Mars than Earth.
Planes of Fame Living History Flying Day
Special Presentation at Planes of Fame
Amazing Doors at Waterloo Airport
Schweiss Aviat Fly-In
Editorial: Drones, Coming to Your Neighborhood Soon
CEC Drone Hangar (Ed Downs)More and more, those of us in contemporary aviation, especially GA pilots, are likely to encounter drones. The passage of FAR 107 last year formalized the registration, pilot certification standards, and operational parameters of drones, eliminating the complex exemption process that had been in place. This has caused a near explosion in the use of these devices for what most would consider “commercial operations.” While hobbyists with model airplanes may still enjoy their passion without becoming involved in the federal bureaucracy, those using drones for any form of business or commercial operations (which are very broadly defined under FAR 107) must be certificated and follow strict rules of flight.
CEC new headquarters. (Ed Downs)Having acquired my own FAA UAS Certificate last year and teaching two UAS pilot classes (one for a municipal utility provider), it is becoming apparent that what we generically refer to as “drones” are entering the mainstream of legitimate aviation. At this point, let me be technically correct. While the term “drone” tends to refer to all machines that fly or hover without a pilot onboard, the true term that should be used is UAS (Unmanned Aerial System) or UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle). “System” implies a pilot is constantly involved per FAR 107, while “vehicle” implies autonomous operation. For the sake of this editorial view, let’s just call them “drones.