By Eric McCarthy

Perhaps best known for its search-and-rescue efforts, CAP flies more than 85 percent of all federal inland search-and-rescue missions directed by the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center. (Photo credit: Civil Air Patrol)A couple of weekends ago, my Civil Air Patrol squadron hosted a SAREX/APEX (Search And Rescue EXercise/Airborne Photography EXercise). These events are designed to simulate emergency situations so that CAP members are prepared in the event of an actual emergency, and so that members can acquire the experience needed to serve in various roles. This means that a lot of us participate in ‘trainee’ (t) roles at these exercises.

These exercises require the coordination of lots of members in different roles, many of which are ‘behind-the-scene,’ but crucial to the success of a mission. These unsung heroes make it all possible, working tirelessly to ensure everything is prepared to allow the mission to be completed successfully. Most of these exercises are planned well in advance, but their purpose is to prepare CAP members to be able to deploy at a moments’ notice. In the event of an actual emergency or disaster there won’t be more than a few hours to assemble a team and respond.

I’ve participated in several of these exercises over the years, but I won’t pretend to know all there is to know about the machinations that make an operation successful. I’ll try to ‘lift the curtain’ a little to give you at least some idea of the effort that goes into one of these exercises. 

At the top of the pyramid is the Incident Commander (IC) who will oversee the entire operation; he or she will assemble a team of directors responsible for the smooth running of the various departments and their personnel.

By Art Nalls 

When I received my wings of gold in June, 1979, those bumper stickers were all over every U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps jet base, and for good reasons. By that time, the A-4 “Skyhawk” built by the Douglas Aircraft Corporation, had already been in service for nearly three decades, been to war, and was a workhorse of USN and USMC jet aviation. Known as the “Scooter” and “Heinemann’s Hot Rod,” all but a few jet aviators, who were provided advanced jet training by the USAF during Viet Nam, cut their teeth in A-4’s. I carrier-qualified in a TA-4J, BuNo 158509 on May 2, 1979 with a whopping 250.2 hours of total flight time.  That was the average flight time for Student Naval Aviators (SNA) making their second and final carrier qualification before being “winged” and was already fond of and comfortable with the “Skyhawk.” 

Many newly minted pilots, myself included, also flew A-4s at their next duty station, prior to transition training in their actual fleet jet. I flew the OA-4Ms, assigned to Headquarters and Maintenance Squadron (H&MS-32) at MCAS Cherry Point. This version was a highly modified TA-4J, designed specifically as a platform for Forward Air Controller (FAC) Airborne. These proficiency flights were to keep me current before my Harrier flight class convened and so I could become familiar with the local course rules. It was considered too much for students to learn new course rules anda completely new airplane such as the “Harrier,” so we took baby steps. In my opinion, the multi-tone gray camo OA-4M, with its added hump back for the radios, and “MARINES” on the aft fuselage, was one of the best looking A-4s. It was just plain sexy. Flying it, however, was another story for another time, and its service with the Marines was short lived. 

By Eric McCarthy 

Last time I shared with you some of my favorite New England airfields. There are others, but let’s shift gears and take a look at some that I’ve discovered here in Southern California. I’ve been flying here for about five and a half years, and I fully recognize that I’ve barely scratched the surface when it come to visiting all the great airports the west coast has to offer – but, we’ve got to start somewhere. So here goes:

Santa Paula (KSZP)– Wedged in against a line of mountains to the southeast, Santa Paula is my favorite airport in Southern California. It is such an “alive” airport, full of old hangars and small aircraft of every description. I’ve flown in there a handful of times, and every time there was a busy traffic pattern full of aircraft ranging from Piper Cubs and Cessna 120s, to Decathalons and Swifts, antiques, homebuilts, and of course, more contemporary Pipers, Cessnas, and Beechcrafts. Aeroncas, Navions, Pitts’, and Extras – you name it, you’ll often find them at SZP. Pilots young and old, student and veteran, ply the pattern and ramp, lining up to refuel for another round of touch and goes or an aerobatic training session. In addition to some of the least expensive avgas around, the airport has a nice restaurant overlooking all the activity, and they’ve even got an aviation museum. Despite being non-towered, traffic sorts itself out smoothly, easily accommodating all comers. Once on the ground, open hangars reveal beautiful and pristine antiques and other aircraft in various stages of assembly. There’s a surprise around every corner! Steve McQueen, the King of Cool himself, used to keep his aircraft there in the hangar near the approach end of 22. 

Santa Paula Decathlon.Speaking of runway 22, be aware of the utility lines crossing the approach near the runway – no dragging it in low! There aren’t any glide-slope indicators, but the threshold is displaced to help you over the wires and at 2,700 feet. The runway is plenty long enough for most small aircraft.

By Eric McCarthy

Marine layer on departure from CRQThe day began, as many summer days in southern California do, with a thick marine layer along the coast – only, it was no longer summer. In fact, it was late October. I had been watching the weather for several days and we were definitely in a rut – each day for the past week had featured marine layers both in the morning and late in the afternoon. The marine layer faithfully burns off by 10 a.m. mostof the time and usually doesn’t rematerialize until evening, but even that would lead to a late start for an all day flight, and could well result in a return not only into an advancing marine layer, but also at night. 

With the days getting shorter and shorter, I had planned to do my night-currency takeoffs and landings during the week prior to my planned flight north, but the aforementioned marine layer had thwarted that effort. I was neither instrument nor night current and there are way too many rocks in the clouds in SoCal to be flying around in the dark with clouds if you’re not current and proficient. Time to move to ‘plan B’…

I’d be flying this mission with my friend Jerry; Jerry and his lovely wife Eileen live in Murrieta, not far from French Valley Airport (F70). Located in the Temescal Valley on the other side of a mountain range from the coast, French Valley is usually a safe weather alternative to the airports located along the coastal plain. If I could coerce, or convince, them that I’d be a good houseguest, I could depart Palomar (KCRQ) late afternoon on Saturday and reposition the plane to French Valley for our flight Sunday and spend the night at their home. This would provide several benefits including better weather, an earlier start, and saving Jerry from driving to Palomar. I could also do my night currency there under the forecast clear night skies of French Valley. 

By Jack J. Pelton, CEO/Chairman of the Board, EAA

Jack J. Pelton, CEO/Chairman of the Board, EAAIn 2013, EAA helped create a portion of the Part 23 aircraft certification reform aimed at supporting the general aviation legacy fleet. The proposal was known as the Primary Non-Commercial Category and was among the final recommendations coming out of the process, but unfortunately was never adopted within the final rulemaking. With your best interests in mind, it was time to refocus on how EAA could continue to advocate and push forward change that would benefit an even wider segment of our membership, and, specifically, the amateur-built and light-sport categories. 

Fast forward three years to the fall of 2016 when Sean Elliott, EAA’s vice president of advocacy and safety, and myself  met with the FAA’s Small Airplane Directorate in Kansas City, Missouri, to brainstorm concepts that eventually formed the foundation of FAA’s MOSAIC, or the Modernization of Special Airworthiness Certificates (formerly known as Permit to Fly). During these meetings nearly two years ago, EAA was the first to comprehensively explore modifications that would help the light-sport category reach its full potential and further build on the successes of the amateur-built regulations that EAA has been championing for decades.

That Kansas City meeting was indicative of how EAA has led the way advocating for major change in recreational aviation since Paul Poberezny started going to Washington, D.C., in the 1950s to set in motion development of the homebuilt rules that still benefit us today. Our conversation with the FAA squarely focused on problems and solutions to help all of us. We didn’t wait for a blue-ribbon commission or a 300-page report. Instead, as we’ve always done, we focused on how we can continue to make reform even stronger and more advantageous for our membership.

By Donia Moore

Flying can make you really hungry. Or at least it can make you want to visit those enticing little airport restaurants that sit out by the taxi ways where you can watch the airplanes land and take off. I have really enjoyed this part of the sport since I was a child and am proud to say that I have passed that love on to my own children and grand children.

One of our favorite places to eat is the charming restaurant at La Verne’s historic Brackett Field. “Norm’s Hangar Coffee Shop,” as the restaurant is called, sits right on the taxi way. The patio is less than 300-feet from runway 26L and the Cafe pipes in Bracket Tower and Ground Control.It’s not in a hangar and it’s not run by “Norm,” but great tasting breakfasts and lunches are served by family-friendly weight staff from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily. The menu is extensive and the food is great. Not gourmet, you understand, but tasty omelets, juicy burgers and steak sandwiches.  If you’d look for it in the diner of your dreams, Norm’s probably makes it.  Everything on the menu is fresh and homemade and the suppliers are small local businesses that owner Cathy (Norm’s daughter) supports to keep the mom and pop market strong. The tables next to the big picture windows and the outside patio give unobstructed views of all the activity on the air field. If you have any budding pilots along, they will be fascinated for the duration of your visit and will love the large model airplanes hanging from the ceiling of the coffee shop.