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In Flight USA Articles
Splash In!
By Russ Albertson
Clear Lake, California provided a perfect setting and beautiful weather for this year’s annual Splash In. (Russ Albertson)The West Coast Seaplane Association’s annual “Splash In” was held at Clear Lake, Calif. in September, 2011 and was certainly the place to be if you have an interest in some fun aviation! “Splash In” is the perfect description for this event that attracted seaplane pilots and fans from as far away as British Colombia.
More than thirty seaplanes arrived over the weekend to participate in the activities and perfect weather at Lakeport, on the west side of Clear Lake. The city allows the association to utilize an inactive high school athletic field located at the water’s edge with a short dirt ramp to the beach. It was great fun to watch various planes land in the water, lower their landing gear as they approached the beach and taxi right up onto the grass field. Amphibious seaplanes, equipped with retractable wheels, certainly add a great versatility to the adventures possible for these pilots. Buoys and docks were also available to planes not equipped with wheels.
Aluminum Overcast on Pawn Stars Dec. 19
NTSB to Hold Public Hearing on Air Race and Air Show Safety
Senator Roberts’ Measure to Protect General Aviators Passes Senate and Moves to President’s Desk
GAMA Commends Passage of Transportation Appropriations Bill
Senators take GA's case to White House
The Patriots of VAQ-140 Deploy the EA-6B Prowler for the Final Time
By: Mike Heilman and Ed Wells
An EA-6B landing aboard the USS Eisenhower. VAQ-140 will be transitioning to the EA-18G at the end of the squadrons deployment in the Fall of 2012. (Mike Heilman) In the Spring of 2012 the Patriots of VAQ-140 will deploy on the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower with the EA-6B Prowler for the final time. The squadron has started initial work-ups for the 2012 deployment. When VAQ-140 returns from the deployment they will transition to the new EA-18G Growler but the squadron is not ready to let the aging Prowler go just yet.
The EA-6B Prowler entered the fleet in 1971. The Electronic Countermeasures Squadron VAQ-140 has been flying the EA-6B since 1985. The squadron is stationed at NAS Whidbey Island, Washington.
Editorial: First Reno Air Race Accident Lawsuit Filed
Negligent. In aviation that’s a foul word. In legal terms it is devastating. On Nov. 2, the Reno Gazette Journal reported that the first lawsuit stemming from the tragedy at this year’s National Championship Air Races had been f
Two Great Gift Books for the Holidays...
By S. Mark Rhodes
Aerial Photography is one of aviation’s oldest traditions (and a rare creative act associated with the practice of aviation) dating back well before the Wright Brothers to mid-19th century France where baloonists frequently captured the city of lights from above. This venerable tradition is brought up to date in this year’s Leave No Trace; The Vanishing North American Wilderness (Rizzoli/Universe), which is a great collaborative book by Essayist Roderick Nash and photographer/pilot Jim Wark.
Editorial: Voices from the Past
A Lady, an Airplane, and a Volcano
By Ed Downs
Erva Marche (Courtesy of Ed Downs)The editorials I usually write for In Flight USA frequently spend a lot of words ranting about what is wrong. Let’s take a break. Thanksgiving gave this writer pause to consider the good fortune I have had to spend over half a century in aviation. But, I also remembered my early legal fights with the, then new, FAA and the help given to me by a remarkable lady, Erva Marché, my Grandmother. Her life resembles that of the Kate Winslet character in the movie, Titanic. Erva lived a life of aristocracy, adventure, travel, political intrigue, military service and a successful bid into the Hollywood circles of the 1930s. Her later years were spent as a published writer, newspaper columnist and artist. She was a great fan of flying and joined me on many flights, including serving as a navigator in an air race! She even experienced her own version of “The Titanic” on December 7, 1941 when Pearl Harbor was attacked.
I stumbled across one of Erva’s several flying adventures (later published in a Los Angeles newspaper) that say much about a long-lost time when fun and adventure inspired a world without fear of rules and lawsuits. Read and enjoy the perspective of a lady, who was already in her 60s when this was written in June, 1950.
Early Adventure In My Luscombe 8A
By Steve Weaver
The early summer twilight was fading by the minute. Darkness was descending like a cloak on the rugged West Virginia landscape that was slipping by a thousand feet below the dangling wheels of the white Luscombe I was flying.
I felt the first stirrings of panic rising in my chest as the seriousness of my situation dawned on me and I stared frantically down at the lights of cars moving on the now invisible roads below. Inside them I knew were ordinary people, safely making their way home along familiar highways, following the bright beams of their headlights to the warmth of family and the comforts of hearth and supper. I wanted to be with them. I wanted out of this devil machine that was carrying me to my apparent doom. I wanted my mom.
It was June of 1962. The week before I had not only soloed the Piper Colt trainer at the old airpark where I was learning to fly, I’d bought a perky little Luscombe 8A the following day and checked out in it too. At that point I’d logged about nine total hours in the air, I’d soloed two machines and made one of them mine. My flying career was right on track.
Aviation Nation Nellis Air Show 2011
Nellis AF Base Celebrates 70 Years of Service
Text and Images By Joe Gonzalez
The presentation of colors for the National Anthem during the opening ceremonies.The day’s questionable weather cleared giving way to perfect sunshine. On November 12 and 13, the very large and well-mannered crowds at Nellis Air Force Base (AFB) enjoyed all the static displays, stopped by vendors of goods and services and, of course, watched the flying demonstrations, which were topped off by the USAF Thunderbirds who gave their last performance for the 2011 season.
History of Nellis AFB
The ultra modern Nellis AFB started from humble beginnings, known in the early years as the Las Vegas Army Air Corps Gunnery School. The mission of training aerial gunners for combat duty was primary. Rocky hills – about six miles from the base – offered a natural backdrop for cannon and machine gun firing. Dry lake beds offered an emergency landing location as needed. Supply and logistics had not yet been organized leaving mechanics to borrow parts as needed. Fuel came from the Civilian Conservation Corps. Construction of permanent base facilities began in 1941, including barracks to house about 3,000 personnel.
What's Up? - December 2011
Favorite month and season continued …
By Larry Shapiro
Larry ShapiroI think that last month I forgot to mention that I was sentenced to a week in Texas and got off with some silly behavior. (Formerly known as “Good Time”)
The trip reminded me of why being able to fly myself is so important. I can’t begin to tell you how much I hate to wait in lines and go through some of the most embarrassing security checks in the world. I mean, come on folks, are my shoes, bluetooth and belt presenting any apparent danger? This isn’t real security, it’s a job stimulus program. I guess I’m spoiled after living in Israel and seeing what real security is about.
How can we expect some of the lowest paid people at your airports to do one of the highest priority jobs when they don’t even have the support of most of the people whose time they are wasting. At best, all I see are people missing their flights, and I have the hardest time believing that they are saving any lives. Please feel free to disagree with me but if you do, don’t tell the person sitting next to you, tell me.
I have traveled through some of this world’s biggest and best airports where security lives up to its name and is worth the time it costs you.
Tips From the Pros - December 2011
Aviators Helping Aviators
By Doug Combs
The Luscombe Endowment, Inc.
Those of us who own airplanes and fly them for recreation find the fleet is generally 30 to 70 years old. Few mechanics nowadays are familiar with these old birds, and many shops will turn away maintenance on these vintage airplanes unless that owner can provide the mechanic with reasonable technical data or parts support. This is where we find aviators helping aviators through organizations called “Type Clubs.”
Type clubs usually offer newsletters and shared owner/mechanic technical expertise. They often have rare or lost manuals needed for maintenance, or they have a tribal knowledge of problem areas in different “types” of vintage airplanes. Some have websites and blogs where one can access help in a timely fashion. A thorough listing of such organizations can be found at http://www.vintageaircraft.org/type/index.html.
Safe Landings - December 2011
Fly The Airplane
A review of recent ASRS reports indicates that failure to follow one of the most basic tenets of flight continues to be a concern when pilots are faced with distractions or abnormal situations. Since the consequences associated with not flying the airplane can be serious, this month’s
Safe Landings revisits the problem and re-emphasizes a lesson as old as powered flight: Fly the airplane; everything else is secondary.
Note that the phrase, “FLY THE AIRPLANE” appears in all-caps in each of the following reports. The emphasis is not an editorial addition, but rather reflects the importance each reporter placed on that admonition.
Goodies and Gadgets - December 2011
Tips From the Pros - December 2011
At NBAA2011, Government, Business Leaders Highlight Business Aviation Value
“Every state benefits from general aviation,” Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) told the Attendees gathered for the NBAA2011 Opening General Session on October 10. “This industry provides 1.2 million manufacturing and service jobs.”
The senator’s message was delivered by each of the policymakers and businesspeople sharing the stage in Las Vegas with NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen. Their work – whether it’s creating jobs, considering safety or other policies, growing a multinational company or providing humanitarian relief – would be impossible without business aviation.
“We the People” Petition Signers Urge White House to Reopen NASA Shuttle Decision, Land Enterprise at the Birthplace of Aviation
Online signature campaign rockets past 5,000 needed by end of month deadline – taxpayers seeking fairness and accountability in new process
In less than a month’s time, over 5,000 citizens and taxpayers signed an electronic petition posted on a White House website asking that the administration press NASA to reconsider its position on locations for the retired shuttles, specifically requesting the shuttle Enterprise be sent to Dayton for more appropriate display and better public access. The White House “We the People” petition site required a minimum of 5,000 signatures be logged online by an October 30th deadline in order for the issue to be considered by White House staff and, presumably, President Obama. As of 3:00 PM Eastern Time, October 24th, well over 5,000 had signed the petition and numbers continued to grow as the petition remained active until the Sunday October 30th deadline.