MAKE CHAPTER 288 YOUR AVIATION HOME! E-AB, TYPE CERTIFIED, VINTAGE, WARBIRD, ETC.
Signed in as:
filler@godaddy.com
MAKE CHAPTER 288 YOUR AVIATION HOME! E-AB, TYPE CERTIFIED, VINTAGE, WARBIRD, ETC.
Signed in as:
filler@godaddy.com
It’s time to recall some of the things you learned in ground school but haven’t thought about for a while—at least not since last summer. You remember the old memory shortcut about “high, hot, and heavy” degrading performance. “Heavy” is obvious. And while we all know that our aircraft don’t perform as well at high altitudes and hot temperatures, it’s important to understand why not.
If you’ve walked across a hot parking lot, you know it’s even hotter on the pavement. Paved surfaces, especially black asphalt, absorb the sun’s rays and make the air above them even hotter. Of course, this happens on runways too.
Runway temperatures can be as much as 40°F hotter than what the AWOS or ATIS says on a sunny summer day. Plan for that and adjust your takeoff distance calculations appropriately. You might want to get the temperature from your airplane’s Outside Air Temperature gauge in addition to the AWOS or ATIS to use on your takeoff performance chart.
When we’re talking about “high altitude,” it’s density altitude that we’re talking about. At high altitudes, the air is less dense because heat expands things. The hotter the air, the less dense it becomes. As you know, wings generate lift by interacting with air, and engines develop power by combining fuel with air. Then propellers turn power into thrust by reacting with the air. Anything that reduces the density of air will reduce the airplane’s performance. Hence, “high” and “hot.”
But what about humidity? Though it might seem counterintuitive, air loaded up with water vapor is lighter than dry air. According to the FAA’s Pilot’s Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge1:
“The small amount of water vapor suspended in the atmosphere may be almost negligible under certain conditions, but in other conditions, humidity may become an important factor in the performance of an aircraft. Water vapor is lighter than air; consequently, moist air is lighter than dry air. Therefore, as the water content of the air increases, the air becomes less dense, increasing density altitude and decreasing performance. It is lightest or least dense when, in a given set of conditions, it contains the maximum amount of water vapor…” Then, we add heat to the equation. “…As temperature increases, the air can hold greater amounts of water vapor. When comparing two separate air masses, the first warm and moist (both qualities tending to lighten the air) and the second cold and dry (both qualities making it heavier), the first necessarily must be less dense than the second. Pressure, temperature, and humidity have a great influence on airplane performance, because of their effect upon density.
Take a look at the performance section of your POH. If the humidity is high — say, above 50 or 60% — it may be wise to add additional length to the runway requirements over what the takeoff performance chart says to account for moist air. You might also want to plan for a decreased rate of climb, especially if you have to clear an obstacle.
The NTSB files are full of accidents caused by pilots who didn’t take heat and humidity, let alone altitude, into account before blasting down a runway.
To make sure you don’t become one of them, please spend a few minutes in the books accounting for takeoff performance loss next time you fly.
1 The Pilot’s Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge 2016. Published by the FAA and currently located at https://www.faa.gov/regulations_policies/handbooks_manuals/aviation/phak/
We’d love to know what you think of this PIREP. Please email us at PIREP@Avemco.com and let us know.
Reprinted by permission from AVEMCO
According to an FAA spokesperson: "Generally speaking, the FAA will accept [a pilot’s] last airman certificate application (Form 8710-1) or what they reported on their last medical application (Form 8500-8)." You should have access to at least one of those documents.
Pro tip: Moving forward, you may want to invest in an electronic logbook and save the information to the cloud, or at least record a digital image of each page of the paper logbook when you fill it up. If you rent aircraft, sometimes you can re-create your experience by cross-referencing your receipts.
(from: Flying Magazine)
Most aviators and air traffic control personnel are aware of the dangers of the wingtip vortices generated by large, fixed-wing aircraft, and we often hear on the radio: “caution wake turbulence.” But did you know that helicopters can generate turbulence equally as hazardous? You should avoid operating aircraft within three rotor diameters of any helicopter in a slow hover taxi or stationary hover and use caution when operating behind or crossing the path of a landing/departing helicopter.
CLICK ON THE WORD REGISTER to go to the REGISTRATION PAGE
July Webinars
Tale of Two Prebuys | Qualifies for FAA WINGS and AMT Credit
TUESDAY, JULY 9, AT 7 P.M. CDT
Presenter: Mike Busch
When buying a pre-owned aircraft, it's essential to conduct a thorough and independent prebuy examination. In this webinar, Mike Busch A&P/IA (whose company has managed thousands of prebuys) tells the real-life story of two prebuy examinations, one that was thorough and independent and the other that was, well, not so much. The outcomes for the buyers were very different, and there are important lessons to be learned here for anyone thinking about buying an aircraft.
CFIT-Avoiding Controlled Flight Into Terrain | Qualifies for FAA WINGS
WEDNESDAY, JULY 10, AT 7 P.M. CDT
Presenter: Prof. H. Paul Shuch
We tend to think of controlled flight into terrain (CFIT) as being caused by the pilot not paying attention. In fact, these altogether avoidable accidents can arise from many causes. In this FAA Safety Team WINGS award webinar, Prof. H. Paul Shuch will discuss how weather phenomena, mechanical failure, pilot fatigue, incapacity, or simple pilot error can all contribute to unplanned contact with terra firma, and what you can do to prevent it. Qualifies for FAA WINGS credit.
August Webinars
Unaffordable/Unavailable | Qualifies for FAA WINGS and AMT credit
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2024, 7 P.M. CDT
Presenter: Mike Busch
As our aircraft get older, repair parts are becoming problematic. Sometimes parts are available but breathtakingly expensive. Other times, they are simply unavailable. How can we keep our aircraft flying? In this webinar, Mike Busch A&P/IA discusses two real-life cases, one involving a client's Cessna 182 and another involving his own Cessna 310, demonstrating how such problems can be overcome with persistence, ingenuity, and research. Qualifies for FAA WINGS and AMT credit.
Young Eagles Online Registration - An Introduction to the New Tool
TUESDAY, AUGUST 13, 2024, 7 P.M. CDT
Presenter: David Leiting
Join EAA Young Eagles Manager, David Leiting, as he provides a comprehensive overview of the new Young Eagles online registration tool.
Introduction to Mountain Flying Concepts | Qualifies for FAA WINGS Credit
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 14, 2024, 7 P.M. CDT
Presenter: Loren French
Learn basic strategies for safe mountain flying. Loren French specializes in providing mountain flying training at Alpine Flight School in Colorado. He will discuss route planning, mountain weather, performance, terrain flying, and survival techniques while flying in a mountainous environment. Qualifies for FAA WINGS credit.
Balancing Act: Loading Your Airplane Safely | Qualifies for FAA WINGS Credit
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 28, 2024, 7 P.M. CDT
Presenter: Catherine Cavagnaro
In this webinar, we'll discuss the fundamentals of weight and balance computations and see how small changes can have large safety implications. All pilots are required to perform a weight and balance calculation before each flight. FAA CFI and DPE Catherine Cavagnaro discusses why this is so important, highlighting effects varying weight has on aircraft performance and how loading shifts CG position and changes handling characteristics. Qualifies for FAA WINGS credit.
EAA gratefully acknowledges the support of Aircraft Spruce & Specialty Co. for its generous sponsorship of our webinar programs.
From the FAASTeam
Notice Number: NOTC3401
Using a checklist is a fundamental part of any safe flight. During preflight, a checklist ensures pilots inspect an aircraft’s components and systems for proper operation and structural integrity and allows them to verify airworthiness. On taxi and during flight, they help ensure the airplane and engine are functioning properly and are configured appropriately for each phase of flight. Checklists provide important structure to the things we check often, usually in a prescribed order of priority. Bottom line: checklist usage is a sound and proven way to reduce errors and improve flight safety.
But just like airplanes change with upgrades or modifications, so too should checklists to include those new items and procedures or omit those that are obsolete. Maybe you’ve added some new avionics equipment or installed a new fire extinguisher. Or perhaps you’d like to reorder your instrument and gauge checks in a more logical manner. Or maybe you’d prefer to use a more specific term to verify a desired state than the sometimes vague “check and set” response. The question for some might be - how exactly do I modify a checklist?
While there is no approval required from the FAA to modify or customize a checklist, pilots and aircraft owners should start by consulting their aircraft’s Pilot Operating Handbook (POH) or Airplane Flight Manual (AFM), or panel placards with some older aircraft. These steps should constitute the baseline for your checklist. If there is a manufacturer-prescribed task or procedure you wish to omit -- perhaps due to concerns about mechanical wear and tear on a particular component – you should consult directly with the manufacturer to ensure safety is not compromised.
The FAA issued a Safety Alert for Operators (SAFO 17006) in 2017 that addresses safety concerns with using commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) or personally developed checklists. The notice was prompted by an accident involving a landing gear failure in which the pilot used a COTS checklist that lacked key steps regarding manual gear extension. The SAFO urges pilots to ensure any COTS or personal checklist is consistent with what the manufacturer states.
Another important reason for this consistency is apparent during practical exams for a pilot certificate or rating. Designated pilot examiners may require an aircraft manufacturer’s procedure is demonstrated when testing applicants. Those who use a checklist that differs from the manufacturer may omit or incorrectly perform an important step, impacting their ability to successfully pass the exam. If you are providing flight instruction it is essential that you show, demonstrate, and explain any omitted items to students to avoid this potential pitfall. The student should be able to demonstrate the procedure and be able to explain why it has been omitted from the modified checklist and is not performed routinely.
Having checklists that are efficient, logical, and that account for changes to an aircraft’s systems can greatly improve safety and even increase the likelihood of them being used. Just be sure the information you use for those revised checks is correct, complete, and consistent with the manufacturer’s safety standards.
Bonus Tip: Want to take your preflight checklist to the next level? Check out the FAA Safety Team’s Advanced Preflight M-Pamphlet here. This pamphlet helps pilots obtain valuable maintenance history on their aircraft like ADs, ACs, and any manufacturer service-related information, and then develop an Additional Items Checklist that can be used in conjunction with your aircraft’s preflight checklist.
The lack of transition training has been cited as a causal factor in many GA accidents. Accidents frequently result from pilots being unprepared for challenges presented by the new, or different, aircraft they are flying. Even when pilots are legally certificated to operate aircraft within a specific category and class, significant differences can exist among different types of aircraft within that category and class — thus necessitating the need for effective transition training. Click the button below to learn more.
This Concept of Operations is the foundational document for managing the integration of commercial space launch/reentry operations into the NAS. The scope encompasses the FAA’s mid-term to far-term time frames. It provides focus on and methods for efficiently integrating the operations with other NAS operations.
The development of the Commercial Space Integration into the NAS (CSINAS) ConOps is a Level 2, or Service Level, ConOps. This classification indicates that all future efforts will trace to this document as the high-level, long-term vision.
This ConOps will be used as guidance to derive concept-level requirements for services, systems, technologies, tools, procedures, training, and policies that support commercial space launch/reentry operations integration. It can also be used as a reference for assessing concept feasibility through research validation activities.
VAN'S AIRCRAFT - BACK IN BUSINESS - MAY 15, 2024(from AOPA)VAN'S AIRCRAFT CLEARED TO EXIT BANKRUPTCYCREDITORS AGREE TO TERMS; VANGRUNSVEN TRUST TAKES OWNERSHIP
The most prolific kitplane maker in the world is on track to stay that way following a final hearing in the Van's Aircraft Chapter 11 bankruptcy case on May 15.
Judge David W. Hercher of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Oregon presided over a 48-minute proceeding to go over a few details in a proposed court order—and confirm that various parties had withdrawn their objections—before confirming a reorganization plan more or less as it was first presented to the court in April and subsequently approved by the overwhelming majority of creditors.
Company founder (and chief rescuer) Richard "Dick" VanGrunsven was present in the courtroom as attorney Timothy Conway spoke on the company's behalf, responding to an objection from one of the hundreds of affected customers who sought to improve terms already approved by other creditors in similar situations.
The customer asked to extend the term and increase the total amount of repayments to be made to customers who rejected the company's offer to fulfill their order at a higher price. Most of the customers in this situation voted overwhelmingly in favor of the plan—88 percent of all individuals in that general group of unsecured creditors, representing 93 percent of the funds owed to their class, voted to approve the plan as presented, court records show.
Other creditors, including manufacturers and other vendors, also accepted less than full repayment and voted to approve the plan, Conway noted, adding that his client (Van's Aircraft, the debtor in the case) "could have proposed a plan that paid creditors absolutely nothing and still have been confirmed," given the provisions Congress wrote into the bankruptcy code. Conway said the individual customer's stated "concern is understandable," given the fact that customers had been forced to wait for weeks to learn the new terms they would be offered as Van's Aircraft rejected hundreds of purchase agreements. Conway said the customer who expressed his grievance during the hearing "got treated like everybody else in the same situation."
Another objection from the U.S. trustee, who had sought to extend the repayment period, was withdrawn without commentary during the hearing, and the proceeding closed with Hercher stating that if the proposed order is presented as discussed, "I'll be prepared to sign it."That expected signature, which confirms the Chapter 11 plan, completes a relatively speedy journey from crisis to a fiscal reboot, with Van's Aircraft able to continue making affordable, capable kitplanes in quantity—nearly 12,000 produced to date, and counting.
AOPA Pilot Protection Services attorney Jeremy Browner—whose experience in bankruptcy law was brought to bear on behalf of members who are also Van's Aircraft customers, and who sought counsel regarding the options available to them—said the outcome matched the company's stated goals exactly, and the 83-percent acceptance rate of higher prices by customers who agreed to amended contracts during the bankruptcy process is noteworthy, as was the lack of significant objections from creditors.
"They successfully navigated the bankruptcy process," Browner said, noting that the general aviation community shared the prevailing view that Van's Aircraft deserves to survive its financial crisis, and that the firm's long-term health is good for GA. "Assuming that public sentiment stays on their side, and they continue to provide a quality product, they will stay in business. It's exciting, honestly."
Conway called the 83-percent acceptance rate by customers who agreed to complete their purchases for higher prices "astonishing," telling the court it is "hard to get 83 percent of people to do anything when money is involved."
Upon Hercher's promised signature, the Richard E. and Diane E. VanGrunsven Trust owns the company, in exchange for writing off more than $7 million that was loaned to the company by the trust—loans that were secured by company assets—before and after the bankruptcy petition was filed. Another $8.8 million of company operating revenue will be repaid to creditors over the three-year life of the plan. That, with the loans forgiven in exchange for equity, brings the total benefit for creditors to $15.8 million, Conway said. Regarding the customer's objection, he added, "There is no ill will. The company was always acting forthright and as honestly as possible with all of its creditors."
The reorganization plan prioritizes the first $3,350 of each customer deposit, to be repaid immediately, with an estimated 55 percent of any remaining balance on the claim to be repaid over the coming three years, meaning the 235 customers who paid deposits and later rejected proposed price increases on 429 orders (representing 17 percent of all unfilled orders at the time of the bankruptcy filing) will be repaid up to $3,350 of their deposits in full; those whose deposits and claims exceed that amount will eventually be repaid a little more than 55 percent of what the company owed them at the time of the bankruptcy.
Browner noted that this depends in part on the claims being filed correctly, with information included to establish the priority status of the first $3,350 of a claim related to a deposit. Confirmation of the plan all but closes the door on amending claims, though customers may still want to have an attorney review their claim in case there are grounds to amend it that the court will accept.
The court-approved plan stipulates that the company will continue building eight kitplane models, a factory-built option, and a forthcoming backcountry airplane, details of which have not yet been released.Jim MooreManaging Editor-Digital Media
The May 11 VAN'S VIDEO UPDATE:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TxeQtLsS--U
------------------------------------------------------------------------
THE LEGAL STUFF LEADING UP TO EXIT of BANKRUPTCY:DEBTOR’S PLAN OF REORGANIZATION PURSUANT TO SUBCHAPTER V UNDER CHAPTER 11 (MARCH 29, 2024)
https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.orb.528157/gov.uscourts.orb.528157.113.0.pdf
From Kitplanes: Three key elements stand out in the filing.
First: the plan is for secured creditors to be fully repaid.
Second: unsecured creditors (mainly builders with deposits who did not agree to increased prices earlier this year), will be repaid approximately 55% over three years. Some builder creditors will be considered priority creditors and be paid $3350 soon after the reorganization is approved and the remainder over the three-year period.
Third: the VanGrunsven Trust, which has loaned the company a total of $14.7 million over the last three years, including $7 million just before and after the original Chapter 11 filing, will forgive the latter loans and take equity in return; this move wipes out the equity of employees who participated in the employee-owned stock program in place before the bankruptcy. Van’s estimates that had it entered liquidation instead of reorganization customers might only get 4% of their unsecured claims.
According to Van’s statement, “The filing will be complete after the court sets various hearing dates and the judge signs a certificate making it an official court document. This usually takes 3-5 days. Then, a copy of the officially filed plan is mailed to the same approximately 40 thousand people that were notified at the time Van’s filed bankruptcy. Those people who have claims against the company receive ballots so they can vote either for or against the plan. Votes will be collected by Van’s attorneys, tallied, and reported to the court as it considers whether to approve or reject the plan.”
In addition, Van’s has outlined its corporate reorganization in the filing. “Debtor’s corporate governance board underwent reorganization. Debtor now has a five-person board comprised of two members of the Van Grunsven family and three independent, experienced directors. A more formal and rigorous form of governance is now being practiced. Mr. Van Grunsven serves as board chair. Mikael Via will continue as CEO of Debtor. Debtor has recruited Shawn Ell as Chief Operating Officer. Mr. Ell has a strong background in manufacturing management and will oversee all manufacturing beginning in early April. Don Eisele will continue to serve as Chief Financial Officer until his replacement is identified. Rian Johnson will continue as V.P. of Engineering and Product Design.
“Debtor is also creating the position of V.P. of Quality Assurance. The Plan calls for Debtor to continue building its professional staff to fully support operations. This team will include additional positions in quality control, engineering, accounting, and IT, as well as a stronger marketing and customer relations support. Debtor’s increased professionalism in governance and additional executive personnel, with its depth of experience, coupled with Debtor’s existing skilled, hardworking personnel, provide Debtor with a new level of energy and talent. With that, Debtor is prepared to take advantage of aviation opportunities while being sufficiently profitable to replace its depreciated equipment, install business systems, and repay its creditors as set forth in the Plan.”
In previous statements, Van’s has said that in addition to these manufacturing updates (netting an increase in kits delivered) the RV-15 project’s development continues, though the airplane itself won’t make an appearance at AirVenture this summer
YOUR HELP IS NEEDED! IF YOU'RE A BUILDING AN AIRCRAFT AND WOULD LIKE TO DOCUMENT YOUR BUILD, I WOULD STRONGLY ENCOURAGE YOU TO USE THE EAA'S BUILDER WEBSITE
TO SEE AND USE THE WEBSITE GO TO:
https://eaabuilderslog.org/?blhome
Thanks go out to Don White from Merritt Island (and also one of our members) who voluntarily created this site for EAA!!!
TO SAVE TIME AND SEE JUST WHAT OUR MEMBERS ARE BUILDING
CLICK THE BUTTON BELOW
Slovenia-based Pipistrel is the only company currently selling a certified electric training aircraft. In this week’s news, we learned that Textron Inc., the U.S.conglomerate that includes Cessna and Beechcraft, has added Pipistrel to its stable of companies. In this video, which first appeared in 2019, find out what Textron got in the deal with an undisclosed price tag.
A new course developed by Flight Service and available on FAASafety.gov provides students and VFR pilots guidance on how to conduct a safe and regulatory compliant preflight self-briefing using automated weather resources. The objective of the course is to ensure that the pilot understands aviation weather basics and learns to apply meteorological and aeronautical information in a systematic manner to plan a safe flight. The course includes scenarios, real-life examples, videos, reference materials, and practice exercises for pilots to conduct on their own or with their flight instructor. Access the WINGS credit course here: http://bit.ly/ALC683.
(FAA-H-8083-9)
Designed for ground instructors, flight instructors, and aviation maintenance instructors, the Aviation Instructor’s Handbook was developed by the Flight Standards Service, Airman Testing Standards Branch, in cooperation with aviation educators and industry to help beginning instructors understand and apply the fundamentals of instruction. This handbook provides aviation instructors with up-to-date information on learning and teaching, and how to relate this information to the task of teaching aeronautical knowledge and skills to learners. Experienced aviation instructors will also find the updated information useful for improving their effectiveness in training activities.
This handbook supersedes FAA-H-8083-9A, Aviation Instructor’s Handbook, dated 2008.
The FAA has recently issued a general notice with regard to Surface Safety. Several recent Runway Incursions have been attributed to communications. The most important concept in pilot-controller communications is understanding. Pilots must acknowledge each radio communication with Air Traffic Control (ATC) by using the appropriate aircraft call sign and confirming all hold short instructions.
Please touch the Drug List Button below to go directly to the FAA Document covering the subject. It's very informative!!
A selection of EAA-branded merchandise is now available through an EAA storefront via Amazon.com, bringing The Spirit of Aviation to more people via the worldwide online retailer.
The storefront at Amazon.com/EAA features some of EAA’s most popular items, from books and calendars to caps and aviation-themed metal signs. A selection of EAA and Flight Outfitters co-branded merchandise is also available through the Amazon site.
“Fascination with the world of flight stretches worldwide, so creating this outlet through Amazon allows EAA to reach aviation enthusiasts anywhere,” said Scott Powers, EAA’s director of retail operations. “Working with Amazon is an outstanding complement to the full line merchandise available through the EAA website store and in-person right here in Oshkosh.”
For shoppers who have active Amazon Prime accounts, they will be able to receive two-day free shipping as EAA merchandise will be shipped direct from Amazon’s distribution centers. In addition, shoppers using the Amazon Smile program can direct Amazon to donate 0.5 percent of the purchase price to the EAA Aviation Foundation to support EAA’s programs that grow participation in aviation. Amazon users can activate the Smile program on their accounts and designate the EAA Aviation Foundation as their favorite charity.
AOPA has a great article about these two inventors
WHAT YOU NEVER KNEW ABOUT THE WRIGHT BROTHERS
You’d think Milton Wright would be disappointed by his two youngest sons—high school dropouts who wouldn’t move out of the family home, fussed over their appearance, never married, and jumped from job to job. First, his boys tried a newspaper and printing business, then a bicycle shop, and finally they got the dang-fool idea that they could fly.
Continue reading the article by clicking the button below