AOPA recapped the year in the general aviation industry recently. A lot happened in 2016 including the certification of both the Cirrus Vision Jet and the Honda Jet. Several other manufacturers debuted new models, including Mooney with their Ovation Ultra and it’s 2 doors and Cub Crafters with their faster XCub.
To read the full year in review, you can read the AOPA Article here.
The Cirrus Pilot Proficiency Program is coming back to the Lone Star Airport in Conroe, TX (KCXO) on October 23rd-25th. Wondering what the CPPP program is?
“CPPP offers a weekend event for Cirrus owners and their partners that focuses on Cirrus-specific knowledge and flying proficiency. We bring some of the most experienced flight instructors who regularly teach in all kinds of Cirrus airplanes flown for all kinds of missions. We have prepared an extensive syllabus of ground courses that complement the transition training and delve into areas of greatest need for Cirrus pilots.” (from CirrusPilots.org)
The weekend starts off with a group dinner on Friday night. The Saturday morning ground session focuses on General Aviation Safety with special focus on the Cirrus accident statistics. Normal and emergency procedures are also reviewed.
In the afternoon on Saturday, the attendees are split into two groups. The first group has a myriad of options for ground sessions covering all topics related to Cirrus aircraft and operations. The second group flies, then they switch for the second 3 hour session. Sunday brings the same split, with more courses offered and more flying.
While the Cirrus pilots are flying and learning more about their airplanes, CPPP offers a Partner in Command course for flying partners on Saturday. This allows flying partners to be more comfortable in the airplane and teaches them what to do if something were to happen to the pilot.
All in all, attending a CPPP will improve both Cirrus knowledge and Cirrus flying skills. It’s highly recommended for all Cirrus pilots.
To register for the CPPP event in Conroe, check out the CPPP website.
The Cirrus Pilot Proficiency Program is coming back to the Lone Star Airport in Conroe, TX (KCXO) on October 23rd-25th. Wondering what the CPPP program is? “CPPP offers a weekend event for Cirrus owners and their partners that focuses on Cirrus-specific knowledge and flying proficiency. We bring some of the most experienced flight instructors who…
You have finally decided it’s time to make an aircraft purchase. You’ve got your private pilot certificate with an instrument rating.
You’ve been flying for 3 years, mainly renting the Piper Arrow at the local flight school. You’ve had some frustrations at times with scheduling, since the Arrow is also used for training at the flight school. The airplane isn’t very well taken care of, is kind of old, and breaks a lot.
After several weekends of trying to book the airplane to take a weekend trip to the family cabin, your frustration finally boils over. It’s time to make an aircraft purchase.
Time for Trade-A-Plane?
Here’s a better question: Have you bought an airplane before? Do you know the process? Do you know what to look for in maintenance records? Do you know what ADs are required? Is the airplane priced higher than it’s valued?
Overwhelmed yet? Texas Top Aviation is here to help in your Aircraft Purchase. Visit our Aircraft Purchase Consultation page for more information. Ready to buy? Contact Texas Top Aviation today!
You have finally decided it’s time to make an aircraft purchase. You’ve got your private pilot certificate with an instrument rating. You’ve been flying for 3 years, mainly renting the Piper Arrow at the local flight school. You’ve had some frustrations at times with scheduling, since the Arrow is also used for training at the…
There has always been something that felt wrong to me about how the walkway on many models of Beechcraft extends onto the right hand flap. I have never felt right about stepping onto the flap as I make my way into and out of my dad’s E33A Bonanza and therefore I generally try to step over top of it and place my foot on the wing instead. But does this effort actually make any difference, or am I just making my self look silly for no reason?
Well, as it turns out, it wasn’t such a bad idea. In 2007, a pilot flying a Beech reported a split flap condition. Upon inspection, it was found that there was damage to the actuation rod attachment as well as the nose rib and nut plates. Six other aircraft were checked and found to have similar damage. These findings were submitted to Hawker Beechcraft and in 2008 and they issued a maintenance alert regarding the issue. In 2011 the FAA issued SAIB CE-11-21 (Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin) to alert owners, operators, and maintenance personnel about the problem; specifically warning of the potential for cracking in the nose flap rib (part number 35-165050-84). And while its true that this type of damage is not limited to the right hand flap, it is known to be much more common on that side. Stepping over the flap instead of on it is recommended by both the FAA and Beechcraft as a solution.
Unfortunately, the flap cracking is known to span a wide variety of aircraft types. A 2011 “Safety Communique” issued by Hawker Beechcraft lists the affected models as:
-Bonanza 33, 35, and 36
-Baron 55, 56, 58, and 95
-Duke 60
According the the FAA, the cracking can been found most commonly on airframes which are between 4,000 and 6,500 hours, but has also been found on aircraft with as few as 2,000.
So, what do we do about it?
First off, although much of the damage is difficult to detect without dis-assembly, the paperwork from both the FAA and Beechcraft recommend taking a look at the flap yourself to see if there are any obvious signs of problems. They also suggest taking special care looking in this area during your preflight inspections.
Next, if you have an airplane which may be susceptible to cracking, talk to who ever is doing your maintenance work and have them look carefully during your annual inspections. I talked to one of the IA’s at our shop who has dealt with this issue before and he told me that most shops will remove the flap and send it away to a repair station to have it fixed. It’s possible that if you purchased your airplane used it may have already had this issue taken care of; a quick look through the maintenance logbooks should clear up any questions.
Regardless of whether your airplane is known to suffer from this problem or not, do your best to avoid stepping on the flap when getting in and out of the cockpit. It is also a good idea to ask your passengers to do the same as this simple act could end up saving you big headaches and big money someday down the road.
For more information regarding the flap issues discussed above, talk to your maintenance provider and visit these links:
ABS Flight Controls, Flaps, and Trim System Inspection, Repair and Rigging Guide (See Page 17)
ABS Information on SAIB CE-11-21
Andrew Robinson is a 135 Charter Pilot and flight instructor in Pennsylvania. He flies Pilatus PC-12s and instructs in Beechcraft Bonanzas.
There has always been something that felt wrong to me about how the walkway on many models of Beechcraft extends onto the right hand flap. I have never felt right about stepping onto the flap as I make my way into and out of my dad’s E33A Bonanza and therefore I generally try to step…
Picking up an IFR clearance at first can seem very simple. But, when taking off from an untowered field, especially if a pilot is based at a towered airport, it can be a little more complex. Based at an untowered field? The towered procedures are a little more streamlined, but still different.
At Class B or Class C airports, there is a dedicated frequency to get an IFR clearance and VFR departure instructions called Clearance Delivery. It is published in the airport facilities directory as well as most approach plates. Before you call Clearance Delivery, get the ATIS and tell the controller you have it as well as where you are located on the airport.
Some Class D airports have a Clearance Delivery frequency (see KADS, Addison, TX), but for the most part, you’ll get your IFR clearance on the Ground frequency. If there is a dedicated Clearance Delivery frequency, the ATIS will specify whether or not to get your clearance on it or on ground control.
Class D towers are only part time towers, usually closing between 7pm and 10pm local time, depending on how busy the airspace is. These airports usually have published Clearance Delivery frequencies to contact either the local approach control or center to pick up an IFR clearance on the ground. They will be published on approach plates and in the A/FD.
There are a number of Class E airports that are Class E all the way down to the surface (see KLFK, Angelina County). At these airports, there will either be a Clearance Delivery frequency or you call on the Center or Approach frequency to get your clearance (at KLFK, you call Center as there is no Clearance Delivery frequency. At Temple, KTPL, there is a published Clearance Delivery frequency which you would be talking to Grey Approach).
There are two ways to pick up an IFR clearance at a Class G airport, one typically a little safer than the other.
The first option is to take off and maintain VFR while calling Center or Approach control. They will give you your clearance making you IFR and allowing you to enter the clouds. This option can be unsafe depending on the terrain surrounding the airport and how low the ceiling is. If the ceiling is overcast at 1,000, you can legally remain VFR in Class G airspace at 500 AGL, but that isn’t the safest option and you might not be able to raise ATC at that altitude.
The second, and safer option, is to call on the phone. Flight Service has a nationwide Clearance Delivery phone number that every pilot should have saved in their contacts (888-766-8267). Typically, you want to wait to call them until after you are done with your runup because they only give you a five or ten minute window to get off the ground. With bluetooth equipped headsets, this usually isn’t a problem.
Be prepared when calling Clearance Delivery on the phone to wait a few minutes. Us pilots aren’t good at being patient sometimes, but the FSS has to call Center on the phone to get your clearance and release and this can take a few minutes. Be prepared for that going in and just be patient. Remember, this is the safer option!
There are a handful of Class G airports around the US that have a GCO, a Ground Communications Outlet. With a GCO, you tune up the frequency, then click the mic 4 times to talk to ATC or 6 times to talk to FSS. Each mic click must be at least one second, so if you click the mic too quickly, it won’t work.
At certain airports that are underlying an approach control’s airspace, you can actually call the TRACON directly and get your clearance from them (5C1, the Boerne Stage Airport, for example. San Antonio approach is the controlling agency and you can call them directly to pick up your clearance). It’s a good practice to get the TRACON phone number and save that in your contacts as well.
Picking up an IFR clearance at first can seem very simple. But, when taking off from an untowered field, especially if a pilot is based at a towered airport, it can be a little more complex. Based at an untowered field? The towered procedures are a little more streamlined, but still different. Towered Airports Class…
Earlier this month, Eclipse Aerospace and Kestrel Aircraft merged to form ONE Aviation. Most pilots are familiar with Eclipse, who makes the Eclipse 550 jet, but not many have heard of Kestrel Aircraft.
Kestrel Aircraft is run by Alan Klapmeier, co-founder of Cirrus Aircraft and brother to Dale Klapmeier, who still runs Cirrus. Klapmeier joined Kestrel in 2010 and brought innovation to the K350 Turboprop design that Kestrel was developing. Kestrel has been lacking in investors to further their project, but the merger will help a lot in getting more funding. Klapmeier assumed the CEO role for ONE Aviation.
The merger will also help bring more innovations to the Eclipse 550. The original Eclipse Jet was a miserable failure and the company went into bankruptcy in 2009. The Eclipse Jet came back to market in 2013 as the Eclipse 550 with many much needed improvements, including making GPS a standard amenity.
Klapmeier and his genius will lead ONE Aviation in good directions. The K350 will come to market a lot sooner as more investors will be drawn to the company, while the Eclipse 550 will continue to see new and innovative developments.
Earlier this month, Eclipse Aerospace and Kestrel Aircraft merged to form ONE Aviation. Most pilots are familiar with Eclipse, who makes the Eclipse 550 jet, but not many have heard of Kestrel Aircraft. Kestrel Aircraft is run by Alan Klapmeier, co-founder of Cirrus Aircraft and brother to Dale Klapmeier, who still runs Cirrus. Klapmeier joined…
One of the first questions a student pilot asks me when starting the cross country portion of his or her training is, how do I know what altitude is best for my flight? This is a good question, because without taking certain aspects of the flight into account, it’s really just a crap shoot when selecting an altitude. Craps and flying don’t mix, so let’s take a look at a few considerations when selecting an altitude.
Sky coverage has several subcategories when it comes to selecting an altitude. First is how high are the bases? Is it IFR (VFR pilots would be grounded), marginal VFR (1,000 AGL to 3,000 AGL ceiling), or good VFR (above 3,000 AGL ceiling)? If the cloud deck is only 2,500 feet off the ground, then VFR pilots are limited to either 1,000 AGL to 2,000 AGL. This is an excellent segue into why VFR pilots shouldn’t scud run!
Second, what kind of cloud deck is it? Is it an actual ceiling (broken or overcast), or is it a scattered layer? Few or scattered layers usually allow VFR pilots to find a hole to get higher to some smoother air, making the flight more pleasant. VFR pilots, always make sure to check the destination weather as it could be scattered where you are departing from, but it might be broken or overcast where you are arriving.
Last, how high are the tops of the clouds? Pilots can only get this information in the planning stage from the area forecast or from pilot reports, so most of the time, it’s not very precise information. If the tops are at 10,000 feet and the pilot is flying a 172 on a 30 mile trip, it doesn’t make much sense to get on top of the clouds.
Terrain goes hand in hand with sky coverage. If there are low clouds and high terrain, that doesn’t bode well for trying to stay VFR and not hitting anything. Obstacles need to be taken into account too, as there are some pretty tall radio towers that can stretch up into a 1,500-2,000 AGL deck of clouds.
Once the sky coverage and terrain have been considered, it’s time to look at the winds aloft. Tailwinds are preferred, but, sometimes, a headwind is the only option. After taking the clouds and terrain into account, this narrows down your altitude to a handful of options. The winds aloft will further narrow it down.
Once you have two or three altitudes in mind, taking a look at the performance charts for your airplane will help nail down that final altitude. Pull out the POH, compare fuel burn and cruise speed, and you’ll have your altitude selected.
One of the first questions a student pilot asks me when starting the cross country portion of his or her training is, how do I know what altitude is best for my flight? This is a good question, because without taking certain aspects of the flight into account, it’s really just a crap shoot when…
