American Bonanza Society Magazine - August 2020

• Beechcraft Maintenance Guides, DVDs, Merchandise and Apparel • ABS Fly-Ins & Events • Aircraft Prepurchase Assistance • Mechanic & Flight Instructor Training • Regional Societies • Aircraft Insurance Program • Professionally Staffed Headquarters A Look Back I certainly hope no future ABS president will have to say he or she presided over the Annual Membership Meeting in a virtual format. While we covered the basic and fulfilled our corporate responsibility, it sure took the fun out of it. Thank you to those members who joined in for the new experience as well as a big thank you to Whit, Lauren, and Dara for engineering the technical aspects of the meeting, which was not an easy task. I trust the 2021 meeting will once again be held at Oshkosh where we can have some serious fun, storytelling and, of course, get the business done. For those who were not in attendance at the meeting, we were happy to introduce three new well-deserving Board members that began their term on the Board. They are well- qualified to represent the membership, and I assure you will have the best interest of the organization at heart. Derek De Bastos, Greenwood Village, Colorado; Stephen Hammers, Brentwood, Tennessee; and CK Lee, Colleyville, Texas, have their resumes outlined in the February 2020 ABS Magazine. Of course, three coming on the Board means that three will be leaving, all having completed two terms (six years). Jay Burris, Chep Gauntt, and Howard Johnson have been valuable contributors and active members, each sharing his valuable time and expertise in keeping ABS the premier aircraft type club that it is. It has been my privilege to serve and learn from each of them. During the Annual Meeting, my tenure as president was concluded. While I have one year remaining of a final three-year term on the Board of Directors, this is my final article for ABS Magazine as president. I must say, it has been a very rewarding experience. I have had the opportunity to meet many Beechcraft owners that I would never otherwise have come into contact with. Member comments to my monthly columns have generated email dialogues and contacts that will create lasting friendships within the Beech family. Since many travel to the desert southwest, some have even resulted in getting together here in Arizona to further discuss trips, flight planning in the southwest, and just simply getting acquainted. It has been a great experience. This activity was, of course, prior to COVID-19. I couldn’t have predicted anything like this in my wildest imagination. I was looking forward to spring travel and attending more ABS events. But we all know the shutdown story. ABS is now holding live events again, at least the Service Clinics. I intend to make up for lost time and hope to get better acquainted with attendees at future ABS events. Prior to the shutdown I was pleased to attend the BPPP Flight Instructor Camp and obtain the BPPP Accredited Instructor certification. Stay tuned for changes in the program that will allow added flexibility for more targeted training requiring a bit less time and expense. The ABS Beechcraft Instructor Crosstalk weekend in Wichita was amazing. The collective Beechcraft technical and flight knowledge in the room was incredible. This organization is so full of life that can only be experienced by getting off the bench. I certainly hope you will become an active participant as we move past the pandemic and take advantage of all the organization has to offer. As I complete my tenure as president and move to finish my final year on the Board, I would highlight three of many ABS strengths. First, I am extremely proud of the professionals PRESIDENT'S COMMENTS By Phil Jossi Volume 20 • Numbe r 8 A M E R I C A N B O N A N Z A S O C I E T Y 3 we have at the ABS headquarters in Wichita. Whit, Tom, Lauren, Coy, and Dara are true professionals in every sense of the word. They are consumed with serving the ABS membership and treat every aspect of their positons with excitement, enthusiasm, and total focus on the members and what it takes to execute the mission. The technical information and database, programs, and services speak for themselves. Secondly, we have a solid financial foundation from which to continue to serve the organization as you have come to expect. While our strong foundation provides for a robust level of programs, in order to provide what we do we appreciate and will always depend on your continued support with donations and participants in our Heading270 program. Legacy gifts in Heading270 provide for and sustain the long-term vision of the organization. Annual donations support program development and delivery on the shorter-term aspects of the ABS Air Safety Foundation. Finally, when it comes to the mission of protecting lives and preserving the fleet, Tom Turner and the ABS team have created a learning environment, complete with the tools that are available to every member of the organization without exception. There really is no excuse for not knowing everything there is to know about your Beechcraft. During and since the COVID-19 lockdown. we had an increased utilization of the online courses available on the website. However, those taking advantage of the flight portion of the BPPP program continue to be at the lower end of the scale. I strongly encourage you to take advantage of the flight portion of the BPPP program, or with other recognized Beech- specific training providers. It is without a doubt that type knowledge and training reduce accidents and incidents and will, in fact, “protect lives and preserve the Beechcraft fleet.” I will end now with the same words I used to end my first column in September 2019: Let’s all resolve to make the mission of the ABS and ASF our “personal mission”: for the preservation of ourselves, our loved ones, and our Beechcraft fleet. °• w w w. b o n a n z a .o r g w w w. b o n a n z a .o r g 4 A M E R I C A N B O N A N Z A S O C I E T Y August 2020 Welcome New Members ABS extends a warm welcome to the following new members who joined in June 2020: Thomas Alexander, McKinney, TX Paul Aquilino, Plymouth, MI Perry Barnhardt, Nicholasville, KY Herman Bongco, Armed Forces Pacific Lin Buck, Kalamazoo, MI Lawrence Burrow, Novato, CA Diane Burwen, Naples, FL Kevin Busque, San Mateo, CA Gregory Carlton, Benton, KY Jon Christensen, Kiowa, CO Sandra Councell, Traverse City, MI Peter Cozzolino, Indianapolis, IN Micheal Crook, Frisco, TX Mike Dornan, Krum, TX Matt Dotson, Sturgeon, MO Martin Drittenpreis, Germany Charlie Droddy, Bryan, TX Seth Dunham, Lodi, CA Brandon Dunn, Mebane, NC Brent Fleisher, New City, NY Jason Frets, Gainesville, GA Paul Gambill, Alma, AR Ross Gamble, Copperopolis, CA Bob Gasko, Collierville, TN Mark Gilland, Stuarts Draft, VA Daniel Gonzales, Seattle, WA Ray Goodson, Brackettville, TX Danny Green, Edmond, OK Clark Hahne, Palm Desert, CA Christopher Hain, Merritt Island, FL Maher Hanna, Delray Beach, FL Nicholas Hansen, Dayton, MT Steve Hippert, Greensboro, NC Paul Huff, Grovetown, GA Bob Hunt, Washington, PA Nicolas Ivanoff, Luxemburg Randy Jones, Clinton, OK Michael Joseph, Valdosta, GA Doug Kirkland, Valley Center, KS Paul Kyst, Gainesville, GA Michael Lange, Deer Creek, MN Larry Lonero, Brenham, TX Tyler Lurie, New Smyrna Beach, FL Heath McGehee, Idalou, TX Shawn Mcilnay, Bennington, NE Kirby Moughon, Melbourne, FL Thomas Mueller, Germany John Mumy, Cupertino, CA Anand Narayanappa, Cave Creek, AZ Masao Nasu, Japan Brian Nepinsky, Visalia, CA Colby Nichols, Oneonta, AL Justin Nichols, Springville, AL Mark Noe, Vinton, IA Edward Nolan, Scottsdale, AZ Ryan Ochsner, Kaysville, UT Bill Oddo, Grosse Pointe Park, MI Steve Odean, Greeley, CO Thoren Parke, Houston, TX Mark Peters, Perkasie, PA Michael Picco, Waxhaw, NC Henri Prins, Scottsdale, AZ Maurice Recanati, New Castle, DE Wayne Reid, Sydney, MT Brad Roberts, Fort Worth, TX Cameron Robinson, Canyon Country, CA Gleason Romans, Palestine, TX Robert Roscoe, Wallingford, CT Reid Shrauner, Elkhart, KS Costas Sivyllis, Port Orange, FL James Snider, Bloomfield Hills, MI Richard Snider, Phoenix, AZ Charles Sprouse, Overgaard, AZ Joe Stanfield, Farmersville, TX Lori Stinton, St. Pete Beach, FL Kyle Taylor, Hoxie, KS Greg Troftgruben, Buxton, ND Victor Vogel, Lewisburg, PA Joshua Wanagel, West Chester, PA Josh Wheaton, Denver, CO Roy Whisenant, Chula Vista, CA Evan Wildinger, Ashville, AL Anthony Yarrow, Canada Frank Young, Canada Carolina Aircraft has the largest selection of “Prime Condition” Bonanzas and Barons. Sales • Brokerage • Appraisal Pre-buy Inspections • Acquisition Bonanza/Baron Training George “The Bonanza Man” http://www.carolinaaircraft.com 336-665-0300 FAX: 336-256-9993 Carolina Aircraft, Inc. Piedmont Triad International Airport 1060 PTI Drive • Greensboro, NC 27409 (GSO) The Best Planes at the Best Prices w w w. b o n a n z a .o r g 6 A M E R I C A N B O N A N Z A S O C I E T Y August 2020 w w w. b o n a n z a .o r g E very year around the end of June I make vacation plans to go back to Ohio to visit family and friends. This year I decided to go one week later than usual, around the July 4th holiday, and spend a little more time “back home.” I also decided to fly the long cross-country trip in my personal airplane, N7599X, so this would allow for extra time if I experienced weather issues. I don’t normally write about personal things or flights but this one I want to share. I got a late start out of Wichita on a Wednesday afternoon due to an appointment for my flight physical. That always seems to correspond with my vacation at the end of June and the beginning of July. Nothing like putting it off until the last minute! This time it was my doctor’s fault as he was gone for nearly two weeks prior to my trip. I left Wichita at 3 p.m. and arrived in Mount Vernon, Illinois, in the evening to stop for the night. Mount Vernon is a nice place to stop and I flew 393 nautical miles on the first day. A large high-pressure system over the Midwest was ideal for VFR weather the entire way. I was getting a small tailwind, which was icing on the cake. I left fairly early on Thursday morning for the short 223 nautical miles into Cincinnati to our friends Sporty’s Pilot Shop in Clermont County (I69), near Cincinnati. I lived and worked in Clermont County for 12 years. I had two days to visit as I had to be at a golf outing with some old college buddies on Saturday evening in Washington, Pennsylvania, which is a five-hour drive or a short two-hour flight in my airplane. I checked the weather Friday evening and discovered there was no way I was going to be able to fly to Pennsylvania and make the golf outing. So, without hesitation, and to avoid letting myself and my friends down, I decided to rent a car and drive to Pennsylvania. I’d come back and pick up my plane in Cincinnati later that week. I enjoyed the weekend golfing and the weather was looking great for the entire next week. I decided to make the trip back to Cincinnati to drop off the rental car and pick up the plane, then fly back to eastern Ohio to my mother’s house for the rest of the week. She became interested in when I would go back to pick up the airplane. I told her, and her response was “I would like to go with you and fly back… that would be fun!” I was a little shocked since I had never taken my mother on a ride. I was a little nervous at the same time; after all, she is my mother and I put her in an entirely different category. We decided to leave early in the morning to drive to Sporty’s and fly back to Coshocton Downing (I40). This would be a short one hour, 15-minute flight. I had no idea how my mother would do as she had never flown in a small aircraft, only jets. I was prepared for the worst. We had great weather – a little bumpy, but all in all a great flight back. I could tell she was really enjoying herself and soaking up every piece of information and where things were located below in her state. She was also in charge of the Foreflight, by which she proved very capable. We had a blast flying back. I was so happy she wanted to do it. The first words out of her mouth after we landed were: “That was very educational.” Indeed, it was for both of us. The best part was I was able to spend some quality time with my mom and she was able to experience something neither of us would have ever dreamed of: me flying a plane and her riding in one. I will cherish the memory forever and I know she will, too. The more I fly the more I realize I get a lot of pleasure taking people up who want to experience flying, and seeing the way they feel when completed. It’s an excitement I have never seen. I never knew I would feel that way. I have also made it pretty much a rule of thumb that I don’t ask people if they want to go up, because they may have a fear or they just don’t feel comfortable and that’s ok too. If they ask, we’ll fly. I decided to fly back to Wichita on Saturday, the Fourth of July. It would take me all day. The weather for the most part was great, but I had to get around storms and lowering ceilings in Missouri. I decided to put down at Butler (KBUM) in western Missouri for a while to get a good weather report as conditions farther west were lower. I was fortunate that my good friend and colleague Tom Turner was about 10 miles away visiting family. He was following me the entire way on FlightAware and texting me about the weather. Tom and his wife Peggy offered a meal and a Flying Home By J. Whitney Hickman OPERATIONS ABS Volume 20 • Numbe r 8 A M E R I C A N B O N A N Z A S O C I E T Y 7 w w w. b o n a n z a .o r g place to stay with them at Peggy’s parents for the night if I needed it. I respectfully declined as the weather was rapidly improving westward and I wanted to get back and rest up before returning to work on Monday. I made the short trip back to Stearman Field (1K1), my home base east of Wichita. It was good to be home! I always have some takeaways from long cross-country flights. This year I made memories with my mother and for the first time I was able to fly over the county in which I grew up. Yes, I did have to make some weather decisions and they turned out to be right. Rental cars can be expensive, and you never know how many times during your trip you will need them. You may have to leave the airplane for a few days somewhere you didn’t anticipate. If it weren’t for free lodging, the trip would have been pretty expensive. We do this because we enjoy it, and it really doesn’t matter if it cost us a few extra bucks. It turned out all right, but I was tired and the weather was tricky that day. I usually don’t mess with either but that Saturday I did. I learned a little more about get-home-itis and how it can affect judgment. I think I will feel differently the next time and take Tom’s offer. This year was memorable for many reasons. But it’s the ride with Mom that I will always cherish. I hope you are enjoying your summer and flying as much as possible, making memories with family and friends. °• My mom Rachel on her first light airplane flight. Mom and me with 99X at Coshocton, Ohio. Yeah, I know—not a Beech, not yet anyway. ▲ w w w. b o n a n z a .o r g 8 A M E R I C A N B O N A N Z A S O C I E T Y August 2020 INSURANCE Your Guide to the ABS Online Learning Center By Lauren Bayless OPERATIONS MEMBER SERVICES I can’t believe we are over halfway through this year. On one hand things seem to be crawling by at a very slow pace. But on the other hand, the year is flying by. Back in January I wrote a brief article about the Beechcraft Pilot Proficiency Program (BPPP), not having the slightest clue as to what would take place over the coming weeks and months. Since the beginning of the year we have seen a 23.2% increase in the usage of the ABS Online Learning Center (OLC) compared to the same time frame last year—amazing! I thought it might be helpful to explain a little more in depth about the options you have in the OLC and address some of the most common questions. BPPP courses Inside the OLC we have nine modules, seven of which have free courses for you to take on flying and maintaining your Beechcraft (Figure 1). The #1 course inside the OLC is the Beechcraft Systems, Procedures and Techniques course, often referred to as “BPPP Initial.” This is the first course you should take because it’s the one that goes system by system to teach you the basics you need to know to safely fly your Beechcraft. The BPPP Initial course has 10 learning modules and one very short, final capstone course (#0011), for a total of 11 required courses to complete this online program (Figure 2). Within the Initial course you will see on the Engine Failures and on the Fuel Systems courses the option for a Bonanza/Debonair version (noted by green stars) or Baron/ Travel Air version (noted by orange stars). One of the most commonly asked questions is whether or not you need to do the twin versions if you are only flying in a single. The answer is no! You are not required to take both. Choose whichever is most applicable and if you are feeling extra special, then take both! For the pilot who has previously completed the Initial course, the Beechcraft Pilot Skills Enhancement series or “BPPP Recurrent” option includes topics Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 3 Volume 20 • Numbe r 8 A M E R I C A N B O N A N Z A S O C I E T Y 9 to review procedures and enhance your skills as a Beechcraft pilot (Figure 3). BPPP Recurrent currently has nine learning modules and one final capstone course (#0110). To earn a BPPP Recurrent online completion, you are required to take any five courses of your choice plus the capstone course. Just as in the Initial course, the twin module is not required. Select any five of the courses that interest you, take the capstone course and you have completed the online recurrent course! Those of you who like numbers might enjoy this. Figure 4 shows our online completions for January – June 2019 compared with January – June of this year. As you can see, numbers are on the rise and we are loving the enthusiasm people have for the BPPP online courses! For flight instructors CFIs or those interested in better understanding the techniques and procedures ABS has developed over decades of flight instruction can take the ABS Flight Instructor Academy (AFIA) in the OLC (Figure 5). If you instruct or plan to instruct in singles, then you need only to complete 16 courses, denoted by the green stars. If you are instructing in twins, you will take the 16 modules, plus an additional three for twins, denoted by orange stars. In either scenario, you will also need to complete the capstone course, #1019 Flight Instructor Professional Development, in order to earn the full course completion. Completing the ABS Flight Instructor Academy online is also the first step in our process to apply to become a BPPP Instructor. Course completion Regardless of the course you choose, you have 300 days from the day you start to complete the materials and earn an online course completion. Whether you choose to Add Flight Instruction and fly with a BPPP Instructor or not, you will have the opportunity to earn 30 points of ABS Aviator credit and a level of FAA Wings for a BPPP Initial or Recurrent online completion. Completing the ABS Flight Instructor Academy is also worth 30 ABS Aviator points. ABS maintenance videos Within the Maintenance Videos section you’ll find two different courses that cover different maintenance-related topics. The ABS Maintenance Academy video taught by ABS Senior Technical Advisor Bob Ripley covers the three main inspection components we cover at the ABS Service Clinics: engine inspection, airframe inspection and landing gear inspection and rigging. The second course inside Maintenance Videos is ABS Borescoping. This video, just added in March, demonstrates proper techniques for cylinder borescope inspection, examples of what to look for and how to interpret borescope images, and suggestions for getting the right equipment to conduct borescope inspections. Other courses The last module titled “Recommended Industr y Courses” includes 22 different courses offered by other in- dustry professionals that span a wide array of topics and have different fees associated with each course. You can always click on the grey “more” arrow to find out additional details about each module and course within every section of the Online Learning Center. There is no better time than right now to get started (or finish up) any of these great courses. You can find more information about these courses on our website under the TRAINING and MAINTENANCE tabs. You can also give our office a call or send us an email and we would be happy to help you. Let’s keep the trends rising and keep on utilizing the ABS Online Learning Center! °• w w w. b o n a n z a .o r g Figure 4 Figure 5 10 A M E R I C A N B O N A N Z A S O C I E T Y August 2020 w w w. b o n a n z a .o r g First Impressions By Thomas P. Turner OPERATIONS ASF W hat were your first impressions of flying a Beechcraft? I can trace mine to a specific date 30 years ago this month: August 24, 1990. After four days of Bonanza Initial classroom instruction at FlightSafety International at Beech Field in Wichita, including 16 hours of systems, procedures, and techniques training and eight hours in the left seat of FSI’s A36 simulator, “Friday Fly Day” finally came and I took my first flight in Beech’s amazing Bonanza. First, how I got there. After four years as an officer in the U.S. Air Force, in 1988 I left the service to pursue a flying career. Working at a local FBO to add an instrument rating and my Commercial and Flight Instructor certificates, I was extremely fortunate to be hired as the (only) instructor at Sedalia, Missouri. The Sedalia Flying Service was two Cessna 152s and a C172 owned by a local cardiovascular surgeon and his wife. “Doc” Cole flew three missions as a B-17 copilot at the extreme end of WWII in Europe, and owned a Cessna 210 and a C310 for his personal use. There was a King Air 200 that made regular stops at Sedalia for a company that built Sears Craftsman toolboxes. I spent a lot of time sitting in that King Air daydreaming, and talking with its two-pilot crew in the FBO. There was a new A36 there occasionally as well, a professionally flown corporate transport for the owners of a chain of funeral homes. I remember that new-airplane smell, the luxury car seats, and the shiny expanse of its wide instrument panel and turbine-style power controls – very unlike the C152s I flew. I never got a chance to fly in a Beech at Sedalia, except one short hop in a local pilot’s rough-looking B19 Sport. But that King Air and, perhaps more so the A36, really got me excited about flying a Beech. I think the goal of the Sedalia Flying Service was to lose enough money as a tax write-off to cover the costs of Doc’s personal airplanes. About two years later, when I had built up enough instructional and airplane rental business to turn a profit and pass 1,000 hours of “dual given” time, Doc’s wife announced they were closing down the business and I would soon be out of a job. Luckily, I was nearing completion of the Master’s program in aviation safety at nearby Central Missouri State University, and one full-time term was all I needed to graduate. I started to look for that next flying job. I had already decided I liked and (more importantly) seemed to have a knack for teaching, so I gravitated to the instructional job postings in the yellow pages of Trade-A-Plane. I thought that if I could ever get hired by the airlines (in 1990 a seemingly unattainable goal with only 1,400 hours total time and no multiengine or turbine time), I’d like to end up teaching in an airline’s training department, especially one flying the soon-to-be-certified Beech 1900Ds. What launched me on my way, however, was a Help Wanted ad in the Kansas City newspaper. FlightSafety International was hiring simulator and flight instructors for the Cessna Caravan and C210 program in Wichita. I am enamored with “functionally beautiful” airplanes like the Caravan, that is, airplanes that just look like they do the job for which they were designed. I wanted to fly one. I called the number, sent in my resume, and a couple of weeks later drove with my wife Peggy to Wichita for an interview. FlightSafety’s interview included the usual discussion with a hiring manager, but added a simulator evaluation (in the C210 device, the first time I ever sat behind an HSI) and a 15-minute classroom presentation on the topic of my choice in front of a panel of instructors who then hit me with a series of off-the-wall questions. Nearly six hours after entering the building I was ushered into the center manager’s office. He told me everyone wanted me on board, but that very day he had been informed that Federal Express was delaying acceptance of a big batch of Caravans and the position for which I was being hired would not be available for about nine months. I went back to my hotel, dejected, because both Peggy and I were out of a job and I couldn’t wait nine months. Sometime in the middle of the night, however, I remembered that the Beech factory is in Wichita (I had been excited to see it unexpectedly as I drove through town on my way from North Carolina to missile training in California in early 1984). I called the Cessna Center manager first thing the next morning and asked if the Beech Center might have any openings. Less than 10 minutes later he called back and said the Beech manager would see me as soon as I could get there. Two hours later I was hired and given my choice of two positions: instructor for the new Beech Starship, or head Volume 20 • Numbe r 8 A M E R I C A N B O N A N Z A S O C I E T Y 11 w w w. b o n a n z a .o r g of the Bonanza pilot training program. Having no multiengine or turbine experience I thought I’d have much greater credibility in pistons, so I made what turned out to be the better career choice. I would teach Bonanzas in the Beech factory-approved program and soon, after earning my multiengine rating and MEI, teach Barons as well. Checkout Nick Frisch was the program manager for piston airplanes at the Beech Center, and my boss. My first week of new hire indoctrination was to observe Nick’s 58P ground school (20 hours) and his customers’ simulator sessions, then ride along in the back seat while Nick presented the P-Baron Initial flight to a customer (the right main tire blew when the pilot got overly aggressive practicing a short-field landing). On Monday of my second week I set up my cubicle in the instructors’ room, pulling Pilot’s Operating Handbooks from the storeroom for the airplanes we taught. At the time (1990) FlightSafety taught only S35 and later Bonanzas, the entire Baron line, and the Beech Duke. Even though I didn’t get involved teaching the Duke until later, that still meant 11 different Bonanza and 19 unique Baron POHs – 30 handbooks on my shelf. Nick waived at the row of Bonanza books. “Six months from now,” he told me, “I want you to be the world’s leading expert on these models.” Thirty years later I’m still learning more about Bonanzas every day. My third week at Beech Field I sat through Norm Thompson’s Bonanza Initial school and got my eight hours of simulator time. Friday of that week – August 24, 1990 – I settled into the left seat of A36 N1548Y (E-2483, a 1989 model) with Norm in the instructor’s seat. A past school teacher, farmer, and clock repairman, Norm had a calm, friendly, and encouraging demeanor that made me feel I could learn anything he wanted to teach about the Bonanza. We flew the standard FSI syllabus (very similar to what BPPP teaches today), and I logged 4.1 hours including six landings and four instrument approaches that day. Norm’s still at FSI, having taught Bonanza and Baron pilots full time for over three decades. I marveled at the smoothness and stability of the Bonanza. It did everything I commanded it to do, whether it was what I intended it to do or not. It was so much easier to take off and land than a Cessna, even in hot Kansas winds. I was surprised how good visibility is in a Bonanza, even downward, assuming otherwise from my high-wing background. FSI taught “by the numbers” flying and I learned how incredibly easy it is to manage flight when you use combinations of power, attitude, and configuration to obtain predictable performance. A couple of weeks later Norm and I repeated the full flight syllabus in N6442B (E-1957), a 1982 model on the rental line at United Beechcraft in Wichita, so I could gain experience in a vernier control, throwover yoke Bonanza. I learned, as I had thought about the Cessna Caravan, that the Beech Bonanza is both cosmetically and functionally beautiful, looking great while doing exactly what it is designed to do. 800.767.7593 www.wilcoaircraftparts.com Quality Products, Service & Support Since 1953 sales@wilco.to Available now and in stock- 5 light kit for $2,500 We keep you flying! • Whelen LED Lighting • Concorde Batteries SA00638WI the only approved battery STC for Bonanza’s (G36 NOW INCLUDED) *STC included at No Charge with Battery purchase from Wilco 12 A M E R I C A N B O N A N Z A S O C I E T Y August 2020 w w w. b o n a n z a .o r g Sadly, N1548Y was destroyed in 2005 when its owner suffered a fatal heart attack in-flight over New Mexico. N6442B was exported to the Philippines in 2015. After nine weeks of intensive study, practice teaching (in the classroom and simulator and airplane), and simulator time (developing new techniques I still teach in BPPP today), in early October I was unleashed on my first victims, er, customers, Lee Pang and Michael Trusty, in an F33A. We have a Mike Trusty in the ABS database now. If you’re the same person I flew with at FSI in 1990, you were my very first flight student in a Beechcraft. I hope it’s worked out as well for you as it’s worked out for me. First Impressions I promised my first impressions of the Bonanza and Beech pilots. In addition to what I wrote about my first flight: ● Beechcraft are systems airplanes. A Beechcraft is an intricate combination of complex systems, each deceptively easy but requiring study and special technique. A Bonanza or Baron is no more complicated that other similar airplanes, and a whole lot simpler than many. But the Beech was the first airplane to which I was exposed that requires systems knowledge and management. This appeals to me greatly as a former ICBM launch officer, where we were required to know all systems and diagrams to mastery. The Beech systems are easy to learn and fly, but I suspect that the level of systems knowledge required is as new to many pilots as it was to me coming out of Cessna 152s and 172s, and many pilots do not have the technical background to grasp the nuances, or access to an instructor who understands and teaches to fill this knowledge gap. That said, if they find a source of this knowledge, Beech pilots soak it up and ask for more. ● A Beech is not a Beech. As I said, even in S35 and later Bonanzas alone there were 11 different POHs (the subsequent G36 adds a 12th ). Beech didn’t add a new POH unless there was a significant change in systems design, so knowing what works in one Beech does not always apply in another Beechcraft. In my early study I attacked the problem in a way I still recommend to other instructors: pick one POH and study it until you know it well enough to pass an ATP oral examination. This is your “base model.” Then read another POH and find the differences between it and your base model. Make a card with the major differences (gear speeds, fuel management, electrical system, V-speeds, etc.) and slip it into the front of that new POH. Of course, if you’re using electronic copy you’ll record this another way. Do the same for every POH you have. Now you have a “differences check” card for the model represented by each POH. If you’re going to fly (or teach in) that type, review your notes – everything you know about your base model applies except what’s on that card, and now you’ve reviewed the differences. Volume 20 • Numbe r 8 A M E R I C A N B O N A N Z A S O C I E T Y 13 w w w. b o n a n z a .o r g ● Beech pilots know serial numbers. A corollary to the note above, where most pilots think in terms of the model year of their airplane, Beech owners seem unique (at least to me) in that they usually know their airplane’s serial number. Systems changes are marked by serial number “breaks” that are reflected in the effectivity of POHs, making the serial number much more important than the model year. Tell me you have a 1974 V35B and I still must visualize the serial number range that includes that year, then convert that to systems and techniques, even after 30 years. ● There are experts out there. Because of all of the above, there have been and still are many experts out there on owning, flying, and maintaining the type. During my time at FSI I was privileged to meet Norm Colvin, ABS’s first Technical Consultant, and to have him as a source of knowledge on par with anything from the Beech factory at the time. I was even more honored when sometimes Norm would call me to ask me a question about Bonanzas. That told me that I was making progress toward Nick Frisch’s mandate to me in my second week working with Beech airplanes. ● Universal truths. Systems differences aside, there are some universal truths to Beech airplanes, for example, the target power settings, attitudes, and configurations for “by the numbers” flying. There is some tweaking required for different models. But if you know “the numbers” for an A36 with a 153 knot gear speed, for example, and someone asks you to fly with them in an N35 with a 123 knot gear speed limit (as happened to me recently), you can look at the differences and approximate “the numbers” for that different model. There’s a need to transition from one model of Bonanza or Baron to another, but because of the commonality, the universal truths, the transition is easy. ● Beech owners are passionate. Most pilots are very enamored by flying. In 1990, however, I was not prepared for how incredibly passionate Beech owners are about their airplanes. It goes even beyond that – most Beech owners feel an emotional connection to the entire Beech brand, a part of the history that goes all the way back to 1932. I didn’t tell you my undergraduate degree is in history, and my goal with that major was to get into aviation museum work. As a systems nerd, someone who loves teaching others to fly, airplane fanatic, and history buff, it didn’t take long for me to get caught up in the passion of Beechcraft. My first impressions of flying a Beechcraft 30 years ago this month have been confirmed again and again as I fly and teach the type, and interact with Beech owners, pilots, instructors, and mechanics and the vendors that support them. Thirteen years after my first Beech experience I once again moved my family to Wichita to begin working full-time with the American Bonanza Society. My 17th work anniversary is next month, so next time I’ll write about my first and lasting impressions of ABS. °• 14 A M E R I C A N B O N A N Z A S O C I E T Y August 2020 BEECHCRAFT OF THE MONTH A Life in the Air w w w. b o n a n z a .o r g Volume 20 • Numbe r 8 A M E R I C A N B O N A N Z A S O C I E T Y 15 T he 25th of November 2019 has become one of the most memorable dates in my life. It is the day I was honored by the FAA with the Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award. Next to my first solo, this is the highlight in my nearly 55 years of aviating. I was born in Germany just before the end of World War II and as far back as I can remember, I was fascinated by airplanes. Their sound was irresistible for me and I searched the sky, desperately hoping to see them. Later, I read anything I could find about aviation and airplanes, papered my bedroom walls with airplane cutouts, and built some models with balsa wood and glue. But airplanes and flying remained a dream, and it was only much later, after I came to America, when it could become reality and an important part of my life. One winter, a few years after I arrived in New York, I met Clem Hoovler, a ski instructor at Hunter Lodge in the Catskill Mountains. He told me he was a flight instructor during the summer months at his own small airport in nearby Freehold, New York. I knew then that if my dream of flying would ever come true, I needed to follow up and visit his place as soon as weather and conditions allowed. I started flying lessons the next spring. Since I did not own a car, I could only go on weekends when I could get a ride to Freehold. This was not too difficult, because in those days the Catskills were an attractive weekend getaway. Between the challenges of getting there and my rather limited budget, it took a good year to earn my Private pilot certificate. But soon after, I was able to afford a used 1980 E55 Baron by Volker Bahnemann, Greenwich, Connecticut 16 A M E R I C A N B O N A N Z A S O C I E T Y August 2020 w w w. b o n a n z a .o r g Volume 20 • Numbe r 8 A M E R I C A N B O N A N Z A S O C I E T Y 17 Volkswagen so I could get to the airport and fly regularly to build time toward the Commercial certificate. Three years after my first solo, I earned my Commercial and less than a year later I passed the test for flight instructor with an FAA examiner at Albany. Clem Hoovler, I will never forget him. He was a first-rate, basic tail wheel aviator, and the stick-and-rudder flying he taught me made me a safer pilot. My enthusiasm for aviation got me into co-owning a small scenic flight service and school in upstate New York, with two Cessna 150s, one C172, and more debt to Cessna Finance than I had anticipated. I worked at my job in New York City during the week and gave scenic flights and primary flight instruction upstate on the weekends. This was a very busy, but good, time, and I especially loved seeing the effect flight training had on my students’ level of self confidence. Eventually, family and career took precedence and the financial drain and heavy weekend schedule required getting out of that venture. This also ended my instructing and other commercial activities such as charters and scenic tours. For the following years I concentrated on family and business, flying occasionally with a friend, or just to stay current, flying in a rental C172 at White Plains (KHPN). After a few years of that with the support of my wife, who knows that for me flying is a relief from daily business, I returned to more active and challenging flying, taking lessons to get current on my multiengine and IFR ratings. Soon, the desire to fly my own airplane had me looking at something more challenging than a rental 172. Having flown aerobatics in a Citabria and a Stearman years earlier and loved it, I bought a Focke Wulf 149D, a fully aerobatic German military trainer. The FW149D is great looking and okay to fly with nice handling, but it has rather poor performance because of its low power-to- weight ratio. The geared BMW/Lycoming engine of 285HP is just not enough for its heavy airframe. Also, the limitations of an “Experimental Warbird” airplane with its restrictions and maintenance challenges did not fit my use. So after a year I sold N149DD to a fellow who then showed her at various air shows and fly-ins, which is what an airplane like that is really for. My next airplane was a very sensible, good cross-country airplane, a 1980 Cessna T182RG. I really enjoyed flying that plane, also for business, and went coast to coast several times. But because of these long trips, and also for safety and comfort, I needed something a little faster, with greater range, more advanced w w w. b o n a n z a .o r g w w w. b o n a n z a .o r g 18 A M E R I C A N B O N A N Z A S O C I E T Y August 2020 avionics, and an autopilot. I decided to look for an F33A Bonanza with a high- time engine and a good airframe as a basic platform from which to build my ideal cross-country airplane. My friend and broker, Norman Heldman, found one in Tyler, Texas. Over the following two years, with the help of my trusted service people at Aero Mechanical Ltd. and Precision Avionics at Poughkeepsie, New York, we turned N2052V from a very nice airplane into a perfect, high- performance one with a Continental IO-550, GEM engine analyzer, new fuel bladders, BDS tip tanks, and an updated avionics stack. This combination of airframe, engine, fuel range, and avionics made for a magnificent airplane, and I enjoyed flying the Bonanza for five years to every part of the U.S., in often very challenging conditions. The IO-550 gave it great high-altitude performance without the mechanical complexity of a turbocharger for my trips to Pagosa Springs, Colorado (field elevation 7,664 feet) and the West Coast. The tip tanks gave me a six-hour range plus comfortable Volume 20 • Numbe r 8 A M E R I C A N B O N A N Z A S O C I E T Y 19 reserves and more important, also allowed me to outflank most any weather if I had to. And I had to. After getting the Bonanza, I also joined the American Bonanza Society. Over the years since, I've attended 15 of its really terrific BPPP type-specific ground and flight training sessions. M any of these trips, especially across the Rocky Mountains to Pagosa Springs and Los Angeles, and across the Gulf of Mexico to Key West, made me want to step up to a twin. After a long search, Norman found exactly what I wanted. Unfortunately, it was located in Locarno, Swizerland. A 1980 E55 Baron with the big tanks, low total time, no damage history, de-icing, and a KFC 200 autopilot. After getting it ferried across the Atlantic and lots of detail work and upgrades, this has become my ideal, favorite airplane for the past 20 years. The E-Baron has great handling, is a joy to fly locally or coast to coast, from Canada to Key West, CAVU to LIFR, over 1800 hours and never a major problem. But aviation is more than airplanes. It is the whole community that I thoroughly enjoy and appreciate. Attending annual BPPP flight reviews and safety seminars, the FAA Wings program, or just “hangar flying” and enjoying the company of like-minded aviators, has been a wonderful and important part of my life. My logbooks are my diaries. I go through them once in a while to recall many of the great experiences flying has given me. All are memorable and not all without potentially bad outcomes were it not for scenario-based training, good judgment, and perhaps a little bit of luck. It’s just sad that it can’t continue for another 50-plus years. °•Volker Bahnemann, member of the Supervisory Board of ARRI AG, previously President and CEO of ARRI Inc. and ARRI Group Companies in the US and Canada. ARRI established their own corporate base in the US with Volker as President/CEO, which he grew to become one of the most important technology and services providers to the US Film Industry. He holds three patents in the fields of lighting and contrast control. In 1997 the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences awarded him the prestigious “John Bonner Medal of Commendation.” On his retirement in 2010, the company with the support of friends and industry associates, honored him by establishing the annual “Volker Bahnemann Award for Cinematography” at New York University, Tish School of the Arts. Volker recently signed on with Pilots N Paws combining his love for dogs with his love of flying. He lives in Connecticut with his wife and has been an active pilot since 1965. w w w. b o n a n z a .o r g 20 A M E R I C A N B O N A N Z A S O C I E T Y August 2020 w w w. b o n a n z a .o r g I ’ve written before of the semiannual cross-country flight that Nancy and I make in Echo Charlie, our beloved V35B. In the fall, it’s Seattle to Singer Island, Florida, with a stop at the Beech Party enroute. This time our spring return flight to the Northwest was complicated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Rather than a leisurely meander around weather to discover fun little towns, our goal was a straight line with one overnight to minimize stops. We had a one-week window blocked the third week of April but delayed a month in the hope that the pandemic would subside. We previously had the last week of May and first week of June blocked out for a river cruise in China, including two nights in Wuhan. As Dave Barry would say, “I swear I’m not making this up!” We kept that time open for our corner-to-corner (southeastern Florida to northwestern Washington) cross-country flight to improve our odds of making it in only two days. A Corner-to-Corner, COVID-Dodging, Cross-Country SprintBy Howard Johnson Figure 1: The Windy app’s thunderstorm forecast w w w. b o n a n z a .o r g Volume 20 • Numbe r 8 A M E R I C A N B O N A N Z A S O C I E T Y 21 The Florida rainy season and Midwest thunderstorms got off to a roaring start. Two consecutive days of great weather through the Southeast, Midwest, Rockies, and Puget Sound region is a tall order this time of year. A month before the launch window, I began watching the prog charts and Weather Underground 10-day forecasts for trends. I’ve used the Windy.com app for boating and fishing for years. This year I discovered several aviation layers that became my primary tool. I also compared METARs along the route to the earlier forecasts. Within two days of departure, Model Output Statistics (MOS) and then the 24-hour aviation forecasts brought everything into focus confirming our go/no-go decisions. I watched a couple of opportunities open and close until a good solid one appeared halfway through our two-week slot. More about the trip in a moment, but first a look at some of the cool features of the Windy app. See Figure 1. You can see the 10-day time slider across the bottom. Along the right side are the various display options. The settings allow you to choose your favorites for the sidebar from dozens of choices. If you register for free, you can activate the “expert mode” and save your settings to the cloud. Across the top of the browser window you see several open screens. Each is a Weather Underground 10-day forecast for a city along and in the order of our route. This makes it easy to “control-tab” between the Windy depictions and the daily and hourly forecasts along the way. I leave the machine on 24/7 and simply refresh each screen a few times a day. The Cloud Base view in Figure 2 shows more features. The flag in the middle appears when you click on the map. It displays the value for whatever view you’ve selected. You can drag it along your route to see the values change (tops, base, freezing level, etc.). Click the down arrow at the right of the flag and the extended forecast for that point appears at the bottom of the screen. The window to the right appears when you click on the clock icon at the lower right. It gives the time of the previous and upcoming Figure 2: Windy.com’s cloud base view BEECHCRAFT SPECIALIST Over 40 Years of Providing Quality Maintenance For all your Bonanza and Baron Needs Fuel Bladder Specialist Quality Beechcraft Parts, Service & Fuel Bladder Repair and Replacement Pre-Purchase Survey • Annuals-Pitot Static and Transponder Certifications • Gear and Flight Control Repair and Rigging-Continental • Continental Factory Fuel Flow Set-Up • Weighing and Balance • Electrical • JPI Installs • CiES Fuel Sender Installation and Calibration • Dynamic Propeller Balancing • Major Repairs Columbus Aero Service, INC. Columbus Metro Airport (KCSG) South Georgia 706-573-5699 • 24/7 Columbusaeroservice.com • Robert@columbusaeroservice.com w w w. b o n a n z a .o r g 22 A M E R I C A N B O N A N Z A S O C I E T Y August 2020 updates, and an explanation of the view you’ve selected. The two buttons to the left of the clock icon allow you to toggle the particle animation and isobars on and off. In addition to the Cloud Base and Tops predictions, I like the Cloud view, too (Figure 3). “Low” gives you surface to 6,500 feet and “medium” gives you 6,500 to FL 210. The numbers displayed on the surface and at the pinpoint flag give the cloud cover in percent of coverage. While prog charts show weather associated Figure 3: Cloud view Volume 20 • Numbe r 8 A M E R I C A N B O N A N Z A S O C I E T Y 23 with fronts, I’ve not found another tool that predicts cloud tops and bases more than 18 - 24 hours in advance. The Visibility and Wind views are valuable as well. These are just a few of the highlights. Spend some time with the Windy.com tool to get the full benefit of the many useful views over the 10-day forecast period. It will be a great addition to your toolbox. The Game Plan Depending on the weather, we use one of three routes through the Rockies. The southern route is the longest. From Florida that means around the Gulf, across Texas the long way, southern New Mexico, Arizona, into Southern California, and then up the coast to the Pacific Northwest. The second longest route is Florida to Laramie, Wyoming (LAR), where we pick up V4 (Interstate 80) westbound across southern Wyoming and into southern Idaho, following the airway northwest to Seattle. Option three is the most direct with the least mountainous terrain. To complete the mission with one overnight it was our only choice. It’s a great circle route from Florida to Helena, Montana (KHLN), where we pick up Victor 2 (Interstate 90). Heading west over Missoula, Montana, and Mullan Pass, we then cross northern Idaho, eastern Washington, the Cascade mountain range, and descend into our home base of Paine Field (KPAE) just north of Seattle. Due to low freezing levels and high MEAs in the Rockies, VFR is usually our only option for that portion. This route gives us wide open valleys and miles of emergency runway all the way home. We’ve made the eastbound crossing comfortably at 9,500 feet. Using ForeFlight we determined the trip would be about 18 hours, an easy two days. The Nav log function found Lincoln, Nebraska, to be the perfect overnight stop. Day One On day one, a Sunday, we departed Lantana airport (KLNA) at 06:30 ET, enroute to Fayette, Alabama (M95). Severe clear skies and light headwinds made for a delightful flight (Figure 4). After 4.5 hours we were halfway to Lincoln, Nebraska, with a 5,000-foot runway and the best fuel price in the region. I had called airport manager Kip Madison on Friday to check that there was plenty of avgas and that the self-serve was operable. Kip assured me that both were true. He also explained that the FBO would be closed, but we were welcome to the keys and disclosed the hiding place. When we taxied in, we saw a perplexed guy with his airplane at the pumps. He explained that the internet was down and the card reader was kaput. He had just talked to Kip who volunteered to come and help us out. By the time we found the keys to the FBO and helped ourselves to the restrooms and the beverage cooler ($1.00 each, free with fuel purchase), Kip had arrived. He gave us three options for payment: cash, check, or simply send money later. Gotta love that Southern hospitality! Thank you, Kip for that elegant gesture early on a Sunday morning. w w w. b o n a n z a .o r g Figure 4: Day one, a delightful flight w w w. b o n a n z a .o r g 24 A M E R I C A N B O N A N Z A S O C I E T Y August 2020 Nancy packs lots of healthy onboard food for these flights, so trips into town for lunch are not required. It was back in the air for more ideal conditions and 4.5 hours to Lincoln. We’ve stayed there before and enjoyed the Haymarket district. It is close to the airport with nice hotels and lots of fun restaurants. I called ahead to Silverhawk Aviation and operations were normal. The hotel assured us they were operating with precautions and could provide a room that had been unoccupied for a week. They also affirmed that the shuttle would be available. We arrived to find that due to enhanced unemployment benefits, the hotel was unable to find enough employees to provide a shuttle. The FBO had crew cars but overnights were prohibited. The line guys could take us, but they were all busy. Uber and Lyft were unresponsive. Out of options, the FBO finally gave us a crew car since we would be departing early the next morning. Whew! Time to unwind, do the final planning for tomorrow’s flights, and find some dinner. Of course, most eateries were closed or Airport Manager Kip Madison at the FBO, Fayette, Alabama (M95) Figure 6: Day two’s plan, which turned into day three as well Volume 20 • Numbe r 8 A M E R I C A N B O N A N Z A S O C I E T Y 25 w w w. b o n a n z a .o r g takeout only due to the pandemic. After a pleasant walk around the district, we found some great Mexican food and enjoyed it on the patio at the hotel. Day Two On day two we had a minimal hotel breakfast takeout and got an early start homeward. The plan was four hours to Billings, Montana (KBIL), for fuel and then just under four hours to home, KPAE (Figure 6). More clear, smooth skies made for a pleasant first leg. As I studied the rising terrain ahead, I noticed we would pass by Rapid City, South Dakota (KRAP). Having flown there before while taking in National Parks, we were excited to see the presidents on Mt. Rushmore again. In the morning light we spotted it 20 miles out. Ellsworth AFB’s approach made sure we wouldn’t miss it, confirmed legal altitude, and handed us off to the monument’s common traffic advisory frequency. The view was spectacular but the light on the white granite made for poor contrast. We’ll spare you the iPhone photos. After a quick turn in Billings, we were on our last leg of the journey. The only questionable weather was a forecast of lowering ceilings west of Missoula, Montana (KMSO). When the forecast is 10,000 overcast at noon (our ETA) and 4,000 overcast at 4:00 p.m., you know there’s a trend, and how fast or slowly that happens would certainly impact our plans. Beyond that area the rest of the route was good. As we approached Missoula the ceiling beyond was way ahead of the trend, already at 4,000 feet with diminished visibility below due to rain showers. We dropped into KMSO in light rain but decent visibility and called it a day. So much for the one-night crossing, but we found a great hotel near the river. As we walked the river trail, we watched the surfers rocking it in the standing waves. Oh, to be young again! Day Three We awoke early to a low, thick cloud layer in the Missoula valley. Burn-off came quickly with diminishing Seattle weather expected later in the day. We timed the flight between those two issues and the last leg was another beautiful, uneventful flight. As always, Mt. Rainier was there in all its glory to welcome us home to our beloved Northwest (Figure 7). Another corner-to-corner crossing memory we will treasure forever. °•Howard Johnson is past ABS president, and last month completed his second term and six years of service on the ABS Board of Directors. He has over 6,000 hours and holds an ATP with multi, sea, and glider ratings. He and Nancy adore their V35B, N123EC. Figure 7: Mount Rainier welcomes us home 26 A M E R I C A N B O N A N Z A S O C I E T Y August 2020 w w w. b o n a n z a .o r g McFarlane Aviation Products announces FAA-PMA approval for its Vernier-Assist™ direct replacement throttle control for Beech Bonanzas. The advantage over the factory vernier controls is safety and precision, according to McFarlane’s press release. Vernier-Assist™ throttles operate with friction, rather than the threads you’d typically find in the factory vernier throttle. When using the factory version and going full throttle, pilots might jam the control. That was a large concern to us when we began the design process, and we wanted ours to be 100 percent safe, especially in an emergency situation. Vernier-Assist™ throttles also offers precision. Since it does not have the inner threads like the factory version, the throttle doesn’t stick when trying to push in or out, or to turn the knob exactly as the pilot wants. It’s much smoother! You can see the inner cutaway in the photo. See this video beginning at time stamp 4:30 to see how these new throttles operate in action: www.youtube.com/ watch?v=6LWWZe2H2oY&t=278s. McFarlane’s Vernier-Assist™ replacement throttles are FAA approved for installation on these Beech models: ● 35-C33, 35-C33A Debonair ● E33, E33A, E33C, F33, F33A, F33C, G33 Bonanza ● P35, S35, V35, V35TC, V35A, V35A-TC, V35B, V35B-TC Bonanza ● 36, A36 (E-1 thru E1945, E-1947 thru E-2103, E-2105 thru E-2110) ● A36TC, B36TC (EA-1 thru EA-319 and EA-321 thru 388) Bonanza For more information contact McFarlane at www. mcfarlaneaviation.com or call 866-920-2741. °• Vernier-Assist™ Replacement Controls GA NEWS Air Conditioning! A True 16,000 BTU Cabin Comfort Plus Control Developed For Baron & Bonanza The Same System That is Currently Installed in the New G-Models A/C Systems, LLC Office 615-812-9375 Web www.FTAaviation.com E-Mail ABlanke681@aol.com Volume 20 • Numbe r 8 A M E R I C A N B O N A N Z A S O C I E T Y 27 w w w. b o n a n z a .o r g GA NEWS METARmaps-USA 3-Panel Wall Art M ETARmaps.com announces METARmaps-USA 3-Panel, the latest addition to its list of amazing functional aviation wall art. Blending the latest in miniaturized electronics and state of the art printing processes, USA-3P displays current weather at almost 600 airports. Weather information is presented for each airport using the four standard FAA flight category colors: Green/VFR, Blue/MVFR, Red/IFR, Magenta/LIFR. Its three panels span 60” wide x 36” high and are available framed in either 1” profiled aluminum with external power supply or 2” with embedded Hidden Power (can be used with an owner-supplied, recessed outlet behind the map or plugged conventionally). Both versions are covered with 1/8” non-glare Plexiglass. Frames are available in either Brushed Aluminum or Satin Black. Prices begin at $1,899. Whether you are a seasoned pilot, new to the world of aviation, or just interested in watching the weather, a METAR map from METARmaps.com makes a stunning addition to any home, office, or hangar. For more information visit https://metarmaps. com or call (713) 447-8990. °• 28 A M E R I C A N B O N A N Z A S O C I E T Y August 2020 w w w. b o n a n z a .o r g T he FAA-issued COVID extensions are widely misunderstood, members are reporting, and SAFE is offering help for CFIs besieged with questions. Private pilots are disproportionately affected by the rule’s complexity. “You wouldn’t believe the number of pilots I’ve run into that have been flying with expired flight reviews,” said David St George, SAFE Executive Director. Those who benefited from the original extension are now in need a flight review, since the new rule is only for the newly expiring pilots (you cannot apply the extension twice)”. The most recently released SFAR [Special Federal Aviation Regulation] published in the Federal Register on June 29 th , extends medical certificates only for those that a) have not already been extended, and b) are expiring sequentially in the period March-September 2020. This new rule “applies to a new population of airmen and does not extend the relief provided in the original Special Federal Aviation Regulation (SFAR).” The same extension method as in the original SFAR 118 applies, requiring a Commercial level certificate or a current Private pilot with 10 hours PIC in the last year and the completion of three WINGS credits to qualify. June 30 th remain[ed] a hard deadline for pilots who benefited from the original SFAR, such as flight instructors. In plain language, medical expiration applies if medical is expiring: ● March 31st , the medical is valid until June 30 th . ● April 30 th , the medical is valid until July 31st . ● May 31st , the medical is valid until August 31st . ● June 30 th , the medical is valid until September 30 th . ● July 31st , the medical is valid until October 31st . ● August 31st , the medical is valid until November 30 th . ● September 30 th , the medical is valid until December 31st . From the Experimental Aircraft Association: SFAR 118 extensions only apply to these pilots: ● Current to act as PIC in March of 2020 ● Flight review due March through June of 2020 And then only pilots in these types of operation: ● Operations requiring at least a Commercial pilot certificate, or ● Operations requiring Private pilot certificate only for pilots who: ● Have at least: ● 500 hours total time ● 400 hours as PIC ● 50 hours last 12 calendar months ● Doing these types of operations: ● Incidental to business or employment ● In support of family medical needs or to transport essential goods for personal use ● Necessary to fly an aircraft to a location in order to meet a requirement of this chapter (e.g., a ferry permit for the purpose of an annual inspection) ● A flight to transport essential goods and/or medical supplies to support public health needs ● A charitable medical flight or volunteer pilot organization under an exemption issued under Part 11, and the flight involves only the persons considered essential for the flight. ● Operations under Parts 91 subpart K, and Part 125, including flight attendant crewmembers and flight instructors. In all cases under the Private pilot exemptions above persons onboard must only be those deemed essential to the flight. °• GA NEWS COVID-Related Pilot Experience ExtensionsFrom the Society of Aviation and Flight Educators (www.safepilots.org) Volume 20 • Numbe r 8 A M E R I C A N B O N A N Z A S O C I E T Y 29 w w w. b o n a n z a .o r g 30 A M E R I C A N B O N A N Z A S O C I E T Y August 2020 w w w. b o n a n z a .o r g Name: John Williams ABS Life Member # L28928 Member Since: 1992 Age: 66 Occupation: Higher education consultant/ entrepreneur Hometown: Boston, Massachusetts Aircraft: Owns a 1985 A36 Home Airport: Hanscom Field (KBED) Family Status: Married (34 years) ABS: What sparked your passion to become a pilot? When I was 11 years old growing up in Westbury, Long Island, just east of New York City, my dad was a member of a group of about 10 other African American men called the Stick and Rudder Club. They were all taking flying lessons from the organizer of the club, a man named Mr. Gibbs who happened to live across the street from us. One day my dad invited me to come along to Zahn’s Field (which, sadly, is no longer there) where the club kept a beautiful Piper J-3 Cub. After a long, involved pre-flight and engine-start process (involving shouts of “switch on,” “contact,” followed by manual pull-throughs of the prop), Mr. Gibbs took me up for my first flight (of any kind). As soon as we reached about 100 feet AGL, I knew I was hooked! He taught me how to use the controls and even let me believe I landed the plane. I learned only years later that Mr. (Edward A.) Gibbs had been a Tuskegee Airmen instructor and went on to found NAI, the largest organization of black pilots in the U.S. How lucky I was to have grown up across the street from such a giant of aviation! ABS: How long have you been flying, and what are your awards/accomplishments or things most proud of? I earned my Private pilot’s certificate in late 1983. A few years later I earned my Instrument rating. In 1991 I teamed up with a partner who had a lot of Bonanza time and we bought a 1984 A36 together. We immediately became Life Members of ABS and participated in BPPP six years in a row. I flew our growing family all over the East Coast and beyond, including trips to Hilton Head, Destin/Ft. Walton Beach, Florida, and Oshkosh. In 2000, I sold my interest in the Bonanza to my partner and soon bought a 1985 A36 with a new partner. I went on to earn my Commercial, multi, and ATP certificates and ratings, both ASEL and AMEL. I eventually bought out my partner’s share in the Bonanza. With almost 3,000 hours in my logbook, I think I’ve done the BPPP program about 15 times and am closing in on Lifetime status as an ABS Aviator. ABS: Best piece of advice for new pilots? Have fun, but take your responsibilities as a pilot seriously. Always remember, no matter what, fly the airplane! ABS: What is the best safety tip someone has given you? Over the years I’ve learned that safety is the result of a chain of correct choices. When you’re ready (and not before), get the best- made single-engine aircraft available: a Bonanza. Then, find the best, most Beechcraft-knowledgeable maintenance shop in your region and pay what it takes to keep the plane in great condition. I’ve used Nagle Aircraft, now based at Fitchburg Airport (KFIT), for the past 29 years. They’ve worked exclusively on Bonanzas and Barons for more than 50 years and are among the very best. Get your Instrument rating and stay proficient. Be methodical: follow your checklists, fly by the numbers, and always land with at least an hour of fuel on board. Finally, stay clear of thunderstorms and icing. ABS: What does the Beechcraft brand mean to you? One day, when I had just finished my Private and still flying a Cessna 172, I got to ride in the rear cabin when the pilot of MEMBER SPOTLIGHT Meet John WilliamsBy Whit Hickman w w w. b o n a n z a .o r g Volume 20 • Numbe r 8 A M E R I C A N B O N A N Z A S O C I E T Y 31 an A36 was going up for a practice flight with an instructor friend of mine. I was amazed by how much more powerful and solid it felt! To me, Beechcraft has always equated to quality construction. As I got more involved with the ABS community; read Norm Colvin’s and John Eckalbar’s books; and attended BPPPs, ABS Service Clinics, and a couple of ABS Conventions, the Beechcraft brand expanded beyond the aircraft to include the expertise and friendliness of the Beechcraft community. ABS: What do you value most as a member of ABS? Well, I love the magazine, of course! By attending so many BPPP programs and, in the process, flying with such greats as Hank Canterbury, the late Jack Hirsch, Bill Hale, Mark Nathanson, John Nutt, Geoff Nye, Brian Mott, and Kent Ewing; having learned so much about maintaining the Bonanza from Joe Nagle; from reading Colvin’s Clinic and attending ABS Service Clinics; and having watched Tom Turner’s webinars and read John Eckalbar’s Flying the Beechcraft Bonanza about 10 times, I feel like I’ve learned a tremendous amount about flying and maintaining the Bonanza safely and productively. ABS has made all that learning so easy and pleasurable. ABS: What is your favorite memory from an ABS event or training? I have three: (1) Flying an ILS at a BPPP with Hank Canterbury at 160 KIAS with gear and flaps up until one mile final, then slowing to 154 knots, lowering the gear and then flaps, and landing. (2) Going out to dinner with the other Bonanza/ Baron pilots and companions on Friday nights during BPPP. (3) Listening to all the cassette tapes from ABS Convention sessions, including “Around the World in a Bonanza” by Dr. Hypolite Landry and “Flying Your Bonanza” by Norm Colvin (particularly during my first few years flying a Bonanza). ABS: The best place your aircraft has taken you? Di sney Wor ld, t he happie s t place on earth! ABS: What is the next item you will cross off on your flying bucket list? I’ve recently invested in a factory-new IO-550, a bunch of new Garmin avionics, and a new, all-leather interior. So, I’m ready to do some long-distance flying. I want to fly across our beautiful country, all the way to California and back. After that, perhaps I can find a few 11-year-olds who might enjoy a flight or two in my Bonanza and get inspired to become pilots themselves someday. °•As an international membership organization of nearly 10,000 members, it is crucial to our mission to let each one of our members know how much you are valued and appreciated. Equally important is the notion that being a part of ABS means you’re a part of a community. Because our organization is so large, meeting every member face to face is unlikely, but that doesn’t lessen the concept of how important it is to get to know your neighbor. To enhance our community and highlight our valuable members, we present the monthly Member Spotlight. It’s an exciting way to learn about the many awesome and awe-inspiring things our members are involved in and to find out a little bit more about what keeps us all connected – our love for flying and the Beechcraft brand. I hope you enjoy learning more about our members. I know it’s my favorite part of the job. I am excited to share these stories with you. If you would like to be featured in an upcoming Member Spotlight or would like to nominate a fellow member to share their story, please feel free to contact me at Whit@ bonanza.org. Lodi Airport (103) 23987 N Highway 99 P.O. Box 208 Acampo, CA 95220 General Aviation Maintenance Stockton - Sacramento Region (209) 366-1040 email: qualityaero@gmail.com Quality Aero Maintenance w w w. b o n a n z a .o r g 32 A M E R I C A N B O N A N Z A S O C I E T Y August 2020 Preventing Gear-Up Landings By Geary Keilman T his is a follow on to an article I wrote for the July 2007 ABS Magazine, “Knots 2U Flap/Gear Alert System for the Bonanza.” I was prompted to write this article after a rash of recent gear-up incidents. I’d like to discuss, once again, my opinion that a flap actuated gear warning system in addition to the throttle actuated gear warning would help prevent most unintentional gear-up landings. John Geitz wrote in his article in the April 2017 ABS Magazine, “I could find no instance where a gear-up landing had been executed with the flaps in other than the full-down landing position.” We have had several Bonanza gear-up landings in our area lately and they all landed with the flaps fully down. One was at our home field with two highly experienced ATP/ CFI pilots. A gear-up landing in older Bonanzas will most likely result in a total loss. These incidents retire airframes and raise insurance rates. Beech incorporated a flap actuated gear warning system in Bonanzas manufactured after 1988 (see the editor’s note at the end of the July 2007 article for specifics). An STC (supplemental type certificate) approved kit to incorporate this feature in ships built before this has been available for many years. The current STC holder is Knots 2U, Ltd. Unfortunately, due to low demand and other factors, the availability for this kit has been a bit on again, off again. Contact John Bailey at Knots 2U (www.knots2u.net, 262-763-5100) for kit availability. Photo 1 lists the STC’s aircraft model and serial number applicability. Basically, the kit boils down to a simple jumper from the throttle switch to the unused poles on the flap switch. If the flap switch is selected to the down position without the gear being down, the gear horn will sound. In addition, the kit includes a red light labeled “Gear Alert” that illuminates anytime the gear horn is powered. Photo 2 shows the red “Gear Alert” light installed on the instrument panel. I consider this modification to be one of the most, if not the most, important modifications or additions in the 35 years we have owned our Bonanza. It is a fairly Photo 1 w w w. b o n a n z a .o r g Volume 20 • Numbe r 8 A M E R I C A N B O N A N Z A S O C I E T Y 33 simple installation, especially on the older Bonanzas with the keyboard switch panel. Photo 3 is of a recent kit showing the replacement switch required on roughly post-1961 Bonanzas. If the kit or STC is not available from Knots 2U, a field approval could be obtained for this modification. A good case may also be made for the install as a minor alteration on the older models. I have heard the argument that gear must be extended anyway in order to slow the ship to flap extension speed. This is normally the case. There are exceptions. During a straight-in approach with a strong headwind it may not be necessary to extend the gear in order to slow to flap extension speed. ATC may also ask the pilot to slow down far enough out that the pilot may not want to drag the ship in with the gear out. In a go-around or when doing pattern work, the speed is usually kept Photo 2 Photo 3 w w w. b o n a n z a .o r g 34 A M E R I C A N B O N A N Z A S O C I E T Y August 2020 below maximum flap extension speed. A return for landing after a door pops open is another setup for a gear-up landing. A red flag should go up whenever these situations occur. If, however, in the heat of battle the pilot forgets the gear and lowers the flaps, the gear horn and light might just save the day! Another advantage of the gear/flap warning, I believe, is that it works even if the throttle switch doesn’t function properly. I have had to replace my throttle switch and switch actuator and have heard from other owners who have had their throttle switch fail. It’s called a micro switch for a reason. It is tiny, and sits on the throttle linkage attached to a vibrating engine. It is also close to the exhaust manifold and may be sprayed with solvent during maintenance. The actuator for the micro switch contains a tiny bronze roller, which may have issues that prevent the switch from closing properly. The mounting bracket may also work loose preventing switch activation. Photo 4 depicts the throttle warning switch, actuator, and mounting bracket. If the horn itself is inoperative, the warning light may still function. The throttle may not be pulled back far enough on a normal approach to activate the gear warning so we really don’t know if it’s going to work most of the time. Here is another thing: Many of the ships have an automotive-type flasher hooked into the gear warning to provide an intermittent type warning (I’ve had to replace it, too). There may be a slight delay in the time the switch is closed by the throttle before the horn goes off. As the ship is already very close to the runway before the throttle is closed far enough to activate the gear warning, and with the slight flasher delay plus the time it takes for the pilot to recognize what’s wrong, it may be too late. The gear/flap warning goes off far enough out in the approach to safely extend the gear. Much has been written in ABS newsletters and magazines over the years concerning the prevention of gear-up landings. Frequent contributor and Bonanza guru Lew Gage has made several really good points in my opinion. He advocates extending the flaps fully on landing approach and not stopping at intermediate settings (especially on those aircraft without an approach flap position control). His other point is developing a habit of checking that the gear is down before extending the flaps fully. This would be in addition or in conjunction with the time-honored GUMP (Gas, Undercarriage, Mixture, and Prop) check. Here is my takeaway from all this: ● Install a flap actuated gear warning system if your Beechcraft does not already have one. ● Check the throttle-actuated gear warning periodically. It is a required airworthiness item and the airplane may not be flown with an inoperative gear warning system. ● Check “gear down” before extending flaps fully. ● Be especially vigilant during unusual landing pattern operations. I would appreciate hearing from those who may have had experiences with gear-up incidents and how any of these recommendations may have prevented them. Contact me at n2422v@aol.com. Fly safe. °• Photo 4 770-229-2563 • 73 Cedar Ridge Airport Road, Griffin, GA 30223 Engine & Airframe upgrades Pre-Purchase 100 Hour & Annual inspections soaero@att.net • soaero.com Located at Cedar Ridge Airport (GA62), 25 miles South of Atlanta The Beechcraft Baron and Bonanza specialist Over 30 years of providing quality maintenance w w w. b o n a n z a .o r g For more information on becoming an ABS Life Member: Contact ABS at 316-945-1700 or info@bonanza.org American Bonanza Society, 3595 N. Webb Rd Suite 200 Wichita, KS 67226 Office Hours: 8:30 to 5:00 p.m. US Central Time, Mon.-Fri. Your Life Membership Benefits ABS! • Supporting aging aircraft • Delivering Beechcraft Pilot Proficiency Program seminars and online courses • Working with outside agencies to solve safety of flight concerns that impact the longevity and value of our fleet • Maintain world class staff of Beechcraft technical experts to research and offer definitive answers to your questions • Teaching and offering assistance to mechanics who maintain Bonanzas, Debonairs, Travel Air and Barons Benefits of Your Life Membership! • Monthly ABS Magazine – for the rest of your life • Life Membership certificate for your home or office • Embroidered polo shirt and hat with special life membership design • Never having the hassle of renewing your membership again – saving you time and money • Join over 1,000 members who have made a lifetime commitment to ABS • Ensure that the next generations of Beechcraft owners have the same level of support and enjoyment that you have How Does it Work? • You have the option of paying in two installments or one $1,400 in the same year. • Example: $700 payment in May and $700 in October. • Plus our special bonus offer: $10 off for every year you have been an ABS member – Up to $200 OFF! • Example: $1,400 - $200 off for 21 years of ABS Membership equals only $1,200 total cost for Life Membership. Life Member A m er ic a n B on a nz a So cie t y Our 1975 F33A N4147S was an absolute gift from GOD and my wife and I love it so much.I attended the ABS Maintenance Academy and the Instructor Crosstalks to learn even more all with the goal of achieving a higher level of safety and longevity for the Beech Fleet. It is my goal to become an BPPP Instructor to help others get the most out of the best planes in the sky. I feel that being a Lifetime Member is a perk that pays dividends in the knowledge available via the wonderful staff and tech advisors that are ready willing and able to help. I truly feel that I have a family with the ABS. Lifetime Membership is an indication of my desire to make the very best type club even better. Dan Drew 1975 F33A N4147S Round Rock, TX A m e r i c A n BonAnzA Society w w w. b o n a n z a .o r g 36 A M E R I C A N B O N A N Z A S O C I E T Y August 2020 Probable Cause By Thomas P. Turner Baron and Travel Air focuses on the unique systems, piloting techniques, maintenance and ownership considerations for the Beechcraft twins. We encourage ABS members to submit your articles about flying, owning and maintaining Beechcraft Barons and Travel Airs to info@bonanza.org. BARON AND TRAVEL AIR W e never want to dwell on the negatives. But just as Baron and Travel Air pilots tout the advantages of a second engine attached to a stout, nimble, and practical Beech airframe, so too we can learn lessons from the accident record that help us attain the safety advantages of the Beech twins. As I periodically do, I queried the NTSB database for accident reports involving Barons and Travel Airs. I looked at 10 years of data, for the years 2010 through 2019, and only those events for which the NTSB has published its final “probable cause” report. Although I’ll address not-fatal accidents in the future, for this article I look only at mishaps that resulted in loss of life – the type of events that naturally concern pilots most of all. My purpose in doing do is to see what trends exist in fatal Baron and Travel Air crashes so that pilots can better prepare to avoid repeating accident history, and flight instructors can address these most serious accident scenarios when providing initial and recurrent training. What happened? In the 10-year period 2010-2019 there were 24 fatal Baron and Travel Air crashes in the United States. Of those, 11 involved various Model 55 Barons, nine were normally aspirated Model 58s, three were Travel Airs, and one was a 58P. Although all 24 were reportedly “written off” or totaled, the NTSB reported only eight of these as being “destroyed” while the remaining 16 met the NTSB’s definition of “substantial” airplane damage. Twenty-two of the 24 accidents were attributed to loss of control in flight (LOC-I): a stall or spiral. Six occurred after engine failure in flight. Here are the NTSB’s probable cause findings for each: 1. The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control of the airplane following a loss of power in the right engine. The reason for the loss of power in the right engine could not be determined. 2. The pilot’s failure to maintain airspeed and subsequent loss of airplane control during a single-engine landing approach. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s improper fuel management during cruise flight, which resulted in an initial loss of power in both engines. 3. The failure of the pilot to maintain airplane control after experiencing a loss of power from the left engine due to water contamination of the fuel system. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s inadequate preflight inspection of the airplane and maintenance. 4. The pilot’s loss of airplane control, which resulted from his failure to follow the loss of single-engine power checklist procedures after a total loss of right engine power due to fuel starvation. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s improper preflight fuel planning and in-flight fuel management. 5. The non-multiengine rated pilot’s failure to maintain airplane control during a single-engine approach. Contributing to the accident was a total loss of engine power on the left engine Volume 20 • Numbe r 8 A M E R I C A N B O N A N Z A S O C I E T Y 37 w w w. b o n a n z a .o r g due to detonation for reasons that could not be determined based on the available information. 6. The pilot’s failure to maintain control of the airplane. Contributing to the accident was the loss of left engine power for undetermined reasons. Thirteen of the 24 crashes involved the pilot’s loss of control with both engines running normally. Here are the scenarios as determined by the NTSB: Loss of control - stall during takeoff 1. The pilot’s failure to maintain adequate airspeed during takeoff, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall. 2. The pilot’s failure to maintain aircraft control during takeoff for undetermined reasons. 3. The pilot’s loss of control during takeoff for undetermined reasons. Loss of control – stall in flight 4. An in-flight loss of control and impact with terrain for reasons that could not be determined because post-accident examination did not reveal any anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. 5. The pilots’ failure to maintain adequate airspeed during climb, which resulted in the airplane’s wing exceeding its critical angle of attack and a subsequent aerodynamic stall. Contributing to the accident was the flight instructor’s decision to conduct a training flight in an airplane equipped with a single throw- over-type control wheel. 6. The pilot’s loss of airplane control during a practice stall maneuver, which resulted in a spin that continued to ground impact. 7. The airplane’s aerodynamic stall/spin at low altitude and subsequent impact with terrain for reasons that could not be determined during post-accident examinations. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s lack of currency/proficiency. Loss of control – spiral 8. The pilot failed to maintain control of the airplane while maneuvering in instrument meteorological conditions. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s minimal experience flying in actual instrument conditions. Loss of control – adverse weather 9. The pilot’s improper in-flight planning/decision, his continued flight into adverse weather (icing conditions), and failure to maintain an adequate airspeed during the emergency descent. 10. The pilot’s flight into developing rain showers and updrafts, which resulted in a loss of airplane control and collision with terrain. Contributing to the accident were the pilot’s continued flight into forecast adverse weather conditions, and his reliance on weather technologies with known limitations and processing delays. Loss of control – approach 11. The pilot’s failure to maintain control of the airplane during an instrument approach due to spatial disorientation. Loss of control – missed approach 12. The pilot’s spatial disorientation due to a somatogravic [“false climb”] illusion while conducting a missed approach in instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in the airplane’s descent into objects and terrain. Loss of control – go around 13. The pilot(s) failure to maintain adequate airspeed during an attempted go-around, which resulted in an exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle of attack and an aerodynamic stall. Three of the fatal accidents occurred during simulated engine- out training being conducted by a multiengine flight instructor: 1. The pilot’s loss of control of the airplane during low-airspeed airwork and his failure to promptly recover the airplane from the aerodynamic stall, which resulted in a spin. Contributing to the accident were the pilot and certified flight instructor’s intentional operation of the airplane for the purpose of performing instructional airwork with only a throw-over control yoke installed and the pilot’s lack of recent flight experience in the airplane make and model. Contributing to the lack of accurate performance data (including the air minimum control airspeed) for the modified airplane was the lack of guidance by the Federal Aviation Administration for an installer of a supplemental type certificate (STC) modification to determine the interrelationship between all STCs incorporated into an aircraft. Over 4,000 Installations in 37 Years! 2 Year Guarantee • Use Only FAA PMA Parts Call Today! (314) 406-1389 Schedule dates see www.dbmods.com email: sales@dbmods.com 15339 Batesville Ct. • Chesterfield, MO 63017 C.R.S. SH2R161L We Do Windows! EXCELLENT SERVICE QUALITY PRODUCTS AFFORDABLE PRICES December through the end of May: West Palm Beach (LNA) June through November: St. Louis (1H0) 38 A M E R I C A N B O N A N Z A S O C I E T Y August 2020 w w w. b o n a n z a .o r g 2. The pilot receiving instruction failed to maintain airplane control during the simulated engine-out landing. Contributing to the accident was the flight instructor’s failure to take timely remedial action. 3. The flight instructor’s loss of control during an aerodynamic stall demonstration, which resulted in an inadvertent spin from which he was unable to recover. Contributing to the accident was the flight instructor’s lack of familiarity with the airplane’s stall characteristics. The remaining two events were a Controlled Flight into Terrain during an attempted visual flight in instrument meteorological conditions: 1. The pilot’s continued visual flight into instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in an in-flight collision with mountainous terrain. …and an electrical fire in the cockpit that was not extinguished and led to ground impact: 2. An in-flight fire that mostly likely occurred in the right front cockpit area behind the instrument panel and below the glare shield; the origin of the fire could not be determined because of the extensive fire damage. What can we learn? First, given the approximately 3,400 Barons and Travel Airs on the FAA registry as of the end of 2019, and making an educated assumption that the average Beech piston twin flies 150 hours per year, in any given year there was approximately 0.5 fatal Baron or Travel Air accidents for each 100,000 flying hours. That’s about half the fatal accident rate for fixed-wing general aviation airplanes as a whole. Next, Baron and Travel Air transition and recurrent training focuses heavily on engine failures, the same as in all piston twins. The options presented to a well-trained pilot flying a twin-engine airplane sometimes do result in an otherwise uneventful landing – we don’t know how often, because such an event would not be an accident and therefore would not end up in the NTSB’s archives. It’s all up to how well the pilot controls the airplane. Further, many engine failures in the Beech twins occur as a result of fuel starvation, or fuel contamination that was not discovered and removed before flight. These causes are pilot- controllable. The lesson here is to inspect the fuel level and drain the sumps before flight, and to monitor the fuel state and fuel-remaining requirements continually in flight. In three especially regrettable cases, fatal loss of control happened during a simulated engine failure during dual instruction. The pilot was trying to do the right thing – practice for engine failures – but entered a flight regime the instructor was hesitant or unable to correct in time. Beech twin pilots: ● Choose your instructor carefully to ensure he or she is qualified and current in your specific model of Beechcraft. ● Act as if you are pilot-in-command even if for some regulatory reason you are not PIC on a particular training flight—depend on your instructor to keep you safe, but don’t put him or her in a position to have to intercede. ● If you’re an instructor in Barons and Travel Airs, it’s your responsibility to ensure that the pilot receiving instruction never gets the airplane in a situation that is beyond your ability to immediately recover even if your student suddenly does the wrong thing. Most of the scenarios that kill pilots and passengers in the Beech twins are no different from those that lead to fatalities in single-engine airplanes. The largest number of Baron/Travel Air fatalities occurred when both engines were working normally. Even on two engines, the issue is the pilot’s ability to maintain control of the airplane – to avoid stalls and spirals, and in one case to maintain control of the airplane while practicing an intentional stall. Loss of control in flight usually results from distraction and is amplified by lack of recent experience in the conditions you’re flying. The fact you can’t experience everything on routine point- to-point flying is reason enough to follow a course of continuous education and regular recurrent training, so the first time you see a scenario will not suddenly become your last. °• Volume 20 • Numbe r 8 A M E R I C A N B O N A N Z A S O C I E T Y 39 F or 1947, Beech Aircraft Corporation went all-out with four-color magazine ads across its product line. As shown in this ad, Beech promoted its new and popular Model 35 Bonanza primarily as a business tool yet also as one that gives its owner “…time for play.” Because Beech booked over 1,500 confirmed orders with cash deposits before production began in early 1947, the small print in the lower right-hand corner states, “We are now delivering Bonanzas on the large backlog of firm orders created by the heavy demand for this airplane. Additional orders will be filled in the sequence received. Beech Aircraft Corporation, Wichita, Kansas, U.S.A.” It’s interesting to note that the art- ist’s conception of the Bonanza in flight depicts gridlocked roadway traffic in 1947, a situation that hasn’t changed over the ensuing years to today. — George Brown °• Then as Now BEECHCRAFT HISTORY w w w. b o n a n z a .o r g w w w. b o n a n z a .o r g 42 A M E R I C A N B O N A N Z A S O C I E T Y August 2020 The Thrill of It AllBy George Brown I t all started on the morning of October 15, 2012; I had just faxed our written offer to buy a 1980 B55 Baron. My wife, Kathryn, and I were excited since we had been searching for a B55 for more than two years, rejecting several candidates during that time and also missing a few. We both liked the airplane but there was an undercurrent of uncertainty with it. The Baron was located in North Carolina, over 1,100 miles east of our home in Central Texas. We had not seen the airplane in person but were comfortable with it for a number of reasons, including the results of a pre-purchase examination done just over two weeks earlier for the seller – therein the source of the undercurrent. To explain, in early October after viewing an internet video promoting the Baron, I called the advertising broker. It was sold a few days earlier – my usual luck. However, two days later the broker called with news that the B55 was back at his facility and was for sale again by its new owner – would I still be interested in it? Although the asking price was not set at that time, we were nonetheless interested. But there was that nagging question: why after only a few days was the plane for sale again? Digital copies of the logs and the prepurchase report soon arrived along with detail photos I requested. As I studied the photos and logs, I was delighted with the airplane’s record of prior maintenance. Major-expense airframe items such as wing bolts, fuel cells, and heater were recently replaced by a well-known Beechcraft shop. Both engines and propellers appeared to be problem free. Additionally, a recent wing spar carry-through inspection identified no cracks. In subsequent conversations with the person who had owned the plane for many years up to its sale a few days earlier, he freely related his operating and maintenance experiences with it. He also