Cessna Flyer / September 2020

Out of the necessity of changing the format for our Gathering, another way of connecting with members was born. We will host webinars on a regular basis going forward. We have received some good ideas for future topics and are looking for more. Please send your suggestions to jen@cessnaflyer.org. The webinars will not replace our in-person Gathering at Waupaca, which we fully expect to be back and better than ever in 2021, but rather bring an added enhancement to your membership. To view the webinars from the Gathering, please go to the Cess- na Flyer Association YouTube channel: tinyurl.com/CFAYouTube. Be sure to subscribe to the channel for updates on future videos. Blue skies, • Spark Plugs • Oil Filters • Dry Air Pumps • Regulators and Manifold Valves • Pneumatic Filters and Fittings and Fittings • Carburetors • Replacement Components ® ® • RSA Fuel Injection Systems • Replacement Components • Temperature Probes • Instruments • Test Equipment ® www.tempestaero.com 800.822.3200 Quality, Innovation and Performance from the Brands you Trust. 10 • Cessna Flyer / September 2020 Events EVERY SUNDAY THROUGH OCTOBER BEALETON, VIRGINIA WARRENTON/FAUQUIER AIRPORT (KHWY) The Flying Circus Airshow is proud to announce that its 50th consecutive season starts Sunday, June 12, at its aerodrome near Bealeton, Virginia. The Flying Circus Airshow has been a favorite family event and a feature of Virginia’s long-storied aviation history for 50 years! The Flying Circus Airshow features thrilling performances that include formation flying demonstrations, world-class aerobatics, classic comedy routines, death defying wing walkers, and more, providing an afternoon of fun for the whole family. These performances include a host of antique airplanes including Stearmans, WACOs, Cubs, Champs, and others from the Barnstorming Era! Airplane rides are available for purchase both before and after the Sunday performance. These include open cockpit rides in the historic Stearman biplane, double rides for two in an antique WACO biplane, and kid’s rides in the famous Piper Cub and Aeronca Champ. Extreme aerobatic biplane rides are also available to the most adventurous spirits. Is this on your bucket list? The Flying Circus is the longest continuously running airshow in Virginia, and perhaps the world, with hundreds of exciting performances over its 50-year history. “It’s really a joy to be a part of the historic Flying Circus,” said Mike Truchel, President of the Flying Circus. “We are very proud to bring another season of barnstorming airshow performances to aviation lovers of all ages.” Performances are held every Sunday afternoon starting at 2:30 pm, May through October, at its home aerodrome located at 5114 Ritchie Road (Route 644) in Bealeton, Virginia, weather permitting. The field opens for airplane rides at 11 am, and rides continue after the show. For more information including admission, airplane ride prices, and a detailed schedule of events, see flyingcircusairshow.com. The Flying Circus meets all Virginia Phase 3 procedures for operation in the COVID-19 environment. Due to COVID-19, some events might be canceled. Contact event organizers prior to date for current status. As an A&P/IA and FAA National Aviation Maintenance Technician of the Year, when it came time for Adrian Eichhorn to rebuild the engine that would take him around the world, he chose Superior Millennium Cylinders. They were the only cylinder brand with the superior quality, superior engineering, and superior reliability he demanded. So, whether you’re flying around the patch or around the world, put your trust in the number one replacement cylinders for Continental and Lycoming engines: Superior Air Parts’ Millennium Cylinders. For more information, contact your nearest Superior Air Parts distributor, or visit: www.SuperiorAirParts.com Adrian Eichhorn, Globe trotting Bonanza pilot, FAA A&P/IA “When you’ve got over 17 hours of open Pacific Ocean in front of you, you’ve got to have cylinders you can trust. I wouldn’t attempt a flight like that with anything but Superior’s Millennium Cylinders.” —Adrian Eichhorn WHAT’S RIDING ON YOUR CYLINDERS? 12 • Cessna Flyer / September 2020 By KEVIN GARRISON I don’t think of my professional life in aviation as a career. I see it more as a collection of very interesting odd jobs and adventures. Some lasted longer than others, and they varied in how much money I made doing them. Now that I am more or less retired, they all seem to be of equal value to me. It may seem odd to you, but flying a Boeing 777 kind of melds into flying a Cessna 182 towing banners or flying forestry. To me, they seem to be essentially the same. Another odd thing comes to my mind when I review all the flying jobs I have had. They all seemed to pay just enough for what I needed at the time. I feel that I made just enough money when I was flying skydivers, and also made just enough as an airline captain. When I was flying all-nighters carrying canceled checks in Beechcraft Barons and Piper Navajos, my financial require- ments were sparse. An apartment, a car, and enough to eat at McDonald’s did me just fine. Later, when flying airliners, I needed a house, money to raise kids, and an extra car. It all kind of worked out. Except for that one desperate time just between college and when the airline hired me, when I got so low that I weak- ened and interviewed for a non-aviation job, I have been happy in whatever piloting career I had. When I was young and starting out, the idea that I could go to an aviation college and then expect an airline career was an alien thought, and I am glad I never tried that expensive and real-world-experience-free route. A liberal arts degree from Florida State University and a number of years scaring myself in various airplanes and situ- ations made me a much better airline captain than any flying course taught in a college ever could. I am not saying that my way of getting through my career was the best, but it sure was interesting! Here are some piloting jobs I have had and what they did to or for me. Editor’s note: Times have changed since Kevin was a teenage commercial pilot. Remember to consider appropriate regulations and risk management procedures before taking on these types of experience-building jobs. AM radio “Eye-in-the-sky” Cessna 150 pilot Yes, for two hours a day, one flight in the early morning and one beginning at 5 p.m., I took to the skies with a WONN traf- fic reporter to give our Lakeland, Florida, listeners the scoop on all the traffic in Polk County. This job ended after three months because, as it turned out, there was no traffic on which to report. We actually announced when we saw a train pulling into the Lakeland area. It was that bad. Still, 180 hours in a Cessna 150 at five bucks an hour was serious coin for this 19-year-old. Ferry-from-the-factory pilot I have written about this before, and I am not sure if it was a job since they did not pay me for it, but I made a dozen or so trips to and from Wichita, Kansas, to pick up new airplanes and fly them back to Florida when I was a senior in high school. You may not remember this today, but back then, most airplanes were brand new. You are still probably flying airplanes I flew back from the factory in 1973, thinking, “Hey, this plane doesn’t seem that old.” There are several books and movies in the stories I could tell about what I learned as a VFR-only 17-year-old pilot. For example, reading water towers to figure out where you are is a real thing. Also, there is a great story about me being stuck on top of clouds having to, shall we say, “drain the main,” with only a fuel strainer tube to help me out. Random pilot or co-pilot When still a callow teen, I was frequently asked to go on various trips as what could only be referred to as a “warm body.” These trips were in Lockheed Lodestars, Cessna 411s, and all other kinds of flights that needed a sweaty teen to make them seem legal and safe. There were tons of other “Hey, we need a pilot to do what nobody else wants to do” flying gigs that I got. If it was boring The High & The Writey Odd Jobs High risk, low pay, and questionable working conditions were all part of the day-to-day routine for this young commercial pilot. … a number of years scaring myself in various airplanes and situations made me a much better airline captain than any flying course taught in a college ever could. September 2020 / Cessna Flyer • 13 14 • Cessna Flyer / September 2020 The High & The Writey or questionably legal, this kid got the call. Here is an example that really happened: Boss: “Kevin, have you ever flown an Ercoupe?” Me: “Sure!” (I had never seen or flown an Ercoupe in my life.) Boss: “Well, OK. Get in that Ercoupe over there and fly it for a few hours. The owner says the engine quits all the time, and he is scared to fly it.” Me: “OK, boss!” The airplane in this little drama did have a pesky “the en- gine quits all the time” problem. After three engine-out land- ings somewhere around Lakeland airport, I figured out that the fuel tank vent was clogged. Move aside, Chuck Yeager—a real test pilot is coming through! Skydiving pilot Picture a beat-up 1959 Cessna 182 Skylane with me flying five stoned jumpers over the wilds of Cairo, Georgia. It paid five bucks a flight hour, and since I was drug-free but had nothing against drinking, I was given all the Boone’s Farm Strawberry Hill Wine I could quaff in the evenings after we were done flying. There was nothing remarkable to report about this job except I was shot in the tail with a high-powered rifle when a local farmer thought the Russians were invading as I flew over his place looking for a lost jumper. Canceled-check cargo pilot Right after college, I joined the ranks of the all-night check-hauling pilots for a while. I flight instructed during the day and then flew all night for five nights a week, running paper checks (you may have to explain paper checks to our younger readers) all over the southeastern United States in a broken-down series of old twins like Cessna 310s, Beech Barons and Piper Aztecs. These planes had no radar or autopilot, so flying through the stormy nights around places like Atlanta; Savannah, Georgia, and Tallahassee, Florida, got kind of sporty more often than I liked. To this day, I am terrified of thunderstorms because they banged me up so violently and unexpectedly back during my youth. Here is the thing about flying all night and then getting up to fly days.. After about three days and nights of this stuff, you really needed to get some sleep. You tend to hallucinate on night No. 3. I knew I need to get a full-day’s sleep when I began to see Hannah Barbara characters in my cockpit. No kidding. When I saw “Quick Draw McGraw,” it was time to get some rest. This all-night flying served me well in my airline career. First, I learned my physical and mental limits. Try taking a col- lege flying course that keeps you up at night five nights a week and then wants you to teach a full schedule of students during the day. I bet you won’t get this kind of experience in a class. Second, the couple of thousand hours I got doing this gave me confidence and a strong will to survive. Later in my airline career, I had no qualms about chickening out of bad weather sit- uations or taking charge when I needed to during an emergency. Banner towing Our flying service and flight school towed banners as a sideline business. I bet that towing a banner at 70 knots on a 95-degree day over a college football game in Florida is one of the hottest flying jobs out there. If you enjoy six flight hours a day flying 1 knot above stall speed, I suggest you get a banner towing job. My favorite ban- ner? “You Had the Best but Settled for Less!” was one I towed around the wedding reception of a guy who had broken up with the lady who paid for this banner two weeks before, and was marrying her best friend. Forestry pilot This one entailed flying over the Apalachicola National For- est for at least three hours a day, looking for lightning strikes that might cause fires. I got turned inverted three times below a thousand feet flying under the kind of severe thunderstorms you can only find over the panhandle of Florida in August. During fire season, when there were huge fires, I got to fly up to nine hours a day. We mostly flew through the hot spots leading a Consolidated B-24 Liberator water bomber. This was before GPS and cell phones, so I also spent a lot of time looking for lost firefighters and bulldozers. Other miscellaneous flying adventures There are lots of other odd jobs I have done, like when I did a turtle survey around the entire coast of Florida at two hundred feet over the beach—a two-week trip, believe it or not—or our “Aerial Burial” business that we added so we could dump people’s ashes out over the Gulf of Mexico. Like I said before, I don’t know if I made enough money, but I was getting paid experience that you cannot find anywhere else, and that experience made me a much better pilot. You can’t appreciate sitting in the air-conditioned, pres- surized cockpit of a transport jet until you have spent time sweating out an all-nighter in bad weather or sweating (even more) hauling a banner around the State Fair. Every day was a new adventure for me, and I loved it all. Adventures still abound for this aging pilot, but I hope my sur- prises are limited to things like finding a great ice cream place at an airport or discovering that sectional I lost last month under my seat.  KEVIN GARRISON’S aviation career began at age 15 as a lineboy in Lakeland, Florida. He came up through General Aviation, retired as a 767 captain in 2006, and retired from instructing airline pilots in 2017. Garrison’s professional writing career has spanned three decades. Send questions or comments to editor@cessnaflyer.org. If it was boring or questionably legal, this kid got the call. 16 • Cessna Flyer / September 2020 Seat Rails, Nosewheel Shimmy, Data Plate Location, Engine Monitors Screws in lieu of rivets for installing seat rails, reducing nosewheel shimmy, locating the factory data plate on a Cessna 336, choosing an engine monitor to accompany a new engine. By STEVE ELLS Questions & Answers Q My mechanic tells me that we need to replace both pilot’s side seat rails in my Cessna 172M Skyhawk. I thought I read, probably years ago, that some of the riv- ets holding the rails in place are very hard to get to, and that there’s an approval, (I believe it’s from Cessna) to use screws instead. I can’t find anything about it. Can you help? Ted A Your memory is not completely gone, but it wasn’t Cessna that issued the approval to use screws. It was the FAA in what is called a Special Airworthiness Informa- tion Bulletin (SAIB). The bulletin is CE-90-03 R2, issued Aug. 26, 2002. It applies to all the aircraft listed in the applicability sec- tion of Airworthiness Directive 87-20-03 R2, which has since been superseded by AD 2011-10-09. These are the 150, 152, 170, 172, 172RG, 175, 177, 177RG, 180, 182, R185, T182, 185, 188, 190, 195, 206, P206, 210, P210, 210-5, T303, 336, and 337. This special bulletin stresses the need to install all re- quired fasteners (the removed rail can be used as a template) when a new rail is installed. New rails are not predrilled for all the fasteners. The bulletin also contains this sentence: “c. Since it is difficult to install many of the rivets required to attach the seat rail, it is permissible to substitute screws with ultimate tensile strength exceeding 50 ksi. Example of such screws are AN515, AN520, AN525, MS35206, MS35207, MS35214, MS35215, MS35218, MS35219, MS51957, or MS51958 with lock nuts provided the holes are ream fit and spotfaced.” The requirement to spotface the holes prior to installation is because the upper surface of the base of each rail is not perpendicular with the bottom surface. Reaming is necessary to adjust the hole size to the screw shank diameters. Happy flying, Steve Q Years ago, I remember reading something about adding shims somewhere to reduce nosewheel shimmy, but I don’t remember any of the details. I’m starting to get shimmy and want to stop it before it gets worse. Any current information/knowledge out there on this? Thanks, Kent A Jacque- line Shipe, another tech adviser for Cessna Flyer, wrote an extensive article on nosewheel shim- my. You can find a link to it below in Resources. Happy flying, Steve QRecently, I looked at a Cessna 336 Skymaster and for the life of me, I could not find the factory-installed data plate for the airframe. It may be covered up by upholstery or stick-on insulation. I found the “Trim & Finish” plate on the cabin door forward door post. A search of the front door post and the two main ring bulkheads behind the pilot’s seat did not reveal the data plate either. Any- one have any idea where Cessna may have put it? Michael A I checked with Bill Crews at Skymaster International and he told me that the data plate would be one of two places: on the co-pilot’s forward door post or on the right rudder near the back. Happy flying, Steve Years ago, I remember reading something about adding shims somewhere to reduce nosewheel shimmy, but I don’t remember any of the details. September 2020 / Cessna Flyer • 17 4912 SOUTH COLLINS • ARLINGTON MUNICIPAL AIRPORT • ARLINGTON, TX 76018 800-759-4295 • FAX 817-468-7886 • e-mail: acsales@vanbortel.com • www.vanbortel.com follow us 4912 SOUTH COLLINS • ARLINGTON MUNICIPAL AIRPORT • ARLINGTON, TX 76018 800-759-4295 • FAX 817-468-7886 • e-mail: acsales@vanbortel.com • www.vanbortel.com follow us 18 • Cessna Flyer / September 2020 Questions & Answers Q I’m (finally) installing an engine monitor in my 1966 Cessna 182J Skylane. I’ve owned this beauty for 24 years and recently installed a newly rebuilt engine. Both the engine rebuilder and my mechanic urged me to put in a moni- tor. Do you have any suggestions as to which one to install? Don A The three long-time engine monitor companies for certified airplanes are Insight, J. P. Instruments, and Electronics International. Garmin got into the game a few years ago. Insight released it Graphic Engine Monitor (GEM) in 1981. Since then, they have concentrated on packing more than can be believed into a modest-looking round 3 1/8-inch instrument. The Insight monitors have basic engine monitoring data (CHT, EGT, MAP, RPM, oil temperature, fuel flow, bus volt- age, outside air temperature) and sophisticated features such as real-time exhaust valve monitoring, G forces—both for takeoff and hard landings—sensor analysis, engine vibration spectrum, and an easy-to-use rich-of-peak and lean-of-peak leaning tool. J.P. Instruments is a long-established company with de- cades of experience. It has several form factors, which can be installed either horizontally or vertically. These are designed so that the body of the monitor is inserted in an existing 3 1/8-inch instrument hole. JPI builds simple bar-graph style EGT and CHT monitors, expanded-style monitors that display a great deal of engine data, or similar-style monitors that are approved to replace many of the primary (oil pressure and temperature, ammeter and voltmeter, tachometer and manifold pressure gauge, and fuel quantity gauges) engine instruments that may be showing their age. The JPI displays are very sharp and detailed and easy to read. Electronics International offers the MVP-50P, a flush- mount 5.5 by 5.1-inch display and the CGR-30P and CGR- 30C series, which have round-faced displays that fit into a 3 1/8-inch instrument hole. These are both approved to replace primary engine instruments. I have the CGR-30P and the CGR-30C installed in my airplane and am very happy with Continued on Page 62  One thing I can tell you is that you’re going to be surprised at what you see when you start flying after the installation of one of these monitors. September 2020 / Cessna Flyer • 19 Let’s face it. An aviation headset can offer the best ANR technology. Outstanding durability. Crisp, clear audio and voice transmission. And the convenience of Bluetooth. But if it feels uncomfortable during longer flights, you simply won’t want to wear it. The David Clark DC ONE-X ANR headset offers all the comfort you crave along with the advanced technology and perfomance features you demand. For more information and to purchase online, visit www.davidclark.com, or call 1-800-298-6235. W W W . D A V I D C L A R K . C O M There are two important things to consider when buying a premium ANR headset... comfort, and comfort. An Employee Owned American Company © 2020 David Clark Company Incorporated ® Green headset domes are a David Clark registered trademark. Outlast ® technology head pad actually absorbs heat buildup from the top of your head, keeping you cool and comfortable during longer flights Swivel-hinge stirrup design evenly distributes its feather-light 12 oz. weight, virtually eliminating clamping pressure Plush, leatherette ear seals with memory foam adjust to the contours of your head to provide an exceptionally comfortable seal, even when wearing glasses 20 • Cessna Flyer / September 2020 STRETCHED HEADLINERS Multi-panel sewn headliner secured to the upper cabin structure with tempered rods and clips. Renovating an Interior, Part Fifteen September 2020 / Cessna Flyer • 21 H ow often does anyone look up at a headliner and say, “Man, that’s a really cool headliner!” In 47 years of being in this business, I’ve rarely heard a customer say that at delivery. Between all the whiz-bang radios, beautifully sculpted seats, and the latest multifunction screens, headliners don’t get much respect. That is…until one is poorly crafted and in- stalled. Then, this normally innocuous interior component sticks out like a sore thumb. From 1946 through today, Cessna has used only three types of headliners in their single- and twin-engine airplanes. The first type is stretched fabric or vinyl, mounted on 5/32- inch tempered rod bows. These were common from 1946 through mid-1970s singles and early twins. Cessna actually stuck with this sewn, bow-mounted, stretched headliner for all of the Model 210s. Later twins used a Galietti extruded aluminum mounting rail system. Later Cessna 172s, 182s, and 206s have a plastic headliner. The first of these used molded, non-thermal-setting, self-skinning urethane foam that was semi-rigid. By the late 1970s, Cessna changed to a hard, thin, non-thermal-setting Kydex plastic for their molded headliners (that same material was used to mold their famous window frames). We will move on to these plastic headliners next month. Removal of the headliner Let’s get started. As I mentioned, the first headliners Cessna used were the stretched, sewn type. Personally, I think this type of headliner presents some of the most pa- tience-depleting and skill-demanding chal- lenges in aircraft interior renovation work. But don’t let that statement scare you do-it-yourselfers. It’s my intent to walk you through all the procedures and tricks of this game. I wish someone had done that for me back in the early 1970s when I was trying to figure this stuff out. Challenge can be a good teacher, and necessity is definitely the mother of invention. Before getting into the process of fabricating and installing one of these stretched headliners, I want to stress how important it is to keep the old headliner as a pattern. If you don’t have the pattern, you may want to call a company that manufactures and sells interior kits and components. They can provide a new pre-sewn headliner that fits well and looks great. First steps of removal To remove these headliners, begin by taking out the sunvisors, the spanwise trim strip at the top of the windshield, and the two windshield post covers. In later airplanes, the plastic window trim must also be removed. Using a rounded thin putty knife, begin re- moving the headliner material that is tucked into a pointed-edge retaining strip above the doors and around the aft cabin windows. We sometimes use a bent awl to fish around up inside the retainer strip to get the edge of the headliner material out. Then, we use the soft-edged putty knife to push up and lift the headliner material off those sharp Removing, fabricating, and installing headliners isn’t for the faint of heart, but it’s a task that savvy do-it-yourselfers can perform with a good step-by-step guide. By Dennis Wolter 22 • Cessna Flyer / September 2020 points on the retaining strip. The photo on Page 26 shows it all. Hopefully, the headliner has enough surplus material to al- low us to grab the selvage edge, helping to eliminate damage as the headliner is tediously removed from the retainer. Fabricating and installing new retaining strips We’ve dealt with so many damaged headliners due to the feeble, pointed retaining strips above the cabin doors that we use these retainer strips as a guide to fabricate a much-im- proved strip assembly. If you have access to a sheet metal bending brake, a plain old pop rivet tool, and a bandsaw, improved retainer strips are quite easy to fabricate. Using the original retainer strip as a pattern, fabricate new aluminum rep- licas of the base metal using 0.032-inch 2024T-3 aircraft aluminum and the soon- to-be-not-pointed piece using 0.025-inch 2024T-3 aluminum. Next, using a bending brake, form an approximately 1/4-inch, 90-degree angle along the edges of both new strips. Then, bend a second slight angle in the 0.025- inch retainer strip replicating the exact geometry of the original piece. Cut the 1/4-inch, 90-degree flange of the 0.025- inch formed retainer strip down to 3/16 of an inch using a bandsaw. It’s important to leave the slightly rough edge created by the bandsaw blade uncleaned. The roughness of this edge will help to hold the headliner material in the retainer strip. The next step involves riveting the rough-edge-formed 0.025-inch strip to the single-bend 0.032-inch base strip us- ing 1/8-inch countersunk pop rivets with the factory head on the outboard side of the trim strip assembly. The final step in this process is to exactly replicate the mounting holes that allow for installing the new retainer assembly to the upper door frame with No. 4 PK sheet metal screws. Once the new retainer assembly is installed above the cabin door, it may be necessary to slightly increase the gap at the bottom of the retainer to allow for the new headliner to be tucked into the retainer assembly. The beauty of these field-fabricated retainer strips is that they will securely hold the edge of the headliner material in place without damaging the material during future removal and reinstallation of the headliner. Spar carry-through maintenance With all sides of the headliner ma- terial removed from the old retaining strips, peel the forward glued edge loose from the front spar carry-through. Be sure to remove all the old glue from the spar carry-through and check for corro- sion that may have developed under the glue—here’s your chance! Thoroughly clean off any corrosion that is found and spray the spar car- ry-through with a coat of real zinc chro- mate available in convenient spray cans from aircraft supply houses. If any corro- sion found on the spar carry-through will not clean up with the use of a Scotchbrite pad, it’s time to involve your maintenance technician for an inspection of the dam- age. (Cessna 210 owners should check with their A&P for compliance with AD 2020-03- 16. —Ed.) Final removal steps Starting at the front and working aft, remove the No. 4 PK screws that secure the headliner clips holding the bows to the cabin top. Finally, lift the bows out of their retaining cup holes at the outer edges of the headliner. The headliner can now be removed from the airplane. Once the headliner is completely removed, you should absolutely have your mainte- nance technician inspect the cabin top area for such things as corrosion, bad cables, and old hoses. Preparing your new headliner Here’s how to properly cut, sew, and A vinyl headliner hanging on a hard steel rod that is secured to the cabin structure. A section view sketch of an im- proved headliner retaining strip. headliner and evenly work from the centers to the corners. September 2020 / Cessna Flyer • 23 install a stretched headliner using the old headliner as a pattern. The first step is to locate a fore-to-aft longitudi- nal center line on the old headliner and mark at each seam. Then, remove the tempered steel bows and number them from front to back (numbered pieces of masking tape tabs work great). We always thoroughly clean off any rust we find with a wire brush and spray the bows with a good metal primer. Marking Using sharp colored chalk, mark each headliner panel with a number from front to back. Include a for- ward-pointing arrow and centerline mark; this will eliminate a sewing error later. Failure to take these steps will drive you nuts at installation time when you attempt to install an incorrectly sewn headliner. Now, cut the seams open with a sharp razor blade, being careful not to cut the old headliner material. The mission here is to have an accurate set of well-marked patterns for creating the new headliner. A note on the proper way to mark upholstery materials: Use only colored chalk. Do not use indelible markers, ballpoint pens, pencils, or wax-type markers. Trust me; the above-mentioned markers will even- tually bleed through any type of uphol- stery material. This is a word to the wise. Material choices Before proceed- ing with the process, we should discuss the various flame-re- tardant materials available for headliner fabrication. Considering all the fuel and electrical lines that run behind your headliner, the key words here are “flame-retardant.” Safety is very import- ant. Look for materials that pass FAR 25.853a. Lots of commercial fabrics and Galietti aluminum extruded rail and a plastic retaining strip that secures the long, full-cabin- length headliner panels. sales@aeroleds.com www.AeroLEDs.com LESS DRAG • LESS DRAW DESIGNED & MADE IN BE SEEN. 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Remember, your IA knows the rules and will require proof of FAR compliance at your next annual. Never use material that was flame-treated as an aftermarket application. This type of treatment can cause serious corrosion later. Make sure to choose the right ma- terial. As with many areas of aircraft renovation, this can involve compro- mise. Hanging a headliner with no wrinkles is easiest to do if the material is stretchy. That usually means fabric of some kind. That said, fabric is not as durable nor is it as easy to clean as vinyl; but vinyl is not as stretchy as fabric. Wool fabric will shrink a bit with the applica- tion of steam vapor, so most wrinkles in a wool headliner can be eliminated with a steamer. Nylon and Dacron fabrics are quite durable, but they are relatively inflexi- ble, and once tightly stretched, will sag if exposed to high humidity. So, what looks good in winter could end up looking like an old army pup tent on a humid summer day. All things considered, we strong- ly prefer a good upholstery grade of flameproof aircraft vinyl for a durable, cleanable, soil-resistant and, with some work, wrinkle-free stretched headliner. Never fabricate a headliner out of leath- er. Leather just shrinks too much as it ages; take it from someone who’s made this mistake. Whether you choose vinyl or fab- ric, it’s important to properly work with the bias in the material. In plain English, this means that all materials will stretch more in one direction than the other. Since wrinkle elimination is a major concern when installing a stretched headliner, you need to use the inherent bias of the material’s stretch to your advantage. We have found it’s best to have the most stretch running fore and aft. To identify which direction of the raw material stretches the most, simply pull the material both ways, check the results and mark preferred direction on the back side with a chalk marker. In some cases, you may have to use more yardage in order to have the stretch work to your advan- tage. Don’t skimp on the material—a wrinkle-free headliner is worth it. Fabrication Finally, it’s time to begin fabricat- ing the new headliner. Lay out the old Pointed headliner retaining strip that holds the headliner above the doors in airframes with a soft headliner. September 2020 / Cessna Flyer • 25 pattern pieces on the new material, keeping every section oriented properly so the stretch bias is running forward and aft. It helps to lay heavy weights on the pattern pieces as you trace the shape of each section on the new material. Don’t forget to mark the center lines and panel numbers with chalk on each section of new material. Here’s a technique worth knowing. We like to cut each headliner panel slightly undersized by about 1/4 of an inch at each seam. When sewn with a normal seam allowance, the new headliner is slightly shorter in length than the old one. The idea here is to have a headliner that is dimensionally snug enough to require a little more stretch at installation time. This will help to elim- inate the tendency for wrinkling. We do cut the various headliner panels about 1 1/2 inch wider than the original pattern. This extra width will come in handy when securing the headliner along the sides of the cabin; more on this later. Sewing Never sew a headlin- er with linen or cotton thread. Use only durable Dacron thread to prevent future seam failures due to rotting thread. Be sure also to buy Durlon zippers with Dacron taping. Brass zippers with cotton taping will corrode and jam, and the cotton tape can begin to fail in as little as five years. Finally, use Dacron polyester or nylon canvas to fabricate the bow loops. It’s all about durability. The sewing techniques originally used by Cessna to assemble the headliner and its zippers and bows should be duplicated when fabricating the new headliner. We staple the panels and canvas bow loops together with a handheld stapler to keep everything in register and to eliminate slippage during the sewing process. Don’t forget to re- move the staples when you're done! Using a small bent pick to begin pulling the headliner material out of the pointed retainer strip. Cessna Cowling and Spinners for 120/140, 170, and 172 ALL MERCHANDISE IS SOLD F.O.B., AURORA, CO • PRICE AND AVAILABILITY SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE • 07-01-20 1. Dome ................................U0550236-8....... $475.49 2. Front Plate.........................U0550321-4....... $270.90 3. Rear Plate ......................U0550321-010....... $387.09 1 2 3 172 Spinner Assembly FAA-PMA 1946 Cowling Items Lower Cowl Skin, Left ............U0452126-3....$1,246.93 Lower Cowl Skin, Right..........U0452126-5....$1,246.93 Nose Cowl ................................ U0452124....... $904.06 1947 and 1948 Cowls Nose Cowl Blank....................... 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Restrictions apply – see our website for details. 26 • Cessna Flyer / September 2020 I would suggest that first-timers take some pictures for reference before disas- sembling the headliner. We still do this at Air Mod when we are fabricating a type of headliner that we don’t see very often. Pictures can be very helpful later. Hanging and stretching the head- liner Before hanging the headliner, install all the mounting screws and bolts necessary to install interior trim components, lights, air vents, shoulder harnesses, etc. Once the headliner is mounted and stretched, these mount- ing points will stick out enough to help you accurately locate and install those components. We don’t want to cut a hole in the wrong place! Now, for the fun part. With the cabin top cleaned, chromated, and reinsulated; and the fuel and electrical components inspected and repaired, the next step is to hang and stretch the headliner. Begin by reinstalling the headlin- er retaining bows in their respective canvas loops on the new headliner. Next, starting at the back and moving forward, locate a 1-inch slit in the canvas bow loops where the rod mounting tabs are located, and hang the headliner one bow at a time. Additional considerations For airplanes equipped with oxygen systems, two considerations come into play. First, check the entire system for function and leaks while the headliner is removed. Second, add two extra full-width zippers immedi- ately below the cabin-top-mounted oxygen bottles to allow for future re- moval of the bottles without having to disturb the headliner installation. Your mechanic will thank you for this change. We’re always thinking ahead! Even a headliner can be mod- ified to make maintenance faster and easier. Since strutless Cessna 210 own- ers are required to have your spar carry-throughs inspected, if you are going to install a new headliner, it’s important to install a full-width span- wise zipper located right under the spar carry-through. This handy additional zipper will make future inspections of the spar carry-through a snap. Stretching Next, it’s time to heat-stretch and trim the headliner. Heat is important if Pulling the surplus headliner material out of the pointed retainer strip while using a rounded-off, thin putty knife to lift the headliner material off the retainer strip sharp points. REST ASSUREDYOUR PARTNERS HAVE YOU COVERED! Aircraft insurance rates are on the rise. We can help. Shopping around to save on aircraft insurance...SMART. Us doing it for you...EVEN SMARTER. AssuredPartners Aerospace is one of the nation’s largest aviation insurance firms – which means we have the experience, expertise and resources to cover virtually every aspect of general aviation. We have you covered. OWNER AP-AEROSPACE.COM/OWN Don’t own your plane? We can help with that too! AP-AEROSPACE.COM/RENT ASSUREDPARTNERS AEROSPACE The right coverage at the right price. AOPA’s partner for aviation insurance. 888.255.2672 September 2020 / Cessna Flyer • 27 you are installing a vinyl headliner. Even in summer, we use two electric cube heaters and close the cabin doors to get the vinyl up to about 120 F. This will help make the vinyl flexible. To aid in wrinkle removal, we also carefully use a heat gun to spot-heat the vinyl in trouble areas. With the headliner hanging by its bows, pull it snugly and attach the center forward edge of the headliner to the center of the now-chromated front spar carry-through and to the center of the upper aft window structure. Then, start just behind the upper trailing edge of the cabin doors and pull the headliner spanwise until it is taut and secure it to the attachment structure. The sketch I’ve drawn (above) gives you a roadmap of how this is done. You must properly locate the main spanwise inspection zipper in the exact place so that the upholstered aluminum zipper cover will completely hide the zipper. In extreme cases, we will sometimes modify the zipper cover mounting tabs to reposition the cover. Begin stretching and securing the edge of the headliner material at the cen- ter points, progressively working toward the corners. You can work a wrinkle to a corner where it can be pulled out. On the other hand, if you start at the corners and work the wrinkles to the center, there is no place for surplus material to go at the center point. That’s a big problem. Final trimming In earlier Cessnas that have the direct-reading fuel gauges in the wing roots, it’s important to properly locate the cone-shaped fuel gauge reliefs at the time you are positioning the zipper. A word to the wise here: don’t trim any surplus headliner material until the entire thing is hanging wrinkle-free, and all locations for zippers, reading light mountings, air vents, and any protrud- ing components that may be poking from behind the headliner are checked and dealt with. If you don’t like what you see, you will have to remove the headliner to trim and re-sew a panel that doesn’t fit properly. This is a game where tenacity and patience definitely pay off. Having taken care of stretched headliners, we will move on to those pesky molded types next month. They are molded from two different materials, and we will address each one. Until then, fly safe! IMPORTANT: This article describes work that may need to be performed/ supervised by a certificated aviation maintenance technician. Know your FAR/AIM and check with your mechanic before starting any work.  Industrial designer and aviation enthusiast DENNIS WOLTER is well- known for giving countless seminars and contributing his expertise about all phases of aircraft renovation in various publications. Wolter founded AirMod in 1973 in order to offer private aircraft owners the same professional, high-quality work then only offered to corporate jet operators. Send questions or comments to editor@cessnaflyer.org. This stretching sequence sketch illustrates how to begin at the center of the headliner and evenly work from the centers to the corners. 28 • Cessna Flyer / September 2020 MY 1946 Cessna 140 was fine just the way it was. It had a pretty green and silver exterior and an equally attractive instrument panel that sported three suction-driven instruments along with a suction gauge. Very nice. The instruments were beautiful, but not always operational. They all depend- ed on a venturi tube for their suction, and they would not work until I achieved an airspeed that was continuously in excess of 80 knots. So, they were attrac- tive, but if I wanted a little situational awareness during low visibility hazy summer days or the very rare accidental encounter with a cloud, I was out of luck. Combine their lack of utility with the fact that I am a lifetime airline pilot gauge-gazer, and it is easy to see why I decided I needed an upgrade in the instrument department. Options, costs, and my low skill level You already know that there are tons of options out there for aircraft owners wanting to upgrade their panels and drain their wallets. Your choices in bringing your airplane into the future are limited only by money and common sense. I have been accused of not having the latter, and I definitely suffer from lack of the former, so I had some deci- sions to make before I shook my piggy bank. First, my airplane was never meant to be a heavy IFR operator. I am sure whoever put the suction gauges in my plane most likely wanted to use it as an instrument trainer of sorts. I have no intention of flying my airplane in hard IFR on purpose. I just want to see which side is up and have a good idea of where I am heading. Next, I have proven hundreds of times that I am no mechanic—A&P or otherwise. I have the mechanical know- how and skills of an 80-year-old compar- GLASS HALF-FULLKEVIN GARRISON upgrades his vintage airplane with some modern glass. YOUR CHOICES IN BRINGING YOUR AIRPLANE INTO THE FUTURE ARE LIMITED ONLY BY MONEY AND COMMON SENSE. The Dynon D3 Pocket Panel. September 2020 / Cessna Flyer • 29 30 • Cessna Flyer / September 2020 As the LARGEST Single-Engine Cessna Used Parts Dealer IN THE WORLD, we’ll help you find everything you need ...with only ONE call! AIRFRAME Wings, Cowlings, Interiors, Control Surfaces, Landing Gear, Tail Surfaces, Engine and Flight Instruments AVIONICS King, Narco, ARC, Collins, Nav/Com, Transponder, AME, DME, Autopilot Trays and complete harness included! All units 100% satisfaction guaranteed Wentworth Aircraft Inc. • 6000 Douglas Drive N. • Crystal, MN 55429 CESSNA | PIPER | HOMEBUILTS WENTWORTH AIRCRAFT, INC. Huge Volume | Fresh Stock | 80,000 Sq. Ft. of Indoor Storage | 30-Day Satisfaction Guarantee RFQs Online, Fax or Phone Hard-to-find parts aren’t hard to find here! Phone 763-231-8484 Fax 763-231-8482 Email wentacpart@aol.com ENGINES LYCOMING O-235 to IO-540 CONTINENTAL O-200 to IO-520 Complete engines with accessories and complete logs! Also Cylinders, Mags, Accessories ative literature professor with two hands that are constantly asleep. A handyman I am not. This project would have to be exactly like what I have been called from time to time over the years—cheap and easy. After spending hours upon hours of internet research, I opted to buy the Dynon D3 Pocket Panel. It is portable, battery-powered, and does not require any kind of FAA-man- dated maintenance procedure or paperwork to install and use. The D3 is a portable touch-screen EFIS with synthetic vision. Here is what this little gizmo can give a pilot like me: • Accurate pitch and roll • Synthetic vision • Battery life of somewhere around five hours, depend- ing on use • GPS groundspeed • GPS ground track (not magnetic heading, but close in low wind conditions) • GPS altitude and vertical speed • Turn rate • Slip/skid ball • G-meter Dynon D3s go for around $879. I got mine at Aircraft Spruce. (See resources for a link. —Ed.) The D3 has an internal rechargeable battery that is good for five hours of use. It also has an external GPS antenna. Both the antenna and power plug are easy to install and use in flight; although so far, I have not needed or used either. The Pocket Panel comes in the box with two mounts. One is for the people who like their artificial horizons on suction mounts. The other is for a pilot like me, who wants the artificial horizon smack-dab in the middle of the panel in front of their face. To mount the D3 the way I wanted it, all I needed was a September 2020 / Cessna Flyer • 31 3-inch hole in my panel. Lucky me—after removal of the suc- tion gauges, I had four 3-inch holes in my panel! As you can see from the pictures, I chose the hole to the right of my airspeed indicator. I reserved the hole next to the D3 for a project/upgrade to be discussed in a future issue. The other two empty holes were used to hang my iPad mount, which I’ll also discuss in detail a little later. Do you need a mechanic for this? There is no need for a mechanic to use Dynon’s pinch-mount for the D3. I didn't need tools, and didn't have to do any cutting 1-800-647-6148 • www.ffcfuelcells.com All FFC fuel bladders are manufactured with REGISTERED TSO-C80 constructions... KNOW what you are installing. Quality products at competitive prices. TSO-C80 FUEL CELLS 32 • Cessna Flyer / September 2020 or wiring, so it was OK for me install all by my lonesome. I did ask for and got the help of my friendly local A&P/IA for my upgrade project because it involved removing my suction instruments. I felt I needed his oversight for their safe (and very easy) removal, as well as the subsequent change in my weight and balance paper- work. By the way, removing “state-of- the-art” suction instruments resulted in my airplane being 9 pounds lighter. I removed the instruments while leav- ing the venturi tube on the side of my air- plane along with its length of hose behind my panel. My airplane is an antique, and I felt, at least for now, that I should leave the venturi on the plane to maintain its antique image. Also, I planned on using the venturi suction for a weird purpose that I’ll get to in a minute. September 2020 / Cessna Flyer • 33 Modern Upholstery STYLE - COMFORT - SECURITY Custom Designs 3814 Prosperity Rd | Duluth, MN 55811 | 218-728-1614 | www.scs-interiors.com | info@scs-interiors.com Made in the USA - We ship Worldwide and more... Foam Kits Aviation Interior Reupholstery Experts Carpet Kits Floor Mats Seat Covers Glare Shield Vinyl 0 5 25 75 95 100 Getting the panel off, instruments removed, and the panel back on was a very easy process. The access granted by removing the panel gave us a great opportunity to change out my kind of ditzy, intermittently operating oil temp gauge—again, with the oversight and help from my local A&P. After covering the unused panel holes with Aircraft Spruce’s panel hole covers, I reinstalled the panel, put in the Dynon pinch mount, attached my iPad to its mount, and I was all done. One of the major gripes that people have about flying with iPads is that they overheat. I placed the end of my venturi hose through the panel hole just behind the iPad as a sort of poor person’s radio rack cooling system. You transport pilots out there may remember the “radio rack cooling/ven- turi” selector switch. Since my Cessna 140 is not pressurized and has no radio rack fan, I brainstormed this silly fix. I’ll report back if it works. In all honesty, in hundreds of hours of iPad flying, I have never had one overheat, so it may be a non-problem for me anyway. There you have it. For a modicum of money and no apparent skills, I now have two artificial horizons, two head- ing/track indicators, two GPSes (I have a panel-mounted GPS/comm), a G meter, and a moving map available to me. Since I am running Foreflight using a Stratus receiver, I also have ADS-B In, govern- ment-issued weather, a database of nav information, and the ability to watch old movies on my iPad while I fly—if I am dumb enough to try. So, for less than a thousand bucks and with only two skinned knuckles (with minimum bleeding), the next time I am lost when I am flying, I’ll know exactly where I am!  KEVIN GARRISON’S aviation career began at age 15 as a lineboy in Lakeland, Florida. He came up through General Aviation, retired as a 767 captain in 2006, and retired from instructing airline pilots in 2017. Garrison’s professional writing career has spanned three decades. Send questions or comments to editor@cessnaflyer.org. RESOURCES CFA Supporter AIRCRAFT SPRUCE & SPECIALTY (DYNON D3) tinyurl.com/ACSpruceDynonD3 DYNON AVIONICS dynonavionics.com KNOW YOUR FAR/AIM AND CHECK WITH YOUR MECHANIC BEFORE STARTING ANY WORK. I DIDN'T NEED TOOLS, AND DIDN'T HAVE TO DO ANY CUTTING OR WIRING, SO IT WAS OK FOR ME INSTALL ALL BY MY LONESOME. 34 • Cessna Flyer / September 2020 Layout progre The World’s Most Popular Jump Plane Cessna 182: September 2020 / Cessna Flyer • 35 Photography By Grant Boyd T he venerable Cessna 182 line has seen more than 23,000 serial numbers hit the skies. Most of these models have been used by recreational flyers; but many other 182s leave terra firma with different missions. Whether it be search and rescue, student train- ing, or skydiving, the beloved high-wing four-seater excels at many different jobs. The mission profile of “the perfectly good airplane” that adrenaline junkies and bucket-list-checkers hurl themselves from is unique in of itself. Many may erroneously believe that the only viable transport options for shuttling jumpers to altitude are large twin-engine behe- moths and not, in comparison, a “small” Wichita-designed, piston-powered craft. The Cessna 182 is both an acceptable and desired skydiving operation air- craft—which many drop zones employ as their only jump plane. Why is the Cessna 182 an ideal jump plane? This is the question that I posed to Martin Myrtle, a private pilot and multi-rated instructor parachutist with over 5,500 jumps. Myrtle, who has been jumping for over 30 years, is the owner of Air Capital Drop Zone (ACDZ) at Cook Airfield (K50), roughly 10 miles south of Wichita, Kansas. His short answer of why skydiving outfits lean upon Skylanes is sufficient. “It’s the low-cost, economical pickup truck of light singles,” he says, but his long answer provides greater detail on both the sport of skydiving and its corre- sponding operations. “[Cessna] 182s are workhorses with a large useful load that are efficient to operate and maintain. They’re easily modified with a flip-up in-flight door, and in ss The combination of reliability, economy, and performance have made the Cessna 182 a mainstay of skydiving drop zone operations across the world. Take a ride in a jump plane with GRANT BOYD, as he explores the routine of a “diver driver” in a Cessna 182 modified for skydiving use. Rod exiting N8882X, followed by Kristie. 36 • Cessna Flyer / September 2020 The view from the back of N8883X. September 2020 / Cessna Flyer • 37 many engine upgrade STCs have become available over the past three or so decades. They’re the best option for the small drop zone, or those located other than near a multimillion-person population center.” With Myrtle giving the convincing “why,” I became curious as to how many 182s are employed as jump planes. Ed Scott, who is the executive director of the United States Parachute Association (USPA), notes that “The Cessna 182 is by far the most prevalent jump plane. Nearly every drop zone has one, even if they also have a larger jump plane.” His organization’s records indicate that there are nearly 170 Cessna 182s currently operating as jump planes in the United States, which is close to half of all drop zone aircraft. The rest of the list includes Cessna 208 Caravans, de Havilland Twin Otters, Cessna 206s, Beechcraft King Airs, Short Skyvans, and others. Two jump planes Air Capital Drop Zone operates two Cessna 182s in support of their skydiving operations, which serve recreationally-licensed skydivers, tandem jumpers, and solo students. Their 1961 Cessna 182D Skylane, N8882X, was converted for skydiving operations in 1986 and has since flown nearly 12,000 hours. Over the course of ACDZ’s ownership, the aircraft has undergone many extensive overhauls. For instance, the Continental O-470 engine was once overhauled by Western Skyways, and then ran roughly 2,500 hours. After this run, the engine was “The Cessna 182 is by far the most prevalent jump plane. Nearly every drop zone has one, even if they also have a larger jump plane.” Martin Myrtle readies N8882X by removing its co-pilot seat and yoke. 38 • Cessna Flyer / September 2020 upgraded to a 285 hp Continental O-520. Another 2,500 hours were quickly put on it over the next nine years, and it was then overhauled by Midwest Aircraft Services in 2017. In conjunction with these horse- power adjustments, the plane also gained a Wing-X STOL wing extension and a Texas Skyways engine mount. Together, these modifica- tions have allowed the aircraft to easily reach jump altitude (10,000 feet msl) in a mere 13 to 18 minutes, depending on the outside air temperature and weight. The aircraft is equipped with both a skydiver step that sits above the wheel on the starboard side of the aircraft and a flip-up door. This door was installed in 1986 by a field approval. The FAA no longer field-approves this modification as there is now an STC available. This type of “Snohomish” door dates back to the early 1960s, if not the late 1950s. This exit door is a modification of the original. It has been engineered and re- built to allow for ease of opening during flight, and ease of tearaway in the event it is ripped off. The door now opens from the bottom and is held during flight by a latch and catch system that is attached to the underside of the wing. ACDZ’s other jump plane was found on eBay. This 1977 Cessna 182Q Sky- lane was damaged and transferred to a major repair company by the insurance Tandem skydiver with instructor Mar- tin Myrtle; skydiver rushing to assist with collecting chute. Pilot Travis Swinson directing N8882X towards Cook Airfield (K50). September 2020 / Cessna Flyer • 39 company. The repair company subse- quently listed it on the internet auction site. “It was a very attractive option due to its low [airframe] time, low-time Continental IO-550 engine, as well as its IFR-capable instrument and radio suite,” Myrtle explained. Since winning the auction, Myrtle has put roughly $40,000 of work into N8883X. This has included the same Wing-X STOL conversion as ACDZ’s other 182, as well as many skydiving-re- lated additions and improvements. Perhaps the biggest project under- taken on the aircraft was the empennage reskinning and repair of several longe- rons. The work was completed over a period of about three years. The plane became airworthy again in the fall of 2019 and was immediately added to the ACDZ’s fleet. With all that’s been done to it, including an addition of a flip-up door and skydiving step, Myrtle notes that it’s almost “too nice” for jump operations. Most noticeable to the passerby is N8883X’s fresh white paint coat, overlain by several vinyl decals. The mouth on the cowling is, of course, the one that catches the eye first, but the aircraft also boasts ACDZ’s two logos. Why jump from a perfectly good airplane? Before learning a little bit about what opportunities there are to fly “meat missiles” (skydivers), it is important to understand why the job of being a “sky- diver driver” exists. Back in high school, when I was working toward my private pilot certif- icate, I heard my first “why you should jump out of a perfectly good airplane” pitch. Jen Sharp, a former drop zone owner, multi-rated parachutist, and cur- rent instructor coach, was trying to ed- ucate a few dozen teens about skydiving, while also convincing them why jumping isn’t as crazy as it sounds. As someone who breaks down most things to their simplest elements, I thought to myself: “Plane: air. Me: out. Me: ground,” and subsequently added in the slightly more complex concepts of “safety” and “fun.” This helped me to overcome my apprehensions and misgiv- ings about skydiving, leading me to want to experience flying without a plane. Shortly after Sharp’s indoctrination. I officially had one more takeoff in my life than I did landing, having jumped out Chances are many fellow pilots reading this are like me—they find skydiving interesting and might feel the need to jump at some point in their life. 40 • Cessna Flyer / September 2020 (239) 405-6117 “Sensitive to your needs” • TURBOCHARGERS • OVERHAUL - EXCHANGE • CONTROLLERS • PRESSURE RELIEF VALVES • WASTEGATES • WE BUY CORES MAIN TURBO We Will Help You Troubleshoot Your System! (Teaching Subject At FAA Endorsed Events) “ A family operated business since 1988, including a licensed A & P mechanic and commercial pilot” SYSTEMS, INC. GARY MAIN GARY MAIN “Sensitive to your needs” www.mainturbo.com maints@mainturbo.com 1-800-847-8815 • 559-635-3322 Fax 559-627-1960 6am – 6pm PST • Mon – Fri Visit Our Web Site to See the VSR In Action TURBOCHARGERS BALANCED AT OPERATIONAL SPEEDS ON OUR VSR TEST MACHINE TURBOCHARGERS BALANCED AT OPERATIONAL SPEEDS ON OUR VSR TEST MACHINE TURBOCHARGERS BALANCED AT OPERATIONAL SPEEDS ON OUR VSR TEST MACHINE of a Cessna 206 over northeast Kansas. Speaking to the safety aspect, I am still here to tell the tale after a 30-some- thing-second freefall from 10,000 feet and the following six-minute parachute ride down. This is true of the millions of others before and after me who have made the leap, whether it be tandem or one of the various solo methods. According to the USPA, skydiving has an overall strong safety record, with one fatality for every 220,000 jumps. Tandem skydiving has an even better record, with only one student fatality for every 550,000 tandem jumps each year over the past decade. Speaking to the fun aspect, if the act wasn’t at least relatively enjoyable, why would so many people keep doing it? Myrtle, who has been operating ACDZ Skydiving step and flip-top door as installed on N8883X. September 2020 / Cessna Flyer • 41 • Smoother engine operation • Better fuel efficiency • Increases power • Reduces maintenance costs Performance Promised; Performance Delivered! Factory Support: 248-674-3433 electroair.net | Sales 281-728-8732 www.aircapitoldial.com sales@aircapitoldial.com If your cockpit panel components are faded, need repairs or just need some touch-up, we’re ready to serve you. We’re an FAA Certified Repair Station. Call us, we’ll take care of you. Air Capitol Dial 877-269-2483 Air Capitol Dial Specialists in Repair and Refurbishing for over 20 years, gave a scientific rea- son to why people want to jump. “It’s a huge adrenaline rush, which causes your brain to release ‘pleasure hormones’ and is literally a natural high!” So, you want to fly a jump plane? Chances are many fellow pilots read- ing this are like me—they find skydiving interesting and might feel the need to jump at some point in their life. Some others have absolutely no desire to be in a plane, unless they know they are landing on wheels and not their feet. The lack of desire to jump is certainly understandable, and fortunately there are ample opportunities for these avia- tors to be involved in the sport, while get- 42 • Cessna Flyer / September 2020 30,000+ FAA-PMA products, with over 30 quality brands We recently expanded our Tempest line! www.McFarlaneAviation.com 866-988-4994 FROM NOSE TO TAIL You want it, we have it. Manufacturing Quality FAA-PMA Aircraft Parts for Over 40 Years! ting compensated for their flying skills. Instrument- and equipment-wise, jump planes are essentially the same as their stock model counterparts, with only a few minor exceptions. First off, the seats are removed to haul more human cargo up to altitude and allow for ease of egress once there. Second, there is the addition of a “traffic light” on larger aircraft which the pilot operates to signal to the divers that it’s time to go. Third, when it’s almost time to go, the pilot or one of the skydivers opens up the “barn door” on the side of the aircraft, so the passengers can take a new route home. Again, my tendency is to oversimplify, but that’s really all that’s different between your Skylane and one operated by a stan- dard drop zone. Of course, many aircraft, like ACDZ’s, may have a few more ponies under the hood and are maintained to a Part 91 commercial operations standard, but there are not a lot of new bells and whistles to learn for pilots who already have commercial certificates. Jump operations, on the other hand, are foreign to most General Aviation pi- lots. These procedures include spotting the aircraft at altitude for the proper exit point, exiting, radio calls, engine management, descent profile, and much more. To better understand what spe- cial skills come into play in the cockpit, I rode along on a recent jump run in ACDZ’s Cessna 182 Skylane, 82X. “Life begins at the end of your comfort zone” Myrtle readied our chariot by September 2020 / Cessna Flyer • 43 removing the co-pilot’s seat and yoke, to allow for more cabin space. Having donned a safety parachute, which is worn by pilots and non-jumping passen- gers alike, I became even more eager to watch experienced jumpers plummet to the ground at 120 miles per hour. Joining Travis Swinson, ACDZ’s newest pilot, and me on the flight were Rod Jones, Kristie Ball, and Angel San- tana. After I had situated myself in the observer position behind the pilot’s seat, the other three piled in. Five is the maximum allowable num- ber of people in this configuration (ob- viously, this is dependent on weight and balance considerations and temperature) and it was a fairly cozy ride. It was not as bad as one would think, considering each of us had a fairly bulky rig on and were seated with our legs extended. Runup and taxi where uneventful, with 82X quickly arriving at the hold short line of Runway 35. Takeoff was surprisingly quick, with an estimat- ed roll of about 1,000 feet. Soon, the fields of south-central Kansas became smaller and the energy level in the cabin increased significantly. The aircraft continued to climb, with my fellow passengers’ altimeters zoom- ing past lower-digit thousand numbers while the jump became more and more imminent. At about 5,000 feet msl, the sport aspect of skydiving became appar- ent, as each jumper made their thoughts about the next few minutes apparent. In much the same way a basketball player would visualize an upcoming SOARS State of the Art Restraint System $2,580 www.AmSafe.com Airbags Save Lives! • Universal Airbag System for Part 23 Aircraft • 2- and 3-Point Configuration • Installed by Local A&P Mechanic • System covers Pilot & Co-Pilot Seat N8883X's panel, with “Copilot Yoke Removed” placard. 44 • Cessna Flyer / September 2020 half, Rod, Kristie, and Angel were going through their routine. “Right foot out, left foot back, and then out. Right arm grab, left arm reach. Jump. Freefall. Gain stability. Check altimeter. Form tandem formation with partner. Check altimeter. Practice tandem formation. Check altim- eter. Check altimeter. Pull ripcord. Glide into a proper pattern position. Land into the wind. Hopefully repeat.” Soon, the demonstrations transi- tioned into calmness. This was followed by liberally extended handshakes and high fives that went around the “locker room” as the clocks neared zero. Game time Having now gotten to jump altitude and an exit area where the jumpers could easily make it back to the airport, Swinson slowed the aircraft to about 70 knots while consulting an engine moni- tor to avoid shock cooling, while Kristie and Rod opened the door. The resulting large rush of air and its impact on the Skylane was handled well by Swinson, as he prepared for what is often considered one of a skydiver driver’s most difficult portions of the flight. Rod got out onto the step and was immediately followed by Kristie. Their two standing bodies created a huge amount of air deflection, which made Swinson’s work to maintain airspeed and stability even more difficult. To counter the right wing’s added weight, he had to use full left aileron deflection and heavy left rudder to maintain line of flight. This is not to mention the huge shift in center of gravity from aft to forward when the skydivers moved up front, which he too accommodated. No sooner than one could say “jump” did they disappear from view, and yoke pressure was immediately relaxed to accommodate for the sudden passenger offloading. Angel was next. The wingsuit that he was wearing was a little less maneuverable than the others’ chutes, yet he too was out the door and heading toward the ground in a flash. Now, Swinson’s task became more challenging, as he attempted to land as quickly as possible, while avoiding the adrenaline junkies and other traffic, alongside making his radio calls and completing other pre-landing procedures. As soon as Angel fell away, the door closing process began by an initiation of full left rudder, slipping the aircraft to “blank” the lift on the door, allowing it to be closed and latched. Then, 82X was decisively banked the opposite direction of the divers’ fall, while at the same time pulling power further. He pointed the aircraft toward the pat- tern at Cook Airfield and touched down about seven minutes later. As we taxied to the hangar, we noticed that our offboarded passengers were already awaiting our ar- rival, having completed another successful and exhilarating jump run. Opportunities to fly Air Capital Drop Zone is not unlike many other skydiving operations that are routinely searching for skilled and safety-oriented pilots. The drop zone’s planes tach about 300 hours each year and they typically host four commercial pilots in a rotation. With pilots flying approximately two weekend days per month, they each get to fly about 75 hours annually. According to Myrtle, “Our ideal pilot is someone who is settled, whose life is $ 49 for as low as LIST YOUR AIRCRAFT FOR SALE All our aircraft listings are also included on 4 AERONCA 1936 AERONCA C3 MASTER • N C 1 5 7 2 9 • A B S O L U T E BARGAIN of THE CENTURY • Ve r y R A R E • S t a n d a r d Category, Original Options, Full Instrument Panel, Tailwheel, Instruments, Doors, Brakes, Original Wheels. Refinished 2012 with Randolf butyrate dope. Annual Due: October 2020, ONLY 65 Hours SMOH, TT: 1251 Hours. CHANCE to OWN HISTORIC AIRCRAFT • N.Y. State’s HUDSON VALLEY Location • ONLY $23,999 • 212-620-0398 • moth@hvc.rr.com 4 BEECHCRAFT 1 9 7 6 B E E C H C R A F T 5 8 P BARON • N925TP • TTAF: 4420, 310 HP ENGINES: Left & R i g h t - 1 3 9 0 S M O H , Left Engine: 300 Since Major Repairs, Right Engine: 320 Since Major Repairs, GAMI Fuel Injectors, 3-Blade Hartzell Prop, Garmin 340 Audio Panel, King 89B GPS, FRESH ANNUAL with Sale • MEXIA, TEXAS (LXY) • $119,999 or MAKE OFFER S O L D S O L D 1 9 5 4 B E E C H C R A F T E 3 5 BONANZA • N3216C • TTAF: 7619.30, Tach Time: 3411.30, SMOH: 271.48, Hydraulic Prop, Apollo GX60 GPS, KMA 24 Audio Panel & MKR, Century 1 Autopilot, New Windshield, New Aluminum Ailerons and 4 BELLANCA 1972 BELLANCA 7ACA CHAMP • N10983 • TTAF: 790.2, ENGINE TT: 899.6, STOH: 169.3, RARE Franklin 2A-120-A Two Cyl., 60 HP Engine. Always Hangared since 1992-1993 Ground Up Restoration. Like New Sensenich PROP, Annual Due: October 2020, Full Electrical System including Electric Start, Includes SPARE Engine with Log • Walden, New York • Reduced Price: $22,222 • 914-213-1878 • info@campredwood.net 4 CESSNA 1971 CESSNA 177RG CARDINAL • N8008G • SN 177RG0008 • TTAF 2194, TTSN 1035, Lycoming IO360-A1B6. 200HP. McCauley Prop 33hrs SMOH. Garmin 430 NAV/COM w/WASS, GA-35 GPS Antenna, GL 106A Nav Indicator w/Glidescope. GMA-340 Audio Panel, ELT Battery due. Monarch Fuel Caps & Adapter Plates, Transponder KT-76A, Altitude Reporting System. All ADs Complied with. ALWAYS Hangared, Annual Scheduled Dec 2018. Tan Leather Seats/Sheepskin Covering • $73,500 • Robert Casey • 847-420-7589 • rfcasey64@gmail.com 1971 CESSNA CARDINAL 177RG • N8039G • TTAF: 3800, IO-360- AQ1B6 Lycoming L 7515-51A 200 HP Engine: 350 SMOH, New Dash Panel, MX170B, KLN-90B, Navomatic Autopilot, All Interior New-2017, New Brakes-2017, New Spark Plugs & Tires, 10 GPH, 1980 CESSNA P210N • N117UM • One of the best equipped Cessna P210N’s around • Garmin 530W Navigator & 330 ES Transponder w/ADS-B Out, KFC 200 Autopilot, Aspen Glass Panel, BAE-28 Turbo Alternator Backup, JPI EDM 830 Total Engine Monitor, Dual Vacuum Pumps with Cooling Shrouds, GAMI Injectors, ANNUAL DUE: NOVEMBER 2020 • Located: Warsaw, IN. • ONLY $249,000 • Steve • 574-551-8226 • sbashton@yahoo.com 1965 CESSNA 320C • N3040T • S/N: 320C0040 • PROJECT Aircraft that has Potential • TTAF: 2393, Continental TSIO- 470-D Engines: RIGHT-Total Time Unknown, 415.8 SMOH, 16.7 STOH, RIGHT-2392 HSN, 21.3 SMOH, S/N: 138529-70, McCauley Props: RIGHT-D2AF34C-54-NP, 2393 HSN, 21.3 SPOH, S/N: 791935, LEFT- D2AF34C-54-KMB, 2393 HSN, 21.3 SPOH, S/N: 687434, KNS 80 Area Navigation System, Must See • FLORIDA • $40,000 • 305-298-0295 • robertsairsouth@gmail.com 1972 CESSNA 340 • N269WT • TTAF: 3830, 310 HP Engines with Gami Injectors: Left-781 SMOH, Right-600 SMOH, Hartzell Q-Tips Props: 115 Hrs., A/C, MX 20, GNS 430 WAAS, GNS 430 with Separate CDI, GTX 345 with ADS-B In & Out, GMA 340, KN 64 DME, Artex 345 ELT, Bendix Autopilot FD, S-TEC Yaw Damper, A.A. Intercoolers, Vortex Generators, Wing Spoilers, L-3 WX-500 Stormscope, Last Annual: April Used Aircraft Marketplace Located: Driggs, IDAHO • cub407wb@gmail.com 907-315-6006 (Chuck) • 907-354-6203 (Nick) Highly Modified, Totally Rebuilt, Modeled after the L-21 Military Version with Extended Wings, ailerons & flaps. Lycoming O-320 160 HP Engine • ONLY 141 Hours since Total Restoration • Annual Due: January 2021 • ADS-B Out Compliant • Will DELIVER to Buyer’s Location • $134,500 or $132,000 without ALASKA Bushwheels 1964 PIPER SUPER CUB 160/L-21 • N407WB 515-574-2241 ahlsales@aviatorshotline.com SELLING YOUR AIRPLANE? • List it here! Used A 1979 CESSNA 421C • N401DL • TTAF: 6223, Annual Due: August 2020, Hangared, ENGINES: LEFT - 456 SMOH & Factory Reman 2017, RIGHT - 1586 SMOH, 845 SIRAN, & Factory Reman 2014, PROPS: LEFT - 1854 SPOH & 1114 Since Reseal, RIGHT - 845 SPOH, Garmin GTX 345 Transponder with ADS-B In/Out, Total Fuel: 271 GAL • ONLY $299,000 • Healdsburg Aviation Inc • Barry @ 707-433-8540 • healdsburgaviation@earthlink.net 4 CIRRUS 2011 CIRRUS SR22 G3 GTS • Lowest Time On Market • 440 Hours TTAF, Hartzell 3 Blade Composite Prop - Hot Weather Package, FRESH ANNUAL INSPECTION! No Damage History, Cirrus Perspective Avionics Suite by Garmin, 12 In. Screens, 596 Hrs Hobbs, Dual Garmin SVT, ADS-B Out, FLORIDA • ASK: $465,000 • 561-757-9861 • Dillon@gwjets.com 4 COMPAIR 2 0 0 3 C O M P A I R 7 S L X TURBINE • S/N 037111SLX • N74PF • 485TT, 656hp Walter 601D Eng, 6-7 Place Exec Seating, UPSTAT Apollo Audio Panel (SL15M), Tailwheel, 6 place Oxy, Cargo Pod, 200kts at 40gph, All Inspections Completed. Sold with Current Annual, Factory Assist Construction. Owner Lost Medical • $199,000 FIRM • Patrick Farrell 814-688-3668 drpatfarrell@gmail.com 4 DIAMOND 2000’S ERA DIAMOND DA 20 KATANA • DISPLAY PLANE ONLY • Non-Flying, Non- Certified Display Unit • Was Registered, NDH. A Display Plane, complete with an Engineered PEDESTAL! ( Black, Powder Coated 24 Inch STEEL Pedestal.) Take a SUMMER TRIP to Sarnia, Ontario in CANADA, and see firsthand the ALLURE of this DIAMOND, in the Right Setting • $7,600 USD • 519-402-2199 or 226-402-1881 • dryan@huronflightcentre.com • jason@huronflightcentre.com 4MEYERS 1966 MEYERS 200D • N2983T • High Quality Maintenance and Care, TTAF: 4340 Hours, TCM IO-520A Engine: 1015 SMOH, Prop: 1015 Hours SNEW, Garmin: GTN750, GI-106A, GTX330, GDL88, ADS-B In and Out Compliance, GMA340 Audio (4 Place Intercom), KX155, Mid-Continent 4300-433 AI (PRIMARY), Vacuum AI (SECONDARY), JPI EDM700, GAMIs, ARTEX 406Mhz ELT • Hangared at KDWH in Texas • ONLY $124,900 • Mark Jensen • 281-380-7681 • mjjensen@att.net 4 MOONEY 2005 ROCKET 305 CONVERSION MOONEY M20K • CF-DHG • TTAF: 3170, Engine: 302 s/2005 Rocket Conversion-1600 TBO. 104 Gal. Capacity, 5-hr.+ Range, Autopilot Coupled, HSI, Speed Brakes, Door Seals, Inboard Oxygen, Electric Aileron trim, Full IFR, Hangared, Annual Completed: March 2019, New Prop, JPI Engine Monitor, Canadian Registered, Owner Since 2007 • $119,000 U.S.D. (Offers Welcome) • David Haines • 450-243-6292 • dhaines07@hotmail.com 4 PIPER 1968 PIPER ARROW 180 • N7418J • TTAF: 3850, Engine: 1990 SMOH, 170 Hours on New ECI Cylinders, Less than 20 Hours on New Hartzell Scimitar PROP and Governor, ADS-B Out Installed, Brand New Interior, Fresh Power Pack Overhaul, KLN-36 GPS, Fresh MAG Overhaul, Annual Due: May 2021 • Conveniently Located in CYPRESS, TEXAS • ONLY $48,000 • 713-408-7119 • flyerdad@yahoo.com 2002 PIPER PA-28R-201 ARROW • N53580 • TTAF: 3947.5, Lycoming Factory Rebuilt Eng.-1974.1. PROPS: 100 SNEW, Garmin GMA-340 Audio Panel/Intercom, Garmin GNS-430 Nav/Com/GPS, Garmin SL-30 Nav/Com, Garmin GTX-327 Transponder, Dual PTT Switches, Interior & Exterior: 8/10, New Starter-783.5 Hrs., Annual Due: May 2020 • Full Skylight. Metal Spa with, Complete Rest Plexiglass: Excellent Co Logs from Date of Mfg Forrest Sims • 206-979-1 Alternator, Starter, 7 Transponder, Garmin 6 Maule Tailwheel, Cec in Front plus Two in Ba Airplane • Located: Fo 954-790-9030 • mauric 1372 SMOH, Right: 1 SPOH,King KMA-20 A 150 GPS, Altimatic Exterior & Interior: 2020 • Val-d’Or, QC (C $61,500 USD 4 STEARMAN Shape! • $93,000 • Joe • 4 STINSON equal value. • Locate David Kauffman • 989-8 Used A 1979 CESSNA 421C • N401DL • TTAF: 6223, Annual Due: August 2020, Hangared, ENGINES: LEFT - 456 SMOH & Factory Reman 2017, RIGHT - 1586 SMOH, 845 SIRAN, & Factory Reman 2014, PROPS: LEFT - 1854 SPOH & 1114 Since Reseal, RIGHT - 845 SPOH, Garmin GTX 345 Transponder with ADS-B In/Out, Total Fuel: 271 GAL • ONLY $299,000 • Healdsburg Aviation Inc • Barry @ 707-433-8540 • healdsburgaviation@earthlink.net 4 CIRRUS 2011 CIRRUS SR22 G3 GTS • Lowest Time On Market • 440 Hours TTAF, Hartzell 3 Blade Composite Prop - Hot Weather Package, FRESH ANNUAL INSPECTION! No Damage History, Cirrus Perspective Avionics Suite by Garmin, 12 In. Screens, 596 Hrs Hobbs, Dual Garmin SVT, ADS-B Out, FLORIDA • ASK: $465,000 • 561-757-9861 • Dillon@gwjets.com 4 COMPAIR 2 0 0 3 C O M P A I R 7 S L X TURBINE • S/N 037111SLX • N74PF • 485TT, 656hp Walter 601D Eng, 6-7 Place Exec Seating, UPSTAT Apollo Audio Panel (SL15M), Tailwheel, 6 place Oxy, Cargo Pod, 200kts at 40gph, All Inspections Completed. Sold with Current Annual, Factory Assist Construction. Owner Lost Medical • $199,000 FIRM • Patrick Farrell 814-688-3668 drpatfarrell@gmail.com 4 DIAMOND 2000’S ERA DIAMOND DA 20 KATANA • DISPLAY PLANE ONLY • Non-Flying, Non- Certified Display Unit • Was Registered, NDH. A Display Plane, complete with an Engineered PEDESTAL! ( Black, Powder Coated 24 Inch STEEL Pedestal.) Take a SUMMER TRIP to Sarnia, Ontario in CANADA, and see firsthand the ALLURE of this DIAMOND, in the Right Setting • $7,600 USD • 519-402-2199 or 226-402-1881 • dryan@huronflightcentre.com • jason@huronflightcentre.com 4HELIO 1961 HELIO H-395 • N4XV • TT: 4,000. U10B, 3460 EDO Floats, 700 SMOH & New Prop, excellent conditions, King Audio panel, ADF, King Transponder, 4-Place Intercom, Narco Nav Com Radio, Shadin Fuel Flow Meter, Simultaneous 6 Cylinder EGT/CHT. 1 New Fuel Bladder. Freshly Waxed, Two Tone: Blue & White • $118,000 • 4MEYERS 1966 MEYERS 200D • N2983T • High Quality Maintenance and Care, TTAF: 4340 Hours, TCM IO-520A Engine: 1015 SMOH, Prop: 1015 Hours SNEW, Garmin: GTN750, GI-106A, GTX330, GDL88, ADS-B In and Out Compliance, GMA340 Audio (4 Place Intercom), KX155, Mid-Continent 4300-433 AI (PRIMARY), Vacuum AI (SECONDARY), JPI EDM700, GAMIs, ARTEX 406Mhz ELT • Hangared at KDWH in Texas • ONLY $124,900 • Mark Jensen • 281-380-7681 • mjjensen@att.net 4 MOONEY 2005 ROCKET 305 CONVERSION MOONEY M20K • CF-DHG • TTAF: 3170, Engine: 302 s/2005 Rocket Conversion-1600 TBO. 104 Gal. Capacity, 5-hr.+ Range, Autopilot Coupled, HSI, Speed Brakes, Door Seals, Inboard Oxygen, Electric Aileron trim, Full IFR, Hangared, Annual Completed: March 2019, New Prop, JPI Engine Monitor, Canadian Registered, Owner Since 2007 • $119,000 U.S.D. (Offers Welcome) • David Haines • 450-243-6292 • dhaines07@hotmail.com 4 PIPER 1968 PIPER ARROW 180 • N7418J • TTAF: 3850, Engine: 1990 SMOH, 170 Hours on New ECI Cylinders, Less than 20 Hours on New Hartzell Scimitar PROP and Governor, ADS-B Out Installed, Brand New Interior, Fresh Power Pack Overhaul, KLN-36 GPS, Fresh MAG Overhaul, Annual Due: May 2021 • Conveniently Located in CYPRESS, TEXAS • ONLY $48,000 • 713-408-7119 • flyerdad@yahoo.com 2002 PIPER PA-28R-201 ARROW • N53580 • TTAF: 3947.5, Lycoming Factory Rebuilt Eng.-1974.1. PROPS: 100 SNEW, Garmin GMA-340 Audio Panel/Intercom, Garmin GNS-430 Nav/Com/GPS, Garmin SL-30 Nav/Com, Garmin GTX-327 Transponder, Dual PTT Switches, Interior & Exterior: 8/10, New Starter-783.5 Hrs., Annual Due: May 2020 • Romeoville, IL • $119,999 O.B.O. • Marilina Angarone • 815-834-6311 • mangarone@lewisu.edu 1977 PIPER TURBO ARROW III • PA28R-201T • N8907F • TT: 3681 Hours, TSOH: 36, Low Tail, W i n g F a i r i n g s , 3 - B l a d e McCauley Prop, Continental TSIO-360-F Engine, Garmin G5-EFIS (HSI/DG), GNS-430 WAAS GPS/Com, GNS 430 Non- WAAS Backup, S-TEC 60-2 Autopilot, GTX335 Transponder Full Skylight. Metal Spa with, Complete Rest Plexiglass: Excellent Co Logs from Date of Mfg Forrest Sims • 206-979-1 Alternator, Starter, 7 Transponder, Garmin 6 Maule Tailwheel, Cec in Front plus Two in Ba Airplane • Located: Fo 954-790-9030 • mauric 1372 SMOH, Right: 1 SPOH,King KMA-20 A 150 GPS, Altimatic Exterior & Interior: 2020 • Val-d’Or, QC (C $61,500 USD 4 STEARMAN Shape! • $93,000 • Joe • 4 STINSON equal value. • Locate David Kauffman • 989-8 Appraised by Air As $113,500 • Exterior in Colors in a 12-Coat St February 28th, 2021 • Used Aircraft Marketplace Welcome!Since 1978, Aviator Hot Line® has been a leader in bringing aircraft buyers and sellers together. Our mission is to bring you the best selection of used aircraft at the best market price. Throughout this section, you’ll find quality aircraft, all priced to sell. Enjoy shopping Aviator Hot Line ®’s Used Aircraft Marketplace! 1978 ROCKWELL / COMMANDER 690B-10 • N20MA 2005 THUNDER MUSTANG • N451KC September 2020 / Cessna Flyer • 45 not constantly in flux, or in a constant process of job hunting, and whose week- end schedule is very flexible. We need a minimum of 300 hours, preferably 500, to comply with insurance requirements. “Skydiving operations are not just ‘a trip around the patch.’ They are mental- ly and physically demanding. Most guys, after their first few training loads, are surprised at how challenging the job is, and how many new skills are involved in something as ‘simple’ as dropping skydivers over an airport.” Flying sporadically on the weekend obviously isn’t any pilot’s sole source of income, at least at ACDZ and similar operations, thus employed pilots come from all walks of life. “Those who fly for us are primarily in it for the time in the left seat, and enjoyment of flying. There are quite a few guys with commercial certificates who can’t justify spending a hundred dollars an hour to go eat a ham- burger. Flying skydivers is a way to stay current, build a little time, and spend time with fellow aircraft enthusiasts.”  GRANT BOYD soloed at 16 in a 1977 Cessna 150M. In the seven years since, he has been involved in aviation through a variety of avenues, from marketing to customer service. He has written more than 85 articles for a number of aviation magazines and loves learning about aircraft/pilots with unique missions. Send questions or comments to editor@cessnaflyer.org. RESOURCES CFA SUPPORTERS Cessna 182 Modifications AIR RESEARCH TECHNOLOGY INC. (WING-X STOL) wingxstol.com TEXAS SKYWAYS INC. txskyways.com MIDWEST AIRCRAFT SERVICES INC. midwestaircraftservices.com WESTERN SKYWAYS INC. westernskyways.com Skydiving Information AIR CAPITAL DROP ZONE aircapitaldropzone.com SKYDIVER DRIVER (JUMP PILOT INFORMATION) skydiverdriver.com UNITED STATES PARACHUTE ASSOCIATION uspa.org Pilot Mike Bradfield taxiing N8883X to pick up more skydivers 46 • Cessna Flyer / September 2020 THE GATHERIN September 2020 / Cessna Flyer • 47 When COVID-19 forced the cancellation of The Gathering at Waupaca 2020, a virtual event was formed to fill the void. By Jennifer Dellenbusch G AT WAUPACA 48 • Cessna Flyer / September 2020 FOR 15 YEARS,we have gathered in Waupaca, Wiscon- sin. Some years boasted record-breaking attendance. Some years, bad weather or a bad economy limited turnout. Still, we never missed a year. Filled with lots of good food, camaraderie, and informa- tive seminars, the Gathering grew and became a yearly essential for many of us. Every year, like clockwork, there was EAA AirVenture Oshkosh; preceded by the Cessna Flyer Gathering at Waupaca. 2020, a year like no other (or so we fervently hope and pray), broke the streak. Unable to gather in Waupaca, we gathered around our screens. The Virtual Gathering at “Faux-Paca” As soon as we knew we would have to cancel the Gathering at Waupaca, we reached out to the speakers who had been scheduled to present seminars in Waupaca. Every one of them agreed to provide a webinar for the virtual event. The virtual Gathering took place July 17, 18, and 19, 2020. The Webinars Bill Ross, Vice President Product Support for Superior Air Parts kicked off the event Friday, July 17, with his seminar “Anatomy and Physiology of a Cylinder.” The presentation took a deep dive into cylinder structure, function, and opera- tion and elicited over 30 minutes of Q&A (and could have gone longer). Next up was Vince Bechtel, Direc- tor, Aftermarket Sales, Tempest Aero discussing “Spark Plug Design and Maintenance.” From what to do if you drop a spark plug to different types of spark plugs, to maintenance, and more, this webinar covered it all. The Saturday line-up included with Chris Holder, Eastern U.S. Sales Manager, Concorde Battery. Chris’ pre- sentation “Lead-Acid Aircraft Battery Airworthiness. What Does It Mean?” discussed the care and maintenance of batteries, how to extend battery life, and more information for aircraft owners. Following Chris was Cessna Flyer contributing editor Kristin Winter with September 2020 / Cessna Flyer • 49 “Logbooks 101.” Kristen walked mem- bers through what you should have in your logbooks—the legal requirements and the additional information that facil- itates future maintenance and increases the resale value of our Cessnas. Sunday morning, Cessna Flyer contrib- uting editor Steve Ells was up with his “Yes, You Can Paint Your Airplane!” With advice to stay safe and legal and practical tips for do-it-yourselfers, this was another popular webinar. Rounding out the weekend of we- binars was Kevin Garrison’s “Things You Shouldn’t Do in Aviation and How I Survived Them.” Drawing on experienc- es from his General Aviation and airline career, Kevin recounted personal lessons learned from past mistakes. All the webinars were well-attended and well-reviewed, and all are available to view online on the Cessna Flyer Associ- ation YouTube channel. (See resources for link information. —Ed.) Social Hour 2020 Following Kevin’s presentation, we held our first-ever virtual Social Hour. One of the attendees commented that we talk a lot more in person. I think we all were trying to figure out the new format. While I am sure we will get more comfortable with this as time goes on, I hope we don’t have to rely on it too much! I hope we are all reunited in Waupaca next year, talking and laughing in person. Until that time, I’ve included some photos from previous years for inspiration. I’ll see you there.  JENNIFER DELLENBUSCH is president of the Cessna Flyer Association. Send questions or comments to editor@cessnaflyer.org. RESOURCES CESSNA FLYER ASSOCIATION YOUTUBE CHANNEL tinyurl.com/CFAYouTube *Compiled from press releases ORLANDO, Fla., July 21, 2020—During this uncertain time when most social interactions are no longer face to face, when people in masks are heroes, and when an agitated world seeks answers to troubling, complex questions, it is comforting to know that passion for fulfilling dreams remains in the hearts of our youth. For Trevor Simoneau, 17, a dream that took flight figuratively in 2014—when he formed his own apparel company, Chart it All, to finance his aviation training and ed- ucation—will take flight literally in March 2021. Departing from the storied Space Shuttle Landing Facility at Kennedy Space Center, Simoneau will set off on a solo circumnavigation of the globe hoping to become the youngest person to complete the quest. “Fly Infinite Horizons” is Simoneau’s brainchild and his heart’s passion. Many young people seek adventure, but few shape that wanderlust into a voyage of discovery and purpose. Fly Infinite Horizons is more than just a re- cord-setting solo circumnavigation flight. For students around the world, it will be a catalyst to pursue careers in aviation; an invitation to embrace science, technology, engineering, and mathemati- cal (STEM) opportunities. As Simoneau hopscotches around the world on a 27-stop tour, he will share his adventure via social media and in various STEM workshops taught by the young ad- venturer. This outreach will demonstrate to his followers and students that they can become pilots, engineers, mechanics, air traffic controllers, astronauts, or scien- tists. Global students will learn about the myriad opportunities available in aviation, the steps to becoming an effective leader, the importance of teamwork in a pro- fessional setting, and the importance of networking with aviation professionals. “My hope is to plant the seed,” Simoneau said. “I want others to expe- rience what Fly Infinite Horizons means to me—expanding knowledge, exploring cultures, seeking adventure, and embrac- ing what the world of aviation offers.” The quest for the aviation record will rely on a 1977 Cessna 210M. Simoneau spent months researching the best air- craft to accomplish his journey of discov- ery, and he was able to acquire the aircraft from a private owner in Oklahoma. The Fly Infinite Horizons project is privately funded with the support of charitable supporters and sponsors, including Denver real estate mogul, Cory Calvin, whose generous contribution enabled the aircraft purchase. Simoneau originally began flight training in a Schweizer 2-33 glider at 13 years old. He soloed the 2-33 at 14 and began his private pilot certificate training the following year. Simoneau soloed a Cessna 172P on his 16th birth- day in June 2019 and began flying VFR cross-country flights the following September. He recently passed his written knowledge exam and plans to take his checkride this summer. His instrument rating checkride will follow shortly after. A group of dedicated mentors and instructors are working with Simoneau to ensure he is fully prepared, physically and mentally, for the risky voyage. Simoneau’s flight advisory team will oversee his train- ing prior to departing on his quest and will assist with planning the trip and through- out the mission. The team includes a distinguished pan- el of advisors who are volunteering their time and expertise to ensure the highest likelihood of success for the Fly Infinite Horizons mission: • Matt Guthmiller, youngest person to fly solo around the world in 2014 at 19 • Josh Flowers, CFII, founder of Avia- tion101 • Arnaldo Santiago, instrument pilot, mechanical engineer • Jason Schappert, CFII, founder of MzeroA.com • Christy Wong, CFII • Tom Frick, CFII • Lochie Ferrier, CFI • Ed Gibson, A&P Dedicated training for the world flight began this summer. Simoneau’s training will focus on applying basic flight skills to the realm of possible scenarios he may encounter while flying around the world. With an emphasis on heavy instrument cross-country flying, Simoneau will com- plete oceanic crossing, mountain flying, advanced survival training, and aircraft transition training for the Cessna 210 he will be flying. To learn more about the entire mission, visit flyinfinitehorizons.org. For more information about Chart it All, visit chartitall.com. CHART IT ALL COMPANY FOUNDER PLANS RECORD- BREAKING FLIGHT AROUND THE WORLD WHILE TEACHING AND INSPIRING OTHERS September 2020 / Cessna Flyer • 51 AIR PLAINS SERVICES NOW OFFERS DROP-IN EIS FOR LYCOMING 180 HP PISTONS WELLINGTON, Kan., July 30, 2020—Air Plains Services recently announced it is offering the newly certified Lycoming Electronic Ignition System for its Lycoming 180 hp engines. The Lycoming EIS is a drop-in replacement for one mag, requires no mainten