Midwest Flyer Magazine December 2008/January 2009

Wisconsin Aeronautics Report - by Jeffery Taylor ........................................................................... 36 HEADLINES Piper Unveils Its First Pure Jet To Public .......................................................................................... 6 EAA Seeks GA Relief From Proposed Canada ELT Rule ............................................................... 13 Sonex Comments On Proposed Changes To 51 Percent Rule ...................................................... 13 Minnesota Aviation Organizations Work To Restore $15 Million To State Airports Fund ................ 53 FEATURES The Development of HondaJet Continues - by Dave Weiman ........................................................ 14 One Zero Charlie - by Rebecca Jensen .......................................................................................... 19 Civil Air Patrol Invades Camp Lincoln - by Jim Bildilli ..................................................................... 23 Where To Go: Owatonna - by Karen Workman ............................................................................... 27 Chippewa Valley Airshow… For The Scouts, For The Community! - by Geoff Sobering ................ 28 The Pietschs – A Family of Fliers - by Jennifer Dame..................................................................... 29 Going For A Ride With Air Show Performer, Kent Pietsch - by Geoff Sobering .............................. 31 Angel Flight Central Helps Take The Pain Out of Illness - by Dan Mayworm ................................. 44 Monaco Air Duluth Donates Cirrus SR20 To Lake Superior College - by Dave Weiman ................ 54 Big Jump Over North Dakota - by Nick Halseth .............................................................................. 57 Mike Love – CFI, Charter Pilot, Aerobatic Instructor - by Ed Leineweber ....................................... 58 Father’s Day In August - by David Stack......................................................................................... 59 The Manuels – Passing On The Gift of Flight - by Allen Penticoff................................................... 62 SECTIONS Aircraft .....................................................17 Airports ....................................................19 Awards & Recognition .............................46 Books.......................................................22 Calendar ..................................................49 Classifieds ...............................................60 Destinations .............................................27 Education.................................................54 Fly-Ins & Air Shows .................................28 Government Regulations .........................13 Industry News ..........................................39 Legislation ...............................................53 Let’s Fly & Dine........................................56 Letters To The Editor ...............................26 MATA Minnesota Aviation Industry News 50 People In The News ................................42 WATA Difference ......................................40 Dialogue From Professor to Pete… Information From the experts! 6 DECEMBER 2008/JANUARY 2009 MIDWEST FLYER MAGAZINE BRACKETT TOWBARS (928) 757-4005 FAX: (928) 757-1948 E-Mail: brackett@ctaz.com Website: www.brackettaircraft.com BRACKETT AIRCRAFT CO., INC. 7045 Flightline Dr. • Kingman, AZ 86401 CESSNA 150 THRU GULFSTREAM V plus HELICOPTER Brackett_Dec04 12/22/04 5:34 PM Page 1 K eep ‘e m F lying W ith NEWTON 877-999-1201 NEWTON HOME OIL CO., INC. 100LL Pre-Blended Jet Fuel Full or Split Loads Available ! • • • Fuel & Service Serving IOWA l MINNESOTA l MISSOURI Newton.indd 1 3/18/08 10:18:03 PM by Dave Weiman VERO BEACH, FLA. – Aside from displays of the mockup, Piper Aircraft did not showcase the prototype of its new PiperJet to anyone until September 16, when dealers and Piper customers were invited to a special unveiling Piper Unveils Its First Pure Jet to Public DECEMBER 2008/JANUARY 2009 MIDWEST FLYER MAGAZINE 7 8 DECEMBER 2008/JANUARY 2009 MIDWEST FLYER MAGAZINE Bob Kromer Vice President Of Sales & Marketing Piper Aircraft, Inc. Piper President & CEO, Jim Bass PiPerJ et Continued at the Piper plant in Vero Beach, Fla. The following day, members of the press were invited to also get a close- up look at the first pure, jet-powered, turbofan design in Piper’s 71-year history. We sat in the bleachers along Runway 11/29 at Vero Beach Municipal Airport (VRB) as we listened to the jet engine start up from behind us, next to the manufacturing plant. The sweet sound got stronger when Bob Kromer, Vice President of Piper Sales and Marketing, announced over the PA system that the aircraft was approaching show center. “There has been a lot of work done by a lot of people to get to this day,” said Kromer. “The PiperJet is unique, and you are going to like it. “We haven’t yet completed the first 50 hours of flight testing, so we cannot make a 360 kt., low-level pass, but it will be fast enough that you will like what you see. “With that said, it’s flight time!” (L/R) John G. Lowe of Chicago Piper, and Jack Peter of Des Moines Flying Service, in the cockpit of the PiperJet mock-up. Wings Aviation Services Maintenance • Service • Repairs 651-227-8981 • 800 Bayfield Street • St. Paul, MN 55107 A V I A T I O N S E R V I C E S WINGS WINGS 1 9 6 3 • Annual Inspections • Pre Buy Inspections and Appraisals • Avionics Upgrades • Control Surfaces • Refurbish, Rebuild, Restoration Experts • Sheet Metal Shop • Complete Machine Shop Check our website for our current maintenance specials www.WingsUS.com For All Your Aviation Fuel Needs, CALL WESTERN PETROLEUM 1-800-972-3835 Our Goal Is Your Success WESTERN PETROLEUM: Supplying Midwest Airports With A Global Perspective & Hometown Service! Our Goal Is Your Success WESTERN PETROLEUM: Supplying Midwest Airports With A Global Perspective & Hometown Service! DECEMBER 2008/JANUARY 2009 MIDWEST FLYER MAGAZINE 9 Standing tall at 15 feet from the ground to the top of the tail, the PiperJet looks like no other jet on the market today. With the engine mounted so high on the tail, there’s no problem with jet blast, and ground personnel can walk around the aircraft with ease. “The PiperJet is a comfortable and quiet way to travel because the engine is as far back as possible,” said Kromer. “The PiperJet has single-engine efficiency, and a small carbon footprint. Its cabin is big and luxurious. It’s an airplane that looks like no other!” As the aircraft prepared for takeoff, Kromer described the pre-takeoff checklist, including 15 degrees of flaps, and told us that the PiperJet burns a modest 77 gph at 360 kts. On takeoff, the PiperJet pealed off to the right and behind us, with the profile of a jet fighter at a distance. Kromer made note of the aircraft’s 200 kt. climb speed at 3,500 fpm at sea level, up to 35,000 feet. When the aircraft turned on to final to land, Kromer noted its 17 to 1 glide ratio and the use of speed brakes. Power is off at 50 feet above the ground, with touch down at between 70-75 kts. “Though the PiperJet has been 3 years in development, you know you have a winner within the first 50 hours of flying it,” said Kromer. Following the unveiling, Piper Aircraft President & CEO Jim Bass stated that Piper’s best days are ahead of it, and that loyal customers will make that happen. “I applaud our customers, our team, our dealers for making this possible,” said Bass. “It is by no means an easy task, but we have the dedication to make this possible. We really think we have a great product. This marks the beginning of a new era for Piper Aircraft as the company literally takes flight into a whole new realm of performance, luxury and capability.” Present for the unveiling were representatives from Garmin International and Williams International who answered questions about the avionics and the engine, respectively. In closing, Kromer noted that there are 1,100 employees at Piper, and thanked the dealers and customers in attendance for being a part of the Piper family. The PiperJet took its first flight on July 30, flew for 1 hour, reached a maximum altitude of 10,000 feet, and a speed of 160 kts. Piper test pilots, Dave Schwartz and Buddy Sessoms were at the controls, as they were at the first public unveiling of the aircraft. Commenting on that first flight, Schwartz said: “The PiperJet exhibits excellent control response around all three axes. The ergonomics and the basic operation of the side stick control were excellent, with well-balanced and harmonized control inputs required for the airspeeds that we tested. Moreover, the expected level of pitch trim change with power applications was minimal and easy to overcome. “The PiperJet is powered by a single Williams FJ44-3AP engine rated at 3,000 lbs of thrust. In the PiperJet application, the engine is de-rated to approximately 2,400 lbs of thrust. The FADEC control on the Williams engine greatly reduces pilot workload, allowing greater focus on controlling and navigating the PiperJet. Pushing the single-power lever full forward for takeoff results in a smooth, but rapid buildup of thrust and acceleration.” As Piper continues its initial 50-hour flight test program, it will work to expand the envelope of the aircraft, and further investigate its aerodynamic configuration and basic flight performance. Video footage of the initial flight test is available at www.piper.com/piperjet/ For additonal information on the PiperJet, and other Piper Aircraft models, contact Chicago Piper and Des Moines Flying Service at 1-800-622- 8311 (www.dmfs.com). q Editor /PublishEr Dave Weiman Production dirEctor Peggy Weiman Production AssistAnts Jenifer Weiman Stacy Wilk Photo JournAlists Don Winkler Geoff Sobering contributing Editors ADVERTISING PHONE: (608) 835-7063 FAX: (608) 835-7063 E-MAIL: dave@midwestflyer.com WEBSITE: www.midwestflyer.com ISSUE CLOSING DATES DEADLINE ISSUE November 1 December - January January 1 February - March March 1 April - May May 1 June - July July 1 August - September September 1 October - November COPYRIGHTS MIDWEST FLYER MAGAZINE is published bimonthly by Flyer Publications, Inc. with offices in Oregon, Wis. and Bloomington, Minn. Copyright 2008 by Flyer Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. Nothing in whole or in part may be reproduced without the written permission of the publisher. SUBSCRIPTIONS $15 per year, or $25 for two years. DISTRIBUTION Readership consists principally of aircraft owners, fixed base operators, and airport management in Wisconsin, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Indiana, Missouri, Kansas, and Nebraska. MAIL ALL ORDERS & CORRESPONDENCE TO: MIDWEST FLYER MAGAZINE P.O. BOX 199 OREGON, WI 53575-0199 USA EXPRESS SHIPMENTS TO: MIDWEST FLYER MAGAZINE 6031 LAWRY COURT Randy Arneson Dr. John Beasley Jim Bildilli Bill Blake Phil Boyer Jim LaMalfa George Larson Ed Leineweber Dan McDowell Myrna Mibus Field Morey Allen Penticoff Judy Peterson Greg Reigel Pete Schoeninger Geoff Sobering Jeffery Taylor Tom Thomas Gary Workman Karen Workman MIDWEST FLYER Serving The Midwest Aviation Community Since 1978 DECEMBER 2008/JANUARY 2009 MAGAZINE Listing Writers EtC MASTERDEC08.indd 1 10/25/08 9:37:53 AM 10 DECEMBER 2008/JANUARY 2009 MIDWEST FLYER MAGAZINE International Flight With the “Pink Copy” of the Aircraft Registration Application? by Greg Reigel Attorney At Law Reigel & Associates, Ltd/Aero Legal Services Apilot who recently acquired a new Cessna 206 on floats asked me whether he could fly the aircraft into Canada while he was still operating using the “pink copy” of the aircraft registration application. The short, but incomplete, answer is “no.” In order to operate a U.S. registered aircraft internationally, the aircraft must have a valid Certificate of Registration on board during the flight(s). The “pink copy” is not valid for border crossing flights. Continued on Page 12 FACER INSURANCE AGENCY, INC. • Corporate Aircraft • Personal Aircraft • Rotorcraft • FBOs • Part 135 Ops • Specialized Aviation Svcs • Airports • Flying Clubs • Hangars To receive unmatched service and begin a relationship with a team of professionals who know aviation insurance, call today! 800-727-2147 Also check-out www.facer-ins.com See the versatility & services we offer via the web! Facer Insurance...a name to know, a name to trust! A viAtion LAw DECEMBER 2008/JANUARY 2009 MIDWEST FLYER MAGAZINE 11 We’re waiting for you. Metropolitan Airports Commission: Six Reliever Airports, One Great System St. Paul Downtown • Flying Cloud • Anoka County-Blaine • Crystal • Lake Elmo • Airlake MAC_Reliever_ad_final.indd 1 5/14/08 1:40:55 PM D-JET • Five-Seat Personal Single-Engine Jet • 315 ktas Cruise Speed • 1351 nm Range • In & Out of 2500’ Runways From Props To Jets We’ve Got You Covered! For A Demonstration Flight & Ordering Options Call 952-941-6255 Email: info@asijetcenter.com www.asijetcenter.com Flying Cloud Airport Eden Prairie, MN The G1000 Avionics Suite is a completely integrated system including two 10.4” displays, a Primary Flight Display and Multi-Function Display, Traffic, Terrain, Weather, Engine Monitoring and unsurpassed Reliability. Five Models To Choose From • DA20 Eclipse • DA40 Diamond Star • DA42 Twin Star • DA50 Super Star From Props To Jets We’ve Got You Covered! ASI Feb08 2.indd 1 3/18/08 9:11:40 PM 12 DECEMBER 2008/JANUARY 2009 MIDWEST FLYER MAGAZINE aviation L aw Continued However, if a new aircraft owner wants to use his or her aircraft in international flight, when he or she submits the required registration documents (e.g. aircraft registration application, bill of sale or other evidence of ownership, etc.), a request for expedited processing of the registration may also be submitted to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The FAA will then issue (usually within 72 hours) a temporary authorization or “fly wire” that will allow the aircraft to be operated internationally before the new certificate of aircraft registration is received. For more information on the requirements for obtaining a “fly wire,” check out the FAA’s webpage on the subject at http:// www.faa.gov/licenses_certificates/ aircraft_certification/aircraft_registry/ registration_aircraft_committed_ international_operation/. q Editor’s Note: Greg Reigel is an attorney with Reigel & Associates, Ltd., a law firm located in Hopkins, Minnesota, which represents clients in aviation and business law matters (www.aerolegalservices.com, 952-238- 1060, greigel@aerolegalservices.com). Aircraft Bluebook online! OVERLAND PARK, KAN. - Penton’s Aircraft Bluebook-Price Digest® is now available online by subscription at www.aircraftbluebook. com. The Bluebook provides online information and tools for determining the value of business and general aviation aircraft. Previously, this informatin was only available in the print and CD-ROM editions of the Aircraft Bluebook-Price Digest. For more information or to subscirbe, visit www.aircraftbluebook.com, or call 1-800-400-5945. q Academy College .................................. 7 & 50 Adventure Seaplanes ...................................39 Adventures In Flying .....................................60 Aero Insurance, Inc. ............................ 16 & 41 Aircraft Owners & Pilots Association ............25 Aircraft Propeller Service, Inc. ......................55 AircraftInsurance.com...................................60 AirFlair Interiors ............................................37 airpac.com ....................................................26 ARMA Research, Inc. ...................................60 ASI Jet Center ..............................................11 Aspen Avionics ............................................. 2 Avfuel Corporation ................... 37, 50, 55 & 61 B2W/Win Air .................................................50 Basler Turbo Conversions, LLC....................41 Beaver Aviation, Inc. ............................ 17 & 41 Beloit, Wisconsin Airport ...............................60 Best Oil Company.........................................51 Bolduc Aviation Specialized Serv... 41, 50 & 63 Bolton & Menk, Inc. ........................................6 Brackett Aircraft Co., Inc. ....................... 6 & 41 Brenco IA Training ........................................60 Central Wisconsin Aviation ...........................40 Cessna Aircraft Co............... 2, 28, 41, 61 & 62 Chicago Piper ...............................................64 Cirrus Aircraft ....................................... 28 & 61 Columbia ............................................. 54 & 61 Corporate Hangar Space (Rice Lake, Wis.) ....60 Dawley Aviation Corp. ..................................41 DeKalb Taylor Municipal Airport, Illinois ........18 Des Moines Flying Service, Inc. ...................64 Diamond Aircraft .................................. 11 & 20 E-Z Heat, Inc. ...................................... 19 & 60 Eagle Air .......................................................57 Eagle Fuel Cells ...........................................23 Eagle River Union Airport .............................23 ExxonMobil Aviation ......................................8 Facer Insurance Agency, Inc. .......................10 Field of Dreams ............................................57 Fond du Lac Skyport ....................................41 Garmin ................................................. 61 & 64 Gran-Aire, Inc. ............................... 41, 60 & 62 HondaJet Midwest ........................................ 3 Iowa County Airport (Mineral Point, Wis.) ........23 J.A. Aero Aircraft Sales ................................. 2 J.A. Air Center .............................................. 2 Johnson Aviation Insurance ................ 13 & 41 Lakeshore Aviation .............................. 55 & 60 MN Aviation, Inc. ...........................................27 Maxwell Aircraft Service ...............................31 Mead & Hunt, Inc. .........................................29 Metropolitan Airports Commission ................11 Mid-Continent Aircraft Corp. (Cessna C-Star) . 60 Mid-Continent Insurance ..............................60 Midwest Aircraft Appraisal ............................24 Midwest Flyer Magazine .......... 35, 41, 50 & 64 Midwest Flyer Canadian Fishing Fly-Out......27 Minn. Av. Maintenance Technician Conf. ......33 Minnesota Aviation Trades Ass’n ............ 50-53 Minn. DOT Office of Aeronautics ............ 32-35 Minnesota Petroleum Services .....................26 Minnesota State University-Mankato ............37 Monaco Air Duluth ........................................28 Mooney Aircraft.............................................54 Morey Airplane Company .............................60 NationAir Aviation Insurance ......... 15, 41 & 50 National Air Transportation Ass’n..................41 Newton Home Oil Co., Inc. .............................6 NewView Technologies, Inc. ................ 20 & 41 North Star Aviation ......................... 37, 50 & 60 OMNNI Associates .......................................24 Orr, Minn. Regional Airport (Hangar Sites)......60 Osceola, Wis. Airport (OEO).........................39 Pat O’Malley’s ìJet Roomî Restaurant ..........57 Phillips 66 ........................................ 6, 51 & 62 Piper Aircraft, Inc. ................................ 61 & 64 Racine Commercial Airport .................. 41 & 60 Rapco Fleet Support, Inc. .................... 10 & 41 Red Wing Aeroplane Company ....................28 Regent Aviation, Inc. .....................................50 Reigel & Associates, Ltd. (Aero Legal) 37 & 50 River Valley Bank..........................................40 Rochelle, Illinois Municipal Airport ................24 Schweiss Bi-Fold Doors ...............................54 Short Elliott Hendrickson, Inc. ......................21 Skycom Avionics, Inc. ...................................64 Socata (EADS) .............................................61 S. St. Paul Municipal Airport (Fleming Field) ...51 Southern Wisconsin Regional Airport ...........60 Sunrise Building Systems, LLC ....................60 Tanis Aircraft Products, Inc. ..........................63 Tecnam Aircraft ............................................. 7 Texaco ..........................................................40 The Da Vinci Diaries .....................................60 Thunderbird Aviation ............................. 7 & 50 Trimcraft Aviation ................................. 41 & 50 Twin County Airport (Menominee, Mich.) .........49 Ulteig ............................................................59 USAIG ..........................................................50 West Bend Air, Inc. .......................................41 Western Petroleum Company.........................8 Willmar Air Service, Inc.................................54 Willmar Municipal Airport, Willmar, Minn. .....60 Wings Aviation Services .................................8 Wings Financial ............................................50 Winona State University ...............................31 WipCaire by Wipaire, Inc. ............................. 5 Wisconsin Aviation, Inc. ...................... 41 & 61 Wisconsin Aviation Trades Ass’n ............ 40-43 Wisconsin DOT Bureau of Aeronautics .. 36-38 Wright Aero, Inc. ...........................................50 Index To Advertisers DISCLAIMER: MIDWEST FLYER MAGAZINE, Flyer Publications, Inc., staff and officers do not assume any responsibility for the content of articles, or any liability arising out of the reliance upon them, nor for the late delivery of issues. Promote Your Business by Advertising In Midwest Flyer Magazine. Promoting Aviation Products & Services Since 1978 608-835-7063 DECEMBER 2008/JANUARY 2009 MIDWEST FLYER MAGAZINE 13 eAA seeks GA Relief From Proposed Canada eLt Rule OSHKOSH, WIS. (October 23, 2008) – EAA has submitted comments to Transport Canada (TC) in an effort to reduce complexity and cost burdens on U.S. pilots flying into Canada post-February 1, 2009. On that date Canada will adopt the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standard requiring digital 406 MHz emergency locator transmitters (ELTs) in all aircraft during international flights. However, here in the U.S., the FAA is not planning to make any changes to FAR 91.207 (the regulation requiring ELTs in most airplanes) for domestic flights, so many U.S. general aviation (GA) aircraft will remain compliant to U.S. regulations and forgo the upgrade from the existing 121.5 ELTs to the more costly 406 MHz ELTs. EAA is recommending that United States-registered general aviation aircraft that are in compliance with U.S. ELT regulations (121.5 MHz) be allowed to fly north of the border without 406 MHz units. EAA’s recommendation would apply to all small U.S. registered aircraft - 12,500 pounds gross weight or less with a maximum five seats – claiming an equivalent level of safety under the U.S. ELT regulatory requirements. “Requiring these U.S aircraft to install 406 MHz ELTs could have an adverse economic impact on the general aviation industry and tourism between the U.S. and Canada,” said Randy Hansen, EAA government relations director. “Since the U.S. regulations currently require 121.5 MHz, many aircraft owners will likely opt not to install 406 MHz units and simply choose to stop flying into Canada, and that would be a lose-lose situation. We’re offering a win-win solution.” If the recommendation is not accepted by TC, EAA offered an alternative that would allow U.S pilots to comply by using a 406 MHz Personal Locator Beacon (PLB) instead of an installed 406 ELT. EAA also asks that pilots who fly common/ direct flight routes over Canada between the Northeastern U.S. area and Michigan with no intention of landing at a Canadian airport, be allowed to continue doing so. Denis Browne, chairman of EAA’s Canadian Council, concurs with EAA’s recommendation, and has submitted comments recommending that Canadian registered GA aircraft also be allowed to fly with a 406 MHz PLB in sonex Comments on Proposed Changes to 51 Percent Rule OSHKOSH, WIS. – Sonex Aircraft, LLC has submitted its comments to the Federal Aviation Administration regarding proposed policy changes to the Experimental-Amateur Built regulations. The message sent was to enforce the regulations already in-place, and not to place an undue burden upon builders complying with the spirit and intent of the Experimental-Amateur Built aircraft regulations by creating new regulation via changes in policy. The regulations found in 21.191(g) require the builder to fabricate and assemble the major portion of the amateur-built aircraft. To require a specific percentage (e.g., at least 20% fabrication and 20% assembly) as being proposed, imposes a burden on the homebuilder community that is beyond the scope of the regulation, and is regulation by policy. Sonex Aircraft joined EAA and others in opposing changes to the “51 Percent Rule” calculation and enforcement policy changes before the September 30, 2008 comment- period deadline. Sonex is concerned that the proposed changes will place significant burdens on those who are building within the letter and spirit of the regulations, while doing little to address excessive commercial assistance and “pro building.” q G overnment reGuLAtions 14 DECEMBER 2008/JANUARY 2009 MIDWEST FLYER MAGAZINE HondaJet is Honda Motor Company’s entry into the growing light business jet market, as announced at EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wis. in 2005. Aviation has been an important dream of Honda for more than four decades. Honda’s goal is consistent with the philosophy of other Honda products – to provide convenient and efficient transportation that will make people’s lives better, and this is not just talk. Honda is excited to enter a new dimension of mobility. Honda has established a new U.S. company – Honda Aircraft Company, Inc. – to hold FAA type and production certification and is building a new facility in Greensboro, North Carolina, which will exceed 400,000 square feet and will consist of the company’s world headquarters for the Development of HondaJet Continues… A Followup Interview With Michimasa Fujino, President & Ceo, Honda Aircraft Company, Inc. A Followup Interview With Michimasa Fujino, President & Ceo, Honda Aircraft Company, Inc. by Dave Weiman Michimasa Fujino, President & CEO, Honda Aircraft Company, Inc. DECEMBER 2008/JANUARY 2009 MIDWEST FLYER MAGAZINE 15 sales and marketing activities, research and development efforts, and as a delivery center and production facility. Honda’s goal is to complete type certification within the next two years, followed by the start of production of the seven to eight-seat HondaJet in the U.S. in 2010. Honda refers to the HondaJet as an “advanced light jet” due to the many innovative technologies that Honda says help it to achieve far better fuel efficiency, larger cabin and luggage space, and higher cruise speed than conventional aircraft in its class. The result of 20 years of aviation research, key HondaJet innovations include a patented over- the-wing engine-mount configuration, a natural-laminar flow (NLF) wing and fuselage nose, and an advanced all- composite fuselage structure. HondaJet’s NLF wing and NLF fuselage nose were developed through extensive analysis and wind tunnel testing. These designs help HondaJet achieve low drag. HondaJet’s patented over-the-wing engine-mount configuration helps eliminate the need for a structure to mount the engines to the rear fuselage, maximizing space For more information about NationAir, visit our website at www.NationAir.com. Ask the Experts Answer: There are definite differences between the hull insurance a Commercial Operator would purchase and that which is available on a renter pilot’s policy. A Commercial Operator may purchase “All-Risk Physical Damage” coverage, which will respond in the event of damage to the aircraft that occurs on the ground or in the air. This coverage applies without regard to fault or negligence. It could apply to damage caused by a student or renter pilot, or an employee of the FBO, damage caused by vandalism or theft, fire, wind, hail, or even damage discovered during a preflight inspection due to some unknown cause. Hangar rash and ground handling incidents are frequently the cause of physical damage claims. Renter pilots may purchase Non-Owned Aircraft Insurance with an optional coverage for physical damage to an airplane. This coverage is called Non-Owned Aircraft Damage Liability, with emphasis on the word “liability”. In other words, the damage must have been caused by the renter pilot’s negligence. It is not “all-risk” coverage. The renter’s aircraft damage liability coverage would not respond to the loss of an airplane that may have been caused by improper maintenance or any loss caused by circumstances outside of the renter’s control. As you can see, choosing to rely on the renter pilot’s insurance will leave many opportunities for an uncovered loss to occur. As a rule, it is never wise to rely on someone else’s insurance to protect you or your assets. Joan Zaleski jzaleski@nationair.com 630-584-7552 IN, IL, MI, MO, WI John Weber jweber@nationair.com 952-944-7666 MN, SD, ND, WI Kevin Thomas kthomas@nationair.com 952-944-7666 MN, SD, ND, WI John Worthing jworthing@nationair.com 402-475-5860 CO, IA, KS, MO, NE Question: Do I need to purchase hull insurance on my rental airplanes if I am requiring all renter pilots to have Renters Insurance? Michimasa Fujino with HondaJet authorized factory sales and service center representatives and executive staff at EAA AirVenture 2008, Oshkosh, Wisconsin. An artist’s rendering of the new Honda Aircraft Company, Inc. facility in Greensboro, North Carolina. 16 DECEMBER 2008/JANUARY 2009 MIDWEST FLYER MAGAZINE in the fuselage for passengers and luggage. Furthermore, by determining the optimal position for the engines, the over-the-wing mount actually reduces drag at high speed to improve fuel efficiency. The advanced all-composite fuselage structure consists of a combination of honeycomb sandwich structure and co-cured stiffened panels. It was developed to reduce weight and manufacturing costs. The HondaJet is also outfitted with a state- of-the-art, all-glass flight deck with an integrated avionics system that displays all information digitally on a high-resolution flat display. Since December 2003, the HondaJet prototype has completed nearly 400 hours of flight-testing. HondaJet’s maximum speed is 420 kts, IFR range is 1,180 nm, and maximum altitude is 43,000 feet. The HondaJet Pavilion at EAA AirVenture, Oshkosh, Wis., July 28 - August 3, 2008, again attracted a great deal of attention as in past years. The lighting showcased the HondaJet’s striking blue and white paint scheme, and over-the-wing engine-mount configuration. Last year during EAA AirVenture, I met with the President and CEO of Honda Aircraft Company, Michimasa Fujino, to learn more about the aircraft and the philosophy of the company. He said then that Honda’s goal is to “deliver three key attributes – performance, quality and comfort – beyond what people currently expect from light business jets.” “The difference between the HondaJet and other corporate jets will be in the attention to details,” said Fujino. Honda surveyed and asked corporate pilots what they like best in the aircraft they fly, and what they like least. The designs that currently exist have been around for 30 years, and Fujino feels that corporate aircraft need a lot of improvement in fuel efficiency to protect the environment, and to better utilize space. “The next generation jet will be the HondaJet,” he said. “HondaJet will be more luxurious, and we want to change the concept of what luxury means for the customer. We want pilots to feel like they are flying a sports car, not a sedan. From a design standpoint, esthetics, corrosion prevention, and even the color are being considered.” The engine uses technologies that are light, fuel efficient, and also environmentally conservative, like its low emissions and low noise – more than 20 decibels quieter than any other jet engine on the market today. Fujino said that the increasing cost of fuel is the “trigger” to customer awareness. “We will not compromise the environment for speed, size or altitude. We want an environmentally friendly, efficient and comfortable corporate aircraft.” As for avionics, whatever avionics are state-of-the-art when the plane goes into production in 2010, will be installed in the HondaJet, said Fujino, and it will be a standard package with very few options. Fujino believes that the HondaJet will have a positive effect on other corporate jet manufacturers, as well. “Not only will HondaJet incorporate new technology to make customers satisfied, but customers may not currently be 100 percent satisfied with current customer support… parts distribution. So we want to set the standard, not only in technology, but also from a business standpoint.” A lot of effort has been made to ensure that only the very best and most dependable suppliers are involved. Fujino is also comfortable with the dealer network Honda Aircraft has in place. “Honda wants to establish long- term relationships and we aim to please our customers. A lot of businesses think short term, not long term. They don’t make customer satisfaction a priority sometimes. In Japan, if we lose customer satisfaction, we lose trust, and we have lost a customer. So our business strategy is to always look long term. It is a more efficient way to do business!” Honda has established an independent network of regional sales and service representatives to support customers nationwide. These stand-alone HondaJet facilities will be solely focused on providing the highest level of customer care and will be strategically located around the country within a 90-minute flight from any customer’s home base. “We have chosen our dealers very carefully to insure that the specific needs of HondaJet customers will be fully met in every aspect of the sales and service process. I have tried to bring the automobile service business model to aviation. People like John Lowe (President and CEO of Des Moines Flying Service and HondaJet Midwest) understand this. At Honda, we think of the customer first. Customer satisfaction is the most important aspect of any manufacturing undertaking.” Aero InsuranceSERVING MIDWEST AVIATION SINCE 1968 Representing All Major Companies & Lloyd’s of London “Give Us A Call Before You Renew Your Current Policy!” (262) 251-9460 or FAX (262) 251-7769 aeroins@aol.com Aero Insurance, Inc. • N94 W15652 Ridgeview Drive • Menomonee Falls, WI 53051 AIRCR AFT FBO AIRPORT Tom & Renee Watry Aero Insurance_Redo 5/21/05 3:52 PM Page 1 DECEMBER 2008/JANUARY 2009 MIDWEST FLYER MAGAZINE 17 The current price tag for the HondaJet in today’s dollars is $3.9 million. For additional information on the HondaJet, see hondajetmidwest. com, or contact John Lowe at HondaJet Midwest at 877-686- 0028. As reported in the August/ September 2008 issue of Midwest Flyer Magazine, HondaJet Midwest is building a new facility at Aurora Municipal Airport (ARR), Aurora, Illinois. It will be completed in time for their first delivery. q Light sport America to Distribute UFo enforcer WARRENSBURG, MO. – Light Sport America (LSA), a division of McCoy Marketing Services Corp., of Punta Gorda, Fla., has added the “UFO Enforcer” rotorcraft to the line of light sport aircraft it is marketing and distributing in North America. The UFO Enforcer is a two-passenger rotorcraft manufactured by Renegade LSA & Rotorcraft of Warrensburg, Missouri. Light Sport America was recently also named the exclusive North American distributor of the Storm Aircraft line of light sport aircraft. For less than the cost of two fully- equipped cruisers, a law enforcement department can acquire this aircraft. The Enforcer cruises up to 125 mph, slow flights at 35 mph, lands and takes off in as little as 50 feet, and has more than five-hour endurance at cruise speeds. The Enforcer has a payload of 650 pounds, and a range of up to 450 miles. The Enforcer uses 91 octane auto fuel, and the Sabaru engine uses automotive parts (www. lightsportamerica.com). q Gobosh Aviation 800XP... Latest offering In Luxury sport Aircraft™ SEBRING, FLA. – Gobosh Aviation has unveiled a new Luxury Sport Aircraft™ – the 800XP. The aircraft has a composite design and represents a collaboration between Gobosh Avia- tion and the design efforts of Mirek and Petr Kabrt. The 800XP design is so efficient that Gobosh says that they needed to find ways to limit the top speed to keep it under the 120-knot maximum limitation imposed by the FAA for Light Sport Aircraft. The 800XP is manufactured in the Czech Republic for Gobosh Aviation by Aveko, a manufacturing conglom- erate producing a variety of industrial and aerospace products ranging from servo motors, to composite subassem- blies, to unmanned aerial vehicles for the military. The “X” is a Gobosh designation for an all-glass cockpit. In this case, the Dynon EFIS-D100 (Electronic Flight Information System) is sup- ported by select Garmin components. The “P” indicates that the airframe is equipped with a state-of-the-art airframe parachute system called GO- SAFE™ System (Gobosh - Strategic Alternative For Emergencies ™). Initially the 800XP is being offered in the Elite and Elite+ configurations that are also popular on the Gobosh 700S. Qualified pilots may use the 800XP Elite Edition capabilities to fly day or night VFR. The top of the line 800XP Elite+ edition offers standard amenities including leather seats, a Garmin 396 with XMWX capabili- ties, Bose headset jacks and more. All Gobosh aircraft are backed by a two-year/400-hour warranty that is the longest warranty in its class. To learn more about Gobosh Aviation, visit www.gobosh.aero. q Mooney President Resigns KERRVILLE, TEXAS – Dennis E. Ferguson, who headed Mooney Airplane Company as Chief Executive Officer from September of 2006 until last month, resigned effective September 26, and has been replaced with Robert B. Gowens. Mooney Airplane Company, located in Kerrville, Texas, is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Mooney Aerospace Group, Ltd., a general aviation holding company. It currently sells three models of the M20—the Acclaim Type S, the Ovation3 and the Ovation2 GX. Since its inception in 1946, the company has manufactured and delivered more than 11,700 aircraft worldwide. q A ircrAft 18 DECEMBER 2008/JANUARY 2009 MIDWEST FLYER MAGAZINE standardAero & Wipaire sign Caravan support Center Agreement SOUTH ST. PAUL, MINN. – StandardAero of Orlando, Fla., and Wipaire, Inc. of Fleming Field, South St. Paul, Minn., have signed a support center agreement, authorizing Wipaire as a StandardAero-approved installation facility for the Cessna Caravan 208-series aircraft engine-upgrade program. This engine- upgrade program replaces the PT6A-114 (600 shp)/114A (675 shp) powerplants with the PT6A-135A (750 shp) powerplant. Providing an alternative to traditional overhauls, the new engine provides an increase in power at altitude and an improved rate of climb. A redesigned air inlet results in improved ram air recovery to the engine intake – further increasing engine performance. Engines will be available for installation in the first quarter of 2009. “As a world leader in manufacturing floats for small, amphibian turboprop aircraft, coupled with years of experience in airframe (STC) modifications, paint and interior, Wipaire is a great partner to introduce this program to Cessna Caravan 208-series operators,” said StandardAero General Manager, Manny Atwal. He added: “Wipaire is the first support center to be able to provide this service to Cessna Caravan 208-series operators. This partnership will enhance the level of support for our customers not only during the conversion process, but afterwards from a maintenance perspective.” StandardAero is the only Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-designated overhaul facility that can offer customers both maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) and engine upgrade options (www.wipcaire.com). q Hawker Beechcraft Breaks Ground on $14 Million Indianapolis Facility expansion INDIANAPOLIS, IND. – Hawker Beechcraft Corporation (HBC) broke ground October 17 to expand their Hawker Beechcraft Services (HBS) aircraft maintenance and service facility at the Indianapolis International Airport. The $14 million investment will include dramatic enhancements that consist of a state-of-the-art maintenance center and the creation of up to 50 new jobs. The expansion will include a new 6,500-square-foot terminal and a 40,000-square-foot service hangar with 20,000 square feet of back shops and administrative offices. The expanded facility will also offer guest offices for customers to use while their aircraft are being serviced, with each workspace supplying full office amenities including computers, Wi-Fi access, printers, phones and conference rooms with a view of the shop floor. The expansion also includes a new product showroom that will showcase the newest in avionics and interior options, as well as engine and airframe maintenance programs. The expanded facility will serve as a factory service center for the company’s entire aircraft line, including the Hawker 4000 business jet. The new facility is expected to open during the second quarter 2009 with 24-hour operations beginning within several months of the opening. Indianapolis is one of nine U.S. locations where HBS is planning to significantly expand its customer service and maintenance offerings. Headquartered in Wichita, Kan., HBS has leased space in Indianapolis for 37 years and has 43 full-time employees. With 12 service centers located domestically and internationally, HBS’ network of factory-owned service centers deliver professional value-tailored maintenance, overhaul, repair and upgrade solutions to private, corporate and government customers worldwide. q Representatives take part in the Indianapolis Hawker Beechcraft Services expansion ground-breaking ceremony. (L/R): John Kish, Executive Director, Indianapolis International Airport Authority Board; Mike Robinson, General Manager, Hawker Beechcraft Services Indianapolis; Robert Dakovich, Vice President Construction, VJS Construction Services; Andy Plyler, Vice President, Hawker Beechcraft Services; and Bill Brown, President, HBC Global Customer Service & Support. DECEMBER 2008/JANUARY 2009 MIDWEST FLYER MAGAZINE 19 one Zero Charlie by Rebecca Jensen In the middle of a cornfield, in the middle of America, you can tell who was born to fly; these people are always taking their adventures upward. Arthur Galt, Jr. was one of these adventurers and so are Michael Stanard and Ivan Djurin, co-owners of Galt Airport, Greenwood, Illinois. They are people in love with flight. Many things begin with love. Art Galt, Jr.’s adventure began with a woman he loved enough to leave his family behind and begin a new life in the McHenry County, Illinois countryside in 1949. It seems hard to explain how one man’s love for a woman could bring him down and raise him up, but she did, and it did. Their journey to the outskirts of Woodstock, Ill., in McHenry County, is the beginning of the story. Galt Airfield was formed out of corn and hay fields in 1952 on 300 acres of Illinois farmland. It’s a good thing that Art Galt was not a farmer. I would hazard to guess that there was just too much work involved in farming. Really, he became a pilot because he was a fisherman. He and Vera loved to fish around the Apostle Islands, but hated the drive, so when someone offered to fly them up faster, Art jumped at the opportunity. That flight was his first experience with aviation and the beginning of a second love affair. He bought a J3 Piper Cub and plowed under some of his corn, Field of Dreams style, to create a grass landing strip, which became Runway 9/27. Art and Vera brought back fresh fish from their fishing trips and hosted great cookouts, inviting the area farmers. It wasn’t long before one plane attracted another. Soon, other pilots wanted to park their planes by Art’s grass strip, and he was happy to share it with them. Art Galt’s airport became his life: he fenced off the air strip to keep away the cows, ran lights down the runway to let people land at night, hosted picnics and even cooked lunches in their airport restaurant. Even after the health department shut down the Galt family restaurant, they still held cookouts, a tradition that has been maintained by new Galt owners Ivan Djurin and Michael Stanard on a grander scale. Now, pilots may come just for fuel, but they stay around the great fireplace when it’s cold and stay longer for the camaraderie. Stanard and Djurin first came to Galt, like other pilots, for the cheap fuel. Then, when their ‘57 Apache AIRCRAFT ENGINE HEATING MADE EASY! E-Z HEAT, Inc. – America’s Finest Preheat System Since 1984 – AIRCRAFT ENGINE PRE-HEATER End your cold weather starting problems and reduce pre-mature engine wear with PROVEN E-Z Heat Engine Pre-Heater • Heats ENTIRE engine in about 4 hours, through conduction, the safest means of heat transfer available. 11 MODELS – BECAUSE EACH ENGINE IS DIFFERENT! • FAA accepted, No STC or 337 form required. • Easiest to install of any pre-heat system. • Thermostatically controlled, compared to other preheaters which are not. No danger of oil carbonization. • NEW Double insulated engine blanket & prop covers now available. From $169.95 For more information, call or see website 1-800-468-4459 www.e-zheat.com E-Z HEAT, Inc. 779 Lakeview Dr., Chetek, WI 54728 Fax: 715-924-4401 EZ HEAT 11/29/06 3:03 PM Page 1 Arthur Galt, Jr. Michael and Joleen Stanard Galt Airfield, Greenwood, Illinois A irports 20 DECEMBER 2008/JANUARY 2009 MIDWEST FLYER MAGAZINE needed work, they left it at Galt’s repair shop, and often drove out from Evanston and Glenview to keep tabs on the project. Stanard and Djurin recognized Greenwood’s tranquility as well as the challenges involved in operating an airport. When the Apache was finished, though, they bought into the dream. To buy an airport is to buy not only its memories, but also its trash… 25 tons of it, which had to be hauled off. Renovation work was extensive; the airport had deteriorated and debris had accumulated over 40 years. Art and Vera’s 110-year-old farmhouse was in sad shape. The indoor pool, which had once been used in an attempt to put out a major fire in the aircraft repair shop, was filled in and the house renovated from top to bottom. It was 18 months before it was even livable. Relationships build airports, they are built at airports, and they change our lives. Art’s relationship with Vera built the airport and new relationships have renovated it and kept it thriving. Djurin and Stanard are committed to keeping Galt alive and growing by fostering relationships with the city, as well as pilots from all over the Midwest. What once was a withering little airport, now hosts Stanard’s beautiful design studio, which looks out on Runway 9/27, as well as one of the largest annual fly-ins: “Flyers & Tires” (www.flyers-tires.com), which offers food, entertainment, and burnouts on Saturday and Sunday nights of the event. There are also hundreds of motorcycles and choppers on display, as well as antique and military aircraft and an impressive air show. In 2005, Galt began hosting an annual concert series (www. galtfestivals.com) each July. A big draw for the Greenwood community, these concerts attract over 10,000 visitors. In 2007, they hosted Iron Butterfly (www.ironbutterfly.com) and Canned Heat (www.cannedheat. com). Hard landing concerts are held outside on an outdoor pavilion that Stanard constructed at the base of a natural grass amphitheater just short of Runway 9. Why not just pancake fly-ins? Because pancakes don’t cut it, according to the Stanards. Many of the small airports that can’t attract jet traffic have negative cash flow despite taxpayer monies and federal government subsidies. Like other airports, Galt sells fuel and offers a flight school, but Stanard credits some of the airport’s success to its piston shop, which is constantly busy. They also have a paint shop on the premises, which brings in pilots from all over Illinois and Wisconsin. Unlike public airports, though, private airports like Galt receive no subsidies whatsoever, so many have faded from the scene. Where there were thriving communities of pilots and students, there are now lonely self-serve pumps and a keyless lock on the pilot’s lounge door. Too many small airports have closed, and their million-dollar runways are silent. Galt, located just west of Wonder Lake in Greenwood, Ill., and close to Woodstock, Ill., would be prime real estate, according to Stanard, for homebuyers priced out of suburban markets closer to the city. Every year, the subdivisions creep closer up from the lake and Woodstock. Like municipal airports trying to maintain a grasp on their property, Galt has built new Nested T and 50 x 50 ft. hangars, which it rents yearly. It has also made improvements to the field, recently extending and widening its runway, adding a parallel taxiway and installing new taxi lights. Galt’ s grass strip is a big draw and used often by the flight school. Bigger still, however, is the airport’s well- stocked lake and small cabin, complete with wood stove and bunk beds, which airport tenants can rent. Visitors can camp nearby and catch as many fish as they can fly home, homage to Art Galt’s passion for fishing. Every year, more and more rules are made that hinder general aviation. Like many others, One Zero Charlie might have disappeared, but it hasn’t. The planes are still doing aerobatics over Greenwood, Illinois. Galt’s future, according to Stanard and his staff, is to make One Zero Charlie the “most beautiful grassroots airport in America” and to “have fun doing it.” Afterall, isn’t that why anyone makes his or her home on an airport? q Mesaba Rebuilds Hangar Despite Industry Dip DES MOINES, IOWA – Mesaba Airlines is rebuilding a regional jet maintenance facility at Des Moines International Airport (DSM) that was destroyed on June 25 by a strong burst of wind. DSM Aviation Director Craig Smith explains, “This is huge. In an industry showing as much volatility as this one, a big player is continuing to show confidence in DSM.” The cleanup and reconstruction started on July 7, and was expected to be functional by mid November. q Give Your Aircraft A New View With Wittman Regional Airport Oshkosh, Wisconsin Vision blurred from scratches & crazing? NEWVIEW will restore or replace your windshield and/or cabin windows. OTHER SERVICES: • Annuals & 100-Hour Inspections • Pitot Static Testing • Altimeter Certification • Transponder Biennials • Authorized Diamond Service Center FOR APPOINTMENT CALL 1-877-303-0709 E-Mail: sales@newviewtech.com Web Site: www.newviewtech.com NewView 5/23/05 4:21 PM Page 1 DECEMBER 2008/JANUARY 2009 MIDWEST FLYER MAGAZINE 21 After Bad things Happen… by Dr. John Beasley, MD My Cessna 180 pitched up ignominiously on its nose when I tried to land on a too-soft runway. To add insult to injury, a busload of gawking school kids came by as I climbed out. Fortunately, other than minor damage to the airplane, nobody was hurt and the only major structural damage was to my ego. How could I have been so stupid as to try the landing? I knew it might be soft. Was my judgment totally off? Was I a lousy pilot? What would the insurance company have to say? But much worse things could have happened, and have happened to many pilots. There could have been major damage, injury or a fatality. At Oshkosh in 2008: “Two people were killed Thursday morning … off the east end of Wittman Regional Airport’s Runway 27.” How does one cope with the reality of an accident and “get back into the saddle?” As a doctor, I‘ve had to deal with the times I have made mistakes and with the sometimes- tragic outcomes of those mistakes. We never forget stuff like that – as much as we may want to. I know the feelings of shock, anxiety, dread and depression that come when errors are made or accidents happen.* We ruminate on the event and its results. The psychological aftermath may be worse than the incident. I recall one malpractice allegation where a doctor was sued and even the jury decided that he had done the right thing. Still, he was so devastated that he left his practice. Not uncommon. But, when bad things happen, there can also be some positive outcomes. We can build our relations with others by talking about the incident and our feelings. We can use the accident as an opportunity to learn, to improve our skills and perhaps take additional training. We can use this as a time of personal growth. Change your outlook on the situation from “I’m a lousy pilot” to “I’m a good pilot who will learn from this experience.” Reframing issues can be very helpful. Be kind to yourself. Seek out activities that divert your attention and, again, look for meaning and learning in the experience. Legal issues? If there is the threat of legal action, this may make us afraid and defensive, and prolong the process of psychological healing. In these situations, your attorney is your best friend. You can pour your heart out, and what you say cannot be used in legal proceedings. Often as professionals we are too self-critical (“I shouldn’t have been so stupid!”) and your attorney may point out mitigating factors (“Even though you were too low, the other pilot…”). You’ll feel a bit better. We often assume more fault than we should. You can also talk to your spouse, to trusted and respected friends or instructors. It helps to talk things over. While in theory persons other than your spouse could be asked to testify in legal proceedings, I’ve never seen this happen, and probably the psychological benefits outweigh the legal risks in most cases. Medical issues? After an event, there will be some grieving for our lost feeling of invulnerability at the least and perhaps for the actual physical, legal and financial losses as well. Usually we recover in a few months from this grieving process. If the recovery process is prolonged, or if issues like significant depression, insomnia, marital problems, or substance use (most often alcohol) result, then it’s time to seek help from your doc. Will the FAA ding you on your next medical? Well, if your doc felt you needed medication, it concentration!your needs. our services. a perfect match. Call an Aviation Specialist today! 800.325.2055 | www.sehinc.com H iGH on H eALtH Dr. John Beasley 22 DECEMBER 2008/JANUARY 2009 MIDWEST FLYER MAGAZINE will generally be 90 days after you complete your course of medication before you can ge back into the air. Counseling only? Not a problem if your counselor can say “He had a rough couple of months after the accident, but he’s doing fine now.” And there are non-medical ways of dealing with the stress. A couple of studies have shown that aerobic exercise (preferably outdoors during the daylight) is as effective as the prescription anti-depressants. Costs less, too! Best yet, be careful out there, and let’s hope that you never have this particular opportunity to learn! q the da Vinci Diaries Anyone with even a passing familiarity with Leonardo da Vinci’s notebook drawings of flying machines, tanks, and other futuristic devices, is bound to wonder what the world would have been like had anyone, da Vinci or someone else, actually tried to put the designs into production. Fulfilling that curiosity is the premise behind James LaMalfa’s book, The da Vinci Diaries, a dramatic novel in the voice of da Vinci’s secretary and heir, Francesco Melzi, who recounts the world of da Vinci in the late 15th and early 16th centuries and da Vinci’s own efforts to bring his inventions to life. As LaMalfa notes in the introduction, Jules Verne based much of his fiction on da Vinci’s inventions. While Verne allowed himself the latitude to explore those inventions in his own time, LaMalfa’s undertaking requires a far greater discipline. In what could have become a wild flight of fancy, LaMalfa holds a tight rein on his narrative, remaining true to historical events and extending the changes brought about by the inventions only as far as the episode in which they are introduced. Even da Vinci’s final three years spent in France as a guest of the French King, remain unaltered. The most far reaching speculation is left to the readers’ imagination as the princes of the Italian states begin to discuss unification, an historical event which had to wait until the late 19th century to actually take place (albeit with great difficulty and much bloodshed). The one area which eclipses even the historical veracity of the narrative comes from LaMalfa’s familiarity with flight, both powered and sail. As a flier for more than 20 years himself, LaMalfa graphically portrays the experience as well as the difficulties of flight, from the perspective of both the pilot and the engineer. His remarks and observations in these areas are subtle, but that subtlety makes the narrative come alive and ring true. Such an account from the imagination of a flier and an artist provides the story with the flesh and bones which make the characters real and the events palpable. For the non-flier, LaMalfa provides a useful description of terms and the way in which da Vinci understood these concepts, along with a useful list of “Things Leonardo Didn’t Have” (p.xi). LaMalfa also includes a wealth of information about the state of the art of bronze casting in the early 16th century. Many who know da Vinci from popular biographies will be pleased to read about the “Horse," which da Vinci, in LaMalfa’s account, does finally get to complete. (Historically, in 1494, il Moro ordered the bronze which had been set aside for the Horse to be used for making cannons to defend Milan from attack by French King Charles VIII.) The dialogue LaMalfa chooses to employ represents a neat approximation of the formality of the courteriers’ language in Renaissance Italy. It seems a bit stifling at first, but after a few pages it becomes natural and blends seamlessly into the narrative. “What if. . .” stories can easily roam too far afield, but LaMalfa maintains a tight discipline as a writer and keeps a clear focus on his subject. This consistency flows smoothly from his command of the principles of flight, as well as his knowledge of the life of da Vinci. Overall, LaMalfa’s book is a good read and an interesting concept, whether your interests lie in flight, history, da Vinci, or speculative fiction. Leo Hodlofski, PhD Duke University EDITOR’S NOTE: Professor James LaMalfa, long-time contributing editor to Midwest Flyer Magazine, says that he was moved to write this book because he thinks Leonardo da Vinci was one of the first engineers to think out what a flying machine would need to take flight. “I used only his own voice based on his notes from the over 5,000 pages that came down to us,” said LaMalfa. “He wrote one book on bird flight, one on gliding flight, and one on the design of the flying machine. I asked myself how early flight 500 years before the Wright brothers flew would have affected history, and the book is the result.” LaMalfa, a professor in the Art Department at UW-Marinette, and the founder of the EAA Aviation Art Symposium & Contest at EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wis., illustrated the book. It may be purchased from the University of Wisconsin-Marinette bookstore by emailing the bookstore manager, Kathy Claycomb, at mntbook@uwc.edu. B ooks DECEMBER 2008/JANUARY 2009 MIDWEST FLYER MAGAZINE 23 Mineral Point, Wisconsin — small town affordability within miles of Madison! • 24hr Fuel: 100LL & Jet A • Aircraft Maintenance • Hangar Leases Available • Fly In Camping Available 3151 State Rd., Mineral Point, WI 53566 • 608.987.9931 • mrjairport@mhtc.net • GPS, NDB Approaches • AWOS & GCO Kevin King, Airport Manager • Two Runways: 11/29-4/22 5,000 & 3,600 feet AD-IOW smlbcsize 3/12/07 4:34 PM Page 1 by Jim Bildilli L ocated just south of Capital Airport (SPI) in Springfield, Illinois, the Illinois National Guard’s “Camp Lincoln” has served the military since its inception during the Civil War. It is not unusual to see the prerequisite military vehicles and personnel going about their business. However, for one week in July, seniors and cadets from the Civil Air Patrol (CAP) “invaded” Camp Lincoln’s Illinois Military Academy to participate in a summer encampment. This year’s commander, Maj. Noelle Sublett, started as a cadet nearly 20 years ago with the Springfield Composite Squadron. Assisting her was Maj. Kelly Robertson, who also has a long tenure with CAP. Noelle, with her staff of 47 senior members from four states (Wings), had responsibility for 169 cadets from seven states. Although a majority were from Illinois, cadets and seniors have traveled from the other Great Lakes states and as far away as Texas and Florida to participate. Over 50% of the cadets this year were young and away from home for the first time, which presented some additional challenges to the adult and cadet commanders. During the encampment, cadets received instruction in several disciplines. A communications school prepared cadets for their Radio Operators Certificates, by teaching them how to set up, maintain and operate radios in a professional manner. Along with receiving their certificate, they learned about basic electricity and electronics. Near the end of the week, the students were tested by volunteer examiners on their knowledge and skills. Cadets successfully passing all of the tests received their Amateur Radio Technician License from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). Leadership skills were taught on two levels: one for second year cadets and another for those who are seeking to be cadet officers. Learning people skills, making informed decisions and accepting responsibility for one’s actions were the central focus of the courses. Although not a requirement, orientation flights provided the cadets with aircraft familiarization. This year, several cadets were afforded the opportunity to participate in either glider or powered aircraft flights. Three CAP aircraft with six senior pilots provided 91 cadets with local orientation flights. Each flight began with a preflight of C ontinued on Page 49 Civil Air Patrol Invades Camp Lincoln 24 DECEMBER 2008/JANUARY 2009 MIDWEST FLYER MAGAZINE Fall is the season of state airport conferences. I will summarize the recent ones in my region and how they might impact you. The first conference I attended this fall was the annual conference of Michigan airport managers. Presentations were made by state aeronautics staff, as well as regional FAA personnel. The state aeronautics director’s message was that if there is not some kind of revenue enhancement (read that to mean tax and/ or fee increases), state services may have to be cut. By the time you read this article, the legislatively appointed Transportation Funding Task Force should have submitted its preliminary report to the governor and legislature, which likely will be recommending tax and/or fee increases on general aviation, as well as other modes of transportation. It is expected that the report will be posted on the state transportation web site (www.michigan.gov/tf2). I urge all Michigan pilots to read the report and let your state elected officials know how you feel about the recommendations. Pilots from other states may wish to read the report to stay informed on what is happening in other states. Action taken on these recommendations will affect the cost of flying and state services received for years to come. AOPA testified at one of the task force hearings and encouraged the task force members to find ways to fund aviation needs without increasing aviation taxes. A similar conference for Illinois airport managers was held shortly after the Michigan conference. Illinois officials speaking at this conference pointed out the $2 billion state budget deficit, and the declining state economy (thus, declining state tax revenue). State aeronautics officials reported that the bulk of the federal airport improvement grant funds received in Illinois have been going to Chicago O’Hare and Midway Airports. Without a system-wide capital improvement program, downstate airports are going to continue to deteriorate. Hopefully, by the time you read this article, the legislature will have passed, and the governor signed, legislation providing for such a program. The Indiana airport managers annual conference produced a similar message with some slight variations. Barry Cooper, FAA Great Lakes Regional Administrator, urged the passage of FAA reauthorization to provide reliable funding for airport projects. As you probably know, the FAA has been operating under a number of continuing resolutions this year, making it difficult to implement airport construction projects. I hate writing negative reports, but as they say, “I am just the messenger.” However, there is some good news out there for general aviation. At the Indiana conference, a representative from Allison Rolls Royce made a presentation indicating that the small, lightweight, turbine engines now being built, may be the future of general aviation. They run on readily available Jet A fuel and could operate on a number of other fuels. Turbine engines have been extremely reliable and have great longevity. The company announced earlier that it was working with Mooney Airplane Company to produce a production line turbine engine for the Mooney aircraft. A representative of Swift Enterprises made a presentation on its renewable general aviation fuel that is less expensive, more fuel-efficient, and environmentally friendlier than any other fuel on the market today. It can be made from sorghum, corn, or other crops. FAA preliminary testing has found it to be suitable for existing piston engines and to produce about a 15% increase in power over avgas. It can be mixed with avgas or used exclusively. The company claims that, depending on various official approvals, it could be available for sale in 2009. So I am not giving up on general aviation (and probably never will after nearly 50 years of flying). Neither should you. The best is yet to come! You can help that future by letting your views be known at all levels of government and by introducing someone to the joys of flight thru AOPA’s “Project Pilot” mentor program: http://flighttraining.aopa. org/projectpilot/ For information on all general aviation issues, please visit the AOPA web site: www.aopa.org. q 4*/(-&4
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+&54 800-952-4424 www.mwaircraft.com Aircraft Appraisals & Valuation Services Since 1996 Rochelle Ad June08.indd 1 7/25/08 12:54:22 AM OMNNI ASSOCIATES “Airport Engineering and Design Services” For Additional Information Contact Aaron Stewart At 920-735-6900 ONE SYSTEMS DRIVE, APPLETON, WI 54914 Omnni 10/8/04 5:12 PM Page 1 GREAT LAKES REGIONAL REPORT by Bill Blake AOPA Great Lakes Regional Representative Let Your Views Be Known! DECEMBER 2008/JANUARY 2009 MIDWEST FLYER MAGAZINE 25 Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association • Your monthly update on all things aviation PILOT BRIEFING INTRODUCING AOPA INTERNET FLIGHT PLANNER By Karen Gebhart, AOPA Executive Vice President, Communications JOIN AOPA TODAY TO USE THIS NEW RESOURCE www.aopa.org/join At AOPA we are always working hard to help keep your flying safe, fun, and affordable. That’s why we are proud to introduce an amazing new tool that does all three. The new AOPA Internet Flight Planner lets you plan your next flight any time, anywhere from any computer with Internet access. Whether you use Windows, MacIntosh, or Linux, you can take full advantage of all the AOPA Internet Flight Planner’s high-end features—and it’s free to AOPA members. When you plan a flight with the new AOPA Internet Flight Planner, you get more than a route. Detailed fuel-price and airport informa- tion from AOPA’s Airport Directory is acces- sible right from the flight planner, bringing you everything from FBO information to taxi dia- grams and approach charts all in one place. You’ll also get weather affecting your flight. The most current weather information is auto- matically downloaded when you click the “Plan This Route” button. We’ve even preloaded the flight planner with performance data for many of the most popular GA aircraft to save you time. For pilots who want something other than a “standard” route, we’ve made it easier to alter and optimize your flight plan, letting you fine tune everything from your way- points to your altitude so you can easily and efficiently take advantage of winds aloft or avoid weather. Even with all these exciting new features, the flight planner continues to use Jeppesen’s data- base and flight-planning algorithms for the most reliable plans anywhere. We know that in today’s technology driven world, things can change fast. That’s why our talented team of in-house Web developers built this new flight planner. Because we cre- ated it and maintain it ourselves, we can quick- ly react to your suggestions and developing technologies, ensuring that the AOPA Internet Flight Planner continues to deliver the best and most useful flight planning features around. If you are already an AOPA member, go ahead and kick the tires, then let us know what you think. We look forward to making the new flight planner even better based on your input. If you’re not a member, join today and get in on the next revolution in flying. FROM PHIL’S DESK AOPA has never been an organization that’s content to rest on its laurels. So it should come as no surprise that we are once again introducing a tool that will revolutionize the way you fly. Five years after bringing members free flight planning software, we have a new and better tool that integrates AOPA’s outstanding Airport Directory information and weath- er with a flight planner you can use on any computer with Internet access…and it’s still free to members. 26 DECEMBER 2008/JANUARY 2009 MIDWEST FLYER MAGAZINE Hi Dave: I looked forward to reading the Air Race story (October/ November 2008) because I believe Karen (the author) lives near me and we have talked a couple times. But as I got into it, I decided that these were not my kind of pilots. No awareness of their environment and getting lost in the simplest circumstances. But then I kept reading and all in all, I think they did a good job and Karen wrote it well. Perhaps I am a minority, but my greatest appreciation of flying comes from getting to see things that others do not. Learning the geography of our beautiful country is important. It came to me late in life. (And) trying to absorb the local culture and names. Item 2 and 3 seemed to escape Karen and Judy. They parked their airplane for about four days at Gallatin County Airport, out in Belgrade, Montana. It is somewhat removed from Bozeman, but uses a related fix ID because Bozeman is the closest big town. Gallatin County Airport and Bozeman sit in the Gallatin Valley. Hard to get lost in a valley, eh? When you depart BZN, if you look out the southwest side of your plane, you might notice the Gallatin River, about 3 miles southwest, one of the three tributaries that make up the mighty Missouri not far away. But as you look at the river, you might notice the interstate highway right next to the airport! This would be the Main Street of America as some call it because it is one of the longest or THE longest Interstate in America. Others just call it I-90. It wanders through the valley to the southeast quite a ways and perhaps 10 to 15 miles beyond the city of Bozeman before encountering any serious terrain. Of course that is where it leaves the Gallatin Valley and goes to Billings, which is on the way to Miles City, their next stop. I-90 actually goes to Boston, near the final destination (sort of). But in any case, the highway is the way out of town in a low-performance airplane. Still, a great adventure and I'm glad we didn't read about it in the newspapers. We don't get to see stories like this often. Thanks Dave, and thank you, Karen, for a great story! Martin Coddington Retired Air Traffic Controller & Retired Northwest Airlink Captain Prior Lake, Minnesota Hi Martin: I appreciate your interest and perspective. I am just a Private Pilot with a lot to learn, but I do take flying seriously. Your letter implies a fundamental lack of airmanship, which simply isn’t the case, but I can see how you may have gotten that impression. Let me explain: First, we did not get lost in the valley. We got lost finding the route we wanted out of the valley. Second, the big ol’ highway leading out of the valley was in the opposite direction of our route. We weren’t looking for “easy” during the race. We were looking for the shortest route that our plane was capable of flying. Third, yes, we got lost. Dang. That happens sometimes when you’re flying VFR in unfamiliar territory (or driving, too, for that matter). Our route was described to us by a local pilot and sounded much easier than it was. But we got un-lost safely, which, I think, is most important. That said, Martin, I’m glad you enjoyed reading about our adventure, and thank you again for voicing your concerns. Together, we can all help each other be safer pilots and continue enjoying our special view from the sky. Karen Workman Private Pilot Northfield, Minnesota Over 20 aviation databases including U.S. Aircraft Owners, Pilots, New Students, Airport Managers and Aviation Businesses on one CD. Files are CASS Certified to cut mailing costs by up to 13%. Includes Windows software for searching and printing lists, labels, letters and envelopes 1-800-654-2066 www.airpac.com airpac@airpac.com 1231 E. 9th • Edmond • OK • 73034 Plane CD Plane CD™ AIRPAC_Ad 1/27/05 12:40 PM Page 1 Letters to tHe editor DECEMBER 2008/JANUARY 2009 MIDWEST FLYER MAGAZINE 27 WHeRe to Go: owatonna by Karen Workman Why would anyone go to Owatonna, Minnesota? Surrounded by fertile fields of corn and soybeans, it would appear to be a common midwestern town. But if you scratch the surface, you’ll find that Owatonna is also a great pilot’s destination. Located 45 nautical miles bearing 182 from Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota, the Owatonna airport (KOWA) is large enough to accommodate business jets on its 5,500 x 100 foot concrete runway with an ILS. Yet it’s still friendly enough to keep fresh homemade cookies in a glass jar next to the hot coffee. Family-owned Rare Aircraft (www.rareaircraft.com) is based at the airport. Its core business is sales and restoration of vintage biplanes, and they have certainly had some beauties over the years. If you’re lucky, you may be escorted through their facility where they’re likely to have a couple of aircraft in various stages of restoration, wood spars exposed and all. The work they do on these impressive aircraft is stunning. Rare Aircraft also offers top-notch flight instruction, full-service aircraft maintenance, and new American Champion aircraft sales. Langer Aviation is also located on the field, and provides aircraft maintenance and custom parts fabrication services. Only a mile from the airport, you’ll find an enormous Cabela’s (“World’s Foremost Outfitter”) retail store. That in itself would make a trip worthwhile for the whole family. As might be expected, Cabela’s is loaded with gear for hunting, camping and fishing. It also carries family clothing, shoes and home decorations. But what makes Cabela’s stand apart is its walk- through fish tank that you have to see to appreciate, and impressive dioramas throughout the store. The animals are so life-like, I’ve seen people stop to watch, expecting to see movement. After you’ve explored the store to your satisfaction, you can enjoy a simple meal in the cafe on the second floor. Best of all, a shuttle bus operates between the airport and the store. If you’re feeling energetic, you can walk less than a quarter mile further to find a couple of great restaurants including Famous Dave’s Legendary Barbeque and Timberlodge Steakhouse. There’s a small complex across the street with a Starbuck’s Coffee shop, and a Russell Stover Candy outlet, too. At Russell Stover, you can find incredible deals on fine chocolate. They even have an ice cream corner with tables where you can sit and re-energize yourself with a hot fudge sundae while soaking up the chocolate essence of the store. If you can wrangle a crew car or taxi, you could go to the Medford Outlet center just two miles up the frontage road from Cabela’s. There you can spend an afternoon shopping for bargains at Old Navy, Liz Claiborne, Nike, and Levi Strauss, to name just a few outlet stores. I don’t have to expound on the joy of that! A little deeper in town, the Steele County Historical Society runs the Village of Yesterday. To quote their brochure, “With its 15 historic structures, this unique park recreates how daily life was for the settlers. There are two log cabins, a railroad station and a caboose from Steele County dating back to the 1850s, general store/post office, fire station, farm machinery building, blacksmith shop, country school, the Dunnell mansion built in 1868, and the St. Wenceslaus of Moravia Church built in 1891. The buildings are furnished according to the time they were built, and are connected by a boardwalk.” Year round, Owatonna is a fine family destination. For a more comprehensive guide to Owatonna, go to their Chamber of Commerce website: http://www.owatonna.org/ Carpe diem! EDITOR’S NOTE: Karen Workman is an instrument-rated private pilot, and works in a corporate flight department as the office administrator. She lives in Northfield, Minnesota with her husband, Eric, who is also a pilot. q Become A Professional Pilot In Only 4 Months Guaranteed Price! 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Albert Lea, Minnesota www.mnaviation.info 800-829-5216 or 507-373-9265 MAI April08_DS.indd 1 3/18/08 10:15:46 PM Karen Workman destinAtions Join Us For The Midwest Flyer Canadian Fishing Fly-Out August 19-23, 2009 at Miminiska Lodge, Ontario For Details Email info@midwestflyer.com 28 DECEMBER 2008/JANUARY 2009 MIDWEST FLYER MAGAZINE Maintenance Specialists For Jet & Piston Aircraft FAA Certified Unlimited • Class 3 Repair Station Aircraft Inspections • Dynamic Prop Balancing • Aircraft Weighing • Sheet Metal Repair • Pitot-Static Transponder Checks • Factory Trained Technicians • for Pratt & Whitney JT15, TCM & LYC Engines, & Mooney Aircraft Red Wing, Minnesota FAA Certified CRS# R3WR714J Phone: 715-594-3761 Fax: 715-594-3110 www.redwingaero.com Email: aero@redwing.net Red Wing Aeroplane Ad June 2008 1 5/21/08 6:37:00 PM A BETTER APPROACH. a better approach MONACO AIR DULUTH PROVIDES A HIGHER LEVEL OF SERVICE. ■ Cirrus authorized service center and parts distributor ■ Cessna service station and parts distributor ■ Complete Cirrus inventory next door ■ Composite repair specialists ■ FAA approved repair station ■ 24/7 full service FBO 4535 Airport Approach Road Duluth, Minnesota 55811 218.727.2911 www.monacoairduluth.com monaco kz 12846 jt 1 4/02/08 100% kz 4/02/08 Vapor explodes from the tail of the F-15 Eagle at the Chippewa Valley Airshow in Eau Claire, Wis. (Photo by Geoff Sobering) Chippewa Valley Airshow... For the scouts, For the Community!by Geoff Sobering EAU CLAIRE, WIS. – The Chippewa Valley Airshow, which ran the second weekend in September, had a great lineup of performers and a very nice venue. It was a particularly good event for the “Converting-Jet-Fuel-Into-Noise” crowd. Headlining were the Navy’s Blue Angels. Also from the Navy was the F-18 Super-Hornet demo team. Continued on Page 35 DECEMBER 2008/JANUARY 2009 MIDWEST FLYER MAGAZINE 29 Aviation consultants Airfi eld engineering Airport planning Aviation architecture Air service analysis Financial analysis Environmental services Construction management Offices nationwide 888-273-8555 or www.meadhunt.com (A bove Photo) The “Jelly Belly” Interstate Cadet being flown by Kent Pietsch. (Photo by Geoff Sobering) (L eft Photo) (L/R) Kent and Warren Pietsch take their bows along the flightline at the Chippewa Valley Airshow, Eau Claire, Wis. (Photo by Geoff Sobering) (R ight Photo) Warren Pietsch with his son, Logan. (Photo Courtesy of Pietsch Family) the Pietschs – A Family of Fliersby Jennifer Dame It was a beautiful, late summer day in North Dakota, as my family and I headed to the Rock Bottom Rendezvous. Just off Hwy 52 amidst the cornfields and hay bales on a winding, dirt road, we pulled into the fly-in…and the home of Warren Pietsch. Just across the runway, in the front yard, sat 30- plus airplanes, an amazing site dropped into the hilly, unassuming North Dakota landscape. Everything from Piper Cubs to warbirds and 30 DECEMBER 2008/JANUARY 2009 MIDWEST FLYER MAGAZINE a few homebuilts graced the presence of the Pietsch home. As the day rolled on, a briefing was held in one of the hangars (a.k.a Warren’s garage) about a flour bombing contest that was to take place: “No more than five in the pattern, no less than 300 feet from the ground… feel free to land on the grass, but watch out for gopher holes!” The weekend’s activities continued for the Pietsch family as they awoke the next morning to the Dakota Territory Air Museum Fly-In Breakfast to give away an airplane as a fund raiser – all in a day’s work for the Pietsch family. This family of high fliers started from the ground up with their dad, Alfred (he was affectionately known as “Al,” and he had a heart of gold for his family and friends, and a passion for flight). Al was one of nine children raised 10 miles south of Minot, N.D. He jumped on the airplane craze of the 1920s and '30s and never looked back. He would later tell the story that his first ride was in a J-2 Cub, but it never took off because of the heat and humidity. His actual first ride didn’t come until 1937 in a Stinson. By the mid 1940s, the war was slowing down and Al was headed back to North Dakota and aviation. He started a hobby shop and he began spraying with an Aeronca 7AC that he and his brothers had worked on. This eventually led to Pietsch Flying Service where they fixed, serviced and restored aircraft, and he continued crop spraying. In 1959, Al Pietsch bought a hangar on the west side of the Minot Airport, after they had teamed with the Mooney factory in Texas. Al worked alongside the Mooney factory assisting with many improvements on the airplane, including design work and heater testing because of the chilly temperatures in North Dakota. In 1967, Al was ready for the air show circuit. He and the crew at Pietsch Flying Service built a single-engine, homebuilt Starduster Too that he flew all over the world until his death in 1995. A favorite family story is when he talked about flying the aircraft for 6 hours over the ocean on his way to an air show in Bermuda. Through it all, Al and his wife, Eleanor, who also was a pilot, managed to raise three boys – Gary, Kent and Warren – all of whom, you guessed it, fly! All three boys soloed on their 16th birthdays and began working at Pietsch Flying Service (now Pietsch Aircraft Restoration & Repair). Tragedy struck when Gary was killed while flying a Citabria on June 8, 1974 on his way home from a friend’s house. It was speculated that he fell asleep. He was 26 years old and had over 13,000 hrs of flying time. Once again, tragedy struck when Al Pietsch was on his way home on August 18, 1995, returning from a charter flight to Minnesota. He and a young pilot by the name of Stan Hatmaker, encountered a micro-burst and the aircraft went down, killing both pilots. Despite these hardships, Kent and Warren continue the family tradition. Warren began flying charter and performing in air shows soon after high school and continues to operate the family business with his wife, Jolene. Their restored airplanes can be seen throughout the world. Between Warren and Kent, they fly approximately 30 air show performances each year. Kent performs a comedy routine in his 1942 Interstate Cadet, including, but not limited to, extreme maneuvers and landing on the top of his RV. Jelly Belly® sponsors Kent’s act. Warren flies in a 1946 Taylorcraft, which he modified by reducing the wingspan 14 feet to become a Clipped-Wing Taylorcraft, and the Schnortenzummer, a high-performance, mid-wing aircraft. His shows are precision aerobatic routines that are quick and up close. Both Warren and Kent have successful careers with major airlines. But whether flying large airliners, or their little puddle-jumper air show planes, it is flying in general that keeps them excited about life. “Flying is three-dimensional,” says Warren. “There’s nothing better!” Warren sits and thinks for a moment, lost in thought. “It is like a quote from Charles Lindbergh that goes something like this… ‘Flying is the perfect combination of science, nature and human skill.’” As for the Dakota Air Museum in Minot, it is located (Top phoTo) Pietsch Home Fly-In. (Lower phoTo) Pietsch Flying Service, Minot, N.D. DECEMBER 2008/JANUARY 2009 MIDWEST FLYER MAGAZINE 31 there, because the Pietschs are there. “People just kept bringing us aircraft and artifacts from all over the region,” Warren said. One of the prides of the museum is a collage of 100 cancelled letters/ envelopes from all 100 airports in North Dakota during the state’s centennial celebration in 1989. Currently, the museum is being expanded to improve its ability to display future additions and educate visitors. Collecting is not only limited to the museum for the Pietsch brothers. They, themselves, have amassed quite an array of aircraft as well. “There are several antique airplanes at the museum right now,” says Warren as he runs down a list of planes that they have either owned, currently own, or have done work on: • 1932 Monocoupe 110. • 1938 Monocoupe 110 Special. • Two 1931 Waco QCF2 bi-planes. • Two TBM Avengers (WWII torpedo bombers). One is currently in Australia, and the other is in a museum in Ohio. • 1928 Travel Air 3000 with a Hispano Suiza engine. • Numerous Cubs, Champs, Luscombes, etc. The Pietschs have also built all of their air show airplanes. “We typically have three or four projects going on at one time. But it really is a group effort; the crew at Pietsch Aircraft really does most of the work on those planes,” said Warren. And as for the children and the airplanes in the front yard, “We hope that they will want to fly, but mostly we want them to do what makes them happy.” There is a love and a respect for family and aviation that soars high among the Pietschs. “It is a lifestyle for us,” said Warren. “We grew up working in a hangar every day, which gave us an opportunity to experience things and meet people only an aviation life could provide.” To learn more about the Pietsch family, log on to their website at www.pietschaircraft.com. q When someone asks me if I want to go flying, “Yes!” is my automatic response. There is even less thought involved when the person asking is an award- winning air show performer, and the plane is a newly restored show-plane. Still, it is a bit disquieting when the next comment is, “I’ll have to put the aileron back on first.” But for Kent Pietsch and his “Jelly Belly” Interstate Cadet, taking off and putting on the aileron is an (almost) everyday event. There aren’t many planes in the world with a T-handle in the cockpit to jettison an aileron in-flight, but Kent’s Interstate is one of them. In fact, the day he took me for a ride, the release system in the new plane was still in shake-out mode, having been a bit balky in tests, although it worked flawlessly during the air show that afternoon in Eau Claire, Wis. While Kent was installing the starboard control-surface, I asked how the plane flew with only one aileron: “Not bad… it turns a bit better to the left.” I was a bit concerned about the structural integrity of a part that had fallen a few hundred feet to the ground earlier that day, but Kent pointed out the somewhat battered fake foam aileron that he uses during his comedy routine leaning against the back wall of the hangar. While Kent was doing the preflight walk-around, he pointed out with some dismay a small scrape to the nav-light mount on one wingtip. Watching his act as a spectator, it certainly looks like he’s dragging the wingtips across the runway; I’d always assumed he had sacrificial blocks mounted to the ends of the wing. In fact, Kent tries very hard to Continued on Page 38 NEW & USED PROPELLERS FOR SALE REPAIRS � EXCHANGES � OVERHAULS � GOVERNOR EXCHANGES � Maxwell Aircraf t Ser vicePropeller Rating Class 1 & 2, Limited Accessory FAA Approved Station # UF2R211L CRYSTAL AIRPORT, MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA CALL 1-800-964-4247 OR (763) 533-8611 Project2 10/12/04 10:50 AM Page 1 WINONA STATE UNIVERSITY YOUR PATHWAY TO THE AIRLINES WHILE LANDING AN EDUCATION 1-800-DIAL-WSU (An FAA Airway Science University) YOUR PATHWAY TO THE AIRLINES WHILE LANDING AN EDUCATION WINONA STATE UNIVERSITY 1-800-DIAL-WSU Winona StateDark 3/20/05 1:51 PM Page 1 Going For A Ride With Air show Performer, Kent Pietsch by Geoff Sobering Anthony Garcia 32 DECEMBER 2008/JANUARY 2009 MIDWEST FLYER MAGAZINE by Gary Workman Director, MnDOT Office of Aeronautics The holiday season is in full swing and the icy grip of winter is upon us. But that doesn’t deter us from finding ways to not only enjoy the spirit of the holidays, but also the chill of winter. Winter is a perfect time to attend FAA safety seminars. When it seems it is just too cold to fly, it is always warm and fun to be in a room with many dozens of aviation people whose concern is learning the latest safety information and best practices. What a great and productive way to spend a winter’s afternoon or evening. The coming year will be a challenge as we all deal with the stresses of life in general. But I implore each and every pilot to make a maximum effort to review his or her safety practices involving flight from start to finish. I ask you to review your knowledge of your aircraft’s recommended emergency procedures. Be sure to always use your checklists, again, from start to finish, when you fly. We noted a significant increase in aircraft accidents in the third quarter of 2008. It makes one ask the question “why,” but in the end the responsibility rests on the pilot to be fully prepared and follow proper procedures. Pilots must be sure they are maintaining maximum proficiency and knowledge about their aircraft, knowledge of safety rules, guidelines and procedures. All pilots should be fully aware of their own health and general conditions, and their skill level proficiency before flying. If you have any safety questions, ask your FAASTeam representatives, your Aeronautics AvReps, or your friendly flight instructor, but ask! Don’t guess or delay seeking information. So why not take some time to prepare yourself with up to the latest facts and information? Then go out and fly safely and with confidence. Please make this a priority and remember to be extra cautious during the ice and snow season when taxiing, driving, or simply walking. Safety is a priority everyday, so we hope to see an increase in the number of pilots attending this coming year’s safety seminars. Have a great holiday season! q THE STATE OF MINNESOTA PROVIDES THIS TECHNICAL BULLETIN IN THE INTEREST OF AVIATION SAFETY AND TO PROMOTE AERONAUTICAL PROGRESS IN THE STATE AND THE NATION Gary E. Workman, Director Dan McDowell, Editor Minnesota DOT Office of Aeronautics Mail Stop 410 • 222 East Plato Boulevard • St. Paul, MN 55107-1618 651-234-7200 or (toll free) 1-800-657-3922 MINNESOTA AERONAUTICS BULLETIN w w w. m n d o t . g o v safety Is A Priority everyday! Gary Workman GA, Your Airport, Your Community! Brainerd Lakes Regional Airport Brainerd, Minnesota Y our airport is the front door to your community. It is a very high value asset, not only to the community, but also the region it serves. It provides immediate access to many different services, businesses, and technologies that we have all come to depend on or expect, in our daily lives. But let’s look a little deeper into that picture and see what GA (General Aviation) brings to the community. DECEMBER 2008/JANUARY 2009 MIDWEST FLYER MAGAZINE 33 34 DECEMBER 2008/JANUARY 2009 MIDWEST FLYER MAGAZINE At the very least, GA is an integral and important part of the American economy. Aviation in general, but specifically General Aviation, in some way touches the lives of nearly every American on a daily basis. According to data provided by *GA Serving America (GASA), General Aviation contributes $150 billion to the U.S. economy. That equates to fully 1% of the GDP of the United States. On a more local level, every dollar spent on improvements at your local GA airport translates to $6.70 in off-airport economic