I was flying in a friends plane the other day, a Mooney Ovation 2gx. When he started the airplane he had full mixture, with his hand on the throttle and the ignition. I didn’t ask him why the plane starts that way. I fly a 172. Whats the difference? Why do you start the 172 the way you do(prime, mixture lean, then upon starting full rich)? Would a “mixture full rich” start work on a 172?  Just curious.

Hi Jacob,

Aren’t Mooneys great? I’ve had the opportunity recently to fly a Ovation 2GX once as well. Man, was it a FAST airplane. Mooney’s really do seem like the “Porsche” of the general aviation fleet. Very slick.

There are obviously a lot of differences between your airplane, a Cessna 172, and your friend’s Mooney (as I am sure you noticed). However, I am a little curious about the starting technique that you use in the Cessna.  I’m going to assume for a second that you have a carburetor equipped Cessna and every carb equipped Cessna I’ve ever flown in you DO start with the mixture in full rich.  I am sure your instructor or FBO has a good reason why you start your particular airplane leaned out, but without further information about your particular model 172,  I can’t really tell you much more.  The only exception to a full rich start that I know of is a hot start or when attempting to start at an high altitude airport.   In both cases, you want the engine leaned out to prevent flooding due to the decreased density of the ambient air.

If in fact you are not a high altitude airport or conducting hot starts, then I’m a little worried about the condition of your carburetor.  It might be worth checking out the condition of your float.   The FAA just released a Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin on October 16, 2009 that addresses this exact issue.  You can check out the Airworthiness Bulletin for yourself at FAA.gov.  The service bulletin is NE-10-05 and the subject is “Control/Reciprocating Engine – Float-type Carburetors”.    This bulletin recommends that pilots “examine the engine area for evidence of fuel leakage.  During engine start be alert for carburetor flooding or the need for excessive leaning.  Hard starting might be an indicator of a deteriorating or damaged carburetor float”   The service bulletin also warns that “improper metering of fuel or fuel leaking from the carburetor…can lead to complete loss of power or engine fires.” I’m not saying that there is something wrong with your engine (especially if you are at higher altitudes or practice a lot of hot starts) but it might be worth checking out.

Feel free to respond with any particularities that might help us figure out why your aircraft engine starting technique is a little different.

UPDATE: Shortly after posting this article I have received several comments about the starting procedures on the newer fuel injected Lycomming engines.  I haven’t flown one in a while and forgot that yes, you do indeed start with the mixture leaned and slowly increase the mixture during the start sequence.  Why Lycomming and Continentals have different starting techniques is inherent to the design of the engine.  I’m still looking up specifics and will post this information when I find out more.  Still, if you have a carb equipped C172 and are starting full lean, you might need to get something checked out.

Fly Safe.

While flying recently with my friend a question came up which has come up for me several times in the past. I firmly believe that while flying VFR practice approaches (as published) into an uncontrolled airport that radio communication with the controlling ATC needs to be made-I always thought the approached as published is their approach. My friend firmly believes that as long as it’s VMC and uncontrolled airspace that one does not need to be talking to ATC. I do agree that it seems to be common practice to fly these on your own without ATC but is this really appropriate/legal?

Hi Kent,

This might be one of the cases where what is legal isn’t necessarily safe. The safe thing is always to contact ATC and request flight following / radar services when practicing any kind of approach.  Remember, that’s why they are there (and for now it’s still a free service). Even if you aren’t receiving radar services it would be prudent to at the very least monitor the appropriate frequency.  The reasoning of course is that if an airplane comes along that really does need to shoot that approach (corporate, airline, etc), your presence on the approach might make the required IFR separation difficult if not impossible for ATC.   Also, having that second (or third set) of eyes is always a good backup in case both pilots become preoccupied with the technicalities of the approach.  How sad would it be if ATC could have stopped the collision of 2 VFR aircraft…if only they were talking to them!  That brings up another point too, what if there is another aircraft on the same approach that has a pilot with the same mentality of your friend?   Now you have 2 VFR airplanes, practicing the same approach and neither of them are talking to ATC…that’s just asking for something to happen!

However, according to the AIM Chapter 3 Section 2, in uncontrolled airspace or class E (as I’m guessing your approach is in) there is no communications requirement for VFR aircraft.   I find nothing else published saying that you have to establish contact with ATC just because you are on a segment of an instrument approach.   Technically your friend is right but that doesn’t mean that would be the safest operating practice (I’d rather be safe and alive then dead and right).

As a pilot (and PIC) you have every right to stand up for yourself and establish your own operating procedures.  Let everyone you fly with know that your rule is to contact ATC on VFR practice approaches.  Don’t let yourself be lead down the path of least resistance!  A good pilot listens to his gut. If something doesn’t feel right, STOP!  Don’t continue.  Figure out what you don’t like about the situation and correct it.  If you don’t like practicing approaches without contacting ATC, then don’t do them!  There are plenty of times in my career where I’ve had to stand up for a situation I thought was unsafe, even if it was “legal” to continue.

Fly Safe.

How do I select a flight instructor? I’m 49, good health, been around aircraft my whole life and finally beginning to find the time to learn.

Great question Bill. Choosing the right flight instructor is the first step in a successful flight training experience.  Your flight instructor will influence your attitude and approach towards all your future flying.   It is important that you take some time and choose an instructor wisely.  I’ve had a few flight instructors since I started flying and most of them have been great and some…well, not so much.  Here are couple recommendations to avoid the later:

I would begin your search by visiting local area airports.  Most airports have a flight training program available and many airports have several flight schools to choose from.  You’ll notice that flight schools are typically located at an FBO (fixed based operator).  An FBO is the business at an airport that provides services such as fuel, maintenance, hangar rental and flight training.  I would recommend calling the schools ahead of time and asking some general questions to get a good feel for the school. Here are few questions to get you started:

• What type of flight school is offered?  Flight schools are broken down into 2 categories:  Part 61 or Part 141 (accelerated).  If you are in a hurry and plan on pursuing multiple certificates within a short time period you’ll want to focus your search for a flight instructor at a Part 141 accredited schools, otherwise an instructor at a Part 61 school would be just fine.
• How many instructors are there? The more instructors a school has  the better chance that you’ll be able to find an instructor that has availability and a similar schedule as you.  Many instructors (especially in today’s environment) have an additional job besides flight instructing, so you’ll have to make sure the schedules mesh.
• How many training airplanes do they have?  Again, if a flight school only has 1 airplane, there is a good change it will be flying all the time which makes it harder to schedule your lessons and also harder to schedule re-flights in case a flight gets canceled due to maintenance or weather.
• What flight training courses are offered?  If you find a good flight instructor or a school that retains good flight instructors, you might want to pursue additional ratings and certificates after obtaining your private pilot’s license.
• What about the costs?  You’ll want to make sure you ask about both the airplane and flight instructor rates.  Typically, a flight school will charge one rate for flight instruction and another rate for ground instruction.  Be sure to ask about both.

Once you have some preliminary questions answered, make a list of the schools or airports that meet your criteria and start planning some visits.   I would recommend visiting during the week (if you can) as you’ll have a better chance of meeting the chief instructor or catching an instructor between flights.  A good chief instructor will want to sit down with you and discuss their program and your schedule.   The instructor you meet with might be even be able to suggest another instructor that has a similar schedule as you. Extra tip!  When you are in the parking lot of the school try and get a recommendation from another student that might be going (or coming) from a flight.

After visiting several flight schools, narrow your list down to no more than 1 or 2 schools.  Call these schools and schedule an “introductory flight”.  This flight consists of a casual half hour flight in the local area.  Try and schedule this flight with the instructor who was recommended and that you are considering.   During your flight, try and get a sense of the instructor’s professionalism and teaching style.  Here are some more questions to consider:

• Was the instructor on time to the flight?
• How was the instructor dressed?
• Does the instructor seemed organized?
• And most of all, do you feel safe?  Is this someone you would let take your kids or spouse on a flight?

If you don’t feel comfortable with this instructor, don’t schedule any lessons until you’ve flown or talked with an instructor you do feel comfortable with.

An important note: Once you have chosen an instructor, you are allowed to change.  This isn’t a marriage and choosing a new instructor does not constitute a divorce.  It is best obviously to stay with one instructor through a course or program but if for some reason you and your instructor aren’t “clicking” then it is recommended to find a new one.  For some, this can be a bit awkward to do, but it is important to understand that at the end of the day, you are the paying customer and as a customer you deserve to be satisfied with the services you are receiving from the school or instructor.  I have been on both ends of this for as a student pilot, I had to request a new instructor and as an instructor, I have had to recommend that a student continue his program with an another instructor.

There are a couple of online resources to help you in your search:

• Flight School Reviewer.com This site is a source for current or ex students of particular programs to offer written reviews of flight schools they attended.  Not all flight schools have been reviewed (there are thousands) but there are several that have received reviews and it might be worth checking out.
• NAFI. NAFI is the National Association of Flight Instructors.   NAFI offers a “Find a Flight Instructor” feature on their site.  You can search for a “Master CFI” which is a nationally accredited designation for those flight instructors that have reached “the highest level of instructional activity, educational experience and professional service”.  Not all flight instructors are NAFI members, but many professional and career flight instructors are NAFI members.
• AOPA.   The Aircraft Owners and Pilot’s Association has several tools and tips for choosing a flight instructor or school.  They offer both “Find a flight school” and “Find a Flight Instructor” as well as the article “How to choose a flight school / instructor“.

SGH 11/011 SGH AIRSPACE HIBAL SGH202011 E BND REACHING FL600
WEF 0911141600-0911141800

So what does HIBAL stand for ?

HIBAL is the Notam contraction for high altitude balloon. Most likely, a National Weather Service balloon with radiosonde.   A radiosonde is a small device that is suspended about 80 feet below a 6 foot hydrogen or helium balloon.  The radiosonde consists of sensors and a small radio transmitter.  The sensors are able to read temperature, pressure and relative humidity.  The on board transmitter sends this data back to sensitive ground based equipment for recording.  By recording the GPS coordinates (if equipped) and the direction of the data using radio directional finding antennas, it is also possible to record wind speed and direction.

To learn more about Radiosondes and their uses, NOAA National Weather Service has put together this radiosonde fact sheet.

Back to the NOTAM:

SGH 11/011 SGH AIRSPACE HIBAL SGH202011 E BND REACHING FL600
WEF 0911141600-0911141800

This NOTAM says that between 1600 Zulu and 1800 Zulu on the 14th of November, a high altitude balloon (HIBAL) is being released on the SGH VOR radial 202 at 11 DME (202011).  The balloon is expected to go east bound and reach 60,000 feet (FL600).

Fly Safe.

New plastic certificates are required after March 2010

Robert wrote me this morning asking:

I stopped flying over 20 years ago and would like to start again. What do I need to do to get reissued my license?

Hi Robert,

First off, congratulations on making the decision to start flying again. There have been some really neat advances in technology since 1989, especially in avionics. If you get the chance to fly a newer airplane, it’ll blow your socks off!

There are 4 different federal aviation regulations that pertain to your question:

1. § 61.19 Duration of pilot and instructor certificates
2. § 61.2 Exercise of Privilege
3. § 61.23   Medical certificates: Requirement and duration.
4. § 61.56 Flight Review
5. § 61.57 Recent Flight Experience : Pilot in command

I know it sounds like a lot of boring legalize to go through, but it’s really not that bad. Let’s take these one-by-one and then make a plan-of-action to get you back in the cockpit.

Read the rest of this post by clicking the “continue” link:

The Regs:

1) § 61.19 Duration of Pilot Certificates (link):

Good news, according to § 61.19 your private pilot certificate (technically not a license) does not have an expiration date (as long as it was issued after July 1, 1945):

(c) Other pilot certificates. A pilot certificate (other than a student pilot certificate) issued under this part is issued without a specific expiration date.

However, there is a little catch near the end in paragraph (g):

(g) Duration of pilot certificates. Except for a temporary certificate issued under §61.17 or a student pilot certificate issued under paragraph (b) of this section, the holder of a paper pilot certificate issued under this part may not exercise the privileges of that certificate after March 31, 2010.

You see, the FAA is moving towards plastic pilot certificates. So, in our plan of action below, we’ll want to make sure we cover the instructions for getting exchanging your paper certificate for a new plastic certificate.

2) § 61.2 Exercise of Privilege (link)

The first paragraph (a)  hopefully doesn’t apply to you but take a look at paragraph (b):

(b) Currency. No person may:

(1) Exercise privileges of an airman certificate, rating, endorsement, or authorization issued under this part unless that person meets the appropriate airman and medical recency requirements of this part, specific to the operation or activity.

This regulation is saying that you need to be “recent”, both medically and as an airman.  So let’s look at the medical requirements and then the airman requirements.

3. § 61.23   Medical certificates: Requirement and duration (link).

A private pilot certificate requires a third-class medical certificate.  If you are over 40, then your medical certificate expires on the last day after the 24th calendar month when it was issued.

You’ll notice that in the plan-of-action below, getting your new medical is the first step.  You’ll want to make sure that there hasn’t been any medical or health activity in the past 20 years that would preclude you from flying again.  Once you get a third class medical, now we can talk about getting you current as an airman.

4. § 61.56 Flight Review (link)

This reg is really the meat of the matter.  Besides medically, complying with this regulation is what has stopped you from being a active pilot.  This regulation requires that:

(c) … no person may act as pilot in command of an aircraft unless, since the beginning of the 24th calendar month before the month in which that pilot acts as pilot in command, that person has—

(1) Accomplished a flight review given in an aircraft for which that pilot is rated by an authorized instructor…

A flight review consists of at least 1 hour of ground and flight training.   Your instructor is required to cover at minimum general and part 91 operating rules in addition to anything else that might be applicable.  One of the areas that I’m sure your flight instructor will spend quite a bit of time with is airspace since there have been many changes to the airspace system since you stopped flying.

Your flight review will also include at least 1 hour of flight training, but again, be prepared for more.  Your instructor will go over maneuvers and procedures that are applicable for your certificate level.  Your instructor is required to make sure that you can safely exercise the privileges of your certificate.

To help get you ready for the Flight Review, AOPA has produced a guide called the “Pilot’s Guide to the Flight Review” which you can download for free.  It has a lot of very helpful information to help you get ready for your BFR.

5) § 61.57 Recent Flight Experience : Pilot in command (link)

The last check box we want to cover is the requirement for recent flight experience.  Before you can carry passengers as pilot-in-command you’ll need to accomplish 3 takeoffs and landings within the preceding 90 days.  If you are planning as on flying as PIC at night with passengers, those takeoffs and landings must be performed at night (duh) and to a full stop.  I would recommend that you ask your flight instructor who will be conducting your flight review to also make sure that you complete the requirements of this regulation as well.

Plan of Action:

Ok, so now that we have covered all the boring (but required) legalize, here is a suggested plan for getting you back in the cockpit:

1) Call an Aviation Medical Examiner (AME) and schedule an appointment for obtaining your FAA medical certificate.  If the scheduler asks, you’re looking for a 3rd class medical.  Both the FAA and AOPA have a handy “Find a AME” tool that you can use to find an Aviation Medical Examiner in your area.

2) Once you have a current medical certificate in hand.  Call a CFI and schedule a biennial flight review (BFR).   If you’re looking for a CFI, again AOPA has a search tool for that too.  You might already have a CFI, flight school or FBO that you already comfortable using.  AOPA also has produced a guide call the “Pilot’s Guide to the Flight Review” which you can download.

3) Apply for your new plastic certificate.  You can do so directly on the FAA website or via snail mail.  The instructions are listed here.

I am a new CFI-A, and currently finishing up one of my first students. While just buzzing around with the student under the hood performing unusual attitudes, climbs/ descents and turns, I would like to introduce to my student a little bit of the instrument approach procedures. To me it seems a little bit better with “If you enter IMC while VFR, here is how you can get out…” Can I do this as just a CFI-A and not a CFII-A?

This is a great question, and one that I’m sure a lot of newly minted CFIs have wondered.  There are actually two different approaches to this question.  First is the legal answer (what can you do) and second is the prudent answer (what should you do…IMHO).

Legally

According to 61.109 (Aeronautical Experience) Private Pilot applicants are required to have 3 hours training of simulated instrument training.  Here is the current wording:

3 hours of flight training in a single-engine airplane on the control and maneuvering of an airplane solely by reference to instruments, including straight and level flight, constant airspeed climbs and descents, turns to a heading, recovery from unusual flight attitudes, radio communications, and the use of navigation systems/facilities and radar services appropriate to instrument flight;

While it doesn’t specifically say “instrument approaches”, I think most people would consider an instrument approach procedure to be practicing the use of a navigation system or facility.  Also, while you are receiving vectors for an approach, you would be reviewing “radar services” right?

The other regulation to consider is the flight instructor privileges and limitations.  For this, we look at 61.195 subparagraph (c) which specifies when a CFI must have a instrument rating (on the flight instructor certificate):

(c) Instrument Rating. A flight instructor who provides instrument flight training for the issuance of an instrument rating or a type rating not limited to VFR must hold an instrument rating on his or her flight instructor certificate and pilot certificate that is appropriate to the category and class of aircraft in which instrument training is being provided.

So as long as the instrument training you are providing is not for the issuance of instrument rating, then yes, I believe you could practice instrument approach procedures with your student pilot.  But should you?

Prudently

I would highly suggest that you not practice approaches with a student pilot.  And here is my reasoning:

Click to Enlarge

Inadvertent IFR or VFR into IMC accidents are still a huge problem area for General Aviation as the current AOPA Nall report indicates.  (see chart) The solution however isn’t found by introducing primary students to complicated approach procedures.  The solution is teaching students 1) how to avoid getting into this situation altogether and b) how to overcome disorientation, maintain aircraft control and get the assistance from ATC that they need to find VMC conditions.

Sudden fear and panic is the feeling that will grip your student if they accidentally encounter IMC during a flight.  It is imperative that your student know how to maintain positive control and how to request assistance from ATC.

And that’s the other thing, if ATC is contacted by a VFR only pilot who is stuck in accidental IMC, ATC is not going to entertain the thought of that student shooting an approach (unless absolutely necessary and even then probably a radar approach).  ATCs’  focus and task will be on getting that pilot back to VMC conditions so that the pilot can visually acquire a airport and land.

I would also be nervous about introducing this to my student for fear that they might use this knowledge to overestimate their own ability which could lead to a false sense of confidence.  I could just hear my student thinking, “Weather isn’t that great at my destination, but Ill be fine if does deteriorates because I know that if I really really had too, I could do an instrument approach.”

Again, I would suggest using the required 3 hours with your student to thoroughly cover the basics of instrument flight.  Make sure they know and understand that maintaining aircraft control is critical and that ATC is there to help steer the pilot back to VFR conditions.

Aviation is safe.  It is also safer for some than for others.  The papers say that foolproof planes have been invented and soon everyone will take to the air.  Doubtless this is so, and in the not too distant  future everyone will fly, especially that fool who is going to disprove the foolproof airplane.  Flying is much safer today than it was even a few years ago, and it will become safer and safer as time passes.  However, airplanes are still machines and no one has successfully trained one to think yet.  That is supposed to be where the pilot comes in. If he doesn’t think or is unable to, he is a bad risk regardless of how smart his plane is.

It would be nice if we could tell you that aviation has now reached the point where it is so completely safe that there are no accidents, that you don’t even have to consider safety because that has all been worked out for you by someone else.  However, that is not the story and it never will be.  You must become safety-conscious.  Not so much that you worry yourself or go around tense with fear that something awful is going to happen.  It won’t if you learn to take proper precautions and can think.  You probably have noticed that the word “dangerous” appears frequently in this book, that there are many cautions and warnings regarding safety.  All of these have been derived from personal experience or that of close friends.  When you come across those portions, it will be a good idea for you to keep the subject matter in mind and review it from time to time until you understand it.

…We used to speak of the “Automatic Eliminator” which got rid of the poor pilots.  Not those who were slow learning; those who shouldn’t be flying at all.  Perhaps the foolproof plane will help them some, but the “flying fool” is a dangerous breed and should be avoided like the plague.

Remember that about 80 percent of all aviation accidents are caused by pilot error.  Sometimes accidents can’t be avoided.  However, if you are alert and understand what you are doing, you can probably avoid them entirely.  If you go around showing off in your plane, your chances of having an aviation accident increased immeasurably – leave it alone.

Please, fly safe.

I am in the early stages of learning the art of flying, what exactly does flying the wing mean/entail? Thank-You.

The term “Fly the Wing” (as I understand it) refers to the practice of controlling the airplane with emphasis being placed on the aircraft’s AOA (angle-of-attack) and attitude.

While trying to think of a good way to describe this term, I came across an older book in my library entitled, “Safe for Solo – What Every Young Aviator Should Know”  This book was written by Frederick M. Reeder and illustrated by my new favorite aviation artist, Robert C. Osborn.   There are several wonderful chapters in this book and they describe wonderfully what “flying the wing” is all about.

The definition of “Flying the Wing” from “Safe for Solo” after the break.

From chapter 12, “What the controls do and how to use them”:

Naturally the next question may logically be, “Just how much do I pull back on the stick to climb at a ten-degree angle?” The answer is that you just don’t fly a plane that way. What you are concerned with is the attitude of the plane.  You decide what attitude you want to put the plane in, and then you give it whatever control is necessary to make it assume that attitude.  The amount of control will vary with the attitude and speed of the plane and must be applied in quantities dictated by the way your plane looks and feels.

In using the controls you must focus your attention outside of the cockpit rather than within.

Chapter 14, “Attitude”:

The dictionary says that attitude can be either a state of mind or a position of the body.  The state of mind of a flier is important as regards his flying, but when you mention the word “attitude” to an aviator, it is generally taken for granted that you mean the position of an airplane in relation to the earth.

You have three means of estimating your attitude. The one you use most is your sight.  You look at the position of your nose and wings and compare them with the horizon.  You also use your vision to determine whether or not the nose is moving in respect to the earth.  The next most important help is your feel.  When you have a little more experience in the air you will be able to use feel to help you determine your attitude.  In addition, as a minor aid in determining attitude, you have the sound of the your plane.  Sound is not so much help, especially if you are flying a closed plane.  However, if you are in a climb or a dive, your plane will sound differently from the way it does in level flight.  The pitch increases and the noise becomes higher when you are going faster.

In flying you use all three of these senses simultaneously to help you estimate the attitude of your plane.

I really can’t think of any better description of what it means to “Fly the Wing”.  It means focusing on aircraft control with reference to attitude and angle-of-attack.  Look outside and fly the damn airplane.

For most pilots their first experience with “flying the wing” happens quite accidentally.   If you have ever taken off with a frozen pitot tube (which results in a frozen airspeed indicator) then you have experienced what is means to “fly the wing”.  You stop focusing on flight instruments and focus on the plane’s attitude by looking OUTSIDE.  Suddenly without reference to airspeed, the aircraft’s attitude becomes primary.  You want to climb, you pull up.  You want to level off, you decrease the wing’s AOA and maintain a level flight attitude.

In closing:

…Flying is easy, but if you overanalyze your control-movements and clog up your thought process you can make it tough.

Fly Safe!

Not surprisingly, an ILS approach will have lower minimums that a non-precision approach, such as a localizer. However, I have found at least one airport in my area where the localizer MDA (580′ MSL, 564′ AGL) is lower than the ILS DA (743′ MSL, 727′ AGL). I’d like to understand why this is true and under what circumstances I can anticipate a lower minimum for a localizer than the ILS.

Jim is talking specifically about the ILS or LOC/DME Rwy 24 approach to Bowerman Airport (KHQM) in Hoquiam, Washington. There’s an interesting (if not completely confirmed) story behind this approach in particular, but before I get into that I’ll cover the basics.

Profile view (Jeppesen format) for the ILS or LOC/DME Rwy 24 approach at KHQM.

With this approach, as with any ILS, the FAA must certify that no obstacles penetrate a predetermined gradient. This means that even at full-scale glideslope deflection, there is a built in buffer between your airplane and the ground below. If terrain or an obstacle (buildings, trees, antennas, etc) sticks into the approach path, then the FAA has two options: the minimums (ceiling and visibility) for the ILS will increase, or the glidepath angle (currently 3° at KHQM) must be increased to clear the obstacle.

With the localizer-only version of the approach, you can descend to the MDA of 580′ once past WIMET (D3.0 from the localizer). The additional distance fixes on the localizer approach permit a pilot to descend past the obstacle and land safely. Unfortunately, to answer the second part of Jim’s question, there’s no way to predict the inversion in approach minimums unless you’re intimately familiar with the airport and the surrounding terrain. The real answer is to make sure that you thoroughly brief each approach before flying it.

The specific details about Hoquiam are after the break!

As an active instructor in the Seattle area, I fly out to Hoquiam on an instrument cross country probably once or twice a month.

The ILS at KHQM is a really odd story, in fact. From what I’ve gathered, the Port of Greys Harbor wanted to close the airport and turn it into a seaport facility some years back. The airport sits right on the Pacific coast, which would be great for shipping, and gets socked in almost daily during the winter, so the ILS is kind of necessary for Hoquiam to have a useful airport.

Bowerman Airport was an Army Air Force field in a previous life, and if the port authority closed it they would need to repay all of the FAA grant money they’d ever received, plus the value of the land (or something like that). So, instead of closing the airport, they simply stopped trimming the trees on a hill to the east, which conveniently lies under the ILS approach path. This happened sometime before August, 2007, when the procedure was last revised, and it has been this way ever since.

The glideslope is currently NOTAMed out of service. I have second-hand information which says this is because the FAA is now increasing the glidepath angle to something greater than 3°, which would clear the hill and should bring the minimums back down to 200-1/2 or so by the time winter hits.

Cloyd Clevenger

I am a sucker for old books, especially related to aviation. I recently purchased “Modern Flight” by Cloyd P. Clevenger. My copy was printed in 1941 but I believe it was first published by Alexander Industries in 1927. Modern Flight is a manual (one of the very first) on “Practical Flying”. Four chapters on everything from “S turns across a road” to “Vertical Reversements”.  I’ve learned a little bit about the author and simply put, he was a stud. Davis Monthan Aviation Field Register has put together some great information about him.  Clev started by flying gliders in high school and then for the next 40 years had just about every flying job imaginable.  He estimated that in his career he flew some 1.3 million miles.

In one of the last paragraphs near the end of this book Mr. Clevenger lists 19 “Don’ts” of aviation.  As I read through them this afternoon I thought how 80 years later these are still very applicable today. Here is the excerpt from “Modern Flight” by Cloyd P. Clevenger:

The greatest part of this book has been dedicated to teaching you the actual art of flying.  However, of equal importance to your flying ability is your knowledge of the “Don’ts” of aviation and your constant use of the good judegement regarding these fundamental laws.  Whether you have one hour or thousands of hours of piloting experience, you should not disregard these “Don’ts”:

1. Don’t fail to inspect the ship for flaws, lack of cotter pins, etc. before taking off for a flight
2. Don’t take off until you have personally checked to see if you have sufficient gas and oil.
3. Don’t take off with a cold motor.
4. Don’t taxi fast.
5. Don’t try to turn back into the airport in the event of motor failure on the take-off.
6. Don’t make a gliding spiral at too low an altitude
7. Don’t bank steeply or climb steeply near the ground.
8. Don’t stall a ship and “hang” it by the propeller close to the ground.
9. Don’t pull the stick back if the ship settles in bad air on the take-off.
10. Don’t fly roughly or handle the motor roughly.
11. Don’t try to stretch out a glide.
12. Don’t skid or slip on your turns.
13. Don’t fail to keep your eyes on the lookout for other ships all around you whether in the air or on the ground.
14. Don’t confuse air speed with motor speed.
15. Don’t stunt unless you are flying an airplane built for acrobatics.
16. Don’t stunt near the ground.
17. Don’t pull a ship out of its dive too sharply in recovering from acrobatics.
18. Don’t fly if you are sick or feel loggy.
19. Don’t forget your responsibility and get reckless.

Wow.  Remember, this was written over 80 years ago but what really has changed? We might have fancier avionics and air bags in our shoulder straps but really, I can’t think of one thing on that list that is not applicable for today’s pilot.  How many pilots lives could have been saved by following these “Don’ts” of aviation?

Thank-you Mr. Clevenger for creating a timeless list of aviation truths.

Fly Safe and Don’t forget the Don’ts!