with a C-152 4-20-14:  Editorials keep complaining about the decline of private pilots and the need to develop ways to bring people back to flying. In recent years, a lot of focus has been on the advance of the "glass cockpit" along with the new light sport rating. But the light sport seem to have a target audience at both extremes of the scale. They say it's a great plane for the boomers that are having problems passing the 3rd class physical and at the same time they say it's a great plane for flight schools. Then the price tags began shooting close to and over $200,000 and the light sport sales never took off. The final blow came with Piper dropping its light sport and Cessna abandoning the Skycatcher. That leaves a startup flight school with no two seat aircraft that's designated as a plane designed for training except for Cessna's $360,000 Skyhawk. In comes AOPA with an idea to rebuild old C-152's and sell them as new training aircraft to flight schools for $85,000. If the rebuilt C-152's starts selling like hot cakes will the new owner of Cessna (Textron) re-start the C-152 production line? Textron says, "That's not going to happen." Sorry Clyde, it's not part of the corporate culture...

PERSONAL ELECTRIC 200 mph VTOL 4-16-14: Inventors and entrepreneurial people seem to be coming out of the woodwork with ideas about electric airplanes. However, a lot of people don't realize that your passion for your inventive and creative ideas can actually get you government funding, even if you haven't built a working prototype. Not only that, the operational design on the S2 is based on a theoretical advancement of battery and motor density power requirements that currently don't exist. The Joby S2 idea was sold to NASA by demonstrating  a couple of dozen 10 lb models. The idea of, "**Creating aircraft as safe and easy to use as automobiles," continues to be a sought after achievement for people at NASA's Langley Research Center. Some scientist say that the personal aircraft vehicle won't become a reality until the technology reaches a level of advancement for complete and total autonomous operation from take-off to landing. And if they don't include taxiing and parking we'll probably be reading about multi-vehicle accidents at metropolitan areas. One editorial describe the requirement to pilot a plane is that, "You can't drive an airplane, you have to fly it." **Note: In 2012 there were 5,516,000 car crashes with 33,561 fatalities.

VIP TFR over New York, NY on Friday, April 114-10-14:  A NOTAM has been published that will affect flight in the area during President Obama's planned visit. VIP TFR WITHIN THE LATERAL LIMITS OF THE NEW YORK CLASS B AIRSPACE Location Within the lateral limits of the New York Class B airspace From the surface up to but not including 18,000 feet MSL. Times 2:30 PM local until 11:59 PM local Friday, April 11, 2014.

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EAA 225 Newsletter  4-07-14: [As I Recall:] A Little Boy and a Northeast Airline DC-3! Back in the summer of 1941, I was a fourteen year old boy. I lived on the Old Hotel Road across from the Lewiston-Auburn Airport in Auburn, Maine. Airports back then were open to the public. There were no fences and no locked doors. They were just wide open spaces. Neighborhood kids had full run of the airport... click here for the rest of the story

EAA 225 April 2014 Meeting Notice  4-05-14: Hello Everyone, Just a quick note that EAA 225 Dinner/Meeting will be held on April 8, 2014 at our Clubhouse on Skyhaven Airport. Dinner starts around 6pm with the meeting following around 7pm. In lieu of the newsletter, I wanted the opportunity to get the word out that the meeting will be this coming Tuesday. The newsletter (though not quite ready at this time) will go out via email this weekend. Regards, Gerry

Cessna Skyhawk Reimagined... Again?  4-02-14: Back in February we were reading about the Tecnam P2010 four place aircraft that looks like its targeted customer would be Cessna Skyhawk pilots looking for some major enhancements and still have the cost and utility of a Skyhawk.  The P2010 has some impressive improvements over the Skyhawk with a cabin that's five inches wider and a cruise speed of 133 kts (153 mph) with a 180 hp Lycoming. But this summer, another entry into the Skyhawk arena comes the C4 four place from Flight Design. They are saying that the C4 will have a max cruise of 160 kts? Yes, 160 kts, or 184 mph, although their brochure gives 155 kts (178 mph), and a cabin width of 45 inches which is the same as the P2010. The Skyhawk is advertised as 124 kts (142 mph) with a 40 inch wide cabin and 599 lbs payload with 53 gal. The C4 brochures shows a payload of 792 lbs with 66 gals of fuel. They even went one step further on the back seat entry with a rear hinged door on the pilot side so that when both doors are open you have one big unobstructed opening... I suspect opening the rear door in flight would be very painful. According to a Flying magazine article, "The C4 consists of 60 percent American parts and a new 50,000-square-foot facility is being built in Newport, Vermont, just south of Montreal, Canada, where the airframes will be shipped for final assembly." That's a small town on Lake Memphremagog.

Safety Seminar & Smoked BBQ Chicken  3-28-14: Seminar Title: UpLifting Weather   Topic: Flight Planning for Severe Weather Avoidance, Date and Time: Saturday, April 5, 2014, Location of Seminar: Southern Maine Aviation starting at 10:00 am. Speaker(s): Sue Tholen & John Gary, Brief Description: Spring and Summer flying can challenge even the best pilots making Go - No Go decisions. Discussions will include charts and graphs produced by the National Weather Service to apply information evaluating hazardous flight conditions. Seminar will be followed by a Smoked Chicken BBQ at noon, side dishes and beverages included. 

Variable Camber Continuous Trailing Edge Flap  3-24-14: NASA and Boeing have been working on a project for wing technology that appears to be going way beyond the hinged control surfaces we have all come to know and love over the years. They say, "what goes around comes around." Perhaps Orville and Wilbur were ahead of their time more than anyone suspected. The idea of bending and warping the wing is turning out to be a futuristic idea for maintaining optimum aerodynamic efficiency across the operational envelope. You can click on the plane to read an article about this but you can also CLICK HERE to see a YouTube video that gives a brief animation from where we are to where they think we'll be in 2035? The scientist claim that their inspiration comes from a seagull? Maybe they meant eagle...

Ultimate Sport Aircraft  3-21-14: A lot is being said about sport aircraft, especially in regards to light sport aircraft. But you don't have to spend $240k for an aircraft that has been design and built to optimize aerodynamic and aircraft engine efficiency. If you have a sports car with unique specifications and engine power and efficiency, you wouldn't put a governor on the engine so it wouldn't go beyond 50 mph. If your car was a light sport category, then that is what you would need to do. Some of the interviews for light sport aircraft tell how the manufacturer has modified their aircraft to slow it down to meet the light sport criteria. What about a sport aircraft that has kept all the aerodynamic benefits to maximize speed and efficiency? How about cruising at 214 mph at 9 gph at 60% power and climbing at 2700 fpm with a 180 hp Lycoming engine. And, how about doing all this for $89,900. Your right, this is not a light sport. It's a Glasair II RG. If you bring it up to 75% power you'll be cruising at 221 mph. I'll take one please... thank you.

Time Lapse Video of the HC-144A Simulator  3-18-14: 

Simulators for large aircraft are advancing with sophisticated projection screens that look like they come pretty close to the real thing. Recently, a company called Aero Similulation has upgraded its simulator with at  Christie Matrix StIM™ WQ environment LED projection system that gives higher resolutions and longer lamp life. You can see the inside cockpit of the Coast Guard's HC-144A Operation Flight Trainer by clicking on the following link. CLICK HERE. The link shows a time lapse video of the assembly of the simulator before showing you the inside.

Luxury LSA  3-14-14: The base price of the Tecnam P2008 LSA is $146,500 and goes up to $219,000 with the turbocharged model with all the options. AOPA article says that when current four place planes in the $400,000 catagory inflate themselves to the one million dollar catagory these luxury LSA sport planes will be populated in flight schools. At one time, the pudgy looking CTLS was listed as the best selling LSA. Will the smooth streamline shape of the Tecnam change that remains to be seen. 

 

VFR in March  3-11-14: Waiting for VFR weather seems to be a common thing to do this winter. Here's a few pics from today which might be called the calm before the next storm. A little haze and wind but the temperature gages were showing high 50's and I saw one showing 60 degrees. Some people were walking with just shorts and a T-shirt but a brisk wind made me feel glad I had my jacket on.

EAA CHAPTER 225 NEWSLETTER  3-10-14: Hello Everyone, Here is the latest newsletter. Just want to Thank member Norm Charron for sharing some photos he took this past February up at the Winter Carnival in Alton Bay. There are also some handy webinars listed that you might find helpful. Enjoy! Regards, Gerry. Just incase you do not know where EAA 225 Pres. John Ricciotti resides, here is his address: 117 Deer Ridge Drive; Barrington, NH 03825.

POP-UP TFR in New York  3-9-14: FAA to establish VIP TFR over New York, NY on Tuesday, March 11, 2014. A NOTAM has been published that will affect flight in the area during President Obama's planned visit. VIP TFR WITHIN THE LATERAL LIMITS OF THE NEW YORK CLASS B AIRSPACE Location Within the lateral limits of the New York Class B airspace From the surface up to but not including 18,000 feet MSL  Times 3:00 PM local until 9:45 PM local Tuesday, March 11, 2014
Click Here to see SkyVector TFR status.

EAA CHAPTER 225  3-9-14: Hello Everyone, The March EAA 225 Meeting will be held on the 18th at John & Pupae's home/workshop in Barrington, NH. Please change your calendars for the EAA 225 monthly meeting.  There will also be a Welding class by Santo Messina in conjunction with the meeting. Remember, the March 2014 meeting will be held on Tuesday, March 18. Thank You & Regards, Gerry

RESHORING With The Boeing 777x 3-8-14: According to news articles, Boeing has decided to build a 1 million-square-foot factory in Washington state for manufacturing of the wings for the new 777x. The idea of globalization has taken many twist and turns and some companies are deciding to bring some of their manufacturing jobs back to the U.S. Instead of "Outsourcing" of industrial facilities we are hearing a new term they are calling "Reshoring." However, like many companies in the U.S. have been doing over recent years, as part of the new machinist union contract, Boeing has dropped the pension plan and replaced it with a savings plan. Last year Boeing received bids from 21 other states trying to get them to build the new factory in their state.

POP-UP TFR's in Conn & Ma  3-3-14: TFR notices are coming in for the presidential visits to New England. Location :  Windsor Locks/Hartford, Connecticut  Beginning Date and Time :  March 05, 2014 at 1700 UTC Ending Date and Time :  March 05, 2014 at 2115 UTC - Location :  BOSTON, Massachusetts Beginning Date and Time :  March 05, 2014 at 2100 UTC Ending Date and Time :  March 06, 2014 at 0215 UTC 

Mini TFR for the VP 2-22-14: AOPA doesn't send out notices for mini or micro TFR's but the FAA has posted one coming up in New York City. It appears that VP Joe Biden will be appearing on a television talk show in a TV studio that is located in the middle of the Bravo (Class B) airspace. The TFR's are small 1mi and 3 mi, and are buried in the bowels of the Bravo airspace. The VP's TFR is also shown in orange instead of the red lines on the 30 mi TFR's on the SkyVector map page. Understanding the complexity of the New York airspace requires a certain amount of staring at the aeronautical chart. Some pilots look at the Bravo airspace as a challenge and others look at it as a Do-Not-Enter sign. Fortunately for pilots flying out of Skyhaven airport, one quick look at Duats and Notams and you're good to go.
 

RUSTY PILOT WORKSHOP at Sanford 2-19-14: Here's an excerpt from a recent email: "Rusty Pilot Workshop March 8. Pilot skills feeling a little rusty? Our 3-hour workshop on Saturday, March 8 from 1 to 4pm, is just the thing to get you feeling like Chuck Yeager again. And did I mention that it's FREE? Feel free top drop in, but if you think you're likely to attend, we'd appreciate an RSVP with Anne at 324-8919 or events@flyingsma.com so we know how many seats to prepare and how many refreshments to buy! We really hope to see some of you that we haven't seen in a while! Southern Maine Aviation, 199 Airport Road,  Sanford, Maine  04073" CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION

Cessna Skyhawk Reimagined 2-17-14: Another light sport that's getting a lot of attention is the Tecnam P2008 LSA. It's a high wing two seater that has very smooth lines with aerodynamic lines flowing from the propeller spinner to the tip of the tail rudder. It makes the Skycatcher look like the ugly duckling. Tecnam is also introduction a four seat version that's been described as a Skyhawk Reimagined. I thought it actually resembles the Cessna Cardinal with its rounded fuselage. It would appear that Tecnam has been able to do with the P2010 that Cessna couldn't do with the Cardinal and that is to come up with a viable alternative to the Skyhawk. The P2010 cost lest or similar to a Skyhawk, has a cabin that's 5 inches wider, and has a cruise speed of 153 mph with a Lycoming IO-360 180 hp. The pilot door looks impressive to open and access the cockpit, but the passenger door on the right side of the plane is a major departure for four seat single engine aircraft. Now I'm confused. I thought I wanted an RV-12 but I can't stop looking at the P2008 & P2010. (NOTE: All aircraft icons and underlined items in this article are linked addresses.)

RV-12 In, SkyCatcher Out!  2-13-14: Cessna is reported to have removed all information about the SkyCatcher off their website. Connecting to the Cessna website greets you with a picture and comment about the Cessna Citation... We Have Your Jet! It appears the long tradition of the famous Cessna 2 seat trainer is coming to a halt... again. If that's the case, then the bottom or starting point to buying a new Cessna will now start with the famous Skyhawk SP at $364,000, although on the website they just call it a Skyhawk. Some editorials say it was because they made the plane in China. Some say the hugh price jump of $35,000 in 2011 that put the SkyCatcher as one of the most expensive LSA's on the market. Will the light sport planes fill in the training school absence of a two seat Cessna? How long will the 1970's and 80's Skyhawks and 150's fill the gap remains to be seen. Will Van's RV-12 fill the niche? It has a full stabilator and flaperons. It also has quick removing wings so it can be easily towed on the road. Hmm, I wonder if it would fit in my garage... One thing for certain, it's the best bang for the buck when it comes to pilot and passenger weight. It's the only light sport I've seen where you aren't required to have half tanks to fly two people (200 lbs ea.). That's better than a C150.

EAA CHAPTER 225 NEWSLETTER2-11-14: EAA 225 Meeting night starts with a social at 6:00pm followed with the meeting at 7:00pm Pres. John Ricciotti reminds us that this will most likely be the last non food meeting. He says we’ll have plenty of topics to discuss and picture shows to view. Come join with Friends & Fun! For more info: Call (603) 781-6572

World's Biggest Plane  2-6-14: The Antonov AN-225 comes up in emails every now and then about all the attention it gets wherever it goes. A recent link was sent in by Jim of a website with pictures of this massive aircraft. The pictures have commentaries that take you all around the plane and shows up close pictures of the interior and cockpit area and introductions to the flight crew. Searching AN-225 on YouTube shows a list of impressive videos taken of the mighty aircraft landing at airports all around the world. I know the An-124 comes in and out of Pease every now and then, but I don't recall hearing or seeing any articles about the AN-225 coming into Pease (Portsmouth). On occasion, I'll be outdoors around the house in Rochester and my attention will be caught by the distinctive sound of the engines on the C-5 that comes in to Pease periodically, probably to do "Touch and Go's"... or was it an AN-124?