Soggy but warm...

Pilots!

The water level at Corona has not receded as promised, and we are left with a lagoon here at Corona Airport.



Armed with the 1,000 feet of usable non-slimy tarmac, we successfully evacuated all but one of our aircraft (sorry 11N!) to Chino, at the home of our friends at Threshold aviation and DPE Mark D.

We anticipate conducting flights based from CNO, primarily for dual training. Our CFIs have the keys and are conducting operations -- if you've been sidelined without reason, please call a CFI and arrange things.

Unfortunately, solo/renter pilots -- because we have no office support at Chino, we don't want to saddle Threshold with administrata -- please call the office for bookings, and we will arrange it for you.

Consider the schedule "invalid" for Chino flights. We only anticipate this situation existing for a week, two max. :)

We are grateful to Threshold providing us a dry spot to fly out of, please be kind to their facilties and personnel -- but definitely poke your head into the hangar and ogle Mark's collection of L29 fighter trainer jets. Hubba hubba!

==

More as I know it!

Blue Skies,

- Mike

Float Corona now offers ASES ratings...

Pilots!

Let me just save a few thousand words right off the bat with some neat pictures...











As you can see, Mother Nature has turned our friendly little airport into a waterpark this week -- what a mess! The airport is expected to remain closed through the weekend -- sorry Christmas flyers!

==

It was with a herculean effort from our own Carlos C, Ricardo C, Chris C, Nick K, Fernando P, and Dylan A, as well as several of the Airport personalities, that we evacuated nearly 400 aircraft to the "dry side" of the airport -- we have even commandeered Butterfield park for aircraft storage.

Thanks, guys!

The water level has stabilized for now, but there are more rains on the horizon. If the Prado Dam does it's job and allows more outflow, we'll be fine. Why it has been running at 1/3 capacity this entire time, only an Army Corps of Engineers Colonel knows.

Our maintenance hangars are dry, and the office is dry -- damp, but dry. We have relocated our tooling and equipment, and moved many items to "high ground" -- including our 7 Office PCs. The servers remain on the 14th floor at One Wilshire's peering point downtown, and if they flood, we all have problems of a more biblical proportion.

==

It has been suggested that we change our Demo Flight to something more along these lines:



...Cheeky, cheeky monkeys. :)



I would like to take a moment to say a few things:

First, Airplanes are replaceable, people are not. This flood, even if it erases our entire airport and business for a few months, has claimed no lives, it has not impoverished anyone, nor displaced anyone. Please keep perspective where it belongs. People are what matter, and none were harmed in the making of the KAJO Slosh n Slide fun park. :)

(That having been said, I hope we can all talk about Mike A's inflatable raft and oars for QUITE some time -- Fly Corona's mobile Aircraft Maintenance Boat begins operation today. :D )

Second, the pilot community is one of my favorites, and this week reminds me of why. Everyone was out in force, helping their neighbors box up hangar contents, tow aircraft, secure aircraft, or just being available to make someone else's life a little more pleasant. While these events tend to be scatter-brained and not well organized, at the end of the day, everyone is laughing about it and telling hangar tales -- even if their hangar is under 8 feet of water. I'm proud to be part of it.

Third, for those who keep asking about our business, this is not our first Rodeo. We have endured this before -- in 2005 to be exact, and we will get everybody flying as soon as practicable. We do apologize for the inconvenience, however, it has been very nice to hear from our friends from across the country, and in fact, the world -- who inquired to find out how we were. It was even nice to see some friends at Removed Forum #1 inquiring. (Thanks, Lee -- we're fine! ;) )



So if I had one wish, I would ask that you focus on the things that matter -- friends, family, camaraderie, and the Christmas Spirit. Let the insurance underwriters worry about our aluminum playthings, and know that we'll be back in action the instant the airport re-opens.



Happy Holidays, my flying friends, and we will see you in 2011!

==

Blue Skies,

- Mike

Soggy Times...

Pilots!

...yuck!

I don't know who ordered up THIS MUCH rain, but we're on a flood alert at the airport again. Not much flying happening at the ranch. Wear your galoshes! :)

Since no flying is getting done, we are taking the opportunity to catch up on a few items. Here's what I know:

Cessna 630 is in for 100hr. She is due out today.

Cessna 68U is drenched.

Cessna 739 wants an umbrella.

Cessna 17J is in for 100hr. She is due out tomorrow.

Skylane 073 is going to hide in Chino.

Bonanza 11N wishes she was a high-wing for the first time in her life.



We have made a new/old addition to the office staff. You will see a familiar face in the office on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays starting soon.

==

The office will be closing early on Friday, and will be closed all-day Saturday in observance of Christmas. Pilots, after-hours procedures will apply. Inquire with the office if you are not familiar with these.

Please have a safe, warm, and dry holiday season!

Blue Skies... soon! :)

- Mike

Happy 107th Birthday!

Pilots!

It has been absolutely sleepy around the ranch lately, and even though we're doing a bit of flying, there's just nothing going on... that I know about. :)

Today commemorates the 107th anniversary of the Wright Brothers' flight at Kitty Hawk, ushering in the golden age of aviation, and the loss of Saturdays to hanging out at the airport. Thanks, guys!



Wikipedia has one of the better write-ups about it, despite Jimmy Wales' sad-clown banner at the top:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wright_Flyer

Worth a read.

==

Some other news I know about:

Cessnas 17J and 630 will be in for 100hr this week.
Everything else seems to be behaving. How boring!

We are closing in on the first of two C172s we plan to add to the fleet this winter.

There is even a rumor that we may add a C150.



The office will be closed for a half-day on December 24, and of course, all day on December 25. After-hours procedures will be in effect.

Fly safely, everyone, and enjoy the holiday season! 2011 looks like it will be a great one!

==

Blue Skies,

- Mike

Wings galore!

Pilots!

Scuzzy weather means nothing to those who want their wings badly enough!

Please join me in congratulating not one, but two successful pilots:

First, the newest instrument-rated pilot in the world -- Lisa L. scored her blindfold yesterday afternoon in Cessna 739 with DPE Mark D.. waaaay to go, Lisa!



And second, another blindfold -- please join me in congratulating Pat S., who scored his instrument rating yesterday in... Cessna 739 and also with DPE Mark D.

Nice work, Pat!


Better weather is promised this week. We'll see if that holds...

More as I know it...

Blue Skies,

- Mike

Only a little Santa Ana...

Pilots!

What a week! On top of great weather, cool temperatures, and fun flying -- we have just enough wind strangeness to keep things interesting.




For those who missed it, our movie night on Thursday was held inside Bobby A's -- Bobby was generous enough to stay open until 9:30pm and allowed us to hoist a large screen and create a "drive-in" feeling with booths and tables all aimed at the movie. Bobby's excellent burgers, drinks, and I believe I counted TWO Banana Splits made it a great time.

Way better than the 40 degrees in the hangar! Also, the movie selection didn't suck -- nice one, Jake!

Bobby has indicated he'd love to roll out the red carpet for us again -- so look for a new Winter lineup of movie selections coming soon.

Which brings up a good topic of conversation. We've been hosting these movies on Thursday evenings -- but is there a better night you'd like to come and hang out with our friends and pilots? Let me know!



In other news...

Cessna 630 is cruising along.

Cessna 68U has had her oil filter adapter re-gasketed. I am told the oil leak situation has been eliminated.

Cessna 739 has a new VOR indicator.

Cessna 17J cruises.

Skylane 073 is back to IFR readiness.

Bonanza 11N has a new OAT probe on order, and has a new ignition switch. This has cured the hard-starting issues.

Bonanza 6SK is hiding around the ranch. You may see her up playing in the sky.



We may have a new 172R on the line as soon as next week. With a Garmin 430 even. Cross fingers and say incantations. We've had real bad luck with sellers lately, so this may jinx the deal. I hope not.

==

That's about all I know of at the moment.

Blue Skies!

- Mike

Big Guns

Pilots,

I think we need a new name for funky weather and clouds which only arrive on Saturdays. It's particularly cruel that, for the 3rd weekend in a row, nice weather has preceeded a generally snotty Saturday. There is nothing meaner for those of us trapped indoors for the week to stare out and plan a weekend of flying, only to have it snatched away by low clouds, goofy winds, or otherwise poor conditions.

Maybe we can call this phenomenon Cumulo-spoilsportus. What odd conditions yesterday. We still got a lot of flying done, but with the winds at 290 19G23KT, some of the approaches were... pucker-worthy.

Anyway...

While looking at a lot of 172Rs and SPs to add to the flightline recently, we came across something interesting for the Wingfleet Flying Club. Something special, even. Something arriving this week.

Meet Six Sierra Kilo.



6SK is a 2006 Beechcraft Bonanza G36TN aircraft. Six seats. 300 Horsepower. Turbo-normalized. Air-conditioned. The sort of plane you can take to Las Vegas in 50 minutes. San Francisco in 90 minutes. Salt Lake City in 150. The sort of aircraft that is perfect for a weekend of wine-tasting in Napa, a short-notice client meeting, or just shooting "the bird" to the airlines and the TSA while cruising in the Flight Levels and listening to your choice of XM station. Everything being a Pilot should be. :)



Numbers for participation in 6SK is being finalized, but will be in the neighborhood of $700/mo and $109/hr dry. Existing Wingfleet members will also get a special swap rate for usage and checkout. Since this aircraft was $750,000 new, and has nearly $100,000 in added STC upgrades, we think that's an excellent value.



6SK will include a hangar with personal locking cabinets for flight gear, take-out/re-hangar service and probably a few other touches as we think of them.

This aircraft will be limited to 5 members. There are also particular minimums for non-members to fly her (starting with 750 hours' total time, and some other particulars)

Email Mike if you'd be interested in more information or a demo flight.

==

Some other news around the ranch:

Cessna 630 has had an intercom adjustment.

Cessna 68U has had radio work done.

Cessna 739 has a new nav1, and should be in "IFR Fighting form" again.

Cessna 17J is cruising.

Skylane 073 will have instrumentation improvements done this week.

Bonanza 11N has a new ignition switch.



AOPA's Aviation Summit is this coming Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. We'll be there on Saturday, and I've never been, so I have no idea what to expect. Some people have billed it as the "west coast Osh Kosh", but I think that's nonsense. Osh is simply unbeatable. :)

AOPA Summit is at KLGB Long Beach airport from 9:00am - 5:00pm.

We'll report in on what we find, just in case it's awesome. At the very least, though, it's a few days of aviation -- and like fishing, the worst day of aviation beats the best day at work.

More information available here.

==

We are looking for some assistance for the Office. If you know someone uniquely qualified to assist our constant battle with paperwork, checklists, and aircraft - drop us a line.

==

That's all I know right now. More as I learn it.

Blue Skies,

- Mike

We aint afraid of no clouds...

Pilots!

Please join me in giving a rousing hurrah to the newest Instrument-rated Pilot in the world!

Too cloudy for a checkride? I don't think so! Not if you're IFR-rated Gerd E., who brassed up to the cumulus and showed it who's boss. Gerd was joined by DPE Mark D in Cessna 17J for a proper set of approaches and other blindfolded stunts behind the yoke.

Nice work, Gerd!



In other news...

Cessna 630 is cruising.

Cessna 68U's oil consumption is running at appx 1 qt per 2-4 hours. Please keep an eye on the oil levels in the motor. We may give her a final re-seal before the new motor is installed.

Cessna 739's "one day turnaround" promise from the avionics tech seemed to be a pack of lies. 739 is running around with only one nav head. We'll send the brute squad over on Monday. It's not like we're all *that* surprised.

Cessna 17J is humming along.



Bonanza 11N is not offending anyone.

Skylane 073 is still stylish.

==

We are performing a pre-purchase inspection on both an A36TN and a G36TN for the club.

We are stilllllll hunting a good 172R or 172S for the line.

No word on the Archer we were considering.

...why it is so difficult to buy planes, I'll never know.



We have an old friend, Olivier, staying with us to build some time this winter, as well as work on his English. Olivier is a French pilot who will be flying on an FAA conversion license -- he's a good pilot, but he's here primarily to talk like we do -- if you see a young fellow sitting around, hiding in some charts, please feel free to introduce yourself and stretch his "Anglais" a little bit, he will be appreciative.

You may see Olivier working on the line. We thought we could start his vocabulary off with the phrase "aircraft belly wash" -- a most important pilot term. :)

==

That's all I know about for the moment. I am ready for the better weather we usually get right about now.

Blue Skies.... we miss you.

- Mike

Stay East, young man!

"Cessna 17J, traffic, 12 o'clock, converging, an F16..."

Pilots!

El Presidente is in town, and you know what that means... its TFR time!



FDC 0/1912 ZLA PART 1 OF 5 .. FLIGHT RESTRICTIONS. LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, OCTOBER 22, 2010 LOCAL. THIS NOTAM REPLACES NOTAM 0/1878 DUE TO CORRECTION TO DESCRIPTION OF RINGS TO PARAGRAPHS A AND B. PURSUANT TO 49 USC 40103(B), THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION (FAA) CLASSIFIES THE AIRSPACE DEFINED IN THIS NOTAM AS 'NATIONAL DEFENSE AIRSPACE'. PILOTS WHO DO NOT ADHERE TO THE FOLLOWING PROCEDURES MAY BE INTERCEPTED, DETAINED AND INTERVIEWED BY LAW ENFORCEMENT/SECURITY PERSONNEL. ANY OF THE FOLLOWING ADDITIONAL ACTIONS MAY ALSO BE TAKEN AGAINST A PILOT WHO DOES NOT COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OR ANY SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS OR PROCEDURES ANNOUNCED IN THIS NOTAM: A) THE FAA MAY TAKE ADMINISTRATIVE ACTION, INCLUDING IMPOSING CIVIL PENALTIES AND THE SUSPENSION OR REVOCATION OF AIRMEN CERTIFICATES; OR B) THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT MAY PURSUE CRIMINAL CHARGES, INCLUDING CHARGES UNDER TITLE 49 OF THE UNITED STATES CODE, SECTION 46307; OR C) THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT MAY USE DEADLY FORCE AGAINST THE AIRBORNE AIRCRAFT, IF IT IS DETERMINED THAT THE AIRCRAFT POSES AN IMMINENT SECURITY THREAT. PURSUANT TO TITLE 14, SECTION 91.141 OF THE CODE OF FEDERAL END PART 1 OF 5 FDC 0/1912 ZLA PART 2 OF 5 .. FLIGHT RESTRICTIONS. LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, REGULATIONS, AIRCRAFT FLIGHT OPERATIONS ARE PROHIBITED WITHIN A 35 NMR OF 340500N/1182018W OR THE SMO038007.3 UP TO BUT NOT INCLUDING 18000 FT MSL EFFECTIVE 1010221730 UTC (1030 LOCAL 10/22/10) UNTIL 1010222359 UTC (1659 LOCAL 10/22/10). WITHIN A 8 NMR OF 335638N/1182429W OR THE LAX046001.4 UP TO BUT NOT INCLUDING 18000 FT MSL EFFECTIVE 1010221730 UTC (1030 LOCAL 10/22/10) UNTIL 1010221900 UTC (1200 LOCAL 10/22/10). WITHIN A 8 NMR OF 340126N/1181421W OR THE SMO071010.9 UP TO BUT NOT INCLUDING 18000 FT MSL EFFECTIVE 1010221800 UTC (1100 LOCAL 10/22/10) UNTIL 1010222230 UTC (1530 LOCAL 10/22/10). WITHIN A 10 NMR OF 341216N/1182134W OR THE VNY085006.7 UP TO BUT NOT INCLUDING 18000 FT MSL EFFECTIVE 1010222130 UTC (1430 LOCAL 10/22/10) UNTIL 1010222345 UTC END PART 2 OF 5 FDC 0/1912 ZLA PART 3 OF 5 .. FLIGHT RESTRICTIONS. LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, (1645 LOCAL 10/22/10). WITHIN A 8 NMR OF 335638N/1182429W OR THE LAX046001.4 UP TO BUT NOT INCLUDING 18000 FT MSL EFFECTIVE 1010222300 UTC (1600 LOCAL 10/22/10) UNTIL 1010222359 UTC (1659 LOCAL 10/22/10). EXCEPT AS SPECIFIED BELOW AND/OR UNLESS AUTHORIZED BY ATC IN CONSULTATION WITH THE AIR TRAFFIC SECURITY COORDINATOR VIA THE DOMESTIC EVENTS NETWORK (DEN): A. ALL AIRCRAFT OPERATIONS WITHIN THE 8 NMR AND/OR 10 NMR AREA(S) LISTED ABOVE, KNOWN AS THE INNER CORE(S), ARE PROHIBITED EXCEPT FOR: APPROVED LAW ENFORCEMENT, MILITARY AIRCRAFT DIRECTLY SUPPORTING THE UNITED STATES SECRET SERVICE (USSS) AND THE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, APPROVED AIR AMBULANCE FLIGHTS, AND REGULARLY SCHEDULED COMMERCIAL PASSENGER AND ALL-CARGO CARRIERS OPERATING UNDER ONE OF THE FOLLOWING END PART 3 OF 5 FDC 0/1912 ZLA PART 4 OF 5 .. FLIGHT RESTRICTIONS. LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, TSA-APPROVED STANDARD SECURITY PROGRAMS/PROCEDURES: AIRCRAFT OPERATOR STANDARD SECURITY PROGRAM (AOSSP), FULL ALL-CARGO AIRCRAFT OPERATOR STANDARD SECURITY PROGRAM (FACAOSSP), MODEL SECURITY PROGRAM (MSP), TWELVE FIVE STANDARD SECURITY PROGRAM (TFSSP) ALL CARGO, OR ALL-CARGO INTERNATIONAL SECURITY PROCEDURE (ACISP) AND ARE ARRIVING INTO AND/OR DEPARTING FROM 14 CFR PART 139 AIRPORTS. ALL EMERGENCY/LIFE SAVING FLIGHT (MEDICAL/LAW ENFORCEMENT/FIREFIGHTING) OPERATIONS MUST COORDINATE WITH ATC PRIOR TO THEIR DEPARTURE AT 858-537-5900 TO AVOID POTENTIAL DELAYS. B. FOR OPERATIONS WITHIN THE AIRSPACE BETWEEN THE 8 NMR AND/OR 10 NMR AND 35 NMR AREA(S) LISTED ABOVE, KNOWN AS THE OUTER RING(S): ALL AIRCRAFT OPERATING WITHIN THE OUTER RING(S) LISTED ABOVE ARE LIMITED TO AIRCRAFT ARRIVING OR DEPARTING LOCAL AIRFIELDS, AND WORKLOAD PERMITTING, ATC MAY AUTHORIZE TRANSIT OPERATIONS. AIRCRAFT MAY NOT LOITER. ALL AIRCRAFT MUST BE ON AN ACTIVE IFR OR END PART 4 OF 5 FDC 0/1912 ZLA PART 5 OF 5 .. FLIGHT RESTRICTIONS. LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, VFR FLIGHT PLAN WITH A DISCRETE CODE ASSIGNED BY AN AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL (ATC) FACILITY. AIRCRAFT MUST BE SQUAWKING THE DISCRETE CODE PRIOR TO DEPARTURE AND AT ALL TIMES WHILE IN THE TFR AND MUST REMAIN IN TWO-WAY RADIO COMMUNICATIONS WITH ATC. C. THE FOLLOWING OPERATIONS ARE NOT AUTHORIZED WITHIN THIS TFR: FLIGHT TRAINING, PRACTICE INSTRUMENT APPROACHES, AEROBATIC FLIGHT, GLIDER OPERATIONS, SEAPLANE OPERATIONS, PARACHUTE OPERATIONS, ULTRALIGHT, HANG GLIDING, BALLOON OPERATIONS, AGRICULTURE/CROP DUSTING, ANIMAL POPULATION CONTROL FLIGHT OPERATIONS, BANNER TOWING OPERATIONS, SIGHTSEEING OPERATIONS, MAINTENANCE TEST FLIGHTS, MODEL AIRCRAFT OPERATIONS, MODEL ROCKETRY, AND UNMANNED AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS (UAS). D. FAA RECOMMENDS THAT ALL AIRCRAFT OPERATORS CHECK NOTAMS FREQUENTLY FOR POSSIBLE CHANGES TO THIS TFR PRIOR TO OPERATIONS WITHIN THIS REGION. END PART 5 OF 5
==

Or said another way... "come into my sky, you'll get the pew pew!" -- this is for today from 10:30am until 5:00pm.

So please stay outta that ring of fire.. lest the fighters pay you a visit.



In some other news,

Cessna 630 is cruising happily.

Cessna 68U's new engine is being constructed in our hangar. Expect downtime in the next few weeks to install.

Cessna 739 has undergone some significant radio work recently, with a new DME, and now a new GS receiver.

Cessna 17J is having her flight plan tuning knob changed up.

Bonanza 11N is having a new landing light switch installed. Also a new tire.

Skylane 073 is just cruising.

We expect to add a Bonanza A36 to the club in the next 4 weeks. We are doing due diligence on 3 specific aircraft now.

==

The clouds are leaving. This weather has been nuts.

Blue Skies!

- Mike

Well now, that's more like it...

Pilots!

Enough of this rain and gloom nonsense -- how about something worth toasting and high-fiving about?

Check this out:

First, a huge round of applause and congrats to the newest US Private Pilot in the world, one Pilot Pat Wirt -- who sailed to victory today with DPE Mark D in Bonanza 11N!

That's right... Pat got his license in a HP/Complex. Nice.

Way to go, Pat!




And second... grab your skis and bindings, as we're about to go sloosh into Hades... as our own Mr. Carlos C has earned his blindfold and IFR Rating. Waaaay to go, Carlos!

(The numerous betting pools on this topic will be resolved later this week :) )

Carlos earned the IFR with DPE Mark D in Cessna 17J -- and just in time for all of the clouds to depart.

Nice one, Carlos!



In some other news:

No tomatoes were thrown at the FAA Safety Seminar on tire changes today.

Cessna 68U has a weak magneto making her more susceptible to foulled plugs and hard starts. We will have her in service cautiously, and we will swap out the mags on Monday.

Cessna 739 goes in for her Annual Inspection next week

Cessna 630 doesn't seem to be bothering anyone.

Cessna 17J should have her PFD knobs fixed next week -- time permitting.

Skylane 073 is cruising along.

Bonanza 11N is rocking out.



Such nice weather this weekend, and in fact, all next week. Grab some air therapy!

Blue Skies,

- Mike

Goofy weather...

Pilots!

Who got some tasty actual in the last week? At least it's better than 114 degrees F, eh?

Here are a few things I know:




The Aircraft Spruce SuperSale is this Saturday! Usually some decent deals, always some free lunch, and I'll be discussing preventative Maintenance, and speaking about tire changes ... something we do quite a lot, and are qualified to discuss. It's a fun way to kill an hour or two.

If that's not your bag, the 99s are hosting a Poker Run! Fly to 5 airports, collect a hand, and support aviation donations for the 99s, a great outfit.

Check it out here: http://coyote99s.com/pokerun.htm



Not much to report in maintenanceland.

Cessna 739 will be receiving a new alternator today. :)

We came very close to getting a 1989 Turbonormalized Bonanza A36 in Wingfleet this week. The search continues. For those interested, the monthly will be appx $450, with dry rates running appx $99. The machine is loaded to the nines, and ready to cruise 205kts up to 25,000'. We will only have a few slots in this one, let us know if you'd be interested.



That's all I can think of. :)

Blue Skies,

- Mike

Santa anas?

Pilots!

A whole bunch of nothing going on lately, but the winds are finally providing some cause for discussion.

The Santa Ana winds typically arrive in autumn and will cause winds to blow offshore -- meaning we favor runway 7 at Corona, a wild and woolly approach that can challenge the best pilots in high wind speeds -- the trees west of the runway throw up a litany of air pockets that you get to fight through.

I always recommend pilots get some landings in on runway 7 when the wind conditions favor it -- it's great practice, and keeps you on your toes!



In other news...

Cessna 630 completed a 100hr

Cessna 68U completed a 100hr

Cessna 739 has eaten 3 tachometers. We do not understand why. She seems to be holding for the moment.

Cessna 17J isn't bothering anyone

Skylane 073 is cruising

Bonanza 11N has had her yoke "pinned" in place now, no more loosy-goosy yoke bar with the Vee up.



There was a power outage at the airport yesterday, which killed the lights and our Monty-Hall voiced AWSS weather station. (so, some bad, some good) It also coincided with our complete network rewiring project. Some of the office PCs may be out of service until we complete the reconfiguration.

==

We are moving to a "phased" maintenance approach with our planes. You may see 4-hour slices of "maintenance" on the schedule at the last minute -- this will be us getting an advance look at engine, airframe, and wings, each in 4-hour increments. The idea will be to minimize downtime at the 100hr/annual inspections, which often run into 3 days or more.

That's all I know at the moment.

Blue Skies,

- Mike

Mooooovie nite!

Pilots!

When the weather is this gloomy, how on earth can you get a proper aviation fix?

Watch a movie in an aircraft hangar, that's how. :)

Join us this evening for "The Flyboys" -- which is apparently quite good.

Two boys from a small town find their courage tested when they accidentally stow away aboard an airplane owned by the mob.

Jason and Kyle, friends from different sides of the track, become embroiled in the adventure of their lives when they discover a mysterious airplane at the local airport. The boys sneak aboard for a look but are forced to hide in the luggage compartment when two men climb aboard. Soon they find themselves airborne over the open Arizona desert. After hours in the air the boys unwittingly uncover a bomb in the luggage compartment. But when they burst into the cabin to report their discovery, they find that everyone on board has bailed out. The boys must now take the controls and land the plane themselves. But their troubles are only just beginning...

Sounds like fun! As usual, Bobby A's restaurant will offer snacks and a great burger+soda deal on their tasty Landmark burger. We'll be convening at 6:30 this evening at Bobby A's! The movie will likely start at 7:15 or so.

Experienced movie-goers suggest bringing a chair pad if you have one, as this movie runs nearly 2 hours. :)

...hope to see you there!



In other news...

Cessna 630 is in the radio shop for a new, permanent intercom installation. No more black box to kick around.

Cessna 68U has a new starter.

Cessna 739 completed her 100hr.

Cessna 17J is cruising.

Skylane 073 is not bothering anybody. Thanks, 073!

Bonanza 11N has had her baffling re-sealed to promote lower CHT's.



Great weather for some actual IMC -- today should be the last of the fog.. and we'll return to our lovely heatlamp real soon.

Blue Skies!

- Mike

Farewell Cutlass...

Pilots,

Bittersweet around the ranch this week, as we got the final arrangement on 25R sorted out, and she is headed for a few months of repairs and a new life in Texas. We are debating her replacement at the moment, with many thoughts leaning towards a PA-28R Arrow, since frog-legs are no longer our favorite RG treat.

With pending FAA rule changes which remove the Comm-SE RG requirement altogether, we are not sure this is a good investment, so we are in a "wait and see" mode. It will be short lived, and it does not impact our hunt for a good R model or similar for the fleet.

For those pursuing Comm-SE, contact the office for solutions we have in mind for you.

Elian was quoted on the scene as saying "Now I am become death, the destroyer of worlds", and left into the night laughing maniacally.



Not really. :) We'll miss you, 25R!

==

In other news...

A new solo pilot was heard overhead today in 739. Please join me in congratulating Rick S. on taking one huge step closer to Pilothood! We all know this is no small feat. Great work, Rick!



We have rearranged the office to accommodate new air conditioning power, just in time for it to be cold at the airport lately. We are not sure we like the layout yet, and CFI Eddie was quick to point out that we have violated the Feng Shui of the office. Quelle Horreur!

The good news is, the addition of new aircon power means no more stuffy offices, and you'll be greeted with frosty comfort after a flight lesson. Nice.

Not much else around -- man is it sweet flying weather lately.

Blue Skies!

- Mike

Plenty of blame to go around...

Pilots!

Here's a unique situation which merits some contemplation. Some of you will have already seen this, no doubt.. check it out:

(disclaimer: there are a few F bombs in here -- mind your speakers if you're at work or averse to such displays of vocabulary)

Video - yikes!

Luckily, nobody was hurt.

From reading the assorted fora all jabbering about this incident, it seems a few things were wrong with this situation.

It was an organized local airshow.

The airport was private.

The biplane pilot was either a tenant of the airport, or friends with a tenant and attending the fly-in. (reports on this seem to vary)

The RC pilot was invited by the organizers to provide a demonstration of his 1/2 scale aircraft.

Questions seem to surround...

Why the pilot was doing a fly-by.

Why the RC pilot was on the runway.

Why the organizers did not have "spotters" for traffic conflicts, or a NOTAM regarding the airshow.

...An ugly situation which could have had dire consequences.



Food for thought. Be careful out there -- whatever it is you're piloting.

==

In other news...

If you have not yet seen it, we are putting on our tried and true Preventative Maintenance: Oil Changes Done Right Seminar. You'll get to heckle me as I attempt to describe not only how to exercise your Pilot authority to change an airplane's oil and filter, but we'll actually perform the ooey gooey process. It's not the same as changing the oil on your honda!

Join us September 4 in our Hangar at 11:00am. Snacks will be served. If you are an aircraft owner and are interested in volunteering your aircraft for service, let us know -- there is no charge for labor ever!

Hope to see you there. More information available at The FAASafety website



Beastly hot this week. Our air conditioning is working overtime, and we're trying to keep the water bottles cold. PLEASE stay hydrated, both on the ground and in the air!

Consider flying west for your practices. El Toro and Long Beach both have excellent practice areas which we can use on days like today. It might be worth the extra .3 on the meter.

That's all I know for now. :)

Blue Skies,

- Mike

Flying season...

Pilots!

I didn't even realize 2 weeks had sailed by until someone called me out -- sorry about that :)

First, please join me in congratulating the newest Private Pilot... as of last Sunday... (sorry) -- Troy L., who earned his wings with DPE Mark D in Cessna 739.

Way to go, Troy!!




In other news...

We are currently revamping a LOT of procedures in the office and hangar, hopefully to the benefit of all. If you have been the victim of sloppy office work, please feel free to drop me a note in any fashion -- we are always looking to improve.

We will even be bringing back the "squawk report" and make it publicly viewable. We are having no luck "fishing for squawks", and do not like them waiting on the 100hr.

We are mired in rewriting our operational checklists and other assorted minutia.

...regardless, here are some things I know about:

Cessna 630 has a new shimmy damper

Cessna 68U is getting a new engine in the next 3-4 weeks. Her current one is cruising along, and we expect 3 days of downtime when our engine gurus are complete.

Cessna 739 has had her pilot's seat repaired.

Cessna 17J doesn't seem to be bothering anyone.

Skylane 073 has new piston rings and has completed her break-in. We have been asked by the engine builder to leave cowl flaps open until CHTs are under 350F. If you are unfamiliar with what this means, please ask a CFI or the office.

Bonanza 11N has a new battery.



A friend of FlyC's lost his medical recently, and we are selling his gorgeous G35 Bonanza V-Tail for him. This is the last and best of the "light" Bonanzas, before they became the thirsty speed-tanks that they currently are. (...and there's nothing wrong with that :) )

We were turning in 138-142kts on average with a burn of 10.1gph, but a light Bo is happy puttering at 125kt and 8gph or 110kt and 6gph -- try that in a Cessna! Also, it does these things in Bonanza comfort.

This G35 has a wealth of impressive features and upgrades, and was very well cared for. She will be on display this week, after we make some maintenance improvements. She's a real sweet flier, and a great inexpensive way to build time if you're interested. Some of the FlyC staff are considering a partnership around her -- ask Jake for details.

==

"Catch me if you can" was much better movie than "Stealth", however, I think 90 minutes is the optimum movie length when one is sitting on metal chairs. September's movie should be fun. :)



Our insurance rules in the renter agreement will be changing, in response to certain aluminum rains last year. We believe the deductible amount will be increased to $5,000, and we are considering requiring renters insurance for freelance CFIs.

We are open to discussion on this point. We do not anticipate these changes affecting anyone at this time, but if there are unintended consequences, I'd like to hear about them.

If you are concerned, renter's insurance sufficient to cover a $5,000 deductible is appx $250 per year.

==

Otherwise, it's playtime in the sky -- nice (if warm) weather abounds -- great for flying!

Blue Skies,

- Mike

We're baaaaaack!

Pilots!

Those of us involved in the Osh pilgrimage have now mostly caught up on sleep, and now I have some updates to share.



First, some belated congratulations:

Last week, Jonathan S. earned his Private Pilot license in Cessna 739 with DPE Mark D. Nice work, Jonathan!

Also, Sunday, Jake M. earned his Instrument rating in Cessna 739 with DPE Mark D. Well done, Jake!



Maintenanceland:

Cessna 630 should return today or tomorrow with some improvements after a difficult landing.

Cessna 68U completed her 100hr on Friday

Cessna 739 completed her 100hr yesterday.

Cessna 17J is cruising.

Bonanza 11N is back from Osh.

Skylane 073 has a new engine being installed today. ETA is tomorrow or next for her return to service.



We, and specifically, I, am hosting an FAA Safety Seminar on preventative maintenance once again -- this time on tire changes. Feel free to swing into our hangar Saturday at 11am, where we will actually change two main tires on an aircraft, discuss the regulations and responsibilities of a pilot doing this him/herself, and learn some valuable tips and tricks.

Even though we're good at these, it's more than a simple swap. There are a lot of parts involved, and doing it wrong can have dire consequences. Come check us out! Bring tomatoes! :)

Additionally, the FAA has granted this seminar as eligible for 1 wings credit. Learning about bald tires can get you a free Flight Review! Cool!

More info: here

==

We are closing in on a deal for a new plane. Shh. :)

==

It was seemingly drama-free this past week. Thanks everybody! Nice weather and some planes around the ranch should make some nice flying.

Blue Skies,

- Mike

Maintenance Face..

Pilots!

Some quick updates around the ranch. Yesterday was not boring. :)

==

Cessna 630 is down for a tail strike. Repair time TBD, but we are assessing. There may also be seat cushion damage from the exciting landing last night. (everyone is okay, of course, but it looked interesting from the ground)

Cessna 68U is touring the USA

Cessna 739 has a new seat roll-pin.

Cessna 17J is on her way home from New York.

Skylane 073 was pulled down to investigate some oil contamination. We will have a solution here shortly - our engine guru is on the case.

Bonanza 11N is in Longview, TX, pondering the Osh trip.

--

Elian has a new eye, after learning that needle-nosed pliers bite. Ouch!



We have decided to cancel tomorrow evening's Hangar Poker game, since we have people all over the place, and really, the whole thing was a clever ruse to de-smug Elian anyway, which the pliers took care of for us :)

(just kidding, Elian)

==

As you know, many of us are departing for next week in Osh Kosh, so the office will be working on reduced strength. Please be nice to them, and any complicated matters can be handled on our return the following Friday.




More as I know it!

Blue Skies,

- Mike

Blindfold Squadron!

Pilots!

No shortage of things going on in the last week... here's what I know:

First, some new wings to report:

Please join me in congratulating THREE new IFR pilots this week! Oh my!



First, Mohammed P. earned his blindfold in Cessna 739 with DPE Tom Hamm!

Second, Mike F. earned his blindfold in Cessna 739 with DPE Mark DiLullo!

and lastly, Todd S. earned his blindfold in Cessna 739 with DPE Tom Hamm!

Look out world, the pro pilots are on their way!

Tremendous work, gentlemen! Way to go!



In maintenanceland:

Cessna 630 has a new exhaust valve. Hers had become stuck, as evidenced by bad mag drops and an exhaust note more appropriate for a Chevy Nova.

Cessna 68U is headed to Seattle. She'll be back in 2 weeks. Bon Journee' 68U!

Cessna 739 completed a surprise 100 hour inspection. I guess when all the 172s are out playing elsewhere, this is bound to happen. We got her done pit-stop style.

Cessna 17J is enroute New York. She'll be back also in 2 weeks.

Skylane 073 has been used for more and more demos of late, to alleviate the schedule pressures. We changed her oil today.

Bonanza 11N is cruising to Texas.



We are in talks with about 12 or 13 aircraft sellers, some of them entertaining in their omission of key details. This stuff takes time, and we're in the mode of having to verify the candidates have both wings attached, in addition to our usual rigor on prepurchase inspections.. We're on the case, I promise. Ideally we will add 2 aircraft for summer ASAP.

...we are even considering a Warrior or Archer just to mix it up. (shh, don't tell)

==

As a result of the jam-packed schedule, we reserve the right to cancel a flight booking which you are over 1 hour late to. Please tighten up the bookings if you can.

==

Marlon, Kira, and Ricardo left this morning enroute Osh Kosh. They are taking a "scenic" stroll through Longview, TX. Marlon will be out of pocket for 2 weeks, as will Bonanza 11N. Our troupe will leave next week and rendezvous with them next Sunday for a baby formation arrival.

Darwin, Richard, Shahid and I join them next week in my V-tail Bonanza.



It's HOT, and suddenly. While I can't say I miss the fog, I wasn't really prepared for 95F this soon either. Remember to bring cool water with you on your flights -- ask the office, any linemen, or raid our fridge in the back liberally. Heatstroke makes a poor learning environment!!

==

Blue Skies, Stay COOL up there!

- Mike