Goings on...

All,

Please join me in congratulating our newest Pilot, United States Private Pilot Shahid R. earned his wings after a grill n' fly at the hands of Examiner Tom Hamm. Shahid has been training with Jeremy and earned his wings in Cessna 04H

Congratulations Shahid!

==

We are in instrument/radio squawk mode, as certain of our birds seem to be giving us attitude. Specifically:

Cessna 68U will be receiving an altimeter check to maintain IFR standards. We have heard that she is sliding slightly out of tolerance.

68U is also having static in her com2 radio which we hope to eliminate.

68U also appears to need a Turn Coordinator Gyro overhauled. We will be swapping in a known good instrument while 68U's is out for overhaul.

Cessna 20U will have a NAV indicator replaced and a VOT performed. Also 20U has caught the mysterious "Disco Gyro" problem which plagued us with 04H recently.

Cessna 04H has a nav/comm in addition to a faceplate on order.

Cessna 08V will also receive an altimeter check along with 68U to verify her Mode C operation. (some have reported intermittency)

08V will also have an electrical checkup to identify sources of broadcast static on the radio.

Cessna 17J flies nice and still has "new plane scent"

==

As always, we appreciate reported squawks from our pilots.

Blue Skies!

- Mike

How about those clouds?

A friend of the school, Mr. Ed S., shared an email which has been going around lately. The text from same is as follows:

Jorn Olsen works for the Dutton-Lainson Co. in Hastings, Nebraska, and lives by Heartwell Park next to Hastings College. The stadium lights are at the Hastings College stadium just east of his home.

The clouds are called Mammatus clouds. They do not precede a tornado, or foretell a storm, but are formed when the air is already saturated with rain droplets and/or ice crystals and begins to sink. The worst of the storm is usually over when these kinds of clouds are seen. They are quite rare, but really beautiful.

That's an understatement. Pictures are © Mr. Olsen and are placed here with no permission and for no possible commercial purpose (we don't charge people to say "wow, cool!"). Contact me if you'd like them removed. :)

Blue Skies!

Fuel on the rise...

Pilots,

Fuel is on the rise again, this time due to (shakes magic 8-ball) "greed"

Oh, wait, that can't be right... (shakes again) "mideast instability and concerns about the integrity of the alaskan pipelines"

We are expecting a 20 cent rise this week. If so, surcharges will be sliding up one notch on the scale (to 6/11) -- Buy ChevronTexaco Stock. :)

--

In other news:

Cessna 20U has undergone her 100hr inspection this weekend.

Cessna 04H has a new navcomm faceplate on order for radio #2. We are also troubleshooting the VOR reception, as we have heard reports that it is currently in question.

The flying is cool and nice. Blue Skies!

- Mike

Wake Turbulence

Most of us have studied wake turbulence, read about how these powerful vortices can flip our small aircraft, but here is an incredible picture taken of an airliner leaving very distinct vortices in the clouds -- the first time I've ever seen a visual of the sink rate phenomenon. Very cool.

Slow news.... month!

Pilots!

Apologies for the lack of news over the last 4 weeks. I was drawn away from the school, as many of you know, and nobody else picked up the blog -- but now I'm back, and wish to share a few tidbits:

First, a belated congratulations to Brando F. who passed his Private Pilot checkride!

Second, we have undergone a CFI shuffle, as many of you have noticed. We are in the market for an additional CFII at the moment.

Third, our hideous heatwave seems to have snapped -- the flying is once more tolerable in the AJO area. Some things, even the misty mate cannot combat. :)

More as I know it -- blue skies!

- Mike