Please welcome back.... Cherokee 08F!

Returning from Cable and a batch of numerous radio renovations, Cherokee 08F has returned from her final adjustment and is ready to fly. Some of her numerous renovations over the past month include:


A new Digital Nav/Comm and return-to-function of both VORs. (she was VFR only for a while)
Rudders completely rerigged and are now looser/more compliant.
A cylinder top overhaul to return smoothness and power to the engine

And all sorts of other niceties that pilots should enjoy.

For those of you who switched to C172s to hide from the maintenance doldrums, we would like you to try 08F once again and give us your feedback. Fly Corona! will comp former cherokee pilots 50% of a flight in 08F (up to 1 hour) to test her out and see what you think. Mention it to the office staff when you fly, and we'll split the bill!

We're confident that 08F is a better bird than ever, and that you will enjoy buzzing around the LA Basin with new speed, radios, and a pleasant all-around experience in the Cherokee.

For those unfamiliar with the plane who want to give it a try, book a check-out flight today! (we recommend CFI Jeremy for Piper checkouts)

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Cessna 68U has returned from John Wayne with shiny new VORs, ready for the clouds.

Cessna 20U has gone in to John Wayne for a VOR checkup.

Cessna 08V is back on the line after some extended engine troubleshooting.

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As we remain in proactive maintenance mode (which is likely to go on through most of March), the following things are likely to occur next week:

Cessna 72F's starter conversion should wrap up.

Cessna 08V VOR replacement.

Cessna 68U interior refurbishment.

Cessna 20U yoke bushing replacement.

And I believe we have a 100hr or two coming up (our 172s will be due)

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That's all for now -- Blue Skies!

Important Maintenance Update!

Pilots!

This week sees our fleet scattered all about for updates and repairs as needed. Here is an update for all:

Cessna 72F is still in for its keystart conversion. I will post more as I know it.

Cessna 08V is due back tomorrow (Wednesday) from the engine work that has been done.

Cessna 68U is at John Wayne (SNA) for VOR replacement. We expect her back this week sometime, and we may need to shuffle 172 pilots around to accomodate any overrun at the avionics shop, as needed.

Cessna 20U will be going to John Wayne after 68U for a similar VOR replacement.

Cherokee 08F is at Cable (CCB) for what we believe to be the last tweak to the avionics stack. 08F will be receiving a Digital flip-flop Nav/Comm radio, as well as weeding out a volume flutter in her new intercom. We expect her back Wed or Thu.

CFI Alan is grounded pending a complete re-rig of his vertical stabilizer (aka spine). Alan is due back on the line in 3-6 months as the experts overhaul any affected systems.

In all seriousness, though, Alan Shanahan is an integral part of the FlyC family, and he's grounded. As we have worked with Alan over the last 2 days to properly route and hand-off the training for his students, I am reminded that there is no instructor who cares more about aviation, flying, and his students than Alan. I can think of no crueller diagnosis for an aviator than to be relegated to the bedside, staring out a window, and sighing as the clouds frolic overhead, and our airplanes cut the silence with that taunting drone promising good times and stories. Our skies will be a little poorer without Alan sharing them, and we all wish for his swift mending and restoration to health.

As we watch these days pass swiftly for our CFI with the folded wings, if there are any pilots or friends of the school who wish to send a momento, airplane trinket, or just plain old good wishes, then please let us know, so that we can pass them on. I think Alan would love to hear from you.

Thanks! Blue Skies!

- Mike

"Los Angeles Tower, Cessna N8520U with you, landing Los Angeles"

Proof positive that a Private Pilot enjoys the same rights and priveleges of any other pilot certification -- our very own Cessna 20U recently did a Cross-country flight to Los Angeles International Airport. Why? Because it is there.


Our own Mike Walsh, accompanied by CFII Ryan Farr, made the XC journey into the heart of darkness. Becoming what was probably the only piston-powered airplane into LAX all month, our intrepid pilots enjoyed a full throttle no-flaps final approach, breaking all laws of cessna physics, and spurring our fearless Skyhawk to an unprecedented 140mph as they screamed over the numbers for 25L, reining in the poor plane to a halt just past Taxiway "Gee", at appx 3,100' length -- or 100 feet shy of the full length of our runway at Corona -- so those of you contemplating reproducing your own full-speed approach here at home, forget about it....but when you're landing on one of Los Angeles International's four 11,000-feet runways, it somehow doesn't seem like such an issue.



Imagine the look on the face of the Boeing 757's crew, when Los Angeles Ground asked them to "hold for the taxiing Cessna" -- an unseen gnat lost beneath their powerful instrument panel holding up the flight of a few hundred business travellers, just for a moment.



Fly safe -- but definitely do some industrial strength flight planning before tackling something like this -- your certificate depends on it.