December 27, 2015 - Afternoon flight

You wouldn't know that this was taken at the end of 2015. Got up to 75 today.  It was a great day for Mike Moore had a fun #flight riding #tandem. #champ #funwiththeinlaws #whiteplains — with Stuart J. Moore and Mike N Jean Moore at White Plains Plantation.

A Pilot's worst nightmare, landing without primary controls

From Flying Magazine Dec 2015

Indy car speed with Prius fuel consumption

26821

December 14, 2015

By Dave Hirschman

The performance of Klaus Savier’s airplane would seem bogus if it wasn’t so thoroughly documented.

The German-born engineer, record-setting pilot, and founder of Light Speed Engineering, a California firm that specializes in aircraft electronic ignition systems, is compulsive about record keeping. And he’s reluctant to talk about the performance of his personal airplane and technology test bed, a Rutan-designed Long EZ powered by a parallel-valve Lycoming IO-360 engine.

“It’s easy to throw around all sorts of numbers—but I’d rather just show you so you can see for yourself,” he said outside his hangar/office at Santa Paula Airport. “You want to go flying?”

That afternoon I hopped into the back seat of Savier’s airplane and took lots of notes as we climbed to 10,500 feet over the Pacific.

Savier kept the throttle wide open as we climbed at 150 knots indicated airspeed at a rate of 1,500 feet per minute. Instead of monitoring the exhaust gas temperatures, he leaned the fuel/air mixture according to a “Lambda gauge,” a high-performance automotive instrument.

Light Speed Engineering's Klaus Savier stands next to his Lycoming IO-360-equipped Long EZ. Photo by Dave Hirschman.

“The automotive world has known the exact ratios for peak power and peak efficiency, and the numbers are pretty much the same for aircraft engines,” he said. “I bought the gauge for $350 at an auto parts store and it tells me exactly how to lean at any altitude. I don’t even pay attention to EGT anymore.”

We leveled off at 10,500 feet (11,600 density altitude) and Savier clicked on the autopilot and let the airplane accelerate at full power. It stabilized at 190 knots indicated airspeed (234 knots true) with the fixed-pitch propeller turning 2,680 rpm and the engine consuming 11.5 gph rich of peak.

“Now, watch what happens when I go lean of peak,” he said.

Savier pulled on the mixture knob and the EGTs momentarily peaked, then steadily decreased. The engine with dual electronic ignition and a highly sophisticated fuel injection system continued to operate smoothly.

Indicated airspeed slowed 10 knots to 180 knots (208 knots true) while fuel flow plummeted to 7.6 gph (and engine rpm fell to 2,500). That’s a 5.26-percent speed reduction and a 34-percent drop in fuel consumption.

“Everything gets better lean of peak,” Savier said. “Fuel burn, range, CHT, and EGT.”

The hottest cylinder was just 320 degrees, and all EGTs were below 1,300 degrees.

To emphasize his point, Savier pulled back even further on the mixture knob.

Airspeed fell to 143 knots indicated (175 knots true) while fuel consumption fell all the way to 4.8 gph. In driving terms, that’s an astounding 42 (statute) miles per gallon at 201 (statute) miles an hour. Put another way, Savier cruises as fast as an Indy car while burning as much fuel as a Prius.

Light Speed Engineering's Klaus Savier has coaxed Toyota Prius-like fuel consumption from his Lycoming IO-360-equipped Long EZ while posting Indy car speeds. Photo by Dave Hirschman.

When flying with oxygen at higher altitudes, Savier’s airplane is even more impressive. Take a close look at the photo (left) and you’ll see the Long EZ at an altitude of 17,500 feet is traveling 224 knots true while burning just 7.3 gph.

In car terms, that’s 257 miles an hour, faster than any NASCAR racer goes, at 35.3 mpg.

All this hints at the kinds of efficiency gains available to a broad cross-section of general aviation when innovation-stifling regulations eventually are lifted as part of the highly anticipated FAA Part 23 rewrite. Dual electronic ignition and computerized fuel injection are just the low-hanging fruit in that exercise.

Savier is tinkering with other engine technologies that promise even more gains—but none of those developmental projects were part of this flight.

Yet if I hadn’t seen it, I wouldn’t believe such speed and efficiency improvements were even possible.

Dave Hirschman | AOPA Pilot Editor at Large, AOPA

AOPA Pilot Editor at Large Dave Hirschman joined AOPA in 2008. He has an airline transport pilot certificate and instrument and multiengine flight instructor certificates. Dave flies vintage, historical, and Experimental airplanes and specializes in tailwheel and aerobatic instruction.

Message from Steve Sanderson - House move update.

                                                                    12/3/2015

Here is how I went from 1600SF to a skinny space in a 3 car garage.  We can
still get both cars in with this arrangement.
 
Note that I built a rolling platform that I can move away when I need to get&nbsto my tools and other stuff.
 
The workbench is also on wheels, not an ideal arrangement, but it works so 
far.  Everything rolls in tight so that my van will fit into the other 
half of the double space and Jenny's car parks in the single space.

Steve Sanderson 

New Grandparents - Doug and Therese MacKay

Congratulations to Doug and Therese MacKay for becoming first time grandparents. 

Sophia was born today weighing 7lbs 2oz. 

Current status on Medical Reform Legislation.

Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association Protecting Your Freedom to Fly

 

Medical reform legislation set for markup

November 11, 2015 

By Elizabeth A Tennyson

 

The Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation has set Nov. 18 as the date to move the Pilot's Bill of Rights 2 (S. 571). Third class medical reform is among the provisions in the legislation designed to help general aviation pilots.

“This is a very significant step forward in our efforts to bring long overdue common sense to the third class medical process. We’ve never been closer, and we are very pleased that this bill is going to get the consideration it deserves,” said AOPA President Mark Baker. “With 69 cosponsors in the Senate, the Pilot’s Bill of Rights 2 has strong support among lawmakers who recognize the importance of general aviation and the need to give pilots relief from the costly and burdensome third class medical process. That high level of bipartisan support is a testament to the commitment and engagement of the tens of thousands of AOPA members who have contacted their elected officials and asked them to support third class medical reform.”

The Pilot's Bill of Rights 2, which was sponsored by Sens. James Inhofe (R-Okla.), Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), and John Boozman (R-Ark.), would allow hundreds of thousands of pilots who have held a valid third class medical, either regular or special issuance, over the past 10 years to fly without needing to get another FAA medical exam. It would apply to pilots flying VFR or IFR in aircraft weighing up to 6,000 pounds and carrying up to five passengers at altitudes below 18,000 feet msl and speeds up to 250 knots.

For pilots whose medical certificate lapsed more than 10 years ago and those who have never held a medical certificate, a one-time medical certification will be required. Once a pilot has been medically certified once, either through the regular or special-issuance process, he or she will also be able to fly indefinitely without needing to go through the FAA medical certification process again. Pilots with certain medical factors, including cardiac surgery, mental, or neurological conditions, will have to get a special issuance medical one time only.  For more information, visit AOPA’s frequently asked questions regarding third class medical reform.

“We know how important medical reform is to pilots,” said Jim Coon, AOPA senior vice president of government affairs. “The fact that this legislation is continuing to move forward at a time when Congress is dealing with so many challenging issues is an indication of how active AOPA members have been in keeping medical reform on the table and the effectiveness of their letters, emails, and phone calls to lawmakers.”

Once the markup in committee is complete, the legislation can go to the full Senate for a vote. Similar legislation also has been introduced in the House. Both chambers must pass the bill and reconcile any differences before it can go the president for his signature. 

P&E: Savvy Maintenance - AOPA

October 7, 2015

By Mike Busch

When pilots screw up, plaintiff lawyers always seem to sue equipment manufacturers

What I refer to as “maintenance-induced failures” were the subject of my June 2014 post, “The Dark Side of Maintenance,” on the AOPA Opinion Leaders blog. The post included several examples of aircraft malfunctions that were the unintended result of errors during maintenance.

One example involved an early model Cirrus SR22 that was equipped with a Sandel SN3308 electronic horizontal situation indicator (EHSI). Its owner Emailed me that he had been plagued by intermittent heading errors on the EHSI. When I questioned the owner, I learned that these problems had started about three years earlier, right after his shop performed the scheduled 200-hour replacement of the Sandel’s projector lamp. Coincidence?

I’d seen this same problem in my own Sandel-equipped Cessna 310. It’s caused by inadequate engagement between the connectors on the back of the instrument and the mating connectors in the mounting tray. It’s essential to slide the instrument into the tray as far as possible before tightening the clamp. It’s a bit tricky to do—and if you don’t, the stage is set for flaky, glitch-plagued operation of the instrument. I told the Cirrus owner how to re-rack the instrument, and his intermittent errors went away.

Later I received an Email from an AOPA member in Kansas City who said he read my blog post with interest. “I am the attorney for the mother of two deceased children who perished in a Cirrus crash,” he explained, and asked whether I’d be willing to provide expert consultation in the lawsuit. I replied that while I do quite a bit of consulting work in the field of aviation maintenance, it’s almost always defense work. I further explained that I regularly do air-crash defense work for both Cirrus Aircraft and Continental Motors, so if either was a defendant in the lawsuit—as I suspected they were—I could not serve as an expert on behalf of the plaintiff. I figured that would be the end of our Email exchange.

What happened?

Out of curiosity, I searched the NTSB accident database and located the factual and probable cause reports for the accident in question. The aircraft crashed while making an ILS approach at night in instrument conditions. The pilot’s flight instructor estimated that the pilot had about 1,000 hours total time, about 650 in type, and just 75 in actual IMC.

Although the pilot filed an IFR flight plan via DUATS, there was no record of him obtaining a weather briefing, either electronically or telephonically. The area forecast called for tops to 15,000 feet and the destination TAF forecast a 300-foot ceiling in mist and rainshowers.

The crash occurred shortly after midnight, and it was pitch dark and moonless. Despite the fact that the AWOS was reporting a 700-foot ceiling and eight-mile visibility, the pilot missed his first ILS attempt and asked ATC for a second attempt. The controller instructed the pilot to turn left to a 360 heading and climb to 3,000 feet. One minute later, the pilot told ATC, “I need some help.” That was his last transmission.

Radar track data showed that after the missed approach, the aircraft turned left to maintain a ground track of about 65 degrees while climbing to about 2,800 feet. The aircraft then entered another left turn and descended into the ground at about 6,000 feet per minute. The debris field extended less than 150 feet from the impact crater. The propeller exhibited S-bending and chordwise scratches, indicating the engine was making power at impact. Investigation of the airframe and engine revealed no evidence of preimpact failure or malfunction. The Cirrus was equipped with a CAPS ballistic parachute system, but there was no indication that the pilot tried to activate it.

Whose fault?

Not surprisingly, the NTSB placed the blame for this accident squarely on the pilot in command’s shoulders, attributing the probable cause to, “The pilot’s loss of airplane control as a result of spatial disorientation experienced in night instrument meteorological conditions.”

Something the NTSB didn’t say—but I will—is that if you shoot an ILS in night IMC and wind up going missed, attempting the approach a second time is a sucker’s bet. The smart move is to divert to your alternate where the weather is decent, check into the local Motel 6, and lick your wounds.

Clearly, however, the plaintiff lawyer had a very different take on the situation. He was determined to convince a jury that it was the airplane’s fault—perhaps the fault of its Sandel EHSI that might not have been fully engaged in its mounting rack—and that Cirrus Aircraft and Sandel Avionics should be held financially responsible for the crash.

I don’t blame the attorney. His job, after all, is to obtain as much monetary compensation as possible for his client, the poor mom who tragically lost two kids in the crash. Unless the deceased pilot was an extraordinarily high-net-worth individual, the only place that money could come from would be the hardware manufacturers, who carry lots of product liability insurance. That’s why whenever an airplane crashes and people are seriously injured or killed, the manufacturers get sued.

While I can’t blame the lawyer for seeking redress from the manufacturers, I can’t bring myself to help him, either. My sympathy for the mom doesn’t blind me to the fact that the real loser in these lawsuits isn’t the manufacturer defendants or their insurance companies—it’s us, the aircraft owners and pilots. Insurance companies pass the ridiculously high cost of defending, settling, and even occasionally losing such lawsuits to the manufacturers in the form of punitively high insurance premiums. The manufacturers, in turn, pass the cost of those premiums on to us in the form of punitively high prices for aircraft, engines, propellers, avionics, instruments, and repair parts.

There’s no free lunch in aviation. And we’re the ones who seem to wind up picking up the check.

NTSB investigators found no evidence of equipment failure, but for the sake of argument, let’s imagine that the plaintiff attorney was right and the Sandel EHSI went berserk at the worst possible moment. The way I look at it, instruments and avionics are expected to fail from time to time. That’s why our aircraft are required to be equipped with backup instruments, and why we spend so much time learning how to deal with such failures during initial and recurrent instrument training.

In cases like these, the buck still stops with the PIC. He’s supposed to be able to fly the aircraft even when instruments or avionics fail. If he doesn’t prove to be up to that task, it’s wrong to blame the hardware.

I guess it’s a good thing I’m not a plaintiff lawyer; I’d make a terrible one. 

Mike Busch is an A&P/IA.

Savvy Maintenance coverage sponsored by Aircraft Spruce

Email mike.busch@savvyaviator.com

P&E: Savvy Maintenance - AOPA

FAA Safety Team | Safer Skies Through Education

 

"Icing Insights" Topic: Get latest on icing detection and forecasting tools as well as some insights to help you better plan around icing conditions. On Thursday, November 12, 2015 at 17:00 Select Number: CE0964736 Description: Whether your airplane is certified for Flight Into Known Icing (FIKI) or not, icing is a hazard that should have every pilot on alert. Understanding the impact icing can have on a flight means knowing where favorable icing conditions are forecast, at what altitudes and over which regions. In Icing Insights, we'll show you how to get the most out of the latest icing detection and forecasting tools, as well as a provide a few insights that will help make you more confident when it comes to planning around icing conditions. To view further details and registration information for this webinar, click here. The sponsor for this seminar is: FAASTeam The following credit(s) are available for the WINGS/AMT Programs: Basic Knowledge 3 - 1 Credit Click here to view the WINGS help page

Air Racing at Greenwood, SC on 11/7/2015

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Southern Nationals Air Race

published by Chairman on Mon, 12/29/2014 - 14:12

I am Racing!
Non-member Race Registration
Air Race Information
Who Was In

Race #	Name	Aircraft	Class
Race 91	Bruce Hammer	Glasair I TD	FX Blue
Race 27	Jim Wilson	RV-8	RV Gold
Race 118	Ken Krebaum	RV-8	RV Blue
Race 411	Jeff Barnes	RV-6	RV Blue
Race 34	Tim Bastian	Varieze	Sprint
Race 83	Dave Adams	Long EZ	Sprint
Race 98	John Keich	Midget Mustang	Sprint
Race 103	Jeff Schlueter	Mooney Ovation 3	FAC1RG
Race 200	Jamon Pruitt	Meyers	FAC1RG
Race 15	Joe Burley	Mooney M20F	FAC3RG
Race 66	Richard Kaczmarek	Cessna 172	FAC5FX

Greenwood, SC (KGRD)

Fall Fly In...... Gilbert Airpark Saturday 10-24-2015

EAA Chapter 1467 Fall Fly-in Saturday, October 24th, 2015 (Alternate "Bad Weather" Date: Saturday, October 31st, 2015)                                              2014 Fall Fly-in Photos (click above to see photos)   FLY-IN STATUS Last Update: 10/22/15 -------------------------------- The final decision is "GO' for Saturday, October 24th. The forecast is for partly cloudy skies with only a very slight chance of rain and temps in the mid-70s around mid-day. Light winds are expected to be out of the EAST (favoring runway 9) around 5 mph. Come join us for some good fellowship and a great meal.      Our 2015 "EAA Chapter 1467 Fall Fly-in" is planned for Saturday, October 24th, 2015 from 10:00am until 4:00pm at Gilbert International Airport (SC45). In case of bad weather, we'll postpone the event until Saturday, October 31st (same hours). We'll update the above "Fly-in Status" periodically to let you know how plans are progressing, especially within the final 2-3 days before the event, so that we'll have a very good indication what the weather will actually be on that date.      Although no one will be turned away who is genuinely interested in aviation, the public is not generally being invited. This event will be mostly for EAA members, members of GIA and other local airparks, visiting aviators, and their guests. We plan to have a very nice lunch beginning about 1:00pm on a "donation" basis.  Most pilots like to fly to an event, relax, eat, check out the aircraft, meet old friends, make new friends, and fly out at their leisure, so we have no seminars or special activities planned other than lunch. However, we do plan to have a "50/50 drawing" sometime during or soon after lunch. So, come join us for a relaxed event and some good fellowship.      CTAF at Gilbert Airpark is 122.9. We plan to have someone monitoring 122.9 on an advisory basis to assist your arrivals, as well as marshallers to assist with parking. The event will be held in Ron Angerman's hangar on Downwind Leg Road; it's the largest hangar at the airpark located about mid-field on the south side of the runway. Aircraft parking will generally be on the south side of the runway because it's shaded, it's nearer Ron's hangar, and also to avoid participants having to cross the runway as much as possible. Our runways are 27 and 9; standard left hand pattern on both runways at 1500' MSL. If radio equipped, please announce "Gilbert traffic" at least 5 miles out. If NOT radio equipped (NORDO), be very careful and vigilant for other aircraft in the local area. Click the icons below and consult your aviation maps for further information about Gilbert International Airpark (SC45). Be sure to check the runway write-up on the GIA website (see link below), especially with regards to local towers in our area (one of which is listed at 1063' MSL to the NW and another at 838' MSL located only about 600' north of final approach to runway 27.      If you need fuel, 100LL fuel is available via automated fuel pump with your credit card at "Lexington County at Pelion Airport (6J0)" located about 9 NM to the southeast of GIA; last reported price was $4.50 per gallon. CTAF there is 123.0 with paved runways 36/18. Fuel is also available at the following airports: Columbia Metro (KCAE-13.5nm-east), Hamilton-Owens (KCUB-20nm-east), Aiken (KAIK-21nm-southwest),  Fairfield County (KFDW-29nm-northeast), and Barnwell County (KBNL-37.5nm-south). KBNL also has 93 octane non-ethanol auto gas.      You may also wish to click the thumbnail at top for some photos taken at our last fall fly-in held at GIA on October 18th, 2014. For airport info about Gilbert Airpark (SC45) at AIRNAV.COM, click the GPS icon above. To see the announcement for this event on SocialFlight.org, click the icon above. To see the announcement for this event on the EAA calendar, click the EAA icon above. For runway and other information on the Gilbert Airpark website, click the icon above. To return to the TTF HOME page now, click above.