I Woke Up Old Today

Posted on February 20, 2012 by Joe Clark

When I woke up today, the talking heads on television were talking about historic events—in particular, John Glenn’s three-orbit flight around the world. I remember that flight. Just like it was yesterday.

It was, however, 50 years ago.

I turned to my wife and said, “He must be old.”

“He’s 90,” she says, right off the bat. She did not have to Google it or otherwise look it up. I wondered how she knew that.

John Glenn, preparing for flight February 20, 1962. / Wikipedia

On this day in 1962, John Glenn blasted off from Cape Canaveral in a Mercury capsule atop an Atlas rocket. His flight that day lasted a few seconds more than four hours, 55 minutes. Glenn, the third American into space, was the first person in the world to orbit the planet. He and his Mercury spacecraft, Friendship 7, circled the world three times.

John Glenn lived one of those lives similar to many from his generation. He was in college in 1941 when the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor and he quit school to join the Army Air Corps. The Army did not call on him, so the following March, Glenn enlisted as a naval aviation cadet. In 1943 while stationed at NAS Corpus Christi, the Navy reassigned Glenn to the Marine Corps.

In his first assignment, Glenn flew transport aircraft; it was not long before he had wrangled himself a combat assignment flying fighters. He would go on to fly 59 combat missions in the South Pacific at the controls of the famed bent-wing F-4U Corsair. After the war, he flew various assignments, including a stint as a flight instructor back at NAS Corpus.

When Korea broke out, he was a qualified Panther pilot when he returned to combat flying. Between two combat tours, the first in Panthers and the second in the F-86 Sabre, he flew 69 more combat missions. During the exchange tour with the Air Force when he flew the F-86, Glenn flew as ballplayer Ted William’s wingman.

After Korea, Glenn was off to NAS Patuxent River as a member of Class 12 of the Test Pilot School. In 1957 as the pilot of Project Bullet, Glenn flew across the United States in a supersonic F-8 Crusader. He made the flight between NAS Los Alamitos, CA to Brooklyn, NY, landing at Floyd Bennett Field. The flight took three hours, 23.1 minutes.

In 1959, John Glenn joined the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to become one of the seven original Mercury astronauts. Less than three years later, he flew his historic three-lap tour of the world.

After the flight, the nation treated Glenn as a national hero, which, in all rights, he deserved. He suddenly found himself a personal friend of John F. Kennedy.

After Kennedy’s assassination in 1963, Glenn resigned from NASA and later retired from the Marines to run for office in his home state of Ohio. He would go on to serve in the Senate for 24 years.

After retiring from office and at the age of 77, John Glenn returned to space aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery as a member of STS-95. It was a unique opportunity for the space agency to study the effects of weightlessness on a subject at two different times in his life—first at the age of 40 and again 37 years later.

I remember both of these flights; the first when he was so young, and the second, when he was older than many grandfathers.

When I saw the news today and listened to the senator talk about his time in space, I thought, Damn! I feel old today.

-30-

©2011 J. Clark

Subscribe by email

Note: Email subscribers, please go to my blog to view vids

Posted in Aviation, Aviation History, History, Life in General, Personal | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Sleep, Food, Water, and Performance

Posted on January 25, 2012 by Joe Clark

I have taught about the relationship between a pilot’s need for proper rest and flying for a long time. Corollary to having the proper rest is eating right and proper hydration. It is a complex equation, and I was pleased when one of my students simplified it for me.

My student said humbly, “Your habits outside the cockpit determine your performance inside the cockpit.”

Never had I talked of the complexity of the idea as simply as the student voiced it. After he made his comment, I admired how well he couched the concept.

Sleep is one of the most critical aspects influencing pilot performance. In order for you to be on top of your game, whatever “your game” might be, the player has to have rested well. This concept entails many considerations and conditions.

One consideration involving sleep is the hour one wakes every day. College-aged young people do not like hearing this. They naturally stay up late and sometimes sleep into the afternoon. Some never get out of the habit, continuing the practice late into their lives. And there is nothing wrong with going to sleep late and getting up late as long as they are acquiring their needed rest, with regular sleeping hours.

All pilots, however, require a certain amount of rest in order to function properly. A similar situation, one almost everyone can identify with, is driving tired.

Each of us has probably driven beyond the safe limits of common sense and started nodding off at the wheel. When it comes to flying, the situation is even more problematic; the droning of the engine, the boredom of sitting on an airway and only watching the oil pressure and temperature gauges, the DME counter, and the VOR needle—all, combine easily to put humans in the aluminum cocoon to sleep. If the pilot does not actually go to sleep, they can find their senses dulled almost to the point of incapacitation.

Like the driver who is unaware of all the traffic around their car while driving down the Interstate, the pilot becomes unaware of the little important details required to pilot the airplane. Such fine details as being alert for radio calls, monitoring engine instruments and health, maintaining the airway and altitude, and more.

Even if the pilot feels as though they are alert enough to fly, working complex problems such as an approach sequence in a GPS receiver may be an effort. It could amount to an effort that could lead the pilot and his passengers straight to an incident or accident.

Every time I discuss the importance of rest with a young pilot or a class of new pilots, I cannot help but think of the Kalitta crash at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. I am very familiar with Guantanamo Bay, having operated A-4 Skyhawks for the Navy for two years off Leeward Point.

Flying one of the Navy’s most maneuverable attack jets off the Leeward Point runway was a challenge because of the placement of the fence line dividing the naval reservation with Communist Cuba. Final approach to runway 10 was less than half a mile.

I marveled at the flight crews of the large jets that routinely came into the field. I recall one day standing in the squadron ready room on the second floor of the hangar watching an Air Force crew make the approach to runway 10 in their C-141 Starlifter. They overshot the runway horrendously—both longitudinally and laterally. It appeared as though they were going to lose it and fall right into the hangar where I stood with several squadron members. There would be no escaping death if the Air Force pilots lost it. Later at the club when the Air Force crew walked in, we Navy pilots toasted their victory at executing a masterful waveoff without crashing and killing us all. (Service rivalry at its best!)

Before I left the island, other large jets came and went; one other stretch DC-8 almost killed me as I sat in marshal at the end of the runway while waiting for the other jets in my flight. I left at the end of 1985 and the crash I had anticipated during my two years on the island did not happen—until August 18, 1993.

A few minutes before 5 p.m. local, a Kalitta Air DC-8-61 approached Leeward Point for landing. The pilot and his crew had been flying for far too long a time.  They finished a full Part 121 duty period at 0800 EDT and were just starting rest periods. Scheduling planned their next duty cycle to start at 2300.

As it turned out, the company called the accident crew back into action when the originally scheduled airplane went down in Miami. By the time of the 1656L crash in Guantanamo, the captain and first officer had been “on” since 2300 the night before. This, according to the scheduler, fell within the company’s crew rest criteria.

Reading through the voice transcripts will make experienced pilots cringe. It is right there, in the printed words on the page. As you read, you can feel their fatigue, note their confusion with procedures, and watch as they take a long time to complete routine tasks. You can almost see how slowly their minds are working by the amount of time they spent awake preceding the crash.

This crew, as with other professional aircrews, faced the problem of flying when the schedule demanded. In this case, the result was an accident resulting in the injury of the three crewmembers and the total loss of a hull.

The probable cause, as determined by the National Transportation Safety Board, was… “the impaired judgment, decision-making, and flying abilities of the captain and flightcrew due the effects of fatigue; the captain’s failure to properly assess the conditions for landing and maintaining vigilant situational awareness of the airplane while maneuvering onto final approach; failure to prevent the loss of airspeed and avoid a stall while in the steep bank turn; and his failure to execute immediate action to recover from a stall.”

All brought upon the crew by a lack of sleep.

Fly safe—and get some rest.

-30-

©2011 J. Clark

Subscribe by email

Note: Email subscribers, please go to my blog to view vids

 

Posted in Aviation, Flight Instructing, Flying | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Tebow

Posted on January 14, 2012 by Joe Clark

The story of the Broncos taking on the New England Patriots this weekend is something just this side of amazing.  The Patriots are favored by two touchdowns, and as many have speculated, the Broncos could win.

You might ask, how could the Broncos win?  The answer is very simple—they have Tebow.

Last weekend, the Broncos win over Pittsburg was incredibly exciting.  It was almost like watching the Gators in past years. Tim Tebow’s performance fell somewhere between “absolutely awesome” and “unbelievable.”

Of course, those of us who are Gators were not surprised.

Tim was playing much the same as he always played in The Swamp down in Gainesville. His performance this season was exactly what Gators all around the world knew would happen.

The amazing thing about this young man is the way he makes things happen. He is an anomaly in the sports world.

Many in the NFL have said Tebow has no talent, which prompts many to ask, “Really?” What is the explanation for the Gator’s winning records during Tebow’s tenure? What is the explanation for the Bronco’s come from behind OT wins this season? Tim Tebow was fun to watch when he played for the Gator’s and now that he is a Bronco, it seems like the fun is just beginning all over again.

During the first half of last week’s game, it was amusing to see the shocked looks on the faces of the Pittsburgh players.  Each player to a man was incredulous.  In the second half, they came out of the locker room revitalized; they started to make things happen and by the end of the game, they were able to tie the score.

However, as with previous games, Tebow led his Broncos to an overtime win.  One spectacular thing about this win was that it came on the first and only snap of the OT period.

More spectacular than winning the game on the first play of the overtime period, are the game stats.  Tebow completed 10 of 16 passes for a total of 316 yards giving him an average of 31.6 yards per pass.  When he played at the University of Florida, Tebow often used the phrase John 3:16 painted into his eye black.

Tebow has taken great criticism for displaying his faith and yet, he stands firm.  The thing about this young man is that he is real and genuine.  He is a natural leader among his peers.  Unlike other NFL players who were constantly in trouble for one reason or another, Tebow consistently stands out as a true role model.

I had come close to giving up following both college and pro ball because of the many players exhibiting the “bad boy” persona.  Then along came Tebow.  Suddenly, I became interested in the game again.

This weekend’s game will prove very interesting.  I like underdogs.  I also have to wonder if God is speaking to all of us through the voice of Tim Tebow.

-30-

©2011 J. Clark

Subscribe by email

Note: Email subscribers, please go to my blog to view vids

 

Posted in Life in General | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Bear’s Books

Posted on January 9, 2012 by Joe Clark

As we wrapped up 2011, one of the goals I missed was completing production on the third book of The Bear’s trilogy, The Owl Hoot Trail. I wanted so much to complete the last book, Book Three, The Turning of the Earth. Unfortunately, I am still working on the last book as I write this. I wrote about the first two books before (see The Owl Hoot Trail) when I finished Book Two.

Book One - Gold in the Red Desert

The Bear began writing this trilogy a while ago and when I read the first two books, I was impressed for many reasons. Now, I cannot wait to finish the third and make them all available to the public as a collection.

As I pointed out in my earlier writings about The Bear and his Trilogy, once you have read the first two books, you have to finish the tale. Every reader I have spoken with who have read Books One and Two, are anxiously awaiting the release of Book Three. Trust me—I am editing and producing as fast as I can.

The Bear’s books are an important addition to the story of our country. That time—that awful time in the nation, particularly in the South following the war that lasted from 1861 until 1865—was a very bad period in our history. The Bear’s historical novel captures the flavor of life in the country during the years and decades after the end of the war.

Additionally, The Bear weaves the history of other countries and events into his story of the Owl Hoot Trail. Truly, readers have a hard time putting the book down once you turn the first page.

When I first wrote about The Bear’s trilogy, I made the bold statement that he could be the next Louis L’Amour. I wasn’t kidding—I believe anyone reading The Bear’s books will enjoy them as well as L’Amour’s.

Book Two - The Withlacoochee Renegades

To help jump-start the sales of the Trilogy, we will offer 20 percent off the price of the first two books. Book One normally sells for $18.95 and Book Two retails at $25.95. So, go to BluewaterPress.com and you can find Book One for sale for $15.16 and Book Two priced at $20.76—for a limited time.  If you buy both books One and Two bundled together, we will offer a 25 percent discount for a price of $33.68 for both.

In order to take advantage of this limited time special, you have to remember to enter the coupon code “bearsbooks” into the proper field when you check out of the shopping cart. You should enter the code as all lower case, without the quotation marks.

Of everyone who has read Book One, 100 percent demanded Book Two. Those who have finished Book Two have already started requesting Book Three.

Hang on, y’all! Book Three is on the way as quickly as we can finish it. And, oh, yes, if you buy the discounted Books One and Two, we will honor the same discount for Book Three.

-30-

©2011 J. Clark

Subscribe by email

Note: Email subscribers, please go to my blog to view vids

 

Posted in Life in General, Publishing, Reading, Uncategorized, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

“CHRISTMAS AT SEA”

Posted on December 25, 2011 by Joe Clark

The sheets were frozen hard, and they cut the naked hand;
The decks were like a slide, where a seamen scarce could stand;
The wind was a nor’wester, blowing squally off the sea;
And cliffs and spouting breakers were the only things a-lee.

They heard the surf a-roaring before the break of day;
But ’twas only with the peep of light we saw how ill we lay.
We tumbled every hand on deck instanter, with a shout,
And we gave her the maintops’l, and stood by to go about.

All day we tacked and tacked between the South Head and the North;
All day we hauled the frozen sheets, and got no further forth;
All day as cold as charity, in bitter pain and dread,
For very life and nature we tacked from head to head.

We gave the South a wider berth, for there the tide-race roared;
But every tack we made we brought the North Head close aboard:
So’s we saw the cliffs and houses, and the breakers running high,
And the coastguard in his garden, with his glass against his eye.

The frost was on the village roofs as white as ocean foam;
The good red fires were burning bright in every ‘long-shore home;
The windows sparkled clear, and the chimneys volleyed out;
And I vow we sniffed the victuals as the vessel went about.

The bells upon the church were rung with a mighty jovial cheer;
For it’s just that I should tell you how (of all days in the year)
This day of our adversity was blessed Christmas morn,
And the house above the coastguard’s was the house where I was born.

O well I saw the pleasant room, the pleasant faces there,
My mother’s silver spectacles, my father’s silver hair;
And well I saw the firelight, like a flight of homely elves,
Go dancing round the china-plates that stand upon the shelves.

And well I knew the talk they had, the talk that was of me,
Of the shadow on the household and the son that went to sea;
And O the wicked fool I seemed, in every kind of way,
To be here and hauling frozen ropes on blessed Christmas Day.

They lit the high sea-light, and the dark began to fall.
“All hands to loose topgallant sails,” I heard the captain call.
“By the Lord, she’ll never stand it,” our first mate Jackson, cried.
…”It’s the one way or the other, Mr. Jackson,” he replied.

She staggered to her bearings, but the sails were new and good,
And the ship smelt up to windward just as though she understood.
As the winter’s day was ending, in the entry of the night,
We cleared the weary headland, and passed below the light.

And they heaved a mighty breath, every soul on board but me,
As they saw her nose again pointing handsome out to sea;
But all that I could think of, in the darkness and the cold,
Was just that I was leaving home and my folks were growing old.

 

 

By Robert Louis Stevenson (1850-94).

Who knows why we go to sea, but we do. I often miss the sea, and moments later, give thanks for being safe ashore. Still, there are times I miss the sea.

Stevenson was writing about sailing ships, of course, but seamen today still see the same waters as those from long ago, though kerosene or the atom likely power their vessels today. They also have to deal with the same harsh conditions, and the “cut… naked hand.”

They are out there, in particular the maritime aviators…  doing their jobs, patrolling the skies, waiting for their Charlie* time.  The jet jocks are scorching around the skies while the helo crews wait, just in case they are needed.

The black shoe sailors, on the smaller ships, are also patrolling, with a different view of the seas. Still, doing their jobs and keeping a watchful eye.

I hope the women and men who are shouldering the heavy responsibilities of protecting our shores and seas have the chance today to stand down for a while to enjoy a moment of peace at sea.

To all the sailors, marines, soldiers, coastguardsmen, and airmen; and to those along our borders and keeping vigilant watch as law enforcement officers, thank you for keeping the faith and protecting those of us you keep safe at home.

Stay safe, stay warm, come home to your loved ones.

-30-

©2011 J. Clark

* “Charlie” – the appointed time to land your jet back about “the boat.”

Subscribe by email

Note: Email subscribers, please go to my blog to view vids

Posted in Flying, Life in General, Personal | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

BluewaterPress Goes National

Posted on December 21, 2011 by Joe Clark

Yesterday and the day before were busy days for BluewaterPress. As I finished the fall term at school, my mind naturally began thinking of the things I had to finish for the press.

Highest on the list was drafting a letter to Fox News. Their early morning show, Fox and Friends, has featured many former Pan American employees telling wonderful stories about their time with the fabled airline. As I watched and listened to their stories, I thought, I must get Jamie on the show to talk about his book, Pan American World Airways, Images of a Great Airline. Before I had a chance to write the letter, Fox News had already contacted us. Be sure to watch Jamie tomorrow morning at about 8:20 on your local Fox affiliate.

Jamie is a bona fide Pan Am aficionado. He has been collecting mementos of the airline for most of his life. After talking with one of our mutual students, Michael Coscia, he contacted me regarding the possibility of publishing his book about Pan Am.  We had published Michael’s book, Wings Over America, in 2009 and Jamie wondered if we could do the same with his collection of photos and short history of Pan Am.

My wife and I met Jamie outside a Cracker Barrel next to I-95 in North Florida. Sitting on rocking chairs in the warm Florida sunshine, I got my first look at his collection of memorabilia. It was very impressive and as we talked, his project became our challenge.

We had not worked with large formats or colors before and Jamie’s book would require nothing less. We began planning and researching and before long, his project began to take shape.

When we finished, we were all pleased with the look and feel of Pan American Airways, Images of a Great Airline. Through working with both Jamie and the book, I learned so much more about Juan Trippe’s airline that I never knew before. I gained a completely new respect for the pioneer aviators who made what Pan Am became during the heyday of the airline’s time.

Then came the sequel. Jamie teamed up with Jeff Kriendler who worked for Pan Am as vice-president, corporate communications. Together, the two authors captured the histories of 71 “Pan Amers” in their collaboration, Pan American World Airways, History Through the Words of Its People.

Their stories included accounts of flying the big Boeing 314 Clippers and the story Operation Pedro Pan, the story of the company’s extraction of more than 14,000 Cuban children before Castro slammed the door shut. Two of the more tragic stories of Pan Am included the collision of their Boeing 747 with one from KLM and of course, the bombing of Pan Am 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland.

The stories of these events were told firsthand by those who were not only there, but a part of the stories. From their words, one can learn a great deal about Pan American World Airways and aviation history in general.

While producing the two books was a monumental task, it was enjoyable and educational. From this work, I learned so much more about Juan Trippe, the airline, and the people who made it work.

I also gained a newfound respect and admiration for what was once the most important airline in the world.

-30-

©2011 J. Clark

Subscribe by email

Note: Email subscribers, please go to my blog to view vids

 

Posted in Aviation, Aviation History, History, Life in General, Personal, Publishing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Maximum Cruise Range

Posted on December 18, 2011 by Joe Clark

Engineers love playing with numbers, equations, and graph paper. They like playing with lines, French curves, straightedges, and their triangles. From all of their frivolous number-crunching and sketching, sometimes they come up with specific useful information.

They, the engineers, discuss interesting ideas on how to squeak even more performance out of their curves. They will ask, “What if” many times; they will theorize and hypothesize, and they will also ask, “Could we …” or “Is it possible…”

A pilot, on the other hand, simply asks, “So, what power setting will give me 130 knots?”

Math and physics have overburdened most engineers’ minds while pilots typically have a firm grasp on simplicity. It is just the way the different minds of pilots and engineers work.

The real questions important for pilots to know, ask, and understand are, “How far will this puppy fly?” and “Just how long will this thing stay up here?”

Both questions are dependent on one’s understanding of the engineer’s performance plots and curves.

Maximum range and maximum endurance are two completely different concepts. While maximum endurance deals with keeping an airplane airborne as long as possible, it is not the speed or power setting that enables the plane to fly the greatest distance. That power setting and speed will be higher.

Max endurance is the speed at which the engine does the least amount of work keeping the airplane in the air. This occurs at the point where total drag is the least. In Figure 1., you will find the drag curves plotted in pounds on the vertical axis versus speed on the horizontal axis. Here, the three curves represented are induced drag, parasitic drag, and total drag. Keep in mind the equation: Di + Dp = Dt.

On the plot, Di is greater at lower airspeeds increased by the drag created by lift. While Dp, on the other hand, increases the faster the airplane flies. The sum of the two create a curve which forms a large “U.” It is at the bottom, lowest point on the “U,” where you will find L/Dmax.

This is the speed used when the engine quits because it is where drag is the least, giving the greatest gliding distance for altitude. Flying with power at this airspeed requires minimal work from the engine, resulting in the lowest fuel flow. For this, the reward for the pilot is the longest time airborne on a tank of gas.

Optimum cruise speed for an airplane is determined by drawing a straight line from the origin to the point at which it touches the bottom of the total drag curve. Keep in mind, this is the optimum cruise speed, not the maximum range speed.

To take the airplane the farthest distance on a tank of gas is a slightly different situation—and airspeeds derived from a different chart. Yes, airspeeds, as in multiple, rather than singular. The correct speed to fly for maximum range depends on the headwind component.

The question now becomes—how can you determine the best speed to fly for maximum range? Unfortunately, the manufacturer’s Pilot Operating Handbook (POH) and Pilot Information Manual (PIM) lack adequate information regarding best range selection. In fact, the manufacturers do not publish the maximum range information in any of their manuals. This is probably an attempt to protect themselves from lawsuits stemming from pilots trying to stretch the range farther than they should. If you find an engineer and ask him to draw the graphs, you can determine the answer, which is on the curve created by the power required curve and the point at which a straight line from the origin touches the bottom of the curve (see Figure 2.)

As indicated in Figure 2., the maximum range speed corresponds with L/Dmax representing flight in a no-wind condition. The next consideration becomes, how often do pilots fly in a “no-wind” air mass? This leads to the question of how to adjust the speed to accommodate the headwind or tailwind.

If there is a 25-knot headwind, the line that began at the origin now must be adjusted 25 knots to the right (+25). Redrawing the line from this point touches the power required curve at a point corresponding to a higher airspeed (see Figure 3.)

On the other hand, if you have a minus 25 knot headwind (yes, this is actually the correct terminology and of course, we as pilots refer these winds as tailwinds), the line connecting the power required curve is moved 25 knots to the left of the origin (-25) as in Figure 4.

Setting the power to fly at these points will maximize fuel mileage. There is also corollary knowledge that goes along with flying at these speeds. Typically, when the winds at altitude are in excess of 20 knots or so, there is usually less wind at lower altitudes. The important concept here is: smart pilots stay in the tailwind as much as possible and minimize their exposure to headwinds.

In other words, it is advantageous to get up to altitude as quickly as possible to stay in the tailwind longer and for the headwind, pilots should take their time in climbing to shorten the time spent fighting the headwind. Translated, this means use a Vy climb to altitude for the tailwind and use a cruise climb to fly against a headwind. Additionally, thinking pilots fly tailwinds at higher altitudes and fly lower into headwinds where the wind is not as severe.

It is all in the flight planning and sometimes, a pilot may have to run several iterations of the cross-country plan to find the best combination of altitude, groundspeed, and power setting. Modern day aviators can do this more easily and automatically with a new IPad-2 and ForeFlight. For flight instructors, however attractive the new technology of hardware and software, keep in mind you still have to be proficient with the old ways.

In addition, you must also teach your students the foundational skills of using flight manual, charts, pencils, plotters, and whiz-wheels.

-30-

©2011 J. Clark

Subscribe by email

Note: Email subscribers, please go to my blog to view vids

 

Posted in Aviation, Flight Instructing, Flying | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

So Long, Allan Wise

Posted on December 10, 2011 by Joe Clark

Two or three years ago, the veterans of World War II were dying at an alarming rate of more than 1000 per day. Of the 16 million who saved the world while wearing the uniform of one of the United States’ military branches, only 1.7 million veterans remain alive today. Assuming the oldest of these veterans were “old men” at the age of 25 when Japan attacked Pearl Harbor, and the youngest had just turned 18 years old when the war ended in 1945, these veterans now range in age from 84 to 95. There even may be a few of the older vets who have passed 95 and are pushing the century mark.

As their ranks have thinned over the last couple of years, the rate at which they are passing has dropped to 740 every day.

For many Americans today, unless they are directly related, the passing of one of the old soldiers, sailors, airmen, or Marines–more than likely–will not touch their souls.

It should. They are, after all, some our best, national treasures.

Tom Brokaw referred to this generation as “The Greatest Generation” because as children, they grew up with little through the middle of the worst financial depression of the century. Then they went on to win a war that had enveloped the entire world. And for the most part, they did so without complaining. They viewed it as something they had to do. Then they did it.

During the time they fought their war, they made some great technological advances in many areas, particularly in aviation. Many young men and women worked hard and diligently to make airplanes fly farther, faster, and higher. They tweaked the field of aerodynamics to perfect airplanes that could carry more people or greater payloads. They were an amazing group of people.

And as they aged, they remained just as amazing.

Every now and then, I would get to know one of these wonderful people. I would sit and listen to what they had to say about their life and times. Their stories typically held me spellbound as I listened; they spoke of times when their bodies were strong and resilient, a time when their minds were as sharp as a freshly honed bayonet, and they truly were out working at saving the world.

One such man I came to know was Allan Wise. The first time I met Allan, he was at the controls of his award winning Pietenpol Air Camper. The first time I saw his airplane, I fell in love the Pietenpol Air Camper—particularly Allan’s.

The forward portion of the fuselage sported a rich wood exterior with the aft portion and empennage covered in silver fabric. The control wires were external to the fuselage making preflight inspection of the entire system very easy.

On the right wing strut, Allan had constructed an “elaborate airspeed indicator.” There was a base plate with numbers marked along an arc. Just in front of the plate, there was a spring constructed of a metal rod wound about three times which then extended straight down for about four inches. To the end was attached a small piece of metal with enough flat plate area to allow the dynamic pressure to move the metal back and hold it at the appropriate place next to the number that indicated the correct airspeed. It was so simple, it was elaborate. It was genius!

On the “hood” of his Pietenpol, Allan had placed an elaborate piece of golden artwork. It was some kind of a golden bird with wide spread wings.

What attracted most attention about the Pietenpol, however, was the horn. On the left side of the fuselage within easy reach over the cockpit coaming, there was a spiral horn with a rubber bulb to squeeze for sound. It was hilarious!  Allan would fly the Pietenpol on downwind close abeam the landing area honking away.

You could just tell from looking at the airplane, that it had to be a great plane to fly. Allan took great joy in flying the airplane all over the state of Florida. He would go from one fly-in to another. At each fly-in he enjoyed being with his fellow aviators. And, we of course, enjoyed the pleasure of his company.

Allan flew the Pietenpol for the last time at the age of 85. On his last flight, he delivered the airplane to Lakeland, FL where it went on display at the Sun ’N’ Fun Museum. These were the happy years of his flying.

During the war, Allan flew B-24s primarily through the Pacific. After the war, he was involved in the Berlin Airlift and went on to fly during the Korean War.

Allan was, absolutely, one of the best of The Greatest Generation.

When I read the message from my friend, Bear, about Allan’s passing, I sat in front of the computer screen with one of those looks on my face. Ardis came by and asked what was wrong.

“One of my flying friends has passed,” I said. “One of the FSAACA guys.”

When I told her who, her immediate response was, “The one who always had a smile on his face?”

“Yep.” She knew exactly which pilot of whom I spoke.

Allan was that way, always smiling. Always friendly.

That is how we, all of his friends, will all remember him.

So long, our friend.

-30-

©2011 J. Clark

Subscribe by email

Note: Email subscribers, please go to my blog to view vids

I know I said my next blog would deal with an explanation about max range, but this event pre-empted the educational discussion. I promise, it is coming…

Posted in Aviation, Aviation History, Flying, Life in General, Personal | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Cruising, Explained

Posted on November 28, 2011 by Joe Clark

Sometimes, I think there are pilots who do not understand the relationship between speed, building time, and money. Especially those with only a bit of flight time in their logs. They need to build time; yet, they fly their cross-country training flights at 75 percent power and proclaim a “need for speed.”

The idea that airplanes are supposed to go fast is one part of why inexperienced pilots fly too fast. Another part comes from low-time flight instructors who have not figured it out yet themselves. It is not until the low time pilot or new flight instructor goes out, buys an airplane—, and consequently, becomes responsible for the fuel bill, do they realize the importance of proper flight planning and cruise speeds. I was no different—I had to become responsible for the fuel bill to fully understand.

With just a little math, here is the difference between cruising right and cruising wrong.

Using basic numbers, a Cessna 172 at 75 percent power consumes 8.4 gallons per hour (gph). If the pilot flies the airplane at 55 percent, consumption drops to 6.2 gph. In context of cost, at $4.95 per gallon, the 8.4 gph amounts to $41.58 and 6.2 gph is $30.69 for a difference of $10.89 per hour.

Now, for a private owner who flies his or her airplane 250 hours a year, that is a savings of $2723. Another way to look at this is for the same amount of money required to fly at 75 percent, the owner can fly the airplane an additional 89 hours at lower power settings.

Some pilots will argue the reason for flying is to save time. True, but you don’t have to fly fast all the time. There are times when the clock has to be beat; there are times when you can scoff at the clock and enjoy the ride.

Here is something else to ponder: how much time do you actually save? For example, consider Al Mooney’s fast little cruiser, the M20J. With a Lycoming O-360 on the front end, 75 percent cruise yields 12.5 gph at 7500 feet at ISA at best power. At the same altitude, 55 percent delivers 9.3 gph. Cruise speeds are 164 @ 75 percent power and 144 @ 55 percent. For a typical 300 nautical mile trip, the flight times are 1+49 and 2+05 respectively, a difference of only 16 minutes.

The cost in fuel, at an average of $4.95 a gallon, is a difference of $15.84—too high, for saving only 16 minutes of time. Personally, I would leave 16 minutes earlier to save the almost $16 in gas.

If you take this to a higher level of thinking and apply the savings across the life of the engine at 2000 hours, you would save a total of $31,680. That alone, would pay for the cost of the engine’s overhaul. Now, take it a step further and consider operating a small flight school with seven aircraft. Total savings with the fleet for the life of the engines approaches $225,000. A large flight school or other company operating 100 airplanes could save more than $3 million.

Pilots I have talked with about this sometimes say, “But I have to pay by the time, not the fuel.” True enough. However, this is what I refer to as “rental car mentality.” (Not my car, I don’t have to take care of it!) By using higher power settings, the FBOs and flight schools have to buy more fuel so they are losing the money, right? Actually, they are not; they simply pass the costs down to the renters in the form of higher rental fees. And like most pilots, I object mightily to higher rental fees.

Think about the benefits of flying a little more slowly, saving gas, and enjoying the ride. On the next post, I will explain the difference between max endurance and max range.

-30-

©2011 J. Clark

Subscribe by email

Note: please go to my blog to view vids and photos

 

Posted in Aviation, Flight Instructing, Flying | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Inexperienced Pilots and the Just Highlander

Posted on November 25, 2011 by Joe Clark

Someone had an interesting query for Google the other day. It was “highlander aircraft inexperienced pilot.” The Google machine brought the Googler right straight to my blog.

When I saw the query in the software, I started thinking about it from the standpoint of both parts of the question. Is the Just Highlander Aircraft an easy airplane to fly? And just what makes an inexperienced pilot? If you are interested in more information about the airplane, the company website is www.justaircraft.com where, I am sure, there is more information available.

I have not had the chance to fly a Just Aircraft yet, but looking at it and comparing the airplane to other similar airplanes, I believe the answer is—it is an easy airplane to fly.

It might have some quirks, but for the most part, it appears to be a straightforward and easy-flying airplane. From the design of the airplane, it looks like a stable, nice airplane.

I wrote about the airplane last April shortly after seeing it fly at Sun N Fun. It was impressive then, it remains impressive today.

Is it a good airplane for an inexperienced pilot? My guess is yes; again, from the appearances. It appears to be a stable, docile, well-designed airplane. It even appears as though the designer had student pilots in mind when he lofted the lines on the drafting board.

The other question is—what is an inexperienced pilot?

An inexperienced pilot is one who is still gaining flight time. One thing about gaining flight time is the fun and the challenge. He or she is still figuring it out in the air; they are probably more cautious than those pilots with more experience. The thrill of flying is still new to them, while for those with a little more flight time, flying might be a little more “routine.”

I think inexperienced pilots will have a great time building experience with the Just Highlander Aircraft. It looks like it would be a good airplane to do just that.

-30-

©2011 J. Clark

Subscribe by email

Note: please go to my blog to view vids and photos

 

Posted in Aviation, Flying, Life in General | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments