2 | February-March 2017 | Powered Sport Flying Executive Editor Subscriptions Classified Sales Vickie Betts (800) 867-5430 E-mail: vickie@easyflight.com Web site: www.psfmagazine.com Technical Editor Layout & Design Display Ad Sales Roy Beisswenger PO Box 38 Greenville, IL 62246 800-867-5430 roy@easyflight.com Publisher Sport Aviation Press, llc 16192 Coastal Hwy Lewes, DE, 19958 Photography Valerie Layne Jim Smith Cliff Tucker Graphic Artist Tim Dilliner FeatureWriters Zen Boulden Kai Bode Dr. Bruce H. Charnov John S. Craparo Phil Dietro Jeff Goin Greg Gremminger Michael Hudetz Jeff Hamann Geoff Hill Dan Johnson Doug Maas Ira McComic Jim Smith Marion Springer Jim Sweeney © 2017 Sport Aviation Press llc Powered Sport Flying™ Magazine is published monthly by Sport Aviation Press llc, PO Box 38, Greenville, IL 62246, (800) 867-5430. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without the written permission of the publisher is prohibited. The publisher assumes no responsibility for any mistakes in advertisements or editorials. Statements/opinions expressed herein do not necessarily reflect or represent those of this publication or its officers. While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained in this publication, Sport Aviation Press llc: Powered Sport Flying™ Magazine disclaims all responsibility for omissions and errors. Periodicals Postage Paid number 000228 at Greenville, IL, 62246 and at an additional mailing office. postmaster: send address changes to: Sport Aviation Press, PO Box 38, Greenville, IL 62246. Volume 24, Number 1. Subscription Rates Annual subscription rates: $36.95 U.S. $48 Canada $90 International All monies US Funds Subscribe online at: www.PSFmagazine.com For more information call: (800) 867-5430 Hi there, and welcome to another edition of Powered Sport Flying Magazine! Spring is finally on its way, and with it comes good flying weather for us. One of many reasons to be happy when winter finally leaves us for a few months. Bring on those triple digit temps! We have several feature stories in this issue, and we begin them with Paul ‘AirBike Ace’ Fiebich, who is back with more sage advice gleaned from hard experience. His story is a good example of why it’s important to do a complete preflight check of your plane, as well as the importance of having not only a ‘Plan B’ but also a ‘Plan C’ for your flights. Paul Hollingworth had a different sort of adventure, in a gyro that he’d just purchased. He and Dayton Dabbs flew the plane from Texas to his home base in California. I do wonder, though, if the moonshine would have worked…! Each year, there is a fly-in at Petit Jean State Park in Arkansas, and Maebell Pierson was finally able to attend the one held this past October. Maebell also got her first ever ride in a powered parachute and (no surprise to me!) she loved it. This event is held in a beautiful area – something we do have a lot of in this great country of ours! Maebell shares her impressions of the Petit Jean fly-in with us. In our Incidents column, Jeff Goin is back to tell you about the worst flight that he’s ever had. Considering how many different things Jeff can fly, that’s saying quite a bit! He also explains external motivators and how at times they contribute to lessthan-intelligent decision making. From Jeff Hamann, we have some thoughts on power sources, along with some of Jeff’s always-spectacular photography. At the end of March, Roy will be going to Germany to attend Aero for the first time and to visit with family (no, I have to stay home with the dogs!). Among other things, he hopes to see if the Europeans are making progress with electric aircraft. This will, unfortunately, create the need for yet another combined issue after this one. Please accept my apologies, and my heartfelt thanks for your continuing patience with us! On that note, have a happy spring, get your planes ready, and go fly! Editorial
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4 | February-March 2017 | Powered Sport Flying Press Pass Lift Monitor System At Aircraft Spruce The Lift Monitor System is an affordable tool designed for developing pilot skill and confidence in handling the aircraft you are currently flying, versus the one you may have been trained in, or recently sold. The broad spectrum analog display will show lift experienced by the aircraft, and trends to which you can instantly respond. This creates safety while providing quality in your flight experience. The Lift Monitor System is sold with the Panel Mount Kit, or the Glare Shield Mount Kit. For more information, please contact Aircraft Spruce at 1-877-477-7823 or 951-372-9555 and reference part numbers 05-14964 for the monitor system with the panel mount kit, 05-14966 for the monitor system with glare shield mount kit. Aircraft Spruce Carries Flightbox Dual-Band ADS-B Receiver Flightbox receivers for ads-b can be created as a ‘quick build’ kit. With only 20 minutes needed to assemble the kit, all that is needed is a Phillips screwdriver and a pair of pliers. The assembled version is fully turnkey, and just under $200. Flightbox comes with free software and is built from off-the-shelf hardware. Visit Aircraft Spruce for this innovative receiver. For more information, please contact Aircraft Spruce at 1-877-477-7823 or 951-372-9555 and reference Flightbox Receivers. Aircraft Spruce’s complete product line is available at www.aircraftspruce.com. Request your complimentary copy of the company’s free 1100+ page catalog (available in print, CD, or pdf formats). Two New Items from Aircraft Spruce
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6 | February-March 2017 | Powered Sport Flying Press Pass The Experimental Aircraft Association’s Sport Pilot Academy, which immerses people in a three-week course that concludes with earning a sport pilot certificate, returns in 2017 with three sessions throughout the year. The all-inclusive course at eaa headquarters in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, features dedicated aircraft and instructors focused on successful completion of sport pilot training. The top-notch flight instruction is combined with the spirit of camaraderie among fellow future aviators that create an unforgettable experience. The training eliminates many of the scheduling and other barriers that limit the ability of individuals to pursue a pilot certificate on their own. The spring session is May 20-June 10, while the fall academy is September 9-30. In addition, there is a new Sport Pilot Academy for former eaa Young Eagles which will be held in August, with scholarships provided through funds raised at the annual Gathering of Eagles event during eaa AirVenture Oshkosh. “There is no better place to learn to fly than at Oshkosh,” said Joe Norris, eaa’s flight training manager, who administers the Sport Pilot Academy. “Here at the home of sport aviation, you not only learn to fly; you’re immersed in aviation that makes it a unique experience that you share with others who are pursing the same dream of flight.” The total $9,999 cost for the three-week session includes all flight training, housing, and meals. It also includes unique eaa experiences, such as guest speakers, flights in eaa aircraft, museum tours and more. For more information or to apply for the general sessions, go to eaa.org/SportPilotAcademy. Information on the Sport Pilot Academy for Young Eagles will be available in March. EAA Sport Pilot Academy Returns In 2017 To Make Dreams Of Flight Come True Two sessions at Oshkosh open to all, plus one academy for former Young Eagles
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8 | February-March 2017 | Powered Sport Flying The sleek and highly refined BRM Aero Bristell is a handsome, superb-flying choice, a model in perhaps its fifth generation of evolution. Light Sport Aircraft by Dan Johnson What Are Pilots’ “Most Important Issues?” What issues are “most important” to general aviation pilots for 2017? Are “general aviation” pilots different than those of you who read ByDanJohnson.com? The second question can only be answered by each of you, independently. My guess is that while you might consider yourself a GA pilot, you might also — or distinctively — consider yourself a “recreational” or “sport” pilot. Whatever label you prefer, I found the following chart of interest. The question was posed in an earlier edition of Aviation eBrief and after some compilation they released the results. I don’t know the current count of eBrief readers but it was once something like 65,000. Neither do I know, nor do they state, how many responses were used to compile these stats. My guess is that it was a large enough sample to be valid. The survey asked about “third class medical reform” even though this has already been done... well, done in the sense that the plans are now laid but not yet fully implemented. aopa reported, “Medical reforms have been passed by the House and Senate, and signed into law.” This action occurred on July 15th, 2016, even before last summer’s Oshkosh. The survey was done since that time. 0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% Third class medical reform Cost of ying FAA reauthorization and user fees Finding an avgas replacement Preparing for the ADS-B Out mandate 33.02% 32.43% 19.52% 7.73% 7.30% What is the most important issue for general aviation in 2017? The results from the poll question in Aviation eBrief do not necessarily represent the views of pilots, aircraft owners of AOPA members and therefor should not be used for research purposes. Good news for GA pilots regarding their top concern! According to AOPA Online, The Federal Aviation Administration has reviewed the AOPA Air Safety Institute’s aeromedical online course and confirmed that it meets the third class medical reform requirements that Congress created last summer. Pilots would need to complete the course, which AOPA will offer for free, every two years in addition to seeing their personal physician every four years to operate under the law. note–These steps are not required for anyone flying a LSA or Sport Pilot-eligible kit aircraft.
www.PSFmagazine.com | February-March 2017 | 9 So, still the biggest single issue is “Third class medical reform?” Hmm, seems odd to me but I found it on the Internet so it must be true. The number two issue — hot on the heels of the number one issue —was the “Cost of flying.” It was not defined what cost this meant. Perhaps it was the overall cost. Or cost of operation. Or both. Likely, this was somewhat in the eye of the beholder. Conclude what you will but I found it fascinating that the medical and the cost of flying comprised two-thirds of the pilots responding. The values sum to 100% so you were permitted one answer. Both issues have been squarely addressed by Light Sport Aircraft for more than a dozen years, yet these remain the leading issues for GA pilots? Have they not looked at lsa? Do they not consider lsa ‘real’ enough airplanes? I ask these questions without knowing the answers, but it seems to me that some pilots are overlooking capabilities and values of lsa and light kit aircraft. Sure, I know some lsa are priced beyond what many pilots can afford. Yet lower cost options abound, with prices well below $100,000 and a few selections closer to $50,000 and even that is for fully-built, ready-to-fly aircraft. What about kits, some of which can get airborne for $30,000? If you accept alternatives like trikes, powered parachutes, or gyros, the “cost of flying” can be held quite low. At even lower cost are ultralights, some below $20,000, less than the average price of a new car. I have to wonder what these two-thirds of respondents are saying. Keep your aircraft choice under 1,320 pounds and you address both top issues. Do you get it? I don’t. Here’s the Shock Cub (Outback Shock in America) offered by Sportairusa. Its price is far below the well-selling CarbonCub and a fraction of any new GA model.
10 | February-March 2017 | Powered Sport Flying Light Sport Aircraft What Effect Will “BasicMed” Have on Light Sport? Are excited general aviation pilots kidding themselves about BasicMed? At least one prominent light aviation expert thinks so and judging from comments I’ve received, I am inclined to say this is much more common than some want to believe. The number of inquiries or comments I have received compels me to speak to this subject. Several readers or viewers asked variations on this question, “Will this have an adverse effect on Light Sport Aircraft?” I’ll offer my response and then add some other comments. Aviation medical reform is nearly complete (BasicMed becomes effective May 1st). Many pilots may be waiting to qualify. Most need only to fulfill the requirement for an online evaluation every two years (free from aopa) plus needing to see a doctor every four. If they did not earn a third class medical in the last 10 years, they must get that out of the way first. This is potentially a big problem as many let their medical lapse for various reasons. The good news: Light Sport Aircraft or Sport Pilot-eligible kit aircraft trigger no such requirement. Aviators from the lsa and Sport Pilot-eligible aircraft community are generally pleased that some pilots will be able to acquire airplanes from the used GA fleet at low cost or continue to fly the one they already own or rent. The fleet averages nearly 40 years old but that also means lower asking prices (though BasicMed demand could nudge the prices upward). However, the appeal remains strong for a new lsa at an affordable price or a used lsa at a reduced cost. These roomy, up-to-date aircraft commonly have modern fuelefficient engines, highly sophisticated equipment including glass panels, and feature low operating costs with performance to match many GA airplanes, albeit with two seats. Light kit aircraft offer broad customization at modest expense. All can be flown with no medical proof other than a valid driver’s license. When the rule change was first proposed five years ago, lsa sales took a nose dive. That body blow to a young industry segment has long since been absorbed and pilots who want a late-model aircraft have been choosing from dozens of models that are now well-established in the market and boast good safety records. Remos debuted their slick new GXiS model at AirVenture 2016.
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12 | February-March 2017 | Powered Sport Flying Light Sport Aircraft Contrary to some naysayers, lsa has been a global success. Today, lsa and lsa-like aircraft represent well over 60,000 units worldwide with annual sales around 3,000 new units. That last figure is about triple the number of new Type Certified aircraft delivered annually, according to recent reports. “As for the current [BasicMed] proposal, it is not the open medical idea that the lsa pilots enjoy,” observed Eric Tucker, longtime industry expert and technical representative for Rotax in the Americas. “The ‘hoops’ put in by the faa make [achieving BasicMed] anything but simple,” he added. “There are still checks, there are still evaluations that make this far more complex than the lsa medical we currently have.” Eric summarized noting that, given those fresh ‘hoops,’ lsa will not lose its appeal due to the medical changes for pilots. “After reviewing the new requirements, the so-called relaxing of the medical for pilots, I am rather surprised at the pundits’ responses,” elaborated Eric. “This is not at all the same as the lsa rule. Indeed this is in some ways worse than what they have at the moment, in my opinion. You now have people who have to go to a doctor who will be unsure of what is really required and perhaps reluctant to sign off on a certificate that they know so little about.” Eric suggested asking yourself these questions: “Will doctors unfamiliar with aviation be willing to sign off for aviation medicals? Will they be willing to take on the responsibility for this in light of the legal response, if it should occur (as it no doubt will) that a pilot has a medical issue while flying after seeing a regular doctor? I think that the positive thoughts expressed today by some might change when we recheck this in a few years. Time will tell.” “The lsa rule is far better,” Eric concluded. “People should be made aware of this.” •
www.PSFmagazine.com | February-March 2017 | 13 Press Pass Brian John Carpenter of Corning, California has been named the 2017 National Aviation Technician of the Year. Very simply, Brian has become the go-to guy when it comes to the construction and maintenance of— and education about—Light Sport Aircraft. Anytime he’s not teaching a Light Sport Repairman Workshop, you’ll probably find Brian in his hangar at the Corning Municipal Airport working on his Electric Motor Glider or creating an aviation educational YouTube video. Brian has had a passion for aviation since he was a child, building and flying RC aircraft. In junior high, he progressed to building a self-launching glider out of homemade materials and started jumping off of a small hill trying to fly. In 1979 he earned his pilot’s certificate while in the Navy. After graduating from Helena Vocational Training Institute (Montana) with his A&P mechanic certification, Brian worked as a lead mechanic for Aero Union, a large aircraft operation and maintenance company (now defunct) based in Chico, California. By 1985, he was the Chief Inspector, and was promoted to the Director of Maintenance by 1990. In 1991 Brian opened his own aviation company, Rainbow Aviation Services, a full-service fbo in Corning, California, providing a variety of aviation services including: inspections, maintenance, flight instruction, test flights, and aircraft certification. The principal focus of Rainbow Aviation Services is Light Sport Aircraft. Rainbow’s Light Sport Repairman Courses have been taught throughout the United States and Australia. The company is a source of Light Sport expertise for aviation enthusiasts, flight instructors, mechanics and even faa inspectors. Brian has mentored over 3,000 repairmen since the light sport rule was implemented in 2004, and is the only active provider of faa-approved training for the Light Sport Repairman rating. Brian has built 36 aircraft so far, and has become an innovative aircraft designer. His current project—the emg-6, an electric motor glider—is a perfect example. Brian is developing a low cost, electric aircraft to meet the needs of the average person, making the aircraft affordable, and creating complete video instruction for the build. Another example of his innovative 2017 National Aviation Technician of the Year approach is that Brian has designed over one hundred 3D-printed parts for use on the emg-6, and has written at length about optimal methods of 3D printing aircraft components. Over the years Brian has given back to the aviation community in myriad ways. He serves as an eaa Technical Counselor, presents workshops, forums and seminars for various aviation events, authors aviation educational articles and videos (including a monthly column in eaa Sport Aviation magazine), and serves as a volunteer technical expert for eaa’s Homebuilder’s Tips video series, just to name a few. Together with his wife Carol, Brian has coauthored two books, one about ultralights and another for sport pilots. Brian holds Commercial Pilot, cfi, Remote Pilot (drone), and A&P mechanic certificates, and a current Inspection Authorization. He is an faa Designated Airworthiness Representative (dar) and Designated Sport Pilot Examiner, holds a Light Sport Repairman Maintenance rating, and is a Rotax Authorized Factory Instructor. In 2006, Brian received the John Moody Award, the most prestigious award in Light Sport Aviation. info@rainbowaviation.com.
14 | February-March 2017 | Powered Sport Flying What Is Happening Where One of the best ways to get started with flying is to visit others already involved in the sport. And one of the most relaxed ways to do that is by participating in fly-ins and other events. You can normally find someone there who will be glad to help you and get you started in the right direction. If you would you like to see your event listed here, visit www.psfmagazine.com/list-your-flying-event. Calendar
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16 | February-March 2017 | Powered Sport Flying What Is Happening Where
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18 | February-March 2017 | Powered Sport Flying Southwestern Gyroplane Cross Country Gyroplane Adventure We were traveling from airport T74–Taylor in Texas–to my new home base of E16–San Martin airport in California. The trip took three days of flying, starting Friday, April 15, 2016 and finishing on Sunday, April 17. For background, I’m a pilot with about 700 flying hours, most of those in trikes–weight-shift control craft. I decided to learn to fly gyros when I got tired of being grounded by relatively low winds and any kind of turbulence. In a trike, turbulence isn’t just uncomfortable, it’s very scary. Although some (braver souls than me), do venture out in such conditions, I never did any long journeys in a trike, out of concern for being stranded somewhere, unable to fly due to being bumped around too much. When I learned about gyros and the way their wing-loading rendered them highly immune to turbulence, I decided to learn to fly one and get the endorsement. The fact that they were also opencockpit, the best aspect of trikes, and that they can land safely in very small areas was also very attractive. I trained in California with a cfi (Certified Flight Instructor) in Sacramento, then went to Austin in December last year to take a proficiency test, where I met Dayton, who is a designated pilot examiner (dpe), as well as a gyro instructor. In the course of our flying, he mentioned that he was thinking of selling his gyro in order to get another one and having been fully convinced that this was the kind of flying I wanted to do in the future, I got together with another pilot and agreed we’d buy it. Part of the deal was that Dayton and I would fly it from Texas to California. The Magni M16 is a two-seat gyro powered by a turbocharged 115hp Rotax 914. They are manufactured in Italy, but due to the peculiarities in the way the faa looks at gyros, you can’t buy them ready-made in the US since unfortunately they don’t fall under the lsa rules. So you have to buy them secondhand or build them yourself. Just how the faa imagines that this improves safety is beyond my simple comprehension, but let’s not go down that path here. One of the reasons that I was interested in this particular gyro was that Dayton had constructed it. This was a good thing for two reasons. First, it was the third one he’d built. Second, he had done it at the Magni factory in Italy, where they had checked every step he’d made and every nut and bolt on the gyro before shipping it to Texas back in 2015. Since then, he and his gyro students had put over 700 hours on it. The Rotax 914 has a tboh of 2,000 hours, so it clearly made sense for him to move on to another one before he burned through its time in only three years. Equally, I was very interested in acquiring it because it had been so well-made and looked after since, and although I was hoping to fly it a good bit, I’d be unlikely to equal that rate. Which is why on Thursday, April 14th, I booked a one-way ticket on Southwest to Austin and went to Taylor. Dayton kindly picked me up at the airport in Austin and we started things off right by going to his favorite local Texas barbecue place for some excellent brisket. After a couple of flights in the afternoon to check a new headset I’d bought and get some familiarization back after not having flown for three months, we met up with John Craparo, who together with Dayton broke the This is the record of the gyroplane trip Dayton Dabbs and I took to bring the Magni M16 gyroplane a friend and I were buying from him home.
www.PSFmagazine.com | February-March 2017 | 19 by Paul Hollingworth coast-to-coast record for gyros by flying from Dallas to Los Angeles to New York and back to Dallas. These guys knew all about flying long distances and I was keen to learn from their experiences. Vital intelligence was shared–the right kind of clothing, the way to make things as comfortable as possible in the gyro and the importance of bathroom stops… I went to bed with a lot on my mind. Day 1: We were planning to leave at 8am or so, but woke to find the whole area smothered in thick fog. “Oh well, we weren’ t in a hurry anyway,” I remember thinking, while hoping we wouldn’t be stuck for days. Dayton suddenly realized he needed to get a calibration certificate for the transponder so we did that, but then he heard that his father had just been in a car crash! Fortunately Dad, also a gyro and helicopter pilot, was fine, though his car was badly damaged. At around 10am the fog started to lift and with Dayton’s parents in reassuringly good health and there to see us off, we left Taylor airport at 10:45am. Leg 1–189 mi to San Angelo: Soon we were flying northwest over the beautiful green scenery and rolling hills of that part of Texas. With a welcome tailwind of 20mph+, progress was good. There was the odd surprise, such as
20 | February-March 2017 | Powered Sport Flying Gyroplane Adventure a Bavarian castle that was apparently one of mad King Ludwig’s unbuilt plans and which looks like the famous Neuschwanstein in Germany. (Apparently very popular for weddings!) The great beauty of the gyro was apparent immediately in that we could fly as low as we liked and yet easily divert to see things of interest and do it at a reasonable speed of a steady 90-95 mph. This wasn’t something I could do in the trike so it took me a while to get used to the fact that, at that speed and height, in a little over two hours of flying, the horizon I could see in the distance would come and go several times. We landed after two hours at San Angelo airport, a class Delta with a boneyard of old jets. At least, I assume they were old. There were dozens all parked there, apparently not being used. A “Follow Me” truck about twice our size shepherded us to the fbo where we were able to request fuel, borrow a loaner car to get to their recommended restaurant (excellent catfish!) and stock up on free cookies. All very friendly. Leg 2–178 mi to Pecos We set off after lunch, heading towards Pecos. Immediately it was apparent that the wind gods had decided we were having it too easy. Despite the fact that we were on the same westerly heading, the 20 mph tailwind had become a headwind of 15 mph–a huge net change. We flew (slower) across acres and acres of oil derricks slowly going up and down like nodding ducks. I had seen the curious layout of the land here before from 35,000’ in a commercial jet–each derrick had its own cleared area and concrete base–but I couldn’t make out what on earth they were. Now it all became clear. Not all were moving, presumably a comment on the oil price. At Pecos, we were looking for fuel again, and as the gyro prefers 91 octane regular car gas, the airport manager, who presumably made his living at least partially from selling aviation fuel, was nevertheless kind enough to help us get into the local town, lending us his truck and gas cans to go and get the gas we needed. Leg 3–106 mi to Dell City: We set off from Pecos, intending to head to the east of El Paso and stay the night there. However, the headwind had gotten stronger and we were now fighting 25-30 mph winds. It soon became clear that our fuel situation would be marginal to get beyond El Paso, so we decided to divert to Dell City, east of El Paso. We landed, but this was no ‘city.’ In fact, there were no structures at all on the airport, let alone any fuel. We walked along the road and found some locals at a house near the airport, but they said that the City didn’t even have a real gas station and we wouldn’t find anything other than diesel (and maybe some moonshine…). Leg 4–70 mi to El Paso: As neither of those seemed like a sensible option to put in the fuel tank, we got back in the gyro and set off for El Paso, now the closest source of fuel. Dayton suggested that he fly this leg, as it was getting dark, the terrain was very rugged and we were going to be tight on fuel. So I sat in the back (for the only leg in the whole trip) and watched while he showed me how it was really done. Working the radios at the same time as flying the most efficient route, he talked to the controllers of the class Charlie airport of El Paso (International!) and we were surprised to be cleared to land straight in on their gigantic runway 26L–while still about eight miles away from it. It seemed to take forever to get to the runway threshold, and when we landed and they gave us the taxiway they wanted us to take, Dayton realized it was about a mile further down the runway, so he took off again and hovertaxied to the right exit point. Ground told us to hold for passing traffic and we watched while a sizable bizjet went past. Then they told us to taxi down to the fbo. We obliged
www.PSFmagazine.com | February-March 2017 | 21 and in the distance (it was now pitch dark) could make out something very large further along in our path. Then we heard Ground say “Southwest xyz–hold short for gyroplane on taxiway.” I’ve never played chicken with a 737 before and was certainly glad Ground had decided they were on our side. We were very happy to turn off the taxiway and let the 150+ plus people in that plane continue wherever they were off to. The fbo was amazing–great service, friendly girls booking a local hotel for us, free coffee and lots of interested mechanics coming out to talk to us about the gyro. They even called us later that evening to warn us that the wind was now very strong and said they’d put the gyro into a hangar for us! • Total for the day: 543 mi, 7.7 flying hours. Support Our Advertisers Day 2: After a good night at a local Hampton/Hilton/generic hotel of some description, we returned to El Paso International the next morning ready to resume. It was a beautiful morning, but the wind was already strong. The friendly fbo staff fueled the gyro, cleaned the windshields perfectly and wished us a good trip. Leg 5–85 mi to Deming: We took off and headed for the mountains to the west of the city. It was a steep climb with great views of El Paso, the Rio Grande and Ciudad Juarez on the other side of the border, so far un-obscured by any large walls. Coming over the mountains, it was clear that the winds of yesterday had only grown stronger and
22 | February-March 2017 | Powered Sport Flying Gyroplane Adventure our ground speed was only around 60 mph even with the airspeed close to 100 mph. We continued on into New Mexico and all signs of human habitation just faded into nothing. The amazing scenery served to remind us just how big the usa really is. We passed what looked like multiple extinct volcanoes (well, we were hoping they were extinct) and found an enormous crater that appeared to have been caused by some long-ago meteorite strike. We headed towards Deming, and I saw that there was another range of mountains to cross. We spotted a gap and I headed for that, as it was pretty cold already at 6,000 feet and without the gap we’d need to be even higher. But although gyros do very well in turbulence, I should have known better than to head into what was really a wind tunnel. As we got closer, our ground speed went down and down until, although the airspeed was still 100 mph, the ground speed was less than 30 mph. We decided that, with it getting bumpier too, we’d better find another way, so I peeled off, but immediately got sucked into a significant downdraft. Even at full power, we were going down fast. Dayton took over at this point (every aircraft really should have an emergency Dayton), and got us out of it quickly. He got us over the mountains and we landed at Deming. The wind was so strong that he said we could land at zero airspeed, but in fact he over-cooked it a little and we ended up going slightly backwards as we touched down–not something I ever expected to experience. The airport manager told us afterwards that they have had four planes go down in the lee of those mountains on windy days, including a Cessna 182. So I guess gyros do pretty well considering. Leg 6–127 mi to Wilcox: After some muchappreciated (and in my case, much-needed) coffee and a check that the weather at least wasn’t predicted to get even worse, we headed due west to Wilcox and Cochise County in Arizona. The scenery was equally dramatic in Arizona, with scattered cumulus adding to the scenic views, dappling the landscape with constantly changing light. We could feel the lifting effects of the sun when in the patches of sunlight, and overall it was rather like riding a boat on the sea. Keeping the gyro straight and level was hard to do and it was simpler to imagine we were in a kind of boat, riding the swell in the sky and not worrying about the lift and sink we were constantly going through. The average was OK. It was remarkable to think that no-one ever sees the country like this. People are generally either at road level (though in many of the places we flew over there were no roads) or they’re at 35,000ft and unable to see anything in detail. Even light planes are a poor second since you have to be cooped up inside. We landed at Cochise County and
www.PSFmagazine.com | February-March 2017 | 23 another kind airport manager took us to the local gas station so that we could fill up with 91-premium gas and avoid buying his 100LL. Then he took us to town and pointed us in the direction of a good local Mexican place. We were surprised to find it packed and realized there must be something happening in the town that day. As we chatted to some of the locals, all of whom were wearing cowboy boots and hats, I realized they all had spurs on the boots too. They told us it was local rodeo day, but maybe they just wear them every day down there. Very friendly people anyway, and very interested in what we were doing. Leg 7–129 mi to Ak-Chin: From there we headed north-west in the direction of Phoenix, stopping south of the city at a small airport called Ak-Chin. We saw people hang-gliding there with what is probably the world’s lowestpowered tow plane–a Rotax two-stroke 503. It was a very warm day, and the ski trousers and padded clothes we’d really needed earlier in the day were beginning to roast us in the 85 degree heat. We fueled up and headed for the last and longest leg of the day. Leg 8–167 mi to Blythe: We knew the next leg was going to be an interesting challenge. Time was getting on Support Our Advertisers
24 | February-March 2017 | Powered Sport Flying Gyroplane Adventure and although the weather had not been treating us badly, the wind was still strongly against us. Once we got halfway to Blythe, we knew we were committed, because there weren’t really any alternatives. We’d also need to avoid some restricted military areas – all part of the plan but quite nerve-wracking nonetheless. For me this was one of the best legs of the trip–amazing, desolate scenery with multiple ranges of overlapping mountains, bleak areas and some green spots too. As the sun sank and we looked back, we could see the tops of the hills and mountains we’d passed beautifully illuminated in the last light, while the land below sank into darkness. Finally we headed towards the last range of mountains. We were still in civil twilight, and I was still flying, but Dayton was ready to take over if it became officially night. Suddenly we took a hit from a really big gust of wind. If I’d been flying my trike, I’d have been upside down after that, but the gyro shook it off and we continued through a few smaller hits with no drama. Now we could see a big river in front of us and realized that it was the Colorado, and beyond that we were in California. We crossed the river and felt very pleased with ourselves at having visited four states in one day. Landing at Blythe, I made the worst landing of the entire trip, feeling thick-headed and stupid as I put the gyro down more or less in one piece. Dayton kindly refrained from telling me what he really thought of the landing, simply pointing out I had flown over eight hours that day. When we got to the fbo, we realized that it was shut and there was no way to get
www.PSFmagazine.com | February-March 2017 | 25 into the town, which was six miles away. Faced with a very long walk, we talked to the security guard who suggested that if we ring the “Emergency number” for the airport manager, he wouldn’t mind. Ready to blame it all on the guard, we found the airport manager ready to come out and drive the 20 minutes to the airport and then a further 20 minutes into town for us–just another of the wonderfully supportive experiences we had. I have no real recollection of the rest of the evening, but believe we ate something at a Denny’s. • Total for the day: 507 mi, 8.5 flying hours. Day 3: The next morning, peering blearily out of the window, it seemed as though the wind was calm. We had gotten up early to try to reach our destination in good time, but despite the hour (or perhaps because of it), there was no transport. The hotel didn’t have a shuttle, there was no taxi service, and even though Uber claimed to be available in the town, apparently “he wasn’ t working that day.” (In small towns, apparently Uber is a single person!) A very kind guest at the hotel overheard our problem and decided to offer us a ride. He looked like a Marine but turned out to be a prison guard at the local Supermax facility – a remarkably nice guy who seemed to feel a lot of empathy for the people in his charge. At the airport, it wasn’t calm. At all. The wind sock was straight out, although it had shifted from west to northwest. And of course we needed to head northwest. We chatted to a group of British sas who had arrived there in a C-130 to do some parachute training. The officer in charge pointed at the windsock and said sarcastically “It ’s always worth coming here–for the weather.” They had been grounded for the last two days. Leg 9–79 mi to Twentynine Palms: We took off anyway. What the hell, we were flying a gyro! I expected that as we climbed, the winds would increase, but in fact they unexpectedly decreased, and our ground speed increased right up to a healthy 75 mph. Dinner at home began to look like a possibility. This was definitely the driest and most depopulated leg of the trip. It’s an amazingly arid area, with nothing but enormous solar farms populating the landscape. We were up at 6,500 feet to make the most of the kindly winds but it was really cold. Fortunately Twentynine Palms was not far and it was very warm there. Support Our Advertisers
26 | February-March 2017 | Powered Sport Flying Gyroplane Adventure Leg 10–136 mi to General Fox: This was one of the best legs of the trip. We were able to fly at 500’ agl pretty much the whole way, enjoying the varied scenery after the starkness of the desert. We passed little towns and areas of Joshua trees, and were aware of the buildup of the LA basin south in the distance. We also flew over the landing strip used by Chapter 1 of the Popular Rotorcraft Association. It’s a private strip so we didn’t land, but we circled and waved at someone we could see on the ground. General Fox was a class Delta and we had a very enjoyable lunch there. Dayton had warned me that trying to get anywhere quickly in a gyro was not really straightforward, as people always want to stop you and chat, and we had already experienced quite a bit of that. But this particular airport had a great diner in full view of where we got out of the gyro and we were there for ages, with people coming over to chat and ask questions, or just tell us their own experiences. It was very friendly and warm and meant we stayed a lot longer than we’d intended. Leg 11–150 mi to Paso Robles: Taking off and heading for the next range of mountains, we knew that beyond them was the California Central Valley. We climbed past wind farms, which complemented the solar arrays we could still see in the area–obviously a very ‘green’ state, California. Dayton took over from the back seat and flew us to 8,000 feet to clear the last big range of mountains we’d need to cross. We could see the cultivated crop fields, looking somewhat unnatural after all the hues of brown we’d been looking at. Heading up the Central Valley, we were suddenly over an extraordinarily dense array of oil derricks, busily pumping away. Strangely, this was a much higher concentration of them than anything we’d seen in Texas. (Oh well, California’s not just green then.) Paso Robles was busy, with lots of planes landing there. We refueled and got straight back in the air for the last leg. Leg 12–111mi to San Martin: Okay, I confess, I slowed down on the last leg. It had been a long trip with many hours in the air, but I really didn’t want it to end. We were flying low and enjoying the scenery when I suddenly heard a call sign I recognized. We were tuned to a local airport on the way to our destination and were just monitoring it for traffic awareness, but I knew that call sign. And indeed that voice. It was my friend Robert, a fellow Brit also living in California, who had introduced me to flying in the first place, many years ago. We quickly made a (somewhat unnecessary) radio call announcing our location so that he would hear it, and he requested that the tower “pass a message to us,” which allowed him to suggest a frequency change and talk directly to us. Well, after that, we had to meet up for some air-to-air photography. Robert had a good camera with him, and more importantly, another pilot who could fly the Cessna 182 they were in. I flew straight and level while his friend Tom slowed the Cessna and maneuvered to be close enough for Robert to take some great photos. We then both flew on to San Martin and I landed and took the gyro to its new hangar, which we’d rented a few days previously. It was a wonderful feeling to be safe on the ground, knowing we had made it and with the gyro now in its new home, and we got a great welcome from Robert, Tom and my fellow new owner, Jim.
www.PSFmagazine.com | February-March 2017 | 27 Support Our Advertisers The trip was the experience of a lifetime, and I can’t adequately express my gratitude to Dayton. Not only was it very nice of him to take a rookie gyro pilot with him in the first place, but to sit in the back for 22 of the hours of flight, and to only do a fraction of the flying himself, while essentially giving the world’s longest extended flying lesson, really went above and beyond. Without his expertise, I wouldn’t have dared to make such a substantial cross-country flight myself, and I’ll always be grateful for the opportunity and experience. For anyone contemplating a long cross-country trip, the gyro is a fantastic vehicle in which to experience it. The combination of open-cockpit flying, low down (for the most part) and the immunity to turbulence makes it a tremendous way to experience flying. To be able to do it across such a vast area of fascinating and very varied landscape felt like a true privilege. Can’t wait to plan my next one! • • Total for the day: 477 mi, 7.0 flying hours • Overall total: 1527mi, 23.2 flying hours
28 | February-March 2017 | Powered Sport Flying
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30 | February-March 2017 | Powered Sport Flying by Roy Beisswenger Powered Parachute
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32 | February-March 2017 | Powered Sport Flying Classifieds Instructional Schools (1701) Flight Instruction Atlanta: Trike and airplane plus sales/support. Aeros Ultralight Trike dealer. P&M Aviation Quik Trike. Demos. (561) 6340866. www.AtlantaSportFlying.com. (GA) (1512) Full Service Powered Parachute Instruction. FAA Sport Pilot Certified Flight Instructors and FAA Designated Pilot Examiner on staff. N-Numbered Powered Parachute available for accelerated instruction and check rides. www.EasyFlight.com (618) 664-9706. (1702) Sport Pilot Training. $115 per hour. Sky Cycle sales and service. Jasper, Tennessee, 20 miles west of Chattanooga. (423) 364-9379. www.FlyHardTrikes.com. (TN) Powered Parachutes (1701) 2003 Pegasus, 582 Rotax, blue head, electric start, new intercom, radio, 14 gallon fuel tank, N-numbered. (316) 283-5360 or chipw58@ cox.net. (KS) (1702) 2005 Powrachute Dual Deluxe Pegasus. 582 Rotax blue head, electric start, Powerfin Prop, intercom, ICOM radios, GPS, Lynx helmets, front disc brake, tundra tires, Elan chute, N-numbered, SLSA, 151 total hours. Fresh annual, excellent condition, always hangered, INCLUDES fully enclosed custom trailer. $14,500. (269) 375-5271 or swtokarski@sbcglobal.net. (MI) Powered Parachutes (1702) Six Chuter 1999 SR5XP. N2492L. Blue 582 engine, electric start, spare 503, 500 square foot Apco chute. $9,900. Call (616) 446-9165, please leave message. (MI) (1705) 2007 Sky Rascal . $7900. Red with custom seat; PD Barnstormer 400 wing; 107 hours and includes trailer and cover. Includes Trim Locks and two fuel tanks: 5 and 10 gallons. Contact Kipp at (702) 346-5834 or email Fredrick@SkyTrailsLSA.com. (UT) POWERED PARAGLIDERS: (1705) Polini 190 Lite , extra prop, backup kill switch, electric and pull start, CHT and Tach, Hibird Cruiser Quad, wheel brakes, 4 point seat belt, line guides, Assist, Safety Hoop. All of it is new, still in the shipping box. $7500. Advance Alpha 5/31. Never flown, used only for ground handling and always on grass. $2900. Local pickup only Long Beach, CA UNTIL 5/14/17; Sacramento 5/16-5/23; Eugene, OR 5/24-06/04; Sequim, WA 6/4-9/4. (SD) REAL ESTATE (1705) Over two acres of mountain views and fly fishing on the Nolichucky River with an ultralight airfield through your backyard. 45 miles from Bristol, Tennessee and Dollywood. $59,900. (423) 329-5999. (TN)) ROTORCRAFT (1705) Barnett J4B. $32,000. 12/3/16 Annual and condition, castering front wheel, Subaru, Warp 4-blade. Trailer/hanger $8000. Photos/details joewhite.net or joewhite@sonic.net. (CA) Airplanes (Ultralight) (1701) Quicksilver MXL. Sails one year old, Rotax 503, electric start, 120 hours, hangered in Perris, CA, flown weekly, chute. John Kratz, (760) 5333282. (CA) (1705) Wanted: Quicksilver Ultralight Airplane. No damage, low hours, hangered, northern California. Call Bud with information. Must be reasonable. (530) 740-1101. (CA) Books & Literature (1703) New Book! www.YouCanAffordToBeAPilot.com. 20% off for psf readers! (1703) Light-Sport Gyroplanes: An Introductory Guide. Now available at Amazon. com or visit www. Light-SportGyroplanes.com. (TX) Engines (1702) Kawasaki Package–Save 50% Engine, reduction drive, carburetor, exhaust, 0-time 64 lb. 40 hp. J-bird, 262-626-2611 (WI) (1702) Engines From $200–Guaranteed Kawasaki, Rotax, Hirth and most other brands with the best reduction drive, Carburetor, exhaust selection of accessories with topnotch service from our friendly staff. J-bird, 210 Main Street, Kewaskum, WI 53040. 262-626-2611 (WI) Instructional Schools (1412) Trike Instruction/Sales/Service 60 miles SW Chicago, IL. Sport Pilot instruction and examiner. Airborne & Air Creation. New & used trike sales. A&M Airsports. 630-664-1892. www.airsportster. com E-mail: michaelhudetz@att.net (IL)
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34 | February-March 2017 | Powered Sport Flying Ignore the FAA The faa makes a lot of rules that are meant to serve the flying and non-flying public. In fact, that is one of their primary missions. However, rulemaking is normally meant to be about minimum standards, and that is clear when it comes to flight training. It’s pretty obvious that the more training someone gets, the better a pilot they become. Minimal training correlates to minimum skills, knowledge, and judgement. More is definitely better, but it makes absolutely no sense to require that everyone be a student forever while waiting to become the best they can be. Although to be fair, that is why many of us consider ourselves students our entire flying careers. There is always something to learn! So the faa had to draw a line in the sand somewhere. They had to set minimum standards. They do their best to make sure that those standards will allow the average student to get the time with an instructor they need before testing to become a pilot. Since it is a government mandate, people assume that a number is magical. But the required number of hours doesn’t take into account student aptitude, prior experiences, commitment, or training styles, among many other factors. Not a magical number. Almost an arbitrary number. And that is why the number should be ignored. If the faa says it takes 15 hours of dual time to prepare for an airplane sport pilot rating, plan for a little more. Maybe plan for a lot more! The older we get, the more challenging it gets to pick up a new skill. It also depends on the kind of airplane you are choosing to learn to fly. A simple sub-100 mph airplane is going to be easier to learn than a slippery, higher performance composite airplane. On the other hand, young kids with a lot of simulator time may not even truly need the 15 hours of time. But those are really the exceptions, not the rule. So that brings us to transition training. In the sport pilot world, there is no listed number of hours needed to transition between categories. Many pilots immediately latch onto that and assume that means that no transition training is needed. That is not what the faa is saying at all. Moreover, that is not what common sense says either. Of course you are going to need training time when moving from a simpler aircraft like a powered parachute to a more complicated aircraft like an airplane or gyroplane. How much training time for such a transition? Perhaps as much as someone just starting out fresh with no aviation experience. Often times there are things to unlearn, as well as to learn. Controls behave differently on different categories of aircraft. An interesting quirk is that just as it takes an investment of training time to move from a simpler category of aircraft to something more complicated, the same thing applies for a move from an airplane to something more basic like a powered parachute. But again, how much time? For this, my experience has been that it has less to do with time and more to do with numbers of operations. Meaning, of course, takeoffs and landings. If you perform the same number of takeoffs and landings as is required for an initial rating, odds are you will be in pretty good shape. Now that typically means (again) almost the same amount of time that you need for an initial rating. What you don’t have to worry about is any cross-country training, which is a big bonus. That leaves us with ultralights. Ultralights are the category of aircraft (or air vehicles) where the faa states no amount of dual training time is needed in order to be legal to fly. So while it may be completely legal to take a running leap off of a mountain under a paraglider with no prior training, does anyone think this really makes any sense? Hopefully, of course not! And even more importantly, the faa is not trying to imply that training isn’t needed. That is clear in the preamble to the ultralight rules. In fact, the faa wrote the rule with the intention that the industry would develop its own training standards and programs. It’s even clear that if safety wasn’t adequate, the faa may revisit ultralights with standards and training programs of their own. Fortunately, ultralights have proven to be remarkably safe in general. It isn’t a matter of mandates, it is a matter of common sense and self-preservation on the part of pilots. It is a matter of people taking flight seriously and pursuing the training needed to be safe and avoid personal injury. Now the challenge is on the faa to actually make more training available and viable. That is one of the goals of usua…
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