I CAN NO LONGER FLY PASSENGERS

When I started flying I had $5 million insurance smooth. That is back when $5 million dollars was a lot of money, and the courts were not a lottery system. My insurance decreased over the years down to $2 million smooth, $1 million smooth, to where it is today at $1 million with only $100,000 per seat. 

The court system has changed dramatically over the years. I have always said if you are a plaintiff have a jury trial, if you are a defendant and guilty have a jury trial and if you are a defendant and innocent request that the judge makes the decision. Juries are very easily swayed by a good attorney and computer graphics. 

Recently in Phoenix there was a case involving 2 TV stations whose helicopters lost situational awareness and crashed into each other with multiple deaths. The insurance companies refused to settle with the heirs, and this case went to trial. The attorneys for the plaintiffs were granted their request to introduce a computer generated recreation of the crash. I was able to review this, and from all the facts of the event, I did not feel it was an accurate recreation of the way things happened. I knew right away the defense was in trouble. If this was presented to the jury the amount of jury award would have been unfathomable . The insurance companies settled before this recreation could be presented into evidence.

This brings me to the reason I can no longer fly passengers. My wife and I have worked hard to build an estate for retirement. If I had an accident and was sued by my passenger or their heirs, my estate would be financially depleted. $1 million with $100,000 per passenger would not cover much in a lawsuit. 

Over the years I have enjoyed giving people their first ride in a GA airplane. They always loved flying into Sedona for breakfast with the thrilling views and great airport. I can not do this anymore in good financial conscience.

When I flew for Angel Flight the passenger signed a waiver. Waivers are not worth much any longer and can be easily pierced. It is my understanding that the EAA takes out an insurance policy to protect its pilots for their Young Eagles events. This is a good thing as there was a mid air about a month ago where both pilot and child were killed. The charity I have worked so hard for raising money, came out with a detailed waiver for the pilots to sign 2 nights before the event. In good conscience I could not sign this waiver and refused to fly. This was a big disappointment for me, but I could not put my estate at risk.

I miss flying friends and now only fly with my wife. The world has changed, and I have had to adapt. I am not very happy about it, but I have to be practical.

AOPA LOOSES SANTA MONICA VOTE DOES IT REALLY MATTER

Santa Monica and Venice Beach California are magnificent places to visit. You do not need a rental car, taking a cab from the airport to your hotel and walk everywhere.

Santa Monica Airport (SMO) has been a thorn in the side of people who live there, City Council, Airport Commission, FAA, AOPA and NBAA. Just a short history in that SMO quit taking grants from the FAA in 2000 and claim they can close the airport in 2015. Some say this should be 2022. The vote itself had little use as Federal Law supersedes City Law, and in my opinion this issue will be settled in Federal Court.

The City states they have the right to close the airport and develop it as it so wishes. The FAA states that the property has to remain an airport in perpetuity. I have read that NBAA and AOPA spent approximately $800,000 in the campaign for Proposition D. I personally feel that this was a total waste of money as Federal law will prevail one way or the other. Bill Dunn, VP of AOPA, put in hundreds if not thousand of hours traveling to SMO trying to educate the general public in the benefits of SMO to the City and their economy. I am personally sorry to see the negative results for all the effort he put into making Prop D a success.

There is another caveat that I have not heard a lot of discussion on. The City is trying to do everything in it’s power to make the airport unusable. SMO is the only airport that I have flown to that requires a landing fee for my Bonanza. It was $6 two years ago and now it is $18 to land there. I have never heard of an airport that charges based aircraft a landing fee. At SMO all based airplanes have to pay a fee. In addition if a flight school does a touch and go, they have to pay a fee for every time the wheels touch the pavement. 

Now SMO is reducing the amount of fuel that can be pumped every day. I could fly in with my Bonanza, and would not be able to depart if there was not any fuel available. There are many jets based at SMO that could be in the same situation.

SMO is doing every thing in their legal rights to discourage use of the airport. They have also sued the FAA losing twice with attorney fees in the $3 million range.  I personally think that the City will make things so miserable for the flying public they will have to go elsewhere and the airport will disappear. This will be a shame!

ADS-B ANOTHER FAA DISASTER

The FAA has mandated that every airplane flying in the US in controlled airspace as of January 1, 2020 must be equipped with ADS-B Out. ADS-B is based on ground station technology which is 20 years old. The FAA has always complained that ground based VOR’s were too expensive to maintain. In their infinite wisdom the FAA has based the future on ground stations again. There are some 600 of these ground stations installed but the FAA blew the coverage and has now decided they have to install another 200 more ground stations to get complete coverage. The program could have been aborted many years ago and proceeded with satellite coverage. The FAA could have bought out XM and had the coverage they needed for a minuscule cost of what they have spent on ground stations. I have no idea how much it will cost to maintain this ground based system.

AOPA has stated that there are approximately 180,000 airplanes in the fleet. 88,000 of these are worth around $30,000. The least expensive cost solution today to have ABS-B Out installed is approximately $7,500. This is over 20% of the value of 88,000 airplanes.

There is no perceived value to GA of ADS-B Out other than being able to see traffic on an IPad type device if your plane is equipped with ADS-B In. In addition you are still required to have a transponder so airline traffic can see you on TCAS. AOPA and EAA are trying to get the FAA to back off their 2020 mandate. The FAA is not backing down. The only solution is to have AOPA and EAA go to Congress to have the mandate deleted until a more cost effective solution can be reached, or there will be a lot of planes grounded.

The FAA cannot reach a solution on 3rd class medicals and drone airspace. In my regard this organization is so inefficient that they are unable to accomplish anything successfully and cost effective.

If the FAA goal is to abolish GA then they are doing an excellent job. Some 4000 airports will become abandoned, and the economy will deeply damaged.

ADS-B OUT: A WASTE OF TIME AND MONEY FOR ALL

There is one, and only one, advantage of having ADS-B OUT. It lets you see your traffic on board with a glass screen cockpit such as the Garmin 1000 or on an IPad.

The main purpose of ADS-B OUT is to let airliners fly more direct to airports thus saving fuel. The problem with this philosophy is that in the US airliners use mostly the same 35 airports. They all want to arrive and depart at the same time, which will lead to delays and holding patterns where arrivals will be backed up.

All airplanes will still be required to have a transponder on board. This is so the airliners, and business jets, will be able to see their traffic on TCAS. This defeats the purpose of ADS-B OUT traffic on your screen.

Another problem with the whole ADS-B system is it was devised on technology that is over 20 years old. ADS-B will be using ground stations instead of satellites. The FAA complains that it costs too much to maintain VOR’s and ILS’s because they are ground based. In my opinion it will cost as much or more to maintain the ADS-B ground stations.

ADS-B OUT will be required by 2020 in all controlled airspace. It is my understanding that as of today ATC is not able to see ADS-B OUT airplanes and still uses radar. As of today fewer that 5% of airplanes are equipped with ADS-B OUT. Today the minimum cost of ADS-B OUT to someone that does not have an IFR GPS in their plane is $4,000 for the equipment and approximately $3,000 for installation. This is a huge expense to the older GA fleet that amounts to approximately 15% of the value of one’s airplane with absolutely no benefits other than to see traffic. Embry Riddle University was a test for ADS-B OUT, and all their airplanes are ADS-B equipped. Being that Embry Riddle flies in the Phoenix area I am able to see traffic. ADS-B traffic is awakened by any plane flying in a 15 mile radius to where I am. It does not work if there is not an ADS-B OUT plane in my vicinity. 

If the FAA truly believed in safety they would turn on all the ADS-B OUT stations 24/7 to provide traffic for all....but then this is the FAA we are talking about, and they stated this is not going to happen. We recently lost 2 flight school airplanes in a mid air north of Phoenix. If they were able to receive traffic then this might not of happened. As it was we lost 4 people due to this not being turned on.

In closing, there is only one benefit of having ADS-B Out and that is traffic. The cost does not justify the requirement.

CHARITY BEGINS AT HOME

On November 8, we will be flying over150 mentally and physically challenged children and their parents at Scottsdale Airport (SDL)
https://m.youtube.com/watch?edit=vd&v=kBhKx-cnu8U

SAN DIEGO AIR AND SPACE MUSEUM-BALBOA PARK

Balboa Park is best known for the world famous San Diego Zoo. 1200 acres were set aside by civic leaders in 1868. Balboa Park now has 17 museums along with several other exhibits such as the Botanical Building and the Spreckels outdoor Organ Pavilion. There is also a replica of the Globe Theater. Street performers can be found throughout the Park’s grounds.

BOTANICAL GARDENS BUILDING

SAN DIEGO ART MUSEUM

FOUNTAIN AND GATHERING PLACE-BALBOA PARK

The original Air Museum burned down in 1978. The new museum, San Diego Air & Space, is located in the Ford Building which was built in 1935 for the second World’s Fair held there.

My wife and I have been through this museum on several occasions, but never with a guide. I made a call to Jessica Packard, marketing director, to set up a tour of the museum. Mort Jorgensen, our guide, has been giving tours at the Museum for 12 years. I should say Dr. Mort Jorgensen, as Mort was a Surgeon for the US Navy.

Our tour started with the 2 airplanes outside, one is the A12/SR71 and the other a test airplane that was supersonic and would takeoff and land on skis from the water. This plane was built in San Diego and never produced. Test airplane above.

Upon entering the museum there are several planes of note in the lobby. One is a replica of the Spirit of St. Louis. This plane last flew in 2002. With a tail wheel attached in lieu of the original tail skid.

SPIRIT OF ST. LOUIS

While not an airplane, the Gemini 9 reentry capsule was next. The burn marks are still visible on the heat shield. I am glad they never cleaned it up.

GEMINI 9 REENTRY CAPSULE

Hanging from the ceiling is an original Predator Drone mounted with camera not armament.

ORIGINAL PREDATOR DRONE WITH CAMERA MOUNT

X-1 MOUNTED BELOW

The last plane of note in the lobby is the X-1, the first plane to break the sound barrier.

Upon entering the museum is a wall of fame of numerous people involved with aviation since it’s beginning. Each Portrait is captioned with an explanation.

When touring the museum it is important not only to look at the planes on the floor but also those hanging from the ceiling. The Museum is laid out chronologically starting with the first balloons and gliders. From there, it travels through history. There are too many planes to describe them all, so I will try to point out some highlights. 

The Lockheed Vega 5B was the plane Amelia Earhart flew, and this one was donated to the Museum after the production of the movie AMELIA was finished.

The Ryan B-5 Brougham is a replica plane of the Spirit of St. Louis except it has a front windshield.

Another highlight is the FA-18 from the Blue Angels. 

I could go on forever but you need to be there for yourself.

I was privileged to go to the basement which I never knew existed. In the basement airplane replicas are built for the museum by volunteers. They are currently working on reproducing the Hughes Air Racer which has an aluminum fuselage and tail along with wood wings. The workmanship by these volunteers is amazing. Bob Porter was our guide in the basement. He is quite the skilled builder.

Another item that caught my fancy is a replica of the original Wright Flyer engine. This one engine powered both counterrotating props. The engine still runs and is an amazing piece of engineering.

OUR GUIDE MORT JORGENSEN WITH WRIGHT BROTHERS ENGINE

The last plane I wanted to write about is an F4U Corsair. The plane was found trashed and rebuilt by SDASM volunteers. What is amazing is that there was no panel or seat. The staff meticulously reproduced both to original specs.

I have been to Air and Space museums all over the world, and I find SDASM to be a hidden gem. It is not as crowded as others I have been to which makes touring more enjoyable. I suggest you try and arrange a tour with a docent as the wealth of information is overwhelming. Allow yourself a minimum of 3 hours and if possible 5 hours for your visit.

LT. COLNEL BILL KORNER (RET.) - A TRUE WAR HERO

LT. COLNEL BILL KORNER (RET.)

A

TRUE WAR HERO

I am the AOPA rep at Scottsdale (SDL) and am a member of the Arizona Business Aviation Association(AZBAA) which is a chapter of the National Business Aviation Association(NBAA). 

Yesterday I had the pleasure of having lunch with a true hero and a very prolific speaker, Bill Korner. 

Bill is the Chairman and CEO of Flight Reach, Inc., but more on that later. Bill spent 5 years on active duty with the US Army and Air Force along with many years serving in the Reserve and Air National Guard. He flew 204 combat missions in Viet Nam and was shot down on more than one occasion avoiding capture by the N. Vietnamese. Bill was one of the most highly decorated pilots in Viet Nam receiving: 2 silver stars, 2 distinguished flying crosses, 2 Bronze stars, 14 air medals, Army and Air Force commendation medal, Vietnamese cross of gallantry, and the Vietnamese medal of honor. Bill is also the recipient of the Air Force’s Daedalian Orville Wright achievement award being the leading aviator in a competition of over 2000 Air Force pilots. His combined flying and academic scores were the highest ever obtained at that time in history.

Bill was recalled to fly in Desert Storm and flew 25 combat missions. He is also a recipient of the Ellis Island Medal of Honor which includes 6 former Presidents. If that is not enough Bill played football for Penn State.

As mentioned earlier Bill heads up Flight Research (FR). FR deals with upset recovery in GA airplanes and corporate jets. This is not the same as flying aerobatics, but deals with recovery of an airplane that has gone wrong. The course lasts 3 days including ground school and 2 flights. 

Bill talked about several airline crashes and what went wrong. The biggest problem is automation in the cockpit and Pilots forgetting, or not being trained correctly, how to recover from a stall or being to fly the plane by hand if the magic goes out. I have always stated that the best airline pilots I have flown with also own a GA airplane. They keep their hand flying skills sharp.

One of the biggest problem facing airline crashes are stalls. When a plane is stalling for some reason the pilots are pulling back on the yolk or side stick. In the Colgan crash near Buffalo, NY the Captain applied full power but kept pulling the yolk back which led to a stall spin crash. In a plane with a yolk both yolks are coordinated. If you pull back on one yolk, both go back. In the Airbus with side sticks this is not the case. One pilot does not know what the other is doing. Air France 447 was an example of this. The pitot tubes froze for some reason, and an improper airspeed was given to the crew. The FO in the right seat pulled back on the yolk while the FO in the left seat was pushing forward. The FO in the right seat pulled harder, and the plane stalled and crashed. I do not understand why the pilots did not look at the attitude indicator and GPS ground speed.

In all certified airplanes if you just let go of the yolk or side stick the plane will unload and fly again. This is one of several reasons that the Flight Research training is so important. They can do things in an airplane that can not be recreated in a Simulator. With the abundance of automation airline and even business pilots are not doing enough hand flying and have forgotten the basics of flying an airplane. A perfect example of this was the Asiana crash last summer in San Francisco. Auto pilot goes on around 300 above ground on take off and is disconnected in most cases around 800 feet above ground for landing. The rest of the time spent by the crew is monitoring the instruments. These pilots might have thousands of hours in their logbooks, but I would bet I have more time hand flying an airplane than most of these airline pilots.

Major corporations are sending their flight departments for training at Flight Research. I hope the airlines wake up and smell the roses to recreate this training also.