MY OPINION

Monday, October 3, 2016

FAA ADS-B REBATE PROGRAM TURNING OUT TO BE A DISASTER

FAA ADS-B REBATE PROGRAM

TURNING OUT TO BE A DISASTER

The FAA started an incentive rebate program for any single engine piston registered airplane to receive $500 for installing ADS-B OUT after September 19, 2016. This program will last for one year or twenty thousand reservations, whichever ever comes first.

The first step of the program is to go to the FAA web site for the rebate and apply for a Rebate Reservation Code. This was accomplished, and I received my Code.

The second step is to have the equipment installed. I did this on September 26 and picked up the plane September 28.

The third step is to fly the airplane for thirty minutes with at least ten minutes maneuvering flight. This is where the first problem occurred. The FAA did not make things clear that in order to pass the flight test, I had to fly in either Class A, B, C airspace for thirty minutes or in certain Classe E airspace above ten thousand feet and two thousand five hundred feet above the ground. Nowhere in the adaptation of this program was this clearly spelled out. It was buried in an FAA circular 91.25. Not only did I fail the air test for not being in the above airspace but I also failed the ground test. My airplane was shown as air-born while taxing to the runway. Please note the ground test is not needed to be compliant in 2020, just to receive the $500 rebate.

After the flight is over, you have to wait one hour to submit your flight on the FAA Web Site. Having failed all aspects of the test I contacted the FAA ASD-B help line, and that is when I learned what airspace I have to fly in. I was also told I might be taxing over 15 knots which was why I failed. As an aside I have a friend who flew me to Prescott to pick up my airplane. He has 2 ADS B OUT units in his plane, Garmin 1090 and FreeFlight 978. He does not qualify for the rebate as these were installed before September 19. He also failed the ground test, and has failed it each time he has asked for a report. Either the equipment manufactures have a problem or the FAA does with it’s testing parameters.

On October 1 I flew up to Prescott for the AOPA fly in. I left early to fly in the Phoenix Class Bravo to qualify for the rebate. To my amazement I failed the ground test again with it showing to the FAA I was air-born from start up to taxi to takeoff. I did pass the flight part of the test which is all I need to do to be ADS B OUT compliant for 2020 rule. However this does not get me my rebate.

During this time I have been in contact with Arizona Air-Craftsman (installer), Apperao (manufacturer) and the FAA. I have exchanged emails and phone calls to no avail. The amount of time and money for fuel are not making the rebate worth the hassle. I notified installer and manufacture that I am charging back $500 to installer on my credit card as I can not spend anymore time or money on this issue.

I do not know why the FAA could not have done a better job in identifying airspace that airplanes have to fly in for the rebate. It has never been explained clearly in the rebate process. I also do not know why the FAA requires a taxi test as this has nothing to do to satisfy the 2020 mandate. As of this date I do not know anyone who has passed the taxi test. My only recourse is to let the installer and manufacture hassle this out with the FAA.

My advice is to let you know it is not worth installing ADS B OUT at this time if you can not obtain the rebate.

Tuesday, September 20, 2016

CESSNA 182 GOES DOWN IN FLAMES AND ALL SURVIVE

Early this weekend we had in Phoenix what could have been a disaster. A Cessna 182 jump plane, with 4 parachutist aboard, caught fire on the left wing just after the jumpers had proceeded with their exit from the airplane. The airplane was 2 miles from the Chandler airport but had no hope of getting back to the airport. The pilot was able to bail out just before the plane was engulfed in flames with only minor burns.

The plane crashed into a house in the early morning and the two occupants were able to escape with their dogs. The house was enveloped in flames and destroyed.

Google "Gilbert Plane Crash" and there are several videos available that show the story.

Monday, September 5, 2016

WHERE HAVE I BEEN ALL SUMMER???

It has been a tough couple of years in our household. Those of you who know me realize that my wife had a kidney transplant last year. We thought we were on the road to recovery, when in February, my wife started rejecting her kidney. Her immune system was wiped clean with seven straight days of infusions in the hospital; and we were very lucky to save the kidney.It was not the way she wanted to spend our wedding anniversary, but it was one heck of a gift to us.

Therefore I have not written any columns in several months, as I have been busy taking care of my wife. As things started to normalize, I started becoming active in aviation matters again. I was able to attend a wonderful Cirrus event at Scottsdlae airport (SDL). Cirrus really emphasized that is was a lifestyle decision to own a Cirrus. At nearly $1 million dollars for an SR22 I would tend to agree. There was also a lot of discussion on the Cirrus Vision single engine jet. Cirrus thought they would have certification by now, however this still has not happened.

My wife was getting stronger and we decided to attend my Nephew’s law school graduation from University of Denver in May. We flew my 62 year old Bonanza from SDL to Denver landing at Centennial Airport (APA). It was a leisurely 4 hour flight. We had to stay at 9500 feet due to cloud coverage. I usually like to fly over the mountains of eastern Arizona at 11,500. Upon arrival we taxied to TAC Air self fuel which is on the very north side of the field. After refueling we then taxied south back to to TAC AIr. They treated us royally. If I only had one complaint it was that they use GO Rental for their rental cars. A compact cost $69 a day plus fees. I found this to be extremely expensive. Graduation was great and it was wonderful seeing family. Heading home we had 40MPH headwinds and light to moderate turbulence. I had to slow the plane down to maneuvering speed and it took 5 hours to get home plus the fuel stop. Having a normally aspirated engine we fly around the Rockies and not over the passes. I would rather be safe than sorry. With the winds like they were, even if I had a turbo charged engine, I would have still gone around the Rockies. Our route of flight was SDL direct to OTO VOR, FTI VOR, CIM VOR, PUB VOR, COS VOR and direct KAPA.

In early June I had a fraternity brother attending a wedding at the hotel we stay in La Jolla, CA. I had not seen him in 46 years so we decided to go. We usually do not go to La Jolla in June because of June gloom. This is where the temperatures and dew points are the same, and it is cloudy all day. We were lucky to have great weather in June.

My Mom, living in Atlanta, turned 95 in July. Mayo transplant team did not want my wife to travel on an airliner. They said the two most infectious places are an airliner and movie theatre. So we had planned not to attend. Suddenly my wife’s labs turned around so that we could make the trip. She had to wear a mask and wash her hands every hour on the plane. We also wiped down her seating area and tray table with clorox wipes. This was a one time event as we have to stay away from infectious areas. Mayo also said to stay away from the elderly. I laughed and asked if this included me!

You have 2 choices living in Scottsdale during the summer, you can hibernate or go to San Diego. Over the summer we flew over to La Jolla every 10 days and stayed for four days. My wife still gets tired very easily. We would always return to the room to rest around 1 PM and then go out to dinner. It takes us around 2 hours each way to San Diego and back. Having a private plane is the only way we could make these trips. The drive is 6 hours, which is too much for my wife. Our last trip of the season is this week over the Labor Day Holiday.

After Labor Day it starts cooling down in Scottsdale, especially at night. The days stay warm through October. When it is nice in Scottsdale we really do not want to leave. Most of our flying is breakfast runs to keep the plane exercised and maybe a trip to Las Vegas in April.

Without a GA Airplane none of this would be possible. We have flown south into the Baja of Mexico and as far north as Victoria and Vancouver in our plane. I can not imagine what life without flying will be like. I am installing a Stratus ESG-i

ADS-B In and Out in my Bonanza September 26th if the FAA rebate is out by then. If not I will have to wait until November as my shop is booked through then.

There you have it. That is what I have been up to. I hope to start writing on a more regular basis starting with the AOPA Regional Fly In Prescott, AZ (PRC) on October 1.

Until then wishing everyone well.

Sunday, March 27, 2016

MAYDAY MAYDAY MAYDAY....YOUR HELP IS NEEDED

I started negotiating with Scottsdale Airport (SDL) to install self fuel for 100LL 7 years ago. Last week the FBO started it's self service pump. When this was being negotiated self fuel did not go out for a request for proposal (RFP) as the FBO said it would be competitive in it's price. Well that did not happen.

The price at SDL is .95 higher than Phoenix Deer Valley Airport (DVT), pre paid, which is only 10 miles west of SDL.

Here is how you can help. The Aviation Director, Gary Mascaro, asked for phone calls to his office stating that the self fuel price at SDL is too high and not competitive.

I am ask you, your spouse, girl or boy friend to take Gary up on his offer, and call him at
480-312-7735, and tell him the price at SDL self fuel is too high and you are not going to use it. If he gets enough calls he can negotiate a better price on self fuel. Do not beat him up on the phone as he is a good guy and can help us out.

There are 28,000+ of you who have read this column. Your phone calls would be appreciated and this is what he asked for. If you get a voice mail just leave a message. You can tell him if fuel was only .25 more than DVT you would use it. It does not matter if you fly or not, and you do not have to leave your name.

This is your chance to help others who love to fly but cannot afford high fuel prices. So please help us out and make that call!

Friday, March 25, 2016

WHAT'S GOING ON AT SCOTTSDALE AIRPORT AND AIRPARK

A record number of businesses and employees have moved into Scottsdale's bustling Airpark corridor, which is emerging as a one of the Phoenix area's major hubs for urban growth, according to a new report from Colliers International.

More than 55,000 employees work for about 3,000 companies within the Scottsdale Airpark area, which covers about 5 square miles in north Scottsdale and Phoenix's Kierland neighborhood. The Airpark added nearly 1,200 jobs over the past year and more than 7,000 jobssince the height of the recession in December 2009, according to Colliers.

The previous record for jobs in the Scottsdale Airpark area was set in 2014 at 54,100, the report said. There were also 2,950 companies in the area last year.

The annual report, compiled by Jim Keeley, founding partner of Colliers' Scottsdale office, also shows significant improvement in vacancy rates, land sales and property values over the past several years. Colliers is among the real-estate firms that broker deals in the Airpark and other parts of the Valley.

Although Airpark office space was leasing for about $50 to $70 per square foot in 2011, tenants are paying closer to $150 or even $200 per square foot now, Keeley said. He expects rates to continue climbing over the next two or three years toward the prerecession peak of around $270 to $300.

Land sales totaled $94.8 million for about 89 acres in 2015, up from $46.7 million for about 38 acres the previous year, according to Colliers.

Investment from GoDaddy founder Bob Parsons and global investment firm Vanguard helped the Airpark build on that momentum in 2015, Keeley said.

His Colliers report detailed several key announcements for the area last year, including:

Parsons opened the world's largest Harley-Davidson dealership in November at Hayden Road and Northsight Boulevard. The dealership features a 95-seat chapel for weddings and a movie theater.
Vanguard added 600 employees while expanding to fill a 150,000-square-foot building near Pima Road and Raintree Drive.
American Girl opened its only Arizona retail store, which includes a 25-seat bistro, at Scottsdale Quarter in August. The store is one of only 20 in the U.S.

Urban living arrives, transit needed

Residential towers have begun to spring up among the Airpark's corporate offices and shopping centers as young professionals pursue a more urban lifestyle within walking distance of their workplaces.

Crescent Communities recently opened 275 high-end apartments at Scottsdale Quarter, and another 220 luxury condos are under construction across Scottsdale Road at Optima Kierland.

Liv North Scottsdale built 240 apartments just north of Scottsdale Quarter in 2014, and a 282-unit complex called Sunrise Commons is planned to replace a former car dealership on Hayden Road.

"I think society is into enjoying urban living," Keeley said. "The Millennials, that next generation of working people, they have a different mind-set."

With the arrival of more "transit-oriented development" at Scottsdale Quarter and Kierland Commons comes the need for more public-transit options, Keeley said. A city proposal to add trolley service in the Airpark would help, but Keeley would like to see light rail come up through Scottsdale from the south.

"There's a definite need for improvement," Keeley said. "I think if you look around the country at other employment bases that are evolving, you need that type of alternative."

A new transportation plan up for City Council consideration this year includes three potential rail routes through Scottsdale, including two that would end near Scottsdale Fashion Square mall. The plan also includes a new bus route with non-stop service between the Airpark and Fashion Square.

If approved by the council, Airpark trolley service could start in April 2018, and the bus service could start in October 2019, according to city officials.

A cornucopia of industries

Although some airport commerce parks trend more toward heavy industry and warehousing, the area surrounding Scottsdale Airport features a higher concentration of corporate office space, including several regional and national headquarters.

JDA Software announced plans last year to move its headquarters to two floors of a new six-story office building opening at Scottsdale Quarter. Taser International maintains its main offices 2 miles to the northeast, and New Zealand-based Orion Health picked the Scottsdale Airpark in 2014 for its North American headquarters and about 500 jobs.

In all, there are 130 business categories represented within the Airpark, ranging from aerospace to hospitality, according to Colliers.

The area ranks among the largest employment centers in the Phoenix area and is uniquely located to draw employees from the West Valley, Phoenix, Scottsdale and the Southeast Valley, Scottsdale Economic Development Director Danielle Casey said.

"The top thing that everybody has been talking about in the last several years is that talent is the biggest issue," Casey said. "That's one of the things going for us in the Airpark. It can pull from pretty much all nodes, which is very advantageous when you are looking at a dispersed talent pool."

Airport grows busier

Along with the growth has come a spike in air traffic at Scottsdale Airport, which in 2015 surged to No. 21 among the nation's busiest general-aviation airports. When you account for major airlines, which don't have a presence in Scottsdale, and military operations, the airport ranks No. 76 nationally, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.

U.S. Customs and Border Patrol maintains a daily presence at Scottsdale Airport, which boosts its appeal to international travelers and businesses, Casey said.

The FAA reported about 77,300 general-aviation takeoffs and landings at Scottsdale Airport last year, up from about 74,700 flights in 2014 and 69,800 in 2010. General-aviation traffic reflects private flights to and from other airports.

The airport reported more than 157,000 takeoffs and landings overall in 2015.

Sunday, March 6, 2016

VERY SAD

I wrote the below column in May of 2104 having spent the morning flying the WACO at Sedona, AZ. It came to my attention this week that the WACO rides have become discontinued and both WACO's are up for sale. This is very sad!

Saturday, May 17, 2014

FLYING THE WACO AT RED ROCK AVIATION SEDONA ARIZONA

SEDONA ARIZONA

FLYING THE WACO

SEDONA AIR TOURS

RED ROCK AVIATION

Sedona Arizona (SEZ) is one of the most beautiful cities in the US. It is a tourist destination located 70 miles north of Phoenix and 70 miles south of the Grand Canyon. Sedona is truly an eclectic city surrounded by red rock formations on 3 sides. The people are laid back, spiritual and extremely courteous. Sedona is also home to the famous Pink Jeep tours, which in itself is an amazing excursion.

SEZ sits on a 500 foot mesa. It is like landing on an aircraft carrier that is not moving. When flying into SEZ the calm wind runway is 3 landing uphill and departing 21 downhill. One has to be careful landing at SEZ, if windy there is a lot of sink at the beginning of the runway. It is best not to land on the numbers but stay a little high on approach. The elevation is 4800 feet but you have to be aware of density altitude as Sedona is a high desert, and it gets hot during the day but cools off at night.

The facilities at SEZ are way above normal for a small city. SEZ has a beautiful terminal building, a restaurant that has glass walls that allow you to look at the red rock formations and planes arriving and departing and just north of the restaurant is Red Rock Aviation/Sedona Air tours.

Red Rock is an fantastic entity. They offer Grand Canyon tours in light twins and jet helicopters. There are multiple tours available including a dinner tour and wine tour. In addition Red Rock offers open cockpit tours of Sedona in their 2 WACO biplanes. Each WACO’s flies about 8 to 12 missions a day. In the summer when it is hotter, only one WACO runs Monday through Friday as the other pilot flies for the forrest service. During Red Rock’s main season, 2 WACO’s fly 7 days a week.

When I arrived on May 16 to fly the WACO, Red Rock’s office was full of tourist to fly to the Grand Canyon and for the WACO ride. I arrived on Friday at 8:30AM and met my pilot at 9AM. Scott Sibson lives not far from Sedona in Prescott, AZ. He drives from Prescott to Cottonwood (P52) where the main operation is housed, and then flies the WACO on a short trip to SEZ. When Scott and I sat down to talk, we knew a lot of the same people in aviation, as I lived in Prescott hearing juvenile criminal cases for 4 years and was chairman of the aviation commission. Scott became an A&P flying for the forest service. He learned how to fly tailwheel in Prescott (PRC) having started by helping to rebuild a Piper Cub and was very handy at recovering a cloth airplane. I do not know which I enjoyed more talking to Scott or flying the WACO.

Scott Sibson...pilot

I have been fortunate enough to fly gliders, fixed wing, helicopter, seaplane (see my blog on flying the Grumman Widgeon) and jets (see blog on transitioning from pistons to jets) . Until yesterday, I had never flown in an open cockpit biplane. I have flown with a lot of pilots over the years, and found that the best pilots I have flown with are airline pilots that also own their own GA airplane. I now have to add Scott to that list. He is a consummate professional. I have not enjoyed flying with someone more than with Scott in a long time.

The WACO we flew is a 1997 YMF 5-C Super. This WACO has more hours on it than any other WACO in the county clocking in at over 7500 hours. I was giving a pre-briefing by Scott which included entry into the front seat and how to operate the door which only opens and closes from the outside. Scott entered my seat to show me the best way to enter the cockpit. The front seat holds 1 or 2 people. After entering I was sitting low in a hole. My instrument in the front only included an airspeed indicator. Along with that I had stick, rudders, brakes, trim and throttle. My seat was under the wing and Scott’s was in the open behind the wing. He wore a baseball cap to keep the sun off of him. I had no forward vision and Scott does not either sitting in the back seat.

I donned my leather helmet, after entering the cockpit, that was attached to an over the ear headset. Scott primed the Jacobs 275 radial about 7 times and hit the starter. The radial came to life, and we taxied out doing S turns all the way to the active runway as there is no forward visibility in the WACO. SEZ is a Unicom field. Having finished our pre-flight runup we checked on the radio that no one was in the traffic pattern and took the active. After being perfectly straight down the runway Scott locked the tailwheel, and we were ready to go. Upon reaching 60mph the tailwheel came up, and we lifted off at 80mph. It was smooth as silk. Top speed is about 110mph, and we cruised at 100mph. There was no wind in the cockpit as the windshield does a great job of blocking the wind. I had on jeans and a light jacket and could have flown in my shorts and a polo shirt. In flight I pulled the headset away from my ears, and the noise was very loud. With the headsets on it was quiet as flying my Bonanza. Upon departing the runway we climbed to 7500 feet. This altitude kept us above the helicopter tours. We were only going to fly for about 15 minutes but were having so much fun we stayed up longer. Scott asked me if it was okay to do a wingover, and I said go for it. With one wing down about 90 degrees we turned on a pin head. Then we did one to the other side. After that I did some dutch rolls realizing how much rudder push is need to fly this big bird. All the time flying I had to look out 45 degrees to see where we going. The only time I could see directly over the cowl was on descent. There was a King Air on final so we crossed over the runway and then landed. Airspeed in the WACO is very important on landing. There is so much drag that airspeed had to be at 80mph to keep us flying. Pilots are always judged on their landings, and Scott outdid himself. We landed on the mains and kept the tail up until we ran out of airspeed. When stopped Scott unlocked the tailwheel to taxi back into Red Rock ramp. He let the engine run for about 2 minutes to prevent the engine from hydro locking. This is where excess oil drains down to the bottom 2 cylinders.

After the flight was over we could not talk long as there was a couple ready to go and take their WACO ride.

I rate Red Rock/Sedona Air tours operation as a 10 out of 10 and enjoyed meeting John, James and others that work at the operation. Hats and t-shirts are available for sale in the Red Rock building. My thanks go out to Larry Bruner, owner of Red Rock, for for a wonderful day.

Tuesday, February 16, 2016

NEW VERUS OLD...NOT TALKING ABOUT ME

I receive an update email from Stanford each morning. The banner states breaking news from the Farm since 1892. My friends kid me that I taught Wilbur and Orville how to fly. This column has nothing to do with how old I am, but rather owning a new airplane versus an older airplane and what is involved.

It is estimated that the piston fleet averages 45 years of age. These older airplanes are politely referred to as legacy aircraft. A good friend of mine defines legacy aircraft as any aircraft that does not have modern avionics. For the purpose of this column legacy aircraft will be considered older airframes.

There are two factors when considering purchasing a new aircraft versus a legacy aircraft. The first is very obvious being purchase price, and the second not so obvious being upkeep costs.

New fast piston aircraft run $750,000 to $1.5 million to purchase. This is a figure that is a little more than my house in Scottsdale is worth to double the price. There are two kinds of folks that can afford buy a new airplane. One is the business owner that is making money and can afford to write off the purchase and upkeep of the airplane. The other is someone who has done very well in life and can afford to buy a new plane. These planes now mostly come with a two year warranty and parts should be readily available. One would hope that at annul inspections very little work (squaks) will be need to be performed. The annual, without any squaks, cost more than a legacy airplane having to review all the new avionics and in some cases pressurization. Where the basic annual inspection can run $1,200 for a legacy airplane, the cost for a new airplane could be $4,000 to $11,000. Remember this is just the inspection cost and does not include any repairs. Insurance will cost more for a new plane as the hull value is much greater than for a legacy airplane. Figures of $7,000 to $11,000 are pretty close for insurance for a high time pilot. If you have fewer hours expect to pay more. Legacy aircraft insurance can run about $750 to $1200 a year.

You have decided that you cannot purchase a new go fast airplane. It is time to look for a legacy aircraft. There are many options and you can get a pretty good airplane in todays market for $50,000 to $100,000. One suggestion if you are purchasing a legacy aircraft is to try and buy one where the manufacture is still in business. Chances of parts availability go way up if this is the case, and if not you will be relegated to buying parts from salvaged aircraft. These part houses are mostly reputable, but the problem in buying a used part is you do not know it's condition and how long it will last. In some cases the salvage yards will give a 30 day guaranty on the part. They do not know if it will work or not, so you will have to have the part installed, and if it does not work pulled off and returned. This is why I recommend buying a used Piper, Cessna or Beechcraft airplane.

One negative of owing a legacy airplane is that maintenance is going to be more expensive than a new aircraft. There is always something wearing out on a legacy airplane that needs repairing or replacing. At annual, the cost as a percentage value of my airplane is high, but usually no higher than an annual inspection on a new airplane. Once you get used to that fact, you can own a very nice airplane that can fly at 115 to 175 knots.

One final thought is that when purchasing a legacy aircraft, have a mechanic that knows that airplane perform a pre-buy annual inspection. I do not care that the annual was completed yesterday....do your own annual. Also do not use a shop or mechanic on that field. Find your own A&P/IA and have the plane delivered to him. Have a separate contract with the seller that states seller to pay for anything found unairworthy, and if seller not willing to do that the seller pays for annual inspection performed to date.

Whichever airplane you are considering to purchase I wish you good enjoyment. It is hard to compare the joy one gets from owning their own airplane.