FRIENDS...YOU CAN'T PUT A PRICE ON THEM

We had a very unfortunate situation occur Monday at Phoenix Deer Valley Airport (DVT). A Bonanza suffered engine problems and the plane crashed into an empty building and the lone occupant, the pilot from Scottsdale, was killed. I was unaware of this as my wife and I were taking off from San Diego back to DVT at the time. When I fly, I turn my phone to Airplane Mode as to not drain the battery. It was 105 degrees when we landed, fueled the airplane and put it back in the hangar. I was hot and tired and did not turn on my cell phone until we arrived back at the house. When my phone connected, I had 30 emails and text messages along with 40 voice mails from friends concerned that it might have been my plane that crashed. I felt horrible for the pilot that crashed and thankful to have to many friends that were concerned for my well being. My thoughts and prayers go out to the pilot's family.

FAA

I had the pleasure of attending a FAA meeting for Scottsdale (SDL) airport Tuesday. I can't publish the topic of the meeting as it is confidential at this time. There were FAA representatives from Seattle to Los Angeles to Phoenix, as well as NBAA representatives and my self representing AOPA. Everyone was there but the man who was responsible for this event. Evidently he did not deem it necessary to attend his own meeting. I did receive an excellent education of the issues and was surprised that there is so much conflict among different factions of the FAA. I also felt cheated that the ADO did not attend the meeting. When this issue is complete and public knowledge I will publish a column on the issues.

AS A MEMBER OF AZBAA

I AM VERY PROUD OF WHAT WE ARE DOING FOR ASPIRING AVIATORS

Home | Classifieds | Coupons | Galleries | Obituaries | Real Estate Search |Subscribe | Phone Book | E-Alerts | RSS Find It ▼ Blogs ▼ Features ▼ Milestones ▼ Submit ▼ Extras ▼ home : features : features Share September 29, 2010 9/26/2010 10:00:00 PM Achievers: Aspiring pilot lands another scholarship By Ken Hedler The Daily Courier PRESCOTT - Drew Cochran, a junior majoring in aeronautical science at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University here, said he enjoys the thrill of piloting a plane. "What do I like about flying?" he asked rhetorically. "I like being able to look down and see things from a different perspective and the dynamic of being able to take a machine and move it through the air." Piloting is "also a mental challenge, " he said. "You have to be able to anticipate what is going to happen. It is not just the airplane. It is the weather. It is the cargo. It is the people you are carrying. The airports are your destination." Cochran's immediate destination after graduating in May 2012 is landing a job as a flight instructor at Embry-Riddle. His career ambition is to become a commercial pilot, perhaps for a corporation. Making it possible to attain his goals are scholarships to help pay for attending the private college. The eldest of seven children of an aerospace industry machinist and a school district librarian, he said he has been fortunate in earning scholarships. Cochran, 20, recently received the 2010 Angel MedFlight Scholarship for Excellence in Education from Angel MedFlight Worldwide Air Ambulance in Scottsdale. "We believe that Drew is an exemplary student," Kelly LoCascio, Angel MedFlight's chief executive officer, said in a prepared statement. "We were impressed by his commitment to his education. In fact, he works two jobs to cover the cost of his tuition and flight instruction." Angel MedFlight sponsors the scholarship through a partnership with the Arizona Business Aviation Association. The award includes $3,000 toward Cochran's tuition and a commemorative plaque. Cochran, who grew up in Maple Valley, Wash., 20 miles east of Seattle, said the scholarship will cover half of the cost of his commercial single-engine flight training at Embry-Riddle. He said he learned about the scholarship through the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, a general aviation advocacy group. Cochran has a promising career after he graduates, said Bill O'Hara, who chairs the flight department at Embry-Riddle and has known the student for two years. "He is always asking questions," O'Hara said. "He is going to be a five-star commercial pilot. He will probably be running his own business in five years. He is a top-drawer guy, and he is going to be successful no matter what field he enters."

Meeting with two wonderful pilots this week for 2 new columns. Flying a Nanchung, which is the Chinese version of the Russian Yak; and a Grumman Widgeon seaplane.

Now for some humor:

15 Differences between Airplanes and Women...

1) Airplanes usually kill you quickly - a woman takes her time.
2) Airplanes can be turned on by a flick of a switch.
3) Airplanes don't get mad if you do a "touch and go."
4) Airplanes don't object to a pre-flight inspection.
5) Airplanes come with manuals to explain their operation.
6) Airplanes have strict weight and balance limitations.
7) Airplanes can be flown any time of the month.
8) Airplanes don't come with in-laws.
9) Airplanes don't care about how many other airplanes you've flown
before.
10) Airplanes and pilots both arrive at the same time.
11) Airplanes don't mind if you look at other airplanes.
12) Airplanes don't mind if you buy airplane magazines.
13) Airplanes expect to be tied down.
14) Airplanes don't comment on your piloting skills.
15) Airplanes don't whine unless something is really wrong.

...and One Similarity

When airplanes go quiet, just like women, it's usually not a good sign.

A hilarious takeoff on Delta 502 that got lost going to Philadelphia.

FAA

WISHY WASHY?

I never thought these two words would go together in the same genre. For years when the FAA came out with a policy there were no exceptions. Oh my how things have changed.

The FAA now has two policies on crossing runways and who you communicate with. Some airports you stay on ground frequency for all runway crossings, and some airports you start on ground, monitor tower to get clearance to cross and then go back to ground. One has to always listen carefully to ATC instructions, but in this case standardization has left the building.

The FAA has just come out with a new policy on runway crossings. However numerous airports have been given exemptions from this policy. Again one has to listen to ATC carefully in any situation.

These policies are not conducive to safety which is what the FAA is supposed to be all about. We need to have standardization from the FAA.

SSI’s are a problem nationwide. This is special use airspace for sporting events. They include football and baseball stadiums along with major race car tracks. The problem is one cannot ascertain what time these SSI’s are in effect. If you look at the screen on your GPS they are always there. It is almost impossible to find out what time an event occurs and this airspace restriction is in effect. I have put in a request with AOPA to work on this so we can be better informed.

I had the pleasure of attending my first Phoenix Aviation Users Group (PAUG) meeting yesterday. This meeting is held quarterly and is run by Phoenix TRACON. Represented at the meeting were TRACON, all tower managers, Luke Airforce Base, Deer Valley Pilots Association, Arizona Pilots Association, Airport Managers, AFTW, AOPA and NBAA. It is a laid back informal meeting that deals with airspace issues in the Phoenix area. I must say that in all my aviation meetings that I have attended over the past 40 years this was one of the best. It is a group that gets things done. PAUG meets on a quarterly basis, and I am looking forward to attending my next meeting.

Video Up on Oshkosh EAA Air Adventure 2010

THIS JUST IN

INSIDERS SPILL BEANS AT PHX

Insiders tout the fact that if Art Fairbanks name wasn’t Fairbanks his resume for manager of DVT would not have been considered for over 5 seconds.

In retrospect Mr. Fairbanks is more qualified to lead DVT than Mr. Murphy is to lead Phoenix Aviation. Mr. Murphy came from the water department, and everyone knows that water and av fuel don’t go together. While Mr. Fairbanks came from Parks and Recreation, and the airport is kind of a park.

The word is that Mr. Fairbanks appointment came from the City Manager, to the Asst. City Manager, to the Aviation Director, to the Asst. Aviation Director and to the Asst.Asst. Aviation Director. No one had the cojones to say this isn’t right. I understand that all wanted to keep their jobs and probably had no choice.

This afternoon maybe Mr. Fairbanks can perform brain surgery at Barrows on his way home from work.