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In Flight USA Articles
Editorial: The End of U.S. Manned Space Exploration?
By Ed Downs
Readers of my regular “Sport Pilot” column may wonder why a guy who flies around in little LSAs has anything to say about the end of America’s manned space program. Obviously, given an aviation career that exceeds 55 years means that not all of my flying was in LSAs, and I have been around long enough to have strong feelings about a program that held personal importance to me and millions of others. Allow this writer a few moments to share some observations and thoughts. I have a hunch that many others will share some of the views I express. Perhaps reading my cut on the surrender of America’s leadership in manned space exploration will help you take the next step necessary to get our country off the downward trend we now see in our national commitment to science and engineering.
Manned space flight is an American tradition. Kids in the 1930s and 40s absolutely knew that Buck Rogers and Flash Gordon were Americans. Early television confirmed that Buzz Corey and Tom Corbett-Space Cadet were Americans through and through. Space articles in Colliers Magazine confidently announced that space travel was possible; even if they were inspired by WWII German scientists. The early 50s saw the Colliers series compiled into the classic book, Across the Space Frontier, an accurate blueprint for America’s moon program. Georg Pal did not use a rented Russian rocket when his heroes in the classic motion picture, Destination Moon, reached out to warn America that we were losing the technological race. Junior rocket clubs formed to construct flying rockets that were not made with the store-bought engines that we see today, but straight from books dedicated to the science of rocketry that were guaranteed to set your bedroom on fire, if improperly handled. The launch of Russia’s Sputnik 1 on Oct. 4, 1957 lit a fuse under Americans that has strongly flourished, up until now. Astrophysics and astronomy became the passion of high school students, as they made college choices. Science and engineering became a passion that spread nationwide, as America geared up for the greatest challenge technology had ever undertaken. As Americans struggled with a weak economy and political uncertainties, a young president threw down a gauntlet that changed the soul of our nation, forever.
Tips from the Pros - April 2011
Emergency Maneuver and Unusual Attitude Training, WHY?
By Judy Phelps, Master CFI-A
CFII Vice President, CP Aviation, Inc.
“2011 National CFI of the Year”
Judy Phelps of CP AviatioEmergency Maneuver and Unusual Attitude Training is a must for all pilots. As a new pilot it was this very training that took the fear out of flying and gave me a new sense of comfort that I hadn’t experienced before in an airplane.
I absolutely hated stalls and was terrified of the thought of doing one by myself. Could this be you? If so, you need to learn about and explore the unknown. Even if you have no fear, every pilot can benefit from experiencing spin entries and recoveries. Equally important is being turned upside down in an airplane and recovering from the unusual attitude.
Although Emergency Maneuver and aerobatic training go together, a majority of the pilots I train come with the same purpose and that is to gain confidence. Many however become hooked with their new found freedom and continue with basic aerobatics.
Light Sport Flying With In Flight USA - April 2011
Sport Pilots and Flight Planning
By Ed Downs
Is there something different about a shiny, new Sport Pilot planning a cross country flight and what we might expect to see from a typical pilot coming out of the pre-GPS world that preceded the late 1990s? It is possible that there is, and pre 90s aviators might be able to learn a thing or two.
As spring fights its way into existence to end a long, cold winter, many are planning flying trips to a variety of business or recreational locations. A lot of aircraft owners are beginning to realize that their passion for recreational flying may dribble over into the more mundane transportation needs for which they have used the airlines in the past. Policy and pricing changes within the airline industry have become increasingly customer hostile, service to cities other than major hubs has been further reduced, and the TCA continues to add significant inconveniences to the travel experience. The fact is, point-to-point travel time for most trips of less than 600 miles is significantly less in the typical S-LSA than by modern airliner. The bottom line is that many more folks will turn to their recreational hobby planes for day-to-day travel needs.
Light Sport Flying with In Flight USA - March 2011
LSA’s and Insurance
By Ed Downs
Wow, you really are a devoted aviation buff! The title of this column included the word “Insurance” and you are still reading! To be sure, most readers will have had some reason to deal with insurance of some kind, sometimes leading to lawyers, lawsuits and other unpleasantries that are anything but “entertaining reading.” As an aviation professional that is now working his second half century stint in the business, this writer has certainly seen the good, the bad and the ugly of insurance. That is why I called long time friend and advertiser, Lee Duncan (Aircraft Insurance Agency of Waxahachie, TX) the other day to play “insurance catch-up.”
A Flight Down Memory Lane
By Steve Weaver
I was thinking during a flight the other day, as I watched the little airplane that represented my position over the planet earth, skimming over the towns, roads and other conveniently-identified objects on the GPS moving map, that navigation isn’t as much fun as it once was. Pilots who have cut their teeth on VOR, Loran and now GPS navigation must find it hard to imagine finding their way across the country with only a map and a watch, and nothing to back up those humble aids. It can be done, and many of us who wouldn’t dream of describing ourselves as “Old Timers” have done it, for hours and hours and miles and miles.
Cessna Skycatcher
(Photo courtesy of Cessna Aircraft)Exclusive Pilot Report
By Ed Downs
Sometimes you are asked a question that has an answer so obvious that you wonder why it was even asked. You know, kind of like, “would you like to win the lottery?” This writer got one of those questions a short time ago.
As a member of the team that developed the ASTM certification process and Sport Pilot infrastructure, this writer was very pleased to see Cessna enter the S-LSA business. Cessna is truly the 800 lb gorilla in a room full of S-LSA manufacturers and has the dealer/flight training network in place to launch Sport Pilot in a big way. The Cessna 162 Skycatcher immediately caught my attention, and thus began a two year effort to conduct interviews with Cessna staff and management for the purpose of writing an article concerning what Cessna thought about the ASTM process versus the wonders of FAR 23. Recent conversations with the ever courteous Cessna PR folks resulted in the question referenced above. “Ed,” asked Angela Baldwin, Manager of Media Relations, “would you like to meet with Kirby Ortega, Cessna’s Chief Pilot of Piston Engine Flight Operations, and undertake an evaluation flight in the Cessna Skycatcher?” This writer, waiting a cool nanosecond so as not to seem overly anxious, calmly replied, “YES!”
New to Flying?
By Ed Downs
Let’s assume the reader of this month’s column is not an aviator, but would like to be. Perhaps you are a pilot and know of a friend who would like to learn to fly, but just can’t afford it. Is a Sport Pilot certificate really worth looking into? Would it be better to simply wait until you can get into private pilot training and be a “real pilot?” You have a lot of company if those questions are floating around your enthusiastic, but confused head.