In Flight USA Article Categories
In Flight USA Articles
The Story of Aviation Pioneer James Herman Banning
By Louisa Jaggar and Pat Smith
Have you ever heard of James Herman Banning? If you have, you are unusual. Most people know Lindbergh and Earhart, but Banning, for the most part, has escaped the history books. Why? Because he was African American and in the 1920s the mainstream press didn’t write about African American aviators. He was the first African American to fly across the continental United States, and many believe he was the first to receive a United States issued pilot’s license.
Almost 70 years from the time of Banning’s death, Pat Smith was researching aviation heroes from Oklahoma for National Geographic’s Celebration of 100 Years of Flight. She found an aviation history file and pulled out a short news clip that mentioned Banning. She saved it because it peaked her interest and she wanted to know more about him. About two years later, she mentioned him to me. Together, we decided to write the story of his life for young adults.
Editorial: It Would Have Been a Good One
By Ed Downs
A funny thing happened on the way to this month’s editorial view. The topic was going to be a treaties on words buried in the text of Title 49 of the United States Code of Federal Law. Title 49 deals with transportation in the U.S. and defines the fundamental responsibilities of the FAA. Within Title 49 is the Code of Federal Regulations Title 14, known by us aviators as the Federal Aviation Regulations. Title 49 contains five basic mandates with which the FAA must comply, including the need to “protect the right to navigable airspace.” Yes, flying in the U.S. is a right, not a privilege. Not all “rights” in this country are contained in the Constitution’s “Bill of Rights.” Many are buried deep within millions of legislative legal words, often lost and alone. The danger to aviators, and many others, is that these rights can be quickly, almost secretly, taken away by amendments added to almost any legislation working its way through congressional committees. This month’s rant was going to warn readers of just how important it is to actively support and understand this “right to fly,” remembering that the United States is the only country in the world that views their airspace in this manner. Then this writer’s cell phone lit up.
US Aviation Sponsors Travelling Forums
Bush Pilots: Where did they come from? And, where are they now?
By Alan Smith
A Curtiss JN-3 in military colors. These were among the earliest bush aircraft. (Courtesy of the San Diego Air & Space Museum Archive) When mot people think of “Bush Pilots” most of them think of Alaska and northern Canada. In fact there are bush pilots around the world, carrying things like food, fuel, medical supplies and (courageous) passengers. The term basically means a pilot that may depart from an airport but has no airport, runway, or landing strip at his destination. They fly airplanes equipped with larger tires suitable for landing on rough ground, floats for landing on lakes or rivers and sometimes with amphibious floats that make landing on the ground or on the water possible.
Where did this aviation specialty come from? It is generally thought that this kind of flying began shortly after the end of World War I in South Africa. The African “Bush” simply described any wilderness outside the then growing cities of the region. Some highly valued mining had begun in parts of the African countryside (Diamonds and precious metals) and those operators were in constant need of supplies. Strings of burros proved to be far too slow, and the recently developed airplane was much faster and therefore more attractive (though more expensive) than the plod of hooves through the bush country to various growing industrial projects. Some of the earliest bush planes were Curtiss JN-3 and JN-4 “Jennys.” More than 5,000 of these were built after 1917 for various nations. Most were for the United States military, but many went to nations of the world and to the early bush pilots of South Africa.
Paine Field Aviation Day, May 19
Behind the scenes: Air Show Audio
By Clark Cook
for the Blue Angels narrator at the 2011 Lemoore Air Show. (Clark Cook)As the National Anthem is sung, all eyes are skyward as the jumper carries our nation’s colors towards the ground at airshow center. For the team at Air Show Audio, this is a critical moment in which they are prepared and ready to act in case of a malfunction in the sound system.
Air Show Audio’s motto is the “Can Do” Attitude and it certainly lives up to its name. Long before most of the performers and static displays arrive, the dedicated crew is already meticulously setting up and running sound checks. Air Show Audio utilizes a transport trailer which doubles as an observation platform for the announcer, air boss, FAA and any other essential personnel. The inside of the trailer also serves as an office for the soundboard operator. Besides providing high quality audio at airshows, Air Show Audio serves as a communications center.
Goodies and Gadgets - May 2012
BrightLine Bags New Modular “Flex System” Flight Bags
BrightLine Bags, Inc. has announced an entirely new modular flight bag system to replace its current market-leading flight bag design. The new product line, called “The FLEX System,” starts with the basic modular design concept that made the current BrightLine Bags flight bag so popular and then takes that same innovation and thoughtful engineering to a whole new level by creating an entire system that now contains five different-sized interchangeable modules, a front and rear end cap, and a collection of four interchangeable external pockets. The result is that for the first time, every individual pilot can create a customized bag that is the exact size and has the exact functionality he or she wants, according to the needs of their next flight.
Wings, Wheels & Warriors Airshow May 12
Hawker Beechcraft Receives Court Approval of First-Day Motions
NTSB Announces General Aviation Safety Forum
Wathen Center Educates for the Future
By David Gustafson
The Flabob Airport Preparatory Academy hosts middle and high school students.Recognizing that a million professional pilots and A&P mechanics are going to be needed over the next 20 years, the Wathen Center, which is headquartered at historic Flabob Airport in Riverside, Calif. has initiated planning to train young men and women for those professions. The Center already has a successful middle and high school program on its grounds and is moving rapidly to establish the A&P program, while upgrading its flight training operations.
Falling in Love with a Cassutt, Part II
By Steve Weaver
Steve Weaver in the early ’70s with his Cassutt. (Photo provided by Steve Weaver)To anyone who has been stranded, immobile and silent on the side of a busy interstate, the whoosh of passing cars and the blasts of air from speeding tractor trailers rocking your vehicle is familiar. You sit in your crippled automobile on the verge and you change not a whit the traffic that ignores you and continues on its way. I can tell you though, when the stalled vehicle is an airplane, things change completely. Apparently, jaded though the public is, the sight of an airplane beside a busy road is enough to stop traffic. Within minutes multiple cars and trucks had stopped and I had dispatched one volunteer to phone the airport and tell my friend Jake to come to my aid.
In twenty minutes or so Jake arrived, a wide smile plastered on his face. Thankfully, with the cell phone still an invention of the far future, the police had not also appeared, and we began to noodle the problem of getting the airplane back into the air.
Red Bull Stratos – Successful First Manned Test Jump From an Altitude of 13.5 Miles
Falling in love with a Cassutt
Steve Weaver in the early 70s with his speedy Cassutt. (Courtesy of Steve Weaver)By Steve Weaver
In the summer of 1974 I was operating a Flying Service in the northern part of West Virginia. My days were full to overflowing as I jumped between management duties and flying, managing the bustling FBO when I could and flying when I was needed to fill-in for the other pilots.
The charter business was booming at that time and many of my days (and nights) were spent flying businessmen and freight all over the Eastern part of the US in the Navajo, the Seneca and the Aztecs that we operated for hire. During one such trip to a small airport in the Eastern section of Pennsylvania, an ad on the office bulletin board caught my eye.
“For Sale, 1937 J-2 Cub”, the sign said. I owned a 1939 J-3 at the time, but I’d always been curious about the earlier Cubs that used the 40 horse power Continental engines. I inquired about it from the lady running the little airport, and she stated that it had been her deceased husband’s airplane and she wanted to sell it to make room in the hangar.
Editorial: DO Sweat the Small Stuff
By Ed Downs
We have all heard the old standby, “don’t sweat the small stuff.” Typically, that advice is given when one needs to keep focused on the final outcome of a big issue. The general belief is that if one takes care of the big issues, the small ones will resolve themselves. A recent conversation, however, has caused this writer to rethink that sage advice. My past editorials have expressed concern that our current national leadership is openly hostile towards private aviation, both personal and business.
For example, this editorial section, and virtually every editorial section of all aviation magazines, have addressed the proposed “per flight” user fees. While engaged in a discussion regarding these fees, the comment was made, “what makes you think private aviation is being treated in a hostile manner other than simply asking rich guys to pay their fair share?” This writer was caused to pause and think. The suggested user fee tends to be a rallying point for those who support aviation, but is that the only issue? Intuitively, I felt safe in the views expressed in these pages, but was I working on facts, or gut feelings brought about by personal political preferences. What is it that has this writer so concerned about the future of our industry?
Adventure House Unearths a Great Aviation Series from the Pulp Era
By Mark Rhodes
The pulps of the 30s and 40s are a rich (though somewhat forgotten) treasure trove of American storytelling not necessarily at its best, but maybe at its most memorable and original. Memorable and even immortal characters sprang from the pages of these publications such as Tarzan (100 years old this year) as well as Doc Savage, The Avenger and The Shadow.
Less well known, but equally memorable was the series G-8 and His Battle Aces. This series was penned by Robert Hogan and had an impressive 110-issue run from 1933 to 1944. G-8 does not have the name recognition other pulp stalwarts like The Shadow might have even today; but he was a unique character in his own right. Other popular pulp characters such as Doc Savage and The Avenger were “Renaissance Men on Steroids” having multiple world-class talents like Physician, Scientist, Inventors, Athletes and so on. G-8 was a supernaturally talented aviator and spy but he did not have the extraneous talents or limitless bank accounts of the playboy/vigilantes like The Shadow. Interestingly enough, author Hogan was a fairly accomplished aviator having been an air cadet in the First World War and also having worked as a demonstration pilot for Curtis Wright. The Depression saw Hogan lose his job and helped pave the way for his career as an author.
Brazil is the Leader in South American Aviation
By Alan Smith
Embraer 190 with Lufthansa. (Mario Ferioli)As the largest nation in South America, Brazil covers nearly half the continent with a population of 201,103,330. It is just a bit smaller than the United States. Brazil’s largest cities are Sao Paolo, Rio De Janeiro, and Recife in the north. Recife has steel mills near the mouth of the Amazon, and Sao Paolo is the business and financial center in the southeast. The capital, built mostly during the 50s, is Brasilia located inland in the highlands. Brazil is bordered by every South American nation except Chile and Equador.
The Pylon Place - April 2012
Secret Pete Law
By Marilyn Dash
Pete Law tells his tales for the NAG membership.Last month, the attendees of the National Air Racing Group’s annual meeting had a real treat in the form of guest speaker, Secret Pete Law. The aviation engineer has helped nearly every winning unlimited racer and even some sport racers along his amazing career path.
Starting in 1959 at Lockheed when Law worked on the F104 program he was immediately identified as someone worth knowing, and quickly recruited by Ben Rich to join Lockheed Skunk Works. To be brief, Pete is a specialist in heat transfer and systems. Commonly referred to as “ADI” in the air racing community, it is much more than that.
ADI stands for Anti Detonation Injection. Detonation occurs when a fuel/air charge within a cylinder ignites by something other than the sparkplug. The flame front in the burning charge collides with the flame front initiated by the sparkplug. Where this collision occurs, the pressure rises much higher than would normally occur when the cylinder is firing properly. The added pressure has a runaway effect, causing the fuel/air in that zone to burn so rapidly as to appear to detonate. The pressure spike caused by this can damage pistons, valves, connecting rods, etc.
Goodies and Gadgets - April 2012
Grime-Off General Aviation Cleaning Products
Check out this new line of 100% biodegradable cleaning products which are ideal for general aviation aircraft. Certified to Boeing Standard D-6 for commercial aircraft, Grime Off Aviation products are mean, green, and made to clean. The product line includes Exterior Wash, Surface Cleaning Spray & Wipes, Windshield Cleaning Spray & Wipes, Grime Off Heavy Duty Degreaser, LubFix lubricant, Shield it rust and corrosion protection, Simply Soy cleaner/lubricant, Green Carpet carpet and upholstery cleaner, Bolt Off rust and corrosion remover, Brake Cleaner, and Gas Off wipes for removing fuel smells from hands and clothing. Made in the USA, the Grime Off family of 100 percent green products are perfect for keeping all types and sizes of aircraft looking like new.
Grimo-Off products are available at Aircraft Spruce. Call 1-877-4SPRUCE or (951)372-9555 or visit the website at www.aircraftspruce.com.
The Red Hawks
U.S. Navy’s Premiere Advanced Training Squadron
By Russ Albertson
Lieutenant Junior Grade Wes Tanner breaks away from us landing at NAS Kingsville. (Russ Albertson)VT-21, the “Red Hawks,” is one of the US Navy’s premiere advanced training squadrons, located at NAS Kingsville in southern Texas. Along with VT-22, this base is home to Training Air Wing 2 and provides advanced jet training for new Navy and Marine Aviators.
VT-21 has its roots in training squadron ATU-202, which was established in 1951 flying the Grumman F-6F Hellcat. ATU-202 was designated VT-21 in 1960 and since then the squadron has operated the Grumman F-9F Panther, Grumman F-9F8 Cougar, and the Douglas TA-4J Skyhawk.
Presently the Red Hawks, along with VT-22, operate approximately 107 McDonnell Douglas/ British Aerospace T-45 Goshawks at NAS Kingsville. The Goshawk was chosen to replace the aging Rockwell T-2 Buckeye and the Douglas TA-4 Skyhawk. The T-45 is a British designed aircraft based on the Hawker Siddeley Hawk that was first flown in 1974 as an advanced jet trainer for the Royal Air Force. In 1977, Hawker Siddeley merged with British Aerospace and continues to produce the Hawk.