Complicated IFR clearances

August 19, 2009

Flew home this afternoon from San Carlos (SQL), and picked up my IFR clearance which surprised me with its complexity and mix of IFR and VFR items. The airport is located south of SFO, but it’s a pretty small airport with not much traffic, so I expected a pretty simple clearance with vectors to one of the nearby airways or VORs.   Weather was clear with some haze, so I guess that’s why they mixed in the VFR bits.

My notes:

SEE RWHD DIWTR H120 2MI V OSI V25 SNS V137 AVE FIL VFR 1100 TIL OAK 165 2/7/5 135.65 3204

Which means:

Cleared to Gillespie airport (KSEE), after departure fly runway heading until passing the diamond-shaped waterway, then fly heading 120 within 2 miles of the airport, vectors to Woodside VOR (OSI), then Victor 25 airway to Salinas (SNS), then Victor 137 airway to Avenal (AVE), then as filed. Maintain VFR altitude at or below 1100 feet until passing the Oakland (OAK) 165 radial, then maintain 2000 feet, expect 7000 feet five minutes after departure, departure frequency 135.65, squawk 3204.

The good news is I flew it without any SNAFUs.  So much more fun than dealing with the airlines!!

Anyone else getting interesting or complicated clearances lately?

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Posted by brianflys

Economy Got You Down? Go Flying!!

March 8, 2009

Who isn’t spooked by the news that’s hitting us every day it seems. Layoffs, closings, business failures. Even Eclipse Aviation, one of the most successful makers of the very light jet (at least for awhile), now going Chapter 7. If you do still have a job, you keep your head down, try to stay focused, make sure you are bringing maximum value to your company (even when you ARE the company).

But guess what, there is an escape from all this madness, if even for a short while. Usually measured in tenths of an hour. Flying. Yes, flying. Proved it again this weekend. Once I strapped into the cockpit and fired up the engine, the rest of the world, the economy, politics, all melted away. I focused on the one job of pilot in command.

Even better, once you lift off and get some altitude, you really do get the sense of perspective. Took my 4 new cylinders (another story for another time) on a little tour of the low desert, building those hours at 65-75% power to really seat the rings. At 5,000 feet, you can see the beauty of the landscape, feel the sense of speed, and see how tiny the human presence is on that open land. Just me and my plane, with the engine playing its smooth drone, and Jimmy Buffett playing through the intercom. The rest of life could wait for that couple of hours. I had that priceless perch to see the rest of the planet, truely above all the issues of the day.

Some call this “boring holes through the sky.” But to me it’s a vertical vacation, allows me to clear my head, soak up the view (and it is a great view, have you looked lately?).

So go flying. Make the time. Even if it’s only a short flight. Nice thing about our planes is they can quickly take you to a new landscape, a new view of your world. The rest of your life can wait a bit. You will return fresh, energized, even if a little lighter in the wallet!

This is the essence of being Hog Wild for Flying.
Cheers!

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Flying to Margaritaville!!

January 2, 2009

This is the kind of mid-day trip only possible by General Aviation.  As a Parrothead, I found it a perfect way to end 2008.  Flew from San Diego to Margaritaville for lunch!  That is, the Margaritaville Cafe in Glendale, Arizona, outside of Phoenix.  Good way to spend a mild Southwestern winter day.

margaritaville011

Ok, Jimmy Buffett wasn’t there that day.  But the cafe played the live Radio Margaritaville feed from the internet as well as video from various cafes and concert venues across the world.  And the place is laid out like a waterfront pier with booths created from fishing or dive boats.  Good food too.  I’ll be going back…

 margaritaville02

Cheers till next time!

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Posted by brianflys

Avgas Price Gouging? Yes!

November 28, 2008

Ok, I am convinced that someone is feasting on bloated avgas prices.  In a prior post, I noted the difference between the falling automobile/mogas prices compared to avgas prices that are stubbornly sticking near their all-time highs.  Other folks are noticing this as well, as reported in “Air Time with Carol Legg“.  

It has not gotten any better, in fact, it’s worse!  The gap between avgas and mogas is wider than it has ever been.  What is going on?  Who are lining their pockets with avgas profits?

Where is AOPA?  

This is a major flying cost issue for small GA operators.  Every AOPA member should be emailing AOPA and asking them to get involved in getting control of avgas prices!

Proof?  Topped off this week at KSEE after a local Southern California flight.  Self-serve 100LL was $4.59 per gallon, only a few cents a gallon cheaper than a month ago ($4.77).  Meanwhile, mogas is now widely selling for below $2.00 per gallon.  So I am paying far more, on a percentage basis, for each gallon of avgas.

Checked with the 100LL.com fuel price search, and it still shows all of the airports in the area with avgas prices well over $4.00 per gallon.  So there appears to be an organized effort to keep avgas high, at our expense.

Will I keep flying?  Absolutely!  But I’m going to keep watching avgas prices and KSEE will not seeing my business until prices come back to earth.

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TSA Damages Airliners! Another reason to Fly GA!

August 24, 2008

Here’s another reason to skip the airlines and fly General Aviation.  The next airliner you get on could be damaged and made unairworthy by none other than TSA!  I’ve previously written about the top 10 reasons to skip the airlines and fly yourself on general aviation.  But this new reason may save your life!

Yes, that’s right, TSA is now damaging airliners!  This week, an ignorant TSA inspector damaged and made unairworthy 9 airliners at Chicago O’Hare airport.  Nine aircraft damaged (fortunately this damage was discovered by observant pilots) and over 40 flights delayed while the damaged equipment was replaced.  Why was this done?  To see whether someone could get into the airplanes.  Not by steps and doors…but “spiderman” style. A TSA inspector used aircraft equipment as…monkey bars!…in an attempt to climb into the aircraft.  Keep in mind that TSA did not report the damage they caused, so what might have happened if they damaged equipment that was not discovered before the flight………?

tsa.jpg     =       

But of course, TSA was apologetic about this incredibly stupid act, disciplined the inspector, and said this would never happen again…..right?   WRONG!  Instead, they are defending the inspector, blaming the airline for lack of security (because by damaging the planes, they could get access to 7 aircraft).  Worse, although they have supposedly provided some additional training to its inspectors, TSA continues to encourage its inspectors to look for and exploit such “vulnerabilities”.  

So while you worry about the terrorist threat against air carrier travel…you now need to add the ignorant, self-righteous, virtually unregulated staff of the TSA.  Do you know who’s been climbing on and digging through the sensitive equipment on your airliner? 

Fly your own airplane and avoid this madness!  Cheers!

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Airventure 2008 at Oshkosh – Flightline Fun!

August 1, 2008

Short post today.  See my other posts from Airventure 2008 at Oshkosh: Find them here, here, here.

The flightline is very active (and the spectator area is very busy at airshow time.) Been here a good part of the week and finally starting to feel I’ve seen a good part of the show.  But there are still surprises, particularly when the shuttle buses take different routes and I discover new areas to visit!  Some of the sights on the flightline:

U-2 Spyplane

U-2 Spyplane

V-22 Osprey tilt-rotor

V-22 Osprey tilt-rotor

Jam-packed flightline. Weekend will be even more jammed.

Jam-packed flightline. Weekend will be even more jammed.

Also spent some “quality time” at the Seaplane Base, just south of the main Oshkosh airport.  This lagoon on Lake Winnebago is owned by a local farmer and airplanes only operate there for the week of Airventure. Shady and compact, but quite busy little area.  I highly recommend spending some time there.

Seaplane Base at Oshkosh

Seaplane Base at Oshkosh

One of the latest things at Oshkosh is the “Fly-In Theater” where they are playing aviation-themed movies every night (tonight is “Broken Arrow“, starring (and the film introduced by) John Travolta.  I’ll avoid DMCA concerns and only show the 5-story inflatable screen they use for the movies.  Very cool, actually.  Even free popcorn!

Fly-In Theater screen at Airventure 2008
Fly-In Theater screen at Airventure 2008

I’ve been posting using my EVDO wireless card, so cannot upload large files like video.  When I get back to an area with real high speed access, I’ll work on posting some sample videos on YouTube.

Cheers!

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Airventure 2008 at Oshkosh – It’s About Planes!

July 30, 2008

Lots of time (and miles) in the last couple of days looking at planes at Airventure 2008 at Oshkosh.  I can believe there are 10,000 planes here.

First two Airventure 2008 installments are here and here.

Here’s a TINY sample of what I saw that struck my eye, anyway.

RVs.  Not recreation vehicles, but homebuilt aircraft from kits by Vans Aircraft.  Hundreds, maybe a thousand of them!  The largest is the RV-10 a relatively new 4-seater.  And there were rows and rows of just RV-10s; some unpainted and looking like they just finished the last rivet, and others looking pristine in perfect paint, avionics and interiors.

 

Yeah, there are a huge number of the other kind of RVs (land-yachts) at Airventure too. But you can see them anywhere.

How about the Boeing Dreamlifter.  This is one big damn airplane, filling Aeroshell Square the days it was at the show.

The Red Bull Helicopter, used on the worldwide circuit of the Red Bull Airraces, putting on amazing displays of aerobatics that virtually no other copter can attempt.

Rows and rows of virtually any kind of airplane. From warbirds like P-51s.  More than you could imagine. And civilian aircraft; not just current planes, but classics like the Cessna 195.  Again, rows and rows of them.  Almost all in pristine condition too. 

  

How about your own personal Jetson jetpack?  That is, a Martin Jet Pack.  Flew for a couple of minutes (up to 6 ft high, and tethered per FAA requirements). Only $100K for your very own.

More weird stuff. And haven’t even gotten to the Fly Market yet!  Saw this PETA nightmare of a prop cover. The vendor was selling airplane floats, but the “prop-pelts” sure drew some attention.

Finally, tons of formation flying (interested in this because I’ve started formation training, maybe to participate at OSH next year).  Lots of formations.  Warbirds (US and overseas aircraft) and warbird wannabees (apparently RVs love formation flying…)  Some better than others.  So much formation flying (good and not-so-good) that it would fill its own DVD.  

More soon.  Cheers!

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Posted by brianflys

Oshkosh: New Front Vents/Airboxes for Grummans

July 29, 2008

Hi Grumman owners, pilots, and fans!  At Airventure 2008 (Oshkosh) today, there was a forum for Grumman owners hosted by Greg Erikson, that included an update from Kevin Lancaster of True Flight Aerospace and a maintenance presentation led by John Sjaardema of Excel-Air Services.  Also an update on a couple of Grumman STC projects such as his new cowling by Gary Vogt of AUCounty Aviation. 

Kevin was able to get an exhibit spot at Oshkosh (#52) so be sure and visit if you are planning to attend Airventure.  He provided an update on Tiger production, with installation of production lines into their building scheduled to start in a couple of weeks.

True Flight Aerospace at Airventure 2008

True Flight Aerospace at Airventure 2008

After discussing some serious potential maintenance issues with our aging Grumman airplanes, John displayed a couple of new items related to the front air vents (where you currently have those vintage, usually broken, automobile design louvered vent openings). He has a replacement vent insert that includes 2 eyeball vents that pop right into existing opening. John said the price was about $80 for a set of pilot and copilot sides.  Contact him if you want them.

More interesting is a prototype John has developed that replaces the entire air vent plenum box on each side below the instrument panel.  This is still a prototype and John wants to know if there is interest among Grumman owners to purchase these replacement vent boxes.  Here’s a shot of the prototype hot off the Oshkosh forum today:

What is pictured is a right-hand side vent with the narrow end that matches up with the ventilation opening in the fuselage.  It will have two eyeball vents as shown that close tightly (for you cold-weather pilots).  This lightweight design will just snap into place beneath the outer edges of the instrument panel. And it opens up the area below the instrument panel for more leg room or for you and your A&P to install a supplemental panel for switches or instruments that people are now installing in the air plemun boxes (and subject to dirt and moisture).  If you are interested in these new boxes, contact John directly at his website above, or leave a message on the AYA Maintenance Forum, or use the Grumman Gang email system to make your thoughts known.

Thanks, John for this innovation.  Also thanks to Kevin, Gary, Erik, and all the folks who participated in the forum today.

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Posted by brianflys

Airventure 2008 at Oshkosh – Hog Wild for Flying!

July 27, 2008

Arrival day at AIRVENTURE 2008, Sunday July 27!!  Or, simply, “Oshkosh”.  Thank you, EAA! This truly is the spirit of “Hog Wild for Flying!  500,000 people and 10,000 airplanes in one week at one airport. Awesome!

Airventure 2008 at Oshkosh!

Airventure 2008 at Oshkosh!

More after the break:

Read the rest of this entry »

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Posted by brianflys

Skip Airlines — Fly General Aviation! Top 10 Reasons

June 21, 2008

Have to fly the airlines to get to your work destination?  Or perhaps to a vacation spot?  Well, prepare yourself for a system that has steadily become one of the worst experiences imaginable. 

But there is an option. General Aviation. Smaller planes that you can fly yourself or hire as a charter.  This isn’t just for the corporate elite or the rich and famous.  Ironically, the changes in the airline industry are making General Aviation more and more an attractive option.

“GA Serving America” describes some advantages of using GA aircraft compared to the airlines.  With the changes in the economy and the airline system, we can update this.  Here are my top 10 reasons for skipping the airlines and flying by general aviation.

10.  You are responsible for your flight (or work with a motivated charter crew). You have control over the flight, even if just working with a polite, responsive charter crew. No pilots cancelling flights because they are “too upset to fly”. No surly airline flight and cabin crew. You have to feel for them, though. They are suffering through reduced salaries and benefits, loss of job security, and overloaded flights full of delayed, abused, and frustrated passengers. 

9.  Best seats on the plane.  Usually every seat is a window seat and as the pilot, you have the very best seat on the house, with a grand view of the entire flight.  Fly a charter and you not be subjected to a middle seat.  As part of the growing ala-carte (lack of) service program, airlines are going to charge you a premium for aisle and window seats; up to $15 (so far…) over your base ticket price! And cell phones on flights may be in the future if the airlines can find a way to charge to use them!  Avoid this nonsense by flying yourself.

Read the rest of this entry »

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Posted by brianflys

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