Tires? What do they do for us and how can we ensure that we will be safe with the use of them? Do we need to make that first turn off or practice short field landings with excessive braking as we would with a real sort field situation? What part of the runway do you land on?

Tires should last about 100 to 200 hours depending on the type of use. Normal wear is even wearing around the tire or wear on one side due to the canter of tire.

Proper inflation is important both for safety and shock absorption. Have you ever thought what would happen if one of those tires went flat at the point of landing? At 60 knots it might be a problem.

What are we trying to prove by making the first the first turn off? Are we trying to impress the tower, the person on the bench, other pilots or trying to expedite for some one who has not afforded himself sufficient room? Is it worth hard braking and chancing a blow out?

I have 6 flat tire member observations that I am working on where the tire is burned to the cord. This can only mean that someone has locked up the brakes for some reason. Unlike automotive tires, aircraft tires are so soft they will blow out if locked up even once. These pilots have endangered themselves; cost themselves the cost of the tire and labor to put it on. It has cost the owner lost revenue.

What place on the runway should we touch down on? The first 1/3. Why? It precludes the need to use brakes to stop and allows us to do aerodynamic slow down instead.

The moral of this is land in the first one third of the runway. After landing you are doing only two things: holding centerline and slowing to a safe taxi speed. Only once these have been achieved should you start looking for the runway exit. Give yourself sufficient time to dissipate your speed and take whatever turn off is next.

The person’s lack of planning behind you is not your emergency. The towers lack of planning is not your emergency.

Don’t let your high or fast approach become an emergency. One may always do a go around and prepare better for the next one. Landing long or turning off at the first taxi way is not the best procedure. Plan ahead! Fly safely!

The consequences include a $2,500 insurance deductible, some remediation training, and writing this note to you all so that as much good as possible can come of this event. I think the club’s been reasonable, fair, and understanding, but the whole incident was unfortunate.

So let’s tally up the “would’ves, could’ves, should’ves:”

• I did not have to park in the far corner, there were plenty of open spots free of obstructions;
• I should have followed club policy and pushed back into place, not taxiied;
• I should have been extra vigilant in an unfamiliar environment, especially at night;
• I should have been paying equal attention to both wingtips as I taxiied around;
• I could have used my flashlight to clear the entire area of obstructions; and
• I should not have let down my concentration until the flight was truly over.

Club members will be reimbursed for fuel (plus fuel taxes) that are purchased for Club aircraft. You must provide the original receipts; credit card statements for the charge will only be accepted if the fuel machine did not print a receipt.

The following information must be included on each gas tag:

• Your WVFC member number
• N-number of the aircraft
• Date of the fuel purchase. (Receipts submitted more than 60 days after the rental period will not be reimbursed.)
• Number of gallons purchased

WVFC is pleased to be adding an elegant Trinidad to our rental line. For those of you who are not familiar with this airplane, it is a fantastic high performance, 4 place single. Some of the basic attributes of the type include:

• 50 horsepower Lycoming IO-540
• High speed cruise of 154Kts
• 4 place interior (more like a recent model car interior than most GA planes)
• Retractable gear
• Outstanding useful load

The aircraft we’re adding to the line (N52JG) has a custom paint job, 4 place leather interior and an outstanding set of avionics, including an IFR approved GPS. A partial list of the avionics and features of this aircraft include:

Avionics

• S-TEC 60-2 Autopilot system featuring altitude hold, couplers to heading and nav source (GPS, ILS, VOT, Backcourse).
• S-TEC 140 Altitude/Vertical speed preselect
• Complete Bendix/King Avionics stack including a KCS-55A Slaved HSI and a KLN-89B GPS (Certified for IFR Approaches)
• WX-1000 Stormscope
• 4 Place Intercom

Other Features

• Custom Light Grey Base over White Base with Red trim stripes (January 1996)
• Deluxe four place interior featuring Grey leather seats and Grey and Black weave carpet (January 1996)
• 3 Blade McCauley Black Mac Propeller

This plane carries the same checkout requirements as our other high performance singles:

• Total time: 200 hours
• Retractable time: 25 hours
• Time in Model: 10 hours or a 5 hour minimum checkout

Attention club members! Sharpen (and show off) your landing skills! Come out and mix it up at South County airport on Saturday, October 13th. Only the best landings will win!

The Pilot Categories are:

1. Student Pilot (with appropriate endorsements)
2. Private Pilot with less than 500 hours
3. Unlimited (any WVFC member, including instructors)