I would like to thank everyone for the feedback regarding Helicopter instruction as well as the questions regarding why you joined the Club. Unfortunately, it looks like the Helicopter deal will have to be put on hold until we find another way of incorporating it in the Club. As far as the other feedback it looks like the most popular reasons for joining WVFC were as follows:

1. Quality of instruction
2. Size of the fleet
3. Variety of the fleet
4. Location of the operations
5. Word of mouth reputation

Member observations:
Door left unlocked x 2; Spirited debate at the front desk; Scratches on the wing; Failure to secure at the ninety degree point, adjacent to parking, 180 degree turn then taxi out of parking.

Incidents:
Bugs in the Pitot tube caused speed issue, which caused hard landing. Damage to another plane’s tail cone.

A complete preflight is necessary to a safe flight, and less costly to your pocket book! Also, a careful post flight will eliminate some of the above errors.

For those interested in a new, fast, and fun plane, we now have a Cirrus SR22 on the line. It is fast and slippery. We have been very diligent in the Instructor checkouts and are ready for all comers. Great plane, great fun. We also expect to be getting an SR 20 in the near future. Come down and see if these are the planes for you.

Sometime about 15 years ago I passed the magic 1500 hours required for the Airline Transport Pilot rating. So, I grabbed part 135 and started studying. Approximately 10 minutes later, I was asleep. I’m pretty sure when these pages are printed, they are soaked in ether. Opening the book results in an immediate face-plant. Yes, the material is important, but did lawyers have to write it? So, last year I decided to stop procrastinating and took the ATP written, which started the clock. I had to take the flight test within two years, or I’d have to retake the written.

Over the next several months I used the occasional opportunity to try flying the Pilatus, or other airplanes to ATP standards – such things as a maximum of 1/4 scale deflection on localizer and glideslope. This equals about 200 feet sideways and about 14 feet vertically at the business end of an ILS. In addition, you have to hold non-precision approach Minimum Descent Altitudes within plus 50 feet, and minus zero feet. I figured when I could reliably hold those tolerances, I’d go for the ATP rating.

About 10 months later, with virtually no progress, I decided to enroll in a course that would allow me to earn both an ATP and a Cessna Citation type rating at the same time, and then work really hard in the simulator to get my technique down.

After about 5 one-hour sessions in the sim, there was no conclusive evidence that I knew anything about flying in general, or instrument flight in particular. Another 5 hours and I actually held an ILS to minimums within the standards. I also lost about a quart of sweat per hour.

I chose to work on the ATP at Flight Crew Systems in Carlsbad, CA for a variety of reasons. First, I wanted to get some actual hands-on jet time – impossible at most simulator-based training sites unless you bring your own Citation. Second, the cost for the course was about a third of what many folks charge for their simulator-based training, and the course was about half as long. When you’re paying for the training yourself, price is a consideration. Better yet, value is the consideration, and that’s what they provide – an excellent, experienced staff, an accelerated course, and a real airplane.

The general course structure is two days of systems, with quizzes each day, a day of procedures for each of the required maneuvers, and Crew Resource Management, followed by the simulator (not Citation specific, yet – the full-motion Citation simulator is due in a couple of months.) They use the simulator quite effectively for three things: 1) they make sure your instrument technique is up to standards, 2) you get familiar with the local approaches, and 3) they drill you on the correct CRM call outs and procedures.

Then there is one session in the actual airplane followed by the checkride. If I’d been half smart, I would have figured out that a total of 3 hours of flight-time divided among the training and the flight check leaves enough time to do each maneuver once in practice, and once with the Designated Examiner. Pretty clearly, this doesn’t allow one to become very familiar with the feel of the plane, and how much to push, pull, or turn to get the plane where and when you want.

The ride, however, is a bit different from every other flight check I’ve ever taken. First, the resulting type rating allows the pilot to fly only with a qualified Second in Command. Second, the instructor sits in the right seat and performs CRM crew-related functions, and “all” the pilot needs to do is keep the needles centered.

In the CRM functions, the instructor provides timely observations that help the pilot stay within the required performance standards. The Flight Instructor, Roger Nutter, has gaggles of flight time, including many hours in Citations and other jets. Much of the cockpit conversation is of the form, “Altitude, Captain,” and loads of commentary about where we are with respect to the localizer or glideslope. For example, once Roger called “On glideslope; On Localizer.” Actually, that happened more than once, but the other calls were more frequent. These conversations even took place on the check-ride. Here’s a loose translation of those one-sided conversations:

“Altitude, Captain” - - - This is a note that you’re getting 25 to 50 feet off altitude when the tolerance is 100 feet.

“Watch your altitude, Captain!” - - - If you have any desire to pass this checkride, you’ll get the pitch under control, and get back to altitude.

“On glideslope, Captain” or “On localizer, Captain” - - - Null program, no action required – in fact, if you do anything, you’re likely to bust it wide open.

“Above glideslope, Captain” - - - You’re about 1/3 to 1/2 dot above the glide slope.

“Below glideslope, Captain” - - - Although this seems similar to the one above, the exact translation is, “Refer to 61.129(e)(2); you’re violating the FARs,” which states that a large or turbine powered airplane must remain at or above the glideslope, not below it.

“Vref plus 10, Captain” - - - You’re exactly where you want to be now, but slow to Vref as you go over the fence.

“Vref plus 30, Captain” - - - When I asked you to land on the numbers, I meant the ones at this end of the runway.

At this point you may think the “Captain” part of this really doesn’t mean much. After all, Roger is doing most of the work – radios, heading bugs, nav needles, and all the calls I’ve just talked about. On the other hand, he didn’t seem to be sweating nearly as much as I was. There were two particularly powerful uses of “Captain.” The first was in the following context:

“Still left of localizer, [pause] [pause] Captain” - - - Although I verified the other calls and interpretations, I didn’t talk to Roger about this one, but I’m pretty sure the translation is: “My 90 year old aunt can hold the localizer better than that, and she’s never been in an airplane.”

The second powerful use of “Captain” came after the checkride: “Congratulations, Captain.” - - - No translation necessary.

However, as they explained at class, the hard part is finding an empty pilot seat in which to use the rating. Know anyone who needs a freshly minted Citation Pilot?

July was packed with activities, most with full attendance. We had a Class Bravo Transition Clinic with a group lunch in Petaluma; Acrobatic Seminar; and the Catalina Fly-In. Below we have the highlights from last month and the schedule for August. Be sure to check the club calendar (http://www.wvfc.org/b/calendar.php) often since there are often last-minute additions for aviation related meetings and events.

JULY HIGHLIGHTS

Slides from last month’s High Performance Aircraft Safety Seminar have been posted to the internet at http://homepage.mac.com/globug/hpac/hpac_lessons.pdf.

ACROBATICS SEMINAR
Intro to Acro ground and flight sessions. I personally wish to extend my regrets to those who could not fly or who arrived at 9am when I changed it to 10am. I made a mistake in changing the ground session time and forgot to update the calendar. Lesson learned, and we will ensure consistent communications in the future! For those who did participate, it was a full house with all 10 Saturday flights booked. Here are some quotes: "The flight was a blast!... I will definitely be coming back for more!"; "...thank you for organizing the awesome acrobatic seminar"; "My wife has been trying to wipe the silly grin off my face since I got home." Members can look forward to another Acro Seminar being organized in September or October.

CLASS BRAVO TRANSITION CLINIC/069 LUNCH
About a dozen members joined the Class B seminar, followed by a flight up through the SF airspace to Petaluma for lunch. The seminar included information about what controllers consider to be a “Bay Tour,” and what to do if your request for one is denied. Fortunately, our controllers that day didn’t bat an eyelash, everyone was “cleared to enter,” and we all had a good lunch on the deck at the 29er Diner. Lunch entertainment included watching an ultralight practice take-offs and landings, and rooting for a local pilot trying to hand-prop his airplane.

CATALINA FLY-IN
The WVFC Catalina fly-in went off without a hitch during the last weekend of July. About 11 of us arrived on Thursday, followed by 15 more on Friday, that brought the total to just under thirty--wow! Santa Barbara held on to its stratus for aircraft that were planning on making a fuel/feed stop there, but Avalon, which typically socks in, was clear all weekend. The average daytime temps were around 78 degrees, and the water was probably in the high 60s to low 70s, which made for fantastic snorkeling and diving. There was a very successful boat dive made by 8 people on Saturday, and just about everyone got their toes wet at Lover's Cove while snorkeling. On Friday and Saturday night the party migrated from Luau Larry's to the Chi Chi Club, with a pit stop in between for ice cream--and you wonder why some folks weren't feeling so good. Aside from the bus-ride-from-hell to and from the airport, the fly-in was a fantastic success, and thanks to all who joined us and made it so fun.

ALASKA ADVENTURE
Curious about the 3-week block on 733KK? Nick Ulman and Dan Eddleman flew to Anchorage last month via the Alaska Highway. They lucked out with a rare perfectly clear and windless day at McKinley and took the 172 for a scenic flight around the mountain. Flying at 12,500 feet there were still 8,000 feet of cliffs above them! The Club’s MX staff worked with the two prior to departure, making sure all was good to go with the aircraft, and that the pilots were prepared to change an oil filter or spark plugs if needed. They also removed the back seat to accommodate Dan's mountain bike. The two returned earlier this week with big smiles, and total hobbs time for the trip in the area of 70 hours. Look for pictures and/or a write-up coming soon.

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AUGUST’S ACTIVITIES ARE AS FOLLOWS:

**B&B FRIDAYS**
August 8 at SQL, starting around 5:00 pm
August 15, 22, 29 at PAO, starting around 5:00 pm

**SCAPA BBQ @ SQL - Saturday, August 9, 11 am to 3 pm**
The annual San Carlos Airport Pilots Association BBQ will be held at the San Carlos Observation deck (aka “the gazebo”) on Saturday, August 9, starting at 11 am. This is a great opportunity to meet other pilots on the field. The BBQ is free for paid-up SCAPA members; $10 for guests. Or you can join this important local aviation organization for $25. Get more info at http://www.sancarlospilots.org/barbecue.htm.

**SOFT FIELD LANDING SKILLS CLINIC to 1C9 – August 10, 10:00 am**
Sure we have all done soft field landings during our primary training, or perhaps it’s yet to come in our course of study. But what is the fun in doing soft field landings when you’re still on a paved runway? Join WVFC CFIs in exploring the true art of executing a soft field landing on an actual soft field. On Sunday, August 10th, our destination is Frazier Lake Airpark (1C9 http://www.frazierlake.com/). We will begin with a late morning classroom session to review soft field landing technique, and a chance for Q&A. Then we'll do a final match of CFIs, participants and planes. Frazier Lake facilities include a restroom, picnic tables and phone, but no restaurant. For those who get hungry and want to make a lunch out of it, box lunches & drinks will be made available. The cost of the clinic is $50 + HOBBs time (sharing planes is encouraged if space available). Box lunches are $11.00 (Choose from: Roast Beef, Roast Turkey or Grilled Veggie. Includes side salad, fruit, cookie and a soda or water) To reserve a place or to get paired up with a CFI, please send an email to Torea Rodriguez at globug@mac.com ASAP.

**SAFETY SEMINAR, Wednesday, August 13, 7:00 pm, PAO**
FLYING THE BAY TOUR - Speaker Jim Roach
The San Francisco Bay offers one of the most beautiful and exhilarating scenic flights in the country. However, it also presents a number of challenges for pilots. Learn the in's and out's of flying a safe and efficient Bay Tour. Join us for an open discussion safety seminar presented by CFII Jim Roach on Flying the Bay Tour.

**WOMEN IN AVIATION INTERNATIONAL**
August 18, 6:30 pm, PAO Classroom
WVFC is working on establishing a Bay Area chapter of this international organization. Come to this second meeting if you are interested in joining the group.

**SAFETY SEMINAR, Wednesday, August 20, 7:00 pm, SQL**
EFFECTIVE USE OF GPS FOR THE VFR PILOT - Speaker David Zittin
More club aircraft have panel mounted GPS systems than ever before. GPS is a valuable tool for VFR pilots. Besides 'direct-to' and 'nearest' operations, there are other useful GPS features that reduce pilot workload and contribute to enhancing the fun and safety of piloting a GA aircraft. Effective use of the GPS by the VFR pilot is straightforward if you understand a few simple concepts. Dave will discuss features common to all GPS units and describe a few specifics of common products. Please feel free to share your experiences, questions, etc.

**HANGAR TALK, Friday, August 22, 6:00 pm, PAO**
This month Kevin’s Hangar Talk will explore the inner world of the turbo-charged engine. We’re combining with B&B Friday, so feel free to come early and bring something for the grill.

**SHELTER COVE LABOR DAY FLY-IN, August 30 to September 1 (or any part thereof)**
Early Fall is the perfect time to visit the “Lost Coast” of Mendocino County, and pilot-friendly Shelter Cove, with a campground at one end of the runway and an inn at the other, is the perfect place to stay. What to do when we get there?

• Black Sands Beach: 30 miles of stunning coastline
• King Range Hiking: famous for beach and mountain trails
• Diving: abalone season runs August through November
• Fishing: a 1/2-day boat trip is available for fishing salmon, halibut, tuna and crab
• Golf: Shelter Cove Golf Course surrounds the runway
• Eat: WVFC dinner Saturday night at the Chart Room