For the people who have not heard, I am back in the Chief’s Office and Don Styles is one of the Assistant Chiefs. My office hours are twenty hours a week, Monday through Thursday. Don and Ali take care of Friday and, when they are present, on Saturday or Sunday. Our ambition is to give stability to the operations area while a new General Manger and the New Board members are selected. We have a combined experience of thirteen years of administrative experience here and feel that we can help with most circumstances. Please call us if there is any question that we can assist with.

Beginning with next month’s newsletter we will include member observations and incidents to help keep people up to date. On this note, a discussion with Kevin (the maintenance manager) has brought about some suggestions concerning squawks and member observations.

TO: Chief Pilot
RE: Airworthiness Items

West Valley Maintenance Department is requesting all member observations (SQUAWKS) be entered into the CASSI system database after each flight.

We require the information real time to assure our aircraft meet the original Type certificate design requirements. Our Aircraft are to remain airworthy at all times. Items like stall horn intermittent, enunciator light out, loose seat tracks, and fuel gauges inop. are examples of -NO GO ITEMS- These Planes must be grounded immediately.

In order for this system to work effectively these observations should be limited to items of concern. These items become a permanent part of the Aircraft Records and need to be taken seriously.

Some guidelines:

1. Repeating the same item twice is a waste. Check if someone else already squawked it. (It will not speed up the repair or make it any more of a concern)
2. Don't enter. No rags, added oil, plane dirty, tail not tied down. (Doesn’t need to become part of the ship’s records. Tell the person @ the Front desk)
3. Make sure you understand the system or component of the aircraft before you say it's inop. (Owners pay a great expense for these to be resolved. Every recorded item must be investigated, repaired, & signed off as being airworthy by a certified mechanic.)
4. Don't expect perfection. Many squawks are a matter of opinion.

Well, an interesting month with lots of rainy days and so a chance to sit around the coffee machine and trade stories. We also made some changes to the configuration of the office in San Carlos, and opened up the space to give it a more comfortable feel. The carpets were cleaned, and a new computer was added through some generous donations by Dr. Melamud.

We are presently experimenting with a web camera that will allow members to view the weather. Thanks to member Jeff Arcuri for the camera and expertise. If all goes well with the testing we will try to add one in Palo Alto too. Anyone have an extra camera we can use?

Thanks to those members that use the notes box to communicate special needs when scheduling planes; this really helps when rescheduling due to maintenance.

We look forward to see you all soon.

Welcome new high season! Yes, Ladies and Gentlemen, the gloomy time of fiscal year's end, with its taxes and rains, is through, and the high-fly season is on its way. The sky is calling, and WVFC Accounting is waiting eagerly for the contributions of those who hear the call.

We keep improving our procedures to bring the service we provide to higher standards and make it more convenient for club members.

One of the improvements we have suggested for quite a while was to push the monthly balance due date to the 15th of the month. We are happy to announce that a decision on this has been made, so you don't have to worry about possible late fees, or ask “How the heck am I supposed to get my payment in by the 10th if they send the statement out on the 5th” anymore.

Of course nothing comes for free. We’d be happy if you could fly for free, since this would mean we wouldn’t have to calculate anything, but money is money. Since the due date has been changed to make an on-time payment realistic, and our software is (God bless the developers!) reliable, we will start enforcing billing rules that have been neglected for a while now.

The rules are pretty straightforward:
Monthly dues are charged to each active member. There is no prorating of dues. All flight charges are due and payable upon completion of the flight (that’s why it is more convenient to have it paid by the credit card). All charges are due by (from now on) the 15th of the month. Delinquent accounts are subject to finance charges and late penalties as outlined in the Member Regulations. Any member whose payment record is unsatisfactory will be required to increase his or her security deposit with the Club.

Having quoted all these severe phrases, the Accounting department is glad to assure everybody that the absolute majority of Club members pay their bills on time. Our staff is part of the flying community, and the very thought of limiting somebody’s flying makes us cringe. Still – our job is to keep this place running. And the Accounting part of it is to ensure a smooth cash flow. With the High Fly Season rolling in, we are sure it will flow smoothly.

See you around the pattern.

The Concorde flight was, well, pretty amazing. I met my friend Jon at the British Airways lounge at JFK at 0745 on a Monday morning. They have a dedicated lounge for the Concorde, and the outstanding service starts at check-in. They take your coat and load it up on the plane for you, and you may have a full breakfast if you wish. Then, about 10 minutes before takeoff, you board at leisure, no rush since there are only 100 passengers, and they are all very experienced travelers.

The plane itself is rather small inside, with 2 and 2 seating. It is about the same size as an MD80 or DC9, a bit smaller than a 737 in diameter. The seats are not standard business or first-class seats; they are fairly Spartan (no videos or cushy lumbar support) but you are only on it for about 4 hours, so it is not a big deal. They are remarkably comfortable and firm, with a lot of support for the trip. The most noticeable thing about the plane on first getting in are the small windows. They are perhaps 1/4 the size of a normal plane's window, so the view is very restricted. I had the window and Jon the aisle, but the seats behind us were free, so we spaced out and took over two seats each (the armrest stows into the chairs to form a mini bench.

The plane requires a crew of three, and we had four, including a pilot on his final checkride before he was signed off to fly as a Captain. The first officer (FO) gave us a briefing about the safety features and wotnot, and explained the takeoff procedure. We had about 75 people on the plane, and I am sure that Jon and I were the only two rookies on board. Most of these people were going shopping in London for the day, or to work.

Anyhow, the FO gave us the scoop on flying, "for those of you unfamiliar with the Concorde"... Basically you take off on a south-north runway heading north over Jamaica Bay. The takeoff is with full afterburners, and I estimate that the liftoff speed is around 250mph. Immediately after getting airborne they put it into a sharp left bank to avoid the microphones that are there to monitor the noise. Once up to 1000 feet or so they cut back to idle and coast out into the bay, then they hit full afterburners again to get as high as possible, I estimate about 8000 feet, and then throttle back again and coast over some very ritzy beach property west of the airport. Then about 10-15 miles offshore they ramp up again and parallel the coastline out about 15 miles. The entire takeoff is very rough compared to other planes. You bounce around on the ground, and then the big delta wings really get buffeted during the takeoff maneuvering. They explain that "the weather forecast, as it always is in the stratosphere, is for

After about 15 minutes they get cleared to exceed the sound barrier, and they just do it. You can't tell it is happening; it just occurs and they announce it. A few minutes later they get ready to boost up through 1000 mph, and they explain that as they kick in the afterburners we will feel two nudges in the back as they come on. Sure enough, a distinctive kick in the seat of the pants pushes you through 1000 mph. And that's about it. The only indication of your height is that you can see the distinctive curvature of the earth, and the sky is much darker. The only indication of your speed is that you are passing other aircraft on their way to Europe. Quickly. The plane basically is set to climb as it burns off fuel, and there are no altitude limits since above 41,000' there are no other planes. We made it up to 58,000 feet, and a maximum over-the-ground speed of 1348mph. The time to London was 3 hours and 30 minutes. We had to tack on 15 minutes of holding, but it definitely was the way to fly.

The landing is probably the most dramatic. You come in at a remarkably high angle of attack, almost as if you are taking off. This is necessary because the delta wings are very inefficient at sea level. Plus you are landing at 200 mph, so you have to get down now, and stop the plane. Massive carbon fibre brakes bring you to a definitive "we are stopping now" stop. As in "take your glasses off" if you don't expect it. Wow. Just wow.

As for Service, British Airways defines it. Jon had never flown with them before, and he is now a believer. They just do it right, coming from a long tradition. The food is superb, cooked on board, and served on fine china. Your choice of just about anything. It usually includes decadent stuff that I do like (cheeses) and some that I do not (lobster, caviar) but I manage. They also have a dedicated "Concorde Cellar" that they pick wines out of for the particular trip. I think that the Captain actually chooses and they load it up for that flight. It's all fine French wine, so we were quite Continental for the trip over.

As for the sensation, it is just like flying. The fact that you get to Europe without losing a night is a bit odd, but we balanced that by getting onto a connecting flight that got into Munich at 11PM. So it balanced out, but no jet lag. Just this sense that you just participated in an amazing process. On a plane that was designed over 30 years ago. And that goes so fast that the air friction heats up the skin so that they never have any corrosion or water damage. Big aviation smile to say the least.

We spend a lot of time talking about, and practicing our landing techniques, but rarely think about the takeoff (unless you’re a new student) any more than we think about straight and level flight. However, like much of aviation, there is more to it that meets the eye. There is, of course, the mechanical art of the takeoff, which we’ll talk about in the next paragraph. But there is a lot of preparation for the takeoff, and that’s the primary focus of the article.

When you began flying, the takeoff was the adrenaline-boosting start of a lesson, and the success factor was that you got into the air before reaching either the sides or the end of the runway. At least that’s the way I remember it. Later, the success criteria were revised to include keeping the plane on the centerline during the takeoff roll, smoothly establishing a takeoff attitude, and as the plane accelerated, establishing the best rate of climb airspeed while continuing to stay on the extended centerline of the runway. And, of course, when done correctly, the whole process seemed smooth and continuous. All of these things are important, because they set the tone for the flight and make our passengers comfortable.

But let’s go back to the actions that precede the takeoff. These actions can have an even greater effect on the flight. The first of these actions is actually mandated by the FAA. §91.103(b) requires us to become familiar with all available information concerning that flight, to include runway lengths, takeoff and landing distances under expected conditions of airport elevation, runway slope, aircraft gross weight, and wind and temperature. Now, of course, we’ve already determined that with a 10 knot tailwind, and a temperature of 50 C, we can take off at full gross in less than 3/4 of the runway at San Carlos. So if the conditions are better than that in any regard, we’re OK. But what about the climb rate? Under those conditions, what will your altitude be at the diamond-shaped waterway? Will you have plenty of altitude, or will you find an unusual way to join Oracle?

Let’s say that we’ve determined that we’re going to have loads of altitude and runway, what about the rest of the flight and “…all available information concerning that flight…”? §91.103 required for a flight not in the vicinity of an airport, that we are familiar with “…weather reports and forecasts, fuel requirements, alternatives available if the planned flight cannot be completed, and any known traffic delays…” All of this seems pretty straightforward, but the part about alternatives is more than it appears. We’re pretty familiar with planning for alternative airports, particularly if we’re flying IFR, but that is only a part of the alternative available. Other alternatives include different routing, delaying or canceling the flight, or even turning back after the flight has begun.

Of even greater importance than being familiar with these alternatives is actually making some of the decisions BEFORE you start the flight. For example, if there is a likelihood of icing and you are flying a plane not approved for icing conditions, you could decide before takeoff what your actions will be during certain phases of flight. If icing is encountered before getting to Manteca, you could decide to return to PAO and land. Or if icing is encountered at 9,000 feet on the way to Bakersfield (I have no idea why anyone would want to go to Bakersfield, but it works for this example), will you climb up through it, or perhaps your plan would be to request 5,000 feet. If so, what effect will that have on fuel burn and reserves? If a passenger begins to feel queasy, what are your alternatives? Which one will you take, and under which circumstances will that choice change?

There is another, very specific set of choices that should be made before each takeoff, and they are announced in the takeoff brief. If an engine (or THE engine) fails, what will you do? Pretty clearly this depends upon altitude, airspeed, wind direction, runway length, available emergency landing areas, other traffic, and the type of plane you’re in. At what altitude will you attempt a turn back to the field? Which way will you turn? What if you’ve already started a crosswind turn? If you’re not high enough to turn back, where EXACTLY are you going to land. At PAO, that answer probably includes a lot of swamp and marsh. At SQL, the answer gets pretty complex.

In the case of the takeoff engine failure, there really isn’t time to think this stuff through, but there is time to execute a well thought-out plan. The more of these decisions you can make on the ground, the more of your time in the air can be devoted to observation of the conditions, flying the plane, and executing the decisions you’ve already made under less stressful conditions.

The Activities Committee is in full swing and marching ahead to organize all the great events for 2003. We realized early on that we could plan to our hearts’ content, but unless we knew what kinds of events the members wanted, our efforts may have been wasted. So we launched a website poll that was in the Members section for about 3 weeks. We had 37 members respond to the poll. Not a huge percentage, but it did give us some insight on the kinds of activities the membership wants. If you want to see the results in detail, visit the poll results on the BBS. There you can see the raw data and a chart. To summarize, most members were interested in short duration fly-in trips, hands-on skills clinics and social events. There was not a large demand for longer, multi-day trips.

May should be a great month with lots of things to do. Full details on all these events can be seen on the club calendar. As we get more events scheduled they will be announced in the Members section as well as posted on the club calendar. Here are the May highlights:

Space Day at the Tech
May 10th, 09:00-17:00 in Downtown San Jose
The San Jose Tech Museum is honoring the last 100 years of flight by hosting a Space Day. There will be a plane parade (of which WVFC will be the only flight school participating), NASA exhibits, a 1903 Wright Flyer replica and much more! Visit http://www.thetech.org/spaceday/ for more details.

Flying Coast-to-Coast
May 17th 13:00-15:00 at PAO
Ever dream of flying from coast to coast? Ever think about flying to aviation Mecca: Kittyhawk, North Carolina? On Saturday, May 17th at 1pm, WVFC member Ross Oliver will present a slideshow of his experience flying a Grob (N115AG) from San Jose to Kittyhawk, North Carolina, and back! Find out what it really takes to fly VFR across the continent.

Hayward Air Race
May 15-17th beginning at HWD
The 39th Annual Hayward Proficiency Air Race is a 3-day event. The Hayward Air Race gives aviators a chance to test their navigation, flight planning and pilotage skills. Check the club calendar for full details.

Mars Seminar
Monday, May 19th, 19:00 at PAO
Lawrence Markosian will present a video of Steve Squyres’ talk on NASA’s Mars Exploration Rovers. Dr. Squyres is the Principal Investigator for the Athena science package carried by the two rovers. Lawrence also will present a 5-minute animation of the MER flight from launch to deployment. For anyone interested in what’s involved in robotic planetary exploration and extraterrestrial field geology, this is an outstanding presentation. If you have middle school- or high school-age children interested in space exploration bring them along!

Airport Watch Meeting
May 20th, 19:30 at the Palo Alto Arts Center
The Palo Alto Airport Association will hold a meeting on May 20th to "kick off" the new Airport Watch program. Airport Rep. Bob Lenox will show the Airport Watch video, produced by the AOPA & the Department of Homeland Security. Following the short video, there'll be time for Q&A with Carl Honaker, Director of County Airports, and a rep. from the Palo Alto Police Dept. Coffee and cookies courtesy of the Airport Association. Tuesday night, May 20th, 7:30 p.m. in the Palo Alto Arts Center, 1313 Newell, just off Embarcadero Road. (From the airport, take Embarcadero over the freeway towards Stanford. Turn right on Newell [fourth light after the overpass], and right again in the first driveway.)

High-Performance Aircraft Skills Seminar
May 24th, 10:00-12:00 at PAO
Getting There in a Hurry - Ground Familiarization Class on High Performance Aircraft, with Paul Kling. On Saturday, 24 May 2003 from 10:00 - 12:00 local, Paul Kling will teach a special ground familiarization class. The course will offer basic information on the differences of conventional aircraft and HPAC, and raise awareness of the club's high-performance fleet. Topics discussed will include:

• flight envelopes for conventional and turbo-charged aircraft
• turbo-charged engine technology and management
• constant-speed propellers
• aero-medical effects of high altitude oxygen deprivation and use of supplemental O2
• HPAC rules of thumb
• how to avoid hurting yourself or the aircraft
• details of typical training and check out

Wednesday, May 14, 7:00 pm, PAO.
Mountain Flying, presented by Scott Stauter.

Wednesday, May 21, 7:00 pm, SQL.
Use of VOR and Conventional Navigation, presented by Larry Capots.