It is summer election time again. This year, two at-large board seats and one WVFC aircraft owner board seat are up for election. These seats are currently occupied by Mike Atwood, Torea Rodriguez, and Gary Waldeck.

Board members set the policy for the club and advise the General Manager. We meet 10-12 times a year. If you are interested, please nominate yourself! See the Election Central area of the club website for complete information. A quick summary of the process follows.

Acceptance of candidature and candidate statements opens at 00:01 AM on Monday, May 22, and closes at 11:59 PM on Sunday, May 26. Candidate names and statements will be posted on the WVFC website on Monday, May 29. Candidate names will be posted in alphabetical order by last names. Candidate statements will be posted in the order in which complete and final statements were received. Candidate names and statements shall be submitted via email only at candidate@wvfc.org.

The following times have been reserved for in-person “Meet the Candidates” sessions. These meetings are open to all members and provide the opportunity to meet candidates in person.

• Session I – Tuesday, June 6th at 6:30 pm in Palo Alto
• Session II – Thursday, June 8th at 6:30 pm in San Carlos
• Session III – Saturday, June 10th at 10:00 am in Palo Alto

What a wet and depressing March. Twenty-four days of rain are you kidding me?! We have all decided we need to get flannel shirts, hang out in coffee houses, and listen to grunge rock. Seattle south is our new designator. Well, for those of you who have been up there flying, we appreciate the support. As a result of all the rainy wet days, the cash is tight. The irony of this weather is that it is controlled by factors that are many thousands of miles away. For the first time, I saw an explanation of what forces are causing this continuous onslaught of wet weather. Basically, four major anchors are throwing these low pressure systems into California that are normally positioned to the North of us. They include two high pressure systems in Greenland and Hudson Bay, a low pressure ridge over Hawaii, and a cyclonic pattern in Australia. When one of these four anchors breaks down, we will see a change in the pattern unfortunately for all of us, that did not happen in March. So when you can get out there and fly, let’s get those a wings a-flapping.

I wanted to draw everyone’s attention to the activities calendar. We are getting the activities committee back together for the “soon to be here” summer flying weather. The goal is to provide fun activities for all of our existing members to participate in. There are many seminars, air shows, and fly-ins planned already. Definitely keep the calendar saved as a favorite as it is updated often and is probably the single best resource for finding out about the latest goings on.

I would like to remind all existing members about the member referral program. Any time you refer a member to WVFC and he or she joins, you get the next month’s dues free. It is our way of saying thanks for getting the word out about WVFC.

Airport update:
The airports commission met on September 28 regarding the master plan and the business plans as proposed by the county airport and roads staff. The Palo Alto master plan looks to have some pretty reasonable ideas, some of which include an additional taxilane to exit the runway, some hangar space, and the widening of taxilane golf. The business plan focused on three issues: 1) The airport loses money 2) The county wants to raise tie-down rates 3) The county wants out of the lease. The presentation made by the county wasn’t as much of a business plan, but a highly negative campaign with regard to the airport. Whether we care if the county runs the airport or not, the negativity from this presentation could affect the city’s position on the future, and as a result we should all be concerned. Up to this point, the city continues to be supportive of the airport however, our continued efforts and support will be required, particularly with the way the county is currently treating this situation. Again, this is where I get on my soapbox and try to stir up support for the Palo Alto Airport Association, otherwise known as the PAAA. This group is spending 100% of its effort into supporting the airport and its long-term future. Please join us in our cause with the PAAA in working with the city of Palo Alto to assure this goal is met. For more information on joining, please go to http://paloaltoairport.org/index.htm.

Finally, board elections will be soon arriving. There are three seats up for grabs: the owner seat and two members at large. Being on the board is a great way to get involved with the club. I encourage people who would like to help the club in its pursuit of excellence to join the cast of characters.

Thanks for the help:
I would like to give a shout out to the new participants in the member steering committee, Jim Blum and John Ferrell. This group has its finger on the pulse of the club and really works to help make this a better flying club to participate in please contact Patti Andrews at pandrews@wvfc.org. The activities committee will be meeting the second Monday of every month. Come and be a part of the fun. Finally, I would like to thank G-man and Mel for their continued work to put the club feel into SQL by having a picnic day at the San Carlos office. It must be something they teach them down in Prescott.

Here is a story that shows how pilots and Air Traffic Control can work together to reverse a decision from the FAA that both parties know would be detrimental to the aviation business. As you may already know, runway incursions have been a very hot topic for the FAA in the last few years. In July 2005, the Administrator decided to take a closer look at the procedures involved in Taxi Into Position and Hold (or TIPH). After monitoring this procedure for a while, the errors made at various airports were analyzed to see where improvements could and should be made. Recently at a bigger airport, an aircraft was asked to side-step (change to a runway different than the originally assigned one) while another aircraft was required to go into position and hold. The pilot of the taxiing airplane caught the mistake, stopped short of the runway and spared ATC a loss of separation. What followed was a decision by the FAA to stop ALL the TIPH procedures at ALL towered airports regardless of the size or type of activity of that airport. Airport managers received a memo in early March for an activation of the restriction by 20 March 2006. Although this procedure seems like a bad idea, it was an attempt by the FAA to lower the safety risks at the nation’s airports, and it was a necessary step for the Agency to get a handle on runway incursions.

The first TIPH restrictions took effect last July when 21 airports across the country stopped using the procedure. With the latest changes, an additional 100 airports are not using TIPH or are fully compliant with the restrictions mandated by the FAA in order to “safely” use the procedure. At our level, can you imagine operating at Palo Alto airport on a very nice day, maybe the first day of forecast good weather after 23 days of rain, with no TIPH procedures? There would have been a flock of airplanes waiting to take off at the run-up area, increased delays for pattern work, and an increase in the number of aircraft that would have had to be held at reporting points trying to get in for landing. What a mess! Tonya Patterson, the acting Tower Manager, presented what would be expected with this new regulation at the last instructors’ meeting. At that time, it was uncertain as to whether towers would be able to request waivers for use of TIPH. However, the pilots and instructors offered helpful insight into the impacts this new restrictive regulation would have, especially at Palo Alto airport. The waiver needed to identify the reasons and the extent to which cancellation of TIPH would have on air traffic control, the pilots on the ground, and in the air.

In a matter of a few days - between 10 and 15 March - waivers were filed and sent to the FAA. The weekend before 20 March 2006, Palo Alto controllers were notified that they were approved to use TIPH procedures even though the waiver is still considered “temporary” (the monitoring period for these “temporary waivers” is expected to last 120 days starting 20 March 2006). Most airports in the Bay Area have been approved and are also working to comply with the mandated criteria, again to increase safety. Still, a small number of airports have been denied the opportunity to apply for the waiver, so depending on where you fly, there may be a time when you will be cleared for take-off from the holding area and not given position and hold instructions.

At airports with TIPH, ATC must continue to evaluate airport-specific risk factors and provide assurances that they have enough staff to monitor the traffic or stop using TIPH. If they find that at some point such a procedure would jeopardize safety, they may decide to stop using it. This can happen during the day and you the pilot may not be aware of it. So, in a nutshell, much ado for nothing as for all of us in the air and on the ground, the procedure is the same and it seems that the FAA is requesting ATC to do what they have done over and over again: ensuring safety of traffic.

This month, we have recorded two incidents: another bird strike (at altitude over Fremont) and a ground incident where an airplane hit a pole at night in the dark. In both cases, the damage to the airplanes was significant, and we have had to involve the insurance. Both renter pilots need to pay the deductible, one $3500 for non-pilot error, the other one $5000 for pilot error. The reason why I am bringing this to your attention is that neither of these members had renter’s insurance, so the deductible comes from their savings for future flying excursions. You will agree that it is quite a lot of money to spend on non-flying activities, and had they had renter’s insurance, the deductible could have been covered at least in part. So you might want to look into getting renter’s insurance either from Avemco, or, if you want more complete information, call the AOPA and see what they have to offer. Not that we think you might get into trouble, but there seems to be an inordinate number of birds flocking around this year, and who knows when the next one will end up wanting to check you out up close and personal.

That’s all for this month folks! Happy rainy flying.

The maintenance department continues to receive several squawks a month on the Cessna 172 SP fuel system specifically relating to the apparently uneven fuel burn between the right versus left fuel tanks.

The latest observation we received stated: “With the selector on both, [the] fuel drains almost entirely from [the] left tank, partial blockage? Safety balance issue?”

This observation is correct. However, the assumption that this is a problem is incorrect.

The 172S model Skyhawk (with fuel injection) is a continuous flow fuel injection system. This early-type fuel system varies from, say, the system in your car. The car-type (solenoid actuated) individual fuel injectors turn on and off when the car’s computer tell them to. The input or information to the injectors is based on various engine sensors reporting RPM, engine temperature, and manifold pressure… these parameters automatically adjust the fuel-air mixture.

The 172S engine does not do the thinking for you! The pilot is responsible for monitoring the engine and adjusting the mixture manually. Therefore it is imperative that pilots thoroughly understand the aircraft systems and how they work. The 172S model fuel injection system is designed to supply approximately 150% of the fuel required to run the engine at any given time. In the worst case scenario, say the maximum fuel burn (max power takeoff at sea level) is 20 gallons per hour, the system must have the ability to provide the engine with 30 gallons of fuel per hour. This is an FAA design certification requirement. If you look at the fuel diagram both in the POH and the maintenance manual, you can see that the system is designed to return the excess unburned fuel back into the right fuel tank through pressure of the fuel moving from the engine. See, the fuel is first returned to the fuel reservoir tank, which has a limited capacity, and if you keep adding quantity to it, it will need to overflow. Through constant pressure provided by the engine-driven fuel pump, this fuel can defy gravity and be returned to the right fuel tank through the vent line. The reason why it goes back to the right tank versus the left one is just because it is designed closer to the right tank. This vent line also provides air to the fuel tank to ensure that the system is not under vacuum pressure.

The fuel imbalance is to be monitored and regulated through the fuel selector valve by the pilot. As long as the fuel selector valve is in the BOTH position, gravity will do its job, and fuel will keep being provided from both tanks. If you feel the need to do otherwise, the POH recommends takeoffs and landings with the fuel selector valve in the BOTH position. However, you can also select to fly straight-and-level with the fuel selector on either LEFT or RIGHT. Just remember to continuously monitor the fuel gauges and switch back to the fuller tank or to the BOTH position, otherwise, you can run one tank dry.

It is possible to have a significant imbalance depending on the type of operations you are doing: for example, extended periods of touch and goes with fuel on BOTH (high power setting, greatest fuel usage). Flying out of rudder trim, in very high wind conditions, or turbulence where the fuel sloshes between the tanks are other examples of circumstances where the fuel might not be delivered evenly to the engine.

The problem for the maintenance once a squawk is documented against an aircraft is we have no choice but to address the issue. A partial blockage must be investigated conclusively to prove the tank is not clogged. This procedure requires a fuel flow check that requires the tanks to be fueled evenly. Then, the fuel line is disconnected at the fuel servo and the flow is checked by timing how long it takes to fill a 5 gallon can with the fuel selector on LEFT only. The same check is performed with the selector on RIGHT. This flow check conclusively proves the fuel tank/lines are not clogged.

Even though the cost of these squawks to the club is hard to measure, the cost to the owner is clear: 10 gallons of unusable fuel @ $4.27 a gallon and maintenance charge to owner approximately 2 hours @ $73.00 per hour for a total of $188.70. This is a minimum, and when repeated, it can cost quite a lot to the owner.

Recently, I did an Instrument Helicopter checkride, most of which took place on a “Flyit” FTD. The simulated flight was as previously planned. We “flew” from Watsonville to Salinas to do the Salinas ILS 31. The plan was to fly direct to SNS VOR and then track outbound on the Salinas ILS 31 LOC to Chualar NDB.

The FTD has an HSI. The applicant tuned in the ILS and set the OBS to the outbound course of 131 degrees. As soon as he passed the VOR, he began attempting to track outbound using direct sensing. Of course the more he corrected, the farther off course he became. After some 3 miles, he requested vectors.

Anyone who understands the HSI realizes what was wrong. He had set up the instrument to display reverse sensing. I asked him what had happened. He had no idea. He said his instructor had told him that it was impossible to get reverse sensing on an HSI. When I put that to his CFI, the CFI said he had told him just last week how to track outbound on a localizer.

He told him last week.

How can a CFI ensure that his/her student knows a procedure? By explaining it to him? The only way to ensure understanding is to have the student correctly explain the procedure. Then, to ensure the procedure has been learned to the correlation level, the student must demonstrate the procedure correctly in flight (or simulated flight).

We CFIs are taught to lecture. We can lecture on the ground and in the air. We can talk while the airplane is spinning. You can’t shut us up. Listen to a CFI and student in the neighboring cubical during a ground session. Sometimes it is a dialogue. The student may be doing most of the talking. He/she may be answering the CFI’s questions and asking questions of his/her own. Learning is clearly taking place.

Too often, though, you will hear the instructor eruditely demonstrating his/her mastery of the subject. The monologue will be long and full of information. If the student doesn’t get it, there is no evidence. CFIs sometimes forget to gauge the learning. Assessment should be ongoing. Every flight and every ground lesson needs to include assessment to ensure that the student understands and can correlate the knowledge and skill.

Ground lessons should, I submit, mostly consist of the CFI asking and the student answering questions about the previous assignment or review. The student should be doing most of the talking. Likewise, flights should largely be demonstrations by the student, not the instructor. I think CFIs tend to be better about assessing flight skills. They have to be. You can’t send a student solo until you know he/she can actually fly. Yet I have heard checkride applicants say that their first solo had been the first time they ever really controlled the aircraft. Their instructor had always ridden the controls. That is difficult to believe, but it is what people have told me.

If your CFI forgets to assess your learning in a ground lesson, tell him/her, “This is how I understand what you have taught me.” Then try to explain it in your own words. If you stumble, your CFI can see what is missing and can help you fill in the blanks.

Never be afraid to say “I don’t understand.” It’s your life.

As mentioned in the last article, this month is about something I learned during my most recent practical test.

The subject was oil. And the examiner’s question was how many things does engine oil do for us? I was planning to guess an unreasonably high number and hope it was high enough to keep him happy. However, being an experienced checkride victim, I knew that the examiner didn’t want a number he was after a discussion. Too bad. So, here we go.

1. Pretty clearly, the first answer is - It lubricates.
2. It didn’t take a lot of work to come up with cleaning. After all, there is a filter in there, and the oil gets dirty, so something must be getting cleaned.
3. Oh, yeah! There is an oil cooler in the system as well, so the engine must be getting a bit cooler.
4. At this point, I was starting to run out of steam and was thinking that maybe one or two more would do it. Turns out we can add corrosion protection as well (there must be SOME reason for all those additives).
5. And in the DUH! category, the oil helps complete the seal between the rings and the cylinder. That thin layer of oil helps prevent the combustion gases from blowing past the rings.
6. Less obvious, oil lets us know when there are engine leaks. The pools of oil under the nose give some clues about what’s going on.
7. The actual state is one thing, but the rate of change is important as well. So, if we watch the rate at which the oil gets dirty, or the oil needs to be replaced, we can get a measure of the condition of the engine.
8. And the last one I could come up with is that oil transfers energy. In the case of a constant speed prop, it allows the pilot to control propeller RPM.

Safety Seminar: Trigger Tape
Wednesday, April 12, 7:00 pm, PAO
Presented by Carmen D'Agostino
The "Trigger Tape" is a set of video scenarios that will "Trigger" the feelings of viewers into saying, Hey, that's not right, Whoa, don't do that! Sometimes we need reminders that we should pay attention to the little voice that says: Whoa! - instead of taking off into the unknown. Since the characters in the trigger tape are not ourselves, we can feel free to be sensitive to what is going on. That same sensitivity sometimes is lost when WE are the characters in our story. We will be painfully reminded of the consequences of ignoring the little "instructor" on our shoulder.

Safety Seminar: Flying the Glass Cockpit
Wednesday, April 19, 7:00 pm, SQL
Presented by Max Trescott
The new glass cockpit aircraft are now available for rent in many locations, and they offer significant advantages. These include enhanced situational awareness and potentially great safety when the traffic and terrain monitoring tools are used. Transitioning to these airplanes may be easier than you think, and they are a lot of fun to fly! Topics include: - Glass Cockpit Benefits - G1000 Benefits - Primary Flight Display - Multifunction Display - Electrical System - Differences for Preflight and Flight - Demonstration using Garmin’s G1000 simulator software.

Stearman Day
Saturday, April 22, PAO
CFIs Andy Geosits and Nick Ulman will be presenting a series of Stearman Days throughout the spring and summer this year. The cost is $200 for an introductory aerobatic flight of approximately one hour… if you’ve never done acro in an open cockpit, this is a whole new way to experience the sky. To sign up, call the club’s Palo Alto office at (650) 856-2030.

Safety Seminar: Straight Lines, Circles, and Aerobatics
Wednesday, April 26, 7:00 pm, HWD
Presented by Lennert Von Clemm
There is a point of view that primary aerobatics will give you better mastery of your airplane and a better understanding of yourself. It’s a good point of view! This is not a conversation about advanced aerobatics it’s about the basic things that make up all advanced maneuvers. It’s about the things that you may have a vague understanding as to what’s going on but ground or flight instruction has not made clear. You will hear at least two things you haven’t given consideration and have some things refreshed.

Open Board Meeting
Wednesday, April 26, 7:00 pm, PAO
Board elections are coming up. If you have ever considered applying some of your time and abilities to leadership of the flying club, you are especially encouraged to come to this open meeting of the Board of Directors to find out more about what is involved in serving.

Glass Cockpit Seminar Series
Thursday, April 27, 6:30 – 8:00 pm, PAO Classroom
CFI April Gafford is in the midst of a free seminar series covering many important aspects of the glass cockpit. The agenda for April 27 includes GPS Operations, Autopilot SOPs, Cockpit Information Systems and ATC Interactions. Fourth in the series is scheduled for May 18 and co-hosted with Mike Shiflett. Topics for that talk include a comparison of G1000 v. Avidyne and a comparison of checkride experiences. A fifth seminar in the series may be added in June.

Aerobatics Presentation
Saturday, May 6, 11:00 am, PAO Classroom
Lennert Von Clem will present an overview of the aerobatic curriculum and its advantages in making you a better fundamental pilot. Learn about WVFC’s new aerobatic program, its costs, stages and requirements. Also in attendance will be other WVFC aerobatic CFIs.

An Exclusive Evening with Hoot Gibson, Astronaut, Pilot and Hero
Wednesday, May 10, 5:00 pm, Hiller Museum, SQL
West Valley is co-sponsoring this evening of cocktails, tours and discussion with the legendary Robert “Hoot” Gibson. Hoot’s 50 years in aviation have included almost everything from commanding the space shuttle for its first docking with Mir to winning three world records in his own home-built airplane. Don’t miss this opportunity to meet him in person at this free event. Register to attend by visiting www.woodlandaviation.com/gibson or calling (530) 669-3174.

Wings of History Museum Fly-In and Open House
Saturday, May 13, 8:00 am to 4:00 pm, San Martin
Come check out the airport at our new location in South County. Local aviators will be providing free Young Eagles rides from 10:00 to 2:00. Early risers will be in time for hot air balloons. For those who need refueling, there will be a pancake breakfast from 8:00 to 11:00, followed by hamburger lunch from 11:00 to 2:00. For more information call the Wings of History Museum at (408) 683-2290.

SQL Private Pilot Ground School meets Tuesdays 6:30-9:00 pm. The cost is a $250 one-time fee, after which you may re-attend as often as you like. For information contact the instructor, Dan Dyer, at dan@dkdyer.com or check out www.dkdyer.com/ground.html.

PAO Private Pilot Ground School meets Thursdays from 6:30 pm with instructor Kyp Kypta. The cost for the course is a once-only charge of $100, after which you may attend any and all sessions as often as you like. You may begin the course at any time. Contact Kyp by email at lkypta@earthlink.net.

HWD Private Pilot Ground School meets Tuesday nights from 6:30-9:30 pm. The cost is $200 per student. Contact instructors Sandy Wiedemann at syzygy2002@mac.com or Eric Jewell at eric@flywitheric.com.

PAO Instrument Ground School meets Tuesday evenings from 6:30 – 9:00 with instructors Ali Ashayer and Lindsay Dillon. The cost is $200. Contact Ali Ashayer at aashayer@aol.com or Lindsay Dillon at linsgrins@hotmail.com for more information.