AircraftOwner Online

GA, This Week in Review

Welcome to our new weekly blog “GA, This Week in Review”.  We get a lot of useful GA press releases, product announcements, fly-in info & more each week. Because we cannot possibly fit all of this in our weekly e-newsletter, we decided this is the best way to get the information out to you. Enjoy.

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Press Release – New Product
Garmin® Announces the Future of Avionics. GTN™ 650 and GTN 750 series touchscreen avionics are certified and ready to fly. These panel-mount units are certified and approved for installation in hundreds of makes and models of general aviation aircraft. The GTN 650 and GTN 750 feature new capabilities for GPS/NAV/COM systems like touchscreen operation, graphical flight planning with victor airways and high-altitude jet routes, remote transponder, remote audio control (750 series only), SafeTaxi® and electronic chart capabilities (750 series only). For additional information visit www.garmin.com/gtn 

 

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Press Release – New Product

McFarlane Aviation, Inc. has announced a  new product for the general aviation market. They now have a FAA-PMA approved Cowl Saver™ baffle seals for 172R and 172S Cessna aircraft. For more information, call 800-544-8594 or go to http://www.mcfarlaneaviation.com/cowlsaver

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Press Release – New Product

Larson Electronics’ has announced that magnalight.com added a Class 1 Division 1 and Class 2 Division 1 explosion proof LED light alternative to incandescent and fluorescent trouble lights for hazardous locations areas.  The durable EPL-FL1524-LED-50-HR ships with an explosion proof reel, so the entire lighting solution can be installed and used in the hazardous location area.  You can learn more at https://www.magnalight.com or 1-800-369-6671 (1-903-498-3363 international). 

 

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PRESS RELEASE -
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Sonex Aircraft, LLC has announced that they are now accepting refundable deposits for the Onex Single-Place, Folding-Wing, Aerobatic Sport Aircraft. The deposits are to reserve kit productions slots. Customers can view full details, terms & conditions, and make their Onex Kit
Reservation Deposits at http://www.SonexAircraft.com/onex

 

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PRESS RELEASE -
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 EAA has launched the date of the 2^nd annual International Learn to Fly Day it is going to take place Saturday, May 21, 2011.  The EAA views this event as a key way to introduce people of all ages to flying. They are championing their local EAA Chapters to lead the way by offering complementary adult orientation flights.  The EAA is hoping that this will help create a full year adult version of their already very received  and highly successful Young Eagles program. Learn more about Learn To Fly Day on May 21^st , 2011 here: http://www.learntofly.org   

   

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PRESS RELEASE -
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The Lindbergh Foundation will be hosting its 2^nd annual Lindbergh Foundation Day at SUN 'n FUN on Thursday, March 31 from 9 a.m - 2 p.m. They have put together an array of aviation industry speakers to touch a variety of topics. Their forums will be held at the Central Florida Aerospace Academy in the multipurpose room on the Sun ‘n Fun grounds. Learn more about the Lindbergh Foundation Day at SUN 'n FUN here:

http://www.lindberghfoundation.org/docs/index.php/aviation-green/457-lindbergh-foundation-day-2011

 

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PRESS RELEASE - “Skydreamers” Exhibit at the Autry National Center. 

If you have been looking for a reason to get out to Los Angeles, or you live in or around the area, we have something for you to check out. The Autry National Center is putting on an exhibit called “Skydreamers”. You can go through the history of flight with their exhibition of art and photography. It shows not only the history but impact of flight. They have everything from the first hot-air balloon ride to the exploration of space. The “Skydreamers” exhibition goes on from April 29th through September 4th, 2011. For more information visit: http://theautry.org/exhibitions/skydreamers

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PRESS RELEASE - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
The Commemorative Air Force (CAF) has confirmed that FIFI, the world’s only airworthy Boeing B-29 Superfortress and country music star/patriot Aaron Tippin will take their "CAF’s Red, White & Loud Tour" to AirVenture 2011. FIFI will arrive at AirVenture on Tuesday, July 26^th staying until July 31^st.  FIFI will appear in Friday’s air show as a part of the AirVenture’s day-long veterans salute. Aaron Tippin will take the stage on Saturday, his concert will precede the Night Air Show and Daher-Socata Fireworks. For more information about FIFI and Arron Tippin's appearance at AirVenture 2011, visit: http://www.commemorativeairforce.org/?page=cms/event&eventID=105 or www.AaronTippin.com or
http://www.airventure.org/news/2011/110323_b29fifi.html

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Press Release –
New Product
Trisoft Panels interlock to cover wings and horizontal stabilizers, protecting them from dropped tools, flashlights, spray cans, and all the other hazards that can fall onto thin metal and painted surfaces. The XLPE foam is resistant to sunlight, heat, and cold; and its closed-cell structure is chemical resistant and will not absorb water. Sized in two foot squares and packed four to a case, the squares have a natural resistance to sliding on the surface. For more info: 800-844-2371 or www.trisoftcovers.com

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PRESS RELEASE - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE.
The University of North Dakota (UND) John D. Odegard School of Aerospace Sciences will host its Spring Aviation Safety Seminar on Wednesday, March 30 at 7 p.m. at the Chester Fritz Auditorium. The seminar, presented by National Transportation Safety Board vice chair Robert Sumwalt, will focus on professionalism in aviation. This safety seminar meets the credit requirements for those aviators who are participating in the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Wings Pilot Proficiency Program. The seminar is free and open to the public. For more information: http://www2.und.nodak.edu/our/news/story.php?id=3401 

Welcome to a new segment that we are going to be bringing to our AO readers, every month, that will be all about YOU. Pilots love to learn about pilots - no matter who they are, where they’re from, or what they fly - and we have randomly selected individuals from our readership to share their aviation background, inspirations and first flights. We are very excited to be launching this new segment and look forward to all of you becoming a part of it.
So, pilot, what’s your story?

AO: Please state your name for the record...
CK: Chip Kiser.

AO: What is your favorite breakfast cereal?
CK: Raisin Bran.

AO: Where did you do most of your flying when you were building time?
CK: Plymouth, NC.

AO: Do you remember your flight instructor’s name? What did you solo in?
CK: My first one 35 years ago was Wade Brabble. The one that helped me finish up 4 years ago is Dennis Matthews. He wears an Indiana Jones hat and calls everyone Critter. Cessna 150 N22805.

AO: Tell us about your favorite $100 hamburger.
CK: About a 45 min flight along the Gulf Coast line SW to Apalachicola ( KAAF ). It ain’t no hamburger. It is the best oysters you will find. The FBO will let you use their car to go into town. It’s a little too far to walk or ride a bicycle. The place is Boss Oyster. Oysters any way you want em while sitting on the dock with the grackles, gulls and pelicans.

AO: What inspired you to become a pilot?
CK: A lifelong dream. While lying on the bank fishing when I was a kid, I remember looking up
and seeing the planes and thinking, one day.

AO: How long have you been flying?
CK: That is my story, kind-of a long story. Thirty five years ago right out of college I met a guy with a Cherokee 180. He took me for a ride and let me take the yoke. I started ground school the next week. Started lessons at the local grass strip in a 150. Finished ground school, passed the written, scheduled check ride five different times but the weather washed me out. Got married, had to move, got away from flying for 35 years but never lost the dream.

AO: Who is your favorite aviator and why?
CK: I don’t really have one. I have never had anyone to take me under their wing ( no pun intended ) and show me the ropes. I admire the bush pilots and the guys who fly the fighters.

AO: How do you feel about AO doing a feature on you? Are you excited, nervous, delighted?
CK: I would LOVE to tell you my story. I guess everybody says that.

AO: What was the very first plane that you bought? Do you still have it?
CK: Yes, it was only four years ago. It is a 1968
C-177 Cardinal. Still has the 150 horse engine. STC’d for car gas. I bought it from a friend who had it 15 plus years. Excellent shape, hangared it’s whole life.

AO: What are you currently flying?
CK: The Cardinal

AO: How many ratings do you have?
CK: Just Single Engine Land, VFR only

AO: Taildragger, Amphib/floats, skis, Bi-plane, high-wing, low-wing, turbine, heli? Why?
CK: I would like to do all of the above. Hopefully
the medical will last long enough.

AO: Jiffy or Skippy? (oops, we meant Jif)
CK: I’m having to guess on this one. If you mean peanut butter, It’s Jif not Jiffy. Never tried Skippy.

AO: Favorite flying phrase?
CK: Don’t know many. The one I use the most is: “I would rather be down here wishin’ I was up there, instead of up there wishin’ I was down here.”

AO: Favorite runway and/or approach?
CK: Haven’t tried that many different ones. I like Cedar Key (KCDK) FL.

AO: If you could own any aircraft, your dream aircraft (and not have to worry about maintenance or fuel), what would it be? Why?
CK: I have always wanted a V-35, V Tail Bonanza. I love the way they look.

AO: Thank you for your time, Chip.

Would you like to be part of “Pilot, what’s your story?”
Contact us at News@AircraftOwner.com and we’ll send you a questionaire. See you next month.

Despite the economic downturn, I am regularly reminded of the constant innovations that are made in General Aviation.

Yes, I know that the basic premise of aircraft design has not changed all that much over time. After all, neither has the basic design for boats. But once in a while someone comes up with something that’s really neat.

Martin Jetpack Is Still Coming
I was reminded of this again today when I received press packet concerning the Martin Jetpack. Here is an outfit that, that many thought would disappear into the pages of history after their initial appearance at Oshkosh back in 2008. But they are still around, seemingly improving their product and poking fun at those who said they were a flash in the pan.

The Jetpack as you recall if you were there was a somewhat bulky looking device that someone rode a couple of feet off the ground at their OSH exhibit – with people stabilizing the modest ascent all the while. Low and behold, it looks like they have made progress since then. The current pictures show someone hovering about 20 feet off the ground. This video shows it flying remotely quite a bit higher than that.

The thing I really like about this is that these guys have not given up. They have gone so far as to compare Jetpack operations to a light helicopter. A bit optimistic perhaps – one might even call it hyperbole – were it not for the progress these folks have made over the last several years. I wish them luck and continued success.

Inexpensive Traffic Avoidance Could Save Your Life
Other innovations also continue to be refined add to the overall safety of our General Aviation flying. One of my favorite categories are the comparatively inexpensive traffic avoidance devices. These include the likes of the Zaon XRX and MRX systems which could save you from a mid-air collision. I have recently purchased the XRX and trust me, there is much more traffic out there than you ever have a chance to eyeball. These are worthwhile investments no matter where you fly.

Getting ready of another trip into the Baja and mainland Mexico, I am also taking along another fairly recent innovation: the SPOT locator beacon system. Not only can these inexpensive devices help notify others of your location in an emergency, they also allow friends and loved ones to follow your travels on Google Maps (OK, if you don’t want to send your location all the time you don’t need to have it on all the time)!

Other innovations we can use include the portable and low cost pulse oximeters which you can use to periodically check your blood oxygen content when flying at higher altitudes. To make sure you are breathing the right stuff, you can now purchase inexpensive CO detectors to go along with it.

I-Pad Type Devices Are Information Pads for GA
Several friends have recently purchased I-pads and subscribed to one of several flight planning Web sites that provide everything from weather to online approach plates. This industry is still in its infancy and yet they are providing capabilities we would only have dreamed about a few short years ago.

I absolutely love my seat-of-the-pants flying, but I am also so pleased at all of the innovations coming out in support of General Aviaiton. These can make our flying even safer and in many cases more fun.

Another Summer Of Great Flying Is Upon Us!
I am also getting excited about the summer flying season and looking forward to all the flying coming up this year. As I mentioned, that begins with my nearly annual flying trip to Mexico which will coincide with the first fly-in I usually attend in Casa Grande, Arizona, the Cactus Fly-in the weekend of March 4 – 5, and then Sun ‘N Fun in Lakeland, Florida, March 29 through April 3. I have not decided what I’m taking to Sun ‘n Fun this year but it may just be my recently restored Paramount Cabinaire. But we’ll see. For sure I will be there all week.

Just a reminder, if you have not been flying that much this winter, it’s time to get out when you can and brush off those winter cobwebs for a safe and enjoyable summer of great fun and adventure. We look forward to seeing you at a fly-in or other aviation gathering this year.

The Internet has revolutionized every single industry on the face of the earth. Yet it seems as though the marketing and sales of aircraft has yet to be fully transformed by this “novel” invention. The fact of the matter is that aviation as a whole is losing out due to the industry’s stubbornness to migrate.

Everyone in the industry is aware of two large print publications which circulate and advertise a myriad of aircraft. Every month thousands upon thousands of dollars are spent by aviation based companies to market their products and services in such publications. However, are these dollars spent worthwhile to the firms? I’ll be the first one to admit that I will pick up the latest, free copy of one of these publications to thumb through whilst paying my tributes to the engineers at Kohler or Bemis. Perhaps I will bring a copy along to amuse myself while taking a dreaded commercial flight because my aircraft is down for maintenance, etc. I can’t tell you the amount of listing publications I pull out of my flight bag or attaché on a yearly basis. However, when I am seriously in search of an aircraft for either myself or one of my clients, these print publications are simply the last place I care to go. The first place my colleagues (who range from mid-20’s to late-80’s) and I go is straight to the Internet. I can enter specific search parameters, such as year and model, or even specify keywords including GPS or autopilot manufactures. I’m able to view pictures and perhaps videos of the aircraft and see the latest times on the engines and airframes. I can get a feel for the entire market for a particular aircraft model within a few clicks of my mouse and best serve my client. This speed is so critically important when searching for a particular aircraft that may be rare and have a short turn-around time on the market. Everyone in the business knows that timing is key. In order to make a smooth transaction you have to have the right buyer, the right seller, and the right aircraft. These are three variables, which, believe it or not, are hard to make co-exist. Having instant access to the latest listings online makes one part of the job so much more efficient for all parties.

Next time you decide to list your company's inventory I urge you to look at how your advertising dollars are spent. Why are you paying vast fortunes to have your aircraft lost in a sea of advertisements? Print publications, no matter the size, are costly and expensive ventures by nature. Look for listing agencies that focus their attention on the Internet and are able to save you both time and money by not supporting print publications and instead supporting your best interests while maintain the same, if not greater, level of exposure.

What you will find is nothing short than a marketing and budget miracle.

 

David McCartney is the Director of Operations for General Aviation Security, Inc. the parent company for the marketing website www.AeroController.com.

Contact: david@aerocontroller.com 
Follow on Twitter @helijets

When should you use over the counter cold medicines when flying or otherwise? Almost never!  Since this is cold and flu season, their use goes up and many pilots are faced with a choice.

Over the counter cold medications are just plain horrible.  Although their advertisements may imply they shorten the course of a cold, they do not.  In fact, most of the over counter cold medications have never been proven safe or effective for anything.  Their ingredients were grandfathered in prior to having to prove so and even now, new drugs only have to show they are better than nothing.

The implications for flying are significant.  Many of these cold medications are stimulating like pseudoephedrine which may induce symptoms ranging from being jittery to having tremors—not a good thing in the cockpit.  Plus, altitude may increase ones sensitivity to such medications. 

Other cold medications may cause such symptoms as sedation, dry eyes, dry mouth, and nose bleeds.  Also side effects that are troublesome in an aircraft.

It is important to remember that an antihistamine is for symptoms induced by allergy.  They may dry up a runny nose caused by a cold but that is not how they are supposed to be used. In fact, the dryness caused by antihistamines and other specific cold medications may actually prolong illness since it prevents your body from getting rid of the offensive material.

Although the FAA has accepted a large number of these medications (and even a longer list with a doctor’s note), I would not recommend them for flying unless you have really tried them on the ground and know they will not adversely affect you.  But first, ask yourself the question “Is it really doing anything for me?”

Let me give you an example.  One of the most painful situations we see with colds is related to sinus pressure.  The sinuses are like caves—big on the inside with small drainage openings.  They are lined with mucous membranes just like you nose and produce significant amounts of mucous during a cold.  The over the counter cold medications may dry you up but they thicken the mucous which blocks the small opening of the sinuses.  Then the pressure and pain begins.

What is safe over the counter?  Aspirin, ibuprofen, acetaminophen, and naproxen are the only ones I recommend.  Be sure not to be fooled into by something like “Tylenol Sinus” which is just expensive acetaminophen plus phenylephrine and guaifenesin.  Phenylephrine is similar to the stimulant pseudoephedrine and I have never seen guaifenesin do anything.  From my viewpoint, if you think “expectorants” and “decongestants” do anything, I would like to speak to you about ghosts and goblins.

Aspirin, Ibuprofen, and naproxen are anti inflammatory medications (called NSAIDs—non steroidal anti inflammatory drug) which also reduce fever and pain.  Acetaminophen reduces fever and pain but does not have any anti inflammatory effect.  Always buy the generics unless you like wasting money supporting drug companies!

The bottom line is that everyone gets common colds and nothing will shorten the course.  Lots of fluids (both oral and vapor), rest, and controlling fever are the only things that will help but nothing shortens the course.

When some drug company does invent a “real” treatment, buy their stock!

Again, but this time with video.

The initial call about the January photo gig at Lake Powell came in December through one of my Russian connections. Apparently, two Russian businessmen who were attending the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas wanted to photograph the Lake Powell area from the air. They were willing to pay me to fly up to Lake Powell from Phoenix and make at least two flights totaling 3 to 5 hours.

Trips like this are extremely costly -- after all, the client has to pay for 4 hours of flight time just to get me up there and back -- and I honestly didn't expect it to happen. But a week before the chosen dates -- January 12-13 -- I got the green light and the all-important credit card number I needed to get paid for that 4 hour repositioning flight plus a standard overnight fee to cover my expenses and compensate me for my time away from home.

The Gig

I admit I wasn't looking forward to the gig. The two photographers claimed to weigh 242 pounds (converted from kilos) and I knew they likely weighed more fully dressed and carrying camera equipment. I calculated the weight and balance as soon as I had this information and discovered that I'd have to strip all non-essential equipment out of the helicopter to lighten it up so we could take enough fuel for 2 hour flight segments (plus FAA-required reserves). Anything that was left on board would have to be shifted from under my seat to under the seat behind me, just to shift weight backwards. Having two fatties -- yes, including me -- up front would make us front-heavy. Having two fatties on the left side would make us heavy on that side. But even after adding 15 pounds of weight for each of them, I confirmed that'd be in balance with 2/3 fuel or less on board.

The other thing that bothered me was weather. Page, AZ was having unseasonably cold weather with daytime highs barely getting above freezing. Flying a helicopter with two doors off guarantees plenty of outside air inside the cabin and no amount of heat is going to win against 30°F outside air. So not only did I have a bit of a challenge ahead of me with a listing (but still within acceptable CG) aircraft to fly, I'd likely be freezing my ass off.

As far as the helicopter goes, I wasn't worried about the cold weather affecting operations. My R44 Raven II is fuel injected, so carburetor ice is not an issue. I'd flown it in cold weather before and it was always peppy -- once I got it started. In fact, that was my only real concern: Lake Powell photographers usually want to get off the ground at dawn for morning flights and with overnight temperatures under 20°F, I worried a bit about getting the helicopter started for its morning flight.

But the gig did have one big thing going for it: at least 4 hours of revenue time. And if there's one thing I'm interested in, it's getting paid to fly.

The Flight Up

Lake Powell is about 200 nautical miles north of the Phoenix area. Since my clients were paying for a 2-hour flight, my goal was to make it there in two hours. That meant flying as close to a straight line as I could.

Using Sky Vector, I plotted a course from Phoenix Deer Valley Airport (KDVT) to Page Municipal Airport (KPGA) with only one waypoint in between: the Little Colorado River Gorge (LCRG) on the east side of Grand Canyon's Special Use Airspace. I wrote down the coordinates for the LCRG to punch them into my GPS -- a recent GPS battery change had wiped my user waypoint list clean. The flight path would take me north along the east side of I-17, crossing it just before it dips down to Camp Verde. I'd cut across the Verde Valley between Sedona and Cottonwood, then climb the Mogollon Rim west of Sedona, pass east of the restricted area for the Navajo Army Depot, west of Flagstaff, and west of the San Francisco Peaks, the tallest mountain in Arizona. From there, I'd drop back down into the Navajo Reservation, flying over its western edge, hop the Echo Cliffs, and drop back down to Page, AZ.

And that's mostly how it all came off.

I departed Deer Valley at about 8:45 AM under partly cloudy skies with little or no wind. It was a cool morning, with temperatures just climbing through the 50s. I crossed Deer Valley's runways at 2000 feet MSL as required by the Tower there and got right on course, aiming for the LCRG waypoint I'd added to my GPS.

It was interesting and different to fly a straight line route through an area I knew so well. After all, I've been flying from the Phoenix area to Sedona, the Grand Canyon, Flagstaff, and Lake Powell for years, so it's not as if the area I'd be flying over was new to me. But I usually fly with passengers on board and, to make the flight more interesting, I fly over or past various points of interest, such as towns, highways, mine sites, and canyons. On this flight, speed was the goal -- I wasn't interested in scenery. But I got scenery anyway -- how can you fly a helicopter through Arizona without seeing something spectacular every mile?

As I flew, my GoPro Hero camera recorded a 720p widescreen video of the flight. Mounted up front, it offered an unobstructed view of everything ahead of me. The wide angle lens brought in details of what was close while pushing back distant points. Later that night, I'd watch much of the 2 hours of video and remember the various points of the flight.

What fascinated me was the way the light changed throughout the flight. At first, it was partly cloudy. Then the sun slipped behind the clouds and it was cloudy. Then the sun began to break through, speckling the mountainsides with light. This still image, captured from the video, gives you an idea of what I mean. The light changed numerous times over the two-hour period of the flight -- at one point, clouding over completely only 1,000 feet above me -- giving the illusion that the flight was conducted over multiple days.

It wasn't just the light that changed, of course. It was also the terrain. Flat desert in the Phoenix area, soft mountains studded with saguaro cacti as I headed north, flat mesas with steep basalt sides, deeply carved canyons, wide valleys, red rock cliffs and hoodoos, alpine forests blanketed with snow, tall mountains, ancient cinder cones, flat "painted" desert, deep gorges, buttes, uplifted cliff faces, slot canyons. I saw it all over the course of my two hour flight -- all without trying to see it. My nearly straight line course simply put me over the top of all these things. I sat comfortable and warm in my seat, admiring the view as I glided over it.

Glided is definitely a good word. There was hardly a breath of wind during the entire flight so it was amazingly smooth. A pilot's dream. And although outside temperatures dipped as low as -5°C, I was cosy and warm with the heat up only about halfway.

One of the highlights of the flight was crossing the red rock cliffs west of Sedona and climbing up over the Mogollon Rim. The light was absolutely perfect, breaking through light scattered clouds to illuminate the rocks with a soft golden light. Absolutely breathtaking and the GoPro camera captured the whole thing.

Beyond that was a surprising amount of snow and a light overcast layer that shrouded the top of the San Francisco Peaks. The temperature there was around 0°C, but the Flagstaff ATIS reported -5°C -- a real thermal inversion only 10 miles east. The low cloud layer and dimly lighted snowfields made me feel claustrophobic. Ahead of me, it looked as if some precipitation could be falling from the clouds. That got me a bit worried about icing, but I continued on. By the time I got to the point I thought I'd seen rain or snow falling, it had stopped -- and so did my worries.

The only surprise on my flight was upon reaching the GPS coordinates for the LCRG. Simply said: it wasn't there. It was about 10 miles northwest of where I'd plotted it to be. I can only assume that I'd punched in a wrong digit when I entered the waypoint into my helicopter's GPS. So rather than fly over its most dramatic point, I crossed a bit to the east and kept going. I deleted that waypoint so I wouldn't depend on it again. Oddly if I'd made a serious mistake in the entry, I would have noticed it a lot sooner. But because it was only off by a little bit, it wasn't until I passed the waypoint that I realized the error. I'll definitely be more careful in the future.

When I got to the empty expanse of the Navajo Reservation, I dropped down and flew low over the ground. There were few homes in the hundreds of square miles and only a handful showed signs of life. In the video, my helicopter's shadow is clearly visible: small when I'm flying higher and larger when I'm flying lower. The video makes it seem as if I'm going much faster during this portion of the flight, but I'm not. I managed to keep a steady 100-110 ground speed for most of the flight. It's just an illusion: the closer the camera is to the ground, the faster I seem to be flying.

I crossed over the Echo Cliffs at Cedar Ridge -- at least I think that's where I was -- and sped across more of the Navajo Reservation north. In all, I think about 45 minutes of the flight was spent over the Rez. It's an amazing land of stark beauty, sprinkled with traditional homesteads, more modern yet simple homes, and, on its far western reaches, the ruins of abandoned homesites clearly visible as rock rings and corrals. The traditional Navajo home is a round or octagonal building called a hogan and they are clearly visible from the air. Also visible on most days are livestock such as cattle and sheep and wild horses.

I descended down toward the lake, flying at a low enough level that I didn't actually see its clear blue water until I was about 15 miles out. Of course, I could see other landmarks -- notably the bulk of Navajo Mountain about 50 miles to the east of Page and the Navajo Power Plant, with tall stacks belching ugly smoke into the air just outside of town. The radio frequency was silent as I descended toward the airport. I lined up with the taxiway and set down on one of the helipads.

The Video

Later, after doing 3.4 hours of photo flying around the lake and points east, I watched the video shot by my GoPro Hero. It was probably some of the best footage I'd ever captured with the camera. My only regret was that I hadn't shot in in 1080p.

Over the course of two days, I assembled a movie from seven-second clips shot during that two hour flight. Last night I added titles and music. I exported it for my iPad and uploaded it to YouTube. Here it is. Enjoy.

If you are thinking about buying an aircraft for use in your business in 2011, you need to know that the income tax laws have changed recently and, if you follow a whole bunch of complicated rules, these changes can substantially reduce your cost of owning and operating that aircraft.

First, a warning.  I am not a tax attorney.  I know enough about tax to get myself in trouble in a hurry.  Everyone’s tax situation is different, and the rules and regulations change constantly.  If you are contemplating the purchase of an aircraft and are interested in the actual tax consequences that will apply to your situation, you should contact an accountant who specializes in aircraft taxation.  There are several good ones around the country.  Your regular CPA generally is not going to know about any of the special rules relating to aircraft.  Some CPAs may not even know that there is stuff they don’t know.  If you just use your regular CPA, without verifying that he or she knows about aircraft accounting procedures, you are asking for trouble down the road.  Use a specialist.  It is worth the extra expense.  Also, this article is only about federal income tax.  It does NOT address other types of taxes like sales taxes, use taxes, ad valorem taxes, or other similar taxes and fees.

As in most years, favorable tax treatment in 2011 depends upon whether you are buying a NEW aircraft or a USED aircraft.  The treatment for both types of aircraft has improved dramatically over the past years, but it is VERY different between the two types.

In general, there are three types of expenses that we are concerned with in this article:  “standard” depreciation; “bonus” depreciation; and “Section 179” expenses. 

The most-talked-about of these three items is “bonus” depreciation.  The term “bonus” refers to the fact that the income tax laws currently require that aircraft which can be depreciated usually have to be depreciated over a schedule of either five or seven years (depending on the type of use).  At this rate, the taxpayer would not be able to deduct more than about 20% of the cost of the aircraft in the first year of ownership.  Beginning in 2004, as a way to stimulate the economy and create jobs, however, the government began using the concept of “bonus” depreciation, which allowed people who ordered and placed into use new aircraft to “front load” the depreciation deduction in the year they made the cash outlay.  This had the result of stimulating people to buy new aircraft, which, in turn, kept people employed building them.

For 2011, the way in which bonus depreciation works, is that 100% of the cost of new aircraft, and of new equipment added to used aircraft, on contracts entered into on or after January 1, 2008, and placed into service prior to December 31, 2011, may be taken as a depreciation expense in the year of purchase.  If you have a large liability for taxes in 2011, this is huge.  It has the effect of allowing you to deduct the cost of your aircraft from your taxable income, resulting in less tax due for the year 2011, and might even result in a tax refund.  The current law changes in 2012, the “bonus” is not as much, but is still nothing to sneeze at.  Up to 50% of the cost of the new aircraft can be deducted in 2012 if the aircraft is put into service during that year.  There are even some circumstances where the aircraft owner can receive an extension of up to one year (to December 31, 2013) to put the aircraft into service and still write off 50% of the purchase price as “depreciation” in the year the aircraft is placed into service.  Again, this can result in less income taxes due, or even a tax refund.

“Regular” depreciation is applicable for all aircraft which are legitimately used for business (as distinguished from “hobby”; “personal use”; or “entertainment”).  The rules regarding regular depreciation haven’t really changed much.  Depending upon the type of business use to which the aircraft is put, the most you can depreciate in any one year is dependent upon the Modified Accelerated Cost Recovery system (MACRS) formula, which is only slightly “front loaded”.

Section 179 expensing is different.  It allows you to deduct certain regular operating expenses, within strictly controlled limits.  For 2011, those limits have been made much more liberal than they have been in the past.  For USED aircraft, as well as NEW aircraft, a taxpayer who invests up to $2,500,000.00 in an aircraft may take up to the first $500,000.00 in expenses incurred in 2011 as deductible expenses in 2011.  Again, this can have the result of making the cost of purchasing and operating a used aircraft much less onerous, since much of the purchase cost may be recovered in tax savings in year one.  [Although Section 179 expensing applies to new aircraft as well as used aircraft, in MOST cases, it will be more beneficial for the owner of the new aircraft to use bonus depreciation rather than Section 179 expensing.]

In 2012, this expensing will become much less generous.  At that time, unless there is a change made before the rules become effective, only the first $625,000.00 of investment is eligible to be considered for Section 179 expensing.  Only a maximum of $125,000.00 can actually be expensed in year one.  The benefit of Section 179 expensing is phased out for investments in aircraft in excess of $625,000.00

In September 2007, I was hired for a five-day aerial photography gig in northern Arizona and the Four Corners area.  After three days at Lake Powell, we moved on to Monument Valley, where my clients had obtained photo permits to legally conduct the aerial photo flights over the Monument Valley Tribal Park. We did several flights over two days, including flights at sunset and sunrise.

This is the account of my fourth day of the gig, on the first morning at Monument Valley. I’d flown at sunset the night before and was low on fuel. Trouble was, there is no fuel for sale at Monument Valley’s airstrip.

I slept badly and was up at 4 AM. It was very dark outside. I needed to make the 30-mile flight to Cal Black for fuel and be on the ramp, ready to fly before sunrise.

My Thoughts on Night Flying

I’m not afraid to fly at night. I do a “moonlight dinner tour” in the Phoenix area that flies all around the area before I return to Wickenburg. It doesn’t matter whether there’s a moon when you’re flying over the urban sprawl that is America’s fifth or sixth largest city. It’s so darn bright that I get reflections from the ground in the bubble.

I also fly around the Wickenburg area at night when there’s a moon. I did it twice in earlier that month. No big deal.

But the Navajo Reservation isn’t anything like Phoenix or Wickenburg. It’s thousands of square miles of mostly empty land with mountains and ridges and buttes and canyons. And it gets very dark at night.

That said, I knew what I needed to do to be on the ramp with fuel in time for my dawn flight. I had to wait until I could see the horizon in the direction I was going to fly—northwest—and then go for it. By the time I got to Cal Black, it should be light enough to see the runway. Ten to fifteen minutes on the ground while Maury (the FBO manager in those days) fueled me would be more time for the sky to brighten. The return flight was toward the dawn sky, so I shouldn’t have any problem coming back.

And that’s pretty much how it all came off. Except that when I took off at about 6 AM, I could barely see that 6,000+ foot ridge I had to cross on the northwest side of the San Juan River. I started climbing immediately. I could see a large butte to my left and had no trouble avoiding it. Below me, each Navajo home I flew near had a big bright light that illuminated the yard. I could see trailers and hogans and trucks. The homes were dark. The occupants were probably still asleep.

When I passed the last Navajo home, still 20 miles from my destination, I suddenly felt very lonely. There were no lights in front of me. Just that dark ridge with a hint of taller mountains way out in the distance. To my left, however, I was very surprised to see a bunch of lights near the base of Navajo Mountain, about 30 miles away.

I continued to climb. I couldn’t remember how tall the ridge was, but I wanted to clear it with plenty of room to spare. 8,000 feet MSL should be enough. I climbed.

And then I saw the lights of the Bullfrog and Halls Crossing marinas on Lake Powell. I wasn’t flying into emptiness. There was something up ahead.

But nothing warmed my heart as much as the rotating beacon at Cal Black airport, which I saw when I was still 15 miles out.

That’s when I crossed the ridge. It was actually a series of ridges with deep canyons between them. Very dramatic during the daylight hours. A cool place to take a hike, I bet—if you could get to them from the ground. I probably cleared the ridges by 1,000 feet, but they looked a lot closer in the gray, predawn light. And I knew that if my engine quit right then and there, I’d be dead. There simply wasn’t any way I’d find a decent emergency landing zone there in the dark.

Fortunately, my engine kept running and I kept flying. After the last ridge, I reduced power and began the long descent to the airport over the downward-sloping terrain.

I’d been making radio calls since I was 20 miles out, calling in every 5 miles. Maury hadn’t replied. He’d told me he slept with the radio on beside his bed. I hoped he had the volume turned up loud enough to hear me and wake up. It would be a bummer if walking to the terminal building to wake him caused me to be late.

I was still 5 miles out when I activated the pilot controlled lighting with five clicks of the mic button. The airport’s runway lights appeared in the gloom, bright white and blue lights that outlined the runway and taxiway perfectly. Now all I had to do was figure out where the fuel pump was along that line.

A light came on over the pump as I neared. And there was Maury, standing by his golf cart. I pulled in close to the pump and shut down.

While he fueled, we talked about the joy of living in remote places. I told him that if he ever wanted to go on vacation, I’d watch the place for him. He told me he’d rather read about vacation places in books and magazines. Less of a hassle. He told me that when he was a kid, he always wanted to be a lighthouse keeper. But now they’re all automated. I pointed to the rotating beacon and told him that he was a lighthouse keeper.

When Maury was finished fueling, I climbed back into the helicopter and started back up. He flicked off the light over the pump just as I was lifting off.

As I expected, the flight back was easy. Clouds in the east showed color briefly as the sun, still beneath the horizon, illuminated them from below. I sped across the desert, climbing the slope to the ridges and crossing over them. In the distance, I could see the lights at Goulding’s. But I could also see the texture of the land I flew over. It was almost daytime.

I set down at the pad at Gouldings at 6 AM. My clients, Mike and Oleg, were waiting.

Photo Flight at Monument Valley

We took off to Monument Valley sometime around sunrise. We weren’t sure if the sun was up or not. The clouds in the east were thicker than I thought and hid the sun from view.

Mike was bummed. The light was too soft. But it wouldn’t be long before the sun peeked over the top of the cloud. He wanted to be in position. So we headed out to the formation commonly known as the Totem Pole, watching the light on the buttes as we went.

What followed was more than an hour of precision flying, following the instructions issued by Mike and Oleg. I flew all over Monument Valley at all elevations, back and forth around the buttes. The scenery around me was beautiful, the light eventually very good. We flew briefly to Agathla Peak (also known as El Capitan), which is halfway between Kayenta and Monument Valley on Route 163. Then back to Monument Valley for more shots.

Another Fuel Run

Although we had enough fuel for a trip to the nearby Goosenecks of the San Juan River, Mike wanted to get there later in the morning, so we went for fuel first. And as we made our way toward Cal Black, I realized that the sky was quite thick with clouds.

Mike noticed, too. “Is it raining?” he asked.

“Looks like it to me,” I said.

“We will get wet,” he said.

“Maybe a little,” I agreed.

He suggested that we go back to Goulding’s and wait until the rain stopped. I didn’t like that idea. First, it wasn’t raining at Goulding’s (yet). Second, we couldn’t see the area where it was raining from Goulding’s. Third, the idea was to fly early in the morning when the light was good. And fourth, I really wanted to get the flight finished so I could get some rest.

Rather than explain all this, I told him that at 90 to 100 knots, which was the speed I was flying, the water tended to skim around the helicopter. This is what I’d always observed in the past. Heck, I’d once flown through the edge of a thunderstorm in pouring rain with all four doors off and had barely gotten a drop on me!

But when we hit the rain, just after crossing the ridge, I realized that Mike and Oleg were indeed getting wet. They moved their cameras away from the gaping doorways. I was nice and dry with my door on.

I should explain something here for readers who are not desert dwellers. In normal climates, getting wet is a big deal. It often means that you’ll stay wet until you do something to get dry. But in the desert, just leaving a wet area is enough to get you dry. The air is so dry that anything that is wet dries within minutes as soon as you take it away from the source of wetness. That’s one of the reasons I don’t mind leaving the windows off in my Jeep, even in the rain. The seats and carpet will dry when the rain stops.

When we landed at Cal Black, Maury was waiting at the pump. It was raining there, too, but had evidently just started. When I told Mike that no, he could not smoke in my helicopter, he and Oleg stepped out into the rain. I chatted with Maury, unwilling to stay dry while he was getting wet for my benefit. When he was finished, I waved the others over. Maury hurried back to shelter in his golf cart. I dried the two passenger seats off with rags I keep under my seat and loaded my passengers in.

“Are we going to leave now?” Mike asked.

“Sure,” I replied. “Why not?”

“Well, it’s raining.”

This is something I don’t understand. So many people think that you can’t fly in the rain. Like the helicopter will melt or something. But we’d flown in the rain to get to the airport. Why couldn’t we fly in the rain to leave?

I pointed in the direction of Goosenecks, where the sky was bright and the sun was probably shining. “It’s not raining there,” I said.

I started up and, a few minutes later, we were heading toward sunshine.

Goosenecks

It was partly cloudy at Goosenecks. We spent a lot of time hovering not far from the parking area—but about 1,500 feet above it. We got a few shots of a rock formation near there, then went back for more Goosenecks shots. The air was relatively smooth, but Oleg did not ask for one of his 360° panoramas.

Then it was done. Mike told me to fly back to Goulding’s.

R and R?

Back at Goulding’s, we put the doors back on the helicopter. I stood on the bumper of Mike’s rental SUV and tied down the blades. Then they departed to rejoin their group. Their plan was to go camping with a guide atop Hunt’s Mesa, which overlooks all of Monument Valley. With clouds moving in, I had concerns about their timing.

Goulding’s lodge had been fully booked, so I was staying in one of the overflow rooms: a nice sized motel room with kitchenette on the west side of the hangar near Goulding’s runway. The pilot lounge, set up with a television and limited kitchen for tour pilots, was next door. My room was extremely convenient for keeping an eye on and prepping the helicopter, but it was a long walk from the lodge building with their restaurant and wifi. Fortunately, Gouldings offered a shuttle service.

I was hungry after the flight, and went up to the lodge and restaurant for lunch: Navajo fry bread with a bowl of pork chili stew. A bit on the spicy side for me, but excellent. Later, in Goulding’s lobby, I checked e-mail and got some work done on my laptop.

It began raining while I was in the lobby doing my work. The tourists who’d eaten in the restaurant clustered together under cover on the stairs, waiting for their bus. No one wanted to get wet. Obviously not desert dwellers. I got a lift back to the hangar. A while later, I was warm and dry in my room.

Visibility in Monument Valley had dropped to just a few miles. I could no longer see the ridge to the northwest that I’d crossed four times that day and the buttes in the valley were shrouded by clouds. It rained on and off. Every once in a while, I’d pop outside to see what things looked like in the valley. A few times, I went out and took photos.  I relaxed.

Later, it cleared a little and the two Huskies that had been on the ramp overnight returned from wherever they’d been all day.

A Bell 206L landed on the helipad beside mine. I was standing in the doorway, looking out into the day while chatting on the phone with my brother when he came in. The pilot shut down and, when the blades stopped spinning, he walked over. Turned out, he was from a company based in Mesa, AZ. He’d been hired as a film ship for a movie being filmed in the valley. As we talked, a Budget rental truck pulled up next to his helicopter and two guys began rigging it with a Cineflex camera mount. I told him about the pilot lounge next door and let him go about his business.

About an hour before sunset, the sun broke through some of the clouds, illuminating one of the buttes. I took out my “good camera”—my Nikon D80 is nothing compared to the super high tech professional equipment carried by the photographers I’d been flying for the past few days—and took some photos, including a panorama of the runway area. I could see the hint of a rainbow to the east, but not enough to photograph.

I thought about my Russian friends atop Hunts Mesa. I hoped they were warm and dry and getting a good show.

I worked on my blog entries into the night. It was very dark when I finally shut off the lights and went to sleep.

 

Note: You can see the photos that accompany this blog post in the January 2011 issue of AircraftOwnerOnline magazine. Just follow the Magazine link at the top of this page.

2010 Legal Proceedings: A Retrospective

As many of you know from prior issues of this column, getting statistics about FAA administrative proceedings against pilots is very difficult.  The only place where good statistics are available is from the ultimate administrative appellate body, the NTSB, which hears appeals from FAA Orders against Certificate holders.

In 2010, there were a total of 62 such appeals.  Of those, 7 cases were cases where the substance of the matter had been heard before and either a judicial appeal was taken to the United States Court of Appeal (3 cases), or where the Certificate Holder had filed a request for reimbursement of a portion of his or her attorneys fees under the Equal Access to Justice Act (4 cases).  Three other cases were sent back to the Administrative Law Judges for further proceedings without a finding for either party (“remanded”).  Four other cases dismissed the Airman’s Appeal for being untimely without reaching the merits of the matter.  In five other cases, the Administrator’s Petition to have the decision of the Administrative Law Judge reconsidered, the NTSB refused to reconsider the matter.  In one other case, where the Airman petitioned the NTSB to have the decision of the Administrative Law Judge reconsidered, the NTSB refused to reconsider the matter.  In two other cases, an Airman’s request for a stay of the Order of the Board pending judicial review by the United States Court of Appeal was granted; in another it was denied.  In one case, the Law Judge had refused to grant the FAA’s Motion to Dismiss the Airman’s appeal because the Airman allegedly didn’t file his appeal in time, was reversed and the Airman was not allowed to proceed to the merits in the case below.  11 cases involved appeals which were either withdrawn or not perfected.  One other case was settled.  This leaves 26 cases in which cases were decided on the basic merits of the argument of the parties.

Of those 26 cases, 9 were cases that were brought by the Administrator under the FAA’s “emergency” powers.  All of those cases were decided in favor of the Administrator and against the Airman.  The remaining 17 cases, all went, in one form or another, against the Airman, as well.  Although in a few of those cases, the sanctions recommended by the Administrative Law Judge were reduced, all of the Airmen whose appeals to the NTSB were heard on the merits, wound up with their Certificates revoked or suspended for some period of time.

It is also interesting to note that, in the last three or four years, the NTSB legal staff has managed to whittle down its entire backlog of appeals such that there is relatively little delay between the date that an appeal is taken from an Administrative Law Judge and the date that an Opinion is published by the NTSB.  This benefits all concerned, as it provides closure for disputes.
   
You should also be aware of the fact that the NTSB is considering changes to the rules governing “emergency” proceedings. According to the Press Release, 

“The ANPRM [Amended Notice of Proposed Rule Making] indicates that certain parties have approached the NTSB concerning emergency certificate actions, which involve cases in which the FAA issues an immediately effective order revoking or suspending a certificate.  In such cases, the NTSB’s procedural rules allow a party to challenge the emergency status of the case, and provide an expedited timeline for doing so. The rules currently require the NTSB’s administrative law judges to ‘consider whether, based on the acts and omissions alleged in the Administrator’s order, and assuming the truth of such factual allegations, the Administrator’s emergency determination was appropriate under the circumstances.’  The ANPRM invites public comments concerning this standard of review, as well as other aspects of the emergency review process, such as whether a hearing should occur to allow parties to provide evidence concerning whether the case should be treated as an emergency.  The ANPRM further invites comments concerning whether parties should have an opportunity for another level of appeal to challenge the emergency status determination.”

For information on how to make a formal “comment” during the “comment period, please contact me and I will assist you so that your voice can be heard on this important matter.