LONG BEACH FLYING CLUB & FLIGHT ACADEMY

2631 E. Spring Street / Long Beach, CA  90806 / 562-290-0321

 

MARCH 2007 NEWSLETTER

HAPPY ST. PATRICK DAY!

 

visit us at http://www.lbflying.com/

email club@Lbflying.com

 

Teaching the world to fly!

With all the aircraft you need from the first hour to an airline job and everything in between!

GOD BLESS AMERICA * WE FLY WITH CARE... Now, more than ever

 

Editor: Candace A. Robinson

EDITORIAL - WHAT'S UP?

CAUTION DURING CONSTRUCTION AT LGB!

 

The FAA is again looking at Class C airspace for LGB.  JetBlue says a

solution to their cockpit TCAS alerts is imperative; the FAA's solution of

Class C airspace would take at least 2 years.  Me?  Modifications to Santa

Ana Class C for arrivals to Runway 30, combined with departure procedures

and modifications to LAX Class B airspace for departures Runway 30 would be

a more expeditious fix for the airlines and less intrusive to General

Aviation and our beleaguered LGB tower controllers.  Be assured this

rabble-rouser will be in the forefront for the battle.

 

 

SOLO - MORE MAY NOT BE BETTER

Submitted by Harry Leicher

 

     It seems only natural to have a "competition" to solo in fewer hours

than a friend did. It's human nature to compare oneself with a friend or

mentor.

     When it comes to solo, a student might do well to examine what is

really important. If the goal is to solo in a certain number of hours,

that's one thing; if the goal is to obtain the private pilot certificate,

an early solo might not really matter.

    In the case of a single engine fixed wing student pilot, FAR § 61.87

(c) (2) (d) (1 -- 15) lists the maneuvers and procedures in which the

student must have received and logged training, and demonstrated

satisfactory proficiency and safety, as judged by an authorized instructor.

There can be no question that evidence of training in these maneuvers must

be in the student's logbook. What is subject to interpretation, however, is

just what constitutes "satisfactory proficiency and safety."  On the other

hand, when it comes to the practical test for the certificate, the

Practical Test Standards ("PTS") sets out in detail the tolerances that

make up satisfactory performance, no matter which examiner administers the

test.

     Since the student eventually has to perform to the PTS tolerances,

what is gained by practicing maneuvers before the student can perform to

those standards?  Although it might be safe, practicing landing 1,000 feet

down the runway only builds that skill, not the precision necessary to pass

the check ride.  Without critique, the student may not know the maneuver is

not being performed to PTS standards, or not know how to fix it.  For

example, a private pilot must demonstrate a short field landing, touching

down on the centerline within 200 feet of a designated point.  If the solo

student practicing landings lands off the center line or 400 feet down the

runway, and either does not recognize the long landing, or cannot figure

out why the landing was long, that would not be effective, productive use

of the flight time.  On the other hand, if the instructor is at least

standing beside the runway to critique (and possibly video) the landings,

the session can be extremely useful.

     The same idea goes for practicing stalls, slow flight, etc.  If they

are not being performed to PTS standards, the practice session will not be

of assistance in preparing for the check ride.

     Another factor to consider is that a plane being flown solo will

perform differently than a plane with the instructor on board.  When a

167-lb. instructor gets out of a Cessna 152, that's a 10% weight reduction.

There will be a change in stall speed, power necessary to maintain

altitude at a specific speed, and climb performance

     I've seen many students who want to take a check ride in a certain

plane, because they feel accustomed to the performance of that particular

plane. Since on the check ride there will be another person in the right

seat, practicing maneuvers at a weight 10% below the weight that will exist

at the time of the check ride is the equivalent of taking the check ride in

a different airplane.  It may take more total hours for the student to

become familiar with the "different" airplanes when trying to achieve

precision.

     I've also heard many pilots talk about using the "flight simulator"

without an instructor to "practice" approaches or holds.  Again, with

having the maneuver critiqued, the pilot may be practicing a technique

incompatible with the realities of flying IFR.  An example of this is a

pilot practicing a "full approach" including a procedure turn, when the

actual flight will be conducted in a radar environment via vectors to the

final.  In that situation, the real practice should be in maintaining

situational awareness while ATC (simulated by the instructor) is doing the

navigating.  ATC has been known to make mistakes; if you don't know where

you are, how do you know they're not aiming you at a mountain?

     The FAA clearly recognizes that when it comes to proficiency, quality

instruction is more valuable than solo practice.  In the case of flight

simulator, the FAA only permits the time to be logged when the practice is

done in the presence of an instructor.  Part 141 allows students to take

their check rides without as much solo time as would be required under Part

61.  Why is that? Because the structured training has been shown to be more

productive.

     There is definitely a place for solo time in a student's training. The

first times a student flies without an instructor on board should be

supervised, rather than after the student receives the Private Certificate

and is alone.  The confidence gained by flying without an instructor on

board is immeasurable. 

     As long as it's recognized the planned solo flight may not really be

preparing the student for demonstrating various tasks with the precision

that's required on the check ride, the 10 hours solo time required for the

private pilot should be fun and useful. More solo time than that may

actually delay becoming ready for the check ride.

     Blue Skies!

     Harry

 

SAFETY TIP OF THE MONTH Phil Barton

 

     There are several airspeeds every pilot knows by heart.  These are

Indicated airspeed (IAS), True airspeed (TAS), and Groundspeed (GS).  Today

in aviation the standard speed is nautical miles per hour, or knots.  Wind

speeds, for example, are always given in knots.  ATC expects all pilots to

talk in knots, unlike in the past when miles per hour (MPH) was commonly

used.   

     Indicated airspeed is that airspeed you read directly from your

airspeed indicator.  It's called calibrated airspeed when it is corrected

for known instrument errors.

     True airspeed is the indicated airspeed or calibrated airspeed

corrected for temperature and altitude.  Temperature and altitude makes the

true airspeed different from what is indicated.  For real slow flying

aircraft like the light-sport aircraft (LSA), ultralights, etc., the true

airspeed is not much different from the indicated airspeed.  Remember,

however, that aircraft stall speeds and maximum speeds are based on

IAS/CAS, and not TAS.

     Groundspeed is how fast you are going over the ground.  Groundspeed is

the same as true airspeed when there is no wind.  This speed is very

important in planning cross-country flights because we use it in

calculating time enroute and the amount of fuel used.

     Here is a simple rule of thumb you can use in-flight to determine your

true airspeed without going through any mind-boggling calculations: Your

true airspeed (TAS) is 2 percent faster than your IAS/CAS for every 1000

feet you are above sea level.  For example, If your IAS/CAS is 145 knots at

9500 feet, your true airspeed is 19 percent higher or about 172 knots.

Adios, and fly safely.

 

 

NEW PROPOSED FAR'S

Submitted by John Ringel

 

Section I - No pilot or pilots, or person or persons acting on the

direction or suggestion or supervision of a pilot or pilots may try, or

attempt to try or make, or make attempt to try to comprehend or understand

any or all, in whole or in part of the herein mentioned Aviation

Regulations, except as authorized by the Administrator or an agent

appointed by, or inspected by, the Administrator.

 

Section II - If a pilot, or group of associate pilots becomes aware of, or

realizes, or detects, or discovers, or finds that he or she, or they, are

or have been beginning to understand the Aviation Regulations, they must

immediately, within three (3) days notify, in writing, the Administrator.

 

Section III - Upon receipt of the above-mentioned notice of impending

comprehension, the Administrator shall immediately rewrite the Aviation

Regulations in such a manner as to eliminate any further comprehension

hazards.

 

Section IV - The Administrator may, at his or her discretion, require the

offending pilot or pilots to attend remedial instruction in Aviation

Regulations until such time that the pilot is too confused to be capable of

understanding anything.

 

accomplishments

 

Brian Ringel

Solo

C-152

CFI John Ringel

Seung Bum Ham

Solo

C-152

CFI Jae Chung

Sara Walters

Solo

C-172

CFI Jack Bashford

Michael Valdoianu

Solo

C-152

CFI Cody Pierce

Johnny Lin

Private

C-152

CFI Cody Pierce

Brian Ringel

Private

C-152

CFI John Ringel

Greg Peterson

Private

C-152

CFI Richard Garnett

Alec Yao Yuan Wan

Private

C-152

CFI Jae Chung

 

 

CONGRATS to RICHARD GARNETT, top CLUB CFI for February, logging the most hours of dual given in club aircraft!  Runner-ups were JAE CHUNG and PAUL RAYMOND!  TOP GUN AWARD goes to SUNIL TANDON for logging the most flight hours in club aircraft in February. Runners-up were SEUNG-BUM HAM and YAO

YUAN WAN!

 

CONGRATULATIONS are in order to club alumni Cleo Ratliff who was recently spotted serving as First Officer in a B-757 for Continental Airlines!

 

TOWER TOURS: I spoke with LGB airport manager and with guys at the control tower recently about a possibility of having a tour of the tower. They basically agree to take a group on the tour, however: 1) every visitor has to be a US citizen, 2) has to have a reason to be at the airport, i.e. be at least a resident of the airport or be a pilot or an instructor at one of the airport's flight schools. Unfortunately that pretty much eliminates girlfriends (unless they are pilots too) and other general public, 3) photography is allowed, but only can make pictures of the airport from the tower but not the tower itself, 4) best time to come is before 9am Mon-Fri, 5) need at least a 24 hour notice.  If anyone is interested, email me and I will set it up.  Cheers, Maxim Senin, msenin@business.com

MANY THANKS!  To John Ringel for all the help with our step ladders!

NOTAM: 2007 Long Beach Flying Club calendars are available at the club for a limited time for $11.95;  $2.00 from each sale will go into our pilot scholarship find.

NOTAM:  Club pilots wishing to write safety articles for our monthly newsletters would be greatly appreciated!  Many thanks to HANK SMITH, PHIL BARTON, MAXIM SENIN, JOHN RINGEL and HARRY LEICHER for the help with this newsletter!

notam:  Flight Training Financing Option Now Available Check out http://www.pilotfinancing.com/ or pick up a Pilot Financing application at the club.  Interest rates are currently 13.95%.

REMINDER: The club is now a DSL “Hot Spot” for Internet users.  Call for details! Surf’s up!

EMAIL:  If you would like to receive this newsletter or the LBAA newsletter via e-mail, send your address to club@lbflying.com.

NOTAM:  LONG BEACH AIRPORT ASSOCIATION NEEDS YOU!  LBAA applications are available at the club.  We need your support -- all LBAA membership fees go to printing costs of the quarterly newsletter and protecting General Aviation rights at Long Beach Airport.  Long Beach Airport Association dues donations are TAX DEDUCTIBLE so sign up today!!!

Calendar

March 28th:  Long Beach Flying Club CFI meeting from 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm. This is our annual recurrent TSA Security Awareness training so don't miss this one!

March 31, 2007: The City of Riverside proudly presents the Riverside Airport Open House & Airshow 2007!  Featuring: Heritage Flight USAF A-10 Thunderbolt II and Chuck Hall in his P-51, John Collver and His T-6 Texan, the Silver Wings Wingwalker Team and the Just-In-Time Skydivers, an F-117 "Stealth Fighter" demo, T-6 Formation Fly-Bys, the L-29 "Thunder Delfins", the Palm Springs Air Museum B-17 "Flying Fortress" and much, much more. Breakfast 7 am served on the patio side of the D & D Cafe ($4.50). Show Starts at 9 am and ends at 4 pm. Admission Free, Parking $5. Contact: www.riversideca.gov/airshow/info or Airport Phone: 951-351-6113.

April 25: The Long Beach Flying Club and the Long Beach Airport Association GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING will be held at the AirFlite facility on Taxiway Bravo at the end of Wardlow Road. A buffet will be served beginning at 6:30 PM with the program beginning at 7:00 PM.  Everybody is welcome to attend -- we hope to see you there -- sandwiches, fruit and dessert will be served!  This meeting will count toward CFI credit for January!

 

NEW & REJOINED CLUB PILOTS

BIRTHDAYS

Seung Pyo Lee

Keun Hong

Jonathan Choi

Young Geun Yang

Matthew Jenkins

Kelly Sims

Ashley Juric

Michael Daley

Peter C. Henderson

Woo Jin Hann

Derin Allard

Adam Lorenz

Hugo Mendez

Eric Wayman

Sakshi Nadimpalli

Ruben R. Lozano II

Daniel Vargas

Donald Almy

TJ Barring

John Berg

Jason Burns

John Carey

Thomas Clarke

Rodney Conner

James Crofoot

Casey Dexter

Thomas Ewell

Rene Franco

Tim Friedland

Ronald Hector

Daniel Hershfield

Lynn James

Randy Kolstad

Wayne Lambert

Nhia Teng Lee

Mathew Mannil

Patrick Mc Partland

Donald Mikami

Merritt Myles

Howard Nestman

Jaeseong Oh

Roger Perkins

Fred Pitcher

Chris Preter

Gregory Ratajski

Robert Taylor

Charles Walton

Gabriela Wasmund

Skip Westcott

Lambert Yuen

 

 

ORDER TODAY!

Long Beach Flying Club Long Sleeve Polo Shirts in Navy, Black or Gray.  Sizes small, medium, large, x-large $24.95.  XX-large $26.95.  We’ll need your choice of color and size when you call us at 562.290.0321 with your credit card number.  Download from http://www.lbflying.com/ or Email shirts@Lbflying.com an order form of our complete line of pilot shirts.  Shipping and handling $4.95 per order, CA residents add 8.25% sales tax.

 

Give the gift of flight! A Long Beach Flying Club gift certificate for any denomination you wish, be it for the first flight, pilot supplies, or aircraft rental, makes a great gift for any occasion!

 

There are three ways to obtain the gift of flight:

 

1. Stop by and pick up a gift certificate during our office hours (8:30 am to 4:30 pm daily).  You can purchase accessories to go with the gift certificate such as a visor, aviation mug or LBFC logo shirt.

2. We can send you a preprinted gift certificate for any denomination you wish -- just give us a call!  We'll charge your credit card and get the gift certificate in the next out-going mail.

3. We can email you a gift certificate.  Send us or call us with a credit card number to activate it for any denomination you wish.  You will be given a Gift Certificate number to fill in at the bottom of your printout.

 

It's just that easy to give a unique and treasured gift.  Keep it in mind for upcoming birthdays or anniversaries!