Clear and cool weather settled in over the Memorial
Holiday weekend, with overnight temps in the upper 40s and horizons so clear we
could see College Boulevard buildings sticking up to the north as we cruised
around Bates County. Scattered showers on Friday were dissipating without
reaching the ground, thanks to the dry air. At one point, New Century’s
automated weather was reporting “clear and 10 miles, with light rain.” As nearby
Executive airport wasn’t showing rain, we presume it was a sensor issue.
Traffic at Butler was rebuilding last week, with sightings
of ATP Cessnas and ATD Pipers coming through on instrument approaches. Also in
were a Piper Arrow, a Cessna 182 and a Cirrus SR-type. Local movements were
several training sessions in Cessna 150s, a Kansas trip in the club Skyhawk by
Lance Dirks, and a breakfast flight in the 172 by senior pilots Carl Stanfill
and myself.
Nationwide, two U.S. Senators have introduced proposed
legislation to require the FAA to lift its 52-year old ban against civil
airplanes exceeding the speed of sound. So long as the flight doesn’t create a
sonic boom, it would be legal to fly faster than Mach 1. A California company
has been testing a proof-of-concept supersonic plane for decades, aimed at the
business flying market. As long as we can’t hear it, I suppose it wouldn’t hurt
anything.
A Calgary, Alberta
airline pilot who is an avid runner is planning to raise money for a charity by
doing a half-marathon race while wearing his Air Canada captain’s uniform AND
dragging his roll-aboard flight bag behind him. John Bird is obviously in great
shape and will avoid hot weather, but we’re sure he’ll wear running shoes
instead of airline footwear.
According to a Pentagon announcement, the infamous “free jet” Boeing 747-8 given to the U.S. by the Emir of Qatar is now in Air Force hands, and the President is saying he would like for the new Jumbo Jet to be in use as Air Force One by the end of the year. That’s not likely, given all the add-ons needed to satisfy security concerns. The value was written down to $200 million, for a 13-year old low-mileage trade-in. Reportedly, the Qatari royal family is looking for something newer and even larger.
A Cessna Citation business jet was involved in a fatal crash
at San Diego during the wee hours of last Thursday morning, after an ambitious
cross-country flight that originated late Wednesday evening at Teterboro, New
Jersey. Slogging west against the jet stream, the old “Slowtation” made it as
far as Wichita, Kansas, where it refueled and pressed on. It was 3:45 a.m.
Pacific daylight time when the no-doubt exhausted pilots came up short of the
airport in California, crashing into a residential area. Pending NTSB findings,
we’d presume crew fatigue would be an issue.
Our weekly question from last time wanted to know the
difference between a forward slip and a side-slip, as used in landing. Both are
cross-control maneuvers, but the forward slip is used to generate drag to lose
excess altitude, while a side-slip negates crosswind drift. For next week, give
us the why regarding the naming of Jumbolair airport near Ocala, Florida. You
can send your answers to [email protected].
