Famous Family Pilot Lands At Butler
Great flying conditions prevailed again last week, with
some early morning fog causing delayed launches. Once it burned off, the
fair-weather cumulus popcorn added contrast to the clear skies.
To clarify last week’s Butler City Council report, yes,
the credit card reader at the airport fuel pumps is working, but the pump
isn’t. After months of sitting, it refuses to dispense and the Notice To Airmen
still reports “out of service until 10-8-2025.” I know of three transient
pilots who didn’t do their planning and had to fly elsewhere after landing here
to refuel, all last Thursday. Hope springs eternal...
In an unrelated matter, we were visited on Friday by
Krissie Younkin from Siloam Springs, Arkansas, who was flying her family’s
Super Decathlon with her 8-year-old son. If the name rings a bell, it’s because
her husband is Matt Younkin, who flies an airshow routine in a twin-engine
Beech C-18. She’s part of the support crew for the show schedule, which keeps
her on the road 26 weekends per year. Matt was due to perform on Sunday at
neighboring Bentonville, AR, so she was anxious to get home.
Among the other airplanes spotted were a Cirrus SR22, a
Cessna 210 Centurion, a Cessna 172H, a Skyhawk and a Piper Archer. From the
local hangars, Jon Laughlin was flying his Piper Cherokee 180C, Jeremie Platt
took his Grumman Tiger out, Randy Miller celebrated his 77th
birthday in the Cessna Skyhawk, Gerald Bauer exercised the Cessna 172 and
instructor Delaney Rindal made several training sorties in her Cessna 150s.
We have a new private pilot to announce; Cody Barker of
Nevada started his training here 20 months ago and passed his checkride last
Tuesday with Examiner Brian Morgan at Springfield. Instructor Delaney and he
are due well-earned congratulations.
Three weeks from this publishing, a big change is coming
for the Light Sport piloting community. Since 2004, a Sport Pilot option has
been available for individuals seeking a pilot’s license, allowing a student to
earn a “sport pilot” rating in as little as 20 hours of training, versus 40
hours for a Private license. The current restrictions limit a sport pilot to
airplanes weighing no more than 600 kilograms (1320 pounds) flying no faster
than 120 knots and with only two seats. No medical exam or certificate is
required.
As of October 22, all that goes away. Replacing it are
expanded privileges allowing sport pilots (or higher-rated pilots) to fly
airplanes of unlimited weight, so long they stall no faster than 59 knots
clean, and with up to four seats, as long as only one passenger is carried.
This opens up Cessna 150 and 172 models, as well as Piper Cherokees and similar
planes. Again, no medical is needed, just a driver’s license. Insurance
companies may impose other restrictions.
Remember the Canadian Boeing 737 airliner that made a hard
landing at Sint Maarten island in the Caribbean a few weeks ago, driving the
right main gear up through the wing? Turns out the airline has found a way to
repair it and is planning to fly it out, rather than scrap it; I imagine the
pilot who was flying is still unemployed.
Are you ready to fly on an airliner flown by a geezer?
Right now, U.S. rules require pilots to retire at age 65, but ICAO, the
internationalist airline governing body, wants to raise it to 67, and Senator
Ted Cruz (not a pilot) is pushing the FAA to abandon age limits altogether.
Supposedly, this will get us out of the coming pilot shortage. Looks like that
would only get us through another couple of years, though. And I think I’d
prefer to have at least one younger whippersnapper up front in my airliner.
Last week’s question wanted someone to tell us to whom the
Butler Memorial Airport was dedicated. It was to all members of the armed
forces who lost their lives in wartime. Now, for next week, which side of a
propeller blade is its “face,” front or back? You can send your answers to [email protected].
