General Aviation News

Daughter’s story of dad’s record-setting homebuilt now available in paperback

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Seattle — On July 25, 2010, Arnold Ebneter flew across the country in a plane he designed and built himself, setting a world record for aircraft of its class. He was 82 at the time and the flight represented the culmination of a dream he’d cultivated since his childhood in the 1930s.

In the book, “Propeller Under the Bed,” Eileen Bjorkman — a pilot and aeronautical engineer — shares her father’s journey from teenage airplane enthusiast to Air Force pilot and Boeing engineer. She gives us a glimpse into life growing up in a “flying family” with two pilots for parents, a family plane named Charlie and, quite literally, a propeller under her parents’ bed.

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High density altitude impairs 172’s takeoff performance

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The pilot completed a normal landing to the south at a grass airstrip near a lake that was surrounded by 75′ pine trees. He added that he and his passengers ate lunch at the airstrip in Coolin, Idaho, and during that time, he noticed “mostly calm” wind with an “occasional gust from the south.”

Due to the runway gradient, he decided to take off downhill to the north because the wind sock was indicating a calm wind.

During the soft field takeoff, the takeoff roll was normal, but about 100′ above ground level, he noticed that the “climb had slowed” and the “airspeed was dropping.” He lowered the nose, the Cessna 172 “descended quickly,” and then touched down on the runway with about 30′ remaining.

The airplane overran the runway, crossed a road, and hit a dumpster and trees.

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Miscommunication common at airshows

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For three years in the 1990s, I co-chaired a committee that put on an annual airshow at Compton/Woodley Airport (KCPM) in California.

Actually, it was an “air faire” because 99% of the planes that flew in to participate were put on static display. A lone army helicopter always performed an aerial demonstration.

One year a private pilot offered to give kids free rides in his plane. Another year a local helicopter flight school offered free rides to kids.

Otherwise, the only reason a plane was in the air was because it was arriving for the festivities or getting straight outta Compton en route to a home field.

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Tips for that first flight after maintenance

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As part of the FAA’s #FlySafe campaign, the agency recently released some guidance on incorporating safety into that first flight after your plane comes out of maintenance.

Do you know how to properly preflight your aircraft after maintenance? According to FAA officials, many pilots secretly admit that they don’t quite know what they are looking for. As a pilot and aircraft owner, it is in your best interest to know and understand every component of your aircraft.

And you may think you have even less to worry about after your aircraft comes back from the shop. It should be in great shape, right?

Actually, aircraft just out of maintenance are more likely to have safety-of-flight issues than an aircraft in good condition flown on a daily basis, according to FAA officials.

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Video: The nicest Zenith 701 ever built

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The Experimental Aircraft Channel recently released a two-part video series on YouTube featuring Jon Humberd of Cleveland, Tennessee, and his Zenith Aircraft CH701 “SUPER 701,” as he has named it.

That was followed up a video from Sebastien Heintz, Zenith Aircraft‘s president, that features Humberd’s SUPER 701 competing at the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association STOL competition in Tullahoma, Tennessee, Sept. 14. Check out all three videos below:

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Piper apprenticeship program takes off

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VERO BEACH, Florida — Piper Aircraft‘s first group of apprentices have begun their two-year program.

The first nine apprentices, who started work in August, shadow skilled aircraft assembly workers and learn all aspects of fabrication and assembly of aircraft during the two-year initiative.

Additionally, they attend technical classes and receive hands-on training designed to qualify the participants as a Journeyman in Aircraft Assembly. Each apprentice is a paid employee of Piper Aircraft and receives a full benefits package.

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A treasure awaits in the White Mountains

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Let’s get right to the point. Ron Carlson would like to give you $30,000. Really. If not you, then someone very much like you. And he’s dead serious. All you have to do is find the location of his TBM Avenger, N337VT. That’s it. 

Admittedly, collecting on the reward will be a little tougher than heading down to the airport, flinging open a hangar door, and shouting, “Ta da.”

7VT is truly lost. She’s deep in the mountain forests and valleys of northeast Arizona. But there are clues to its likely whereabouts. Tantalizing clues that narrow the search field considerably.

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