Aircraft

A vehicle was parked to the right and Aircraft Y was parked on the left. The space between the two was very tight.

I was cleared for a left turn out and instead turned right at 500 feet AGL.

During cruise in my Velocity XL, one tank was consuming fuel faster than the other, even though they are interconnected.

As a CFI, I should remain alert, aware of the situation and environment at all times and ready to take corrective action. I did not do that yesterday.

KEDJ has a very high amount of training activity conducting night landings in single and multi-engine aircraft. An inaccurate PAPI and runway lighting system is a safety of flight issue, in my view.

About 50 feet over the runway and prior to touchdown, my student states she “hit something and there was a loud thud on the right side of the plane.”

I was coming south toward the highway and the power line spraying corn. As I approached the highway and wires I realized that I could not make it up and over the wire without hitting it. I saw that there was sufficient room to go under the wire and avoid a wire strike and accident.

With landing assured, I began to ease the power back while rounding out into a flare. At about 5 feet AGL, the right control yoke came loose in my hand and the aircraft immediately pitched down toward the runway.

I write this in the hope that seaplanes no longer be allowed to take off under a traffic pattern of a non-towered airport when the use of radios are not required.