April 2008 CPA newsletter

NEXT MEETING

Our next meeting will be held Sunday April 13h At Jim and Margaret's Hanger at 2:30 P M. This will be an interesting meeting so come prepared to have a good time. Since CPA has developed a program of interesting subjects the quality of the meetings has improved.
There will be a grill available so bring something for the grill if you wish, and a dish to share.

The open house to show Classical Aircraft, displays will be from 10AM until 2PM for the group display along Aviation Drive and the open hangers display will continue until 4:30 PM. Plan on displaying your aircraft. This is an excellent opportunity to share with the community and to create interest in the airport and in flying, so let's all participate as much as we can.

LAST MEETING

The CPA meeting met March 9, 2008 at 2:30 PM with 47 members in attendance.

John Ross, a retired ATC supervisor, presented the program about communications. John spoke on Tower Talk, Radar Advisories, ATIS, Approach and Departure. Each of these topics bought new insight. John, also, had a question and answer time. Many members had questions and comments.
Jim Nunally, our president, called the meeting to order. The minutes were read and approved.

Dennis Voll, our treasurer, gave an update on our income and expenditures.

No scholarship committee report was given.

We still have the lift and tug in the CPA hangar. No action was taken on the disposal of these items.

The Safety Task Force meets the 1st and 3rd Tuesday of each month at 7:00 PM at the Corona City Hall Council Chambers, everyone is welcome and encouraged to go.

A motion was made and approved that we donate $1,000.00 to the 2008 Airfaire. Richard Brodeur, our airport manager, is heading up this year's Airfaire.

Jonas has set a date for our first fly-out for lunch at Fox Field which will be the lst or 3rd Sunday in April (depending on the weather). Jonas has lots of great ideas on making this a fun adventure.

The meeting was adjourned. Good food and fellowship followed.

FROM THE PREZ

We had 46 in attendance at the March CPA meeting and if you missed the meeting, you missed a great program. We had a retired ATC operator and supervisor talk about radio communications. We learned how to usually get what we want and how to probably not get much help at all, just by how we communicate with the ATC group. Our April program will be a presentation by our local EAA chapter president, Mark Beattie. This should be interesting as some of us do not know much about what the EAA does.

Our airplane display on the grass was a success in March. We had two planes from San Diego and one from Upland join us for the day. Sunday, April 13, will be our next display date, EVERYONE bring out your plane to show. We want all types of planes both old and new to be on display. We have several residents come by with their children to look at the planes and most of them stop and talk with us, it is a great public relations tool.

Jonas is now our event planner and he is starting with a flight to Fox Field on the first Sunday in April and I understand he has a cookout in the works for April also. GO JONAS.

If you know of anyone who might want to take our big scissor lift and/or the big tug please let me know. We need them moved out to make room for storage in our hangar.

As of now we have one person interested in each of the CPA elected officers position for the coming year, John has agreed to publish the newsletter for one more year. If anyone else is interested in serving as a CPA officer please let me know as elections are fast approaching.

The CPA contact list (roster) has been sent to those individuals who requested to be included on the list. If anyone else wishes to be included and to receive a copy of the contact list please send an e-mail to CPA_President@CoronaPilots.com including the phone number you want to publish.

On Tuesday, April 1, the Airport Safety Task Force will meet in the Council Chambers at the Corona City Hall at 7:00 PM. Woodrow Anselen will be the principal speaker at the session and after his presentation he will be answering any questions the Task Force Members may have. Woodrow will be there representing the CPA. All the CPA members who can attend should do so to let the Task Force know we support the airport and that we are interested in airport safety.

PILOT PROFILE
The Life and Times of Jason Scott
by Margaret Nunally

Jason Scott is dedicated, involved and a leader in our city. This is his sixth year as a Corona Planning Commissioner and currently serving his second term as Chairman Pro Tem. He has served over a decade as Vice President for Legislation for the Corona-Norco Management Association, and Vice President of the Friends of Corona Public Library.

Jason, also, has served on the Board of Directors for UNITY (United Neighbors Involving Today's Youth) , the Corona Fire Safety Foundation, and Corona- Norco United Way. He is a member of the City of Corona's Infrastructure and Economic Development Committee, the Corona Chamber of Commerce and served on its Quarterly Meeting Committee, Corona Historic Preservation Society, Corona Police Community Partnership and Corona Relay for Life Team.

For the past 31 years Jason has worked for the Corona-Norco Unified School District and has been a school principal for nearly 20 years.

We are pleased Jason and his lovely wife joined the Corona Pilot's Association and hope at future meeting you will become acquainted with them. They are an outstanding couple and are truly leaders in our fine city.

FOR SALE:

This space is designed for up to three free ads for members who wish to offer aviation merchandise. If you wish to have an ad please phone the CPA_Editor.

1947 Champion 7 A-D project. Very Reasonable. Mostly all there, structurally sound. Wings and tail feathers are covered but completed several years ago. No engine with project though one is available. Fred says he wants to keep it on the airport so he can see it when it is finished. He was going to complete it but finds himself too short of time.
Call 714-633-6817

NEWS YOU REALLY NEED

It is the 1st of April and if you have tried to use your gate card without success, it may be because you did not renew your card.

All cards expire on March 31st and after April 1st those that have nor been renewed will not work. Stop by the airport office with ten dollars and Rich will fix it for you.

A topic of substantial interest concerns the newly appointed Mayor Task Force on Aviation Safety (MTFAS).

The committee has been appointed and consists of the following Corona Citizens.
Richard Haley (Chairman)
Chuck Farano
John Gavigan
Eugene Montanez
Mike Nolan
Steve Nolan
Shane Reichart
Traci Rodriquez
Harry Ruscigno

The first meeting was a presentation by the City staff covering the history of the Corona airport. The report was well received and most of the Task Force members seem to be interested and knowledgeable. Several of our members have been attending the meetings and we will continue to provide information about this process.

The following is a copy of a news article in the Press Enterprise about the second meeting.
_________Press Enterprise
In its second meeting to explore the safety of Corona's airport, a city task force on Tuesday delved into sometimes touchy questions ranging from the effects of closing the airport to changing its flight patterns or building a multimillion air-traffic control tower.

Prompted by the mid-air collision that killed five people in January, the Mayor's Task Force on Aviation Safety gathered to hear reports from Federal Aviation Administration officials at City Hall on Tuesday night.

An hour-long technical presentation turned into a heated discussion for the advisory group when Brian Armstrong, manager of the FAA's Airports District Office, noted that the city had opposed an FAA recommendation 10 years ago following a very similar mid-air collision above a Corona residential neighborhood.

After that accident, an FAA office recommended that the city move the airport's traffic pattern to the north above sparsely populated wetlands, Armstrong said. However, the city then opposed the change for environmental and noise abatement reasons, he said.

"I'd like to know from our archives why this recommendation was made and why we didn't consider it." task force and City Council member Steve Nolan said.

Nolan expressed frustration with the "see and be seen" rules of flight that are more code of conduct for pilots at the airport than strictly enforced regulation. Having seen pilots fly above his neighborhood far to the south of the airport, Nolan disputed the notion that all pilots understand and follow the landing patterns set for the airport.

"What I am trying to get at, as a person who does not fly, is who is policing this airport," he said. "And what I am learning very quickly is that we don't really have a set pattern."

Task force member Traci Rodriguez, herself a pilot, said she took offense to the suggestion that the pilots need to be policed for flying recklessly or out of pattern.

"Not all pilots do that. We are a self-policing bunch," she said. "It takes a lot to be a pilot and you have to prove you have the knowledge every two years."
_________Press Enterprise

The Committee will continue to meet the first and third Tuesdays of each month, so stay tuned and check the Bulletin Board on CoronaPilots.com for the most up to date information.

Frequently EAA Chapter One newsletter contains information that could be of interest to our members. The following is a plea from the family of one of tier deceased members which may be of interest to you homebuilders.

__________EAA Chapter One
Chapter one received this e-mail from Ed Fisher, a former Chapter One member. His friend passed away and he is trying to help the family, if you or someone you know are interested in the below planes or projects, you can contact Ed, his info is below. Thanks!

Hello Jerry, I am a former Chapter 1 member, and live in South Carolina.An old, good friend of mine recently passed away, and was from the Palm Springs area. His family has contacted me to help them sell his aircraft and projects.If anyone in your Chapter may be interested, my friend was John Davis, and he had 2 flyable Mong Sport biplanes, a Spezio Tuholer, a Barracuda under construction, and a steel tube fuselage for a one of a kind midget biplane.All of this will have to be liquidated.I Own the Mong design rights, and will be actively trying to help the family sell this stuff, but I am way across the country. Is there any way I can get an ad in your newsletter to help Johns daughters sell this stuff? I mentioned that they might just donate the steel tube fuselage to your Chapter for educational purposes. I can be reached at cell phone...330-518-8383, or email at raceairdesigns@hotmail.com I hope to be hearing from you....Ed Fisher

Homebuilders, Listen Up!! Chapter one also ran a very informative article on the 51% rule and we are including it in it's entirety because it is important for experimental aircraft.

More than 50 years ago, homebuilders were granted governmental recognition (and oversight) with the adoption of the Experimental Amateur-Built Category. This new category imposed no limits on the types of aircraft which homebuilders could construct and flyùanything from a Pietenpol to SpaceShip One.

But the Amateur-Built Category does require that the aircraft be built solely for the purpose of education or recreation, and that the amateur builders complete the major portion of the aircraft construction tasks. This major portion requirement became known as the 51% Rule.

Since its inception, the 51% Rule has been the subject of much debate. And now, the FAA has decided to take a long, hard look at the rule an action that, quite naturally, has homebuilders nervous about retaining their right and freedom to construct aircraft. With the introduction of complex homebuilts, kit-built aircraft, composites, and builder-assist programs, what constitutes the builder/owner's 51%? What if you buy the kit and have it built for you by an A&P? What if you own a machine shop, and have your employees do much of the labor? If the kit you buy is 49% constructed/assembled by the factory, then what if you have commercial assistance in completing your 51%?

On July 26, 2006, a concerned FAA established an Amateur-Built Aviation Rulemaking Committee, made up of representatives from the FAA, aircraft kit manufacturers, commercial assistance center owners, and associations, to look into these questions about the rule. During a forum at this year's AirVenture, the Committee admitted that there are a lot of people buying airplanes in the amateur-built category who never touched their airplanes during constructiona clear abuse of the 51 percent rule.

John Hickey, FAA's director of aircraft certification, said, "We're working up to a situation where people are not building their own airplanes. I cannot accept a policy that would support amateur-built aircraft certification for airplanes that are not built by their owners. A few weeks ago, the Committee submitted its final report to the FAA. Shortly thereafter, the FAA placed a moratorium on its evaluation of kits to be placed on the 51% approved list. This means that no new kits will appear on the list until the FAA has completed its new process revision for determining the major portion (51 percent). The new policies will be printed in a future Federal Register notice. EAA estimates that notice will be published in the April-May time frame. Any substantive changes could cause negative effects to ripple throughout the homebuilt industry, EAA stated in a news release. To help the FAA have a better understanding of what it takes to build even a 'fast build' aircraft, EAA is asking homebuilders to write the FAA and urge policymakers to maintain and protect the rights of ALL amateur builders. A Call to Action With these points in mind, EAA asks its members to get involved and write to the FAA.

If you're a homebuilder: Write and share your experience as an amateur builder with those who are spearheading the new policy. Share with the FAA your experience of building your aircraft, why you consider yourself a true amateur builder in every sense of the word, and that you advocate preserving the precedent established by the FAA when it approved today's fast or quick built kits as 51 percent-compliant. EAA has provided a sample letter with topics for you to consider including in your letter to the FAA.

If you're not a homebuilder: We sincerely hope that this issue is important to you, too. If you believe in the homebuilt movement and all the innovation that comes from it, be ready to act when the FAA publishes its new policy as to what qualifies under the amateur-built regulations.

Your humble editor is often a bit slow on the uptake, so The WingNut contacted Earl Lawrence, EAA's vice president of industrial and regulatory affairs and cochair of the Amateur-Built Aviation Rulemaking Committee, to see how all this applies to us as homebuilders. After a long conversation, the message came down to Document very well what you do when you build your airplane!

My advice is not to hire anything at all out that wasn't done by the manufacturer, if you're buying a 'fast build' kit, Lawrence said. Be aware that the fast build kits are very close to the edge of the 51% Rule.

Lawrence admitted that the FAA has been somewhat lax in enforcing the 51% Rule in the past. But that is now going to change, and the feds are going to require proof that you the builder did more that half the tasks required for certification of the airplane. We're talking about the things that pertain to the certification, the structural integrity of the airplane, Lawrence said. You can hire someone to paint your plane, because the paint job has little to do with the airworthiness of the airplane.

This new scrutiny by the FAA has arisen, he said, because of the evolution of the quick-build kits over the past several decades, which have come to include an increasing number of completed parts and tasks. In fact, the feds believe that some of the 51% approved kits should not, in fact, have been approved by the FAA. Builders who pay other people including employees to fabricate parts and work on the airplane may not be in compliance with the 51% Rule. And builders who sign off on commercial assistance, verifying that they did the work themselves, may well encounter big problems from now on. If the FAA discovers that homebuilders have signed off on work done by commercial enterprises or paid help, they may deny an experimental amateur-built certificate for the aircraft, in which case it can never be legally flown. And they will report the falsification of records to the Justice Department for prosecution.

Nobody knows exactly what steps the FAA is going to take toward enforcement of the 51% Rule. We will likely find out in the next few months. The feds may or may not take all the recommendations of the ARC committee.

If you are planning on building a kit airplane especially from a quick-build kit take Lawrence's advice: Document every bit of work you do, fill out all appropriate forms, and avoid contracting out or paying for work that you must state is done by you.

So far, nothing has changed for homebuilders. But it probably will. And remember...Big Brother now is watching.
__________EAA Chapter One


__________AOPA

Have you seen the FAA's plan to implement ADS-B (automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast) nationwide. A O P A supports ADS-B as a technology for the future, but they don't like how the FAA is wanting to implement it, Recently Anthony Cebula explained to the officials gathered in Washington, D.C. Aircraft owners will have to spend as much as $8,000 by 2020 for a new piece of equipment to simply continue flying into the same airspace where a Mode C transponder is required.

The current FAA proposal requires that all aircraft operating in Class A, B, and C airspace, plus all airspace above 10,000 feet msl, have to be equipped with ADS-B datalink equipment that transmits the aircraft's position, altitude, speed, and aircraft ID.

ADS-B also has the potential to provide pilots with weather, airspace, and other types of data for depiction on in-cockpit displays, but the FAA has said it will permit the ADS-B contractor to charge for certain weather information. AOPA opposes any mandate to equip aircraft with ADS-B under this proposal because the cost of installing the equipment would outweigh the benefit.

ADS-B is making it affordable for pilots to get weather, airspace, and other types of information in their aircraft, and that's not possible in the FAA's proposal, Cebula said. And AOPA members agree.

I wanted ADS-B for the promised benefits of weather and traffic and other data to feed into the [Garmin] GMX 200 MFD, one member recently wrote to AOPA. The member had planned to pay $8,000 to install an ADS-B receiver in his aircraft. With the new proposed rule, I have decided to save the $8,000.

He further explained, "Without the added benefit of weather and other services at no cost, the ADS-B receiver is simply not worth the huge investment." Because many aviation industry leaders are opposed to the FAA's proposal, the agency is calling on an aviation rulemaking committee to take a look at ways to address the opposition it has garnered. AOPA is a part of that committee, and we're going to work toward a plan that doesn't limit the benefits of ADS-B. AOPA has told the FAA that it needs to reissue the proposal once the issues are resolved.
__________AOPA


Pilots Crib Sheet

1. Every takeoff is optional. Every landing is mandatory

2. If you push the stick forward, the houses get bigger. If you pull the stick back they get smaller; that is, unless you keep pulling the stick back, then they get bigger again.

3. Flying isn't dangerous. Crashing is what's dangerous. (listen up faint hearted)

4. It's always better to be down here wishing you were up there, than to be up there wishing you were down here.

5. The only time you have too much fuel is when you are on fire.

6. The propeller is really just a big fan in front of the plane to keep the pilot cool. When it stops you can actually watch the pilot start sweating.

7. When in doubt, hold on to your altitude, no one has ever collided with the sky.

8. Learn from the mistakes of others. You probably won't live long enough o make them all yourself.

9. Never let an airplane take you somewhere your brain didn't get to five minutes earlier.

10. Stay out of the clouds. The silver lining everyone keeps talking about might be another airplane going in the opposite direction.