29 December 2013

ASAP Moves to the USA

It appears that long time Canadian kitplane manufacturer Aircraft Sales And Parts (ASAP) has been sold and the company is being moved to Sealy, Texas.

ASAP was founded by Brent Holomis in 1988 as a parts supplier for the then discontinued Spectrum Beaver and Birdman Chinook ultralights. Over time Holomis went far beyond parts though, redesigning both those aircraft as the ASAP Beaver RX550 Plus and the ASAP Chinook Plus 2 and adding new aircraft to the line, like the single seat Beaver SS. His business expanded into making propellers, powered parachutes and their canopies as well, spinning those off to separate companies, GSC Propellers, as well as Summit Powered Parachutes, Steel Breeze Powered Parachutes and ASAP Canopies.

It seems that after 25 years of being located in Vernon, British Columbia, the company is now in the process of being packed up by its new owners, John and Kim Couch, and moved south to Texas and will be located at Gloster Aerodrome (1XA7) in Sealy, Texas.

The relocated company is expected to be open to accept orders early in 2014, under a new name, the Aeroplane Manufactory.

External links

27 December 2013

Beechcraft Sold!

On Boxing Day, 26 December 2013, Beechcraft was sold for about US$1.4B in cash.

The sale really wasn't much of a surprise as the company had been through a complete turn around and emerged from bankruptcy ready for sale. What was a surprise was that it wasn't bought by Chinese or Middle Eastern interests, but by Textron, an American company that also owns Cessna and Bell Helicopters.

The purchase had been rumoured a week or two ago by multiple news outlets but neither Textron nor Beechcraft confirmed it until Boxing Day.

The news is very good, as, not only will Textron keep building King Airs, which fit nicely into the niche left when Cessna stopped building multi-engined turboprops, but the Hawker Beechcraft 4000 and Premier 1A jets, which Beech had tried to sell off separately, will also be supported. It seems unlikely that they will build more Hawker Beechcraft 4000 and Premier 1A aircraft, but the existing fleet will be kept flying as Textron bought the type certificates.

The question of what will happen to the Bonanza and Baron piston-powered aircraft lines is unanswered at this point in time, but neither aircraft has a competitor in Cessna's current offerings, so their production may continue as well. I expect there will be more news on this in the early part of 2014, so as not to inhibit potential sales.

Here is my current list of western aerospace firms bought out so far by non-western interests. Note that Beechcraft isn't on the list!

  • Cirrus Aircraft - Government of the Peoples Republic of China
  • Continental Engines - Government of the Peoples Republic of China
  • Enstrom Helicopter Corporation - Chongqing Helicopter Investment Co, China
  • Epic Aircraft - Engineering LLC, Russia
  • Flightstar Sportplanes - rights, tooling and parts inventory purchased by Yuneec International, China
  • Glasair Aircraft - Jilin Hanxing Group, China
  • International Lease Finance Corp - 90% New China Trust Co Ltd, New China Life Insurance Co Ltd, P3 Investments Ltd and China Aviation Industrial Fund
  • Liberty Aerospace - 75% owned by the Kuwait Finance House, a wholly owned subsidiary of Kuwait Finance House of Bahrain
  • LISA Airplanes - 75% owned by Heima Mining Company, China
  • Mooney Aviation Company - Soaring American Corp, backed by Chinese investors
  • Piper Aircraft - Government of Brunei
  • Superior Air Parts - Weifang Tianxiang Technology Group, China
  • Thielert Aircraft Engines - Government of the Peoples Republic of China

External links

30 December 2013 Update

Textron CEO Scott Donnelly indicated that Beechcraft and Cessna would be combined to form a new light aircraft manufacturing concern that will result in US$65M-$85M in annual savings over keeping the companies separate.

14 December 2013

Ottawa Flying Club Christmas News

From the Ottawa Flying Club

The Ottawa Flying Club is very pleased to announce the acquisition of a Private Career College certification from the Ontario Government, allowing the OFC to offer Commercial pilot training and Instructor Ratings to our Members.

And Santa, who obtained his Private Pilot's Licence at the OFC years ago, has let slip that the brand new Redbird Flight Simulator, the cutting edge dual-yoke advanced training platform at the OFC, will be installed in our new Instrument Flight Centre of Excellence building just after Santa returns this December 25th!

Lots of excitement at the OFC this holiday season.

External links

10 December 2013

Electronic Canada Flight Supplement For Late in 2014

Nav Canada's recent Fall 2013 edition of their TechWatch publication has given an implementation date for finally achieving an electronic version of the Canada Flight Supplement. The company indicates this should happen about a year from now, in late 2014.

Nav Canada says:

The NAV CANADA Online Store went operational in early 2011 enabling customers to either order or download a range of NAV CANADA aeronautical publications online.

With 7,000 active customer accounts, NAV CANADA has seen steady demand for its publications over the web. More recently, with the added option of downloading some of its key publications in PDF format, the company is anticipating significant growth in the number of customers taking advantage of this service.

Customer Benefits:

Shifting to an authorized electronic format allows customers to print only the sections or pages of a publication that they need and access information through authorized portable devices. By providing immediate access to downloadable aeronautical publications, pilots planning their flights can obtain the most up-to-date information in a timely manner. Moreover, the publications are made available a full 10 days prior to their effective date.

Downloaded products are priced 20 per cent less than their paper equivalents. Customers also save on shipping and handling. Also available at the Online Store, at no additional charge, are the Canada Air Pilot General pages and a Change Page that allows customers to quickly identify all the aeronautical changes made from one publication cycle to the next.

Status Update:
  • Available for download are all seven volumes of the Canada Air Pilot (CAP), the Restricted Canada Air Pilot (RCAP) and the Water Aerodrome Supplement (WAS). Customers can purchase these products and then print their required pages. These products are official aeronautical publications and suitable for air navigation purposes.
  • NAV CANADA is currently working towards the availability of an electronic version of the Canada Flight Supplement with a release targeted for late 2014.

External links

06 December 2013

Cessna CEO: Skycatcher Has "no future"

I don't think this will surprise anyone: Cessna 162 production is about to be ended.

In October 2013 at the National Business Aviation Association convention Cessna CEO Cessna CEO Scott Ernest stated that the Skycatcher had "no future".

In my review of the Cessna 162 in November 2010 I noted that while the design did have some pluses, like the control stick, fit and finish and the doors there were many problems with the design, particularly:

  • The name "Skycatcher", which no one reacted well to.
  • The cockpit ergonomics, being unable to accommodate anyone over about 6'1".
  • Poor payload, which was 304 lbs of people and baggage on the one typical production aircraft I evaluated.

At one time the company had claimed that they had 1200 orders, which would have made the aircraft by far the most numerous LSA built, if they had all been delivered. But the initial target price of "under US$100,000" was not met and the price quickly increased to US$149,000, far above the price of its competition. The price increases contractually allowed production position holders to cancel and Paul Bertorelli of AVweb reports that "it gave position holders an opportunity to bail, and they did. In droves." So apparently orders are well down and dealers have aircraft they they can't sell.

At last count the FAA register shows 275 Cessna 162s in the USA, while Transport Canada shows none registered here.

Bertorelli lays the blame for the demise of the 162 on its high price, lack of performance and poor useful load compared to its competitors and he is probably right there.

The 162 had a troubled development history, with two prototype crashes, both during spin testing, resulting in some design changes. There were also wing modifications after the aircraft entered service, all at Cessna's expense, too.

Then there was the decision to have the aircraft built in China, which riled a lot of feathers in the aviation world. In the end the aircraft were built at Shenyang Aircraft, boxed up and shipped to Wichita, Kansas where they were assembled, had engines and avionics fitted, modified and then test flown by contractor Yingling Aviation (later moved to Cessna's Independence Kansas plant). With the cost of shipping that could only have contributed to the high costs involved.

Personally I think the design met its Waterloo when the prototype had its Rotax 912 engine replaced by the much heavier Continental O-200, at flight school operator insistence. That compromised the payload of the aircraft and left it as a de facto single seater.

In the final assessment it looks like even the famous Cessna name wasn't enough to overcome the shortcomings of this design and its price. The market has decided its fate.

External links

05 December 2013

Robert Kostecka To Present A380 Seminar at Rockcliffe

From Rockcliffe Flying Club

On Thursday, 12 December 2013 at 1830 hours, RFC members will have an opportunity to learn about the A380, from a fellow RFC member who flew this remarkable aircraft!

Rob Kostecka was a member of the international team of pilots that participated in the Operational Evaluation (OE) of the A380 in 2007. Rob will be discussing the many technical innovations of this remarkable aircraft and will also be talking about what this enormous aircraft was actually like to fly!

The talk will begin at 1830 hrs on Thursday, 12 December 2013. It will be free for all RFC members and their guests. Please let Brenda Reid know via email if you plan on joining us so we can provide space.

For those who would be interested, pizza will be available before the talk at 1745 hrs. For those who would also like to join us for pizza please let Brenda Reid know via email, so that she can place the order. Please note, if you are joining us for pizza, a $10 contribution will be requested.

The seminar is at RFC for now, but if a large number of people RSVP then it may be moved to the Bush Theatre at the Canada Aviation and Space Museum.

Mirabel Restrictions - November 2013 to May 2015

from Patrick Gilligan, COPA VP Operations

To allow for certification of the new CSeries aircraft, Bombardier Aerospace will carry out test flights within the Mirabel control zone, during which time some restrictions will be imposed in the control zone and the surrounding airspace at Mirabel airport.

Test flights will be carried out sporadically over spans of 1 to 3 days, during a 20-month period from November 2013 to May 2015. Restrictions during flight tests may affect Runways 06/24 and 11/29, the Mirabel control zone (excluding CYR 624), restricted area CYR601, and Class “E” transition areas located between 7 NM to 12 NM east and west of the Mirabel control zone (identified in green on sketch) and from 1,300 ft ASL to 2,000 ft ASL, depending on the type of test flight planned. A portion of uncontrolled airspace (Class G airspace), located west of the control zone and described below, will also be affected by restrictions

External links

03 December 2013

Planning Ahead For The 2014 Lancaster Airpark Fly-In

It is never too early to start planning for next year's fly-in season and Lancaster Airpark (CLA6), located just in between Cornwall, Ontario and Salaberry-de-Valleyfield Quebec is already planning for their 2014 ABC Fly-in!

In 2013 the Airpark ran its first ever "ABC Fly-in" focussing on Aeroncas, Champions and Bellancas and the event returns from 15-17 August 2014, so it is never to early to mark your calendars!

Organizer Brian Russell indicates that plans are yet to be completely finalized, but, as in 2013, if there is sufficient interest then provisions will be again made for floatplanes as well as wheeled aircraft.

As always all aircraft and visitors will be welcome. If you aren't flying an Aeronca, Champion or Bellanca then plan on coming to look at the ones that do fly-in.

External links

08 November 2013

2013 CAHS National Convention a Big Success

The 2013 CAHS National Convention & Annual General Meeting - "The Big Five O" - took place as scheduled between 11-15 September 2013 here in the Ottawa-Gatineau area.

The convention was a big success and CAHS member Gord McNulty has written up an article about the event and what was achieved.

It was great having this aviation convention here in the nation's capital. We hope that CAHS returns to hold it here again in the future.

01 November 2013

Can you get an Instrument Rating while making major errors flying ILS?

tsb 2013-11-01 14-16-24

It is sad that we lost two local pilots in late 2011 to an Instrument Landing System approach to Runway 07 at CYOW. We feel sorry for their families’ loss. To read the TSB’s accident report check:

http://www.tsb.gc.ca/eng/rapports-reports/aviation/2011/a11o0239/a11o0239.pdf

The TSB put a lot of blame on the pilots for making the decision to fly in bad weather, we pilots call it “get-home-itis”. Poor judgement was clearly a big part of the problem in this accident. Nonetheless I wonder how one keeps their instrument rating when they seem to make major errors flying an ILS on most of their IFR flight tests? If flying an ILS, generally considered the safest instrument approach, leads to major errors how would this pilot have done flying a non-precision NDB approach?

Questions going through my mind after reading the TSB accident report include:

  1. What role does flight training play in these kinds of accidents? Does the TSB consider flight training as a factor in any accident? Was it a factor here? It seems the pilot was weak on the basics of flying on instruments.
  2. What role does the IFR flight test play? If rated a pass 1.6 months earlier shouldn’t one still be current? Should a pilot be issued an Instrument rating if unable to fly an ILS without major errors in performance?
  3. What equipment was available to the pilot? Was there an autopilot, if so was it used? What type of instruments were available, e.g. HSI, geo-referenced GPS moving map, etc.?
  4. What coordination did the pilot and his pilot passenger establish before flying together? Did the non-flying pilot perform any duties, call outs, etc.? Should coordination be a topic for times when two pilots are flying together? Did the owners of the aircraft establish some form of Standard Operating Procedures?
  5. Should one need to fly in actual Instrument Meteorological Conditions (IMC) to get an IFR rating? Do simulators and hoods really make safe IFR pilots? At least during training should pilots log some time in IMC before taking the test?
  6. Would re-writing the INRAT exam in November really made any difference? What is the point of the TSB raising the question?
  7. Was the lack of currency at night a major factor?
  8. Perhaps the TSB does not need to examine these questions for a single accident, but it seems simplistic to ignore systemic influences in this accident.

Just for clarity, I am not an instrument rated nor am I flight instructor and therefore write with little authority on this topic.

08 October 2013

Meijing Group Buys Mooney Aviation

On 8 October 2013 the Mooney Aviation Company announced that they had been purchased by the Meijing Group of China, for an undisclosed sum.

The fact that Mooney had been looking for investors for a number of years is no surprise. The company had been struggling before the 2008-10 recession and then when it hit they were left with a fair inventory of unsold aircraft. On 5 November 2008 the company ceased production and laid off most of its workforce and the building of new Mooneys has not resumed since. The company has remained in business as a parts supplier to its existing fleet, but by January 2011 had only about ten employees left at work at the Kerrville, Texas plant.

The purchase by the Meijing Group, a Chinese real estate developer based in Zhengzhou, Henan Province, must come as a great relief for Mooney. Without this sort of buyout the company probably didn't have a future. The company is now planning a return to production of the M20 aircraft series.

For the Meijing Group this is a move to diversify the company and their first foray into the aerospace field.

Once again, though, it is apparent, as Mooney looked for a buyer for the past three years, that no one in North America or Europe was going to step in and buy the company. As has been the case often in recent years it has fallen to middle eastern and, more commonly, Chinese interests to buy up western aerospace manufacturers and keep them in business.

Here is my current list of western aerospace firms bought out so far by non-western interests:

  • Cirrus Aircraft - Government of the Peoples Republic of China
  • Continental Engines - Government of the Peoples Republic of China
  • Enstrom Helicopter Corporation - Chongqing Helicopter Investment Co, China
  • Epic Aircraft - Engineering LLC, Russia
  • Flightstar Sportplanes - rights, tooling and parts inventory purchased by Yuneec International, China
  • Glasair Aircraft - Jilin Hanxing Group, China
  • International Lease Finance Corp - 90% New China Trust Co Ltd, New China Life Insurance Co Ltd, P3 Investments Ltd and China Aviation Industrial Fund
  • Liberty Aerospace - 75% owned by the Kuwait Finance House, a wholly owned subsidiary of Kuwait Finance House of Bahrain
  • LISA Airplanes - 75% owned by Heima Mining Company, China
  • Mooney Aviation Company - Meijing Group, China
  • Piper Aircraft - Government of Brunei
  • Superior Air Parts - Weifang Tianxiang Technology Group, China
  • Thielert Aircraft Engines - Government of the Peoples Republic of China

External links

Update - 14 October 2013

According to the Wichita Eagle Mooney has received an investment from Soaring America Corporation which will allow it to restart production of the Acclaim Type S and the Ovation 2 and Ovation aircraft. It is unclear if Soaring America is related to the reported Meijing Group take-over or not as Soaring America President Cheng Yuan (Jerry Chen) indicated to Russ Niles of AVweb this week that he couldn't provide more information at this time.

Update - 21 October 2013

The details of Mooney's purchase are becoming a bit more clear as time goes by. According to AVweb Mooney has been purchased by Soaring American Corporation, a new company started in California last year with Cheng Yuan (Jerry Chen) from Taiwan as President and CEO. Chen, a PhD in aeronautical engineering, is now the new CEO of Mooney as well. It seems Chen represents a group of Chinese investors that may well include the Meijing Group, who have plans to restart Acclaim and the Ovation production and market the aircraft predominately to the Chinese market, which they feel is ripe for private aircraft and advanced trainers.

This video interview with Chen by AVweb outlines some of the ideas they are working towards:

See Also

07 October 2013

Ottawa Flying Club's 55th Annual Fly Day Was the Best Ever!

by Julie Marion and Marc Desjardins, Ottawa Flying Club Fly Day Event Coordinators

The fall season for the Ottawa Flying Club is also synonymous with Fly Day! Saturday September 28th to be exact was a very important date for our club. Not only does it demonstrate our flawless operations, it also showcases our club, our volunteers and The Rotary Club of Ottawa which once again was our sponsored charity.

The day broke with some fog in the outlying areas which prevented a few visiting and participating aircraft to fly-in but that did not hamper the start of Fly Day as scheduled with our first flight just after 9am. The sky was blue till the eye could see with a CAVOK forecast for the entire day! A total of 16 aircraft and +40 volunteers helped make Fly Day one of the best on record. As the last flight touched down at 17:15 pilots had taken up 313 people and helped raise over $11,000 for The Rotary Club of Ottawa!

Hundreds of hours were spent organizing this event but in the end it would not have been such a success without all of the volunteer pilots, marshallers and passenger escorts. Special thanks also go out to the MacDonald-Cartier International Airport Authority, Nav Canada, OFC Management, OFC Dispatch, Frank Schilder (Fly Day Load Master), Rob Schwartz and team (Fly Day Air Bosses), Paul Wagner (Lead Marshall), Peter Luff (Lead Passenger Escort), Charlene Mathias who surveyed the patiently waiting public, and also the numerous Algonquin College students who participated.

Enjoy the remainder of the fall flying season. Stay tuned for news of next year's event!

External links

SmartPilot.ca – Progress Report After 4 Months Live

Media Release

Canada’s single source web portal for all things related to flying safely has now been live for four months and is taking flight! The site is a one-stop source for information, interactive courses and content rich videos – all focussed on helping pilots stay fresh and current about flight operations. And as our registered users have found, the site is open and free to all. The material is applicable to all levels of pilots from student through to senior.

Since launching on 1 May 2013 we already have 528 registered users of the portal. While registration is not mandatory, it does allow on-line access to some features and also includes updates on new materials. In total since launching, we had just over 6,000 visits to the SmartPilot.ca web portal, of which 3,052 were unique visitors. This has resulted in 27,172 pages views or an average of 4.3 pages per visitor. These numbers illustrate the need and interest from Canada’s aviation community for flight safety material and self-improvement.

New materials continue to be developed for SmartPilot.ca. To date, SmartPilot.ca has created and posted 5 unique new video segments. These are in addition to the vast array of older, yet still pertinent materials posted. The new, purpose developed films cover:

Mountain Flying

  • Mountain Flying Intro
  • Navigation
  • Density Altitude
  • Weather
  • The 180° Turn
  • Tips
  • Lessons Learned

Aircraft Egress

  • Aircraft Egress
  • Aircraft Egress Tips
  • Preparing for an Emergency Water Landing

Uncontrolled Aerodromes

  • Uncontrolled Aerodromes Introduction
  • Departing an MF Aerodrome
  • Landing at an MF Aerodrome
  • Departing an ATF Aerodrome
  • Landing at an ATF Aerodrome

Other new material includes floatplanes, detailing both the preflight and passenger briefing and one on winter survival that provides information on a variety of aspects related to winter survival when something goes wrong.

About future initiatives, project lead Ted Rankine stated, "In final production and due for release soon is a much anticipated and requested series on Upset Training. Numbering 5 videos in total, our plans currently are to have these posted by late October 2013. Additionally the French variant on Mountain Flying should be up shortly as well."

Rankine also observes that "In addition to the web portal, SmartPilot.ca has put social media to work in promoting safe flight awareness and education. Both Facebook and Twitter accounts have been created and garnered a good following. On these pages, we post several times a week with links to videos, articles and training materials from the site. Collectively, this is getting the message out and noticed, and is helping to achieve the project goal of promoting safe and consistent aviation operations in many aspects of general aviation flying. Our associates and co-developers are as thrilled as I am with the response so far. Pilots of all skill levels are getting a lot out of this effort we hear – and best of all, it's all free!"

External link

24 September 2013

My Last Flight

by André Durocher, COPA Flight 8

Last Saturday, I started my engine. Black smoke then fire appears around the cowling. I continue cranking and the fire stopped. Then, while taxing my turn coordinator stopped working and on take-off my airspeed was showing zero. Then, the vaccum pump and my radio went dead. Landed in Gatineau with no left brake. Took off from Gatineau and my engine quit at 400-500' AGL. Landed at the end of the runway and stopped in the grass. I managed to restart the engine and took off on runway 09 with 10 kts tailwind. Once in the downwind the visibilty went down to 2 miles. I found the downwind for 09 in Rockcliffe (the wind shifts 180 degrees!!). Before turning base, the engine quit, again, landed short of the runway but we walked away.

It was lots of fun, I learned a lot from my instructor in the Red Bird simulator in Rockcliffe.

I plan to do it again!

17 September 2013

New Pontiac Airpark Video

Pontiac Airpark has a newly produced promotional video that shows an animation of what the development will look like as it is completed.

Pontiac Airpark is a new residential airpark that is being built by COPA Flight 8 member André Durocher in the Pontiac region of Quebec, just to the west of Ottawa on the north side of the Ottawa River.

The animation shows views of the airpark from above and from ground level with cockpit views arriving and departing from the main runway. It also depicts many of the planned amenities and gives a good idea what it will look like in the future.

The video runs for 4:21 and can be found on on You Tube.

More information:

05 September 2013

ForeFlight gets FSS wrong in Canada

IMG_0030

ForeFlight is a truly big improvement over all those paper charts, the CFS and Canada Air Pilot. Wow a pile of paper is replaced by your iPad! But there is at least one or two gotchas for pilots using ForeFlight in Canada.

One relates to Flight Service Station (FSS) information at some Canadian airports. The screen capture above shows the Flight Service Station (FSS) information for Ottawa’s Macdonald-Cartier International Airport (CYOW). I marked the problems with red arrows. At the first  arrow we see “Radio 126.7”. Wrong! Canadian pilots likely know that FSS is unlikely to reply on 126.7, rather if you want to contact a FSS in the Ottawa area call Quebec Radio on 123.15 from CYOW or 123.37 from CYND. What is worse is the next red arrow points to another “Radio 123.5”, oops ForeFlight, you are wrong again! That frequency will not get you any FSS, rather it is Rockcliffe’s (CYRO) and Les Cedars’ Unicom frequency. So far ForeFlight has batted zero on FSS!

Also, ForeFlight fails to identify the call sign of the FSS by simply calling them Radio. Pilots need to know the  call sign of the FSS e.g., “Quebec Radio” in the Ottawa area.

Now look at the next two red arrows, both pointing  under the heading of Other Frequencies to FSS in the USA, specifically Burlington Radio. Oops ForeFlight, Ottawa is in Canada and we use Canadian FSS! These problems area at many Canadian airports. As well Mandatory Frequency (MF) locations, such as Gatineau (CYND) and Kingson (CYGK) are also shown poorly in ForeFlight, almost guaranteeing their MF status will be missed.

My second complaint is the suggestion that ForeFlight provides CFS information. Well, yes it does, but not all CFS entries are there. Staying with Ottawa, where are the CFS pages showing Ottawa Airspace and VFR call up points? Same is true for Kingston (CYGK). There are more CFS pages for most major airports than are shown in ForeFlight.

For that matter where are the CFS pages showing FIC and ATC frequencies and remote communication outlets? Can’t get to those using ForeFlight, or at least I can’t see how. Sure they show up by accident if you know which airport to check. Try looking for London FIC frequencies. It is there if you know to look up Chapeskie Field (CLC2). Why does it not show up under London (CYXU)? The CFS has an inch of chart supplement material dealing with obstructions etc. near the back. How do I get at that information in ForeFlight? I guess I still need to buy the CFS!

Not that there aren’t things to like about ForeFlight, it’s just too misleading, incomplete and potentially unsafe in Canada.

2013 CAHS National Convention Silent Auction

By CAHS

The 2013 CAHS National Convention & Annual General Meeting - "The Big Five O" - will take place from 11-15 September 2013 in Ottawa-Gatineau. Due to the generosity of corporate and individual donors, CAHS National is able to hold a silent auction at the 2013 convention!

Viewing will begin on Wednesday 11 September 2013 during the reception and items will be on display during the day Thursday 12 September and up until noon on Friday 13 September. Winners will be announced at the end of lunch on 13 September.

How does one participate? There will be bidding sheets for each item. Just put your name and bid amount down on the items you want. Keep checking back throughout the convention to see if you have been outbid in order to place another higher bid. There are no limits on the number of times you can bid or the number of items you can try to win. The highest bidder for each item at the close of the auction will be declared the winner.

So bring your cheque book; empty out your piggy banks; check those sofa cushions for extra change, and come prepared to take home some great deals on some great items! Many thanks to the following donors for their generous contributions!

List of Silent Auction Items

Each item represents a separate auction.

  • Air North (Yukon's Airline) - One $200 gift certificate for airfare on any route, two $100 gift certificates for airfare on any route
  • Aviaeology - Canadian Aircraft of WWI by Carl Vincent, Dragons on Birds Wings: The Combat History of the 812th Fighter Air Regiment, Early Canadian Military Aircraft Volume 1
  • Canadian Aviation Hall of Fame - They Led the Way (3 volume set with 2013 updates)
  • Frontenac House - Yukon Wings (by R.B. Cameron)
  • Harbour Air Seaplanes - $360 gift certificate for round trip on the Vancouver to Victoria route
  • Laskin Publishing - Editorial Evaluation of a manuscript of up to 50,000 words (up to five pages in length)
  • LCMSDS (Wilfrid Laurier University) - 3 Battlefield Tour Guides (First World War), 4 Battlefield Tour Guides (Second World War), 3 Battlefield Tour Guides (Italy), 3 Battlefield Tour Guides (Normandy, France, & Belgium/Netherlands/Germany), 1-Year Subscription to Canadian Military History (4 issues) plus 4 back issues (past year)
  • CAHS Vancouver Chapter - CAHS Journal set from 1990 to 2012 (92 issues)
  • Allan Botting (artist) - Framed Print: "Andy's Spitfire"
  • Alistair Reeves - 2 Avro Arrow Pencils originally owned and used by Avro design engineer Ross Richardson
  • Chris Terry (collector) - Framed Print: "Banshees over Bonaventure" by Steve Snide (Number 162 of 200), 11 other unframed prints/posters
  • Danielle Metcalfe-Chenail - For the Love of Flying (signed copy of the book, pen, mug, and silver airplane desk clock)
  • Helene Girard (artist) - Unframed Print: "Friendly Giant", Unframed Print: "Winter Blues", Unframed Print: "Peaceful"
  • Sydney Baker - My 53 Years in Civil Aviation

To attend this year's Convention, simply download and complete the Registration Form and Schedule of Fees and return with your cheque to the address indicated. You can also check the Program of Events.

You can also find the registration form and more information on CAHS website under "Events".

27 August 2013

Ottawa Flying Club 55th Annual Fly Day Saturday 28 September 2013

From Ottawa Flying Club

It's that time of year again! Saturday 28 September 2013 the Ottawa Flying Club will once again host its Annual Fly Day event supporting The Rotary Club of Ottawa. Members of the public will be able to register the morning of the event to take a sightseeing tour of our beautiful city for $40 per person.

Pilots Needed!

We need you! Fly Day is a great opportunity to give back to the community by volunteering your time as a pilot. We are seeking as many pilots and 4 seat or larger aircraft as possible. A tax receipt will be provided to pilots for their fuel used during the event. For more details please contact Marc Desjardins

Volunteer opportunity!

The OFC is seeking energetic people to assist with multiple tasks during the day of the event including passenger escort and aircraft marshalling. At a minimum volunteers who will be airside require a student pilot's permit. We can still use volunteers for other non-airside tasks! For more detail please contact Julie Marion.

The OFC has been supporting the Rotary Club of Ottawa for more than thirty years through the annual Fly Day event. The Rotary Club is a not-for-profit international organization with a mission of assisting families with physically challenged kids by providing respite care services. Over the past 10 years the OFC has helped raise more than $85,000 through the Fly Day events with 100% of the proceeds being donated to the Rotary Club of Ottawa.

Fly Day is a fun and popular way for the community to learn about the Ottawa Flying Club while doing something great for a local charity. This year's proceeds will benefit the Ottawa Rotary Home, long known for offering short-term respite care to families who have children with disabilities and the Rotary Club of Ottawa.

Tour tickets are $40 for per person. The gates open at 0830 hrs and the first flight is at 0900 hrs.

Events (apart from the Flying) will include:

  • Ground Displays and Demonstrations
  • Colouring Contest for the Kids
  • Breakfast and Barbeque, and food services
  • from our excellent Lunch Pad Café
  • Information about learning to fly

For more information, please contact Margot Nichols of the Rotary Club of Ottawa at 613 860-1521.

Ottawa Flying Club Pilot Wins Webster

An Ottawa Flying Club pilot has won the 2013 Webster Memorial Trophy to be named the Top Amateur Pilot in Canada.

Takashi Hirose competed in the Webster finals held in Winnipeg, Manitoba, between 20-24 August and emerged the final winner in the hotly contested event.

15 August 2013

You are Invited to the 2013 Barnyard Fly-In

From Recreational Aircraft Association, Oshawa District



Barnyard Fly-In 2013
Hawkefield, Orono, Ontario
Sunday, 8 September 2013

This is an RAA-sanctioned event put on by the Oshawa chapter. Come out and enjoy with us the biggest and friendliest gathering of pilots and aviation enthusiasts in the Oshawa area. Join our friends and families to celebrate our 18th annual Hawkefield Barnyard fly-in. All types of aircraft included. Hawkefield is a very well-kept 3,300 ft grass strip situated just outside of Orono, ON, privately owned by Hannu and Karen Halminen.

Note the runway 18 threshold is displaced 300 feet to avoid parked aircraft Keep all circuits to the west, avoiding residential areas. The traffic advisory frequency is 122.775 MHz.

NORDO aircraft are to follow standard arrival procedures. Circuit height is 1600 feet ASL. Please keep safety as a first priority and comply with Transport Canada regulations.

  • Co-ordinates are N 44 00 W 78 39
  • Food Concession
  • Free corn on the cob
  • For more information, please contact James Morrison at 905-434-5638

14 August 2013

SmartPilot.ca, the single source web portal for safe flying is live!

Media Release

Canada’s single source web portal for all things related to flying safely is now live! This site is a one-stop source for information, interactive courses and videos, all focused on helping pilots stay fresh and current.

Best of all, use of the site is open and free to all. The website has information for all levels of pilots, from student to experienced aviator.

Through the financial support of the Government of Canada, under the Search and Rescue New Initiative Fund (SAR NIF), SmartPilot.ca has been several years in the making and encompasses a wide variety of aviation subjects.

Examples of the site content include airmanship, human factors, flight training, specialty aircraft (including float flying and ultralights), avionics, maintenance, weather, navigation, search and rescue and much more.

The project has been developed in co-operation with many leading sources and associations including Transport Canada, The Transportation Safety Board, Canadian Aviation Search and Rescue Association and a board of advisers of recognized aviation community leaders.

The content and site functionality was also the subject of rigourous focus group research over several sessions. According to project development leader Ted Rankine, "this is a well advanced site that allows access materials quickly from a single source. In the past accessing such material involved lots of search time on the web. We have eliminated that and bring everything within a click or two. We have sourced and posted materials that serve to inform, educate and encourage safe flying under all circumstances. Just the ability to do your Recency test on-line with us in a self-paced manner and get the certificate instantly is a step in helping pilots."

SmartPilot.ca will continue to be updated, with new articles, purpose-designed videos and courses added. Working with the Canadian Owners and Pilots Association (COPA) and the US Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA), SmartPilot.ca has made it easy for users to quickly find information, including the AOPA Safety Institute courses. Upcoming COPA projects are expected to be added, too. Similar co-operative relationships with other organizations will result in additional articles being made available through the SmartPilot.ca portal in the future.

As Rankine says, "SmartPilot.ca does not replace recognized training from an established flight education institution. It is, however, a great way for people to build their knowledge and keep up to date about flight safety matters and procedures. If just one life is saved by something that was taken in through our site, we have done our job."

For additional information or comment, please visit the website. SmartPilot.ca is also found on Facebook and Twitter.

External link

11 August 2013

Ottawa Flying Club Staffing News

By Bryce Hanna, General Manager, The Ottawa Flying Club

Effective 2 July 2013, I am pleased to announce the following appointments approved by Transport Canada on June 26:

  • Andrew Simpson, Chief Flight Instructor
  • Morgan Ross, Assistant Chief Flight Instructor
  • Charles Shaw, Assistant Chief Flight Instructor
  • John Porter, Manager, Development
  • Blair Spooner, Ground School Supervisor

Andrew Simpson is highly qualified in depth of experience, competence and credentials. In his previous position as Assistant Chief Flight Instructor, he has been a prime mover in developing, managing and improving our flight training operations as well being dedicated to achieving the highest level of quality in our programs. In his new capacity as CFI, Andrew will be in an even stronger position to lead improvements and innovations in OFC flight training.

Morgan Ross is an outstanding and exemplary senior flight instructor and, as Ground School Supervisor, has been instrumental in improving the quality of instruction in that area as well as attracting students to the courses and motivating them to continue and quickly begin flight training in parallel with their ground instruction. Morgan is in the process of finalizing and implementing an improved OFC Multi-IFR program and has been promoted to Assistant Chief Flight Instructor as he continues his work.

Charles Shaw has demonstrated a high level of dedication competence and maturity in becoming one of our senior instructors. Charles will be a key asset to Andrew in managing and improving our flight training and the flight training experience of our students.

John Porter is a pro-active champion and ambassador for the OFC with extensive experience and knowledge of both OFC operations and other key organizations in the aviation community. In his new capacity, John will be in a position to both build our profile in the industry and develop new business from organizations and groups that we presently do not reach. He also has the capability to work with and build relations with the regulatory bodies that affect our business and operations.

Blair Spooner, graduated from Algonquin College, became an instructor at the flying club last November. After assisting at the college through volunteering and peer tutoring of students for the ground-schools and administration roles at the club, he has taken the role of Ground-school Supervisor for the Flying Club. Through his charismatic attitude and drive for student success, he fit perfectly for the role of helping student pilots achieve their goal to become professional pilots.

Congratulations to John, Morgan, Andrew, Charles and Blair. Please give them your support as we progress in building the finest flying club and flight-training unit in Ontario.

29 July 2013

WikiProject Aircraft

There are a lot of interesting things happening over on Wikipedia and at least one of them involves aircraft, or at least articles about aircraft.

One of the aspects of Wikipedia that casual readers don't see is that there are many organized WikiProjects, where a group of editors work together to create new articles and to make existing articles better within a related topic area. WikiProject Aircraft is one of those projects and it has some goals that will be of interest to any aviator. The project has 348 signed up members, of which a couple of dozen are really active these days, making it a relatively small group. Aside from working on articles about aircraft components, history, engines, aerodynamics and so on, the project members are also putting together articles on aircraft designs, by type.

That aspect started a few years ago when it was pointed out that we had about 10,000 aircraft type articles and it was suggested that we finish off the task, by writing articles on the rest of them. That was readily agreed to, but no one knows how many distinct aircraft types have ever been built. We discussed it and my best guess was about 25,000. That meant that we hadn't even got half way at that time.

So we set to work, with about a dozen of us dividing up the work by area of interest and access to references to work from. The main challenge at that time was that all the easy and well-known types had been done, like the Cessna 172 and the Boeing 747. It was the odd, rare and obscure types that needed completing and that called for editors with access to detailed, published works about rare aircraft.

Everyone has their own areas of interest and expertise. Some editors set to work filling in the one-of-a-kind pre-First World War pioneering types, others the experimental World War Two aircraft, while others specialized in 1950s French homebuilts or 1920s light aircraft. For my part I started work on ultralights, gliders, hang gliders, trikes and homebuilts, mostly because I have the references available and no one else was working on those aircraft.

In the last few years the project members have probably added another 6000-7000 type articles, listing them as they are written, for peer review on a special list page. As can be seen there, the articles that are being written are on fairly unusual types these days.

So the goal continues - to have an article on every aircraft type that has been flown, developed or was even just proposed by an established aircraft manufacturer.

How will we know when we are done? A good question. Probably when we can't find any more aircraft in any references to write about we might be close to done. Of course every year new aircraft designs are announced, developed and flown, so the work will never be totally complete.

As the project members get closer to the goal it makes Wikipedia more and more the first stop for information on different kinds of aircraft. Our hope is that it will become the best source of aviation information and, of course, it will always be available to everyone for free.

25 July 2013

Red Bull Flugtag - Yes or No?

Red Bull has held one of their Flugtag ("airshow") events in Ottawa before, on 3 August 2008 and this Saturday, 27 July 2013, they will hold another one.

The event is, of course, sponsored by Austrian "energy drink" manufacturer, Red Bull. It consists of teams that create "aircraft" to be launched from a barge equipped with a runway, like an aircraft carrier, anchored near the Museum of Civilization in the Ottawa River. The aircraft are really "art projects" and aren't intended to fly away from the barge, but instead all just fall into the river. Teams are supposed to be judged on the basis of distance, creativity and showmanship, but not for anything relevant to aeronautics. Spectators laugh as each and every one is pushed down the runway and predictably plummets into the river, with its crew, to be rescued by the boats attending. None of them flew, all of them crashed. That's it. Nothing else.

Perhaps you need a Germanic sense of humour to find this amusing?

In 2008 about 100,000 Ottawa-Gatineau residents and tourists crowded the river on both sides, plus the Alexandria bridge to see this event. Naturally Red Bull got lots of exposure for the their products.

Other than being amazingly pointless, does this event do any harm? My opinion is that it hurts aviation. These "art projects" are supposed to look like small aircraft and there is some expectation that this is related to aviation in some way, which is why it is called a "Flugtag", and so 100,000 people now associate light aircraft with crashing instead of flying.

Needless to say I won't be attending this year's event.

External links

24 July 2013

Continental Purchases Thielert

On 23 July 2013 Continental Motors announced that they had purchased Thielert Aircraft Engines for an undisclosed sum.

At first blush this purchase by Continental looks like a great match. Thielert has been in bankruptcy for five years now and run by a temporary administrator who has been looking for a buyer through the Long Recession. The company has other concerns, as founder and ex-president Frank Thielert has been charged with fraud over misrepresenting the value and finances of the company during earlier attempts to find buyers and investors. Frank Thielert was arrested and jailed in mid June 2013 by a German bankruptcy court judge as a potential flight risk.

Continental Motors has been pursuing diesel aircraft engine technology itself and is actively working on its TD-300 engine, a derivative of the French SMA SR305-230 diesel engine. So with that interest in diesel engine technology and Thielert's need for a buyer, the purchase seems like a good move for both companies.

But there are also larger forces at work here. It helps to recall that in December 2010, Continental itself was purchased by AVIC International, and AVIC is wholly owned by the government of the People's Republic of China. That all adds up to the Thielert purchase being just another part in the Chinese government's large and growing portfolio of western aerospace firms. At this point it isn't clear how far they want to go in buying up companies, but time will tell if they just want a slice of the light aircraft business or something larger than that.

As part of the purchase the Thielert name will disappear. The company will become a division of Continental and will be called Technify Motors GmbH. Given the troubles the company has endured this is probably a good move on Continental's part.

Here is my revised current list of western aerospace firms bought out so far by non-western interests:

  • Cirrus Aircraft - Government of the Peoples Republic of China
  • Continental Engines - Government of the Peoples Republic of China
  • Enstrom Helicopter Corporation - Chongqing Helicopter Investment Co, China
  • Epic Aircraft - Engineering LLC, Russia
  • Flightstar Sportplanes - rights, tooling and parts inventory purchased by Yuneec International, China
  • Glasair Aircraft - Jilin Hanxing Group, China
  • International Lease Finance Corp - 90% New China Trust Co Ltd, New China Life Insurance Co Ltd, P3 Investments Ltd and China Aviation Industrial Fund
  • Liberty Aerospace - 75% owned by the Kuwait Finance House, a wholly owned subsidiary of Kuwait Finance House of Bahrain
  • LISA Airplanes - 75% owned by Heima Mining Company, China
  • Piper Aircraft - Government of Brunei
  • Superior Air Parts - Weifang Tianxiang Technology Group, China
  • Thielert Aircraft Engines - Government of the Peoples Republic of China

External links

23 July 2013

Vintage Wings: "Calling All Volunteers"

By Dave O'Malley, Vintage Wings of Canada

It's just 8 weeks until the first vintage aircraft touches down here at Gatineau for the Wings over Gatineau-Ottawa en vol Air Show. Just 8 weeks to prepare and there is still lots to do. We are looking for volunteers of all ages to move mountains, spread the word, impress guests, inspire children, look good, escort veterans, secure aircraft and show lines, put up signs, park cars, pick up trash, sing songs, sell swag and share smiles.

WE NEED YOU!

You'll get a cool shirt, new skills, lasting memories, lots of sun, and a heart full of pride.

External link

19 July 2013

Further Details About the 2013 CAHS National Convention and AGM

by Timothy Dubé, CAHS Convention Chairman

The Canadian Aviation Historical Society (CAHS) returns to Ottawa-Gatineau for its 50th Convention and Annual General Meeting on 11 - 15 September 2013 - the Big Five O!

Both the Program and Schedule of Events has been finalized and can be downloaded by following the links below or on the CAHS website under "Events." To be part of this very special five-days, complete the Registration Form and Schedule of Fees and return it with your cheque to us today.

More information on the event - including awards ballots and 50th Anniversary mechandise pre-order forms - will be distributed to CAHS Members shortly.

For more information, please contact the Convention Chairman, Timothy Dubé.

We hope to see you in September for the Big Five O!

Event Schedule and Details

Celebrating 50 years is a BIG deal and the Big Five O promises CAHS members just that – a BIG deal!

In addition to two-days of historical presentations (see links to view the Program with the list of speakers and their subjects), the Big Five O will include a number of special events and tours. These begin on Thursday evening with a BBQ and tour of the Canada Aviation and Space Museum (CASM), with the bonus of seeing the ongoing restoration of Canadair C-54GM North Star 17515. On both Friday evening and all day Saturday, the CAHS will be special guests at Vintage Wings of Canada's Wings Over Gatineau-Ottawa air show. On Sunday, CAHS members will return to the CASM to be witness to the annual Battle of Britain parade and flypast. The BIG FIVE O wraps-up on Sunday evening with an early-Autumn Harvest Feast and the presentation of CAHS awards.

Program of Events (217 KB PDF document)

Registration Information

To attend this year's Convention, simply download and complete the Registration Form and Schedule of Fees and return with your cheque to the address below! The forms can be downloaded below or at www.cahs.ca under "Events".

Registration Form and Schedule of Fees - 2013 CAHS Convention (78 KB PDF document)

Location and Accommodations

Headquarters for the Big Five O will be the Albert at Bay Suite Hotel in downtown Ottawa. Each newly-renovated, one-bedroom suite includes one or two queen-size beds, a spacious living room (some with a pull-out couch), private bath, and a fully-equipped kitchen. We have secured a rate of just $139.00 plus taxes, per night, single or double occupancy. Make your reservations now by calling 1-800-267-6644 or 613-238-8858 and asking for the "CAHS Annual Convention" Group Rate. The deadline to secure this rate is 12 August.

11 July 2013

Is Your Aviation Document Booklet Expiring?

by Patrick Gilligan, COPA

Did you know your Aviation Document Booklet (ADB) must be renewed every five years from date of issuance?

This fall, pilots, flight engineers and air traffic controllers will begin renewing their Aviation Document Booklets (ADB). Transport Canada first introduced the ADB in 2008 with a five year expiry date, so the majority of ADB holders will need to renew their booklets this year.

How do applicants renew their ADB?

To renew an expiring ADB, applicants are required to submit a completed Application for an Aviation Document Booklet form (TP 26-0726) and a passport style photograph to the TCCA regional office that holds their pilot licensing file. Transport Canada requires four to six weeks to process a completed application. Applicants should submit their applications at least 90 days before the expiry date. There is no fee for renewing your ADB.

Background

Transport Canada provides an ADB to flight crew members and air traffic controllers in order that they may exercise privileges of aviation-related permits, licences and ratings, and possess evidence of medical validity. Note that a Student Pilot Permit (SPP) is a standalone document. Students should not apply for an ADB if they only hold a Student Pilot Permit (SPP).

The ADB replaced paper licensing documents. The ADB enhances the security of licensing documents and provides pilots with a more durable product.

The ADB must be renewed every five years to ensure the photograph is current. Some ADB holders may require earlier renewal for other reasons (for example, if a pilot holds a Level 4 Language Proficiency).

External link

29 June 2013

More About The 2013 CAHS National Convention and AGM

The 50th Canadian Aviation Historical Society National Convention and Annual Meeting will take place in Ottawa from 11 - 15 September.

Final planning is underway and a detailed event program, schedule, and registration form will be issued in a separate CAHS e-Newsletter bulletin shortly. This same information will also promptly be mailed out to Members as a hard-copy Convention Registration Package.

Some general information on the Convention:

  • The event opens with a meet and greet on Wednesday evening.
  • Thursday and Friday will feature speakers' presentations.
  • Thursday evening will feature a tour of the Canada Aviation and Space Museum.
  • On Friday evening and Saturday, convention attendees will be special guests at the Vintage Wings "Wings Over Gatineau - Ottawa Air Show."
  • The convention concludes on Sunday with a visit to the CASM for the Battle of Britain parade, and our annual awards dinner.

External links

27 June 2013

Reviving Aerobatics Canada Chapter 5

By Jonathan Rotondo

We are reviving Chapter 5 (Ottawa-Gatineau) of Aerobatics Canada!

We will be holding a meeting during the first week of July at the Rockcliffe Flying Club.

Here are the details:

  • Where: Rockcliffe Flying Club, main classroom
  • Date: Tuesday, July 2nd at 7:00pm
  • Time: 1900 hrs

We will be joined by former president and Canadian aerobatic champion Jay Hunt as well as local aerobatic pilot Peter Ashwood-Smith. Many of you have seen Peter fly routines in his Pitts S-1T at Gatineau.

Jay and Peter will give us a brief talk about the benefits of reviving the Chapter, what goes into running one and what we need to do.

Here is a brief meeting agenda:

  1. Elect 2 or 3 people to serve in leadership roles
  2. Agree upon a small membership fee
  3. Set a goal for the season (practice day and judging clinic in the fall)
  4. Discuss how we can continue to spread the word about the chapter so that more pilots can join us
  5. Take a group photograph

We may add any other points as they come up. Please let me know if you are able to attend and whether you wish to take on a leadership role.

I hope to see you on July 2nd!

26 June 2013

Rockcliffe Canada Day Fly-in Is On

There was some confusion last year as to whether the Rockcliffe Flying Club was continuing its tradition of running a Canada Day fly-in or not. Despite the lack of announcements in 2012 the fly-in was held, although attendance by aircraft flying-in was predictably quite light, due to the lack of publicity.

Even though RFC's calender once again doesn't indicate the event exists, there is a volunteer recruitment page for the event and it is mentioned on the club's Facebook page as well, so it seems to be on again this year!

So here are the details:

  • What: Canada Day Fly-in Breakfast
  • Where: Rockcliffe Airport, Ottawa
  • Organized by: The Rockcliffe Flying Club
  • Date: Monday 01 July 2013
  • Time: 0700-1200
  • Also: The Canada Aviation and Space Museum will be offering aircraft rides to the public

See you there!

External link

24 June 2013

Rockcliffe Flying Club Starts An IFR Club

By Rockcliffe Flying Club

The idea of an IFR Club stems from a suggestion from one of our club members. The purpose of the informal meetings is to bring together IFR pilots (or someone thinking about becoming IFR rated) to meet once a month and discuss what they are passionate about….flying and not just flying but instrument flying. Come out and meet experienced IFR pilots and newly rated IFR pilots and have a coffee, relax and enjoy the conversation.

Here are just some examples of the things that might be discussed:

  • IFR in Canada and the USA: how does it differ?
  • A number of us feel more comfortable in the IFR system and file IFR even on completely clear days. Is this a VFR-cowardice?
  • Does the 2-year re-ride deter Canadian pilots from getting IFR ratings? They don't have it in the USA and a much greater percentage of private pilots are IFR-rated. Is the re-ride useful?
  • Does anyone understand the new preferred low-level routes in the Toronto/Ottawa/Montreal corridor? Does it matter, do we just file "direct" and see what comes anyway?
  • What are the minimum number of instruments with which you feel comfortable flying IFR?
  • Is an ADF anything more than additional and unnecessary weight these days?
  • Below what temperature in the winter do you feel comfortable that you're not going to meet ice in a cloud?
  • Is an onboard StrikeFinder or StormScope needed any more now that we have uplink weather information on our GPSs? Which is better: the immediate response of the StrikeFinder or the bigger picture of the uplink weather?
  • When are we going to get ADS-B in Canada? Is it worth buying a portable ADS-B unit for flying in the USA?

Details

  • Where: Rockcliffe Flying Club Lounge
  • When: Last Thursday of the Month
  • Time: 1930 – until finished!!

Drop by last Thursday of every month! See you there!

19 June 2013

Iroquois Fly-In Breakfast 21 July 2013

by Keith Poore, Iroquois Flying Club

The Iroquois Flying Club will be having its annual fly-in breakfast on Sunday 21 July 2013.

Here are the details:

  • Event: Breakfast is served at the campground
  • Location: Iroquois Airport (CNP7)
  • Time: 0730 – 1130 hrs.
  • Menu: Eggs, Ham, Baked Beans, Roll, Coffee and Juice.
  • Price: $6.00, children 6 and under $3.00

13 June 2013

Innovative VProp Finds New Home

The VProp automatic variable pitch propeller was originally designed by Thomas Strieker and produced by Silent Aircraft GmbH of Verl, Germany, but has been unavailable since it went out of production in 2011.

Intended as a purpose-designed propeller for the Jabiru 2200 and 3300 engines, in its two and three-bladed version respectively, the rights to the design have now been passed to the well-established propeller manufacturer, Hoffmann Propeller GmbH & Co. KG of Rosenheim, Germany.

Hoffmann are not currently offering VProps for sale, but are engaged in further developing the design to make it available for a wider range of engines with a wider range of power outputs. Hoffmann Propeller Technical Engineering's Stefan Bichlmeyr is leading the development effort.

The innovative VProp design uses aluminium blades mated to an aluminium hub through vibration dampened ball-and-socket joints. The pitch of the blades is controlled automatically, without pilot input. The blades are kept at an optimal angle of incidence through a co-axially-mounted, counter-rotating vaned spinner mounted in front of the blades on the hub. The vanes drive an internal generator which measures the prop's rpm and the speed of the aircraft. An electronic control unit mounted inside the hub takes this information and compares it to optimal profiles set on the ground and then uses an electric motor-driven pitch change actuator to optimize the blade pitch for the aircraft's speed and engine rpm.

The VProp's pitch range is limited by mechanical stops and if electronic control is lost it mechanically reverts to a safe pitch angle automatically, as a fail-safe.

Because there are no cockpit control runs the VProp is entirely self-contained and internally powered, making it simple to install and maintain. In flight it reduces pilot workload over traditional constant speed propellers, as there is no pilot input required.

In the past the VProp has been available only for experimental installations, but Hoffmann hopes to eventually certify the design.

Note

This article also appeared in the August 2013 edition of COPA Flight.

08 June 2013

The Ottawa Flying Club Needs You!

From the Ottawa Flying Club

In reality we need you, your hands and your skills!! The club is in need of repairs, cleaning, just general cleanup, so if you can help out it would be greatly appreciated.

Date: Saturday 15 June 2013, 1000-1500 hrs, with a thank you BBQ at 1500 hrs

Some tasks that need to be done:

  • Painting window sills outside
  • Painting and repairs inside
  • Raking
  • Sweeping
  • Window washing
  • And much more

Members and students are all welcome to chip in!!

Contact Marc Desjardins if you are able to give us some of your valuable time.

14 May 2013

Does your SPOT Leave Crumbs?

Flight 8 member Chuck O’Dale’s followers did not get the 1300 miles of bread crumbs promised by his SPOT. He is still waiting to hear SPOT’s explanation. He wonders if he inadvertently disabled the bread crumb feature. If so, folks should be aware how easily and unknowingly this can happen. If not, then why, and how often, does SPOT disable this important safety feature without the knowledge of users?

Chuck notes that, “the people that I rely on to check on my position reports got the following message:

Feed with Id: 0bf8QgAGfWBUNBPU9KmvdPDTACicaqCFm not found.”

On the positive side, Chuck also notes that OK messages were received, but not his position reports. And all the bread crumbs were ultimately stored in his SPOT account.

Is SPOT the ELT supplement that many of us believe it is?

2013 CAHS National Convention and AGM Update

By Conference Chairman Tim Dubé

The Canadian Aviation Historical Society (CAHS) returns to Ottawa-Gatineau for its 50th Convention and Annual General Meeting, 11 - 15 September 2013 – the Big Five O in Ottawa, Ontario.

Celebrating 50 years is a BIG deal and the Big Five O promises CAHS members just that – a BIG deal! In addition to two-days of historical presentations – you’ll have to wait for the Program and Registration Form for our list of speakers and their subjects – the Big Five O will include a number of special events and tours. These begin on Thursday evening with a BBQ and tour of the Canada Aviation and Space Museum (CASM), with the bonus of seeing the ongoing restoration of Canadair C-54GM North Star 17515. On both Friday evening and all day Saturday, the CAHS will be special guests at Vintage Wings of Canada’s Wings Over Gatineau-Ottawa air show. On Sunday, CAHS members will return to the CASM to be witness to the annual Battle of Britain parade and flypast. The Big Five O wraps-up on Sunday evening with an early-Autumn Harvest Feast and the presentation of CAHS awards.

Headquarters for the Big Five O will be the Albert at Bay Suite Hotel in downtown Ottawa. Each newly-renovated, one-bedroom suite includes one or two queen-size beds, a spacious living room (some with a pull-out couch), private bath, and a fully-equipped kitchen. We have secured a rate of just $139.00 plus taxes, per night, single or double occupancy. Make your reservations now by calling 1-800-267-6644 or 613-238-8858 and asking for the “CAHS Annual Convention” Group Rate. Final planning is underway now and we expect to have the Registration Forms, with full program details and costs, in CAHS members hands by mid-June.

External links

11 May 2013

Flight 8 Diaspora May Update

A month ago I described that I was working on boosting Flight 8's presence on Diaspora (D*), attracting new followers there.

By the 10th of April I had managed to attract 120 followers. In pursing this strategy of following anyone interested in aviation subjects we now have 217 followers and growing each day.

As I previously reported D* is a very active, interesting and dynamic on-line community, with lots always going on. The focus does seem in general to be more European, left-leaning and oriented towards issues like free software, politics and human rights, but Flight 8 does create lots of aviation content there. This should make the community more interesting to a greater number of people and hopefully attract more users to come and join us there.

Of course, since all my posts are public, anyone can search for and read them without signing in or creating an account, just by viewing Flight 8 on Diaspora.

Anyone who would to join D* can sign up for an account on any one of a number of pods. My personal account is on Diasp.org and that seems to be a good pod. The Flight 8 account is on the main pod: joindiaspora.com.

External links

02 May 2013

Further to: Can You Trust the TC AIM?

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On 4 April 2013 I posted a complaint about Transport Canada’s AIM, specifically with respect to inconsistencies between two sections dealing with proper radio techniques. See http://copa8.blogspot.ca/search?q=eighteen for details.
Well Transport Canada agrees with my comments as noted in Ron Carter’s message to me. Thanks Ron Carter for getting back to me in a timely fashion.
“Dear Mr. Shaw,
As you are aware, the concerns you expressed in your submission of April 5, 2013, were entered into the Civil Aviation Issues Reporting System (CAIRS) and were assigned file number GO-2476. Your concerns were with respect to the current AIM, which says to say “runway eighteen” on one page but says to use digits, as in "runway one eight" on another page. As a result of my review of the file I would like to take this opportunity to provide you with the following information:
I believe RAC section 4.5.6 “Use of MF and ATF” has it wrong, and the wording in RAC 4.5.6 will therefore be amended to read as follows: "runway one eight", effective October 17, 2013.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for sharing your views, as all comments we receive are appreciated.
Sincerely,
Ron Carter
Chief of Flight Standards / Chef des normes de vol Telephone / téléphone: (613) 998-9855 Facsimile / télécopieur: (613) 954-1602 TTY / ATS (613) 990-4500 ron.carter@tc.gc.ca Transport Canada | Place de Ville (AARTA), Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0N8 Transports Canada | Place de Ville (AARTA) Ottawa (Ontario) K1A 0N8 Government of Canada | Gouvernement du Canada