Click on photo
for larger view
Photo courtesy Rick Sauter
|
Click on photo |
|
|
|
Bessy’s awesome heavy duty wing jacks on loan for the weighing of Colin Chase’s Harvard about 20 years ago. |
|
|
Now what? As usual, Colin’s Harvard gear hangs up when coming down after the weighing. Get those jacks out of there! |
|
|
Michelle Essau & Kim Jones man the registration desk at the NW Council of Air show Conference last month. |
|
|
NWCAS Conference organizers, Donna Flynn, Sue Andrews and April Zalesky. |
|
|
Transport Canada’s Dave Dixon explains air show approval requirements to the NWCAS Conference. |
|
|
Trinia Newton’s marketing presentation amuses Bill Baker, Darryl Lowry and air show personality, Bud Granley. |
|
|
Daffydd Hermann leads a Safety & Security forum at the NWCAS Conference in Richmond, B.C. |
|
|
Popular B.C. show announcer Roy Hafeli accepts The Big Feet Award from Michelle Pelletier and Malin Bergstrom of The Tri-City Water Follies Air Show, Pasco, Washington. |
|
|
COPA member
Mike Freund, preparing to test fly his new RV-6a at Nelson Airport B.C., in
February.
Photo courtesy Rick Sauter |
FIRST FLIGHT…
Getting Old Bessy up and running for the first flight of the year is quite a palaver, and takes lots of fussing with battery chargers, tire pumps, oil checking, carb priming, and starter boosting… and that’s just the tug!
Bessy herself needs all that plus a few gear swings and a couple of gallons of oil. Nothing is simple. Just dragging the custom built wing jacks over from the hangar wall is a major exhausting job for two senior guys.
The previous owner had them welded up from half inch steel plates and really solid forestry jacks.
Getting off the jacks after the swing is even more traumatic as Harvard gear often sticks and stays extended. The mechanical ratchet pump handle action requires two coordinated persons working in unison.
They can’t un-jack ‘em down fast enough, so should anyone cough, the oleos may suddenly collapse and put the jack rams right through the wings. So, as soon as the pads are clear, I yell “now!” and with a mighty effort, we yank both jacks over on their sides.
And over they go with a crash. So one’s ‘jack removal crew’ needs to be well briefed!
Harvard owning friends who offer to help, are awed by Bessy’s massive lifting equipment, and properly intimidated by the rigorous briefing entailed. But then, they have wimpy hydraulic jacks with spring-loaded roll-about wheels and all. They haven’t lived… Pah!
There’s more. The gear legs are still stuck extended, poised to crash down on inquisitive noggins at the slightest touch. It takes a simultaneous swift kick to the tires by the two approved coordinated guys to bring the gear thumping down.
It’s amazing the satisfaction they get from this. It’s really ‘Big Guy’ stuff. However, The Mary simply huffs about us being a couple of kids.
OLD PILOTS GET JUMPY
It was unusually cold here for early February, 8C below, and then suddenly rose to 10C above! Even in the hangars the planes sweated as if hosed down and dripped water all over the place.
Everyone’s tools were sopping wet, and various parts of Bessy’s tug and tow bar sprouted rust on the bare spots, so one wondered about radios, mag points, and all.
However, not to worry, Old 1340 fired up instantly with her usual screech, pops, bangs, and a satisfying cloud of smoke.
Older pilots get a bit jumpy after a long winter lay-off. Maybe they’ve forgotten how to do this. All these checks and stuff. So much new gimmickry yapped about these days in the flying magazines. Anyone would think flying difficult.
But as my old instructor used to say, “The flying’s easy. It’s the radio stuff and navigation that’s tough.”
Anyway, after all my worry warting, Old Bessy ran beautifully, the day was glorious, I’d forgot nothing, and we swooped and rolled making love in the sky. It was magnificent!
The landing back at Delta felt so good, and a number of friends and visitors lined the fence, their welcoming faces lit up with wide smiles…
Sigh. That’s what it’s all about. In our little world anyway.
AIR SHOW CONFERENCE…
The North West Council of Air Shows held its annual conference in Richmond, B.C. recently and as usual, it was extremely well attended.
NWCAS is a regional affiliation of the International Council, ICAS. Air show people understand that such conferences are crucial if we are to continue to enjoy the excitement and razzamataz of these flying circuses.
Show flying presents the ‘ZING’ of aviation to the general public. It’s here that young people will whiff the romance of flying for fun, or glimpse the life of our military and commercial pilots.
Without these shows, flying would be perceived as a very formal and technical activity, and indeed, would soon become so.
So it’s important that the industry struts its stuff, and competes straight up with fancy cars, snowmobiles, powerboats, and the like. They have their big shows down at Exhibition Park, so we must have ours at the airport.
Already this year’s Great Winnipeg Air Show has been cancelled due to management concerns about safety and security.
The NWCAS conference provides the forum and the effort to educate performers, show bosses, and airport managements, to address and allay these fears. Management needs to be brought more into the planning loop if they are to have confidence in the plans and integrity of the air show people.
As your COPA rep, I attend for the rest of us, and watch out for show procedures and regulations that might inappropriately ‘trickle down’ to the type of events that are the mainstay of our social flying. The Fly-in and Pancake Breakfast. These are part of who we are and what we do!
Car people have drive in picnics, rallies, and Concours d’elegance shows. Boaters have cruises and weekend rendezvous, and motorbiking folk have wheel-ins. So then, like most regular people, we like to get together on weekends and look at each other’s stuff.
What’s wrong with that? So we must be ever vigilant that our freedoms to fly and meet are not unfairly curtailed.
FORUMS & STUFF…
The first afternoon was an interesting open forum about any topic to do with having a show. An interesting comment from the military was that since the security brought on by 9/11, and the cordoning off of their aircraft, there’s been a big reduction in accidental none malicious damage to their aircraft and minor public injury claims.
Show and Fly-in Bosses were advised to keep their briefing brief, but to repeat important items, and to have briefing cards, or check lists for everybody involved.
Before your great day, be most careful with any ‘media’ event. Ensure your ground personnel are briefed and ready for that, as press people are more aggressive than average, but not necessarily more knowledgeable.
After your fly-in, do continue marshalling aircraft and directing road traffic as they leave. The tendency to relax after the official closing time can lead to unexpected problems.
On the general comments on flight currency, a sensible suggestion made was that show pilots practice accelerated stalls, rather than just spins. One needs to instantly recognize and recover from such inadvertent stalls. Once you spin, it’s too late.
We don’t need to be show pilots to understand that! Especially on the last turn to finals. Could be your very last!
Next day during breakfast, Vice President Dave Desmon presented the ‘Deconfliction Update’ for the 2005 Air Show schedule to show the status for the year, and highlighting shows whose dates conflict, or not yet fixed. Very useful information for performers and enthusiasts.
THE GOVERNMENT GUY
Transport Canada's Dave Dixon advised that TC prefer to conduct show and fly-in business via e-mail and attachments, they being far more efficient than mail, fax, or telephone.
Faxes go astray, phone calls come at awkward times, but everybody reads their e-mail! So discuss your plans with Transport Regional GA people well ahead of time. Ensure you have the airport manager's approval, and have talked to any local Nav Canada people likely to be concerned.
If your air show requires an Airspace Restriction, Transport will need at least two weeks notice to issue the official NOTAM.
In the Pacific Region call Geoff Graham at 604-666-5490 or email: grahage@tc.gc.ca. A simple fly-in would not normally require this, but if you have a concern, Geoff can advise.
AND SO TO MARKET
Trinia Newton, of Top Flight Consulting in Vancouver, led a fascinating interactive session on the important concepts of marketing.
The main four starter points being Research, Targets, Offerings, and getting the message out. From there you should create a market from those you expect to attend, then those who don’t, followed by multiple executive and corporate groups.
These basics and more were spelled out by an impressive Power Point presentation, copies of which were sent to each participant later.
We must strive to apply these principles to our airport public relations and fly-in activities. And don’t forget to regularly update your local web page!
Trinia is connected with the Dale Carnegie Business Group, and may be contacted via her web page www.tacgroup.ca
A ‘Video Showcase’ followed, amiably hosted by Dan McLaren, with impressive and entertaining movie presentations by the various attendee performers, describing their thrilling acts.
TAKE CARE
After lunch, Deborah Ledsinger gave an insurance pep talk about how even minor incidents can involve a lot of hassle with insurance companies.
Her advice is to treat any incident, no matter how small, as if it could become a big problem. Don’t allow everything to go away. Just pretend it may become something, but stay concerned, friendly, and casual.
Ask, “Are you alright? Does it hurt? Anywhere else?” and note the answers. Get witness lists, names, numbers, and addresses. Take photos and get statements from any witnesses, and save all this information.
Remember, (in California anyway), parents cannot settle for a minor! So make sure all your insurances are current for the event.
Following Deborah’s pep talk, very informative interactive breakout sessions were organized with ‘experts’ rotating around the different groups to lead discussions on media relations, air operations, insurance, budgets, and addressing safety and security.
THE 2005 NWCAS AWARDS
For me, the day ended with the NWCAS Annual Award Presentations hosted by Malin Bergstrom and her husband, Michel Pelletier of Pasco, Washington. She is ther director of the Tri-City Water Follies Airshow.
Canadians receiving awards were Bill Carter, show performer, Dave Dixon of Transport Canada, Capt. Bruce Ehmann of the Canadian Forces Air Division, and Roy Hafeli, popular Air Show Announcer and local radio personality.
The awards were presented and received amid a tumult of applause, hilarity, and goodwill.
The conference was thus a great success, and the organizers to be commended. Contact the Council via their website at www.nwcas.org
AND SO
From our perspective the event was useful and informative. It seems no new restrictions have appeared to affect our fly-ins this year. The heavy security concerns and associated scrutiny seem to have eased somewhat, so we shall see what the year brings. So let’s go ahead and enjoy our hobby.
Unfortunately Mary and I had to miss the NWCAS dinner, as I was guest speaker later at the Vancouver RAAC Banquet to present my infamous show ‘A Pilot’s Progress.’
Basically, my life on a disk! They seemed to enjoy it, and the food was excellent. So hey!
THE AIRPORT NEEDS YOU
At Delta, Chapter 85 RAAC elected Gerard Van Dijk as president for 2005. Gerard is well known as a willing enthusiast, who spends much time at the airpark, regularly flies the club Turbi, and is a keen volunteer in the rebuild of the chapter’s J-5 Cub.
Gerard joins the Airpark Committee, DAPCOM, which is gearing up for the airpark license renewal coming up this fall with the GVRD.
This committee is appointed by the chapter, and consists of representatives selected from the Vancouver RAAC, Boundary Bay Flying Club, COPA Flight 5, hangar tenants, Vintage Aircraft group, neighbouring commercials, DAP volunteers, and an environmental advisor.
This Volunteer Committee has done surprisingly well in the complex business of administering a popular regional district airpark. And as a result of their dedication, the Greater Vancouver Regional District, or GVRD, who actually own the airpark, has received at least two prestigious awards, the 2002 COPA Achievement Award, and the B.C. Aviation Council 2004 William Templeton Award. Both of which were for excellence in the operation of a vintage style ‘Grass Roots’ airfield.
I nominally represent the general tenants on this committee, and am continually impressed by the level of discussion, the willingness to address practical, bureaucratic, and political concerns on a continual basis.
The other tenants on the field appreciate this effort, and offer help when needed. As in all things, it is often hard to know when help, of whatever kind, is required.
All small airports face similar administrative challenges, and we are fortunate that airplane people generally are so dedicated to aviation, whatever segment or stripe.
COPA KEVIN IN B.C.
COPA President Kevin Psutka’s recent visit to the Vancouver area allowed him to give his powerful presentation to local pilot groups at both Delta’s RAA Roundhouse, and at The Abbotsford Flying Club.
DAPCOM e-mailed and snail mailed notices to all they could think of, and were rewarded with a huge turnout at Delta.
Later, many attendees contacted me to say how much they were impressed and appreciated Kevin’s lucid presentation. At Delta, people just didn’t leave after his talk, and crowded round with questions and discussing their concerns much longer and later than expected. Apparently it was a similar scenario at Abbotsford.
We all have our personal nightmares, and the opportunity to discuss them with a knowledgeable non-government guy from Ottawa, the regulatory center of the universe, is gratifying indeed.
‘THE DOC’ RETIRES
Many pilots were dismayed to hear that Langley Airport’s resident Aviation Examiner, Doc Trembath, had retired the end December!
He’s been my pilot medical guy for 35 years! He’s eyeballed more of my pee than anybody, bar me! What am I gonna do?
As I grimly recall from Air Force days, coming up before a strange medical person is a daunting proposition as I found at Gimli, to my distress, in 1954 during ‘The Big Medical,’ recounted in my story in COPA Flight April 2003.
Anyway, Dr. Jim was totally blown away by the surprise party engineered by his nefarious friends at Adrian’s, the fancy restaurant at the airport. The notice said this had to be a secret, cos he thought his good pals Dave and Jorma were taking him out for dinner, and had commented if he found there was a crowd, he’d run away.
Well, there was a crowd, and he didn’t run away. Afterward, he said he wished he’d had something better to say, but that he was thrilled with the one gigabyte memory stick they gave him.
Now he’s figuring a way to plug it in his head, which is coming up to 85 this year, and could do with the help!
Dr. Jim was a COPA Appreciation Award winner in 2003. We’ll sure miss him, though he’ll still be around for coffee.
However not to worry, as the friendly little clinic with all your secret files will remain as is, ably run by his younger associate, Dr. Bob Baldock, simply contactable at 604-488-4917.
AND IN OTHER NEWS
The other B.C. COPA rep, Rick Sauter, sent me this great picture of Nelson COPA member Mike Freund getting organized to fly his impressive RV-6a for the first time. It’s a day he’s dreamed of for six years. The grin on his face was a mile wide.
These RV people are really proliferating - they are popping up all over!
Also in from Nelson, COPA Flight 87 Captain Case Grypma tells me that the Nelson Pilots Association will hold its annual Flight Fest on Saturday, July 23. He invites Mary and I to take Old Bessy, so we may see you there.
Al Fielder of Delta Flight 5 tells me they have arranged to have their next Young Eagles Day at Pitt Meadows on Saturday, May 7, with a rain date, May 14. Pre-registration for the kids will be held on Saturday, April 23.
At Delta, a pilot safety briefing was held in the RAA Roundhouse in February to advise the Airpark users the what, and why, of the new circuit procedures, as now shown in the current CFS.
The change is slight. On take off from 25, to the west, a gentle turn right of 30 degrees after lift off is required to avoid a neighbour’s trees.
When landing on 07 to the east, a similar gentle curve to touchdown does the job.
Please study and understand your current CFS before visiting the Air Park. The circuit plan drawing will be redrawn slightly to better indicate the correct angles.
Airpark GVRD supervisors at the meeting commented that the effort pilots have made to accommodate neighbour concerns is much appreciated.
So, until next time, I guess that’s it for now. Fly Safe.
Tony Swain, Your Copaguy, BC & Yukon