APRIL 2007

VOL. 20 ISS. 4

CONTENTS

56
Publishers Note: The views of the contributing writers are those of the authors and not necessarily the position of the Piper Owner Society.

FEATURES
19 23 31
Piper Makeover: A Tribal Favorite
By Stacy Ganzer A Twin Comanche gets an interior and exterior facelift.

The Truth About Hull Insurance

By Boots Learn what hull insurance really covers.

69

GTO 2007 Convention & Fly-In Insert

GTO Your Gateway to Oshkosh - by Stacy Ganzer Cessna vs. Piper Golf Tournament Returns to SentryWorld 2007 - by David Kowalski A Perfect Airport for GTO - by David Kowalski Happy 70th Birthday - by Stacy Ganzer Survey Results Define Our Members - David Kowalski

49 56 64 69

Corrosion is the Cancer Within

By Scott Nelson Detecting hidden corrosion in your airplane.

OPINIONS & ADVICE

6 9 11 13 16 47 61 7 25 52 54 72 73 74
Publisher's Letter - Joseph Kools Air show season is a time to reconnect. Keep 'Em Flying - Randy Augustinak Forum or Phorum. The Basic Nuts & Bolts - Don Cuenca Fuel metering in a nutshell. Lessons from the Logbook - Bill Cox Piper Sporting Performances. Flying Safer - Pia Bergqvist Flying with glass. Letter of the Law - John Alan Cohan The IRS wants business plans. Flying by the Seat of the Pants - Jim Cavanagh Flying becoming a drag? Eliminate it.

Destination Port Townsend

By Irven F. Palmer, Jr. Visit Washington State's City of Dreams

Low Altitudes and Low Speeds Can Spell Disaster

By Ray Leis Stall/spin recovery advice for pilots.

A Cub in the Army? What the L-4?

By Jim Cavanagh A historic look at classic Piper Warbirds.

DEPARTMENTS
Airmail Flight Market SDRs, NTSB On Final - News ChecklistNew Products Ad Index Most Memorable FlightFirst Solo Flight

Cover Photo by Jim Lawrence

Pipers magazine (ISSN 1052-5580) the official publication of the Piper Owner Society. Pipers magazine is published monthly by the Aircraft Owners Group, a division of Jones Publishing, Inc., P.O. Box 5000, N7450 Aanstad Rd., Iola, WI 54945. Periodicals postage paid at Iola, WI 54945 and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Pipers magazine, P.O. Box 5000, Iola, WI 54945.

FLYING HIGHER Joseph Kools, Publisher

PIPERS
The Official Publication of the Piper Owner Society Vol. 20 No. 4
PUBLISHER
Joseph Kools joek@piperowner.org Ext. 119

Air Show season is a time to reconnect

ts an exciting time of year now that the air show season is upon us. All of us on the staff of the Piper Owner Society are looking forward to meeting you at one or more of the upcoming shows. The 2007 Sun n Fun in Lakeland, FL, is the first chance for us to connect. This is a great event that always attracts an outstanding group of pilots, planes and events. Kirsten and I will be there and look forward to meeting you. Anchorage, AK is where Randy and I will be seeing you next. Having cut my teeth as a pilot in the last frontier, I look forward to the mountain flying and all the beautiful sights of the Alaskan wilderness. It will be great to reconnect with old friends and meet new members who make the trek to Anchorage for this first-rate show. The annual Gateway To Oshkosh (GTO) Convention planned for the weekend prior to EAA AirVenture is the event we are most excited about. This years GTO is chock full of great aviation events, static displays and seminars, and no doubt will be our best convention to date. I encourage you and your friends to make plans to attend your convention this year it will become an annual activity that will make your EAA experience truly remarkable. At the GTO, we get to meet and interact with members of the POS, while attending aviation seminars; and we benefit by avoiding the chaos associated with flying into Wittman Field during the EAA AirVenture. Anyone who has ever flown into a major air show such as the Sun n Fun or the EAA AirVenture, knows that the big skylittle plane theory does not apply. While many of us want to attend these world-class air shows; it is also true that discretion is the better part of valor. Unfortunately, sometimes it doesnt matter how well we prepare to fly into a major air show, because it may be the actions of another pilot that places us in a situation of high risk. To mitigate these unnecessary risks, weve provided you with an alternative to avoiding air shows or to giving up flying into them altogether. Members attending the GTO Convention enjoy flying into Stevens Point Regional airport, experience first-class hotel and airport accommodations, luxury coach bus transportation to the EAA, superb classes and seminars and also the opportunity to compete in the Cessna vs. Piper four-person, best-ball golf scramble on one of the best golf courses in the state of Wisconsin. Add up the benefits and youll find that attending our GTO convention is the smart choice for any aviation enthusiast. Our staff is looking forward to meeting you. Join us and fellow POS members by making your reservations today and saving your spot at the 2007 GTO Convention. We guarantee you a warm welcome!

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Randy Augustinak help@piperowner.org Ext. 118 Canada/Mexico (800) 331-0038 Ext. 118

MANAGING EDITOR
Stacy Ganzer stacy@piperowner.org Ext. 121

ART DIRECTOR
Rachel Crockett

GRAPHIC DESIGNER
Samantha Olson

SENIOR CONTRIBUTING EDITOR

Jim Cavanagh

CONTRIBUTING EDITORS
John Alan Cohan, Bill Cox, Don Cuenca, Pia Bergqvist

EDITORIAL BOARD
Pia Bergqvist, Jim Cavanagh, Bill Cox, Ray Leis, Kent Lovelace, Bill Trippett, Gene Zastera

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY MANAGER

Kevin White kevinw@piperowner.org Ext. 140

ADVERTISING MANAGER
Kirsten Olson kirsteno@cpiperowner.org Ext. 137

ADVERTISING COORDINATOR
Barb Borski barbb@piperowner.org Ext. 135

PRODUCTION TEAM
Jean Barth, Cindy Boutwell EDITORIAL, ADVERTISING AND CIRCULATION OFFICES: N7450 Aanstad Rd., P.O. Box 5000 Iola, Wisconsin 54945 U.S.A. (715) 445-5000 Fax: (715) 445-4053 (866) My-Piper (697-4737) www.piperowner.org

Copyright 2007 Aircraft Owners Group All Rights Reserved

We support AOPA and EAA.
THE FINE PRINT: Subscriptions, advertising orders, copy and correspondence should be addressed to P Box 5000, Iola, WI 54945. Annual .O. Dues: $48 per year in the USA. Foreign orders, please add $15 per year. Eighty percent (80%) of annual dues is designated for your magazine subscription. Address Changes & Subscription Questions: When contacting us with an address change, please include your mailing label. The information presented in Pipers magazine is from many sources for which there can be no warranty or responsibility by the publisher as to accuracy, originality or completeness. The magazine is sold with the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in rendering product endorsements or providing instruction as a substitute for appropriate training by qualified sources. Pipers magazine and Jones Publishing will not assume responsibility for any actions arising from any information published in Pipers magazine. We invite comments and welcome any report of inferior products obtained through our advertising, so corrective action may be taken.

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APRIL 2007

AIRMAIL Letters from Members

Wake Turbulence
Many thanks for the very excellent article in the February 2007 Pipers magazine on Wake Turbulence by Bill Trippett. I would like to share an experience with the readers that clearly shows wake turbulence can be found not only in heavy aircraft but in light aircraft as well. It is a hazard in both instances. Some years ago, prior to owning my Piper Cherokee, I was taking off at the Orlando, Florida Municipal Airport in my Cessna 210 and had a rather interesting experience. The tower instructed me to taxi to the active runway behind a Beech Bonanza. The day was a typical clear, sunny, and calm day, as is common in Florida with almost no breeze. The tower cleared the Bonanza for takeoff and then cleared me into position and hold when the Bonanza was on the roll. I taxied out onto the active, as the Bonanza lifted off, and awaited clearance. At what both the tower controller and I thought was adequate and proper spacing behind the Bonanza, I was cleared to take off. When I reached about 200 feet above the runway with the gear coming up, I suddenly found myself, without any warning whatsoever, in a wings-almost-vertical attitude to the ground. Needless to say, this was somewhat of a shock, requiring me to call on prior aerobatic training. I instinctively dropped the nose and rolled the airplane back level again. I think it shocked the tower as much as it did me,. The tower called in an urgent tone, 7398E, are you all right? When I could, I responded that I apparently had hit a vortex off the Bonanza. The tower apologized for the vortex but neither the controller nor I had done anything wrong and neither expected such a vortex from a Bonanza. The lesson here, I think, is that it can and does occur behind many different types of airplanes. It clearly demonstrates caution should always be exercised when taking off behind other aircraft, particularly high-performance types. Thanks again for a great magazine. Robert Luther Huntsville, AL
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Opportunities Available:
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We are not limited to the above! Call for more info!

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Want to become a part of our affiliate program? Call Kirsten at (800) 331-0038 x137 to find out how.

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APRIL 2007

KEEP EM FLYING Randy Augustinak, Executive Director

Forum or Phorum?
s many of you are already aware, the Piper Owner Society recently converted to a new forum software program. The forums at www.piperowner.org are a proven resource for everything Pipers, as well as a valuable member benefit. We basically outgrew the capabilities of our previous program and needed to take our forums to the next level. After carefully reviewing a number of options, we are pleased to announce that the new software, named Phorum, has been beta tested and is now up and running. The single greatest reason for the change-over is, as they say in the aviation classic Top Gun, our need for speed. As a result of the veryhigh activity levels that our forums typically experience, we needed to go with a program that is both powerful and fast. Phorum is proving to be just the ticket. (It also happens to be the message board software chosen for the official website of the President of Mexico, Presidencia de la Repblica!) Recent users comments have included the following: New website... Posted by: LTC V The new speed rocks compared to the snail pace from before...thanks! Re: New website... Posted by: Seneca Pilot Love the new forums - great improvement on speed!!

In addition to the increase in speed, there are a number of capabilities that we intend to take advantage of as we move forward. Here are just a few. Digital Magazines - Rather than have online access to just a few select stories from Pipers magazine, members can now easily and quickly download a .pdf of the entire magazine, cover-to-cover. Simply refer to the Digital Magazines category of the forum. This new feature has been particularly wellreceived by our foreign members, many of which wait patiently for a hard copy of Pipers to land in their mailboxes each month. Advertisers are also pleased that the electronic version is complete, giving their products and services additional exposure to POS members. Its a winning combination for everyone. In addition, we are currently in the process of adding a searchable index that will enable our members to locate a particular story by author, topic or title. Private Messaging - Forum participants are now able to get in touch with each other directly through the private messaging feature of the program. Its a great way to share information that may not necessarily be of interest to the entire forum audience. Insert Image - Participants can easily post photos and URLs, which is particularly useful when discussing complex maintenance issues. Trying to accurately convey
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PIPEROWNER.ORG

in writing the proper location of an EGT probe or a crack that your A&P just spotted in a wing spar is not always easy. The Insert Image feature will greatly improve the How To value of the site. As the saying goes, a pictures worth a thousand words. Model-Specific Categories - In addition to our current forum categories (General Discussion, For Sale/Wanted, Maintenance, Travel, etc.), we will soon be adding model-specific categories, as well. These will include the Cherokee, Cub, Seneca, etc., and should make searching for forum threads pertaining to your particular model a breeze. Fun Stuff - Personalizing your posts with those spiffy little emoticons (smileys) or including a photo of your plane via a personal avatar are also on the short-list of soon-to-be-completed forum projects. Each of these new features will be announced on-line as they are completed and will greatly improve the overall aesthetics of the forum. Lastly, I want to personally thank our dedicated and talented Information Technology guru, Kevin White, for making these forum improvements possible. Thanks also to those beta-test participants

for their patience and input. If you havent already visited our site, we invite you to come explore the wealth of Pipers information that is available on the forums and to drop us a note with your questions and comments. Were listening and the best is yet to come. Keep em flying!PIPERS

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THE BASIC NUTS & BOLTS Don Cuenca

Fuel Metering in a Nutshell

he fuel-metering device, known as the carburetor, utilizes fluid physics to weigh and proportion fuel-to-air mixtures. The basic principles for proper fuel metering are the same whether an engine is carbureted or fuel-injected. Simply put, the carburetors primary function is to measure airflow and meter the fuel necessary for all four phases of engine operation. There are three power phases - cruise, acceleration, and wide open throttle (WOT), as well as one non-power phase - idle. Measuring air mass and metering the correct fuel amount is important due, in part, to the narrow mixture range that a typical Otto Cycle (fourstroke) engine utilizes. This usable mixture range can be as rich as 8:1 or as lean as 18:1. Mixture range is a ratio of the volume of air added to fuel, and is expressed in weight because the volume can vary depending on temperature and pressure altitude. For example, every 9 pounds of air that enters the throttle body will mix with 1 pound of fuel. Therefore, the result is an air-to-fuel ratio of 9:1.

The acceleration system supplies extra fuel during increases in engine power.

Basic Carburetor Function

Since gasoline in its liquid form will not burn by itself, it must be mixed with air. The proper ratio of air to fuel is critical to engine performance and ultimately safe aircraft operation. The carburetor accomplishes this air-to-fuel ratio by incorporating five independent systems into its design: The main metering system supplies fuel for all power phases. The idle system supplies fuel for the non-power phase. The mixture control system compensates for pressure and temperature variation. The economizer system cools the fuel burn at high power and leans the mixture during cruise power.
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Metering of the air flow is the primary function of the venturi, which is a narrowing of the carburetor tube and creates a vacuum. Fuel metering is a function of precisely-dimensioned jets and valves which let the vacuum draw in fuel. Control of the fuel/air mixture is a function of the throttle plate, which opens and closes to control how much air can flow through the tube. Aircraft engines, as any pilot operating handbook and manufacturers publication will point out, do not perform well at idle or WOT. This is not to say that reciprocating aircraft engines will not deliver the required performance at idle or WOT. It just means those two conditions arent where the engines are designed to function well over time. Reciprocating aircraft engines are designed to provide many hours of happy motoring at a reduced power setting, such as at 55 to 65 percent of normal-rated power-typical cruise. Keeping ground operations and WOT to a minimum is the generally accepted caveat when operating air-cooled reciprocating aviation engines. Ground operations imply low power and rpm at a full-rich mixture. A full-rich mixture of approximately a 9:1 ratio is required because of poor scavenging of the fuel-to-air charge at such a low rpm. This rich mixture is a dirty and sooty burn and can rapidly degrade engine performance by promoting lead salt deposits on spark plugs and exhaust valve stems. Aircraft engines that were type-certificated to burn an 80/87 octane fuel but now must consume a steady diet of 100LL are especially prone to this problem. Proper ground operation, attention to induction system maintenance, properly adjusted idle rpm
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(600-650) and idle mixture will help prevent an overly rich idle mixture and will minimize the formation of harmful engine deposits. The regular performance of an idlemixture check may reveal other maintenance concerns before they become a problem and can be performed at engine shutdown after a flight. This is an ideal time because the engine and induction system are thoroughly warmed-up, heat-soaked and are promoting good fuel vaporization. If the idle-mixture setting is properly adjusted, the engine should be idling at the previously mentioned 600 to 650 rpm, with the mixture in the full-rich position. If the engine wont idle without throttle and/or mixture manipulation, an adjustment is in order. Next, smoothly retard the mixture control from the full-rich position to ICO (idle cutoff) while observing the tachometer and/or MAP gauge. Ideally you want to observe a slight rise of 25 to 75 rpm just before the engine dies. This observation indicates a properly adjusted idle speed and idle mixture. An increase in excess of 75 rpm indicates an overly-rich setting, while little or no increase indicates an overly-lean setting.

An improperly adjusted idle mixture can also have a detrimental effect on the acceleration of the engine. The acceleration system temporarily supplies a richer mixture during throttle-up to higher power settings in order to compensate for the mass of air being aspirated into the throttle body when the throttle plate is opened. The transition of fuel feed from idle to WOT, such as during take-off, requires a fuel handoff from the idle system to the main metering system. This handoff should happen smoothly. Idle mixtures, set either too rich or too lean, can cause engine stalls. If the idle mixture is improperly set too richly, the acceleration system will temporarily enrich the mixture as it is designed to do, causing an overlyrich condition to momentarily exist and possibly causing a power drain or an engine stall. If the idle mixture is too lean, the acceleration systems normal fuel surge will be insufficient, resulting in a possible power hiccup, backfire or engine stall. The numerical values and ratios mentioned here are based on standard meteorological conditions. You should

be sure to compensate for density changes due to altitude or extreme temperature variation. Consult an appropriately-rated technician before taking any action. Carburetors are mated to engines based on engine displacement, horsepower, airframe and other considerations. The model number of the carburetor gives a basic description, such as MA-3SPA, MA-4-5, or HA-6. The carburetor number individualizes the carburetor model to a specific engine application such as A10-4895, A103634, or A10-5227-C. This carburetor number needs to be verified and cross-referenced by type certificate and data-plate information to determine proper installation, correct venturi and jet sizes, float-height requirement and economizer setting, all of which are absolutely essential to the satisfactory operation of the engine. Troubleshooting a rough or erratically-functioning fuel-to-air delivery system is a fairly straightforward task. When it is done correctly the results could pay big dividends in engine performance, operational and/or maintenance costs and longevity. PIPERS

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LESSONS FROM THE LOGBOOK Bill Cox

Piper Sporting

Performances

hat began as a simple phone call has blossomed into reality for those who dream of having their Piper break a speed record. Since its inception in 2003, the NAAs Sporting Performances category has seen one Piper aircraft - a Cub/Super Cub 95-105 hp engine for a distance of 60 nm, - break a speed record in the new short course speed category. Bill Cox, one of our contributing editors, was in on the ground-floor of this exciting new NAA brainchild. Heres what he had to say about the new program, before it came to pass. . . Speed! Its the reason many of us fly. For most pilots, faster is better. I raced stock cars as a kid, sports cars as an older kid and the current, much

The idea was to have Piper Cubs compete only against other Cubs, Senecas against other Senecas and so on.
older kid would be racing unlimited air racers but for a lack of money. I guess you could say Im one of those pilots for whom speed is an obsession. A decade ago, I was sponsored for an attempt to set several world speed records between Los Angeles and Jacksonville. My wife and I flew a new aircraft coast-to-coast in a little over seven hours and posted records to Albuquerque and Dallas in the process. Flying at 25,000 feet with a 10minute refueling stop at Dallas-Love, we posted an average speed for the 2,148 statute mile trip between L.A. and Jacksonville of 300.2 mph and set eight world point-to-point speed records. Since then, Ive participated in another 17 world records, and Ive become good friends with the folks at the National Aeronautics Association (NAA), especially Art Greenfield, Director of Contests and Records. NAA is the American arm of the Federation Aeronautique Internationale(FAI), the Parisbased organization that certifies world aviation records. Art Greenfield called last year and asked if Id be interested in helping to launch a new class of U.S. records called Sporting Performances. The idea is to encourage greater participation in setting records by leveling the sky, so to speak. One criticism of the old system was that aircraft were categorized by weight. There were separate classes for pistons, turboprops and jets. Within the piston class, there was no special provision for factors such as retractable gear, turbocharging or horsepower. That meant, for example, that in piston weight class C1C (2205 - 3858 pounds), the turbocharged airplane we flew from California to Florida was theoretically competing not only with turbocharged Bonanzas, Comanches, Centurions and Skylane RGs, but also with normally-aspirated Cardinal RGs, Arrows, Sierras and even fixed-gear Skyhawks and Archers.
PIPEROWNER.ORG PIPERS 13

None of the latter group would have any chance at all against the airplane we were flying. Until now, this had discouraged owners of lower-performance airplanes within a weight class from even attempting a record. For that reason, NAA proposed that the new record class be based on comparable models rather than weight. The idea was to have Piper Cubs compete only against other Cubs, Senecas against other Senecas and so on. Greenfield and I analyzed the general aviation market and came up with approximately 281 distinct model classifications, with probably more to come. The model list is a work-in-progress and will be ongoing as we refine the new record category. NAA is working to make the new classes as fair as possible. So, for example, engine conversions within a given model wont compete against stock airplanes. Also, converted airplanes wont compete with stock machines within model category, either.

The NAA describes the emergence of their Sporting Performances program as follows: In 2003, NAA expanded its recognition of flight speed accomplishments with the Sporting Performances program. The program allows more air speed marks to be recorded with requirements less stringent than those for national and world records. Air speed records recognized by the NAA are handicapped by weight-based classes, the Sporting Performances program provides a further handicap by recognizing the fastest speeds by aircraft of the same make and model. Here is a brief rundown of the details of Sporting Performances: They may be attempted in piston-engine landplanes weighing 12,500 pounds or less with Standard airworthiness certificates, and by pilots with at least a Recreational Pilot certificate Performances can be set for short course speed (between points 50 to 500 nautical miles apart) or long course (more than 500 nm). Performances can be attempted between any two airports in the United States (that meet the distance requirements). All performances will be calculated using elapsed time from takeoff to landing. No minimum speed is required for the first Sporting Performance for a particular model of airplane. Learn more about the program by visiting the NAA website: www.naa.aero.

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APRIL 2007

Similarly, NAA decided to simplify Sporting Performances by establishing two classes a short course between 50 and 500 nm and a long course over 500 nm.

departed Long Beach, climbed out over the ocean west of Los Angeles, then turned east, overflew LAX at 20,000 feet and leveled at FL250. The controllers took radar shots to

Specific city pairs wont matter in Sporting Performances. Any point of departure and destination that falls within the two distance classes will qualify.
Specific city pairs wont matter in Sporting Performances. Any point of departure and destination that falls within the two distance classes will qualify. This means you could fly between, say, ClevelandLakefront and Dayton, Ohio (a distance of 151 nm) to attempt a short course record, then refuel and continue on to Oklahoma City (692 nm) to try for a long course record. Unlike my first records, however, Sporting Performances will require a landing at each airport. In 1994, I establish crossing times over LAX and Albuquerque to calculate speed (338.2 mph). That wont be possible in Sporting Performances. You could make the landing a touch-and-go, but you will now be required to land. As before, youll need to report the record attempt to NAA within 72 hours and have the controllers at each airport send a form to NAA to post time-of-departure/arrival. NAA will then apply the appropriate great-circle distance, divide by en route time and calculate your aver-

age speed. You wont be required to join NAA in order to set records, nor will you need to hold a sporting license. However, if you hold the appropriate NAA credentials, your record fees will cost less than those who dont. By the time you read this, I will have kicked off the new record class with probably a dozen Sporting Performance marks in all kinds of aircraft. Now, at last, pilots of Cherokees, Archers, or Arrows can compete on an even footing with upgraded models and their counterparts. Who knows, maybe more of you Piper pilots will earn a place in the record book soon.PIPERS

PIPEROWNER.ORG

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FLYING SAFER

Pia Bergqvist

Flying With Glass

he last five years have seen unprecedented changes in cockpit technology for General Aviation airplanes. Most single engine propeller equipped planes that are being delivered today have more technological capabilities than some airline jets. The new glass cockpits allow pilots to see traffic, weather and very specific information about navigation and aircraft parameters, and have brought a new element of fun into flying. The newness of glass panels has coined a whole new name for these planes: Technologically Advanced Aircraft or TAA for short. Flying these planes is different. You really only hand fly the aircraft during the takeoff and landing phase. During the rest of the flight, the plane flies itself with the autopilot. While acting as the pilot, you monitor the progress and program the computer to get you in the right direction. Though I have flown thousands of hours in small aircraft, most of the time Ive used either pilotage or VORs for navigation, and I have very few hours using autopilots. The transition is proving to be a big challenge for me after becoming so accustomed to reading needles in round gauges. I flew Avidynes and Cheltons glass panel systems several years ago, but both experiences were very limited. Though a lot of information in this article will transfer across other glass panel systems, this column will mostly focus on the G1000 panel, since I recently had the opportunity to train and fly extensively in a Garmin G1000-equipped Cessna.

seen a glass panel, I will begin with the basics. Most glass panel systems come with two separate displays: The PFD (primary flight display) and the MFD (multi function display). The PFD contains the information that was normally depicted within the six pack on a traditional panel. Correlating the PFD to the old gauges makes the scanning process easier.

tor that indicates that the aircraft is coordinated. Since the triangle looks like a sail, the new way to say "step on the ball" is "keep the boat under the sail" to reestablish coordination. Though the location of most of the primary instruments transfer, the interpretation is difficult at first. Reading numbers is very different from looking at the general position of needles and its easy to overcor-

Reading numbers is very different from looking at the general position of needles and it's easy to overcorrect to get to the exact number. The brain needs to get used to the fact that it really doesn't matter whether you're at 4,500 or 4,515 feet.
The first thing you should note is the configuration. The airspeed information is on the left. Attitude indicator is stacked above the heading indicator at the center of the screen. Finally, the altitude and vertical speed readouts are on the right. So far nothing is different from the traditional panel with the exception of how the information is depicted. But one of the old round gauges no longer exists on the glass panel the turn coordinator. The traditional panel has the turn coordinator with information for standard rate turns and slip/skid indicator, otherwise known as the inclinometer on the bottom left side of the panel. Glass panels have a standard rate bug on the heading indicator and a small line located under the reference triangle on the attitude indicarect to get to the exact number. The brain needs to get used to the fact that it really doesnt matter whether youre at 4,500 or 4,515 feet. You cant determine on a round gauge altimeter whether youre 15 feet off your altitude. While reading numbers requires some more brain work than watching needles, youll probably end up flying a more accurate profile once youre used to it. There are some indicators that will help your brain determine whether you are maintaining the correct parameters. You may have used heading bugs in older aircraft. Glass panels have bugs everywhere. Simply enter the altitude you wish to maintain and a bug will appear that highlights the desired altitude. The same goes for airspeed and heading. The airspeed indicator automatically
APRIL 2007

The Glass Panel Basics

For those of you who have never
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adds bugs for the several airspeeds applicable to your aircraft such as rotation speed, best rate-of-climb speed and best-glide speed. There are also trend vectors that let you know what speed, altitude and heading youll be at in the near future if the current vertical speed and bank are maintained. These can be extremely useful, so try to keep them in your scan. The MFD includes multiple screens anything from a moving map and terrain information to engine gauges, traffic alerts, and weather. You can also load instrument approach charts on many MFDs and in some cases overlay your aircrafts position onto the approach plate. Another wonderful feature is a detailed airport diagram for every airport in the database. In some cases this also includes aircraft position overlay. You can actually watch yourself taxiing down taxiway Alpha next to runway 35, so you know youre always in the right spot without having to interpret poorly marked or non-existent signs. Situational awareness with this type of equipment on the panel is very simple. Not only can the G1000 glass panel help prevent you from getting lost, it can also help prevent you from running your tanks dry. Taking winds and fuel capacity into consideration, the system provides you with a highlighted circle on the screen that depicts the furthest distance that can be flown, while still maintaining the required fuel reserves. The circle is generally oval shaped, since you will be able to travel a greater distance with a tailwind than with a headwind. Keep in mind that the accuracy of the information depends on whether you remembered to update the numbers the last time the tanks were filled. Another benefit is the enhanced engine monitoring. Any deviation from the norm is depicted in yellow for a non-critical alert or red to warn the pilot that the there is a problem that needs to be addressed immediately. Garmins G1000 also has a lean assist feature that gives precise inforPIPEROWNER.ORG PIPERS 17

mation in terms of how you should lean the mixture to ensure the best performance and engine health. Weather information can be added with a subscription service. This is extremely valuable since it updates every few minutes. You can monitor the trend for weather and avoid the most severe areas, allowing you to make corrections to your flight plan sooner. The weather feature also provides winds aloft, so you can look at the most recent data to determine the most efficient altitude for your trip.

Information at Your Fingertips

With so much information at your fingertips, the greatest challenge is figuring out how to access it in the most efficient manner. On the G1000 there are several ways of selecting each screen. There are several soft keys (soft for software) on the bottom of the panel for the most direct route to each screen. The more familiar you are with the soft keys, the more efficient youll be at selecting the desired features. For those who have used Garmins GNS430 or GNS530, the knobology will transfer quite nicely to the G1000, particularly when selecting airports and approaches. Airport identifier letters are selected by twisting large and small knobs on the side of the display. There are also knobs for selecting frequencies, altitude, range etc. You may wonder why Garmin placed the NAV frequencies on the upper left and COM frequencies on the upper right side of the screen, since the opposite configuration is common on traditional panels. This becomes clear when you realize that its easiest to use the COM frequency on the PFD and the NAV frequency on the MFD. With all the capabilities of TAA, some people think that the screens will save them in any situation. Glass panel-equipped aircraft with autopilots will fly themselves, but they will also fly themselves into the ground. You must remain alert to ensure that the autopilot actually takes you where you want to go and
18 PIPERS

that it wont fly you into the ground before you reach the runway. Another concern is that a pilots eyes are drawn to the glass panel like a moth to a flame. It is sometimes very difficult to take your eyes off the glass panel screen and force yourself to look outside for obstacles and traffic in the area. Sure you have terrain and traffic information on the MFD, but there could be aircraft flying without a transponder that wont show up on the panel. There also may be tall towers in the area that are not in the terrain database. As difficult as it may be to take your eyes off the bright display, you really should spend most of the time looking outside. One big problem with the increasing popularity of TAA is the lack of proper flight instruction and pilot testing. None of the FAA-mandated Practical Test Standards have been updated to include specifics for testing in glass panel-equipped planes. Moreover, most flight instructors were trained using traditional panels and are not sufficiently trained to effectively teach in these aircraft. I would recommend a lot of extra training before taking off for a solo flight in a TAA. A great place to start is the King Schools Garmin G1000 DVD training program. It provides incredible detail on how to fly these planes. Then it is up to you to do your best to find a properlytrained instructor to provide you with the proper training. You also need to realize that despite their phenomenal capabilities in terms of navigation and performance calculations, glass panels should never be a substitute for good planning and judgment. Know where youre going and always bring a current chart as a backup, in case the equipment fails. The systems are extremely reliable and they have backup electrical sources, but if you think that they are fail-proof, Murphys Law will take you down like the Titanic.PIPERS

APRIL 2007

pipermakeover

A Tribal Favorite The Twin Comanche

By Stacy Ganzer

R
PIPEROWNER.ORG

Photo by Jim Lawrence

Richard Brasser is the president of Targeted Golf, an event-management company that focuses on golf-related events and activities. He regularly uses his beautifully-restored 1969 Twin Comanche (T) PA-30C for business trips. His airplane was recently featured as the flagship Twin Comanche for the International Comanche Society, Inc., and here is how the restoration came about.

When did you purchase the plane? My father and I purchased the Twin Comanche in early 1999, with 100 hours since the last major overhaul on the twin 160 hp Lycoming IO-320-C1A engines. The props and governors were overhauled shortly after we purchased it. Why did you decide to upgrade it? We actually planned on locating a classic Comanche and upgrading it before we made the purchase. Like a lot of folks who start this process, we began with a set budget in mind. However, when all was said and done we were not even CLOSE to our original budgeted amount. Did you have a completion timeline? Since we had several shops working on the aircraft at once, the finished result fell within
PIPERS 19

How long have you been flying? Favorite thing about flying? Licenses/certifications you hold? I began flying as a small child with my father, Carl. I earned my private pilots license in 1985 and went on to earn instrument and multiengine ratings. I eventually earned a commercial rating, a high-performance endorsement and several others, and have about 2,500 hours in the cockpit.

You never know what is hiding behind the paneling of your airplane. Squirrels, chipmunks, or any other critter can leave behind a mess like this one. Photo provided by Richard Brasser.

The old avionics were removed to make way for a state-of-the-art custom panel. Photo provided by Richard Brasser.

our projected timeline of three-tofour months. Were there any surprises along the way? The interior plastic components were a challenge, since many of the parts needed to be custom fabricated in order to ensure a quality fit and finish. Upgrades: Propeller - We installed hand-pol20 PIPERS

ished spinners by Don Ruhl of Lakeland, FL and were very happy with the end result. Interior - We completely gutted the aircraft interior, and not unexpectedly, we found nuts and shells from various critters. The interior was done through the artistry of Mike Duncan, Duncan Interiors. Mike is a true craftsman. Rather than compromise on materials, he installed 100% wool carpet. We also went a bit overboard when we opted for the
APRIL 2007

high-grade leather seats, various custom-made leather wrapped parts and even a leather headliner. Weve had onlookers comment that the interior rivals a new Citation in look, feel and even smell. Avionics - The avionics were completely redone and included a custom avionics shelf, two IFR Garmin 430s, HSI, all-new instruments, dual ECI engine monitors, an IFR S-TEC 55 autopilot and an audio-panel which includes a CD player for those long cross-country flights. Paint - The entire airplane was hand-sanded, rather than stripped. We felt that there were some advantages to this process and were very pleased with the end results. Knots2U speed mods were added and included gap seals, nose bowl kits, and gear lobe fairings. J.A.S. wing tips with landing lights were also added. Other Modifications - In an effort to retain the original character of the instrument panel, we had a custom laser-cut panel installed with all markings silk-screened to look like the factory original (no stickers). The plane cruises at 180 kts. at 14.5 gallons per hour. Do you have any advice for owners considering a makeover? My advice to others considering a makeover is to remember that its easy to buy a plane that looks pretty, but most importantly you need to find one with a solid airframe and then tackle the rest. During our long and careful search, we looked at approximately 60 Comanches. A thorough pre-purchase inspection by a qualified mechanic very familiar with the specific aircraft type is the best investment that a prospective owner can make. Would you do anything differently if you could do it again? Sure, I would definitely use someone elses money!!! Just kidding. No, I really wouldnt have done anything differently. The proof is in the pudPIPEROWNER.ORG PIPERS 21

ding. The aircraft now resides in our owned hangar and is rarely stored outside unless Im on the road.PIPERS Sources: Kirby Totty was the lead mechanic for the restoration. Interior: Duncan Interiors Mike Duncan Lakeland Linden Regional Airport Lakeland, FL 33811 Web: www.duncaninteriors.com Email: info@duncaninteriors.com Phone: (863) 647-1535 Avionics: Mac Avionics Don Ruhl Lakeland Linder Regional Airport Lakeland, FL 33811 Web: www.macavionics.com Email: info@macavionics.com Phone: (863) 646-8790

Richard is very satisfied with his 100% wool carpet, high-grade leather seats and leather paneling, thanks to Mike Duncan. Photo by Jim Lawrence.

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22 PIPERS APRIL 2007

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By Boots

or most of us who own a small aircraft, the hull insurance portion of our policy is the most expensive part. To explain that, well look at what the insurance company will actually do in the event of a claim. And well help you decide how much hull insurance you need. Do you really need it at all? Hull insurance simply protects you against the dollar value of the
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loss of the aircraft due to an accident, theft, or various other hazards, such as hail. In fact, unless you have a loan on your aircraft, you are not required to carry any hull insurance. Depending on your situation, it may or may not be a good idea to own an aircraft without carrying this coverage. Unlike liability insurance, hull insurance protects you against a specific known maximum loss the
PIPERS 23

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value of your aircraft. Agencies that make loans for aircraft purchases will require that you carry hull insurance that is payable to them and you jointly, for at least the amount of the loan. If that amount of financial loss is not significant to you, and you have no loan against the aircraft, then you have no real reason to purchase hull insurance. All but the wealthiest of owners will want to carry hull insurance, even if they have no loan against the aircraft, because the aircraft loss would be a significant financial loss. So the question becomes, how much should we carry?

Unlike auto insurance, your hull coverage amount will not change during the term of the policy as the aircraft depreciates or goes up in value.
You Declare the Hull Value
With an auto, its easy. We dont even discuss the value of the vehicle when we purchase comprehensive or collision coverage on our autos. We just tell the insurance company what make and model the vehicle is, and how and where we use the vehicle. They guarantee to pay up to the current depreciated value of the auto in the event of a claim. That amount will rarely be the amount you actually paid for it. The value is declining every day. So the maximum amount they will pay is declining as each new Blue Book is published. Aircraft hull valuation is completely different. You and the insurance company come up with an agreed value on your aircraft. Its shown on your insurance policy as the hull value. The insurance company does

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24 PIPERS

APRIL 2007

Don't ever expect them to pay anywhere near 100 percent and allow you to keep the aircraft.
use an aircraft blue book, such as Aircraft Bluebook Price Digest (issued quarterly), to see if the value of hull insurance you are requesting makes sense. But if your claimed value is substantially higher, they will agree to this value if you can justify why your aircraft is worth more than the average aircraft used as a blue book value. If you ask for less than the blue book value, they dont care and are happy to offer any amount up to that value with no question. If your broker is any good, you will get an explanation as to why underinsuring the aircraft is not a good idea. The insurance company will charge you a premium based on a specific percentage of the amount of the agreed-upon hull coverage. On aircraft such as a fixed-gear Piper, it could be around one percent of the hull value, depending on the specific aircraft type and your experience as a pilot. On a retractable-gear aircraft, it will be substantially higher because of the possibility of a gear-up landing. On some specialized aircraft such as warbirds or experimentals, there could also be a component parts warranty limiting their coverage. They insure the entire aircraft for the amount shown as the hull value, but they will only pay up to a specific percentage of that total on each of the listed components, such as a wing, horizontal stabilizer or prop. With a Cherokee 180, they know what a wing costs, but with a P51 Mustang, there are no wings to just buy at a retail price, and they will not pay the entire hull value of the policy to
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replace a single wing which might need to be custom fabricated. So lets get back to how much you need, if any, for your Piper Seneca. Assume that the actual amount you think you could get if you wanted to sell your aircraft is $120,000. That is the amount you should carry. Its really that simple, but you need to understand why. Unlike an auto, your hull coverage amount will not change during the term of the policy as the aircraft depreciates or goes up in value. As you add equipment, you will need to

ask for a change in the policy value. It typically does not fluctuate from year-to-year either, unless you ask for a change or your broker recommends it. This is the specific maximum amount the insurance company is going to pay in the event of a loss covered by the policy terms.

What Will the Company Pay?

Does this mean that the company will pay up to $120,000 to make your aircraft like it was before the accident occurred? NO! In fact, they will never pay that amount for

a repair. This is where it gets tricky and why you need to fully understand how hull insurance works. When you file a claim under your hull insurance, the company will pay you up to $120,000 if that is the amount shown on the policy. However, at that point, they own the aircraft, not you. In your policy clause discussing salvage, they declare they own the salvage value of the aircraft if they total it. So yes, they will honestly pay you up to the value stated in the policy, minus any deductible also stated. But no,

26 PIPERS

APRIL 2007

they will not pay that amount to repair your aircraft for you. If your aircraft is damaged, they run a calculation of the salvage value of the aircraft. If they pay you the full $120,000, they will sell the wrecked aircraft to an aircraft salvage yard. Since used aircraft parts are very valuable, this might still be a considerable amount depending on the damage to various systems. Its a lot easier than it sounds. If they could sell the above damaged Seneca for $60,000, then the approximate maximum they would

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Phone: (510) 633-9353 Fax: (510) 633-9355

WEBSITE www.warrengregoire.com
PIPERS 27

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New heated pitot tubes in stock or we can overhaul your unit

pay to repair it instead would be $60,000. Or they could give you the full $120,000, sell the damaged aircraft for $60,000 and only be out $60,000. That is called totaling the aircraft. If they had to pay $70,000 to repair the aircraft, they would actually be losing $10,000 more than if they had totaled it. In fact, they are usually more accommodating and will bend quite a bit toward following the wishes of the client. If it was a really nice aircraft and the owner really wants to fix it instead of losing it, most will usually go further in paying for the repairs. Understand that they do not have to do so, however. That is an accommodation by them, not a promise under the policy terms. Some companies also use a specific formula instead of doing a specific calculation. They might agree to pay for repairs that run from 45-60 percent of the amount on the hull policy. But dont ever expect them to pay anywhere near 100 percent and allow you to keep the aircraft. When you ask for a hull value on your aircraft, you are actually offering to sell your plane to the insurance company for the amount of that hull policy in the event of a hull loss. Dont ever lose sight of that simple fact.

28 PIPERS

APRIL 2007

Only Personal Property is Yours

What about salvaging your own components? No, you cannot remove that new Garmin 530 you just had installed, since they decided to total your aircraft. They own any and all parts that have salvage value and they are going to sell them to recover part of their loss in paying you the total hull value. You agreed to that. You may remove only per-

costs even higher. The insurance company would be liable for those costs as well, up to the hull value shown on the policy. It could end up costing them far more than if they had simply totaled the aircraft. Understand their side of the equation when you are negotiating with them. At any time in the repair process the company can still decide to total the aircraft, pay for the costs of repairs made to date, and also pay you the full hull value. It would cost

You may remove only personal property that is not part of the aircraft, such as headphones or other portable equipment.
sonal property that is not a part of the aircraft, such as headphones or other portable equipment. Another concern for the insurance company is hidden damage. If they total the aircraft, they know exactly how much they will be paying and pretty much what they will get for the salvage. But once they authorize a substantial repair, hidden damage could be discovered that could raise those total repair them more, but they might still decide to do that to cut their total potential loss on the claim.

Repaired Aircraft Lose Value

Lets talk now about why you shouldnt either over-insure your aircraft or under-insure it. If you over-insure the aircraft, assuming the company agrees to offer this coverage, here is what could happen. If you insured your Seneca for

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$160,000 and had a very serious accident that required extensive repairs, normally the insurance company would have totaled the aircraft. In fact, you would want them to. You dont want an aircraft back that has had extensive repairs. It might be legally airworthy, but extensively-repaired aircraft decrease in value a great deal as a result of identifying those repairs in the logbooks. You are not compensated by the insurance company for this loss of value to the aircraft! Your $120,000 (true value) aircraft might only be worth $85,000 after these repairs. But because you have it insured so high, the insurance company is not going to total the aircraft and pay you $160,000. Instead they might pay $80,000 to $90,000 to repair it, since the salvage value is not high enough to justify paying you the total value. So you will end up with an aircraft you really dont want and take a big loss of value to the aircraft if you want to sell it. Theres nothing you could really do about it, other than to try and negotiate something with the insurance company. Not a good place to be. You paid for $160,000 in hull insurance and got a lot less than you would have if it had been properly insured.

a loan on the aircraft for an amount much lower than the true value of the aircraft. They insure for the amount required by the lender and end up with no coverage for their own financial loss. It might make sense to insure an aircraft for slightly more or less than what you feel is the true value, based mainly on your personal feelings about wanting to continue to own the plane in the event it was damaged and then repaired. But if you are going to carry hull insurance at all, you maximize your value of this coverage by carrying the actual amount that you could sell the aircraft for. Rather than significantly under-insuring, I would choose to carry no hull insurance at all (assuming there are no loans on the aircraft requiring coverage). At least with hull insurance you know what you are insuring. With no insurance at all, the most you can lose is the value of your aircraft minus what you could get yourself for the salvage or parts. It is the liability portion of your policy where you should focus major attention. There you have a great deal of unknown potential financial loss, plus unknown legal fees.PIPERS

Dont Under-insure Either

How about the other side of this, under-insuring it? With the Seneca, maybe you feel that $45,000 to cover the approximate repair cost of a gear-up landing is sufficient. However, remember that salvage clause. If you have a claim and the cost of the repair plus the value of the salvage is more than your declared $45,000 hull value, they are simply going to pay you the $45,000 and take the aircraft. The aircraft might still be worth more than the $45,000 after the accident if it started out being worth $120,000. In fact, rather than under-insuring an aircraft so greatly, I would decline covering the hull at all. Id simply accept the entire hull risk myself. This is a situation that people tend to fall into when there is

STOPS AUTO PILOT CROSS-CONTROL EASY 2-4 HOUR INSTALLATION STC/PMA

Boots is the authors full legal name. Hes also the author of What you should know about per-passenger limits, which appeared in our January 2007 SOURCE issue. Hes flown for more than 30 years and held a California Insurance Brokers License for around 20 years. He owns a 1976 Cessna Cardinal RG and earned CFII, MEI, AGI ratings, plus an A&P/IA certificate.

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PIPERS 9

2007 Events Schedule

July 19, 2007ThursdayDay 1
Stevens Point Municipal Airport, KSTE Noon - 5:00 pm Marion Jayne Race Teams Arrive 12:00 Noon Registration BeginsStevens Point 300 Air Race Only 11:30 am - 1:00 pm Catered LunchGTO registered attendees 1:00 - 2:00 pm Aircraft Window RestorationFrank Poma, Micro-Surface Finishing Products, Inc. 2:15 - 3:15 pm Current Issues in Aviation Insurance Tim Bonnel, Jr., Professional Insurance Management. 3:30 - 4:30 pm The Future of Aviation Parachutes John Gilmore, Ballistic Recovery Systems, Inc. 6:00 pm GTO Banquet (Slide show follows) GTO registered attendees and guests

July 20, 2007FridayDay 2

Stevens Point Municipal Airport, KSTE - Stevens Point 300 Air Race

7:00 - 9:00 am 9:00 am 10:00 am

Stevens Point 300 Air RaceHandicap validations, safety inspection Mandatory Pilot BriefingStevens Point 300 teams Stevens Point 300 Air Race Departure Spectators are welcome to watch the flagged departure of race teams who will test their flying and navigational skills on a "secret" course. Registration Opens. Packets Handed Out GTO Convention & Fly-In Airplane Show 'N TellGTO registered attendees sign up for 15-minute time slots to introduce themselves, describe their airplane to fellow attendees and pose for photos. Photos/profiles will be used in CESSNA OWNER and PIPERS magazines in the coming year! Brat Fry and Corn Roastall GTO registered attendees (non-registered attendees tickets only - available for $15) U.S. Air Race/Stevens Point 300 Air Race Awards

July 22, 2007SundayDay 4

SentryWorld Golf Course 7:00 am - Noon Cessna vs. Piper Golf Tournament (Registration and fees for GolfTBA). Stevens Point Holiday Inn & Convention Center 8:00 am - 8:00 pm Am I High Ground SchoolDay 2 1:30 - 2:30 pm TBASeminar 2:45 - 3:45 pm TBASeminar 4:00 pm GTO Convention Recap

Stevens Point Municipal Airport, KSTE - GTO Convention Events

3:00 pm 3:00 - 5:00 pm

July 23, 24, 25, 2007Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday

Coach Buses to EAA AirVentureOshkosh, WI 7:45 am Coach Buses Departfrom Holiday Inn & Convention Center for Gateway To Oshkosh (GTO)Registered attendees 5:45 pm Coach Buses Returnto Holiday Inn & Convention Center
* Limited availability on buses to Oshkosh, register NOW!

6:00 pm 7:00 pm

** Interested in sponsoring an event? Contact Kirsten at (800) 331-0038 ext. 137 for information.

July 21, 2007SaturdayDay 3

Stevens Point Holiday Inn & Convention Center 8:00 am - 6:00 pm Am I High Ground SchoolDay 1 9:00 - 10:00 am TBASeminar 10:15 - 11:15 am Getting and Keeping Your Medical Gregory Pinnell, MD, Flight Surgeon, 434th Air Refueling Wing, USAFR.

Register at www.cessnaowner.org
or www.piperowner.org
Early Bird registration ends June 1.

Piper Owners to Converge on Stevens Point

ake plans now to attend the 3rd Annual Gateway To Oshkosh (GTO) Convention, July 19-22, 2007. The GTO Convention is timed to occur the weekend prior to the opening of EAA AirVenture each year. Registrants at GTO also get three days of complimentary coach bus transportation to Oshkosh as part of their total package. Getting into the EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh has never been easier or more enjoyable, says Joe Kools, the new president of Jones Publishing and the organizer of this years GTO. Flying into the Stevens Point Airport is a brilliant strategy for the discerning pilot and crew. The amenities that the Stevens Point area offers in conjunction with the Gateway To Oshkosh convention includes first class accommodations, a luxury coach bus ride to and from the EAA and access to one of the very best golf courses in the state of Wisconsin. We set this event up with our members in mind and they will be pleased with the results of our efforts. Flying into Oshkosh during the EAA is an exhilarating experience to say the least. The GTO is an outstanding alternative for our members to enjoy EAA without having to face the challenges associated with getting in and out of Wittman Field. Both the U.S. Air Race and the Am I High Aviation ground schools are returning to GTO Convention this year. The U.S. Air Race brings 20-30 teams of air racers to Stevens Point, WI, while Am I High Aviation
PIPEROWNER.ORG

provides four accelerated opportunities for ground and instrument instruction.

Crossroads of Wisconsin
Situated at the crossroads of the entire state, Stevens Point was founded in 1858 on the banks of the Wisconsin River. Drive or fly 20 miles northwest and you are at the edge of Wisconsins wooded lake country. When you head in the opposite direction, you pass through the potato and farm country of the central sands region to one of the most productive cranberry bogs in the world. Todays economy still has connections to its roots. The logging industry spawned paper-industry giant, StoraEnso, a staple in the area for more than 80 years. The diverse economy is fueled by the home offices of such companies as Delta Dental, Sentry Insurance, the Noel Group, and Herrschners. The GTO Convention will continue to have a strong family component, making Stevens Point an ideal site for the continuation of this event. There are multiple and diverse restaurants within walking distance of the hotel, several strip malls nearby, a bustling downtown, and family destinations to match many interests. The annual Piper vs. Cessna Golf Tournament will take place at SentryWorld Golf Course. Downtown Stevens Point, located adjacent to the Wisconsin River, is rich in historical and architectural

significance and has kept and maintained dozens of buildings important to the heritage of the city. Downtown Stevens Point has the only collection of brick commercial 19th century buildings in the county. Several beautiful murals depict the historical past. In addition to its unique architecture, downtown Stevens Point has a thriving combination of more than 200 businesses including retail shops, restaurants, and governmental offices to meet the needs of community members and visitors. The farmers market, on the public square, runs daily from May to October and has been a downtown attraction for more than 150 years. The population of Stevens Point is roughly 25,000, which increases each fall as college returns to session. The cultural hub of the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, UWSP, was established in 1894. Currently UWSP has approximately 8,500 undergraduate and graduate students. The 400-acre campus includes the Schmeekle Reserve, a 275-acre nature preserve with a 24-acre lake. The University also houses the Wisconsin Conservation Hall of Fame, Museum of Natural History, Carlsten Art Gallery, Planetarium, and hosts numerous cultural exhibits and performances throughout the year. If you have spare time during your stay at the GTO Convention, or if you bring family members for an
PIPERS 33

extended vacation, Stevens Point offers outdoor recreation that is diverse and plentiful. Enjoy the ample green space with miles of beautiful scenery for hiking, biking, and horseback riding. Take advantage of the Wisconsin River and area lakes, which offer miles of waterways for water-skiing, wakeboarding, tubing, jet-skiing, sail boating, canoeing, or kayaking, not to mention the great fishing! The Green Circle Trail, a 30.5mile trail circles the city. It is a safe, well-maintained link between and among scenic natural areas. Bikers, hikers and joggers find it challenging and refreshing. Weve finalized the site of the 3rd Annual Cessna vs. Piper Golf Tournament. The SentryWorld Golf Course is ranked as one of Wisconsins top five courses, known for its signature 16th hole, the Flower Hole. Today Stevens Point is a destination that has something for everyone.

With art galleries, museums, cultural attractions, shopping, dining, and outdoor recreation, there is no shortage of things to do. So make a date to fly in to see the Point! For more information about the Stevens Point Area, visit www.stevenspointarea.com or call 1-800-236-4636.

Air Races for 2007

The National Air Races conducted by U.S. Air Race, Inc. return this year to the GTO Convention. They continue the tradition of introducing airplane owners and air racers to central Wisconsin. Race teams from 20-30 different states will arrive in Stevens Point for the conclusion of the prestigious 1900-mile Marion Jayne Air Race that will start in Wichita, KS. Teams will begin competition in the Wichita 300 Air Race, then race about 300 miles each day through Tennessee, Ohio, Michigan, and arrive in Stevens Point by 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, July 19. Finally, the teams will compete in the Stevens Point 300 Air Race on July 20. Awards will be given out on Friday evening. The U.S. Air Race events are designed so teams can

participate in the GTO Convention and go on to EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh. The races are open to all pilots and a free entry kit is at www.us-airrace.org. Air Racing: Compete to Fly the Perfect Cross Country is the theme for the 2007 U.S. Air Race events. You can fly one, two or all three of the National Air Races: the exciting cross country 1900-mile Marion Jayne Air Race from Wichita, Kansas to Stevens Point, Wisconsin; the Wichita 300-mile Air Race in Kansas or the Stevens Point 300mile Air Race in Wisconsin.

Four Ground Schools Return to GTO

Another attraction that returns to the GTO Convention is the Am I High Ground School. Partners Wanda Zeuge and John Thompson, as well as their newest team member Terese Barta, actually call the Stevens Point airport home. Wanda and John will be conducting four accelerated ground schools in conjunction with the GTO Convention: private pilot, instrument ground, sport pilot ground, and helicopter private pilot. These schools will take

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APRIL 2007

place for two full days - Saturday and Sunday, July 21-22, 2007. To register, contact Am I High Aviation directly at (715) 252-3326 or by email at wzuegeatp@sprintpcs.com. Register by June 1st and save $25.

2007 GTO Convention Promises Excitement

The GTO Convention promises to be another exciting event for pilots at Stevens Point. When it was first launched in 2005, it attracted members and their airplanes from 24 states and Canada. Adding the U.S. Air Race and the second pilot school last year were both exciting developments that took us to a new plateau. They demonstrate our commitment to help more people become pilots and to give our members more reasons to fly. Attendees are encouraged to make hotel reservations as soon as possible. The first reservations will be given rooms in the Holiday Inn adjacent to the Convention Center. Late registrants will be housed across the street at the Holiday Inn Express. The room block is under the name 2007 Annual Convention and Fly-In. For any questions about the GTO Convention & Fly-In, contact Randy Augustinak at Jones Publishing, 715-445-5000, Ext. 118. For information on the U.S. Air Race, contact Patricia Jayne (Pat) Keefer, President, U.S. Air Race, Inc. at 817-491-4055.PIPERS
PIPEROWNER.ORG PIPERS 35

Cessna vs. Piper Golf Tournament Returns to SentryWorld for 2007

obert Trent Jones, Jr. designed picturesque SentryWorld, widely considered one of the best public golf course in Wisconsin. Participants in the 2006 Cessna vs. Piper Golf Tournament were unanimous in their praise for the course, so were going back in 2007! SentryWorld, located in Stevens Point, WI, just three miles from the airport and the host hotel, is a par 72, 6,951yard course dominated by 35 acres of spring-fed lakes and accented by native birch and pines. More than five acres of flowerbeds help make this a dream course for both golfers and photographers. Each of the 18 holes on the 200-acre site was carefully

A Great Golf Event For All Skill Levels

Create a great golfing memory, sharpen your skill, make new friends. The Third Annual Cessna vs. Piper Golf Tournament is designed to do all that and more. Whatever your skill level, our best-ball scramble format will guarantee you have a great time. The goal is to field at least nine foursomes. The shotgun start at 7:00 a.m. on Sunday morning, July 22, will guarantee a finish by noon. Then we will award a new traveling trophy that will include a nameplate with the names of winning team members. That new trophy will reside at either Cessna or Piper corporate headquarters for the following year. Go to www.piperowner.org, then pull down the menu under Features and click on Convention & Fly-In. There you can list your name as either a candidate for the Cessna or Piper team (please include your handicap). Our plan is to create the teams prior to the event. Please note: golfers will be responsible for their own greens fees when they get to SentryWorld. Rental clubs will also be available.
36 PIPERS

sculpted to create a rolling, lake-filled course. Imposing boulders, blasted from the underlying bedrock, line the creeks and surround the lakes. Every dogleg on the course promises more reminders of the wilderness setting. Its not uncommon to see deer darting across the fairway or a flock of geese gathering in the surrounding lakes. With five different tees to choose from on each hole, playing SentryWorld can be as wild or tame as you want it to be. For all who visit, SentryWorld will be nothing short of memorable. One veteran golfer who played the tournament in 2006 and has played courses across America, called it one of the finest courses Ive played. A novice golfer enjoyed the tournament and course so much he came back later in the day to walk the entire course again and take pictures.

Relish The Golfers Challenge

The first nine holes pose quite a challenge for golfers. The par-4 No. 2 plays 416 yards and requires players to strategically hit their tee shot through a narrow, tree-lined fairway for their second shot to play clearly to the green. With bunkers surrounding the large, yet narrow, twotiered green, an approach shot must be carefully placed. The most challenging hole at SentryWorld is the 507yard No. 5. This par 5 doglegs left around a lake and island. This gives golfers standing on the tee a look at the green across the water. All who play are prompted to wonder if even the longest hitters in professional golf could reach the green from the tee. The hole is designed to be played in three shots along the fairway through the dogleg left. The front side finishes with two distinctly different
APRIL 2007

holes. The 8th plays straight to the green, yet presents a taste of a links-style course with an uneven rolling fairway and daunting bunkers. The 511-yard par-5 No. 9 is tricky from tee to green, with a creek that comes into play twice and a green thats difficult to navigate. Golfers face the imposing creek on their tee shot and are challenged to clear the hazard or lay up just short. Once the creek is cleared, golfers are not free of the hazard. It winds through the woods to the right of the fairway and comes into play again in front of the green. On your approach shot to the hole, most often the pin placement on the 9th provides golfers a difficult look at where to place their shot on the green.

More Beautiful With Each Hole

Golfers say SentryWorld gets more and more beautiful with each hole played. With wide-open fairways greeting golfers on 11, 14 and 15, water hazards become more of a theme on the back nine. The 12th hole presents all the elements of beauty

found at SentryWorld including a spring-fed lake, native birch and pine trees and two white sand bunkers. This challenging 223-yard, par 3 carries at least 175 yards over the water from the tee. While the green is large and provides golfers room to land, a tee shot just off to the right will be lost in the woods; a short tee shot will land in the water. The 13th hole, a 395-yard, par 4, challenges golfers to blindly place their tee shot at the corner of a dogleg right. With bunkers to the front and water to the back of the fairways narrow bend, players must place their tee shot carefully in order to have a trouble-free second shot to the green. SentryWorld ends with very challenging, but increasingly more beautiful holes at 16, 17 and 18. The famous 16th hole is their signature Flower Hole that is surrounded by stunning flower gardens unique to all of golf. Sign up today for the GTO Convention and reserve your spot for the Third Annual Cessna vs. Piper Golf Tournament.PIPERS

Stevens Point Restaurant / Entertainment Guide

Applebees 5609 Hwy. 10 715-345-0186 Arbuckles Eatery & Pub 1320 Strongs Avenue 715-341-2444 Bernard's Country Inn 701 2nd Street 715-344-3365 Belt's Soft Serve (Ice Cream Shop) 2140 Division Street 715-344-0049 Bill's Pizza Shop 1101 Main Street 715-344-9557 Chef Chu's 5720 Windy Drive 715-295-0533 Club 10 Hwy. 10 West 715-344-7128 Clark Place Live Music Tue.-Sat. 1009 Clark Street 715-343-1530 Cozy Kitchen 937 Main Street 715-344-8620 Cranberry Creek 5569 Hwy. 10 East 715-344-0044 El Mezcal 5720 Windy Drive 715-342-1521 Emy J's (Ice Cream & Coffee Shop) 1009 First Street 715-345-0471 Erbert & Gerbert's Subs & Clubs 812 Main Street 715-341-7827 Graffiti's Sports Pub & Eatery 912 Main Street 715-344-4450 Grazie's Italian Grill & Pasta Co. 5327 Hwy. 10 East 715-345-7808 Green Tea 1035 Main Street 715-345-2898 Guu's On Main 1140 Main Street 715-344-3200
PIPEROWNER.ORG

Gyros & Kabob House 1157 Main Street 715-341-5411 Hilltop Pub & Grill 4901 Main Street 715-341-3037 Michelle's Restaurant 513 Division Street 715-341-3363 Nikki's Martini Bar on the Square 835 Main Street 715-342-0138 Pagliacci Taverna (located at SentryWorld) 1800 N. Point Drive 715-346-6010 Perkins Family Restaurant 143 Division Street North 715-341-5044 Red Mill Supper Club 1222 Hwy. 10 West 715-341-7714 The Restaurant (located at SentryWorld) 1800 N. Point Drive 715-346-6010

Rudy's Redeye Grill (located next to the Holiday Inn) 1101 Amber Avenue 715-344-9808 Silver Coach Hwy. 10 East 715-341-6588 The Sport Plate (located at SentryWorld) 601 N. Michigan Avenue 715-346-8790 Supreme Bean 1100 Main Street 715-344-0077 Timbers Steak & Chop House 1501 North Point Drive 715-341-1340 Water Street Grille 1410 Third Street 715-344-2070 The Wooden Chair 1059 Main Street 715-341-1133

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ThursdayJuly 19
U.S. Air Race contestants arrive

FridayJuly 20
GTO Convention & Fly-In Starts BBQ and Corn Roast Wisconsin 300 Air Race

SaturdayJuly 21
Hands-on and classroom seminars Product displays

SundayJuly 22
Hands-on and classroom seminars PIPER vs. CESSNA Golf Tourney

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday

Registration includes transportation for Cessna Owner Organization and Piper Owner Society members to and from EAA AirVenture 2007 in Oshkosh, WI (53 nm away)*
*(first three days of showJuly 23, 24, 25)

Spend three days in Stevens Point, WI (on the scenic Wisconsin River)
Quality, modern, affordable accommodations For sponsorship opportunities call Kirsten at (800) 331-0038, Ext. 137

Save $100!Preregister by June 1, 2007

Register at www.cessnaowner.org or www.piperowner.org

Lodging Info
Holiday Inn & Convention Center Holiday Inn Express
1001 Amber Ave., Stevens Point, WI 54481

2-Day Ground School

Four Accelerated Ground Schools

(715) 344-0200 Single: $89 Double: $89 Suite: $139

Car Rental Info

Enterprise Car Rental
Midsize Car: $69.99/day
(Malibu, Stratus, Grand Am) Fullsize Car: $69.99/day (Impala, Taurus, Camry)

Private Pilot Instrument Ground School Sport Pilot Ground School Helicopter Private Pilot
Conducted by Certified Flight Instructors Wanda Zuege, ATP, CFII and John Thompson, CFII (50 years combined flying experience)

Luxury Car: $119.99/day

(Cadillac, Towncar)

Suv, Minivan: $109.99/day

(Envoy, Venture, Trailblazer, Caravan)

Held in conjunction with

CESSNA OWNER & PIPERS GTO Convention & Fly-In
Pass your FAA Knowledge Test in just two days. All FAA questions and answers are reviewed in an entertaining style using state-of-theart power point presentations and animated digital images.

*All rates include unlimited free miles per day. *Rates do not include taxes or additional surcharges. *Please contact Shawn Peschl at (715) 341-1200 for reservations.

AVIS Car Rental

Midsize or Fullsize Car: $70.00/day* Luxury: Please inquire for current rate*
*All rates include unlimited miles. Please contact Jeff, Nicholle or Rod at (715) 693-3025 for reservations.

Two Full DaysStevens Point, WI

Saturday, Sunday
July 21-22, 2007
$250 covers all course materials. Take a practice test on Sunday evening for logbook endorsement. Take the FAA test Monday morning. REGISTER directly with

Hangar Space
Stevens Point Airport will have limited hangar space available FIRST COME/FIRST SERVED (no reservations accepted).

Single Hangar Rental Rates: $30/night Airport Info: www.airnav.com/airport/KSTE

Am I High Aviation
Send a check to Wanda Zuege, 6324 Country Lane, Custer, WI 54423. Or register online at www.amihighaviation.com.

Area Activities
Visit the Stevens Point Area Convention & Visitors Bureau at www.stevenspointarea.com.

Register by June 1save $25!

Call (715) 252-3326 Email: wzuegeatp@sprintpcs.com www.amihighaviation.com

U.S. Air Race Returns to Stevens Point

For more information Free entry kit: www.us-airrace.org

Contact Randy Augustinak Member Support Manager Cessna Owner Organization Piper Owner Society For sponsorship opportunities call Kirsten (800) 331-0038 Ext.137

(888) 692-3776 Ext. 118 or randya@aircraftownersgroup.com

Enjoy EAA the www.piperowner.org Easy Way! Go to www.cessnaowner.org or

and click on Features then Fly-In for more information.

A Perfect Airport for GTO

Stevens Point Municipal Airport (KSTE), Stevens Point, WI

wned and operated by the City of Stevens Point, Stevens Point Municipal Airport (KSTE) is located on Hwy. 66 just east of I-39. A short three-mile hop south to the Highway 10 East exit on I-39 will put you on track to the Holiday Inn & Convention Center, the headquarters hotel for GTO. Stevens Point is just 53 nm from Oshkosh. Flying into Stevens Point and using it as your base of operations for enjoying AirVenture is the smart choice.

Airport Facilities
Stevens Point Municipal Airport has two paved runways. The primary runway (03/21) is 6,028 feet long by 120 feet wide. Lighting aids on this runway include a Medium Intensity Approach Lighting System (MALS), High Intensity Runway Lights (HIRLs), and Runway End Identifier Lights (REILs). The secondary runway (12/30) is 3,642 feet long and 75 feet wide. Lighting aids on this runway include HIRLs.

A birds eye view of KSTEs secondary runway (12/30) with the Municipal Airport at top left. Photo by John Thompson, Am I High Aviation.

Am I High Team Places 3rd in 2006 National 1,800 mile Air Race
Its the classic Tortoise and the Hare story. Wanda Zuege, CFII, ATP and John Thompson, CFII, flight instructors at the Stevens Point Municipal Airport, raced a Piper Cherokee 1,800 miles across Kansas, Colorado, South Dakota, Montana, Minnesota and home to Stevens Point, Wisconsin. The Cherokee Chariot without wheel pants had a top speed of 125 mph and raced against 11 other airplanes with top speeds ranging from 156 mph to 297 mph. A.M.R.&D. gap seals, vortex generators and modified wing and prop tips were the only performance modifications used. The racing goal is not to arrive at the finish first, but to average the highest speed above the planes top speed. Pilots must meticulously plan their routes to take advantage of weather and wind speeds and avoid straying off course. Out of the 12 racing teams, nine averaged higher than their planes top speed. Representing Stevens Points flight School, Am I High Aviation LLC, Wanda Zuege and John Thompson, captured third place with an average speed of 8.1 mph above their planes top speed. Third place netted the team $1,200 and a trophy that can be seen at the Stevens Point Airport terminal. They were also recognized by the New Piper Aircraft for Best in Piper Fleet for the highest scoring team flying a Piper airplane. In addition to flight instructing, John and Wanda have over 1000 hours each of ground instruction time, preparing students to pass the Private Pilot and Instrument Knowledge Test in two days.
40 PIPERS

Instrument approaches to the airport include VHF omni-directional radio range (VOR) and Global Positioning System (GPS) approaches to runways 03, 30, and 31. Once you land, you should be walking into a totally renovated and expanded terminal building. Groundbreaking is expected in early April 2007. The FBO also offers both jet fuel and 100LL. It provides a safe and convenient environment for travel, business aviation, and related business activities, including the 2007 GTO Convention and Fly-In. KSTE is also home to Am I High Aviation flight school, who conduct multiple two-day ground schools at the GTO Convention host hotel during the event. See the sidebar in this feature on Am I High Aviation and their 3rd-place finish in the 2006 U.S. Air Race. The airport has one Fixed Base Operator Sentry Aviation Services Inc., as well as four industrial and corporate flight departments. It has twenty-two T, twelve individual, and four larger corporate hangars. The Stevens Point Municipal Airport is owned by the City of Stevens Point and managed by Mike Pinney, 715345-8989. For more information, visit their website: stevenspoint.com/airport/airport.html.PIPERS

APRIL 2007

The Holiday Inn & Convention Center

New, Convenient Accommodations

The Holiday Inn and Convention Center was built in late 2005. David Kowalski photo.

PIPEROWNER.ORG

PIPERS 41

heres nothing like a birthday party to get you in a good mood, and who doesnt like cake, ice cream and presents? But what kind of present do you get for an aircraft manufacturing company that has been around for 70 years? Yes, Piper Aircraft is celebrating its 70th anniversary this year. A company that extends its roots through a lengthy and rich history, Piper Aircraft has had some historic achievements in general aviation. Founded by William T. Piper, who is affectionately known as the Henry Ford of Aviation, the tradition began with the worldfamous Piper Cub. Oilman William Bill Piper, who had no experience with airplanes when he joined the Taylor Aircraft Companys board of directors in the early 20s, had a vision that would eventually blossom into something that could carry over into todays aviation industry. In 1937, the company moved to an old silk mill in Lock Haven, Pennsylvania and became The Piper Aircraft Corporation. World War II brought a call-to-arms for civilian aircraft manufacturers, and Piper answered the call by modifying its J-3 Cub designs for military use. The resulting changes, including the L-4 model, resulted in extensive use of these aircraft for combat pilot training. Four out of every five American World War II pilots got their start in these dependable planes. After the war, civilian aviation took on the challenges of rapid growth and advances in technology and somehow managed to keep pace with demand. In 1957, Piper built a new R&D facility at the decommissioned U.S. Naval airbase in Vero Beach, FL. The Sunshine State proved to be an excellent site for flight-testing experimental aircraft and eventually became Pipers permanent home. Over the next four decades, Piper was able to build a
42 PIPERS

lasting legacy as it designed, developed, and produced some of the most significant general aviation aircraft in the world. In 1983, when many manufacturers were pulling back or calling it quits, Piper introduced a totally new aircraft design. The PA-46 Malibu revolutionized personal aviation and came at a time when the industry really needed a boost. The pressurized, six-place, single-engine aircraft provided the creature comforts and amenities of many small business jets, yet for a fraction of the price and operating cost. The Malibu immediately captured the attention of owner-pilots who could use it for their own business purposes. Piper introduced an upgraded version, called the Malibu Mirage, just a few years later. Piper took another bold step in 1997 when it announced the development of a single-engine turboprop, the Malibu Meridian. The Meridian became a reality in 1998 when the first prototype was unveiled. Just two years later, the Meridian began production and put the Piper name on yet another historic achievement. Built on a solid foundation, todays Piper is the only general aviation manufacturer to offer a complete line of aircraft for every general aviation mission. From trainers and high-performance aircraft to turbine-powered business aircraft, Piper has produced more than 144,000 aircraft over its 70 year history. They have developed more than 180 models and covered the global marketplace with 80 sales and service centers worldwide. In the words of Piper Aircraft, Inc. President and CEO, James K. Bass, The Piper Team is known for its dedication and commitment and is poised and eager to meet the challenges ahead of us. From all of us here at Piper Owner Society Happy 70th Piper!

APRIL 2007

By David Kowalski

A
a) b) c) d)

re you a prospective member of the Piper Owner Society (POS)? If you love Piper airplanes, of course you are! If you are an average current member of POS, heres your profile. Theres a 97.8 percent chance youre male. Your age is 55 and your current household income is $129,103.05. Youve been a member for 3.4 years. More than 97 percent of our members own one or more airplanes. The average number of planes owned is 1.3 per member who owns a plane. More than 20 percent own a plane in partnership. Our members fly their plane an average of nearly 5.7 times per month.

And they spend money on them, a major commitment of $17,124 each in the last 12 months. In addition to repairs and maintenance, this figure includes hangar fees and insurance. You would also have plans to upgrade your Piper in several ways. The top three planned expenditures in the next 12 months are interior parts, a GPS unit, and tires (in that order). Thats a summary of the results of The ThreeMinute Piper Survey that was bound into our January 2007 SOURCE issue. We asked 19 questions. Here are the detailed answers to the 12 most important questions. 4) How long have you been a member?
a) b) c) d) e) Less than one year (19.42%) 1-3 years (41.01%) 4-6 years (27.34%) 7-9 years (6.47%) 10 years or more (5.75%)

1) What is your age?

Under 30 (0.0%) 31-45 (7.91%) 46-60 (51.08%) Over 60 (41.01%)

Average 56.09 years old Average 3.44 years

2) What is your gender?

a) Male (97.79%) b) Female (2.21%)

5) Who are your most favorite columnists in the magazine (listed in descending order with most favorite first)?
a) b) c) d) e) f) Bill Cox (Lessons from the Logbook) Pia Bergqvist (Flying Safer) Jim Cavanagh (Flying by the Seat of the Pants) Don Cuenca (Basic Nuts & Bolts) Randy Augustinak (Keep 'Em Flying) John Alan Cohan (Letter of the Law)

3) What is your household income?

a) b) c) d) e) Less than $50,000 (3.82%) $50,000 - $75,000 (12.98%) $75,001 - $100,000 (15.27%) $101,001 - $150,000 (22.90%) More than $150,000 (44.27%)

Average $129,103.05

PIPEROWNER.ORG

PIPERS 43

6) How many other people look at/read your magazine regularly (besides yourself)?
a) 48.91% passalong their magazines to others. b) 20.44% share their magazine with two or more people. c) Of the members who share their magazines with others, those are shared with an average of 1.73 additional readers.

11) Not counting fuel, how much have you invested (on average) in EACH of your airplanes in the last 12 months? Includes hangar fees, insurance, repairs, replacements, overhauls and inspections.
a) 97.12% percent of members spent money on their airplanes in the past 12 months. Average $17,124.07 per member who spent money on their plane(s).

7) How often do you visit our website (piperowner.org)?

a) 72.66% have visited the member website. b) 29.49% visit at least monthly. c) 12.95% visit at least once per week.

12) What products do you plan to buy in the next 12 months?

a) b) c) d) e) f) g) h) i) j) k) l) m) n) Interior parts (32.86%) GPS panel-mount or hand-held (31.43%) Tires (25.00%) New paint job (22.14%) New interior (21.43%) New radio (13.57%) Seat belts/restraints (12.14%) Used/overhauled prop (8.57%) Vortex generators (7.86%) Wheel pants (7.14%) Autopilot (6.43%) New engine (0.71%) Overhauled engine (0.71%) New prop (0.71%)

8) How often do you read or look at the advertisements in PIPERS?

a) 66.42% read the ads often or sometimes. b) 29.19% said I read them all.

9) How many planes do you own?

a) 97.10% of members own an airplane. b) 16.67% own two or more airplanes. c) 20.69% own one or more planes in partnership. Average number of planes owned (by members who own planes) 1.32.

10) How often do you fly per month?

a) 8.69% of respondents fly 11 or more times per month. b) 17.39% fly once or twice per month. Average 5.7 flights per month.

44 PIPERS

APRIL 2007

tin Celebra

20

Years!

Call: (888) 692-3776

OWNER SOCIETY for three (3) years for only $119 (save $25). I will receive a hat (a $16 value), monthly issues of PIPERS, a membership card, a new-member packet and full access to the worlds most active Piper Web site.

YES, I want to join the PIPER

Name: Street: City: E-mail:

Payment Method (circle one): check AMEX Visa MC Discover

State:

Zip:

CC# Signature payment enclosed

Exp. Date:

Jones Publishing P.O. Box 5000 Iola, WI 54945-5000

Note: Some payment methods require the use of a sealed envelope. All foreign subscriptions are charged an additional $15 (U.S.) per year of their subscription for S&H. All payments must be made in U.S. funds; checks must be drawn on a U.S. bank. Make checks payable to Jones Publishing.
501080 - Pipers

LETTER OF THE LAW John Alan Cohan, Esq.

The IRS Wants Business Plans

ircraft owners who use their plane both for business and personal purposes and take tax deductions and depreciation for the business portion of the usage should have a business plan in place, in case they are audited by the IRS. This is also the case if you seek to defray costs by engaging in a leasing or charter venture, whether or not you are successful at it. If the venture is bona fide, as a taxpayer you may be entitled to further tax deductions. The Tax Court, in ruling on such situations, has focused on the quality of business records kept by those who use their hobby activities for business purposes. It has denied deductions in a number of instances where taxpayers did not operate the activity in a business-like manner. The Tax Court has said that in hobby loss cases you should have some type of plan for the venture. This applies whether you are involved in horse breeding, racing, other farming activities, classic car refurbishing, antique collecting, boat or aircraft chartering, and other areas traditionally under IRS scrutiny. When aircraft owners are audited for using their planes for business purposes and writing their expenses off as such, most are caught offguard when asked whether they have a business plan in their possession. Some will say I have a plan in my head, but cant articulate exactly what that plan is, much less put it on paper. Others will say their activity is very basic, that they know what they are doing and they dont need a business plan to define it for them.

Some individuals spend hundreds of dollars to have a professional business plan drafted. There are also several off-the-shelf computer programs available, as well as numerous local resources to assist you in drawing up a business plan yourself. If you decide to draft your own business plan, keep in mind that this may be one of your best sources of evidence to show your intent in using your plane for business purposes.

What is a Business Plan?

A business plan is a summary of what you intend your business to be, what kind of opportunity you see for growth and prosperity, and how you intend to make money. It is a guideline for carrying your ideas forward into a successful business operation. A business plan sets forth the overall market that you are targeting and how your services compare with others in your field. The length and breadth of the plan will depend on how much time you want to spend developing it. The language of a business plan is usually simple and non-technical. Writing the plan can be fairly simple, especially if you have prior experience in the field that your business is involved in. It should be taken seriously and referred to often, since it will remind you of important information on your business intentions. The main focus of a business plan should include your marketing strategy and financial projections. You should summarize your strategy for the business activity of your aircraft and state why you believe this activity can be profitable. Including current market information in the

plan might help to enhance and solidify how others view your intentions. You should also define your competition and describe how you will be able to compete against them. What is it you are offering that sets you apart from your competition? Include any competitive advantages that you have over those with similar ventures. When you draw up your financial projections you will want to include the amount of capital you will need in order to get the business going, the equipment needed and when you expect to make a profit. You should also include some indication of your projected revenue. Sometimes your projected revenue is not easily defined, so just do your best, talk to others with experience in the industry and try to remain within a reasonable projected profit margin. It is a good idea to have your financial projections cover a threeto-five-year period. For this reason, it is probably also a good idea to hire a CPA who is familiar with small business or use your existing one to help prepare the projections. Doing so could further bolster the plan as a genuine business-building tool. You might also want to include projected operating losses for the startup phase of the activity, as a way to cover your bases.

Have a Plan Before the Audit

Unfortunately, many of the individuals who are already using their aircraft for business purposes do not have a business plan currently in place. If you are notified of an impending audit and dont have an existing business plan, you should still put something in writing and
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PIPEROWNER.ORG

When aircraft owners are audited for using their planes for business purposes and writing their expenses off as such, most are caught off-guard when asked whether they have a business plan in their possession.
admit you prepared it in connection with your audit. Although this is certainly not the ideal situation, it is better than doing nothing at all. You can explain to the auditor that the plan has always been in your head, but you just werent able to get it down in writing. The best thing to do, however, is prepare your business plan now. Dont wait until you receive notification of an impending audit. By then it may be too late to muster up a plan that reflects the true nature of your aircrafts business use. The IRS also expects to see business records that are maintained over time and not just something you threw together after you were notified of the audit. With the business plan in place, maintaining those records over time will be something you will have already been doing and will save time in the long run. Coming up with a sound business plan will help you make money with your aircraft business.PIPERS

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John Alan Cohan is a lawyer who handles tax and aviation matters. He serves clients in all 50 states, and can be reached at: (3l0) 278-0203 or via e-mail at JohnAlanCohan@aol.com.
APRIL 2007

Corrosion
By Scott Nelson

is the Cancer Within

A
PIPEROWNER.ORG

s we get older we become more conscious of maintaining good health. A yearly colonoscopy is one way doctors now have of detecting cancer and has gone a long way to save lives. Technological advances have made it possible to put a tiny camera inside a persons colon and look for signs of cancer. As it turns out, this same procedure can be used to detect signs of corrosion in hard-to-reach areas of your airplane. Having worked on the east coast of Florida for the past 20 years, I have been exposed to many types of corrosion, both inside and outside the airplane. The

Every day I see corrosion on engines, propellers, control surfaces, wheels, brakes, inside the wings, and inside the tails.

environment is hot, humid, and very similar to a salt-spray booth. Every day I see corrosion on engines, propellers, control surfaces, wheels, brakes, inside the wings, and inside the tails. I have worked diligently to treat this cancerous threat to airplane, both on the surface and in the interior, and have used state-of-the-art processes to do it. Some products I have used include Corrosion Block, CorrosionX, ACF-50, Boeshield, and LPS. These products help prevent corrosion from occurring and stop it when it starts. I always thought I had done a good job controlling this deadly airplane cancer - that is until just recently. One of the drawbacks of living in paradise (in this case Florida) is that we experience the occasional hurricane. They develop in the Atlantic Ocean and can be very powerful, incredibly unpredictable and quite deadly. A hurricanes path is often forecast by the National Hurricane Center, but I think a good crystal ball would work just as well.

Hurricane Wilma Reveals Hidden Corrosion

Hurricane Wilma came from the west coast of Florida and was forecast on a path across the state to the West Palm Beach area. It was supposed to weaken
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along the way and our area was only to receive a category-one hurricane with 70-kt winds. No crystal ball could have predicted the fact that the hurricane actually hit our airport with 145-kt winds, which devastated airplane and hangars alike. In the midst of Hurricane Wilmas devastation, there was an airplane which I had done maintenance on. Before the hurricane struck, I thought I had maintained the plane to the best of my ability and kept it in top shape. The owner, a man who was very safety conscious, was always present during inspections and helped out by looking in every access hole himself. Over the years, the two of us diligently checked for problems and managed to find several, including a few manufacturer mistakes, some worn-out parts, and several cracks.

keep the airplane, it was sent to a shop that is certified in major airframe repair. As the airplane was disassembled, both the owners and my own eyes were opened. What we thought was the safest, most wellmaintained plane out there, actually possessed some of the scariest corrosion I have ever seen. First of all, there was significant corrosion present on the horizontal stabilizer spar, which sandwiched between three pieces of metal that are riveted together for strength. The corrosion in this area was so bad that the plane should not have been airworthy. It only took one look at all the corrosion for me to know our inspections would never be the same again. The horizontal stabilizer on the this particular model and most airplanes like it are only accessible by

small to do much. In the case of this airplane, after the skin was removed we found serious corrosion on the forward face of the vertical fin spar.

Inspecting Hard-to-Reach Places

Inspecting these areas and other hard-to-reach places on an airplane can be a real challenge. In this case, it became an immediate high-priority. Rigid borescopes are not new to aviation and are used primarily in the internal inspection of airplane engines. After some research, however, it was decided that the only way to really inspect the hard-to-reach areas of this airplane, short of removing the skin, was to invest in a fiber-optic, flexible borescope. Using a flexible borescope would make it possible to inspect for corrosion, among other things, and have the flexibility necessary to gain access to those unreachable areas. So I searched around, found the right borescope for the job and ordered it. Although the cost of these high-tech gadgets is a bit prohibitive, in the interest of safety I went ahead and made the purchase. Similar to a kid with a new toy, I set out to search for corrosion and any other points of inspection that I could not otherwise access. The first place I looked was up a tailpipe to peek at the muffler baffles of the airplane. I had previously inspected this area by normal means and everything looked good. As I inserted the flexible probe of the scope past the normally exposed area, I discovered cracked and even missing baffles. I knew at this point I was onto something. The true test of my new gadget

What we thought was the safest, most well-maintained plane out there, actually possessed some of the scariest corrosion I have ever seen.
We thought we had left no stone unturned as we complied with service bulletins, used all of the manufacturers recommended inspection checklists, and performed preventative maintenance at or before the recommended times. The airplane was always hangared and was treated every year with corrosion inhibitors - the most recent being Corrosion-X. We thought the airplane was as safe as any plane could be. In fact, with all the preventative measures we had taken, we thought it was better off than most. During all our inspections we found no observable signs of significant corrosion throughout the entire airplane or so we thought. This particular airplane was sitting in a hangar when Hurricane Wilma struck. The hangar roof fell in on the airplane, causing significant damage. Since the owner wanted to
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one panel adjacent to the trim actuator. The only other place to inspect it is in the center, under the vertical fin. Although the rear spar is visible, the only way to see the forward spar is to look through the lightening holes in the rear spar or use a mirror in the center, under the vertical fin. Either way, you cant see the forward spar directly. There are no inspection holes in the vertical fin and the lightening holes are too

APRIL 2007

came when I decided to inspect a nother plane that happened to be in the hangar for a landing-gear problem. I could not resist the temptation to use my borescope and went immediately to the horizontal stabilizer. I inserted the probe between the elevator and the rear spar then into the lightening holes. What I found was nothing short of amazing. There was significant corrosion of the horizontal stabilizer spar and three of the ribs. At this point, I had to ask myself, was the corrosion due to the fact that this was another Florida-based airplane and this particular airplane regularly flew over water to the Bahamas? Or is this a problem on all airplane that are 20+ years old? I contacted the owner, told him what I had discovered and asked him to come to the hangar. I wanted him to take a look for himself, and I also wanted to show him my new toy. He was suitably impressed and was very pleased that I had found the severe corrosion. So I ordered an overhauled horizontal stabilizer and vertical fin

from a reputable shop. Since then, I have inspected several other airplane those that are in for maintenance and others that were merely parked too close to the hangar. Of those that I have inspected, I have

more confident that my inspections are complete and thorough. Although a complete and thorough inspection is not a requirement of the manufacturer or the FAA, it has become a requirement in my shop.

Although the cost of these high-tech gadgets is a bit prohibitive, in the interest of safety I went ahead and made the purchase.
found corrosion present to varying degrees on all of them. Most of the planes were not so corroded that they were not airworthy, but all required extensive treatment with an anti-corrosion product. The wands that come with some anticorrosion treatment products are very good. However, some custom wands are necessary to access those hard-to-reach places. Ever since I began using the borescope for inspections I am much Just like cancer in a human body, corrosion is becoming much more common and sometimes very difficult to detect. It can hide in unsuspecting places and can also be just as deadly as its human counterpart. Have your plane checked regularly by someone who knows where to look for that elusive cancer we call corrosion. It just might save your life and the lives of those you love.PIPERS

PIPEROWNER.ORG

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ADs NTSB Reports

ADs
Superior Air Parts cast cylinder Airworthiness Directive AD 2007-04-19 SUMMARY: The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain SAP cast cylinder assemblies installed in Teledyne Continental Motors (TCM) 470, 520, and 550 series reciprocating engines, Lycoming Engines (LE) 320, 360, and 540 series reciprocating engines, Avco Lycoming (AL) 540 series reciprocating engines, and Superior Air Parts, Inc. (SAP) 360 series reciprocating engines. This AD requires removing from service certain SAP part numbered (P/N) cast cylinder assemblies installed in TCM, LE, and AL reciprocating engines. This AD also requires removing from service certain cast cylinder assemblies installed as original equipment in SAP reciprocating engines, or in certain overhauled or repaired SAP reciprocating engines. This AD results from nine separated SAP cylinder assemblies in TCM reciprocating engines and one in LE reciprocating engines. We are issuing this AD to prevent cylinder separation that can lead to engine failure, a possible engine compartment fire, and damage to the airplane. DATES: Effective March 12, 2007.

ed the VASI standard, and then slid into a ditch. The impact with the VASI and the contact with the ditch resulted in substantial damage to the airframe. NTSB Identification: CHI07CA008. 14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation Thursday, October 12, 2006 Osage Beach, MO Aircraft: Piper PA-24-260 Injuries: 4 Uninjured. The airplane was substantially damaged during a hard landing. The pilot reported experiencing light to moderate turbulence during his descent to the destination airport. He reported that, immediately prior to touchdown there was a gust of wind jerking us in our seats. There was an immediate loss of airspeed and lift. The pilot reported that he applied full engine power, but the airplane impacted the runway hard resulting in the damage to the aircraft. The pilot reported that the winds at the accident airport were from 270 degrees at 10 knots gusting to 30 knots. The nearest weather reporting station located about 7 nautical miles east of the accident airport recorded the wind from 270 degrees at 9 knots gusting to 14 knots. The weather report indicated that the wind direction was variable from 250 to 310 degrees. Runway 32 was used for the landing. The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows: The pilots inadequate compensation for wind conditions which resulted in the hard landing. The gusting crosswind was a factor. NTSB Identification: LAX07FA012 14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation Wednesday, October 18, 2006 Prescott, AZ Aircraft: Piper PA-42 Injuries: 5 Fatal. On October 18, 2006, at 1347 mountain standard time, a Piper PA-42 (Cheyenne III) was destroyed when its tail section separated in flight while maneuvering about 16 nautical miles northeast of Prescott, Arizona. The airline transport pilot and four passengers sustained fatal injuries and the airplane was destroyed. The airplane was operated by the pilot under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91 as an aerial photography flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a flight plan was not filed for the local flight that departed the Ernest A. Love Field, Prescott, about 15 minutes before the accident. The intent of the flight was to take aerial photographs of a MiG 21 airplane

NTSBs
NTSB Identification: SEA07LA007 14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation Wednesday, October 11, 2006 Lebanon, OR Aircraft: Piper PA-28R-201T Injuries: 1 Uninjured. On October 11, 2006, approximately 1205 Pacific daylight time, a Piper PA28R-201T departed the side of the runway at Lebanon State Airport, Lebanon, Oregon, and impacted a VASI light standard and a nearby ditch. The private pilot, who was the sole occupant of the aircraft, was not injured, but the aircraft, which is owned and operated by the pilot, sustained substantial damage. The 14 CFR Part 91 personal pleasure flight, which departed Sunriver, Oregon, about 35 minutes prior to the accident, was being operated in visual meteorological conditions. No flight plan had been filed. According to the pilot, about 100 feet into the landing roll, the aircraft veered sharply to the right, and when he tried to correct back to the left, the aircraft departed the left side of the runway. After departing the runway, the aircraft impact52 PIPERS

(N21UT). The pilot of the MiG 21 indicated that he and the Cheyenne pilot discussed the photo flight the day of the accident, and had established 2,500 to 3,000 feet above ground level (agl) as their minimum altitude and 200 knots as their minimum airspeed. The MiG and Cheyenne pilot did not establish a minimum separation distance, as it was not intended to be a formation flight. The MiG pilot reported that they intended on adjusting the in-flight separation as the flight progressed. The MiG pilot reported that he departed the Prescott airport and flew straight out on a northeast heading. On departure, he experienced a problem retracting the landing gear and noted that only the nose landing gear successfully retracted. He recycled the landing gear handle from up to off and back to the up position, and received a successful gear retraction indication. He notified the Cheyenne pilot of the landing gear problem, but informed him that he believed the landing gear was retracted. The Cheyenne pilot indicated that they would join up with the MiG, look it over and check-out the landing gear, and let the MiG pilot know what they saw. The MiG pilot flew the airplane at 9,000 feet mean sea level (msl) in a 30degree right-hand turn at 200 knots with approach flaps selected (approximately 25 degrees). He continued to circle in that configuration to allow the Cheyenne to rendezvous with the MiG. The MiG pilot reported that he observed the Cheyenne meet up at his 5 oclock position about 300-400 feet behind him about the same altitude. The MiG pilot looked forward and when he looked back to the Cheyenne, he could not see it. About 30 seconds later, he heard the Cheyenne pilot comment about the right landing gear or gear door, but the statement was not completed. The MiG pilot waited to hear back from the Cheyenne pilot, but when he did not receive any additional information, he asked the Cheyenne pilot to repeat because he didn't understand the last transmission. The Cheyenne pilot did not respond and the MiG pilot never received additional information. The MiG pilot continued flying in that manner and tried to reach the Cheyenne over the radio. After a couple of minutes he observed a column of smoke rising from the desert terrain and became concerned about the Cheyenne. The MiG pilot called the Prescott air traffic controller and asked if they were receiving an emergency locator transmitter (ELT) because he could not see the Cheyenne, could not reach him over the radio, and could now see a column of
APRIL 2007

NTSB Reports
smoke in the area in which they were flying. The controller reported that they were not receiving an ELT signal but asked for coordinates for the smoke so they could send someone to check it out. The MiG pilot provided the coordinates and flew around a while longer to burn off fuel prior to landing. He informed the controller that he was having problems with his landing gear so the controller cleared him for the option. The MiG pilot landed uneventfully. The MiG was later inspected for contact with the Cheyenne but no evidence of contact between the two airplanes was noted. A statement provided by the Prescott airport manager indicated that he was listening to both aircraft as they taxied and departed the airport. He then switched frequencies to the air-to-air frequency used by the MiG and Cheyenne pilot (123.45). He reported hearing the conversation between the MiG and the Cheyenne pilots, and then heard the Cheyenne pilot indicate that he would drop down and go underneath and let you know how it looks after the MiG pilot informed him that he had recycled his landing gear and believed they were retracted. Radar data from the Seligman, Arizona, RADES facility depicted the MiG in a right-hand turn. The Cheyenne joined up with the MiG on the inside of the turn and descended from above the MiG to below it. The Cheyennes flight path matched that of the MiG and its last radar return with altitude information depicted both aircraft at 7,900 feet msl at 1346:47. The Cheyenne's main wreckage (which included the entire aircraft with the exception of the upper half of the vertical stabilizer, horizontal stabilizer, and elevator) was located at a global positioning system (GPS) measured location of 34 degrees 52.821 minutes north latitude and 112 degrees 15.197 minutes west longitude at a terrain elevation of 4,366 feet msl. The main wreckage came to rest on a heading of 230 degrees, in an inverted position, and had sustained fire damage throughout its entirety with the exception of the aft empennage, lower vertical stabilizer, and rudder. The fuselage and wing skin had melted allowing investigators to trace the control cables from the cockpit to the ailerons, rudder, and base of the elevator pushrod. No anomalies with the cables were noted. In addition, the engine controls were traced from the cockpit to their respective engines. The T-tail section of the airplane came to rest at a GPS measured location
PIPEROWNER.ORG

of 34 degrees 52.420 minutes north latitude and 112 degrees 15.241 minutes west longitude at a terrain elevation of 4,466 feet msl. The tail section included the upper portion of the vertical stabilizer, the horizontal stabilizer and elevator, which all remained intact and came to rest on the topside of the horizontal stabilizer/elevator. The tail section did not sustain any fire damage, and was missing the left elevator counter weight. Movement of the elevator reveled no binding or pre-existing anomalies. On October 20, 2006, the tail section was transported to the main wreckage where they were examined together. Examination of the vertical stabilizer's front and aft spars revealed that they were bent and twisted to the right. The rudder was twisted to the right about 180 degrees. All fracture surfaces on the vertical stabilizer and elevator vertical pushpull tube were irregular and deformed and did not display any evidence of fatigue cracking or pre-existing failures. NTSB Identification: DFW07LA009. 14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation Saturday, October 21, 2006 Wimberley, TX Aircraft: Piper PA-38-112 Injuries: 2 Uninjured. On October 21, 2006, approximately 1150 central daylight time, a singleengine Piper PA-38-112 airplane was substantially damaged during a forced landing following a loss of engine power during cruise flight near Wimberley, Texas. The private pilot and his passenger were not injured. The airplane was registered to and operated by a private individual. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a flight plan was not filed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The cross-country flight originated from the Rusty Allen Airport (5R3), near Lago Vista, Texas, and was destined for the New Braunfels Municipal Airport (BAZ), near New Braunfels, Texas. NTSB Identification: ANC07CA004. 14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation Sunday, October 22, 2006 Anchorage, AK Aircraft: Piper PA-20-135 Injuries: 2 Uninjured. The commercial certificated pilot was practicing touch and go takeoffs and landings under Title 14, CFR Part 91. He said prior to takeoff, the airplanes brakes functioned, but worked poorly. During the landing roll, he stated that the airplane veered sharply to the right, and he

was unable to correct for the deviation using the brakes and rudder. He said the airplane exited the runway to the right, and ground-looped. The airplane received damage to the left wingtip, left elevator, fuselage lower longeron, and left main landing gear. The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows: The pilots failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll, which resulted in an inadvertent ground loop and encounter with terrain. Factors associated with the accident were the ground loop and inadequate main wheel brakes. NTSB Identification: CHI07IA017 14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation Tuesday, October 24, 2006 Sherman, IL Aircraft: Piper PA-24-250 Injuries: 1 Uninjured. On October 24, 2006, at 1313 central daylight time, a Piper PA-24-250 owned and piloted by a private pilot, experienced a total loss of engine power during cruise flight about 5,500 feet mean sea level. The pilot executed a forced landing on a bean field near Sherman, Illinois. There was no reported damage to the airplane. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The 14 CFR Part 91 flight was not operating on a flight plan. The pilot was uninjured. The flight departed from Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport, Springfield, Illinois, about 1250, en route to Joliet Regional Airport, Joliet, Illinois. NTSB Identification: DFW07LA021. 14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation Tuesday, October 31, 2006 San Marcos, TX Aircraft: Piper PA32-301XTC Injuries: 2 Uninjured. On October 31, 2006, about 1400 central standard time, a Piper PA32301XTC single-engine airplane was substantially damaged during a hard landing at the San Marcos Municipal Airport (HYI), near San Marcos, Texas. The private pilot and his passenger were not injured. The airplane was registered to a private corporation and operated by the pilot. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan was filed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The 303-nautical mile cross-country flight originated from the Lubbock Preston Smith International Airport (LBB), near Lubbock, Texas, at 1200.

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ON FINAL Aviation News & Updates

Piper Celebrating 70th Anniversary

Vero Beach, FL Piper Aircraft, Inc. changed its name last year in preparation for this years 70th anniversary celebration. In 1983, when many manufacturers were pulling back or calling it quits, Piper introduced a totally new aircraft design. The PA-46 Malibu revolutionized personal aviation and came at a time when the industry truly needed a boost. The pressurized, six-place, single-engine aircraft provided the creature comforts and amenities of many small business jets, but for a fraction of the price and operating cost. In 1988, an upgraded version, the Malibu Mirage, was introduced. In 1997, Piper took a bold step when it announced the development of a single-engine turboprop, the Malibu Meridian. Today, Piper is the only general aviation manufacturer to offer a complete line of aircraft for every general aviation mission, from trainers and high-performance aircraft for personal and business use to turbine-powered business aircraft. In its 70-year history, Piper has produced more than 144,000 aircraft, and has developed more than 180 models. Piper covers the global marketplace with 80 sales and service centers worldwide. In the words of James K. Bass, President and CEO of Piper Aircraft, Piper has a rich heritage and reputation for developing and building products and features the general aviation marketplace wants and needs. . . The Piper Team is known for its dedication and commitment and is poised and eager to meet the challenges ahead of us. Happy 70th Piper!

Taxi into Position and Hold (TIPH)Guidance for Pilots

U.S. Department InFO 07005 of Transportation DATE: 2/6/07
Federal Aviation Administration Flight Standards Service Washington, DC Purpose: This InFO announces important new ATC procedures and phraseology to improve runway safety, effective Feb. 5, 2007, and recommends pertinent safe practices for pilots. Background: Runway safety continues to be one of the most important safety challenges confronting the commercial aviation industry and the FAA. Because of a recent rise in TIPH events, the FAA convened a Safety Risk Management Panel to analyze accident and incident data, and to make recommendations for change. Among the outcomes of the Panels work are revised ATC procedures and recommended safe practices for pilots, addressed below. Discussion: Key points include the following 1. ATC will normally withhold landing clearances on a runway while another aircraft is holding on the same runway. 2. ATC will issue traffic advisories to aircraft holding in position and to aircraft holding, departing, or arriving on an intersecting runway. 3. When cleared to taxi into position and hold a pilot should anticipate an imminent takeoff clearance. A pilot should ask ATC about any unexplained delay in receiving that clearance. 4. When holding short and when holding in position a pilot should be especially attentive to all radio transmissions from ATC, as well as acknowledgments from other aircraft. More detailed Guidance for Pilots

can be accessed at the following FAA public web site: http://www.faa.gov/ runwaysafety/cockpit.cfm (Under Information for click on Pilots). Recommended Action: Directors of safety, directors of operations, fractional ownership program managers, trainers, and pilots should be familiar with the improved ATC procedures and phraseology effective February 5, 2007. They should work together to the extent necessary to address TIPH, as revised, in the manuals and training programs used by pilots, and to apply the practices contained in Taxi into Position and Hold (TIPH): Guidance for Pilots (found at the aforementioned URL) in daily operations.

2nd Annual AOPA Photography Contest

Frederick, MD After its extremely popular debut in 2006, the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) announces the AOPA Pilot 2007 General Aviation Photography Contest. All amateur photographers are encouraged to submit photos that capture the beauty and spirit of general aviation (GA), which includes all flight except scheduled airlines and the military. Aviation has an allure that is attractive to both pilots and nonpilots, said Tom Haines, editor-inchief of AOPA Pilot. This contest celebrates general aviation and is a way to share it through photographs. The contest is open to AOPA members and non-members. Each person may submit one photo per month in each of the following five categories: GA aircraft; airports; pilots; aerials; and altered images. Each month between January and August, subscribers to AOPAs weekly electronic newsletter, AOPA ePilot, will be invited to go online and select a photo of the month. Those photographs will be published
APRIL 2007

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ON FINAL
each month in AOPA Pilot. Once the contest ends on September 4, 2007, AOPA members and a panel of AOPA judges will select three winners in each of the five categories and an overall Grand Award winner. All of the top photos in each category will be published in the December 2007 issue of AOPA Pilot. The winner in each category will receive $1,000 and the grand prize winner overall will receive an additional $1,000. Cash prizes will also be provided to the second and third place winners in each category. Brian Dary won the 2006 grand prize with his photo, A Good Morning (www.aopa.org/photocontest06/). The photo featured an Alaskan sunrise with a deHavilland DH-2 Beaver on floats at the Juneau float pond next to Juneau International Airport. For more information, including the complete set of rules, visit www.aopa.org/photocontest. The nearly 410,000-member AOPA has represented the interests of general aviation pilots since 1939. General aviation includes all flying except the scheduled airlines and the military. Nearly two-thirds of all U.S. pilots, and three-quarters of the GA pilots, are AOPA members.PIPERS

PIPEROWNER.ORG

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Destination Port Townsend:

Washington States City of Dreams
By Irven F. Palmer, Jr.
Dockside at the Hudson Marina. Photos by Irven F. Palmer.

Whether you travel by private plane or air charter, private boat or ferry, RV or automobile, all roads lead to Port Townsend, Washington. Named after the Marquis of Townsend by Captain George Vancouver in 1792, the city is situated on the Olympic Peninsula perched on the Straight of San Juan de Fuca and surrounded by the majestic Cascade and Olympic Mountains. Washington States Victorian Seaport is a picturesque and historical City of Dreams. It was nicknamed for its potential to become one of the largest
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Kayaks for rent along the waterfront near the ferry terminal.

The authors wife Marie standing in front of Jeanies Spruce Goose Cafe at the Jefferson County International Airport (0S9).

harbors on the West Coast, but somehow failed to live up to expectations. Official settlement of the city began in 1851, and Port Townsend was to become the northwest extension of the rail lines. It had a large port that saw a great many overseas shipping vessels. Many of the Victorian buildings were built on the speculation that the city would become a booming

shipping port. Unfortunately, the Depression hit and virtually sank all hopes of prosperity. In the 1970s things began to turn around for Washington States City of Dreams. People looking for inexpensive housing or a place to retire settled in once-abandoned Victorian homes and buildings. These 100year-old time capsules had been preserved and were subsequently

renovated to enhance the beauty of this historic city. Although the city is known for these Victorian homes, there are also a number of larger buildings that are preserved from the same era, including the Carnegie Library, the US Post Office and the Jefferson County Courthouse. My wife and I decided to visit Port Townsend one summer for what we

Sea kayaking is popular and there are several kayak rental shops along the waterfront.

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The James Hastings Building (above), is one example of the beautiful Victorian architecture that defines Port Townsend, WA.

If you dont like walking, horse and carriage rides are available to take you downtown.

aviators call a $100 Hamburger luncheon. We drove from our home in Rainier, WA to Olympia Airport (KOLM) where we hangar our airplane. Once we were cleared for takeoff, we departed northwest toward Port Townsend, a ground distance of 74 miles. We flew past the green forests that form the foothills of the Olympic Mountains and also flew over the beautiful Puget Sound inland waterways. Fifty minutes

later we landed at Port Townsends Jefferson County International Airport (0S9), situated 4 miles southwest of town on State Route 19. The airport has an elevation of 108 feet and a 3,000-foot-long asphalt runway. Their services include A&P service, tiedowns and 24-hour 100LL aviation fuel. Jeanies Spruce Goose Caf is also a handy place to enjoy a $100 Hamburger. The interior of the
This building is located on the corner of Taylor and Water Streets. Fully restored it houses many shops and restaurants.

restaurant is adorned with photos of Howard Hughes giant seaplane and there is also seating available outside with a rampside view of the airplanes. It is a lunch destination for many pilots all over western Washington and British Columbia. It is also the jumping-off place for those who arrive by air and want to visit Port Townsend. From the airport we took the local Peninsula/Key City Taxi into town.

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My wife and I spent the entire day in Port Townsend and were really taken by the place. The beautiful Victorian buildings, numerous shops, friendly folks and good food are truly inviting. Deciding where to have lunch was a challenge, since there are so many nice places. We chose a place on Water Street where we could watch passing sailboats and kayakers. If you wanted to stay overnight or spend the weekend, there are some nice B&Bs, many of which are refurbished Victorian mansions or homes. We thought the architecture of the whole city was truly spectacular. There are many things to do in Port Townsend. If you are a water lover there is plenty of boating, kayaking, and fishing, as well as whale watching to enjoy. Along with the Victorian hotels and quaint B&Bs, lodging options also include camp grounds, waterfront motels and romantic getaways. Port Townsend proclaims itself to be an artist haven and there are many cultural events planned throughout the year. Aside from walking everywhere, there are also a number of ways to get around town. You can rent a bike, take a shuttle bus or splurge

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on a taxi. For a scenic tour of the city, enjoy a slow-paced horsedrawn carriage ride. For a complete listing of information, including lodging, events, activities, restaurants and transportation, visit www.ptguide.com or www.enjoypt.com. There was so much to do and see that we couldnt possibly fit it all into one day. As soon as we returned to Olympia, we vowed to take another trip to Port Townsend in the near future. As for our $100 Hamburger lunch, well we managed to spend a little more than that. The aviation fuel and tax alone came to $77.85. Our lunch, including tax, came to $28.08 for the two of us. The taxi fare from the airport to Port Townsend and back came to $22.00. So we spent a total of $127.95. Lets face it, because prices have gone up over the years, that $100 Hamburger lunch is just getting more expensive. If you live in the Pacific Northwest put Port Townsend on your list of destinations for that $100 Hamburger.PIPERS

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FLYING BY THE SEAT OF THE PANTS Jim Cavanagh

Flying Becoming a Drag?

Eliminate it!

uring these long winter months, I've been filling up my time working on an engine upgrade mod for a friend of mine. The STC calls for a kazillion parts to be fabricated - some simple, some quite complex. On the difficult items, I find myself wondering if it is all worth it. This particular upgrade involves a brand-new, in-the-box Lycoming 200-hp engine and a Hartzell C/S propeller, not to mention all of the aluminum, stainless steel, and welding involved. The man who actually owns the STC spent over $100,000 converting his airplane, but he got a little carried away (A whole nother story!). This project will have cost him nearly half that, besides buying the airplane. So, again I ask you is it worth it? While cutting all this aluminum and applying all the ensuing bandages, I had time to mull over the mod question. Todays aviation industry has created a scenario of doubt and trepidation, which you can see in the number of hours pilots are actually flying these days. While the use of private aircraft should be exploding across the country - with long airline ticket lines, inspections, delays, and rising prices - it has actually fallen off a bit in the non-business sector. Our fuel prices are not only high, but have become a great unknown. You can go on-line and get an idea of what it will cost to fly to different destinations, but the question of how much it will actually cost when youre there, still remains. Also, can you anticipate every stop you might make along the way due to wind, weather, passengers or unforeseen problems? The hassles of flying the airlines are sometimes not worth it. No one likes to wait in line at ticket counters,
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security checkpoints or baggage claim. Taking an airline on shorter trips is just silly. But to create a positive perspective on using our little guys, we have to take a long, hard look at maximizing our efficiency and lowering the costs to a more acceptable level. We need to eliminate the drag factor of flying our own plane. Everybody who knows me knows that I am a pro-mods guy. Ive only owned two airplanes that I didnt modify: a Stinson 108-1 and a Cessna 150. Every other airplane Ive owned, Ive done mods on. Why? First of all, I like doing the work. I enjoy applying an idea to an airplane, mine or someone elses, and seeing the changes on the airspeed indicator. The more complicated the mod, the greater the satisfaction I get out of doing the work. I like bragging to my peers and sharing insights and techniques. I also like knowing that my little American Yankee can outrun airplanes up to Mooneys and the Archer, even though it is woefully inadequate for long trips and carrying stuff. When you have one or two other guys involved in the mod process, its even more fun. And this reflects the mindset of the time when I actively pursued mods. Owners wanted engine upgrades for the speed, no matter the number of mods applied, and they would pick up anywhere from two to twenty mph at cruise (my Yankee picked up nearly 50 mph!). They could justify the cost of the mod by what it would do to the actual performance across the board and this would be reflected in the type of mod the guy needed.

Variables to Consider - Speed vs. STOL

Do you want to go faster or do you
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need to land and take off shorter? The question becomes do you take STOL or speed? While many guys installed the STOL mods, most owners went for speed mods. They chose anything from cuffs to prop upgrades. Or they chose simple piston exchanges for more compression or decided to go with entirely new engines firewall forward (FWF). Every little mod would add another increment to the equation. To really improve speed, you had to either do all the mods, or you had to cube the power to get a certain speed increase. If you wanted five mph you had to add 125 hp. Of course, these upgrades and mods varied from airplane to airplane, depending on what you started with. Heres the problem with mods that we started running into. Every increase in performance costs you something. Hopefully, it is just money and/or time. Unfortunately, sometimes it is much more than that. You really never realize the true performance increase you should be getting, because of the physics involved in doing a particular mod. Jim Bede used to say that if something came loose in flight and the slipstream ripped it off, that means it was causing drag. Think about it. Every 2mph cuff you add also adds a couple of feet to wetted area. If not for the latter you might see a 4-5 mph increase in speed. Every gear clean-up kit that added ten mph, also added a couple of feet of wetted area, plus five-to-fifteen pounds of additional weight. So while you should be increasing your speed by 20 mph, you only get ten. Wetted area and weight demand an extra need for horsepower to lift and move them through the air. To achieve a truly efficient aircraft mod, you have to start with the original drawing of the aircraft and design the airframe for speed and efficiency from the get-go. This is quite difficult to do when current airframe manufacturers continue to modify fifty-year-old designs. On a blank sheet of paper, you try to avoid blunt areas, 90 angles or more acute intersections between struts or other airframe members. You also close up any gaps that will allow the mixing of high and low pressure areas. The
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airplane basically stays the same and you keep the leading edges stiff, and reduce frontal and wetted area. During the forties and on through the nineties this approach wasnt a real consideration for the airframe builders. They kept trying to maximize the performance of their older designs, which resulted in more fairings, more weight and reduced performance. Then they changed engines to accommodate all the mods and started all over again. Since most of us are stuck with the original engine designs, were in the same boat that the manufacturers once were. The good thing is we have a few businesses out there that work on improving our performance as their goal. These mods companies are a huge industry, and have come up with some incredible ideas to improve performance.

Performance Mods Add Value

It is a good idea to consider the value of performance mods in these days of $4 and higher avgas. Back in the days when gas was only a dollar a gallon, putting a huge investment into mods for more speed wasnt very smart, unless 1) you wanted it, or 2) you had a lot of extra money lying around. Today, however, things are different, considering the high price of fuel and other factors. I still wouldnt advise you to go for the high-dollar FWF upgrade. The simple fact is no one is flying enough these days to pay for it unless the airplane is being used as a business expense. On the other hand, aerodynamic mods are available and have become more practical an investment. For example, lets say your airplane flies 120 mph with basic wheel pants in place. If you are flying a Cherokee, you are burning roughly nine gph to achieve and maintain this speed. In an hour you manage 12.6 mpg with only you in the aircraft and no wind involved. If you were to install a gear cleanup kit, you would add about four mph to your speed. Adding exhaust fairings could bump that up another one mph. The addition of flap/aileron gap seals could increase your speed
APRIL 2007

another three mph. Finally, increasing the pitch of the prop to the cruise limit might give you another three mph. After all that, and not even factoring in a total re-rigging of the aircraft for aerodynamic efficiency, you could be looking at an increase of 11 mph. If the new speed is 131 mph, you would get nearly 14.9 mpg, or an increase of 2.3 mpg at cruise. You can now throttle back to a lower fuel consumption rpm until you see the original cruise speed, and your new fuel burn would be closer to 8 mpg. The total cost of these mods at todays prices would be approximately $2,000, compared to a whole new engine installation. The paperwork alone on a new engine installation would probably close to $2,000. Mods do cost you something besides money, though. Re-pitching the prop and adding a bunch of metal and plastic means that you will have a slightlyless Useful Load, longer ground runs and slower climbs. These are not good if you operate out of a short or highaltitude strip, even if less drag were a consideration. For cross-country trips, though, the more flying time you have, the better youll feel. Piper Owner Society offers an STC search if you would like to explore the mods options further. Companies like Sensenich, Knots 2U, AMR&D, Horton and LoPresti Speed Merchants, and others offer innovative cleanup ideas, which range anywhere from small-andcheap to big-and-pricey. Visit www.piperowner.org for more information. Finally, here is a suggestion. As these mods become more prevalent, the cost to purchase and install them is going to rise. I would look into the different products RIGHT NOW! Choose the mods that you, the owner, can have installed efficiently and start there. Make sure whoever installs the mods is careful, clean, and does a tight installation to eliminate any bumps and bubbles. Finally, keep the entire airplane clean and waxed. The racing guys do it for a reason - aerodynamics. So climb fast, fly high and throttle back to get better economy. Most importantly, get your plane fitted with some aerodynamic mods. Its a responsible way to fly.PIPERS
PIPEROWNER.ORG PIPERS 63

aster Dis
Its common knowledge that most pilots need to brush up on their airplanes stall characteristics under different flight conditions. Biennial flight reviews, safety meetings and hangar sessions with flight clubs just dont paint the full picture, especially in respect to the dangers involved in low-level flying. Many of the worst stall/spin accidents occur when pilots are performing low-level flight, because there just isnt time to recover from mistakes. In short, the ground is right there. AOPAs 2003 Nall Report states, Low-level maneuvering was the leading fatal phase of flight this year, as it has been for the past five years, holding steady at about 20 percent. In the vast majority of cases, the accelerated low-altitude stall should not be a surprise. Many stall/spin accidents are the result of poorly executed turns at low altitudes. What causes these accidents? One factor might be that the pilot is over-confident in his ability to execute dangerous low-altitude turns. Another factor may be that pilots simply forget what the stall characteristics of their airplane are. Pilots who constantly practice these maneuvers know what they are up against and what limitations they possess. When low altitude and a poorly coordinated turn are combined, the stalling speed increases significantly. This is different than what happens during a power-off stall, which requires a straight and level approach to landing stalls.

Low Altitudes and Low Speeds Can Spell

By Ray Leis

Acquiring a feel for the controls and a sensitivity to aircraft attitudes are skills that must be developed over time and with practice. In some high-performance aircraft, the feel needs to be generated artificially and is accomplished using mechanically-applied resistance, which is sometimes connected to a stick shaker. That is because some aircraft (mainly commercial airliners) do not exhibit the classic airframe buffet just before they stop flying. A pilot can increase the stalling speed of some types of aircraft in a moderately-banked turn when the aircraft is at gross weight. This can occur either from G-forces or the actual load. The stalling speed could increase as much as 50 percent more than that of a lightly-loaded aircraft of the same design that is flying in straight-and-level flight.

Keys to Avoiding Stall/Spin Accidents

Inadvertent stalls can rapidly develop into a situation that the pilot just cant handle if they arent watching for them. Many stall/spin accidents could be avoided if pilots knew what the airplane is capable of under various flight conditions and what they should do when those situations arise. Statistics show that a majority of accidents which occur as a result of inadvertent stalls do so because of three major factors. First, stalls almost always are a result of uncoordinated low-level turns, which can be avoided by applying more rudder. Second, since many of these turns are executed at airspeeds that are too slow for conditions or during excessively steep banks, maintaining proper airspeed is critical. Third, the airplanes gross weight, or increased G-load (which may or may not be sensed by the pilot) increases the stalling speed that the pilot must be aware of. Recognizing and proactively heading-off an impending stall will go a long way in preventing unexpected inadvertent stalls from occurring. Whether at high angle-of-attack and/or at low speed, every airplane is unique. Consequently, youll find that even among aircraft of the same make and model, the flight characteristics will vary. These characteristics largely depend on a variety of factors, including airframe and engine age, as well as loading, rigging, flap settings and landing gear configurations. Flight conditions, such as density altitude, wind, and weather conditions will also affect how the aircraft will perform during a stall and recovery.
APRIL 2007

Developing Stall Awareness

There was a fatal accident in Sheboygan, Wisconsin [NTSB ID: CH102FA120], in which the pilot of a Cessna 182S failed to maintain control of the airplane during a goaround. A witness saw the airplane drifting to the right during a landing approach. The pilot started a go-around, then entered a 40 to 60 degree bank at no more than 200 feet. He was later observed in a 90-degree bank before the plane descended into the terrain. Pilots who have developed stall awareness are far less vulnerable to an inadvertent stall than pilots who havent. Being aware and having a sense of the early warning signs of stalls requires developing sensitivity to what is happening with the airplane. This means that the pilot also needs to have a clear understanding of stall aerodynamics.
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Knowing the Basics

The normal smooth flow of air over the upper surface of a wing airfoil will break down into a turbulent flow when wings angle of attack produces no additional lift. This usually occurs at about the same angle of attack for most G/A wing airfoils, regardless of airspeed. The angle of attack is approximately 18 degrees for most light aircraft. The stall characteristics of a wing are the result of the shape of its planform and its airfoil. The airfoil has a different amount of lift for a given angle of attack, known as the coefficient of lift (CL). Each angle of attack has a different coefficient which increases as the angle of attack increases. The greatest lifting efficiency of an airfoil is figured at the largest angle of attack where maximum lift is obtained. This is known as CL max. Air can no longer flow smoothly around the airfoil when CL max is exceeded. When CL max is exceeded the lifting capability of the airfoil/planform drops off and a stall results. Usually the root section or the wingtip of most planforms will stall first. A wing planform with an elliptical shape tends to stall over the entire span simultaneously. This is because this planform design has local constant lift coefficients throughout the span. All parts of the wing will reach a stall at the same angle of attack with constant lift distribution. If you are flying a rectangular-shaped wing, despite the fact it is not the most efficient design, it has the best stall characteristics. The high lift coefficients are located at the root, and the low lift coefficients are at the tip of this wing. The rectangular-shaped wing will stall in the root section first, since stalls start in the areas of the highest angles of attack. The good part about this kind of stall is that the pilot gets a definite stall warning through aerodynamic buffeting, which is due to air turbulence bumping up against the horizontal stabilizer and the fuselage. There is also good lateral control, since the ailerons are flying in undisturbed air. Wings designed to stall at the wing roots and tips usually have a tendency to roll abruptly and do so with almost no warning. This sudden loss of control may confuse a pilots response, when he or she must act quickly and aggressively to stop the yawing tendency by applying opposite rudder.

Inattention to the basics can catch up to even the best pilot. An example of this occurred when an ATP-rated pilot, who had 5,447.7 hours total flight time, was fatally injured while maneuvering to land a WWII FM-2 Wildcat (rated at 1,475 horsepower) near Ellington Field, Houston, Texas [NTSB ID: FTW04LA010]. At the end of an air show, the Wildcat was inbound and was directed to follow a B-25 bomber-type aircraft. After several spacing maneuvers, the pilot of the Wildcat was directed by the controller to break right. A witness reported that the airplane then executed a steep climbing turn to the left then nosed down and impacted the ground. The NTSB found that the pilots failure to maintain airspeed had resulted in an inadvertent stall/spin.

Identifying Stall Recovery Techniques

There are three steps for accepted stall recovery actions. Since an excessive angle of attack is one of the basic causes of most stalls, the first recovery step is to release the back elevator pressure. The pilot can do this by moving the elevator control forward and thereby lowering the nose. The design of the airplane, coupled with the severity of the stall and the planes proximity to the ground usually determines how much elevator control pressure or movement is needed. The object of releasing the elevator pressure is to reduce the angle of attack, but only enough to allow the wing to regain lift. The next step in stall recovery is to increase the airplanes speed with maximum allowable power, which should also help reduce the wings angle of attack. The throttle should be advanced smoothly yet promptly, in order to gain altitude while increasing power. As soon as airspeed is regained and the plane has recovered from the stall, power will need to be reduced to prevent excessive airspeed. The coordinated use of controls to regain straight and level flight is a by the numbers stall entry and recovery process that flight instructors and their students practice all the time. These recoveries build confidence and piloting skills, but are not the whole story where stalls are concerned. There are also a variety of accidental stalls which dont get practiced enough by instructors and students. One example is when a student or flight-review pilot turns an ordinary stall into something unpredictable and potentially fatal. An accidental stall is initiated and in a wild effort to immediately recover, the pilot pulls back hard on the elevator control. He or she hasnt paid attention to the slip ball position or the nose attitude, so with crossed controls and a high angle of attack, various unexpected and unusual attitudes result. The way to resolve this problem is to release back pressure and neutralize the controls. For proper spin recovery see the details provided in your planes individual POH. Another example is the power-on stall entry, which provides surprises for many pilots. This happens when the airplane stalls as a result of a disregard for the engines Pfactor (left-turning yaw) and because little or no right rudder is applied. To make matters worse, the pilot then tries to hold the left wing up by applying the right aileron, which puts the plane into a giant skid at a critical moment - the
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Be Familiar with Stall Characteristics

A stall recovery can be a relatively simple maneuver, as long as the pilot has had good flight training. However, even the most skilled pilots need to be familiar with all of the stall characteristics of the particular airplane that they are flying. As pilots practice intentional stalls, the true objective is not to learn how to stall the aircraft. What the pilot really needs to do is learn how to recognize an approaching stall and to promptly take action to correct the situation. Every type and model of airplane has differences in wing design. Therefore, it is reasonable to assume that they also have differences in stall characteristics and spin characteristics as well. One thing a pilot can count on is that once the critical angle of attack is exceeded, regardless of the airfoil shape, drag is increased and the center of pressure moves to the rear of the airfoil. Since stall characteristics vary based on the wing design, it is up to the pilot to stay current on all aspects of stall awareness and recovery tactics.
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moment that the stall occurs. Rudder, rudder, rudder! As a rule of thumb, the best advice for pilots is not to enter stalls with the stick or yoke out of the neutral-roll position. It isnt difficult to detect when you are correcting with the aileron and not the right rudder, especially if the stick or yoke is out of the neutral roll position. Finally, the turning stall is another example of an accidental stall that pilots need to be aware of and practice. In this case, these stalls usually occur during takeoffs or during the turn to final approach for landing. Becoming familiar with these stalls involves maintaining a coordinated turn while pulling into the stall. If the slip ball is centered and flight is coordinated, power-on turning stalls almost always break into an opposite direction turn. If during the turning power-on stall the plane is on its way to turning in the opposite direction as it rolls to wingslevel, the stall wont present any major recovery problems. However, what catches the less-proficient pilot by surprise is the stall that breaks towards the wing, which is already low. This stall is especially deadly at low altitudes, because there isnt any room for recovery. A spin can be avoided if the yaw (directional) control is maintained through the timely use of coordinated rudder. Even if the pilot uses effective aileron control throughout the stall, the rudder must be used for primary stall recovery. Rudder use will counteract any tendency of the airplane to slip or yaw. Even in airplanes that have aileron control throughout a stall, it is still advisable to break the stall by applying forward elevator to decrease the pitch attitude and advance the throttle to increase airspeed. After recovery, maintain directional control through the coordinated use of rudder and aileron. Is there a set formula for stall/spin recovery? Yes, and here are also some good guidelines to identifying these situations. 1) Spins that result from cross-controlling an aircraft, usually lead to a rotation in the direction of the rudder being applied, regardless of which wing tip is being raised. 2) In a skidding turn, where both rudder
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and aileron are applied in the same direction, the spin rotation will be in the direction the controls are applied. 3) In a slipping turn, where opposite aileron is held against the rudder, the resultant spin will usually occur in the direction opposite the aileron that is being applied. How much does the stall speed increase in a turn? The textbook answer is: The stall speed increases as the square root of the load factor (the factor by which the lift must increase in a level, coordinated turn) compared to the lift required for straight and level flight. Lets say that the straight-and-level stall speed for a specific aircraft is 60 knots. In a 60-degree banked level turn the stall speed will be 60 times the square root of two, or 85 knots. A bank of 75 degrees will produce a load factor of 3.86 and the stall speed will be 120 knots. An 80 degree bank with this same aircraft will produce a stall at 144 knots and so on. The point of all these examples is that an aircraft wing flying at a low speed can only handle a relatively small angle of bank before the plane stalls.

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Different Structures, Different Stalls

For each and every type of airplane wing design out there, there is a different set of stall characteristics and a different method of stall/spin recovery. If a pilot plans to fly a variety of aircraft types, this information is vital and must be studied for each type of airplane. To recap the basic facts, once the critical angle of attack is exceeded (regardless of the shape of the airfoil), lift is reduced, drag is increased, and the center of pressure moves aft along the airfoil when the wing stalls. The stalling characteristics and recovery techniques will vary depending on the design of the wing. Pilots should practice flying at minimum controllable airspeeds and also need to be aware of how the airplane will react when the wing is near the stall speed. We should all spend some quality flight time in the airplane we normally fly and remember how much power is needed to produce specific speeds in different flap configurations. We should also get a feel for control
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effectiveness at slow speeds and note the effects of trim tabs. If you are not confident in your ability to recover from a spin/stall situation, an experienced flight instructor can work with you to bring your skills current with your particular airplane.

Know Your Planes Limitations

[NTSB ID: FTW98FA340] A pilot owned and operated a 65-hp J-3 Piper Cub. He flew so he could observe his farms from the air and look for deer in the area. On the date of the accident, the J-3 was observed flying the same pattern he usually flew several times a week. He normally maintained an altitude between 100 to 500 feet AGL and kept his total flight time close to an hour. The pilots logbooks showed he had a total of 710 hours, 429.7 hours of which were in his J3 Cub. Sometimes a simple aircraft, in this case the J-3 Cub, can lull a pilot into believing there is no limit to the planes ability to fly at low speeds. Unfortunately, this mistaken belief can have nasty consequences and cause a low-altitude stall/spin from which there is no room for a safe recovery. In this case, examination of the accident site showed that the J-3 Cub impacted the ground at a near vertical attitude. The NTSB found the probable cause to have been: The pilots failure to maintain aircraft control. To recognize the characteristics and become proficient in spin/stall recovery, it is a great idea to take a basic aerobatics course with a qualified instructor.PIPERS

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Ray Leis is ATP certified for single- and multi-engine land aircraft. He is also a CFII for single- and multi-engine and commercial glider aircraft. He has about 6,500 Air Force hours and 9,500 general aviation single- and multi-engine aircraft hours. He was formerly an FAA-designated pilot examiner for nine years, a chief pilot in a Part 141 flight school and a Part 135 check airman.

APRIL 2007

Photo by Randy Augustinak

A Cub in the Army?

By Jim Cavanagh

ts an early gray dawn - chilly and still. German infantry are hunkered down amid the tangled, nearly-impenetrable hedge rows of French farm fields only a few hundred yards from Normandy Beach. While drinking tepid coffee and munching stale bread, they hear a low skittering noise and look up to see a dot on the horizon. Ach du liber! Run! Run! Der Cubben! Der Cubben! Okay, maybe not. I dont think the German army was intimidated at all by the little Green Piper Cub that the Army Air Corps drafted and renamed the L-4. Blazing along at a mere 75 mph, it wasnt designed to strike fear into the hearts of the enemy. On the other hand, the L4, one of four different liaison aircraft which included the Taylorcraft, Stinson and Aeronca, was designed to reconnoiter, operate out of short, unimproved airstrips, and be a delivery vehicle for people and information.
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When William T. Piper purchased the assets of the Taylorcraft Aircraft Company for $761, little did he know that a few years later a major conflict would reap him untold rewards, when the Army would decide the air was the place to be. In 1941, the Cub joined other similar airplanes in war games at Camp Forest, Tennessee. The purpose of the games was to study each planes viability as support aircraft. There were a lot of political shenanigans at work within the Army, especially between the Army Air Corps and the Army Ground Forces. While one faction supported using aircraft, the other backed the more-traditional use of ground forces and artillery. Once the decision makers experienced the sheer utility and flexibility that an air army could provide, they finally came to an agreement. They decided that low-performance aircraft could be drafted into the AGF, as long as they kept a foot soldier-type persona. This was in direct contrast to the AAC, who wanted to put
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all of their resources into heavier aircraft, like transports and fighters. During this inter-army spat, Maj. Gen. Innis P. Swift dubbed the little airplanes Grasshoppers and the moniker stuck. Shortly thereafter, people started calling any liaison aircraft a Grasshopper. At first, the J-3 Cub was given the designation of O-59 and was used for observation. Later the designation changed to the L-4. The Navy version was known as the NE-1. Olive-drab paint must have been expensive in those days, since a civilian Cub was selling for around $700 and the military version tipped the scales at $4,000/unit. Between 1941 and 1947 a total of 19,073 units were built, 5,606 of which were designated as Ls. By the end of the war, Piper was turning out a Cub every twenty minutes. About 2,650 of these were PA-18 Super Cubs, called either the L-18 or the L-21, depending on horsepower. The advantage of the airplane, besides the price relative to larger aircraft, was that it could take off and land while fully-loaded on an airstrip as short as 420 feet. It weighed 1,200 lbs fully-loaded and 680 lbs empty. With such a small gas tank it only had a range of 192 miles, but was usually based just a few miles from enemy lines so it wouldnt have to travel far. Its huge 35' wingspan and 65 hp Continental O-170 engine allowed the plane to slowly orbit and direct ground fire far more accurately than aerial bombing. The downside of the slow speed was that it became a prime target for enemy sharpshooters. German infantrymen were encouraged to take them down because of the little airplanes effectiveness in directing cannon fire. They were offered a fifteen-day leave if they shot down a Grasshopper, but soon learned that taking pot shots was an invitation for a literal barrage of cannon fire. Our artillery guys were very protective of their little green buddies. The airplane was assigned to perform these observation and sighting duties, as well as others including picking up and hauling wounded, delivering messages, and picking up and delivering mail. As you might

guess, in a conflict where the term American Ingenuity came into being, these planes were outfitted for more specific tasks. In Alaska and the Aleutians, these airplanes were fitted with Edo floats and Federal skis. The military also attempted to build mini aircraft carriers by putting 197' long by 16.5' wide plywood runways on landing ship tanks (LST). Later, as more and more soldiers were delivered to an area and requiring a greater number

As you might expect, if an army cook could become a war hero during the bombing of Pearl Harbor, the L-4 could also aspire to heroism.
of LSTs, the Navy came up with an ingenious concept similar to the Akron and Macon Dirigible Carriers. A trapeze and hook, known as a Brodie Rig, was mounted on an LST or a Liberty ship. Using a long cable, these airplanes were able to hook on or take off while the ships were under way. The system was developed for an Allied assault on Japan that never happened. As you might expect, if an army cook could become a war hero during the bombing of Pearl Harbor, the L-4 could also aspire to heroism. One reported incident involved an L4 that was being attacked by a Messerschmitt BF 109 and, while flying at low-and-slow speeds, was able to outmaneuver the enemy airplane, causing it to crash into the ground. In another instance, Lt. Duane Francis was flying an L-4 and engaged a Fieseler Fi 156 Storch (stork), the German counterpart to the L-4, while both crews shot at each other with firearms. During the final dogfight in Europe of WWII,
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Francis and his co-pilot used their Colt 45s to force the aircraft to land and were then able to capture the German crew. Although this sounds like a Hogans Heroes plot, it is a true story and one that is pretty amazing. Several of the L-4s were armed with more than pistol-packing crews. The same American philosophy that eventually led to the Super Trucks also brought us Cubs with bazookas strapped to the struts. The pilot would pull a lanyard to fire the rockets, which actually had a lot of success. (While researching this piece, I came across a guy in GA who had recently purchased two WWII bazookas and was looking for mounting instructions!) When not on the battlefield, or at least over it, the L-4 was used for training pilots back at home. Records show that the L-4 was the initial training platform for 435, 165 American pilots, both in the armed forces and in the Civilian Pilot Training Program. These same people are responsible for the boom in aviation that followed the war and carried over into the 50s. Since the Army always wanted more speed and power during the war, Piper began delivering military versions of the Super Cub. The L-18 with a 90-hp engine and the L-21 with either a 125 or a 135-hp engine were Pipers answer. Besides more horsepower, these planes included larger fuel tanks, the addition of an electrical system and flaps. More importantly, they offered considerably more performance, while remaining the same size as their L-4 counterparts. The L21 grossed 1,590 lbs, could cruise at 123 mph, and had a 770 mile range. They were eventually used by sixteen air forces around the world. Although the L-4 was used for a while during the Korean conflict, by that time helicopters were taking over their jobs. Helicopters were much more expensive to purchase and operate, but the huge machines could land with no space and carry more than one person besides the pilot. The L-4s were slowly mustered out of the service and many were sold to civilians or donated to museums.
PIPEROWNER.ORG

Since they really werent intimidating as a war machine, this made their transition to civilian life quite easy. An interesting side note to this story is that a number of L-4s were still on active-duty in Indonesia during the early part of this millennium. Now, that makes them old warhorses! There are other Pipers that have served in the armed forces over the years. Senecas and Cheyennes are being used in Costa Rica as surveillance aircraft, even though Costa Rica doesnt officially have an air force. In 1970, Piper bought the rights to a direct-descendent of the North American P-51 Mustang, one of Americas best-known war heroes. The airplane was called the Cavalier F-51D. Piper was trying to earn a contract under the Pace Coin program for developing trainers and fitted the airplane with a Lycoming T55-L-9 turboprop engine of 2,455 shp. After Piper renamed it the Enforcer, the airplane first flew on April 19, 1971. The Enforcer was a neat-looking airplane and fairly intoxicated the crowds when it was displayed at Oshkosh one year. While the numbers during the demonstration were impressive, no contract was awarded. In 1989, Congress commissioned two more prototypes that Piper designated the P-48. These were given civilian registration and never saw military service. In 1981, a Piper Dakota PA-28-236 was used as the platform to build the Empresa Nacional de Aeronautica T-35 Pillian, by the Chilean Air Force. With a 300-hp Lycoming, the two seat tandem aircraft could fly 190 mph and had a range of 750 nm. 145 were built, and are used by Chile, Panama, Paraguay and Spain, where it is called the E-26. Since WWII, Piper hasnt gone to war much, unless you consider the aviation industry as a battle zone. Nevertheless, throughout its history the company has been there when specific versions of an airplane were needed. The next time you see an olive-drab, long-winged, cylindersout Piper Warbird at an air show, walk up and give it a salute. Its a true hero of the skies and as American as apple pie.PIPERS
PIPERS 71

CHECKLIST New Products, Parts & Services

Dictionary of Aeronautical Terms New Fourth Edition

Now more than 10,000 terms and definitions!
Newcastle, WAAviation is an industry full of terms, acronyms and technical language. The Dictionary of Aeronautical Terms helps users understand all the terms, phrases, and disciplines of aviation, and is especially helpful for newcomers to the industry, or those who speak English as a second language. The most complete collection of aviation terminology available, this

Fourth Edition by industry expert Dale Crane explains as well as defines more than 10,000 terms and includes nearly 500 illustrations to further define and aid visual recognition. All specific to the aviation industry, the terms have been gathered from the regulations, the Pilot/Controller Glossary from the AIM, and glossaries from government handbooks and manuals. Terms not defined in government publications are also included. This complete, handy dictionary belongs in every aviation library. 6" x 9", 747 pages. Suggested Title Product Code List Price: Dictionary of Aeronautical Terms ASA-DAT-4 $19.95 ISBN 978-1-56027-610-4

TravelScoot
The TravelScoot is for pilots with walking problems that prevent them from flying into places where ground transportation is not available. Until now, electric mobility scooters were far too heavy and bulky to fit into small airplanes. Hardy Huber, builder of one of the first Wheeler Express composite four-seaters, has changed that. Compact stores in 2.5 cubic feet of space. Can be comfortably loaded into small planes through the luggage door. Quick and easy opens or folds in minutes, without using tools. Lightweight weighs 49 lbs. including the battery, 29 lbs without the battery. Quality made to rigorous specifications, and comes with a sixmonth warranty. Made of aircraft-grade aluminum, it is virtually the only scooter which can comfortably be loaded into small planes through the luggage door. For More Information: TravelScoot 2633 Lantana Rd. #19 Building 207 Landana, FL 33462 (800) 342-2214 (561) 963-1189 www.travelscoot.com See them at Sun N Fun in building A - Booth 19.

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APRIL 2007

Advertisers Index All Advertisers linked to our Web site: www.piperowner.org

A M R & D, Inc. ..............................www.pipermods.com ................21 A.E.R.O. ............................................www.aeroinstock.com ..............55 Accelerated Flight & Instrument Training.....www.afit-info.com ..59 Aero Technologies, LLC. ................www.pcu5000.com ..................48 Aero-Trim ........................................aerotrim@juno.com ................30 Aerox Aviation Oxygen Systems ....www.aerox.com........................30 Air Capitol Dial, Inc.........................www.aircapitoldial.com ..........55 Air-Parts of Lock Haven ................www.airpartsoflockhaven.com ..28 Air Scan, Inc. ......................................................................................25 Aircraft Lighting & Components ..www.tracyobrien.com ..............25 Aircraft Security & Alert Systems ....www.aircraftsecurityalert.com....07 Aircraft Spruce & Specialty Co. ....www.aircraft-spruce.com ........17 Airguide Publications, Inc...............www.flightguide.com ..............07 Airplane Things................................www.airplanethings.com ........71 Airsport Avionics ............................www.airsport-corp.com ..........25 Airtex Products ................................www.airtexinteriors.com..........22 Alpha Aviation Inc. ..........................www.alpha-aviation.com ........25 Amsafe Aviation ..............................www.amsafe.com ....................59 Avemco Insurance Company ..........www.avemco.com ....................63 Aviaton Fabricators ........................www.avfab.com ........................25 Aviation Products Systems, Inc. ....www.avprobrakes.com ............60 Avion Research Corporation ..........www.avion.com ........................60 B.A.S. Inc. ........................................www.basinc-aeromod.com ......18 Bruces Custom Covers ..................www.aircraftcovers.com ..........14 Clarity Aloft......................................www.clarityaloft.com ..............15 Delta Aircraft Finance Corp. ..........www.deltaaircraftco.com ........70 DMAC Buildings ..............................www.dmacbuilding.com ..........25 Eagle Fuel Cells-Etc, Inc. ................www.eaglefuelcells.com ..........71 Electronics International ................www.buy-ei.com ......................61 Executive Flight Training................www.safepilot.com ..................48 Floats & Fuel Cells ..........................www.ffcfuelcells.com ..............13 General Aviation Modification ......www.gami.com ........................29 Gibson Aviation................................gibsonaviation@msn.com ........68 Globe Fiberglass Ltd Inc. ................www.globefiberglass.com ........51 Great Lakes Aero Products, Inc. ....www.glapinc.com ....................11
PIPEROWNER.ORG

Ground Tech, Inc. ............................www.planecover.com ..............68 Hartwig Acft Fuel Cell Repair........www.hartwig-fuelcells.com......66 Hartzell Propeller, Inc. ....................www.hartzellprop.com ............21 Jacobs Instrument Service ................................................................27 Kelly Aerospace................................www.kellyaerospace.com ........10 Kennon Aircraft Covers ..................www.kennoncovers.com ..........68 Knots 2U Ltd ....................................www.knots2u.com ....................63 Kosola & Associates ........................www.kosola.com ......................24 M-20 Oil Separators, LLC ..............www.m-20turbos.com ..............20 Met-Co-Aire......................................www.metcoaire.com ................27 Micro Aerodynamics........................www.microaero.com ................72 Mountain High Oxygen Systems ....www.mhoxygen.com ................29 Parts Base..........................................www.partsbase.com ................20 Phillips 66 Lubricants......................www.phillips66aviationoil.com ..02 Plane Power Ltd. ................................www.plane-power.com ..............62 Precise Flight ....................................www.preciseflight.com ............66 Pressure Tech & Avionics, Inc. ......www.pressureavionics.com......27 Professional Insurance Management......www.pimi.com ................76 Professional Pilots Inc. ....................www.propilotsinc.com ............09 R & M Steel Company ....................www.aviationbuildingsystem.com ..67 RMD Aircraft Lighting, Inc. ..........www.rmdaircraft.com ..............30 Rocky Mountain Propellers, Inc.....www.rockyprop.com ................24 SAF-AIR ..........................................www.saf-air.com ......................48 Schweiss Bi-Fold Doors ..................www.bifold.com ......................17 Sensenich Propeller Co. ..................www.sensenich.com ................28 Sky-Tec Partners..............................www.skytecair.com ..................62 Sportys Pilot Shop ..........................www.sportys.com ....................27 Sun-n-Fun ........................................www.sun-n-fun.org ..................03 Survival Products, Inc. ....................www.survivalproductsinc.com....48 TCM - Gill Battery Products ..........www.gillbatteries.com ............67 Teledyne Continental Motors ........www.tcmlink.com ....................75 Vantage Plane Plastics, Ltd.............www.planeplastics.com............05 Warren Gregoire & Assoc...............www.warrengregoire.com ......27 Wentworth Aircraft Inc...................wentacpart@aol.com ..............12
PIPERS 73

MOST MEMORABLE FLIGHT FIRST SOLO FLIGHT

Better Late Than Never

By Larry Beckwith lying is in my blood, or so the old saying goes. My father, who was a radio operator during WWII, earned his pilots license in 1944 and was associated with the Air Scouts. Unfortunately for me, it wasnt until shortly after my 57th birthday and at the urging of a friend, that I was able to pursue my own dream of learning to fly. Sufficient funds, available time and family obligations all finally came together to allow me the opportunity to put my dream first. So, one day I set out for Ohio State University Airport for an introductory flight with Steve Marcum, a CFI I had contacted only a few days earlier. After the ride, I was acutely aware of one thing I waited far too long to pursue this dream of mine. I just plain loved flying, and it was time to make up for lost time. As I drove home, I thought of my father and knew he would be proud of my decision to learn to fly. When I arrived home, my wife and I searched for a photo of my father and Amelia Earhart that I remembered seeing years ago. Dad had a number of interesting photos from those days, but the one I was looking for had him seated in the cockpit with Amelia at his side. As I opened the storage box, first I noticed a worn, leather-bound pilot logbook sitting there on top. Wed had this book since his passing at the age of 87 in 1998, but I never realized its significance until that particular moment. I paged through the logbook, studying the entries in his distinctive handwriting. They started in 1943 and went through 1947. It was then I noticed he had only logged one flight after I was born in 1947. I wondered why, until I thought about why I, too, had waited so long. Prior to my next lesson I showed the old logbook to my CFI. I noted that my father had 93 separate entries for the plane in which he took lessons, soloed, took his practical and earned his pilot certificate. I wondered if it was remotely possible that this aircraft could still be around. With the help of my CFI and the FAA, we learned the airplane was only about 100 miles away, at Butler County Ohio Regional Airport (KHAO), and was still flying. I made copies of my fathers logbook, mailed them off to the current owner and followed up with a telephone call. Sure enough, the family who founded what is now KHAO did indeed own the aircraft. Owner Tom Hogan, who is also a CFI, invited me for a flight in the plane so I could have my own logbook entry. I was emotional just thinking
74 PIPERS

Larry Beckwith (left) thanks Tom Hogan (right) for the opportunity to fly the 1939 Aeronca Chief that Larrys father once flew.

about how I would get to fly the very same airplane that my father had earned his wings in more than 60 years earlier. It is difficult to put into words how thrilled I was. The 100-mile drive to Hamilton, Ohio took forever, but eventually I was standing next to the red 1939 Aeronca Chief with a 65-hp engine. After some ground instruction, Tom hand-propped her, and we slowly made our way out to the runway. This was a cherished moment for me, and I was very appreciative of the Hogan family for making this unforgettable moment possible. Just two-and-a-half years and 300 hours later, I have my own plane. I have a private pilot certificate, a seaplane rating, an instrument rating, and a commercial rating, and am working on CFI/CFII ratings. The same thought still runs through my mind today as it did the day I took my introductory ride I waited too long. Fortunately, I am now encouraging my sons not to make the same mistake that I did.PIPERS

Do you have a most memorable flight or first solo flight you want to tell us about?

Call us and well write your story for you!

Or ... if you want to write the story, you can (about 500 words sent via e-mail, mailed as typed pages, or even written longhand). An accompanying photo would also be great. When the story of your first solo flight or your most memorable flight is published, we will extend your membership by one year and send you five free copies of the issue in which your story appears. Send your stories to the editor of PIPERS magazine, P.O. Box 5000, Iola, WI 54945 or by e-mail to editor@piperowner.org.
APRIL 2007

s h olboy o scd oPiper Cub a 6 , tw n 196dilapidate ted it onoss I ta t cr d ilo bough 300 aninpg flighg a rom f for $d-break avigatin fornia r ica n recomer Cali sey tto radio. A er New J ithou a w

Wheels up.

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