New Pilot Achieving Big Dreams
Andrew Allison spent his early years watching airplanes come and go at the Atlanta airport. At age 7 his family moved out to the country, but still under the flight path for Hartsfield. The simple farm life left time for a boy to dream about technology and watch jets fly over his head. In the mid 1980's he started at Auburn University as a Professional Flight major. Somewhere along the line he switched into Aviation Management and graduated, but did not finish his Private pilot certificate.

The love of flying stayed with Andrew over the years and when he found the right piece of property out in the country he bought it. Then he bought the house across from it. Then he bought a Piper Aztec and a Pelican (experimental, single-engine, two-seater). Then he bought a pre-owned control tower (and hauled it back on a big truck). Then he bought a pre-owned rotating beacon and tower. Finally he bought a set of pre-owned lights. Andrew is now set to have the best decked out grass strip in the Southeast.

There was only one more thing he needed to do: get a license to fly his airplanes. Although he'd gone to three flight schools, he had not completed the training requirements to take the check ride. He'd only accumulated over 100 hours and a bunch of bad experiences. His professional pilot friends told him to come to American Flyers if he wanted accelerated training and a syllabus. When school director, Clint White, told him he'd be done in two to three weeks, Andrew was unbelieving. When he was done in two to three weeks, he was astonished and very glad he came. "Don't let feeling overwhelmed defeat your goal," said Andrew. "No matter what obstacles come before you, don't let it stand in the way of your dream."

Andrew wants to compliment Clint, Shane and Melissa for the awesome job they did and all the encouragement they offered. "They kept me engaged. They weren't pushy, but they didn't let me get sidetracked. Shane went above and beyond what any instructor would be expected to do. On the day of my check ride, I left the lights on in my truck. He stayed with me until we got it going again. And that was after he bought me lunch!"

Aviation Memory Aids
If you google "aviation memory aids" you'll get about 950,000 results. We've made it easy for you and picked out a few tried and true memory aids that will help you keep the knowledge you need close at hand. After all, if they were good enough to get many of us through the oral exam, then they are good enough to use whenever we head out to the airport.

This arrow can point you in the right direction… of an easy preflight… ARROWE. Airworthiness Certificate, Registration, Radio License, Operating Limitations, Weight & Balance, Equipment List.

Does "TV Make Dull Company?" Well, if you're trying to determine magnetic and true courses you shouldn't be watching television, but… True plus or minus Variation equals Magnetic, plus or minus Deviation equals Compass.

Is there an easy way to remember the components and sequence of a clearance? Could be… "CLEAR" … Clearance Limit, Enroute, Altitude, Remarks. (Is this a coincidence?)

Tomatoes and flames might make for a good marinara sauce…, but it's an even better recipe for the VFR pilot. "TOMATO FLAMES" lists the required VFR Equipment: Tachometer, Oil Pressure Gauge, Manifold Pressure Gauge, Altimeter, Temperature Gauge for each Liquid Cooled Engine, Oil Temperature Gauge, Fuel Gauge, Landing Gear Position Indicator, Airspeed Indicator, Magnetic Direction Indicator (Compass), ELT, Seatbelts.

You may not need "FLAPS" to take off during the day… but you better not forget them at night. "FLAPS" are the requirements for Night VFR. Fuses, Landing Light, Anticollision Lights, Position Lights, Source of Electricity.

Great name for a movie, but even better to remind us of prelanding requirements… "GUMPS". Gas, Undercarriage, Mixture, Propeller, Seatbelt belts & harnesses.

Did You Know…
The Boston University Bridge (on Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts) is the only place in the world where a boat can sail under a train driving under a car driving under an airplane.

Source: http://www.kellys.com/know.html

Where and What to Look For During a Winter Preflight
By Rick Freidinger Director of Maintenance

If you have ever taken a Private Pilot written exam, you probably already know the fundamentals of icing. However, being able to pick out the correct answers from a multiple choice list and knowing what to look for during preflight are two very different things. You already know to watch for frozen contaminates (frost, ice, snow and slush) on the wings and control surfaces which will reduce performance by increasing drag and reducing lift which alter the flight characteristics of your aircraft. This means longer takeoff roll, possible failure to rotate and become airborne, loss of climb performance, decrease stall angle, etc.

A few other areas to check for frozen contaminates during preflight in the winter are:

Engine inlets and air filters, frozen contaminates here can restrict airflow and cause a power loss or engine failure during takeoff.

Frozen contaminates on pitot or static ports will cause erroneous indications in your airspeed, altimeter and vertical speed and could also effect operation of your auto pilot.

Your landing gear is another critical place to watch for frozen contaminates. Frozen slush or packed snow on your brake calipers and discs can lead to no braking action or brakes that are frozen restricting the rotation of the tire. Also watch for these same contaminates on landing gear actuators, torque links, up & down locks, etc. A build up on any of these components could cause a failure of your gear to retract or extend.

While "frost" is pretty on the pumpkin, "ice" is good for skating, "snow" is nice when skiing and "slush" can make for a good drink – none of these are good on or near your aircraft.

Ask the Pilot Professor
By Dr. Michael Bliss

Q: When I first learned how to land the airplane I quickly made a lot of improvement, but now I'm stuck. I think my first landings were better than they are now. There's no consistency – it seems like each one has a different problem. I don't think I'm ever going to solo…

A: The problem with learning how to land an airplane is there are so many variables that students have difficulty applying what they learn on one landing to the next because it seems like a totally new experience. That, coupled with the fact that there isn't a lot of time to think about what you need to do, because things are changing so fast, adds to the difficulty.

It would be next to impossible to try to fix someone's landing problems without personally working with them. Even to review what needs to be done to properly execute consistently good landings would require many pages. The best advice I can give in the space I have is this: If you have not improved after a reasonable amount of practice, I recommend that you work with a different instructor for a lesson or two.

There are two reasons I recommend this. Different instructors have different levels of experience. If your current instructor is relatively new, he may well be a very good instructor and he will eventually figure out what you need to do to improve. However, someone who has "seen it all" many times will realize more quickly how to fix your problem.

The other reason I recommend working with a different instructor for a few lessons is that instructors say things differently. It happens quite often that a new instructor can say the same thing your current instructor has been saying, but in a slightly different way, and the light bulb will come on. It doesn't make him a better instructor, just different.

I would like to think that your current instructor would be glad to help you arrange to work with a new instructor for a lesson or two if his primary goal is to see you advance.

Finally, I want to tell you to hang in there and don't be discouraged. Don't compare your progress with anyone else. The one thing I know after working with many, many students, is that it will soon all come together and you will even wonder why it seemed so difficult.

Calendar
Ground Schools & Events

Congratulations Atul Khurana & John Verhalen on Completing Your Private Written Class

Congratulations Greg Mock on Completing Your Instrument Written Class

How About You?

If you are about to tackle your Private or Instrument written there isn’t a better, more enjoyable and guaranteed class available. Plus the class includes two free hours of simulator!

If you haven’t heard yet, there’s a gathering of Atlanta area pilots once a month in our hangar. Free food, hangar flying and informative seminar. You and your friends are invited. No cost or obligation to attend.

• Next Scheduled BBQ’s
• Saturday, December 6th
• Saturday, January 3rd
• Saturday, February 3rd

“Bring a Friend”

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