forward email from bill weigered
forward email from bill weigered
Hey fellow PRA 20 members:
I just recieved this email from Bill a couple of days ago and wanted to pass it on to to the chapter forum:
PILOT TRAINING: NOW SCHEDULED FOR OCTOBER across the FIRST 2 WEEKENDS, and DURING the WEEK, at MARKSVILLE AIRPORT. Manuel has lined up the CFI, and will provide him with accommodations. >>> Much appreciation to Manuel for developing the contacts and providing the accommodations to encourage the CFI to make the scene here.
CFI is to be LARRY BANKS, from Tennessee. We now need to COMPILE a very good LISTING OF HOURS BY EVERYONE WHO IS INTERESTED AND PLANNING TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE EXTRAORDINARILY CONVENIENT OPPORTUNITY. For example, Manuel Mayeux = ___hrs, Mark Carmouche = ___, Scott Bordelon = ___. Jace Gray = ___, Miles Mason = ___, Glen Duhon = ___, Bob Simmons = ___, John Churchman = ___, Elton Johnson = ___, Ed Burks = ___, Hube Cavalier = ___, Bill Wieger = ___, Seghers ? = ___, Chris Taylor = ___, _____________.
Cost for the training will be about $125/hr. We have to double check the figure, and the amount of hours could have a lot to do with the actual rate. Training would be in the RAF-Sparrow Hawk type side-by-side machine.
Bordelon and Gray and Mayeux have indicated some hours. NEED TO HEAR FROM EVERYONE ELSE, so that we can properly advise Banks about what to plan for. Of course, the hours-per-person need to be on the order of a commitment, because we are dealing with a major piece of a person’s time to come here. Obviously, we will try to have the training satisfy everyone’s schedules, as best we can, and obviously everyone cannot get full hours on just the weekends.
The ATTACHMENT is roughed out (compiled in airports) to clearly put the categories in proper perspective, and with enough detail to make sense. Quite a few of us have taken the sport pilot course and the test; all of which is necessary before the flight training with a CFI will be validated by his sign-off. We have learned, DO NOT GO for a 3rd class Medical, unless you are firmly intending to continue promptly with regular fixed wing pilot training. DO USE the ROUTE of getting the SPORT PILOT STUDENT PILOT CERTIFICATE per use of the driver’s license.
Good news from Manuel – He went to Tennessee and acquired 10 hours of training from Banks last week. Manuel is completely satisfied and felt the training by Banks was first class. This is notable, because Manuel had tried training with others, and found Banks to be the best. He did cross country, and did takeoffs and landings.
Regarding flite training, Banks will provide training whether or not a person has taken the course and passed the sport pilot test, but as stated above, he will not sign-off the person as having completed the required training. Thus the person is not eligible to take the proficiency test with a Designated Examiner. On the good side, a person can get the required flite training with the convenience of Banks being here, and then take the sport pilot course and test afterward; and then get a sign-off from Banks.
Any questions, etc are welcome, of course.
FLINGWING QUARTERLY EVENT IS NOW SCHEDULED for the weekend of OCTOBER 6TH, AT MARKSVILLE, in conjunction with the beginning of the training.
A newsletter will go out in advance, but it is sufficient to know about the event planning so that everyone who can make it, can begin to plan accordingly.
GENERALLY:
Arkansas is planning to hold a flingwing at Magnolia in late Sept ?? We’ll get more particular info soon for those who could be interested. Of course, our main interest has been on trying to establish the training opportunity, which has been a moving target.
EXPERIMENTAL LIGHT SPORT AIRCRAFT: Transitioning into this category is available until January 31, 2008, and to be able to have assurance that your purchased aircraft can be registered within the time frame remaining, the paper work must be in the FAA’s hands by November 1st. After January 31, the only way to register an aircraft will be via AMATURE-BUILT Light Sport Aircraft, and in the event of a sale of “amature-built,” the purchaser could not acquire a repairman’s certificate to maintain the machine.
Rudy has gained the agreement of the FAA office in Baton Rouge to perform inspections at no cost. You’ll need to make contact with them and set up a time, and take it somewhere for an inspection in that area. If we could learn of 2-3-4 machines which could be mustered up at some location, we probably could arrange for an inspector to travel to a location. NEED TO KNOW WHAT MEMBERS NEED in order to be of any help.
Looking back into all the various new regulations for the aircraft and the pilot, they slowly come into focus, but there has been a major muddle of understanding throughout this process. And from questions at Mentone, a certain amount of muddle still exists. Personally, I think it could have been presented much easier with a few good diagrams / schematics.
MENTONE: Wieger decided to go on rather short notice – flew into Indianapolis and drove north to Mentone. It was the best national in the past 3-4 years, according to those who knew. All went very smoothly, no mishaps. About a total of 70 aircraft including a few helicopters. Weather was very good, with temperatures into the 90’s as the hottest and 60’s at night.
Jump-takeoffs: 3 machines are now capable of doing this, and all three were there. This is something to behold. There is absolutely no movement until the jump, no mini-roll or anything. The machines jump quite a few feet and then go forward. Dick DeGraw was the first to perfect the technology and technique with his gyrhino which has 3 rotor blades. This year he was on hand with the technology (3 rotor blades) installed on a 2-place Dominator, which of course worked just right. Carter Aviation had their Carter Copter there as a one-place.
I noticed the Carter especially because it performs with the standard 2-blade rotor, although it is a very specialized configuration with a lot of weight in the outer few feet. I noticed in particular that it went straight up before flying forward, whereas the others might have had somewhat of a bit of diagonally forward jump. The carter jumped straight up about 200 feet, and I have a couple pictures which happen to show the same reference points on the ground and in the air, to verify the vertical ascent.
There was a relatively new one called Xenon, which is a distinctly different streamlined appearance for a side-by-side with a cabin width of 50 inches.. It is manufactured in Poland, and the US dealer is Rob ______ who flew the Sparrow Hawk into our Gonzales event a couple years ago. The Xenon is very impressive if you like complete enclosures.
Another new one from New Zealand was there, appearing much like the RAF and Sparrow.
Competition was limited to an egg drop, simply because for some reason, there were not enough pilots to enter the other categories. Eggs were dropped toward the target frying pan. Eggs were used, because Mentone is the “Egg Capital of the Midwest,” so that was much more appropriate than bags of flour.
At the banquet there were the normal awards, and a very different, amusing door prize dispersal. All in all, it was a very good event, and very successful in the minds of the regulars and the Board.
Please respond quickly about training. We need to establish reasonably firm plans. Respond to me or Rudy.
Bill Wieger
Well guys see you at Marksville, working on the bee and a new carrier for the Bee and My PPC, Photo's to follow when completed.
Fly safe,
Glenn