AOPA Pilot Blog: Reporting Points

Someone should have said something. General Aviation News reports on a pilot flying a Piper Cherokee who landed on a runway in Platinum, Alaska, that had been closed for two years. The pilot said he activated the runway lights but didn’t see them when he landed. His passenger said she saw the lighted runway as they flew over and wondered why he was landing on the closed runway, but didn’t ask.

An expensive rescue.  Jacalyn Toth Brown, who survived a 2008 aircraft accident in Eagleswood Township, N.J., was awarded a $125,000 settlement by the state, reports NJ.com. Brown said state police forced her to wait hours for medical care when they didn’t start a search-and-rescue mission for her immediately after the accident was reported.

One heck of a landing, part one!  A 21-year-old student pilot made the landing of a lifetime after one of the wheels fell off his Piper Cherokee right after he took off at Australia’s Mangalore Airport, reports the Herald Sun.  He flew solo for five hours to burn off fuel, then was talked down by his flight instructor.  Check out the YouTube video here.

One heck of a landing, part two!  A pilot made what was called a “perfect” landing in the middle of traffic on Interstate 40 in Memphis, Tenn., reports WREG-TV.  Pilot Trevor Prather said his Cessna 172 experienced engine trouble, so he let ATC know about his emergency and landed his 172 between an 18-wheeler and a car.

That’s one way to avoid an aircraft repossession!  Argentina President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner has decided to charter a private jet on her next official trip in order to keep the official presidential aircraft from being impounded by “vulture funds,” reports the Buenos Aires Herald.

He’s exactly where he belongs.  Michael R. Fischer found himself sitting in a Palm Beach, Fla. jail after he was arrested for shining a laser in the cockpit of a county Sheriff’s Office helicopter and an AirTran Boeing 717, reports the Palm Beach Post.  After being caught by police, Fischer claimed he was only fooling around with the laser. Right…

Airplanes – the ultimate crime stopper.  David Zehntner saw an interesting sight as he was flying his own plane over LaBelle, N.C. — a thief was attempting to steal a trailer parked at his home, reports TBO.com. Zehntner followed the thief, who had attached the trailer to his truck, and called police from the air. The thief was caught and charged with grand theft.

Driving and sleeping don’t mix.  Three small aircraft in a Valdosta Regional Airport hangar were damaged after a sleepy driver drove through the facility’s fence, reports the Valdosta Daily Times.  The driver bumped his head and lost a tooth in the incident.

Flight training is a relative bargain in the United States.  The Niger government is facing some heat after disclosing that its the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology spent US$5.1 million to train 10 pilots, reports AllAfrica.com.

What a waste.  Two Afghan women trained as helicopter pilots in the United States have been grounded since October, as that country’s military continues to “review” their applications to fly, reports the Los Angeles Times.  The hold on their flying is blamed on a resurgence of the Taliban in Afghanistan, which denies women the right to any education.

Was the photo really worth all that?  Photographers in Germany assigned to cover the final landing of a Transall C-160 twin turboprop nearly had it become their final assignment, reports AvWeb. The photographers, placed 100 feet short of the runway, were nearly hit by the aircraft’s wings as it bounced on a raised roadway.

That’s Hollywood for you! “Modern Family” star Jesse Tyler Ferguson appeared to have been in a real rush to leave the Caribbean island of St. Bart after reports say he tried to take a jet being used by fashion designer Ramy Brook Sharp, reports FOXNews.com.  The star was trying to leave the island before its sundown deadline on flights.

Amazing helicopter rescue story number one.  A California Highway Patrol helicopter crew is being crediting with saving the life of a 58-year-old man after his truck drifted into a creek that was swollen after heavy rains, reports the Napa Valley Register.  Swimmers had tried to rescue the man, to no avail.

Amazing helicopter rescue story number two.  The Royal Canadian Air Force’s 442 Transport & Rescue Squadron  managed to extract a snowboarder who was stranded in a steep ravine between Horseshoe Bay and Lions Bay in British Columbia, reports Canada.com. The squadron was able to make the rescue despite poor visibility caused by snow and wind.

I’m glad Alyssa is my flight instructor.  Ravindra Pal Sing, the former director of a flight school in New Zealand, was found guilty of assault of two of his students by a local court, reports AvWeb. Sing was accused of slapping one student and pushing his head into the side of the cockpit. The other student accused him of elbowing her and raising his hand in a “threatening” manner.

Nice trick, but it still won’t help the New York Giants get into the playoffs.  .  The FAA has investigated and debunked a YouTube video purportedly showing star receiver Victor Cruz catching a football that appeared to be thrown from an airplane, reports AvWeb.

A beach landing.  A pilot was able to walk away after making an emergency landing on a beach in New Jersey’s Bay Head, reports NBC Philadelphia.

Nice, but I’d rather have the real thing.  Top Gear’s James May, who is a pilot, was recently featured in Radio Times demonstrating how to make the ultimate paper airplane.  He said his creation was a cross between a Vulcan bomber and a Fairey Delta.

Don’t steal. Mexican police officers at the scene of an aircraft accident where singer Jenni Rivera died are being accused of stealing personal items from the site, reports the Los Angeles Times.

If only it could still fly too. Jeff Bloch, a police officer and race car driver, is working on an unusual project–he is merging a 1956 Cessna 310 with a 1987 Toyota Van Wagon–all on a $500 budget, reports Flying magazine. In the planned design, the car will keep 20 inches of wing on each side of the “car” to serve as front fenders.

Size does matter. A Bell 412 helicopter helped UAE celebrate United Arab Emirates National Day by towing the world’s largest banner–a 4,600-square-meter UAE flag–along the coast, reports Aviation International News.  The flag could be seen from 20 km away.

Bears as test pilots? Who knew?  The IO9 blog reports that during the Cold War, the U.S. Air Force used bears as test pilots in the B-58 Hustler, which was the world’s first supersonic jet bomber. Live bears were sedated, strapped into the plane’s capsules and ejected at different speeds and altitudes. No bears were killed during testing.

We’ll end the week with a post from Flying magazine that includes video of passenger aircraft trying to take off and land at Spain’s Bilbao Airport in gusty crosswinds. Enjoy!!

This week, I take a look items I want from the AOPA Online Store, done in partnership with Sporty’s.

1. AOPA Knife ($27.95) — I was chatting with some of my co-workers and they just raved not only about the knife, but how popular it is with the membership. So now I want one too!
2. AOPA holiday ornament ($12.95) — I helped do some decorating at the AOPA headquarters, and got to hang this lovely ornament.  I’m one of those folks who likes to buy ornaments from the companies I work for, and I’ll be proud to hang this on my tree.
3. AOPA sweatshirt ($19.95) — you can never have too many of these, so why not an AOPA one?
4. AOPA flight bag ($24.95) — I’m still on the hunt for a bag, and this might just be the ticket for me.  It will hold all my stuff and you can’t beat the price point!
5. AOPA Zulu time watch ($49.95) — I love an old-school watch, with hands and the date. I would definitely put this one in my watch rotation.
6. AOPA Pilot t shirt ($14.95) — I’m on the staff and I have nothing with AOPA Pilot on it. This t shirt could be the remedy!
7. AOPA flashlight ($19.95) — I may have to consider this as an alternative to my beloved Maglite flashlight!
8. Ramp pass insert for AOPA wallet ($9.95) — right now, I keep my FAA student pilot certificate in the AOPA tote bag that serves as my flight bag. I think I need to give it a better home with this item.

So that’s why my car had an extra kick!  Officials in New Jersey have confirmed that vendor Pasmel Property delivered aviation fuel instead of gasoline to six gas stations in four counties, reports the Asbury Park Press.  The fuel, designated as super unleaded (93 octane), is 104.7 octane and will not damage cars engines, officials noted.

A piece of the past in present times.  The Naval Aviation Museum Foundation paid to have a World War II  FM-2 “Wildcat” Fighter aircraft brought up out of Lake Michigan, reports NBC Chicago.  The fighter, which crashed in 1944, was part of a fleet used to train fighter pilots.

New Zealand clips glider wings.  A new rule passed by the Civil Aviation Authority of New Zealand is forcing the Tauranga Gliding Club to stop offering trial flights after 55 years of operating them, reports the Bay of Plenty Times.  Under the new rule, the club will only be able to offer flights to those with a “genuine interest” in pursuing gliding.

 They really taught the the kids a lesson.  Students at England’s Sunny Bank Primary school in the village of Bury discovered an amazing site — the remains of a UFO that appeared to have crashed on their playing field, reports the Bury Times.  Students saw burn marks, holes and a green slime in the area, which was taped off while government officials investigated. it turns out the whole thing was a hoax created to teach the children recall and observation skills.

I don’t know about you, but I’m in full shopping mode for the holidays. I’ve been buying for my family and others in my life. My husband asked me what I wanted for Christmas, and I had to stop short, because I honestly hadn’t thought about it.

But after doing some thinking, I remembered that I’m a student pilot and there are still many things I need to buy to keep up. So I decided to take a spin through the Aircraft Spruce and create my wish list in no particular order. Enjoy!

1. Student pilot flight bag ($59.95 to $62.75) — right now, I’m carrying my stuff in an AOPA tote bag I got when I was hired.  I like this bag because it comes in red (my favorite color) and can hold all of my stuff, including my headphones, batteries, kneeboard and charts.
2. Sureflight pro checklists for Cessna ($10.95 to $14.50) — I currently use a many-times-Xeroxed copy of the checklist I’m using for my training in the Cessna Skyhawk SP. It would be nice to have this tough, laminated checklist.
3. Bose A20 headset with dual GA plugs and bluetooth ($1095.00) — when I started my lessons, I used an old pair of headsets from the AOPA Pilot prize box.  But I knew I wanted Bose after meeting a rep at Sun ‘N Fun and testing them out.  A former co-worker sold me his older Bose headsets, but I want to upgrade to this puppy.
4. iPad undermount stowaway ($169.95) — I love my iPad 2 and am learning about all the great apps for pilots (check out my latest weekly app review column here). I want to take my iPad with me in the cockpit, but space is tight in the Skyhawk, so I’d love this tool that lets me have access when I need it.
5. Red Canoe Cessna jacket ($87.50 to $89.99) — I saw someone wearing this jacket at Oshkosh, and I’ve wanted one ever since.
6. Noral seat cushion with back ($69.75 to $89.95) — I’m short, and I appreciate that the Skyhawk I fly in has rudder pedal extenders.  Right now, I’m using an outdoor furniture cushion to make up for my short stature, and this seat would be ideal for me to have.
7. Maglite XL50 LED flashlight, red ($27.85) — Every flight bag needs a good flashlight, and I’m a big fan of Maglite, which my sister the cop recommends highly.
8. Leatherman Juice C2 tool, red ($45.95) — One morning, my flight instructor had some trouble getting the cap off the oil tank, so she whipped out a version of this tool to help. I’ve wanted one ever since.
9. I’d rather be flying license plate frame ($9.95) — I just got my personalized, aviation-themed license plate, and this frame would help further explain my love of flying.
10. Aircraft Spruce gift card ($100.00) — We’ll end with this, because with a $100 gift card, I could choose an assortment of items!  And AOPA members can get discounts on gift cards — $5.00 off a $25 card; $10 off a $50 card; and $20 off a $100 card.

But it looked so real!  WGN-TV news anchors Larry Potash and Robin Baumgarten were just doing their job when they went live and began reporting on what appeared to be an aircraft accident in Chicago, reports the Herald Sun.  The problem was, the accident was fake, having been staged for the NBC television series “Chicago Fire.”

Rocky Mountain Low.  Pilot Carl Steven Gruber’s excuse that he flew 55 pounds of pot into Boulder Municipal Airport to provide medical marijuana didn’t fly with Judge Thomas Mulvahill.  Gruber was sentenced to two years probation and a $10,000 fine, reports the Daily Camera.

Those were expensive airplane rides!  Among the gifts Inland Waters CEO Tony Soave gave former disgraced Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick was private jet flights totaling nearly $400,000, reports WXYZ-TV.  Soave, who also gave Fitzpatrick and his family an all-expenses-paid trip to Naples, Fla., says he did it because he didn’t want to lose the city’s business.

From private to commercial.  Juan Manuel Marquez, who will fight Manny Pacquiao on Saturday in Las Vegas, arrive six hour later than expected.  Why?  The private jet he was using had to make a U-Turn after the pilot discovered a problem with the tire right before taking off, reports Yahoo Sports. The pilot determined the aircraft would not be able to fly, so Marquez ended up catching a commercial airline flight.

We’ll end the week with this blog post from Huffington Post: The Emily Post Guide to Flying Private. Enjoy!

 Everyone loves a successful ditching!  All 29 passengers on an Embraer Brasilia turboprop were OK after the crew of charter operator Inter-Iles Air was forced to ditch the aircraft off the coast of Mozambique after a reported fuel leak, reports AvWeb.   The passengers and crew were rescued by fishermen in the area.

Why wasn’t he flying private in the first place?  Pittsburgh-based rapper Wiz Khalifa and his entourage were forced to charter a private jet to make it on time for a show in West Virginia, reports AllHipHop.com. The rapper was among 50 passengers on a US Airways Express jet departing from LaGuardia Airport that experienced a landing gear malfunction.

Get your birds straight.  A Philadelphia area animal rights group had a drone it was using to secretly film pigeon shoots at the Wing Point hunting grounds shot down, reports NBC10. The group claims a hunter shot down the camera, which sustained $4,000 in damage.

Case closed! Back on Oct. 19, I posted an item on an age discrimination lawsuit filed by a former pilot against Abercrombie & Fitch CEO Michael Jeffries, which included an embarrassing set of rules for those flying on the company’s Gulfstream G550.  The Columbus Dispatch reports that the sides reached a settlement right after the judge in the case ordered Jeffries to undergo a second deposition. No further details were released.

Pelicans hitch airplane ride home.  A set of pelicans that were blown from their home in Florida up to Rhode Island during Hurricane Sandy will not have to fly back, reports the Boston Globe.  After a stint at the Wildlife Rehabilitators Association of Rhode Island, local residents raised enough money to fly the birds back to Daytona Beach, Fla., on a private aircraft.

I am among the millions who bought a PowerBall lottery ticket as the jackpot hit $500 million.  On my drive into Frederick this morning, I daydreamed about all the aviation-related things I would do with the money.  My list included: an Embraer Phenom 300; an effort with AOPA to boost the number of minority pilots;  and major donations to the Delta Heritage Museum and Tomorrow’s Aeronautical Museum.

So I decided to put the same question to AOPA members via our Facebook page and Twitter account.  Below are some of my favorites. Enjoy!

FACEBOOK

• Saving that money after seeing how this economy is going! lol. BUT were just dreaming so Id say C190, C180, C320, Cessna Mustang, King Air 300, Stearman PT 17. hehehehe TO START WITH!
• Cessna 182. Simple as that.
•  I suppose I’d have some cool jet in which to travel afar, but after I get that Mustang I’ve wanted since I was 6, I’d be hankerin’ for (relatively) slow, radial engined aircraft like a Beaver, C195, Twin Beech or Staggerwing.
• I’m going with a Skyraider AD-5 (I think)….the big one…..to carry the family and dog…..a nice helo, and a Mustang of course. Then I’m going to donate money to a certain individual to get a B-17 done and I want naming rights and to fly it!!!
•  I would have to add that I would love to make donations to the Wounded Warrior Project, Honor Flight, National Naval Aviation Museum, AOPA Air Safety, T.I.G.H.A.R., Sun ‘N Fun, The Commemorative Air Force, The 99′s, to W.A.S.P. Museums, and make scholarships available to those who have the desire and dedication, but who are struggling to afford being able to solve their dream.
• BBJ for business jet, PC-12 for daily driver, Extra 300 for fun, Husky for more fun, and then take $20 MIL of it and fund my Welcome Sky Aviation Scholarship program to issue full-ride flight training grants to the best and brightest 16-21 year olds I could find.
• An AOPA LIFE Membership for me and 100 people and a shiny brand new Cessna 182 JT A.
• Im gonna finish getting my PPL, Then get every other pilot certification. Then I’m buying a Corvalis TTX, a Cirrus SR-22GTS, and a Citation Ten. I’ll of course buy a few Bose headsets for me and my Pax. I’d use the remaining money for fuel, maintenance, etc.
• An HA-420, and a Quest Kodiak, The former Mary Talbot airstrip in Vinalhaven, Maine, a few bose headsets, attend aviation mechanic school, get ratings for those planes, and maybe buy all the abandoned salvagable airstrips around Maine.

TWITTER

• P-51, J-3, Corvalis TTx, Citation Mustang. In that order.
•  I think I will keep is lower key with a Cessna Mustang.
• TBM 850, Carbon Cub…pay off debt…Build churches all over the world and keep working
• Me? #Mooney factory, Kerrville TX.
• With my $500 million #Powerballwinnings I’ll first buy a @Terrafugia then work with @google (and @IBM) to make it self-flying
• Five T-6Bs or Super Tucanos. And start an airshow team.
• I would get a Cessna 210 and completely re-do it nose to tail. Oh, also, one of those little jets like the Cirrus or Piper.