The Newsletter of your Cessna Pilot’s Society                      Volume IV issue 1.0, February 2016

Welcome back to “NOTAMS”.  This periodic newsletter is sent to Members of the Cessna Pilots Society to keep everyone informed of Society News, Gatherings, and interesting threads under discussion on our forums. 

Whether we’re addressing a maintenance challenge, encouraging those seeking an enhanced rating, or planning that next big trip, the camaraderie and enthusiasm for flight that come from a participation on the forums adds to your enjoyment of aviation. We welcome you to join in. Registered members need just click on the links.

CPS Newsletter: February 2016

Destinations:

The annual CPS Gathering is a highlight of the summer flying season. Don’t miss out. The Mardens have secured lodging for our June Gathering. You must make your own reservation. Hotel thread is here::

2016 June GTG, Freeport, Maine

Op-Ed:

“To Enter the Hold or Not”….. (that was the question). We recently enjoyed a substantive conversation on how to interpret a certain Approach Plate. Lots of ideas, and by the time the discussion was well considered, it turns out that the Approach Plate itself was proven to be in the wrong. Compliments to Howard Greenberg for bringing this to everyone’s attention. The FAA issued a NOTAM on the error immediately and the change will be reflected in the next issue of procedures. An excellent example of why it is important to keep asking questions.

Entering the Hold

From the Forums:

Some fun and interesting conversations worth checking out…

Maintenance:
Tunnel Troubles!
Rust Never Sleeps
How Lean is Too Lean?
Light Me Up! - Cree - Stylus Pro StreamLight - More LED Tales
Alternator - Rebuild or Replace?

Avionics:
ADS-B Solutions: One Member's Path...

Pilot Technique:
Angle of Attach and the Impossible Turn
Explaining Constant Speed Props
Folding Bikes
Cessna Manuals

General Topics:
Quota Driven Agenda for ATC?
The Ultimate Liability Concern / The End of a Great Airplane
PBOR II- The ALPA Opposition
 

Member Profile: author - Brent Watson:

One of my first memories was seeing my house from the air. I was four years old and my father arranged a flight for me in a red airplane. That is about the sum of what I remember, except that it was a tail dragger. But I know that during that flight I was infected with a very serious blood disease. The only way to keep that disease in check has been for me to take my body above 10,000 feet MSL on at least a biweekly basis. If I ignore this remedy, I become unruly, defiant of authority, and generally grumpy. Perhaps that is the reason I was so unruly and discontent as a teen, and during the times when this remedy was not available to me.

During high school I was fortunate enough to have enlisted in the Civil Air Patrol. It was through this organization that I received a flight scholarship through first solo. I can't say that I was immediately an addict, because as I mentioned above, that had already happened. My family was not financially blessed, so I struggled for the next three years, buying time and instruction until in 1966, at the age of 19 I received my Private Pilot Certificate.

I continued keeping my blood disease in check until I had logged 157 hours. By this time I had married, we had four of our six children, and finances again eliminated my ability to salve my disease. Before I took my hiatus I flew my oldest son, Spence, on his fourth birthday. I remember him standing in front of the seat as we taxied, holding onto the yoke and thinking he was actually steering the plane. He was securely buckled in before runup, and as we took to the air, he also became infected with my same disease.

Having my son infected with the same disease I suffer from actually played to my favor. When he received his PPL, my financial well-being turned favorable. In 1995 I purchased my first, and only aircraft – a 1966 Cessna 182. The next year, after finding metal flakes in the oil, I flew her to Wellington, Kansas where she received the 300 horsepower Air Plains conversion, a new coat of paint, and a new interior. She now sports flames down the side, a souped up engine, and baby moon hubcaps on big tires. Of course, I didn't realize what I had done until the work was finished.

Plane Jane, Spence and I have had a great time over the last 20 years. Spence flew her to build time initially. We have both flown in the Utah and Idaho back country, and she continues to provide liniment to our ailing circulatory systems.

I retired in 2014, and my wife, Claudia, and I submitted our papers to serve an LDS mission. We were called to serve in the Cordoba, Argentina LDS Temple, where we live now through April 2017. Finding someone to care for Plane Jane was simple. Of course Spence volunteered for her care and keeping. Claudia and I flew her to Manassas, VA, during the last part of March of this year. I handed over the keys, logbooks, spare parts, touchup paint and everything else to Spence.

I have seen photos of N300BW and heard tales of her adventures since then. She is being well taken care of. Unfortunately, during this year's annual there was some major damage discovered in the tunnel area. We believe this damage to be the result of severe nose wheel shimmy. There have been a couple of recent instances of this shimmy, and the damage seems to be consistent with this malady. For now, she is in North Carolina undergoing some major surgery to replace some bent and torn pieces. We expect her to be fully recovered sometime around the middle of December.

Many thanks to Greg Wright for help in getting the avionics stack updated (N300BW now has a GNS430W and an HSI), arranging a very thorough annual, and helping select a repair shop along with many ferry flights to check on her status.

---Brent Watson

Wrap-Up:

Facebook: Don’t forget that CPS is also on Facebook! Stop by and remember to hit the 'like' button: CPS Facebook Presence

CPS Shirts and Logo-Wear: are available on-line direct buy from our vendor. Enjoy good quality team-wear and be the envy of everyone on the ramp in your snappy duds. Find your size HERE!

Reminder:  While cold weather and spritely winds may challenge those breakfast gatherings and impromptu get-togethers, our Membership is still flying. We’re honing up the skill-set, and training for that next rating. When Spring arrives, we’ll be sharp, current, and confident. Winter need not mean the airplane goes unused, just use good sense, dress warm, and enjoy the beauty of flight.

Special thanks to those that take the time to share experience and counsel on our forums. Your generosity of self sets the CPS standard.

That ties things up for this issue of CPS NOTAMS. See you on the forums.

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‘NOTAMS’ is the newsletter of the Cessna Pilots Society.  “CPS” is an all-volunteer group of aviation enthusiasts who maintain a forum for the unofficial exchange of ideas relating to technical, operational, and functional issues relating specifically to Cessna aircraft.  We provide a venue whereby the members may also choose to discuss destinations, and other subjects that touch on the aviation lifestyle.  No political discussions are permitted. The daily workings of CPS are overseen by a Board of Directors that also moderate the forum if needed. We also welcome members that fly other brands who wish to participate for the friendship, and unique access to a diverse set of good minds.   Dedicated owners, operators, AMT’s and all aviation enthusiasts are welcome at CPS.

The Cessna Pilots Society is not affiliated or endorsed by Cessna/Textron Corporation or its subsidiaries. All Cessna model designations and models are the property/trademark of Cessna/Textron.

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