Periodical. Customer Spotlight Cody Fleck. Vol. 20 Issue 3 August 2017

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Periodical Vol. 20 Issue 3 August 2017 Customer Spotlight Cody Fleck Our Customer Spotlight this issue features Cody Fleck, local business owner and pilot.

However if you ask local business owner and pilot Cody Fleck, you may not expect his answer: Nursing.

Cody and his wife Jamie, a Registered Nurse, founded DTN ten years ago.

Busy with DTN and his other business ventures, Cody had been interested in aviation for a long time but never had the opportunity to pursue it. In one day, that all changed.

Shortly after they arrived, the meeting was cancelled and the Flecks had to drive all the way back to Mandan.

1 Periodical Vol. 20 Issue 3 August 2017 Customer Spotlight Cody Fleck Our Customer Spotlight this issue features Cody Fleck, local business owner and pilot. If you ask a pilot to use a phrase to describe how they were introduced to aviation, some common choices might be: My father. Aerial crop sprayers. From a friend. However if you ask local business owner and pilot Cody Fleck, you may not expect his answer: Nursing. Mandan native Cody Fleck is involved in a variety of local businesses, but the majority of his time is spent with his family s company Dakota Travel Nurse (DTN). Cody and his wife Jamie, a Registered Nurse, founded DTN ten years ago. Since then it has come to provide staffing to more than 90 health care facilities in the tri-state area and has over 700 employees. Busy with DTN and his other business ventures, Cody had been interested in aviation for a long time but never had the opportunity to pursue it. In one day, that all changed. A few years into operating DTN, Cody and Jamie woke early one morning to drive all the way to the Grafton, ND area for a business meeting. Shortly after they arrived, the meeting was cancelled and the Flecks had to drive all the way back to Mandan. On the way home, thinking of all the hours they wasted driving, Jamie turned to Cody and said, Do you still want to learn how to fly? The next day I set up my first flight lesson, and two days later I started flying, said Cody. He wasted no time immersing himself in the aviation world. After six or seven flights with CFIs Jeff Horan and Terry Sletto he bought his own aircraft, a Cessna R182. Within one calendar year of beginning flight instruction, Cody had his 100 hours, instrument rating, and upgraded to a Piper Saratoga 2TC. Cody likes to say that time is of the essence, and he proved that by his thorough but rapid training. Being able to fly has been a great benefit for DTN, as Cody utilizes it primarily for meetings and checking on rental properties they have in North Dakota, South Dakota, and Montana. These rental homes are available so nurses have somewhere to stay on extended work trips. In the past year, Cody upgraded from his Piper Saratoga to a Piper Mirage. At this point, Cody said, the Mirage is the perfect aircraft for what I do. Dakota Travel Nurse is growing at a very fast rate so Cody stays busy flying. Sometimes I m flying five days a week, he said. If I didn t fly, I d never be home. I try to be home every night so I can make it to my kids soccer and hockey games. In addition to flying for work, there have been wonderful family benefits. Cody and Jamie have three children ages 13, 12 and 7, and all of them play hockey yearround in addition to other seasonal sports. Air travel is a fantastic opportunity for the kids to be able to attend games, tournaments, and camps all across the state. Cody has also utilized air travel for a variety of excursions, whether it s snowmobiling and skiing trips in the winter or cruising above his favorite hunting grounds during the off-season, scouting for that buck of a lifetime. Soon he hopes to add Alaska to the list of places he s adventured to as a pilot. For those who are waiting and hoping to get into aviation, just as Cody once was, he has three recommendations. First and foremost, take it seriously. Flying is not a trivial thing. Second, make sure you set aside time to get the proper training. Maybe you want to try an accelerated schedule like Cody did, flying every other day three to six hours a week. And third, don t stop at your private license but get your instrument rating for added safety. In a state where the weather is always changing, an instrument rating is very handy. As Cody said, If I didn t have my instrument rating, I d be grounded most of the time. Cody s advice, based off of his own experience, goes to show that if you re determined and passionate about aviation you can go far very fast! Attention all readers: The Periodical is in maintenance for an overhaul, be on the lookout for our design reveal next issue! Cody with his new 2005 Piper Mirage.

2 Quarterly Recap Lots of fun was had at the annual Poker Run at MAC- $1,529 was donated to the Scottish Rite Speech Therapy Center! Our Cirrus Open House this spring was a success! Check out the great static display we had in our hangar. Left: This Twin Otter is owned by the National Ecological Observatory Network. With special equipment onboard, this aircraft is a flying ecological laboratory! Left: We had a great turnout at the annual Mandan Fly-In. Lots of laughter and pancakes could be found all morning! Above: BAC was the host facility for the first Bis-Man Power of 100 event. Over 100 women came and raised over $9,000 for a local charity. Left: Scranton Elementary visited BAC to learn about aviation from our CFI s.

This spring he also passed his check ride and is a certified private pilot. Donny spent this summer at the Mandan Aero Center as a maintenance technician intern.

3 Summer Interns Donald (Donny) Goven School: Northland Community & Technical College Background: Donny grew up in Turtle Lake, ND. He graduated this spring from Turtle Lake High School where he was the FFA Chapter President for the past year. Recently, he took fourth in state for the Agriculture Mechanics Competition. This spring he also passed his check ride and is a certified private pilot. Donny spent this summer at the Mandan Aero Center as a maintenance technician intern. Experience at MAC: It has been awesome so far. It s really fun to get some experience in aircraft maintenance before I start college this fall. I ve gotten to work on a variety of projects in the shop, and I ve even gotten to go along on maintenance trips in different parts of the state. When you re working with the guys here who have so much experience, you really learn a lot. Future Aspirations: I want to come back to Mandan Aero Center as a maintenance technician. It s close to home and my family has been coming here for maintenance for years. I ll be starting at Northland Community & Technical College this fall, so in a couple years I ll hopefully be back here as a mechanic. Cooper Leininger School: Century High School Background: Cooper was raised in Williston, ND and moved to Bismarck when he was 13 years old. His dad s side of the family lives in Williston and his grandpa, a pilot, introduced him to flying when he was a little kid. Cooper would go flying with his grandpa and he fell in love with aviation at a very young age. He is currently working on his private pilot s license at BAC. This summer he has been working at BAC as a flightline technician intern and will continue on through the upcoming school year. Experience at BAC: I haven t been here long but I really like it so far. I m excited to tell people I work here. Everyone s been very welcoming and helpful if I ever have questions. I ve learned a lot in the short time I ve been here and look forward to learning more. Future Aspirations: I m going into my senior year at Century High School, but after my plan is to go to UND and get a bachelor s degree in UAS Operations. After college, I hope to become a professional pilot for at least the first few years. Maintenance Corner Avco Lycoming Engine Corporation has an ongoing Service Bulletin (SB-388C) that addresses an inspection of the exhaust valve guide to valve stem clearance. They recommend your technician does this inspection every 400 hours of operation. This applies to all Lycoming engines. It is important to note that this is only a recommendation and not a requirement by the FAA. One symptom of a tight clearance is referred to as morning sickness whereas the engine runs rough upon the first start for a couple minutes, and then begins to run better. Do not ignore this condition. The intake push rod housing gets displaced with a bent push rod, causing an oil leak and terrible running condition and it would appear that it was the intake valve causing the problem. In reality, it is a delay of the airflow thru the cylinder due to the stuck exhaust valve, and the large surface of an intake valve will not allow that valve to open causing this damage. This Service Bulletin takes approximately 4-6 hours labor, but also will tell the aircraft owner/operator if the valve clearance is too much, which is a condition that could make the valve fail. In my opinion, this issue is the weakest area of an aircraft engine.this issue was really bad many years ago when Phillips and Mobil 1 oil were causing carbon buildup in aircraft. Today, those types of oil blends are not supplied anymore. Phillips oil 20W50 is now a great choice, while Mobil 1 has been taken off the market. - Mike Aarestad, Director of Maintenance, MAC

Aviation Career Day Reaches New Heights This year marked the 14th anniversary of the Aviation Career Day hosted by the North Dakota Business Aviation Association (NDBAA).

Over 850 students were in attendance from 16 different elementary schools including Bismarck, Mandan, New Salem, and Medina. Even with the increase in students, the event has not missed a beat.

It is really rewarding to see all the smiling students come through and think that we are fostering the next generation of aviators!

5 Aviation Career Day Reaches New Heights This year marked the 14th anniversary of the Aviation Career Day hosted by the North Dakota Business Aviation Association (NDBAA). As the event has become one of the most anticipated events for 5th grade students in the area, it has now reached new record numbers for attendance. Over 850 students were in attendance from 16 different elementary schools including Bismarck, Mandan, New Salem, and Medina. Even with the increase in students, the event has not missed a beat. Presenters are sharing their passion with all these kids and giving them a great taste of what aviation is like, said NDBAA Secretary and event presenter Jon Simmers. It is really rewarding to see all the smiling students come through and think that we are fostering the next generation of aviators! The Aviation Career Day serves as a unique educational opportunity to local and surrounding area 5th graders to get up Product Spotlight Garmin GDL 82 ADB-S close with the different careers in aviation. Professionals from 18 different aviation careers came together at the Bismarck Airport to present about their jobs and share the important role they play in our communities. Students were also exposed to numerous aircraft including 172 Skyhawks, KingAir medical air ambulances, a National Guard Blackhawk, and much more. Are you an aircraft owner looking for an economical and easy solution to satisfy the upcoming Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) requirements? Check out the brand new Garmin GDL 82 ADS-B datalink. Released in July, this system is the latest in an ever-growing lineup of certified Garmin ADS-B solutions. Broadcasting on the 978 MHz frequency, the GDL 82 provides a rule-compliant ADS-B Out solution for aircraft operating below 18,000 feet in the United States. Quick and easy to install, the GDL 82 uses a patent-pending design which allows the unit to be installed in-line with the aircraft s existing transponder antenna wiring to transmit the necessary ADS-B Out information. The WAAS GPS receiver required for the ADS-B compliance is builtin, and a GPS antenna is included as an additional cost-saving for aircraft owners who do not have an existing WAAS GPS on board their aircraft. AutoSquawk interrogation technology is an additional feature of the GDL 82. This technology interfaces with most Mode C general aviation transponders, with the GDL 82 synchronizing the squawk code and pressure altitude information from the transponder. With this there is no need to install a separate UAT control panel and altitude encoder, thus simplifying installation and ease of use. For pilots who already utlize an ADS-B In receiver, such as the GDL 52, GDL 39/GDL 39 3D, and the Stratus line of portable solutions, there are many complimentary benefits by using the GDL 82. By utilizing the ADS-B Out features, pilots also have a more comprehensive ADS-B In traffic picture. Altogether, the GDL 82 is an easy and economical tool for improving safety and situational awareness for pilots. To get more information on the GDL 82 and all its uses, contact Kris Hexom at or krish@bismarckaero.com.

6 Events to look forward to August 19th National Aviation Day September 10th Bismarck Fly-In & Drive-In, Pancake Breakfast, BAC bldg. 53 October 28th October 10th-12th Zoo Boo at the Dakota Zoo NBAA Conference - Las Vegas Trivia Fire bans have been almost constant in North Dakota this summer with the dry weather. When a wildfire does strike, aerial firefighting can help control the spread of the fire more quickly than traditional methods. What was the first aircraft to be modified and dedicated to aerial firefighting in the 1960 s? Submit your answer before August 25th for a chance to win a $25 gift card! Contact Nicolette Derosier at nicoletted@bismarckaero.com or Last newsletter s correct answer was B. The first Cirrus Airframe Parachute System (CAPS) save happened in October 2002 in Lewisville, Texas. The aileron unhinged due to a maintenance error, the airplane became difficult to control, and the pilot deployed the parachute. Congratulations to Cody Fleck for being this quarterly s lucky winner! a) North American B-25 Mitchell b) Canadair CL-215 c) DC-10 Air Tanker d) Grumman TBM Avenger Keep up to date with events, aviation news and cool aircraft! Follow us at: facebook.com/bismarck.aero.center linkedin.com/company/bismarck-aero-center 2301 University Drive Bldg. 53 Bismarck, N.D

CUSTOMER SPOTLIGHT Steve Schneider & Family

Vol. 21 Issue 2 May 2018 CUSTOMER SPOTLIGHT Steve Schneider & Family Our Customer Spotlight this issue features North Dakota aviator Steve Schneider and his family, as well as their business Schneider