FOND DU LAC EAA CHAPTER 572 HANGAR FLYING. VOLUME 4 ISSUE 10 October, 2017

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1 89 1/2 N Pioneer Road Fond du Lac, WI President Keith Lee keleeke@charter.net Vice President Mike Stopar snopie@charter.net Treasurer John Zorn jzorn1@gmail.com Secretary/ Newsletter Ed. Dick Finn rfinn5@hotmail.com Program Chairman Jim O Connor jimpoc@gmail.com Pete Vercouteren vpete101@aol.com Young Eagle Coordinator Chuck Pazdzioch (815) Funflyin@gmail.com Newsletter Submissions Please to rfinn5@hotmail.com Only One More Newsletter When Flyway Chapter, The November Newsletter will be the last one I will be editing. To the best of my knowledge, no one has stepped forward to take over the job. I do believe that the newsletter is important to our Chapter but after doing the work for four years, I would have to say that I am running out of steam. Basically, we need someone with a fresh approach to take on the effort. When I started, it was difficult to find things to include as the Chapter really was not very active, especially in the Winter months. Now, we are having well attended meetings and a wide variety of activities. To make things even easier, several members provide input. Dean Zakos has written a number of super articles and distributes them to us and other nearby chapters. Keith Lee can be counted on for his Presidents Corner every month despite his busy schedule with the B17 Tour. Hopefully one of you will step forward to take over the newsletter. Future Activities By Jim O Connor EAA Chapter 572 is planning a flyout for October 14, 2017 with October 21 as a rain date. We will depart KFDL at approximately 8 AM with a pilot briefing at 7:45 AM in the lobby. We will be flying over 6 corn mazes with a stop for breakfast at Lone Rock airport after viewing the first two mazes. Oct. 2, 2017 Dinner 600 pm Topic Foreflight Where Fond du Lac Skyport Terminal Building Next Meeting Future Activities Cont. By Jim O Connor We will return to Fond du Lac about 11:00 AM. Please review the map on the next page showing the various stops. More info will follow as we approach the date. Please RSVP Pete Vercouteren petevercouteran@gmail.com or Jim O Connor jimpoc@gmail.com. We have a great schedule of chapter meeting programs set for the fall. October 2 will be Jordan Tews from Fox Valley Tech giving us a detailed description of the popular software, Foreflight. Jordan is Fox Valley s pro on this. Bring your questions. November 6 will be Bob Wagner giving a presentation on tail plane stall. This is a little known issue among pilots and is very important. December 4 will be Jurg Grossenbacher and Jim Cotter of the Milwaukee FAA FSDO. Jim will do a short presentation on Basic Med. This has been very popular. Jim is the FAAST Safety Representative. Jurg will speak on the Loss of Control and the new FAA compliance philosphy as it pertains to remedial training. Jurg is the FAAST ProgramManager at the Milwaukee FSDO We will also be hosting a separate movie night arranged by our very own Dean Zakos. This is scheduled for October 21 at 6 PM at the Skyport. More information to follow. This will be great fun for all. See next page for a map of the mazes in the area and a map showing our planned route, Page 1 EAA Chapter 572 Newsletter October. 2017

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3 October Movie Night By Dean Zakos FOND DU LAC EAA CHAPTER 572 On Saturday, October 21, 2017, be prepared to step back in time. You are going to be transported back to the mid- 1950s. Chapter 572 will present a Movie Night for our Chapter members. In the 1950s when you went to see a movie, you saw a cartoon, a short feature, and a full-length feature film. That is what is in store for you on October 21. You will enjoy a cartoon from 1954, an aviation themed short feature from 1953, and the timeless classic aviation film The High and the Mighty starring John Wayne and Robert Stack, produced in Nominated for six Academy Awards, The High and the Mighty will allow you to soar across the Pacific Ocean in a DC-4 on a Honolulu to San Francisco flight that takes a terrifying, suspense-building turn for the worse. The cartoon runs about six minutes, the short subject about 20 minutes, and the feature film about 1.4 hours. Come at 6:00 pm to socialize. Listen to the popular songs of 1953 and 1954, including hits by Frank Sinatra, Rosemary Clooney, Doris Day, and others. Meeting and movie at 7:00 pm. So, ladies and gentlemen, don t forget (if you re so inclined) to bring your loafers and letter sweaters, pencil or poodle skirts and saddle shoes, and your interest in aviation. Page 3 EAA Chapter 572 Newsletter October. 2017

4 HANDLING IN-FLIGHT EMERGENCIES NIGHT DISORIENTATION By Dean Zakos Definition of an Excellent pilot A pilot who, when confronted with an emergency or abnormal situation, knows exactly what to do. AOPA Air Safety Foundation Sometimes, even a seemingly benign flight can become an overwhelming challenge. Such was the situation on February 12th, 2016, when a Piper PA Archer crashed on what should have been a routine traffic pattern and landing. Instead of logging an uneventful flight, two fatalities resulted. Here is What Happened The pilot held a PP SEL certificate with 306 total hours. He did not possess an instrument rating. One non-pilot rated passenger (his spouse) was on board. It was very dark (almost two hours after sunset) and, outside of the single runway and taxiway lights, there were few ground references in the immediate vicinity as he attempted to land at the Destin, Florida Executive Airport (KTDS). KTDS is on a narrow strip of land between a bay and the Gulf of Mexico, with the threshold of Runway 32 not far from the edge of the water on the Gulf side. The night was clear. The winds could have been somewhat problematic - from 240 degrees, seven knots gusting to fifteen knots. The pilot chose to land on Runway 32, and entered a left downwind. Everything appeared to be routine until the turn to base. A witness flying near the airport observed that the accident aircraft flew through the extended runway centerline and started the base-to-final turn late. Evidently, the pilot had misjudged the wind. Rather than attempt to salvage the landing (as some pilots would), the pilot elected to go around. He entered the upwind leg for 32, and proceeded to fly the left-hand circuit again. Traffic Pattern Altitude (TPA) at KTDS is 1020 feet MSL (1000 feet above airport elevation of 22 feet), and radar returns showed the pilot flying the second pattern at approximately feet AGL. He turned base leg again and, likely because of the winds, it appeared he would overshoot the extended runway centerline again and miss his base-to-final turn. However, instead of a second balked landing and a second transition to flying the upwind leg for 32, the pilot did something else. No one can know what the pilot was thinking. The witness in the air and the radar track confirmed the pilot s actions after the second miss on the base-to-final turn. Instead of turning left to start the upwind to 32, the pilot turned to the right. The right turn took the aircraft away from the airport s lights and out over the ocean. A radio call from the Archer pilot on the CTAF stated only that his intention was to circle somewhere. Presumably, the pilot thought he needed time to think and plan the next attempt at landing. Possibly the winds were stronger than reported, or he simply was not anticipating the base-to-final turn quickly enough. Perhaps he wanted to re-think landing at KTDS, and was contemplating another airport in the area with a runway orientation more favorable to the prevailing winds. Regardless, the turn to the right taking him over open water on a dark night proved to be catastrophic. The Piper Archer hit the water in a descending right turn at a high rate of speed. NTSB Determination of Probable Cause The NTSB determined probable cause to be: "[t]he non-instrument pilot's decision to turn the airplane away from the lighted airport at low altitude, over water, with no visible horizon, in dark night conditions, which resulted in spatial disorientation and a loss of airplane control." Flying at Night As we all know from our student pilot training days, a private pilot can fly at night without an instrument rating. There is a currency requirement if a pilot carries passengers at night (Per 14 CFR Part 61.57(b)(1)): within the preceding 90 days, the pilot in command must have made three take offs and three landings to a full stop at night, but an instrument ticket is not required. This accident illustrates well the difference between being legal for night flight and being proficient. As we know, these terms are not the same. Page 4 EAA Chapter 572 Newsletter October. 2017

5 HANDLING IN-FLIGHT EMERGENCIES NIGHT DISORIENTATION By Dean Zakos You can be legal but not safe. Unless you fly frequently at night, disorientation in VFR conditions can occur, often in dimly lit or over water conditions without a visible horizon (think John F. Kennedy Jr. accident). The accident pilot at KTDS made several good decisions. The go arounds evidenced good pilot judgment. Some pilots might consider making a steep turn to get back to the centerline and/or a slip to lose altitude quickly to get down after missing the base-to-final turn. Those choices exhibit poor pilot judgment. The safer course is to go around. Substantially less risk in that maneuver than in either the high-risk steep turn close to the ground or the slip. The decision to take time to circle to sort things out was also, in theory, a good pilot decision. The critical mistake in the accident chain was the pilot s determination to turn right and proceed out over the ocean rather than fly the traffic pattern again or, alternatively, climb above the traffic pattern and circle. Remember, sitting in the left seat and flying a left-hand traffic pattern, the pilot would have always been able to keep the runway lights and airport environment in view outside of his pilot side window. The right turn, over the black and featureless ocean and away from the lighted runway environment, deprived him of key visual references (at least momentarily) and that was sufficient time for him to lose control of the aircraft. Here is what the experts say about flying at night: First. Recognize the Risks Are Greater Flying at Night. Even in good VFR conditions, night flying is more demanding than daytime flying. The horizon may be much less distinct, and topography and ground reference points, readily visible in daylight, may become murky or impossible to see. Clouds may not be visible until you enter them, their presence made known first by your strobe lights and navigation lights reflecting off them. A careful review of weather reports and forecasts is also very important for night flights. Unlike in daylight, you will not be able easily to discern the speed and direction of the wind. Reliable visual indicators, such as smoke emitting from stacks, waves on water, flags blowing, or your track over the ground, may not be observable in the dark. A narrow temperature/dew point spread may also portend fog. Night and fog are a bad combination. Ground references and airport lights that ordinarily may be visible at night, if shrouded in fog, may become shadowy or disappear altogether. Second. Obtain an Instrument Rating. An instrument rating is not required but it certainly can be a life-saver in a higher-risk environment such as flying at night. Instrument training allows you to make the transition from the real horizon to an artificial one, and assists in developing and practicing an instrument scan that can greatly assist you in keeping the shiny side of your aircraft up. Consider seriously consider getting an instrument rating. Yes, it entails time, money, and work. But it makes you a better and more careful pilot, increases your attention to detail, and sharpens your flying skills when a quick transition from VFR to IFR is needed. Absent an instrument rating, the next best thing is to periodically practice your instrument scan with a safety pilot. In a real lost horizon encounter, you may only need a few minutes on instruments to keep you straight and level and return you to visual conditions. Those few minutes could be the difference between a safe flight and not coming home. Third. Practice Night Flights and Night Orientation to Achieve Proficiency. The best way to get used to flying at night is to fly at night. There is no substitute for experience. If you do not have recent night flying experience, talk to your local instructor and ask for some of his or her time for night flights. Plan flights to both towered and non-towered airports. Consider some airports that are located adjacent to cornfields with nothing around them. Flying over parts of Wisconsin at night, you will see that there are some large open spaces of darkness in rural areas. Fly to and find these rural airports. After a few flights with an instructor, build your confidence by flying at night with pilot friends. Pilot friends with lots of hours, logged night flying hours, and instrument ratings would be great. Page 5 EAA Chapter 572 Newsletter October. 2017

6 HANDLING IN-FLIGHT EMERGENCIES NIGHT DISORIENTATION By Dean Zakos Fourth. Recognize that Your Vision and Perceptions at Night are Different. The human eye does not function as well at night. There is a lot of aeromedical literature out there about cones and rods and how vision degrades at night, particularly above 5000 feet AGL. Suffice it to say, at night you are at a disadvantage as a pilot, and you will need to take steps to improve your eyes effectiveness. As a precaution, you should try to be exposed only to low level light to adapt your eyes to darkness prior to your flight. If you don t take time to adapt prior to departure, it will take some time for your eyes to adjust up to five to ten minutes in the air. You may not have sufficient time on takeoff or during turns close to the ground after takeoff to adjust, and that may mean the difference between controlling the aircraft or losing control, or colliding with something you did not see. Once your eyes have adjusted, you need to take precautions in the air to avoid bright lights so you don t have to start the process all over again. Know and practice periodically the operation of your panel lights and switches. If you are flying at or above 5000 feet AGL, consider supplemental oxygen. Unlike in daylight, where an object can best be seen by looking directly at it, at night you need to train yourself to adopt a scanning procedure that allows you to view an object off-center. If you are not careful, there are certain night illusions that can cause confusion for a pilot. These include: lights on the ground can be mistaken for stars or lights of other aircraft; mistaking a feature on the ground (such as a shoreline) for the horizon; visual autokinesis, e.g., staring at a single light source for several seconds on a dark night, resulting in the appearance of the light to be moving; vertigo, resulting from flickering light sources, e.g., cockpit instruments, strobe lights, etc.; or illusions created by runway lights that cause the pilot to perceive the runway to be wider or narrower than it is, or closer or farther away than it is. Fifth. Maintain Situational Awareness. The natural horizon may disappear in the dark. The night also hides high terrain and obstacles. Unless you have a terrain and obstruction warning capability in your aircraft (and even if you do), you will need to study closely the airport layouts, routes, terrain, and possible departure and arrival routes and procedures into and out of the airports you intend to use. When planning for a night flight, consider legs that keep you closer to lighted areas, and avoid traveling over inhospitable terrain, high obstructions, or over large expanses of open water, if feasible. Have a plan on safe routes, safe turns, and safe altitudes prior to your arrival or departure. Had the accident pilot at KTDS thought through his options sufficiently, he likely would have made the decision to continue with left turns over the airport instead of turning right and risking the loss of his horizon and ground references. Night flying can be safe and enjoyable. However, it is inherently more challenging and requires greater attention to detail than daytime flying. Page 6 EAA Chapter 572 Newsletter October. 2017

7 Interesting Stuff on the Web How Pilots Party Everyone has probably seen something written in the sky at some point but have you ever wondered about the pilots that write the words in the sky? COOL STUFF ANNOUNCEMENTS/NOTICES Wanted, Aviation Magazines By Mike Stopar Chapter members can bring aviation related magazines to our monthly meetings. Mike Stopar will label and distribute them. The Warrior House (Salute the Troops) is looking for magazines and reading materials. It s a new project for homeless vets. Dan Tinsley (president of SALUTE THE TROOPS ), is in charge of this project. They are pretty well stocked up on material donations but can always use additional funding if you care to donate. Mike is working with Dan, on this project. Dan can be reached directly by phone at for donations. You can also make arrangements, Page 7 EAA Chapter 572 Newsletter October. 2017

8 Chapter 572 Logo Merchandise By John Zorn ADS At the last meeting, John Zorn brought in several items of Chapter 572 Logo merchandise. The hats were very popular and sold out in a few minutes. Hopefully he will have some replacements for sale for the next meeting. In any case, if you are interested, please contact John at jzorn1@gmail.com. Blanket $23.00 Cooler Bag $21.00 Duffle Bag $21.00 Adjustable Cap $16.00 Elastic Cap $12.00 EAA 572 Shirts and Jackets Pete Vercouteren has arranged for us to purchase EAA Chapter 572 shirts and jackets. The cost of the shirt with the chapter logo is $28/ M $28/ L $28/ XL $30/ 2 XL The cost of the Jacket with the logo is S-XL/ $ XL/ $49.95 Please contact Pete if you are interested in purchasing. He can be reached at vpete101@aol.com Page 8 EAA Chapter 572 Newsletter October. 2017

9 2017 CALENDAR Jan. 2, 2017 Monthly Meeting Commemorative Air Force Dinner 6pm Sloppy Joes by Keith Lee Feb. 1, 2017 Monthly Meeting Presentation on Operation Vengence-the Yamamoto Raid Dinner 6pm Brats and Buns by Dick Finn March 6, 2017 Monthly Meeting Wisconsin Aviation Hall of Fame Update on honorees and activities By John Dorsey or Brandon Stormo April 3, 2017 Monthly Meeting If Airplanes Could Talk... Learning the History of Your Own Airplane By Fred Stadler May 6, 2017 Skyport Open House, Young Eagles Rally Contact Chuck Pazdzioch 900 am through 1200 pm Fond du Lac Skyport May 8, 2017 Monthly Meeting Aerobatics and Unusual Attitudes By John Chmiel Airport Manager Wausau Airport June 5, 2017 Monthly Meeting Gary Hilbert-Building a Lancair July 3, 2017 Monthly Meeting Picnic, Assemble tie downs for sale during Airventure if needed July 19, 2017 Set up Trailers for the Air Show Contact John Zorn Sept. 11, 2017 Monthly Meeting Note Meeting is one week late due to Labor Day Holiday Sept. 30, 2017 Boy Scout Aviation Merit Badge 900 am 100 pm Contact Chuck Pazdzioch Oct. 2, 2017 Monthly Meeting Dinner by Mike Stopar Foreflight presentation by Jordan Tews Oct. 14, 2017 Corn Maze Flyout Meet at Fond du Lac Skyport at 7:45 am Oct. 21, 2017 Movie Night The High and the Mighty starring John Wayne and Robert Stack Nov. 6, 2017 Monthly Meeting Bob Wagner giving a presentation on tail plane stall Dec. 4, 2017 Monthly Meeting Jurg Grossenbacher and Jim Cotter of the Milwaukee FAA FSDO Dec. 8, 2017 Wright Brothers Banquet EAA Oshkosh 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm Astronaut Joe Engle Jan. 8, 2018 Monthly Meeting Note Meeting is one week late due to New Years Day Holiday August 7, 2017Monthly Meeting Keith Lee will provide the dinner. Civil Air Patrol program and the Boy Scout Aviation Merit badge. Shawn Zinke Page 9 EAA Chapter 572 Newsletter October. 2017