From the CFI's Desk: Part 61
Dear members and students.
Please take note that as of 01/01/2008 the new air law (Part 61) which governs all the requirements for the issue of licenses from PPL to ATP and all ratings will come into effect.
Air law exams will now include this new law so students who still have to write air law must prepare for this. All students training at the club with a possibility of only doing a final practical test after 01/01/2008 will have to comply with the new requirements and must make sure with their instructors that they have done all the training that is required for the new Law.
For more information on the new Part 61 please visit www.caa.co.za . It is in the best interest of all pilots to familiarize themselves with the content of Part 61.
Kind regards
Jaco van Zyl
CFI, Cape Town Flying Club
End of year function
Remember the end of year function on 24 November! Join us for a great evening, you could be in the running for a great prize. Dress up, dress down or be game & come in fancy dress.
Prizes/sponsorships
Vossie needs our help with the donation of prizes and sponsorships towards the cost of the event. If you can help, or would like to be involved in the organising, drop Vossie an email on geminimotors@telkomsa.net.
Donated prizes so far:
- 2 pilot overnight bags, a laptop bag and various lucky draw prizes. Generously donated by Alexander Forbes via Chris Readman.
- 2 first jump courses at Skydive Ceres (www.skydive.co.za) Generously donated by Skydive Ceres via Tony Russel
- A cruise for two in Table Bay aboard the catamaran "IQ " Generously donated by David Barnes
- A weekend for 2 at Kagga Kamma Private Game Reserve including accommodation, breakfast and guided excursions (game drive, sundowner trip, bushman paintings tour, stargazing) (www.kaggakamma.co.za) Runways 900m/1400m hard gravel, elevation 3250 feet. Generously donated by Hein de Waal (General Manager: Kagga Kamma)
- A two night stay for two couples (or four people sharing two rooms) at the Zebra River Lodge in Namibia's Tsaris mountains. Includes full board (excluding drinks), a ground trip to Sossusvlei with a guide and a sundowner drive into the canyons of the Tsaris Mountains on the evening of arrival. Total value around R9500-00. (www.zebrariver.com) Runway 1150m x 20m hard gravel, elevation 4380 feet. Generously donated by Marianne & Rob Field (Zebra River Lodge)
- A YAK-52 flight from Fisantekraal. Generously donated by Dale Humby
State of the Fleet
KKU's new engine has taken a bit longer than anticipated (as is the way with these things) but will certainly be back in action during the course of the coming week.
It has been decided that KBK's engine will be replaced immediately, due to the old engine giving some trouble lately (including leaving three members stuck at the Overberg Fly-inn last weekend!). It is scheduled to return by the end of the coming week.
JDN will have its MPI this week, and all the other aircraft are behaving well.
Deal Alliance Courses
A reminder to all commercial students or pilots already rated and ready to go on contract.
Deal Alliance is holding the CERTIFICATE WEEK from 10th DEC to 14 DEC.
Pilots can book individually for the following during this week:
Deal Alliance (082 495 8179 or 076 745 2423)
- General Radio License Course and Test by DEAL ALLIANCE (082 495 8179 or 076 745 2423)
- Language Proficiency Rating by DEAL ALLIANCE (082 495 8179 or 076 745 2423)
- Initial Crew Resource Management (2 days) by DEAL ALLIANCE (082 495 8179 or 076 745 2423)
- Recurrent Crew Resource Management (1 day) by DEAL ALLIANCE (082 495 8179 or 076 745 2423)
Flight Safety (021 934 0981 or 082 563 2669)
 The Student Pilot
Contributed by Steve Davies
Steve Davies is busy with his PPL at CTFC with Tony Russel. After every lesson, he writes his impressions and thoughts on the flight. Although initially just for his facebook profile, they make excellent and highly entertaining reading. Every week we will present one of Steve's "Facebook notes"
Entry 5: Circuits (The first of many)
Ted: "We're gonna have to come in pretty low on this approach.
Elaine: "Is that difficult?
Ted: "Well sure it's difficult. But it's part of every textbook approach. It's just something you have to do ... when you land.
- from the 1982 movie 'Airplane II, The Sequel.'
No flying last week due to the weather. And I thought I'd miss out this week too because the aircraft that we were booked to fly needed maintenance.
But lo and behold ZS-PIA was back in service, Tony pounced and we had a slot on Sunday afternoon. Proof that God is there and gives us the desires of our heart ;-)
The weather was scattered clouds - 3000ft or so I think, and quite breezy. Not perfect to start circuit practice, but does make things more interesting.
PIA's fuel tanks were a bit low, so we were delayed for 10 minutes or so whilst we waited for fuel - filled each tank to about 12 gallons (yes, Mildred - gallons, and US gallons nogal).
I'm still not really fluent with my checks, but got through them without forgetting anything too major.
Practice makes perfect. Tony tells me to go out to the club and "make friends" with the aircraft. What he really means is to go sit in the cockpit, and practice doing the stuff. Vroom-vroom noises optional but allowed? So I'm up for that - I've been out once and will go again. Just so hard to make the time in the week.
Where was I? Wind was from 330 (NW) and 13 knots if I remember - so the active runway was 01. You can tell its still winter - we've used 01 (which points into the "winter" (northwesterly) wind every time I've flown except once). So it was taxi-way Charlie and hold waiting for a 737 on final to land. Flying at Cape Town and you get used to taking your turn with the big boys. You could probably fit a Tomahawk INSIDE a 747. (OK - not quite).
Takeoff was the expected "at or below 1500ft, turn right for Fisantekraal, report leaving the zone". I'm still not good at tracking straight down the runway, but getting better I hope. And Tony points out that my straight and level flying often turns into left wing low. I guess that answers the question as to who weighs more...
Once clear of the CTR we climbed up to 2000ft. Its normal to arrive overhead an airfield at 2000ft above ground. FAFK is at 450ft above sea level. So that would mean 2450ft. But we use a lower altitude at FAFK because the TMA (controlled airpsace) starts at 2500ft.
As we flew over the airfield I had to peer down at the windsock to check the wind direction. Then, a descending turn on the "dead side". In the usual case where left-hand circuits are being used that will be on the right side. We level out at 1200ft above sea level which is the FAFK circuit altitude and join the circuit by flying over the end of the runway and turning left onto the downwind leg.
Tony took control at that point and demonstrated a circuit. On the downwind leg its pre-landing checks, radio call, flaps and reduce rpm for about 80 to 85 knots. Turn onto the base leg when the runway is about 45 degrees behind you, then reduce power further for a steady decent and about 70 to 75 knots. More flaps. When ready turn smoothly onto final and line up with the runway.
The idea on final is to aim yourself at the threshold of the runway and head directly for it. The "look" of the runway tells you if you are too low, high or just right. (how elongated the runway looks).
Once arrival at the ground is imminent, you flare the aircraft (lift the nose), hold her straight, close the throttle and wait patiently for the gentle kiss of the wheels on the runway. Or such is the theory. Anyway - once arrived on the ground, whether elegantly or not, then its flaps away, throttle to full, wait for 65knots, rotate and off we go again for another try.
My turn. So the process of flying the pattern seemed no particular problem. There was the wind to compensate for. Once on base and final I found judging the altitude from far away quite hard. Once you are close to the runway then your 3D perception kicks in and its easier. My arrival on the ground wouldn't be called elegant, but arrive we did.
I did three or four circuits in total, with Tony getting gradually quieter in the right seat. I enjoyed myself and made some progress I think.
One thing I notice is that as you go along in your training, the things that were hard at first become easier. So I presume that circuits will be the same!
Tony requested and was given runway 34 for landing back at Cape Town. My landing was not very impressive. They say that good landings come from good, controlled approaches. I demonstrated that poor landings definitely come form poor, erratic approaches...
Still, overall the lesson was really enjoyable - starting to feel a bit like a pilot!
Aviation News: US Air Force grounds all F-15 jets
Submitted by Gareth Pinnock
Washington - The US Air Force on Tuesday grounded its entire fleet of more than 700 F-15 jet fighters in the wake of the crash of one of the planes last week, the Bloomberg agency reported.
The grounding order also affects all such planes now involved in operations in Afghanistan, Britain, Japan, Hawaii and the Middle East, the report said.
It said Japan's air force joined in the measure and ordered its fleet of 200 F-15s to be grounded.
In the meantime, experts were carrying out an investigation into the flying capabilities of the ageing jet, which was first introduced in 1975.
The plane's manufacturer, Boeing, has offered its assistance in studying the cause of the crash of an F-15 last Friday in the midwestern state of Missouri.
Aviation News: Pilots leaving SA
Contributed by Danny Buitendag
"South Africa's aviation industry is under serious threat as major international airlines have embarked on a vigorous recruitment drive to lure the most skilled and experienced pilots and aviation technicians, says the Airline Pilots Association of SA.
Association president Tony Laubser said this was a "big concern" that would leave the country without adequately skilled aviation personnel. Laubser said "at least" 60 to 70 pilots will have left South Africa by February. This number could reach 1 000 in a few years. This would affect the charter flight industry, and other South African airlines.
"The first batch of resignations are already going in," said Laubser.
As part of its restructuring plan, SAA is planning to lay off 711 of its 11 000 staff this year by renegotiating salaries. If the plan fails, the national carrier said it would have to fire up to 2 232 employees.
On SAA's restructuring and the retrenchment of pilots, Laubser said everything that has been reported was "mere speculation".
"There's nothing concrete. Everything is still under negotiation. It was said that 225 pilots would be retrenched if certain savings could not be achieved. But that's speculation.
"But what is of great concern to us is the number of qualified pilots leaving (not just SAA). It's a mass exodus," said Laubser.
Most pilots were being lured to major airlines like Emirates, Cathay Pacific and Qantas, he said.
He attributed the exodus to better working conditions overseas.
Africa was experiencing an 8 percent to 10 percent growth in air traffic, projected to grow by about 9.6 percent every year.
"Where are we going to get crews? Aviation accident rates in Africa are 12 times higher than the rest of the world. If accidents start to increase, what then? What impact is this going to have?" he asked.
SAA spokesperson Robyn Chalmers said nine pilots had resigned in the past three months.
"SAA pilots are among the best paid pilots on the international market. They also have excellent working conditions and have travel benefits which are not found elsewhere."
www.curt-lewis.com
Aviation News: Airbus off the runway at Cape Town
Cape Town International Airport has, I'm you surely all know by now, had an interesting couple of weeks.
On Friday the 2nd of November, an SAA Airbus A340-600 (flight SA333 from Johannesburg) managed to get its nosewheel stuck in the soft sand next to the runway. After landing on runway 01, the big plane tried to turn right into runway 16 because the taxiway at the end of 01 was closed. A 150 degree turn in such a small space seems to be beyond the capabilities of such a long aircraft!
 
This resulted in the closure of the airport for a few hours, as both runways were unusable. Several aircraft were diverted, including some of our own, and Gareth Pinnock and Jaco van Zyl would like to extend a big thanks to Alexia Michaelides and Linda Hodgkinson for fetching them from Fisantekraal!
The Airbus eventually made its way back to Johannesburg, and as a matter of interest, flying with the gear down, even with no passengers on board, burns more than double the amount of fuel a normal passenger flight would!
We won't speculate on who was at fault for the incident, and we certainly won't mention what sex the pilot was either.
Aviation News: Nationwide Emergency
On the 7th of November, a Nationwide Boeing 737-200 had an engine separate from the aircraft on takeoff from Cape Town International. Captain Trevor Arnold and First Officer Dan Perry landed their plane safely after the runway had been cleared of engine debris.
 
There is much speculation as to the cause of the scare, with most news tabloids of course getting it very wrong, but what makes this incident remarkable is that the engine mounting seems to have failed and not the sheer bolts that are designed to break under stress. This caused damage to the wing and the pilots were possibly without hydraulic pressure and contending with a fuel leak. Congratulations to the crew on turning a potential disaster into a safe return to mother earth.
The CAA subsequently grounded several types of aircraft powered by the same Pratt & Whitney JT8D engines for inspection, and all have been found satisfactory.
Aviation Fun: The King of Speed
Submitted by John Nicholas (source unkown)
 There were a lot of things we couldn't do in an SR-71 Blackbird (The Air Force/NASA super fast, highest flying reconnaissance jet, nicknamed, "The Sled"), but we were the fastest guys on the block and loved reminding our fellow aviators of this fact. People often asked us if, because of this fact, it was fun to fly the jet. Fun would not be the first word I would use to describe flying this plane - intense, maybe, even cerebral. But there was one day in our Sled experience when we would have to say that it was pure fun to be the fastest guys out there, at least for a moment.
It occurred when Walt and I were flying our final training sortie. We needed 100 hours in the jet to complete our training and attain Mission Ready status. Somewhere over Colorado we had passed the century mark. We had made the turn in Arizona and the jet was performing flawlessly. My gauges were wired in the front seat and we were starting to feel pretty good about ourselves, not only because we would soon be flying real missions but because we had gained a great deal of confidence in the plane in the past ten months. Ripping across the barren deserts 80,000 feet below us, I could already see the coast of California from the Arizona border. I was, finally, after many humbling months of simulators and study, ahead of the jet. I was beginning to feel a bit sorry for Walter in the back seat.
There he was, with no really good view of the incredible sights before us, tasked with monitoring four different radios. This was good practice for him for when we began flying real missions, when a priority transmission from headquarters could be vital. It had been difficult, too, for me to relinquish control of the radios, as during my entire flying career I had controlled my own transmissions. But it was part of the division of duties in this plane and I had adjusted to it. I still insisted on talking on the radio while we were on the ground, however. Walt was so good at many things, but he couldn't match my expertise at sounding smooth on the radios, a skill that had been honed sharply with years in fighter squadrons where the slightest radio miscue was grounds for beheading. He understood that and allowed me that luxury. Just to get a sense of what Walt had to contend with, I pulled the radio toggle switches and monitored the frequencies along with him.
The predominant radio chatter was from Los Angeles Center, far below us, controlling daily traffic in their sector. While they had us on their scope (albeit briefly), we were in uncontrolled airspace and normally would not talk to them unless we needed to descend into their airspace. We listened as the shaky voice of a lone Cessna pilot who asked Center for a read-out of his ground speed. Center replied: “November Charlie 175, I'm showing you at ninety knots on the ground.”
Now the thing to understand about Center controllers was that whether they were talking to a rookie pilot in a Cessna or to Air Force One, they always spoke in the exact same, calm, deep, professional tone that made one feel important. I referred to it as the "Houston Center voice." I have always felt that after years of seeing documentaries on this country's space program and listening to the calm and distinct voice of the Houston controllers, that all other controllers since then wanted to sound like that and that they basically did. And it didn't matter what sector of the country we would be flying in, it always seemed like the same guy was talking. Over the years that tone of voice had become somewhat of a comforting sound to pilots everywhere. Conversely, over the years, pilots always wanted to ensure that, when transmitting, they sounded like Chuck Yeager, or at least like John Wayne. Better to die than sound bad on the radios. Just moments after the Cessna's inquiry, a Twin Beech piped up on frequency, in a rather superior tone, asking for his ground speed in Beech. “I have you at one hundred and twenty-five knots of ground speed.”
Boy, I thought, the Beechcraft really must think he is dazzling his Cessna brethren. Then out of the blue, a navy F-18 pilot out of NAS Lemoore came up on frequency. You knew right away it was a Navy jock because he sounded very cool on the radios. “Center, Dusty 52 ground speed check.” Before Center could reply, I'm thinking to myself, hey, Dusty 52 has a ground speed indicator in that million-dollar cockpit, so why is he asking Center for a read-out? Then I got it, ol' Dusty here is making sure that every bug smasher from Mount Whitney to the Mojave knows what true speed is. He's the fastest dude in the valley today, and he just wants everyone to know how much fun he is having in his new Hornet. And the reply, always with that same, calm, voice, with more distinct alliteration than emotion: “Dusty 52, Center, we have you at 620 on the ground.”
And I thought to myself, is this a ripe situation, or what? As my hand instinctively reached for the mic button, I had to remind myself that Walt was in control of the radios. Still, I thought, it must be done - in mere seconds we'll be out of the sector and the opportunity will be lost. That Hornet must die, and die now. I thought about all of our Sim training and how important it was that we developed well as a crew and knew that to jump in on the radios now would destroy the integrity of all that we had worked toward becoming. I was torn. Somewhere, 13 miles above Arizona, there was a pilot screaming inside his space helmet. Then, I heard it - the click of the mic button from the back seat. That was the very moment that I knew Walter and I had become a crew. Very professionally, and with no emotion, Walter spoke: “Los Angeles Center, Aspen 20, can you give us a ground speed check?” There was no hesitation, and the replay came as if was an everyday request. “Aspen 20, I show you at one thousand eight hundred and forty-two knots, across the ground.”
I think it was the forty-two knots that I liked the best, so accurate and proud was Center to deliver that information without hesitation, and you just knew he was smiling. But the precise point at which I knew that Walt and I were going to be really good friends for a long time was when he keyed the mic once again to say, in his most fighter-pilot-like voice: “Ah, Center, much thanks, we're showing closer to nineteen hundred on the money.” For a moment Walter was a god. And we finally heard a little crack in the armor of the Houston Center voice, when L.A. came back with, “Roger that Aspen. Your equipment is probably more accurate than ours. You boys have a good one.”
It all had lasted for just moments, but in that short, memorable sprint across the southwest, the Navy had been flamed, all mortal airplanes on freq were forced to bow before the King of Speed, and more importantly, Walter and I had crossed the threshold of being a crew. A fine day's work. We never heard another transmission on that frequency all the way to the coast. For just one day, it truly was fun being the fastest guys out there.
Aviation Fun: How do I love you?
Submitted by Gareth Pinnock
Mumbai - India's richest man, Mukesh Ambani, has bought his wife a luxury jet with entertainment cabins, a sky bar and fancy showers for her birthday.
Ambani, who owns the country's biggest private company, Reliance Industries Ltd, gave the $60-million (R392-million) Airbus plane to wife Neeta on her 44th birthday on Thursday, the Mumbai Mirror newspaper said.
The jet is custom-fitted with an office and a cabin with game consoles, music systems, satellite television and wireless communication, the report said.
It also has a master bedroom, a bathroom with a range of showers and a bar with mood lighting.
The newspaper said Airbus sources had confirmed the sale of the jet which was now at New Delhi's airport and would be brought to Mumbai soon.
With business interests ranging from oil to retail and biotechnology, Ambani is not known to shy away from conspicuous consumption.
He is building a $1-billion (R6,57-billion) home in India's financial capital of Mumbai, considered to be one of the world's most expensive houses, local media reports have said.
The 27-storey home - for a family of six - with a helipad, health club and six floors for car parking and 600 staff, has awed India's rich. - Reuters
http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=3045&art_id=vn20071104084246228C667137
Photographs
Overberg Fly-inn, November 10 2007
 
Submitted by Alexia Michaelides and Benedict Poulter
Aviation Fun: Cartoons & Quotes
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Quote of the day
Heavier-than-air flying machines are impossible.
- Lord Kelvin, 1895
Submitted by Alexia Michaelides |
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