Safety Meeting - Monday 5 May @ CTFC
Trevor Arnold, Nationwide 737 Captain
Trevor Arnold (captain of the Nationwide 737 that lost an engine on takeoff from Cape Town in November) has kindly agreed to share some of his knowledge and experience with us on Monday night. The bar will of course be open, so please join us from 18:00 for what should be an great evening.
From the Chairlady
Dear Members
Now that summer is over, the best flying weather is yet to come.
Despite gale force south-easters this summer, the month of March was an all time record for Cape Town Flying Club with 620,3 hours flown in total. Congratulations to the instructors particulary, who worked like slaves during this period, as well as the members who really took advantage of the good weather. Its wonderful to see how everyone is contributing towards making this the best club ever.
Jaco will report on the Travelair regarding the twin training. This is all very exciting and we will see even more hours flown.
On a slightly less positive note, we have no choice but to increase the aircraft rates again soon due to the massive increase in the price of Avgas. Instruction rates will also increase from the 1 May. Instructors also have to eat. They cannot survive on Avgas alone.
I would like to thank all those members who paid their R200 towards our Skycatcher Fund, especially those members who have their own aeroplane and know that they will probably never even fly the Skycatcher. But thats the true spirit of a Club member and we are laying down the foundation for the future of the club, regardless of whether or not we will fly the aircraft ourselves. I always took our club aircraft for granted until I realized that once upon a time, a committee 20 years ago planned ahead so that I could train, and now we are doing the same for the next generation of pilots.
I would like to congratulate Jaco van Zyl on a very good report after our CAA inspection. The inspector really battled to find any faults and ended up really scraping the barrel by suggesting we put up "traffic lights" outside the Exam Centre. This is to show passing "traffic" when exams are being written. I am sure the helicopter guys who fly right over us will take note of this. Another suggestion was to put an air conditioning system into the Exam centre. However, if the Club ever is able to improve its electricity supply, Hilda and Bev will be the first ones to get air con. With winter coming, we will probably have to install some form of heating in the Exam Centre, but we will wait until the next CAA inspection before we do this.
All in all the club is going through a very good phase. We have recently changed our AMO to Cape Aero Services and we have had regular meetings with them regarding the state of the fleet. Our new maintenance officer, Hedley Jardine will be starting early in May. Hedley comes to us from AFB Langebaanweg where he is a fully qualified AMO on piston aircraft. He also has 50 hours flying time on the PC7!!! So this man is no stranger to aviation. He plans to do his PPL at the club some time in the future. We look forward to welcoming Hedley to the team.
Please note that I will be away overseas from now until the last week of May, and so will Charles Dickinson, our Treasurer. All catastrophes to be routed via Rafi Weiner, Vice-Chairman.
May is the best month of the year for flying in Cape Town. Lets see if we can break the March record of 620,3. Fly safely.
All the best
Alexia
Beechcraft Travel Air at CTFC
We now have a twin on the apron! The Beechcraft Travel Air, ZS-IXX, is available for training/dual flights only, and is subject to the following minimum pilot requirements:
150 hours total time, 70 of which are as pilot in command, and 25 of which have been accomplished on an advanced single with constant speed prop and retractable gear.
The aircraft rate is R1950 per hour.
State of the Fleet
Two Tomahawks, namely KKU and PIA are out of action for the time being, and PMY is getting an engine overhaul (see below). We are striving to smooth out the maintenance issues and a special thanks must go to senior commitee members for their current efforts in improving maintenance quality and value.
Following is a message from Rafi Weiner regarding ZS-PMY
Notwithstanding the fact that PMY has been performing magnificently, on Monday the 21 April 2008, I received an urgent phonecall from the AMO. He nervously explained to me that they had conducted an audit of the aircraft under their care and had discovered that PMY had overflown its engine hours. As you are aware the Club keeps track of aircraft hours on the notice board so naturally I was under the impression that the aircraft still had about 170 or so hours to go before overhaul.
After meeting with the AMO it transpired that the previous owners of ABC had given the Club the incorrect information. Nevertheless an inspection of the logbook by me has revealed that the AMO signed the aircraft out and provided Certificates of Release into Service on completion of MPI's, notwithstanding the fact that the engine was Timex.
Fortunately, no incidents had taken place, which would have meant trouble with a capital T.
I have arranged for the engine to be removed from the aircraft and the procedure of overhaul has commenced. Due to the fact that the situation came as a surprise no arrangements were in place for a replacement engine and consequently, in my opinion, the aircraft will probably be grounded for the next two months.
I have also made arrangements for the horrible plastic instrument panels to be removed which will be replaced with new grey aluminum panels. In addition a Garmin GNS430 will be installed whilst the aircraft is on the ground.
Kind regards
Rafi
From the Front Desk
Garden
Our lawnmower is no more, and the state of the lawn is deteriorating. We'd like to appeal to anyone who could provide us with a lawnmower/weedeater and some top soil so that we can get the club's grass looking at its best again.
Flight Folios
It has come to our attention that pilots are not filling in the flight folio correctly. Remember that this is a legal document and ALL the fields must be completed properly.
If you put in oil or fuel write the amount uplifted in the folio. Also if you start a new page it is your responsibility to carry over all the information to the new page.
Failure to complete this document properly will result in a R200 fine. The flight folios are checked daily so dont be surprised if you get a fine.
This information is part of the green tag system so there is no excuse.
Fly-away to Charles' Farm
Join us on the 15th of May at Charles Dickinson's farm near Wellington. The strip is located between Wellington and Voelvlei dam. Be sure to book an aircraft early!
Runway information:
12/30 730m grass
S33 31 44 E19 02 24
New Instructor Rates
Instructors rates will be as follows from the 1st of May:
- Ab-Initio: R215 per hour
- Advanced: R250 per hour
- Twin: R300 per hour
Welcome to our newest instructor
Jared Seymour-Hall has completed all his training at CTFC and has just earned his instructor's rating. Congratulations!
Deal Alliance Courses
- Deal Alliance is holding the commercial ground school from 5th May to 4th July. Full time classes from 0700 - 1300. Download registration forms from the website www.dealalliance.co.za.
- For those pilots who require Language Proficiency Ratings in accordance with the latest CAA amendment to the Part 61 Regulations, the relevant registration form can be found on the Deal Alliance website.
Contact Deal Alliance:
Alyson Dawson: 082 658 3533
Debby Mann: 082 495 8179
 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"
Solo Circuits
What are sensible people doing at 5:15 on a Saturday morning? Sleeping, obviously! But one student aviator was in the shower trying to get himself going seeing he needed to be at the club by 6:30 or so in order to be in the air at 7.
The early start was because we had a 7 till 10am session booked. We needed the longer session to make sure there was enough time to get to FAFK, prove that I can still fly, do my solo circuit time and get back again in time for Rory’s session at 10.
So 0630 and I’m at the club and getting ready to pre-flight KKC. Its a beautiful morning - wind light to calm, and it already feels worth it to have got up early.
The active runway was 19 - our initial taxi clearance was to hold short of the apron. A Mango and a Comair (?) were in the process of pushing back and starting their taxi for 19. Once they got moving we were cleared onto the apron and for Echo. At Tony’s prompting I called ready just as started turning onto Echo. The controller got the hint and cleared us to take off in front of the jets. So - no dawdling: on to the runway and lets go. Once we’re up and climbing its an immediate climbing turn towards Fisantekraal to clear the runway for the guys behind us (thanks for the direct routing, by the way).
The air was beautiful and smooth, what a pleasure. Only catch was: perfect microlight flying weather, so competition in the circuit at Fisantekraal. Whilst we were in the circuit, a flight of three trikes took off and then climbed right up through our circuit altitude. They were easy to see, but I believe that the proper way to do it is to take off and remain in the circuit and exit from the circuit in the right direction.
As usual, my first circuit wasn’t really up to standard, but after three more that were OK, Tony calls for the full-stop, gives me all my instructions and hops out. I’m “student KKC” again, same rules about departing. I’m to do about 0.7 of an hour - which will take me to 1.0 hours solo time (!)
Again, you can definitely feel a big difference in the aircraft performance one-up. The flying was beautiful and smooth - I really enjoyed being up by myself.
But ya gotta keep up the standards - so focus on flying well. Altitudes, speeds, nice square circuits etc etc. All quite a bit easier in such smooth flying conditions. I really enjoyed my circuits. Once my time was up, I was tempted to squeeze in another but decided a mature pilot would show some self-discipline so I did stop...
Heading back, we were routed to the Bottelary Hills. That was fine. Slightly more worrying was when we were routed from the Bottelary Hills toward Cape Town, with an advisory that traffic was one of Robin Coss’ RVs routing from Cape Town _to_ the Hills at the same altitude. I know the controller will give us separation, but we were flying at 100knots, the RV probably 150. That’s a closing speed of about 450km/h.
In the event, I didn’t even see the RV.
Landing at Cape Town went well. As usual, I was sloppy at my after landing checklist. I really really need to practice them again. But overall a great flight.
Back in the club we worked out the flying over the next week weeks. It’s nice to be planning some new exercises!
Aviation News
Securing 2010 from the skies
Submitted by Linda Hodgkinson
 An unknown plane is flying in the direction of Green Point Stadium. It has gone off its flight path and is not responding to the control tower. The semi-final of the 2010 FIFA World Cup is under way at the stadium, which is packed with spectators and important dignitaries. It’s a potential security nightmare.
But it could happen - which is why the South African Police Service, the South African National Defence Force and other government agencies such as the Civil Aviation Authority and Air Traffic and Navigation Services are already planning for every possible security scenario over the month-long tournament, and other major events, such as the Confederation Cup just over a year away.
Part of this planning culminated in Operation Green Point – a joint exercise held between 13 and 19 March 2008 between these organisations, during which various scenarios were simulated and members of the security forces enacted parts of their emergency contingency plans.
The exercise was designed to sharpen the skills of the security forces in working together to neutralise any form of aerial threat, given the security importance of the airspace above the Green Point stadium during the FIFA World Cup. It also proved to be a major training opportunity.
An area of 50 nautical miles (just under 100km) around Cape Town International Airport was identified, and during the exercise, any perceived threat in the air (apart from normal aviation traffic) was identified, intercepted, and interrogated if necessary.
 “We proclaimed a temporary restricted airspace, and then managed that airspace. The more we can do now and interact now, the better it will be in 2010,” said Brigadier General Anton Kriegler. “It’s a learning curve for all of us, and we need to train a lot of people.”
The exercise was designed to test how the safety procedures work, by flying combat air patrols. Two teams participated, with the one team having no contact with the other, and therefore no idea of what the other was doing.
“We played all the different scenarios – from Greenpeace activists to hijackers to terrorists, to fully run through each of these.”
The highlight of the exercise was the simulated hijacking of a plane and hostage-taking of its passengers, and its intrusion into restricted air space. Air Force Cheetah pilots intercepted the aircraft and forced it to land at Ysterplaat Air Force Base, where it was escorted to a safe holding area and SAPS hostage negotiators persuaded the “hijackers” to surrender to the Special Task Force.
On the weekend of 15 to 16 March, Operation Green Point included vetting flight plans. A total of 651 flights were vetted, of which 247 were normal scheduled flights. Kriegler noted that Sunday is the most popular day for recreational and sport flying.
A smaller exercise was carried out in Polokwane last year, and there will be more exercises in Port Elizabeth and Bloemfontein in July and Nelspruit in November. The Gauteng exercise will depend on the 2009 election date.
“We are doing this so we can be professional and safe, and have a secure area around Green Point Stadium in 2010,” Kriegler concluded.
Despite some complaints of noise, police spokesperson Director Sally de Beer thanked members of the public for their support and co-operation – including reporting suspicious aircraft movement during the exercise.
“Operation Green Point is an essential exercise to allow our security forces to merge their expertise to ensure that each and every South African can be proud of their country and their security forces during any major event, but particularly during the 2010 FIFA World Cup,” she said.
View video here.
Aviation Fun
Aviation Phrases
Submitted by Rocky Romanov
- Keep the aeroplane in such an attitude that the air pressure is directly in the pilot's face.
- Horatio C. Barber, 1916
- When a flight is proceeding incredibly well, something was forgotten.
- Robert Livingston, 'Flying The Aeronca’
- The only time an aircraft has too much fuel on board is when it is on fire.
-Sir Charles Kingsford Smith, sometime before his death in the 1920's
- Flexible is much too rigid, in aviation you have to be fluid. - Verne Jobst
- If you can't afford to do something right, then be darn sure you can afford to do it wrong.
- Charlie Nelson (Good advise for construction)
- Just remember, if you crash because of weather, your funeral will be held on a sunny day.
- Layton A. Bennett
- I hope you either take up parachute jumping or stay out of single motored airplanes at night.
- Charles A. Lindbergh, to Wiley Post, 1931
- Never fly the 'A' model of anything. - Ed Thompson
- Never fly anything that doesn't have the paint worn off the rudder pedals. - Harry Bill
- Keep thy airspeed up, less the earth come from below and smite thee. - William Kershner
- When a prang seems inevitable, endeavor to strike the softest, cheapest object in the vicinity, as slowly and gently as possible. - advice given to RAF pilots during W.W.II.
- Instrument flying is when your mind gets a grip on the fact that there is vision beyond sight.
- U.S. Navy 'Approach' magazine circa W.W.II.
- Always keep an 'out' in your hip pocket. - Bevo Howard
- The Cub is the safest airplane in the world; it can just barely kill you.
- attributed to Max Stanley, Northrop test pilot
- A pilot who doesn't have any fear probably isn't flying his plane to its maximum.
- Jon McBride, astronaut
- If you're faced with a forced landing, fly the thing as far into the crash as possible. - Bob Hoover
- It occurred to me that if I did not handle the crash correctly, there would be no survivors.
- Richard Leakey, after engine failure in a single engine Nairobi, Africa, 1993.
- If an airplane is still in one piece, don't cheat on it. Ride the bastard down.
- Ernest K. Gann, advice from the 'old pelican'
- Though I Fly Through the Valley of Death I Shall Fear No Evil For I am 80,000 feet and Climbing.
- sign over the entrance to the SR-71 operating location on Kadena AB Okinawa
- You've never been lost until you've been lost at Mach 3. - Paul F. Crickmore
- The emergencies you train for almost never happen. It's the one you can't train for that kills you.
- Ernest K. Gann, advice from the 'old pelican'
- If you want to grow old as a pilot, you've got to know when to push it, and when to back off.
- Chuck Yeager
- Never fly in the same cockpit with someone braver than you - Richard Herman Jr, 'Firebreak'
- There is no reason to fly through a thunderstorm in peacetime.
- Sign over squadron ops desk at Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ, 1970.
- An airplane might disappoint any pilot, but it'll never surprise a good one. - Len Morgan
- To most people, the sky is the limit. To those who love aviation, the sky is home.
- Life is simple. Eat, sleep, fly.
- Never try and outfly your guardian angel. - Rocky Romanov
Gareth Pinock in his Youth
Submitted by David Barnes
Videos
 Actors pose as drunk pilots at airport
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8hL6nXfBhj0
Submitted by John Nicholas
Now that South African Aiways no longer operates the magnificent Boeing 747, here are two cockpit clips to remind us of the "Queen of the Skies" in SAA colours.
 South African Airways 747-400 from FACT to EGLL Part 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L44EjnoTRgw
Submitted by John Nicholas
 South African Airways 747-400 from FACT to EGLL Part 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sz_wD0GDtfM
Submitted by John Nicholas
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