How Accurate is ADS-B?

Posted on May 21, 2013 by Dave C

Turns out to be pretty darn accurate. Here’s an interesting video from Air & Space Magazine.

Here’s the original link.

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Another First for Parks

Posted on May 20, 2013 by Dave C

Photo courtesy of Saint Louis University

Saint Louis University’s Parks College has another first. From the press release:

“Just as in 1929 when Parks Air College was awarded Certificate No. 1, making it the first federally certificated pilot training school in the nation, Saint Louis University’s Parks College of Engineering, Aviation and Technology continues to lead the way internationally in aviation.

On Saturday, May 18, the University conferred the first Ph.D. in Aviation in the United States and the world to Damon Lercel. This historic international milestone also marks the first Ph.D. completed at Parks College of Engineering, Aviation and Technology.”

Congratulations, Dr. Lercel.

Read the rest of the release here.

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Updating the Written Tests

Posted on May 16, 2013 by Dave C

That may be the case if the Aviation Rulemaking Advisory Group’s Airman Testing Standards and Training Working Group – (ARAGATS&TWG?) – has it’s way.

From AOPA:

“….the ARAGATS&TWG Group—have requested that the FAA remove knowledge test questions about obsolete terms and technologies. The questions were provided from members of the working group.

Other subjects that they asked be removed are the inertial navigation system, transcribed weather broadcasts, on-airport flight service stations, composite moisture stability charts, incorrect terms in winds aloft forecasts, and instrument approach plates with outdated and obsolete components.

“The working group further recommends that once these terms and associated questions are no longer issued on the FAA Knowledge Exams, the FAA issue a formal notice so training providers can remove the terms/technologies from the training process,” they wrote.”

Looks like no more questions on TWEBs or LORAN. You will be missed!

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Encountering Ice IFR

Posted on May 11, 2013 by Dave C

Here’s a great write-up from Air Facts:

“Icing hadn’t been mentioned in the preflight briefing I received within 20 minutes of our departure, but for some reason, my dad commented that he’d like to experience aircraft icing sometime. Well, okay, I thought, as long as it’s not this time on this flight.

We were cleared for 7,000 and climbing in the clouds when suddenly something started banging on the airplane from outside and aft of where we were sitting. About the same time, I noticed that the needle on the number two VOR display wasn’t even close to being centered like the needle was on the number one display, even though both were set to the same radio frequency and on the same inbound radial….”

Read the rest of the story here.

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Solar Impulse will visit St. Louis

Posted on May 5, 2013 by Dave C

Solar Impulse, Wikimedia Commons

The world’s largest solar powered airplane will land at Lambert airport.

From the Post-Dispatch:

“A solar-powered plane making its initial cross-country voyage sometime in May will be stopping in St. Louis, Lambert Airport officials said Tuesday.

The exact date of takeoff for the Solar Impulse will depend on the weather: The plane is so light and delicate it can’t fly through clouds or bad weather….

The Solar Impulse _ with the wingspan of a Boeing 747 but as light as a car _ is powered by about 12,000 photovoltaic cells that cover the wings and charge its batteries, allowing it to fly day and night without jet fuel.”

Follow the journey of Solar Impulse here.

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Airspeed Control

Posted on May 4, 2013 by Dave C

Airspeed Indicator; Wikimedia Commons


J. Mac McClellan thinks the hardest thing for a pilot to master is airspeed control:

“If you want to get a convincing glimpse of how hard it is to control airspeed with great precision fly an airplane with a sophisticated autothrottle system. During an approach, particularly if it’s even a little turbulent, the autothrottle with be making almost continuous small adjustments in power. No human pilot would fly that way because our tolerance on airspeed control isn’t as tight as a well done autothrottle system.”

Read the whole post here.

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Join us above the clouds

Posted on April 27, 2013 by Dave C

You can be here too! Here’s what it looks like from the cockpit of our 172RG.

Our club is best place to fly with in the St. Louis Metro area!

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Angle of Attack – Game Update

Posted on April 26, 2013 by Dave C

The competition is heating up for our flying game Angle of Attack. With a little more than one month to play, just a few points separate the teams vying for first place. So far, 55 airports have been captured and each team has enough mileage left to win the competition.

Play ends on the last day of May. Good luck, everyone!

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Trip to KBMG

Posted on April 22, 2013 by Dave C

As part of our club’s participation in Angle of Attack, Greg H. and I decided to head over to Bloomington, IN (KBMG).

We headed east early Saturday morning and at 5,500 ft stayed clear of some scattered clouds below us.

We landed in Bloomington and enjoyed the free cookies and Hoosier hospitality of Cook Aviation.

Greg took over pilot duties and I got to fly as a passenger. I was able to capture a couple of pictures including the confluence of the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers.

And St. Louis Approach gave us a direct routing back to Creve Coeur right over Lambert field.

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Controller furloughs begin next week

Posted on April 18, 2013 by Dave C

Plan your flights accordingly.

From Politico:

“At a hastily called Thursday briefing, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and FAA Administrator Michael Huerta told reporters that the public should prepare for delays that ripple across the aviation system.
Air traffic controller furloughs will begin on Sunday, and depending on how the schedules and the situation at specific airports works, the delays may run from a few minutes up to several hours.”

From J. Mac McClellan:

“The reason the world didn’t end on April 1 is that the government must give federal employees advance notice before any furlough. That notice period is up on Sunday. Beginning then FAA employees, including controllers, can expect to be furloughed at least one day every two weeks.

One day every two weeks is a 10 percent cut in a 10 workday pay period. Remove 10 percent of the controllers from any of the nation’s busiest facilities and there will be very noticeable delays. The major airline hub airports are actually scheduled beyond capacity at rush hours so take away at least 10 percent of capacity and you can imagine how the airplanes will stack up.”

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