Young Glider Pilot Earns Private Certificate
Jason Clark Smith is not your average 17 year old. He is a certified pilot of both gliders and single engine land airplanes. He's in his 3rd year in Air Force ROTC and is also a volunteer firefighter.

He recently earned his Private pilot certificate and is now juggling his Instrument training, high school and fire fighting. In the summer he plans to finish his Instrument rating (while working to pay for it) and start his Commercial. He intends to get his Instructor ratings while still in high school to start earning money and building experience and then hopes to attend A&M University with girlfriend, Kristin Clark. At age 23 he wants to apply for an airline.

As the grandson of Philip Petmecky, a wellknown glider pilot, Jason has been spending quite a lot of time in the air since he was 10 years old. He's been told he flies just like his grandfather.

Jason brought some valuable knowledge from his glider experience with him when he began his flight training. "I caught on quicker than I though I would," he said. The engine out emergency practice is gliding!

Jason is dedicated to the path he has mapped out for his future and it is the under-riding passion and enthusiasm for both flying and fire fighting that fuel his dreams. Jason advises student pilots, "Don't pass up on an opportunity. Jump on it quick!"

Aviation Memory Aids
If you google "aviation memory aids" you'll get about 950,000 results. We've made it easy for you and picked out a few tried and true memory aids that will help you keep the knowledge you need close at hand. After all, if they were good enough to get many of us through the oral exam, then they are good enough to use whenever we head out to the airport.

This arrow can point you in the right direction… of an easy preflight… ARROWE. Airworthiness Certificate, Registration, Radio License, Operating Limitations, Weight & Balance, Equipment List.

Does "TV Make Dull Company?" Well, if you're trying to determine magnetic and true courses you shouldn't be watching television, but… True plus or minus Variation equals Magnetic, plus or minus Deviation equals Compass.

Is there an easy way to remember the components and sequence of a clearance? Could be… "CLEAR" … Clearance Limit, Enroute, Altitude, Remarks. (Is this a coincidence?)

Tomatoes and flames might make for a good marinara sauce…, but it's an even better recipe for the VFR pilot. "TOMATO FLAMES" lists the required VFR Equipment: Tachometer, Oil Pressure Gauge, Manifold Pressure Gauge, Altimeter, Temperature Gauge for each Liquid Cooled Engine, Oil Temperature Gauge, Fuel Gauge, Landing Gear Position Indicator, Airspeed Indicator, Magnetic Direction Indicator (Compass), ELT, Seatbelts.

You may not need "FLAPS" to take off during the day… but you better not forget them at night. "FLAPS" are the requirements for Night VFR. Fuses, Landing Light, Anticollision Lights, Position Lights, Source of Electricity.

Great name for a movie, but even better to remind us of prelanding requirements… "GUMPS". Gas, Undercarriage, Mixture, Propeller, Seatbelt belts & harnesses.

Just For Laughs… I couldn’t decide whether to go to Salt Lake City or Denver for vacation, so I called the airlines to get prices. “Airfare to Denver is $300,” said a cheery salesperson. “And what about Salt Lake City?” I asked. “We have a really great rate to Salt Lake. It’s only $99.00 but there is a stopover.”“Where?” I inquired. “Denver.”

Did You Know…
The Boston University Bridge (on Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts) is the only place in the world where a boat can sail under a train driving under a car driving under an airplane.

Source: http://www.kellys.com/know.html

Where and What to Look For During a Winter Preflight
By Rick Freidinger Director of Maintenance

If you have ever taken a Private Pilot written exam, you probably already know the fundamentals of icing. However, being able to pick out the correct answers from a multiple choice list and knowing what to look for during preflight are two very different things. You already know to watch for frozen contaminates (frost, ice, snow and slush) on the wings and control surfaces which will reduce performance by increasing drag and reducing lift which alter the flight characteristics of your aircraft. This means longer takeoff roll, possible failure to rotate and become airborne, loss of climb performance, decrease stall angle, etc.

A few other areas to check for frozen contaminates during preflight in the winter are:

Engine inlets and air filters, frozen contaminates here can restrict airflow and cause a power loss or engine failure during takeoff.

Frozen contaminates on pitot or static ports will cause erroneous indications in your airspeed, altimeter and vertical speed and could also effect operation of your auto pilot.

Your landing gear is another critical place to watch for frozen contaminates. Frozen slush or packed snow on your brake calipers and discs can lead to no braking action or brakes that are frozen restricting the rotation of the tire. Also watch for these same contaminates on landing gear actuators, torque links, up & down locks, etc. A build up on any of these components could cause a failure of your gear to retract or extend.

While "frost" is pretty on the pumpkin, "ice" is good for skating, "snow" is nice when skiing and "slush" can make for a good drink – none of these are good on or near your aircraft.

Ask the Pilot Professor
By Dr. Michael Bliss

Q: When I first learned how to land the airplane I quickly made a lot of improvement, but now I'm stuck. I think my first landings were better than they are now. There's no consistency – it seems like each one has a different problem. I don't think I'm ever going to solo…

A: The problem with learning how to land an airplane is there are so many variables that students have difficulty applying what they learn on one landing to the next because it seems like a totally new experience. That, coupled with the fact that there isn't a lot of time to think about what you need to do, because things are changing so fast, adds to the difficulty.

It would be next to impossible to try to fix someone's landing problems without personally working with them. Even to review what needs to be done to properly execute consistently good landings would require many pages. The best advice I can give in the space I have is this: If you have not improved after a reasonable amount of practice, I recommend that you work with a different instructor for a lesson or two.

There are two reasons I recommend this. Different instructors have different levels of experience. If your current instructor is relatively new, he may well be a very good instructor and he will eventually figure out what you need to do to improve. However, someone who has "seen it all" many times will realize more quickly how to fix your problem.

The other reason I recommend working with a different instructor for a few lessons is that instructors say things differently. It happens quite often that a new instructor can say the same thing your current instructor has been saying, but in a slightly different way, and the light bulb will come on. It doesn't make him a better instructor, just different.

I would like to think that your current instructor would be glad to help you arrange to work with a new instructor for a lesson or two if his primary goal is to see you advance.

Finally, I want to tell you to hang in there and don't be discouraged. Don't compare your progress with anyone else. The one thing I know after working with many, many students, is that it will soon all come together and you will even wonder why it seemed so difficult.

Calendar
Ground Schools & Events

Congratulations Miguel Negron,
David Murihead, Anna Beltron & Aaron Davis on Completing Your Private Written Class

Congratulations Sean Ponciano, Albert Mallah, John Greer, Harold Estes, Peter Smith & Hasan Ibuhamra on Completing Your Instrument Written Class

How About You?

If you are about to tackle your Private or Instrument written there isn’t a better, more enjoyable and guaranteed class available. Plus the class includes two free hours of simulator!

If you haven’t heard yet, there’s a gathering of Houston area pilots once a month in our hangar. Free food, hangar flying and informative seminar. You and your friends are invited. No cost or obligation to attend.

• Next Scheduled BBQ’s
• Saturday, December 6th
• Saturday, January 3rd
• Saturday, February 3rd

“Bring a Friend”

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