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APRIL 1998 ~ CENTRAL VALLEY AVIATION NEWS
A Publication of the Fresno Flight Standfards Disctrice Office~(209) 487-5306

BACK TO EVENTS

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FEEL LIKE YOU ARE BEHIND THE EIGHT-BALL ON GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEMS (G.P.S.) ?

Well, here it is, the mother of all seminars. You asked for it and now you will have it! The Hands-On (well-almost) Trimble Navigation GPS systems presentation.

Your host will be Mr. Tom Olswang, West Coast technical representative for Trimble as well as your friendly SPM. Mr. Olswang will be bringing a CPT (Cockpit Procedural Trainer) mockup for his product. By using our high-tech video equipment, you in the audience will excitingly be able to view first-hand all the necessary inputs and equipment functions to make a GPS system really work! Mr. Olswang has promised me that he will be presenting examples of instrument approaches for your specific area! So, for you folks in Bakersfield, and Merced/Atwater you will get to watch the actual GPS approach to your own airport.! Visalia.........you're next on June 4th!

APRIL SHOWERS............???

As of this writing (2-15-98), the rain has just kept coming and coming. El Nino, really stuck us into the mud. Before your flight, have you been diligently sumping your fuel tanks? If not, remember that your engine really can't burn water (although we wish it could). The district has had a few engine failure accidents in the last few years, so don't become a statistic because of water in the fuel!

VISALIA, MADERA, MERCED, CASTLE, CHANDLER, COLUMBIA! HEADS UP!

This office has received a fair amount of complaints from pilots, airport managers, instructors, and FBO's concerning questionable traffic pattern activities at the above airports.

During marginal VFR and IFR days this last winter, there have been reports of pilots not communicating their position, entering a left downwind for a northerly runway when the prevailing winds and AWOS definitely suggested the southern runway. In one instance, a pilot landed on the northerly runway, requiring a student pilot who was correctly lined up for the southern runway to go-around.

Some pilots have approached airports and entered a standard left-hand traffic pattern, yet the airport's "published" pattern is right-hand and a segmented circle verifies such information.

Quoting from the reprint of FAA Aviation News...Operations at Nontowered Airports (Available at all WINGS Safety Seminars):

• Airplanes entering the traffic pattern at a nontowered airport should avoid the flow of traffic until established on the entry leg.
• Arriving airplanes should be at traffic pattern altitude before entering the pattern and should use a 45 deg. angle to the downwind leg for entry. Entry should be abeam the midpoint of the length of the runway.
• Traffic pattern altitude is usually 800 to 1,000 feet above ground level (AGL)--that is above the airport's MSL elevation. Large or turbine-powered aircraft operate at a higher traffic pattern altitude, usually 1,500 feet AGL.
• Maintain traffic pattern altitude on the downwind leg until you are abeam the approach end of the runway, and extend the downwind far enough to assure a 1/4 mile final. Again, terrain or obstacles may make your downwind leg shorter or longer.
• Aircraft taking off or on go-around should fly straight ahead and do not turn until the aircraft is beyond the departure end of the runway and has climbed to within 300 feet of the traffic pattern altitude.(A good rule of thumb is 500' AGL)
• Finally, be sure to announce your position and intentions continuously on CTAF, beginning at least 10 miles out from the airport.

Please cut out and attach to your flight supplies / logs.AIRWORTHINESS OF YOUR AIRCRAFT

You give yourself confidence on your piloting skills. How good is your confidence in your airplane? Are the required inspections for your operations current? Have ALL AD's on your aircraft been complied with? What's the difference between an AD and a Service Bulletin from the manufacturer? Are the parts for your aircraft properly certified or bogus?

You're a renter pilot so you trust that the FBO takes care of all those maintenance things, right? NOT! Can you read and understand an Aircraft or Engine Maintenance Logbook?

Parts for Airworthy Aircraft: Is your aircraft airworthy? Legal? Whether you own, lease or rent your airplane, you as Pilot-In-Command need to know this information for your own peace of mind.

AT SELECTED THEATERS (AIRPORTS) NEAR YOU!

Hands-on with Trimble Navigation: A CPT (Cockpit Procedural Trainer) mockup for GPS with Mr. Tom Olswang. Using high-tech video equipment, you in the audience will be able to view first-hand all the necessary inputs and equipment functions to make a GPS system really work!

 WINGS AWARDS



 Pilot

 Wings Phase Awarded

 Month, 1998

 Mr. Jeff Kutsch

 X

 January

Mr. John E. Roth

 IV

 January