Givin’
a kid a ride
I try to
keep my aviation writing in the third person so I can better explain the
sometimes complex concepts of aeronautics as a reporter or lecturer. However, much of flying and aviating is
personal by nature, along the lines of the spiritual experiences of those who
ride horses, ride waves, ride motorcycles, or pursue other avocations at which
the participant must work.
Pilots
take personally the task of bringing young flyers into the fold. We have national programs such as the
Experimental Aircraft Association’s Young Eagles Program, the Aircraft Owners
and Pilots Association’s Project Pilot program and many other local programs
designed to bring those interested into the cockpit. Pilots are generally eager to give rides and usually greatly
enjoy bringing the experience of flight to those who do not normally experience
it.
Recently,
I had just that opportunity: to share flying with a young valley teenager who
has had the dream of flight.
McGarren Jones, 16, a student at Santa Ynez Valley Union High School,
joined me on a flight to Santa Paula and back in a light sport aircraft. Jones
has already accumulated some stick time with a family member who owns an
aerobatic Citabria in Santa Barbara.
On this
Sunday, McGarren had the opportunity to do all the flying on the way to Santa
Paula, and he did a fine job of maintaining altitude and heading, finally
arriving over Santa Paula after about 35 minutes of flight. During the pre-flight inspection and
preparation for flight, McGarren was drilled on the use of checklists in safe
operation of the aircraft. Little
did we know how important a lesson that would prove later in the day!
The
marine layer had not cleared fully by the time we arrived at Santa Paula, so we
had to fly a few miles east up the valley to Fillmore before we descended
through a large hole in the cloud layer.
Santa
Paula had a lot of traffic on the first Sunday of the month — on this day
each month many of the airport’s tenants open their hangers and show off what a
wonderful collection of antique and restored aircraft they have. Pre WWII military trainers, 70 year old
Piper Cubs, rare Navions, and restored Cessnas, all flying in the pattern while
crowds on the ground enjoyed the sights.
After
parking our aircraft at the east end of the field, McGarren and I stood near
the approach end of runway 22 to watch the landing traffic. At one point an experimental high
performance two seat aircraft came into the pattern. I noted that while on downwind the pilot had not lowered his
gear and knowing that the aircraft is quite fast I mentioned to McGarren that
the aircraft would most likely make a high speed pass down the runway.
As I kept
my eye on the airplane, I noted that, as he was making the turns from downwind
to base then final, the pilot kept his speed low…a velocity one might expect
for a landing, not a high speed pass.
As the plane turned to its final approach leg, the pilot had lowered the
flaps in preparation for landing, but the landing gear was still in the up
position.
I
mentioned to McGarren, “This guy is going too slowly with his gear stowed,” and
that he didn’t look like he was going to do a pass. As the plane approached the runway the pilot continued to
reduce power and I then said to McGarren, “Watch this guy, he’s going to land
without his gear!” We watched the
plane float down the runway about 3 feet above the pavement until it lost
flying speed and dropped onto it’s belly, sliding the last 300 feet to a
complete stop.
A crowd
of about 20 people quickly formed around the aircraft, and together they lifted
the small plane off the ground as the pilot then moved his landing gear switch
to the down position, lowering the gear and allowing the airplane to be rolled
off the runway and back to its hanger.
The aircraft did sustain some minor damage to the propeller, flaps,
fairings, and belly skins.
The
lesson, as I pointed out to McGarren, was the lack of use or the incomplete use
of the most basic of checklists by the pilot. If he, at the very minimum, had
consulted the checklist before landing he likely would not have belly flopped
in front of all those spectators.
The
Experimental Aircraft Association and the Santa Ynez Airport Authority have
made contributions towards McGarren Jones’ efforts to learn to fly.
Hanger Sale this Weekend!
The local
chapter of the Experimental Aircraft Association, Sport Aviators Inc., will be
holding an auction of a large collection of tools after its monthly meeting on
Saturday, April 19, at hanger J-6 at Santa Ynez Airport.
Auctioneer
Don “Crash” Noonan will officiate over the auction of nearly 300 tools,
including drill presses, band saws, welding tanks and equipment, sockets,
wrenches, hammers, grinder, screwdrivers, micrometers, and much more!
Viewing
of auction items and registration begins at 10:30AM, and the auction starts at
noon. Hanger J-6 is located at the
end of Airport Road on Santa Ynez Airport.