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Finally—spring has sprung. Gusty winds notwithstanding, anyone with access to an airplane went aloft last week, shaking off the dust of winter storage before the bird residue of nesting season replaces it. Starlings have already moved into my hangar, ignoring my No Vacancy sign.
The collection of visiting aircraft was considerable, including some Piper PA-28 and Cessna 172 stop-ins, a Piper Twin Comanche, a Beech Bonanza A36 and the ever-vigilant Army Guard Black Hawk ‘copter. Dr. Ed Christophersen flew down from New Century in his Piper Archer, a Civil Air Patrol Cessna Skylane refueled and a turbine AirTractor applicator airplane tied down.
Most of the locally-based planes were exercised; Jon Laughlin made a Mexican run to mid-Missouri in his Piper Cherokee 180C, Jeremie Platt flew his Grumman Tiger, the Beech Bonanzas N35 and F35 were up and Christian Tucker had both of his Cessna 150s in the air.
Another Certificated Flight Instructor joined the ranks of flight trainers last month. Jeff Lowe of Clinton completed his checkride at the academy in Cloquet, Minnesota in his Piper Cherokee 180D and is now able to sign logbooks, in addition to being president of AvFab manufacturing in Clinton. Congrats, Jeff!
The owners of a Falcon 900 business jet had an Aw-Shucks moment the day after April Fools Day, when their plane ran off the runway at Aspen, Colorado. In an attempt to get the single runway reopened for waiting traffic, a heavy snowplow was hooked on to yank the jet out of the mud. Alas, it didn’t budge and the nosegear tore off, plopping the rest of the aircraft on its nose. That canceled a bunch of ski trips, for sure.
This Friday, April 14th, the new Amelia Earhart Hangar museum will be opened at Atchison, Kansas’ airport, honoring the birthplace city of the famous aviatrix. Her family home atop the bluff overlooking the river has long been a mecca for aviation history buffs, but now the airfield will join it. The chief attraction is a Lockheed 10-E airplane, similar to the one in which Amelia was lost.
By the time you read this, SpaceX may or may not have test-launched its “Super Heavy” Starship rocket into orbit from the Boca Chica, Texas base. Nearly 400 feet tall, the behemoth has 33 engines and is supposed to be recyclable. Final approval to fire it was pending at press time.
Our week’s question was about the purpose of a small venturi device seen under the belly of some military and larger civilian airplanes. That, dear friends, is the end of the “pilot relief tube”, installed for emergency physiological needs of the crew members. The venturi assures positive one-way flow. No, I haven’t ever… For next time, we want to know the origin of the “Lomcevac” aerobatic maneuver term. Send your answers to kochhaus1@gmail.com.
