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Unfortunately, dry weather continued into last weekend, when most of us really could have used some run-off moisture, in the form of a few days of soaking rain. I can remember when the Butler airport was a soggy grass field and rain meant no flying for a few days.
Transient traffic was busy at times last week; we observed a Cirrus SR-22, a Piper twin, a Cessna Skylane and an Army Reserve Chinook helicopter, among others. I flew a Cessna 172 out to Manhatten and also ferried a Skyhawk from the shop, seeking fuel to import along the way in both instances.
The trip west on Saturday promised benign conditions, but the reality was spoiled by a weak cold front across the route. Fog formed before sunrise, spreading 100-foot ceilings and quarter-mile visibility along a 40-mile boundary. Butler was clear, Fort Riley was clear, but in between lay the fog. We delayed until it was assured that half-hour of cruising on top would leave us comfortably in reach of an alternate landing spot.
U.S. aviation news for the week mostly centered on the airline flights mess as the Shutdown-starved air traffic controllers, those able to work without pay, could only handle so many flights. FAA management had to limit airport access at the major hub airports, where airlines like to pack in-and-out seat swapping connections as tightly as possible. Cutting flights is the only solution when weather or lack of controllers interferes. Visual operations by general aviation don’t impact the system very much, often conducted without radio contact. However, the FAA over-reacted by prohibiting general aviation from using 12 of the nation’s big airports, instead of limiting departures like the airlines. Public airports belong to everybody, nof just the Big Guys. Fortunately, once their point was finally made, the well-paid politicians ended the government shutdown, and flights began getting back to normal holiday frustration levels.
Last Thursday, somebody intentionally set fire to three aircraft sitting on the ramp at Avon Park, Florida, near Sebring, two Pipers and a Cessna. The perp planted the fires in the plane cabins, for no reason other than to watch flames erupt. Come on, man, they aren’t making these airplanes any more, at least none than we can afford to buy.
On Tuesday evening, a Cirrus SR-20 experiencing mechanical trouble was lost in a non-fatal crash close to Spirit of St. Louis airport, the two occupants walking away from the tree-impaled wreckage in what the TV reporter called “a miracle.” Not hardly, folks. The Cirrus, of course, is equipped with a whole-plane parachute, which the pilot wisely deployed in time to let the aircraft down safely, just as it was designed to do. Sometimes chute-pulled Cirrus’ can be rebuilt to fly again, but it looks doubtful in this case.
Our question of the week was about the luxury tax that Canada recently repealed, which had been applied to airplane purchases over $71,000. It was 10%, but wasn’t bringing in much revenue compared to the loss of sales it caused. For next week, tell us what company built the FG-1D Corsair WW-II fighter plane. You can send your answers to kochhaus1@gmail.com.
