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Butler airport flying activity was at a low ebb last week, given the low ceilings and rain that moved in after Wednesday’s partial clearing. Weekend holiday travels were hampered as weather systems stagnated across the middle part of the country. Good weather wasn’t too far away, but was often unreachable.
A few planes made it in for refueling on cross-country trips and once in a while a Piper Archer training flight dodged clouds long enough to make an approach. On Wednesday, I ventured as far as Clinton in a Cessna Skyhawk, and the AirTractor agplane was out applying fertilizer to sodden fields. The SkyDive KC parachuting operations were relegated to the light Cessna 182, in lieu of the big Cessna Caravan.
Reports from the national aviation news including an FAA announcement that instead of needing 14,633 air traffic controllers, which leaves it continually understaffed by over 2000 bodies, requiring mandatory overtime to cover positions with the 11,000 controllers available, it is going to implement a reorganization plan that will only require 12,563 controllers. How convenient. Last year the agency had “hired” 2000 controller applicants for training, but it takes 3 years or more to get through the full-development process. In five years, 106,000 people had applied for controller jobs, but only 2250 finished to get to full journeyman capability. The fact remains, “pushing tin” is not a job everybody can do.
A Sunday afternoon airshow at Mountain Home AFB in Idaho went quiet suddenly when two Navy FA-18G jets collided and crashed in a fireball. Miraculously, all four crew members were able to eject from the tangled planes successfully. So, the Whidbey Island air wing is short $100 million of aircraft because of a hasty join-up that went wrong while entertaining the crowd.
It was announced last week that the Royal Canadian Air Force is retiring its 50-year old Canadair Tutors used by its nine-ship Snowbirds jet demonstration team. After this year’s schedule of shows, they will be flying Pilatus PC-21 turboprop trainers. Sorry, it just won’t be same, although we understand the aging Tutors can no longer be kept flying.
Oklahoma’s legislature recently approved a $560 million five-year plan for airport development, including money for terminal buildings and hangar construction. The Sooners recognize the importance of aviation infrastructure and are putting money where their mouth is at places like Tulsa and Ponca City.
Bad news for the owners for the 260 Eclipse very-light jets; the only parts supplier for the airplanes is going out of business and an auction is being held to sell off the inventory and tooling. The Eclipse cheap-jet was the dream of the late Vern Rayburn who lost the company in bankruptcy. It was a success under new management, but not a cheap one. This blow has the potential to ground the Eclipses.
The question of the week, about the ground transport available at Mackinac Island airport in upper Michigan, was answered by reader and airport enthusiast Susi Serna, who knew that only horse-drawn carriages are permitted on the island. Or you can rent a bicycle. For next time, what country was the second nation to put a jet airliner into service, after Britain’s 1952 DeHaviland Comet? You can send your answer to kochhaus1@gmail.com.
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