Famous Family Pilot Lands At ButlerGreat flying conditions prevailed again last week, with some early morning fog causing delayed launches. Once it burned off, the fair-weather cumulus popcorn added contrast to the clear skies.
To clarify last week’s Butler City Council report, yes, the credit card reader at the airport fuel pumps is working, but the pump isn’t. After months of sitting, it refuses to dispense and the Notice To Airmen still reports “out of service until 10-8-2025.” I know of three transient pilots who didn’t do their planning and had to fly elsewhere after landing here to refuel, all last Thursday. Hope springs eternal...
In an unrelated matter, we were visited on Friday by Krissie Younkin from Siloam Springs, Arkansas, who was flying her family’s Super Decathlon with her 8-year-old son. If the name rings a bell, it’s because her husband is Matt Younkin, who flies an airshow routine in a twin-engine Beech C-18. She’s part of the support crew for the show schedule, which keeps her on the road 26 weekends per year. Matt was due to perform on Sunday at neighboring Bentonville, AR, so she was anxious to get home.
Among the other airplanes spotted were a Cirrus SR22, a Cessna 210 Centurion, a Cessna 172H, a Skyhawk and a Piper Archer. From the local hangars, Jon Laughlin was flying his Piper Cherokee 180C, Jeremie Platt took his Grumman Tiger out, Randy Miller celebrated his 77th birthday in the Cessna Skyhawk, Gerald Bauer exercised the Cessna 172 and instructor Delaney Rindal made several training sorties in her Cessna 150s.
We have a new private pilot to announce; Cody Barker of Nevada started his training here 20 months ago and passed his checkride last Tuesday with Examiner Brian Morgan at Springfield. Instructor Delaney and he are due well-earned congratulations.
Three weeks from this publishing, a big change is coming for the Light Sport piloting community. Since 2004, a Sport Pilot option has been available for individuals seeking a pilot’s license, allowing a student to earn a “sport pilot” rating in as little as 20 hours of training, versus 40 hours for a Private license. The current restrictions limit a sport pilot to airplanes weighing no more than 600 kilograms (1320 pounds) flying no faster than 120 knots and with only two seats. No medical exam or certificate is required.
As of October 22, all that goes away. Replacing it are expanded privileges allowing sport pilots (or higher-rated pilots) to fly airplanes of unlimited weight, so long they stall no faster than 59 knots clean, and with up to four seats, as long as only one passenger is carried. This opens up Cessna 150 and 172 models, as well as Piper Cherokees and similar planes. Again, no medical is needed, just a driver’s license. Insurance companies may impose other restrictions.
Remember the Canadian Boeing 737 airliner that made a hard landing at Sint Maarten island in the Caribbean a few weeks ago, driving the right main gear up through the wing? Turns out the airline has found a way to repair it and is planning to fly it out, rather than scrap it; I imagine the pilot who was flying is still unemployed.
Are you ready to fly on an airliner flown by a geezer? Right now, U.S. rules require pilots to retire at age 65, but ICAO, the internationalist airline governing body, wants to raise it to 67, and Senator Ted Cruz (not a pilot) is pushing the FAA to abandon age limits altogether. Supposedly, this will get us out of the coming pilot shortage. Looks like that would only get us through another couple of years, though. And I think I’d prefer to have at least one younger whippersnapper up front in my airliner.
Last week’s question wanted someone to tell us to whom the Butler Memorial Airport was dedicated. It was to all members of the armed forces who lost their lives in wartime. Now, for next week, which side of a propeller blade is its “face,” front or back? You can send your answers to kochhaus1@gmail.com.
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