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PUFA NEWSLETTER
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March 16, 1997
Jeff Rochon, President
Bernie Strotmann, Vice-President
Ken Buck, Treasurer
Glenn Ursel, Secretary
Mail to: Pacific Ultralight Flying Association
102-16071 82 Avenue
Surrey, B.C. V3S 2L6
PUFA Newsletter published by Glenn Ursel
From The President
by Jeff Rochon
Included in this newsletter is a copy of the letter your executive forwarded to CARAC to protest some more onerous propositions offered up in the new CARS. PUFA members agreed at the February meeting that the two level instructor's requirement was unnecessary. Further, members felt that the passenger carrying regulations proposed were far too excessive.
It is no secret that these, and other offerings by our regulators, are just the tip of the proverbial iceberg. More rules will be exacted as the new bureaucracy stretches its considerable wingspan. That can be counted upon! What can we do about this recent round of Big Brother rule making? Probably not much.
CARAC, by their own definition, gathers information from many aviation groups to formulate changes to the regulations. Regrettably, we ultralighters have not been well represented, either by inactivity on our part, or more likely when we are heard, not given much weight in the decision making process. We have not kept up with the acceptance curve that conventional aviation has enjoyed regarding having a hand in the ever changing regulations.
I have been complacent regarding the people that govern my flying pleasures. Perhaps I believed that, if you minded your own business and did not make waves, the regulators would not deem it necessary to over regulate our small segment of the industry. Naively, I presumed that the few changes one could expect would not affect the status quo in any consequential manner.
Changes must occur of course. The ultralights of the past bear little resemblance to the speedy, comfortable and reliable craft that we now operate. The demands made by pilots wanting more weights, more equipment and larger engines plus the evolution of the ultralight has made intervention by our rulers inevitable. My biggest concern is that the continuous stiffening of the regulations will undermine the very basic idea of the sport - to allow new and old pilots to fly inexpensively and safely with a minimum of unnecessary intervention by well intentioned but misguided bureacrats.
Editorial Note
by Glenn Ursel
In this edition of the PUFA Newsletter, we have two articles offered for your reading enjoyment by two of our most experienced aviator members - Larry White and Fred Baron.
Larry writes about a rare engine malfunction (a broken crank shaft) on his float plane which he designed and built completely by himself, including the fuselage, propeller and floats.
Fred supplements his previously published (October 16, 1996) story, "The Early Years", with a rendition of his training for the noble art of aviation in his account entitled, "My Instructor".
I must say that I appreciate the efforts of these two gentlemen in providing me these fine stories and I encourage more of you to post, fax or email me your accounts of your recollections of current or past experiences in flying Ultralights.
Finally, a draft letter to CARAC regarding a proposed change in flight plan procedures is also presented for your review and discussion at this month's PUFA meeting.
A Sunny Misadventure
It was a beautiful early summer day. Fueled, preflight and runup complete, I was off for another adventure over the waters to the wild west. Up over White Rock at 1200 feet, then down to 200 feet across to Tsawwassen, the ocean was like a mirror; one postcard scene closeup, the other hanging on the horizon. When one has both floats and wheels, their horizons are much broader.
As I got around Point Roberts, I saw a ferry leaving port in the distance. Sounds unfamiliar to my ears began emanating from my faithful 503 two stroke engine on my wooden space ship! What now (with these planes, one must have an emergency landing plan in place at all times)? I briefly considered heading back to the Intergalactic Aerodrome where my spaceship left earth, but the rattle seems louder already and I am over U.S. waters, so I decide to head towards the ferry causeway in good old Canada.
I suspect a muffler spring may be broken or loose and rattling so I try more throttle but the noise gets worse, so I throttle back to 4700 RPM where it had been when the noise started. The chattering away, I am now in Canadian air space and continue on hoping to reach the shore. By this time, the noise is considerably louder and I decided to land near shore to check things out. After checking the muffler, prop, etcetera and finding nothing amiss, I turned the prop by hand and the clunking noise told me the engine would not get me home. I restart the engine and taxi up to the beach.
Upon landing, a couple on the beach with a cell phone allowed me to call my wife to my rescue. When she arrived, we dragged the plane up on the rocks above the tide line. She agreed to stay on the beach with plane while I went home for my spare engine (a luxury I appreciate now!). By evening, my spare engine was mounted and test run. Everything checked out okay so I headed for home.
On disassembly of the engine, I found that the crank shaft had broken in the middle and had in fact continued to run for about 5 minutes, long enough to get me to safety.
My spare engine is now my only engine and has continued to take me on many enjoyable flights since. Always be prepared and fly safely.
Larry White
My Instructor
I think we all remember our flying instructor; I remember mine, he was the person who took upon himself the unenviable job of trying to teach the fine art of flying to a true landlubber, a real novice, who didn't know an aileron from a rudder. These Instructors are from a great fraternity of people with unending patience and understanding. I have nothing but praise for them, if they can teach me to fly. The instructor I had was way under paid.
Fifteen years ago I went down to a little local field, where I remembered seeing some planes flying. I arrived on my stroked out Harley, dressed in my leather outfit with my earring in my ear. I didn't know up from down but, watching these machines flying around, I was hooked. This might even be better than my Harley. I laid my money down and said "when do I start?" After a sleepless night dreaming I was superman, I went back the next day to begin this new adventure. The name of the Instructor I had was Vic Claire. This 45 year old gentleman started to explain the workings of the aircraft.
He explained everything - the controls, the aerodynamics, the ailerons, the rudder, the elevator, etc., etc. The same story that we have all heard if we are to venture into the wild blue yonder. I couldn't help thinking that my father would be proud of me today taking up this marvellous sport. My father worked in the 1920's and 30's with some famous aviators, Wop May, Punch Dickinson, Grant McConachey and I grew up hearing the stories of the daring feats of these Bush Pilots, flying their Fairchilds, Fockers and Norseman. My father went on to work for Canadian Pacific Airlines. So with those thoughts in the back of my head, I prepared myself for the greatest adventure of my middle aged life.
Vic seated me in the aircraft and proceeded to show me how to start the engines, that's right engines. I started my flying on a twin. He showed me different power settings for different phases of flight; he showed me how the control stick moved up and down and what that meant and on and on and on. Vic Claire was sure a patient man and fit. I don't think I had seen such a fit 45 year old; I was soon to find out why. You see the aircraft I was seated in was a Lazair, a single seat, twin engined Ultralight, each engine rated at a raw 6 h.p. (probably 5 if the truth were known).
You might think that I was a little apprehensive, sitting in an aeroplane that weighed only 168 lbs with a maximum of 12 h.p. to lift this 200 lb soon-to-be pilot into the air. I remember looking over at my 100 cu.in. Harley and wondering what I was getting myself into. But there I was, I had paid my dough and my mind was made up; I was going to leave this earth (hopefully to return in one piece) and become a lone eagle of the air. I began to wonder how this marvellous feat was to be accomplished without a two seater in which to give me some instruction. But then again I was not the instructor.
As I said, it was a twin engined, single seat, V tail (no rudders) Lazair and at that time they had a very narrow gear which made them prone to tipping one wing tip on the ground in just a slight crosswind when taxiing. There were no two seat Ultralights in those days. This is when I discovered why Vic was so fit. The instruction of the novice pilot was done by the instructor running beside the aircraft as the student tried to taxi down the runway. As the student handled the aircraft, the instructor would yell commands over the roar of those chain saw engines (we didn't have to wear helmets in those days). The throttles were used to steer, using alternate power. This Miracle Man with his Reebock running shoes, running up and down the field shouting instructions to me did seem a little strange but, not knowing any different, I presumed everyone learned to fly this way. In a short time I started to get the feel of the controls and I was instructed to make short hops, but ! I was warned that these short hops might one day lead to my solo. Vic said that, if I got too high one day on one of my hops, he would yell "Go for it" and I was to put the peddle to the metal (full power) and be launched into the wild blue yonder.
One day, long before I thought I was ready, I was doing my hops down the runway with my capable instructor yelling commands at me when a little gust of wind got me a little higher than I had meant and I heard those famous words "GO FOR IT" and I was launched into the world of aviation. I was airborne, on my own, and all the instructions and all the preparation paid off. I was in the air, like an ugly duckling about to become a white swan, a free spirit detached from my earthbound brethren below. I negotiated the landing like I was a pro (I thought). I was congratulated by the Instructor and I was on my way, now I was a real pilot. No licence required I was told, just use common sense. What a freedom!
I bought a plane for $3,000 and I was all set for my new adventure. The name of the field was Air Flow Ultralights and was owned by Vic Claire at that time. We had all of 3 planes tied down at the field then. Located on King George Highway in south Surrey, B.C., it is still in operation and still called Air Flow but Vic has gone to other things and Fred Glasbergen now runs it (a former PWA Captain). There are about 50 aircraft at the field now and most of them are hangared. Some of the Ultralights now have Continental engines and look for all the world like Cessnas and cost $50,000. We have come full circle, from these frail little craft to full size high speed craft now.
I still fly my Lazair but even I have graduated to two big 9 h.p. Rotax engines (probably 8 h.p if the truth were known). I now have 2,400 hours under my belt but still look forward to a sunny day and flight with the eagles and red tailed hawks that soar around the Intergalactic Aerodrome. There are a lot of flyers not with us anymore but, when I'm in my bird in the big blue, their names and faces poke from my memory and I remember those fun days of flying. I'm getting older now and so is my Lazair but I'm still having fun. You have fun too, cause that's what it is all about, having FUN, at least that's what my Instructor taught me.
Fred Baron
DRAFT LETTER
March 8, 1997
Canadian Aviation Regulation Advisory Council
Tower C, Place De Ville
5th Floor, 330 Sparks Street
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0N8
Dear Sirs: Re: Change in Flight Plan Procedures
We understand that a proposal is being presented for a change in flight plan procedure whereby a pilot will not be able to either open or close a flight plan in the air by request to the nearest control tower.
This means that a pilot on filing a flight plan to a TCA Flight Service Centre is actually opening the flight plan at that moment of filing the plan. This contrasts with the present procedure in place over many years whereby the pilot files a flight plan with the FSC and opens it only when he is in the air by request to the nearest control tower. There are many opportunities for delay between the time the pilot files the flight plan and the moment he has reached altitude and proceeds on his flight plan, including traffic delays, problems encountered in pre-flight check, etc.
Similarly, the existing procedure on closing a flight plan by request to the nearest control tower has worked satisfactorly for many years. If a pilot must wait until he gets to a phone to close his flight plan, there may be unnecessary searches initiated simply because the pilot has encountered delays in getting to a phone due to the need to put his plane away in storage, encountering traffic problems if there is no phone at his air strip and/or simply forgets to close the flight plan due to the aforementioned activities in getting to a phone.
Whenever possible, we believe that a pilot should therefore be able to open or close a flight plan the air by reporting to the nearest control tower. The Pacific Ultralight Flying Association, comprised of 50 members, is therefore opposed to this change in flight plan procedure.
Yours sincerely,
Per Jeff Rochon, President
Pacific Ultralight Flying Association
JR/gru
cc: UPAC, ULTRA &
Aviation Safety Ultralight and Balloon,
TCA