WELCOME PILOTS
I am impatiently waiting for the prospect of nice warm weather coming to North Carolina. Mother Nature has been teasing us with radical changes in weather recently and I vote for the official arrival of spring. If you have been “on the bench” with seasonal flying, I encourage you to take a moment to do some honest evaluation of your skills. March winds can be a challenge for the best of pilots.
Subscriber and Greensboro, N.C. area flight instructor Jon Wells was nice enough to allow me to run his Destinationarticle originally seen on the Piedmont Aero Club website. As you will find, his article does a great job promoting new destinations for the “$100 hamburger” trips we all enjoy.
Flying season is upon us and as a result you will find several fly-in’s added to the events section. Hope to see many of you at one of these important community offerings.
~TC Freeman
Aviation Speaker and Author
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NEW PRESENTATION
“PILOT AND AIRCRAFT PERFORMANCE"
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Your opportunity to continue the dialog is on Facebook:
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PILOT SAFETY MINUTE VIDEO #37 ~ PASSENGER COMFORT II
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HsWORig9uiU&feature=share&list=UU_H23eNO57Y4RupYMJLgd_w
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Need a Speaker for your Next Event? We Can Help. See the Article;
Need a Speaker for your Next Event? We Can Help. See the Article;
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Special Destination Article (Ashe County Airport ~ GEV, Jefferson, North Carolina) by Subscriber and Piedmont Aero Club Member Jon Wells
Airplanes and Gunpowder
By: Jon Wells
Don’t let the title of this article mislead you….as you may or may not know, I am always searching for new “$100Hamburger” locations that I can combine the enjoyment of flying to new destination while taking in the local culinary specials, should they exist on the field or nearby with the use of a local crew car. Of course, I love to share the venues with fellow aviators.
My usual flight to the Ashe County Airport (GEV), about 76 nautical miles northwest of GSO (Piedmont Triad International Airport, Greensboro, NC), is to eat at Shatley Springs Inn. Unfortunately, they are only open April 1st through November 31st. However, I recently found a quaint little spot that was even closer, and actually just down the end of the road as you leave Ashe County Airport…..the name…The Gunpowder Grill. Now, it’s not someplace that a weekend trip will allow, as they are only open Tuesday through Friday, 11am-2pm, however, the food is really fun. They have a daily buffet, as well as great sandwiches and the always welcome “$100 hamburger”.
Why the name the “Gunpowder Grill”? Well, it’s also connected to the Grady Family Gun Shop. Yep, gun supplies, ammunition and actually the sale of firearms. Now, this may not be for everyone, but the combination of the two establishments really makes it something I enjoy…..and hopefully it will entice others to try it out as well.
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Do Aviation Museums Bring New Pilots Into Aviation?
I recently attended a board meeting for an aviation museum in my home state. During this meeting my thoughts turned to the question, “Do aviation museums bring new pilots into aviation?”
The obvious aside, like education and history, museums bring people, especially youth, into aviation that might not normally do so. Thanks to tireless volunteers, they work hard to expose the culture and heritage to a new generation of aviation fans. I can think of three other groups and activities that have a similar mission; Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) Young Eagle flights, Boy Scouts of America (BSA) Explorer Post/Venturing groups and airshows. Unique in their own right, airshows are the second most popular brand of spectator sports in North America (MiramarAirshow.com). A pretty good bang for the buck.
Asking the hard question,“Why do we really care about the next generation of aviation community members?” My own story is an example of what aviation can do for our youth . As a kid from the “dodgy side of town,” aviation helped me see outside of my own neighborhood and surrounded me with a uniquely diverse group of people. In addition, flying taught me focus and discipline, while keeping me away from more undesirable activities (well, most of the time).
As an adult I would recommend any youth get involved in aviation. Along with the previously mentioned points, it’s a great way to get youth involved with Science Technology Engineering and Math (STEM), the current buzzword in education. As I tell the numerous tour groups that come out to the airport, there are a multitude of careers within the aviation industry, not just flying. Regardless, earning a pilot’s license (certificate) has a transferable skill-set well suited to any career and for life in general.
Aviation museums are a great way to ignite the spark into the aviation community. The majority of future pilots develop interest over a span of time through new experiences, like seeing Warbird aircraft or meeting aviation pioneers. While there are a few folks that find aviation on the spur of the moment, I give a hearty thank you to all museum volunteers and supporters for cultivating a loyal aviation following. So get out there and visit as many aviation museums as you can, because they all have something unique to offer. Better yet, get involved, volunteer and contribute.
About the author:
TC Freeman has been flying since he was a teenager and is now an aviation speaker and author. Being employed as an Aviation Safety Specialist for state government, he has passion for spreading the thrill of flying just for the fun of it via the website, www.WingsOfun.com.
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A Special Initiative by WingsOfun.com
NATIONAL TAKE FLIGHT DAY, SATURDAY, APRIL 12, 2014
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“We are excited to donate this segment of the WingsOfun BLOG to this great program that promotes; airport visitation, education and tourism.”
~TC FREEMAN
OPERATION: FLY NC NEWS
Stamp NOTAMS (no additional Stamp NOTAMS at this time)
Upcoming Events: Good for OP: FLY NC stamp/signature, most posted to: www.SocialFlight.com.
*April 10, 2014 (8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.) Helicopter Pilot Safety Event by HAI, FAA, NCDOT Aviation, Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU), Airport Authority Building Conference Room, 1000 Trade Drive, RDU Airport, NC (Morrisville, NC). Safety seminars, free lunch (sponsored by HAI) and career segment. Registration and details available at: http://www.faasafety.gov/SPANS/event_details.aspx?eid=54863&caller=/SPANS/events/EventList.aspx?statecd=NC
* April 12, 2014 (8:00 AM. -- 3:00 PM.) Cape Fear Wings and Wheels Fly-in (SUT), Southport, North Carolina: Cape Fear Rgnl Jetport (KSUT). For more information go to: http://flyins.com/events/view-event.html?id=6051
*April 15, 2014 (6:15 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.) Pilot Seminar: Don't Let Stress Bring You Down. Lacy Griffin Building (Asheville, NC Airport~AVL), 1 Aviation Way, Fletcher, NC 28732. Registration and details available at: http://www.faasafety.gov/SPANS/event_details.aspx?eid=54256&caller=/SPANS/events/EventList.aspx?statecd=NC
*April 26, 2014 (9:00 AM. -- 6:00 PM.) Lexington, NC BBQ Capital Cook-off and Fly In.
Lexington, North Carolina: Davidson County Airport (KEXX). For more information go to: http://flyins.com/events/view-event.html?id=5732
* May 17, 2014 (8 a.m. – 7 p.m.) Fayetteville (FAY) Fly-in, Airport Road, Fayetteville, NC. For more information go to: http://flyins.com/events/view-event.html?id=5816
*May 17, 2014 (9 a.m. – 4 p.m.) IXA Wings and Wheels Fly-in. Halifax/North Hampton County Regional Airport (Roanoke Rapids, NC). Seminars, helicopter rides, Light Sport Aircraft (LSA) rides, food, camping, entertainment and more. More information available on the fly-in facebook page,https://www.facebook.com/#!/groups/1419097265010777/ or by phone at, 252-583-3492.
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IMPORTANT AUDIO PRESENTATION AVAILABLE:
“OPERATIONS AT NON-TOWERED AIRPORTS”… for pilots flying just for the fun of it.
With the issue of sequestration, the shut-down of many Air Traffic Control Towers is a possibility. Regardless, it is important to know how to safely and efficiently operate at Non-Towered Airports. In this audio book TC Freeman discusses; straight in approaches, dealing with aircraft on extended downwind and traffic pattern entries.
(Run time: 34 minutes)
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NEWS FROM THE WEB
Brought to you by:
HOW TO SAVE MONEY ON FLIGHT TRAINING
eBook by WingsOfun Media
*INCLUDES SPECIAL CAREER PILOT SECTION!
*INCLUDES SPECIAL CAREER PILOT SECTION!
* State gives grant to airport project ~ mtairynews.com
* Young pilot says stepfather inspired her to fly ~ smartbrief.com
* U.K. high school students fly home-built airplane ~ smartbrief.com
* This is an important story about the FAA proposal regarding Experimental Light Sport Aircraft (ELSA) restricted operations.
*Two of the champions of industry merge, Cessna and Beechcraft under the Textron Company.
*Winston-Salem Fun Fly-in, May 9, 2014 (2 p.m. – 6 p.m.) Coordinated by subscriber Jonathan Miller.
*The FAA introduces the new Airman's Information Manual (AIM), check it out online for free.
*WingOfun Call to Action: “Senate Acts On Third-Class Medical Exemption” (AvWeb). A quote from the article from Senator Pat Roberts, R-Kansas, "The FAA has had two years to review this request for an exemption.....Let's get this thing moving."http://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/news/Senate-Acts-On-Third-Class-Medical-Exemption221581-1.html
Contact your elected officials in support of the “expansion of the driver’s license medical exemption to more (non-commercial) pilots. To find your senate representatives go to: http://www.usa.gov/Contact/Elected.shtml
I’m tempted to load up the plane on a spur of the moment trip to FL.
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Questions? Contact: tom@wingsofun.com
