Mental toughness and how it applies to aviation

JohnMahany_AirVenture2018

Why you should visit AirVenture

AirVenture 2018  was awesome!

JohnMahany_AirVenture2018There was lots of cool stuff to see and do. Which is why you should visit AirVenture!

Where to begin? It’s hard to describe ‘AirVenture’! It’s so much more than ‘an airshow’, or a convention. It’s like Disneyland to ‘the max’.  It’s impossible to take it all in, from the range of aircraft on display, to the exhibit hangars, speakers at various forums (over 1,500) and much more. The event planners outdo themselves on this, every year!! And they succeed, every year!

The City of Oshkosh takes in nearly fifty percent of their annual revenues during this one week alone. There are almost 20,000 campers in Camp Scholler. Nearly 10,000 aircraft fly-in and are parked on the grounds. When they run out of room at Wittman Field, then the arriving aircraft end up at one of several other nearby airports in Central Wisconsin.

It’s like this every year. It’s the busiest Air Traffic Control Tower in the world, for this week. Air Traffic Controller’s from around the US bid to ‘work’ Oshkosh for the week. It’s the biggest mix of aircraft to ‘work’ from an ATC standpoint, from home-built’s to jets, found anywhere!

There is the daily airshow, on top of everything else, at 3pm, daily. Not to be forgotten is the museum, which is a world-class museum, and don’t forget the Seaplane Base, just a few miles southeast of Wittman Field, accessible by bus from the south end of the tie-downs by the approach end of runway 18. The Seaplane base is like another world away from it all, on a much smaller scale. Several float planes are moored there, and if you are there long enough, you are almost sure to be able to see someone takeoff or land from the water lane, which is always a treat!

AirVenture2018_booths

 

Go to www.airventure.org to get an idea of what all there is to see and do. The ‘AirVenture’ experience is different for everyone. I have been there almost 20 times now, since first going in 1977, and I still have a great time each year! There’s always something new to see and do! It’s never boring … like meeting with fellow aviators from around the world and having a common bond. Where else can you do this?

I am involved in many aviation organizations, and volunteer for two of them during AirVenture. I started doing this a few years ago. It has added so much more, for me. I volunteer for both an aviation education organization, SAFE, as well as an aviation media group, the Florida Aviation Network (FAN), and divide my time up between the two. Because I volunteer with FAN, I now get press credentials and a Media Pass, which allows me access to people and places that might be inaccessible, otherwise. I also take lots of photos for FAN, all of which they post on their website. www.floridaaviationnetwork.com

For the media, there are daily press briefings, where EAA’s Director of Communications, tells us which manufacturer’s and vendors are planning what press-conferences, and media events, each day. Typically, they overlap. You have to pick and choose. Like I said, there is no way to take it all in. To put this in perspective, aviation journalists from around the world attend AirVenture, and more than 1,500 apply for and are granted media passes each year.

AirVenture2018_PlaneDepending on your interests, here is what to see. From the main entrance, many aircraft manufacturers are located here on the main drag. Then, off of that, are a variety of vendors. And there are the four exhibitor’s hangars. There are probably more than 1,000 exhibitors. Even non-aviation vendors are there. There are also workshops to learn airplane construction. And there is much more.

The main aviation ‘member’ organizations (alphabet groups) are all there, including; ABS, AOPA, EAA, SSA, SPA, SAFE and many others. It’s a great place to meet the ‘right’ people and get your aviation questions answered! If you can find them, in the crowd. AirVenture has gained international recognition. Many manufacturers use AirVenture to make major new product announcements. Even the FAA’s Administrator, and some of the staff, make an annual visit to AirVenture, as well as typically the Secretary of the DOT. This is where they can meet with their constituents. Many important policy decisions are based on informational meetings held behind the scenes at AirVenture, and it gives pilots the chance to meet top government officials in the appropriate forums and ask questions addressing some of the many issues of our time. Both AOPA and EAA have full time staff members in Washington, DC, to work with Congress on legislation affecting us in general aviation.

I try to take in as much as possible and hope to connect with as many colleagues as possible, during the time I am there. There is never enough time. I always leave wishing I had more time and this is why you should visit AirVenture next year! Blue skies.

 

 

 

 

 

Certified Pilot – Forty Years Flying!

August 15, 2018, marks forty years since I earned my Private Pilot Certificate! Back then, I had not given any thought to forty years later! Who does? And here I am reminiscing about how far I’ve come! And I’m not finished yet!

Since that day forty years ago, I have logged more than 9,100 hours and have had the opportunity to fly more than 100 makes and models of aircraft. A wide range of experience, to be sure. Among my favorites is the ‘Citabria’, which is actually the word ‘Airbatic’ spelled backwards! It’s a fun little aerobatic airplane that is a delight to fly! A very light but firm touch on the controls…it is a fun ’tail-dragger’ airplane.

The most challenging by far was the Swearingen Metroliner 2, which I flew as co-pilot for Britt Airways, a commuter airline. No auto-pilot, naturally. We hand-flew every leg. Very demanding. A lot of work…and learned a lot!

Citabria

Citabria

Swearingen Metroliner 2

 

 

 

 

 

 


Now I intentionally seek out new and different makes and models of aircraft to fly. And what is still true now, after forty years, is that I am still learning! There’s always more to learn.

From busy tower-controlled airports, and quiet non-towered airports to paved hard surfaced runways, as well as the grass and gravel found off the beaten path in the back country, each presents its’ own challenges. And then there’s the water, when flying on floats…which depends on whether it’s a river or lake…and more. There are many variables and each water landing is different. That is just one part of why I am still fascinated with flying, and am not bored, forty years later!.

I have been fortunate to be able to seek out many new experiences in flying along the way. I have now had the opportunity to fly aircraft including; single and multi-engine piston and turbo-prop aircraft, seaplanes, gliders, experimental aircraft, as well as warbirds, as well as fly on float and snow ski equipped aircraft. I have also had the opportunity to fly helicopters. All are fun, and some are more challenging than others!

In addition, I have been fortunate to learn the basics of mountain flying, as well as fly in the backcountry in both Alaska and Idaho. It’s very different than flying in the ‘flat-lands’ of the Great Lakes, where I started. I have learned a healthy respect for the mountains. They always win!!

Along the way, I have also gained experience in both airline and charter operations, as well as a brief stint in corporate flying. Airline flying presents its own challenges, among them learning to deal with weather in an ‘all-weather’ operation. The training is relatively short (6 – 8 weeks), intense (lots of pressure) and fast-paced. It is very disciplined flying, in a scheduled airline operation, naturally. Charter, on the other hand, can be different every day, on every flight, depending on what the customer wants.

I’ve also gotten involved with humanitarian flying, which is very rewarding, with three organizations dedicated to this. They are AngelFlight, LightHawk, and the Civil Air Patrol. All three have different roles. All are volunteer organizations. AngelFlight typically flies people in need of cancer treatments, but who are not able to take an airline flight, due to their condition. AngelFlight fills this need beautifully. LightHawk’s focus is on the environment and conservation. and using airplanes to create an awareness of what is happening to the environment. This is done by taking various members of the media, as well as politicians, and others with a demonstrated need, up to get a different perspective, from the air! It’s quite powerful.

In addition, several years ago I was invited to participate in a record-setting flight! I had not done this before. I was one of four pilots who piloted a Vintage Beech-18 on a route from Carlsbad, California, to Phoenix, Arizona, and back, in a record-setting time! We did not land in Phoenix. Instead, we overflew Phoenix at an altitude of about 8,000’ and turned around once over Phoenix while in touch with ATC, and returned to Carlsbad, where coordinated with the tower (ATCT) and made a low-pass over the runway for the purposes of getting the official time ‘stamp’ per the official FAI record-setting requirements, thus setting the record, and then returned for a landing! It was a lot of fun! I am hoping to do this again…in the next year, in my own Cessna 180.

I am always reading books, either reviewing or learning something…and now I am getting ready for the training to earn my next Type Rating, in a Gulfstream 4. This is a fast-paced three-week course with a a lot of material! It’s a complex jet, compared to the Cessna Citation!  This has been on my bucket list for years  and the opportunity is finally here!

I am always looking for my next aerial adventure!! Blue skies!

Cessna Citation

Flying a Cessna Citation

On Sunday, July 1, 2018, I had the opportunity to fly with a friend in his Single-Pilot (SP) Cessna Citation, a CE-501, from where it is based, at John Wayne Airport (KSNA) to San Jose, CA (KSJC), and back. It was a beautiful day to fly in Southern California. Though it was warmer than normal, with the OAT being ISA + 20 during climb and cruise. We were ‘in between’ weather systems, meaning there was no significant weather to deal with. There was almost no wind at altitude. Our TAS (True Airspeed) and GS (Ground Speed) were almost the same. The CE-501 is almost identical to the CE-500 except that it is certified under FAR 23 (Normal Category) instead of the more restrictive FAR 25, Transport Category. The takeoff weight is limited to 12,500#.

The flight time up was about 1+15. The return was about the same. There were no delays on either end. This was nice, considering that both of these are air carrier airports. He flew it up to SJC, and on the return flight, he did the takeoff and the climb to altitude, up to FL350.

As it is a Citation, all of the jokes about performance are true (bird strikes from the rear). It is slower in the climb and cruise, as well as on descent. But then the engines only produce 2,200# of thrust. And on a hot day they produce even less thrust, just like any jet. How many times did SoCal TRACON advise us to ‘resume normal climb speed’, and we had to respond, ‘we already are’. We were not even able to go 200 knots. Our climb speed was 180 knots initially and gradually slowed to about 160 knots from there. We were already doing the best we could. And again, on descent, we were told to ‘not exceed 250 knots’. We replied that that would not be a problem.

It is a very easy jet to fly the Cessna Citation, as most Citations are. They were originally designed for the owner/operator who was stepping up from a piston-twin Cessna. The panel arrangement is typically Cessna, and appropriate changes were made when the Citation line was designed.

On the way back, I took over on the descent at 29,000’, disconnecting the auto-pilot and hand flying. It was wonderful!!! It is a very easy jet to fly. And FUN!! The flight controls have a very solid feel. They are not hydraulically assisted. They are purely mechanical, via control cables. Designed to be that way.

Panel_Cessa Citation

As we got closer to John Wayne Airport, I was relishing the flying!! It was SO MUCH FUN!! It’s a hands-on, kinesthetic thing with me!! I’m a ‘hands on’ guy. Making many small adjustments with the controls (pitch, bank and power) to maintain the proper speed, heading and altitude, as SoCal TRACON vectored us towards a Visual Approach to Runway 20R at KSNA. Using sight, sounds and the ‘kinesthetic’ connection. So important. The ‘man-machine’ connection. My ‘stabilized’ approach and landing turned out very nicely!! Wow!! Right on the correct approach speed (Vref +10 in a jet), and so forth. Very rewarding to me. I don’t get to fly in a real airplane nearly often enough. So, I look forward to every opportunity to fly. Even as this summer marks 40 years of flying for me, I’m still not jaded! I hope to keep it that way.

My friend even complimented me on how nicely my landing turned out. I realized a few minutes after we shut down, this was my first landing in a jet! Though I have done many in the simulator, it was uneventful, the result of much practice!  I’ve flown many turbo-prop aircraft and have done this many time in a flight simulator, but this was the first-time landing in a jet. I was just relishing the feeling — a feeling of deep satisfaction for a job well done!!

He has owned the Cessna Citation for about two years now, and in that time has had some work done on the jet. He has upgraded some, but not all of the avionics. It is a work in progress. As a result, the panel is sort of a hybrid combination of new and old. And it still has some work that needs to be done. That’s all part of the process.

Aside from that, it was an enjoyable flight up and back! My friend typically flies single pilot, so is not used to having a qualified pilot/instructor in the right seat. He was very competent throughout, and there were no problems. He pointed out to me some of the issues that he is working to resolve on his Cessna Citation especially concerning the avionics. He does not fly often, so he is wise to train on a regular basis, returning almost monthly for additional simulator time to stay proficient and review emergency and abnormal scenarios in the simulator.

Until the next time,

Blue skies!

 

 

Master Flight Instructor Logo

Master Instructors LLC Renews John’s Master CFI Accreditation

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
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Master Instructors LLC takes great pride in announcing a significant aviation accomplishment on the part of John S Mahany, a Los Angeles area flight instructor and a resident of Long Beach, California.

Recently, John’s accreditation as a Master CFI (Certificated Flight Instructor) was renewed by Master Instructors LLC, the international accrediting authority for the six (6) Master Instructor designations as well as the industry acclaimed and FAA-approved “Master Instructor Continuing Education Program (MICEP).”  He first earned this national professional accreditation in 2003 and is one of only 40 worldwide to earn one or more of these credentials six (6) times.

To help put these achievements in their proper perspective, there are approximately 101,000 CFIs in the United States.  Fewer than 800 of them have achieved that distinction thus far.  Twenty-three of the last National Flight Instructors of the Year, National FAASTeam Representatives of the Year, or National AMTs of the Year were Masters (see: http://www.GeneralAviationAwards.org/) while John is one of only 56 California aviation educators to earn one or more of these prestigious “Master” titles.

In the words of former FAA Administrator Marion Blakey, “The Master Instructor accreditation singles out the best that the right seat has to offer.

The Master Instructor designation is a national accreditation recognized by the FAA.  Candidates must demonstrate an ongoing commitment to excellence, professional growth, and service to the aviation community, and must pass a rigorous evaluation by a peer Board of Review.  The process parallels the continuing education regimen used by other professionals to enhance their knowledge base while increasing their professionalism.  Designees are recognized as outstanding aviation educators for not only their excellence in teaching, but for their engagement in the continuous process of learning — both their own, and their students’.  The designation must be renewed biennially and significantly surpasses the FAA requirements for renewal of the candidate’s flight instructor certificate.

For more information about the Master Instructor Program visit www.MasterInstructors.org  To learn more about the Society of Aviation and Flight Educators (SAFE), visit http://SafePilots.org/

Alexander “Sandy” & JoAnn Hill, MCFI-Es
Master Instructors LLC,  Longmont  CO

Weather Accidents and How To Avoid Them

Join two of PilotSafety.org’s Master Instructors on a 90 minute discussion of three different general aviation weather accidents. This free and entertaining class will not only show what went wrong but teach you how to keep from making the same weather mistakes. A must attend class for anyone from a student pilot to and experienced flight instructor. FAA Wings Credit will be given to attendees.