7-25-08: Over at the maintenance and service hanger, Glen, Paul, & Jim not only keep the OVA fleet in tip top shape, but it's not unusual to find aircraft that don't even fit in the hangar. How about a twin turboprop like the DeHavilland Otter like the one that New England SkyDive uses for skydiving. We'll not only show you how to fly, but we'll keep you flying after you get your license even if you buy your own airplane. 

Private Pilot Ground School Notice! 7-16-08: Mike McMahon and Justin Evans have announced that they are working on a student pilot ground school. Here's an excerpt from the brochure Justin sent about the upcoming evening classes.
"This 12 week course is offered to students seeking ground school instruction for a private pilot certificate. This ground school course is intended to primarily cover the necessary subjects for the Federal Aviation Private Pilot Knowledge Exam, the subjects material goes beyond the bare necessities. This course was prepared and outlined to follow the aeronautical knowledge in The Pilot’s Manual: Ground School book. Assigned readings are specified from The Pilot’s Manual: Ground School book to introduce students to this knowledge in an easy to follow practical but thorough format. Students will be examined on their understanding of the aeronautical knowledge covered in this course through reviews, oral and written quizzes, and class discussions."
Click on the icon in this article to load a pdf file for more ground school information.

~7-6-08: Here's an FAA newsletter from Jim Dubois titled, "General Aviation and Density Altitude." Around New England you might calculate a density altitude around 1100 feet and say wow. In the mid-west you might say, "Oh my God." The newsletter has a link to a pdf file  that talks about the density altitude at Albuquerque, NM with an airport elevation  of 6750 and a density altitude of 9100 feet. In a Cessna 150, that would reveal some interesting performance figures. (Or should I say non-performance figures.) Click on the FAA logo to read the e-newsletter. A few years ago, I had the opportunity to fly a 150 in El Paso Texas. The temperature was 98 degrees F, and the airport elevation was 4000 feet... the FBO told me that most of the runways around there were 6000 feet long... hmmmm

Hobbs meter vs. Tach time ~ 7-6-08: Everybody knows that tach time runs slower then the Hobbs meter time, but did you know that there's a condition when the tach time is equal to the Hobbs time? According to some articles, when the tach is showing around 2400 rpm it would equal the Hobbs time. Usually, the Hobbs meter starts when the engine starts, but I've seen some cases when the Hobbs started when the master switch is on. Tach timers are used to track operating time for maintenance and billing. For example, most small aircraft engines are overhauled after reaching 2000 tach hours. The Tach timer is connected to the tachometer, which indicates how fast the engine and propeller are turning in revolutions per minute. 

Congratulations To Brett Bickford ~ 7-3-08: Congratulations to Brett Bickford on making his first solo flight in our Cessna 150. Thanks to Bretts CFI Jon Riebau, Brett can now join with his fellow student pilots and start earning his cross country requirements. Before Brett can get his private pilot license, he needs to accumulate 10 hours of solo time, along with the other requirments. If you want to know more about the private pilot requirements, click on the "Online Pamphlet" menu item for a brief description.

Congratulations To Dave Hopkins ~ 7-2-08: Congratulations to Dave Hopkins on making his first solo flight in our Cessna 150. Thanks to the expert guidance from our CFII Mike McMahon, Dave is now on his way to complete the requirements for his private pilots license. There's a special feeling that first time that the instructor gets out of the plane and says ok, it's time for you to take off by yourself and put into practice what you've learned so far. Once he gets his private pilots license, he's free to fly wherever he feels like flying... (almost). How about the White Mountains, or over Lake Winnipesaukee, in the northern woods of Vermont, over Portsmouth, how about the desert & salt flats in west Texas? Once Dave gets his private pilots license, he'll be able to bring family and friends to all those choices places.
 

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