12-02-07 - AOPA is announcing that Cessna has acquired Columbia Aircraft. If I understand correctly, Columbia Aircraft is a the commercial spin-off from the Lancair kit aircraft. It is also being touted as the fastest piston type aircraft on the planet. Well now, I hear the Columbia 350 and 400 will soon become know as the Cessna 350 and Cessna 400. Something tells me that if you like flying our Cherokee 180 you might fall in love with a Cessna 350. CLICK HERE for a Plane & Pilot in depth article about the Columbia (Cessna) 350. Dear Santa, All I want for Christmas is a Cessna 350. I promiss to fly it at 60% power... most of the time...

Where's The Towbar? 12-01-07 - After you come in from your flight and you taxi the aircraft up to the tie down, we are reminded of the fact that in most cases, you must back the aircraft into position. The next thought might be, "I wonder where the towbar is? Under the seat? In the baggage area? Or maybe in the hanger?" If you're flying 50J, before you think about muscling the aircraft to the tie downs, be sure to check in back of the the back seat. Click on the towbar icon to check it out. (Don't forget to put it back when you're done.)

ADS-B is coming!11-23-07 - Another article from AOPA talks about the new GPS system based equipment upgrade that will be required for all aircraft entering class "B", class "C", and the airspace above 10,000 feet. The way I understand it, this new system will replace the transponder. Sounds like a large number of 30+ year old GA aircraft are in for some shock treatment. So, if you just spent $43k for a nice 1972 Skyhawk, you might be one day spending  another $8,000+ to replace your transponder.
CLICK HERE to see the the AOPA article.

Taxiway Construction Update! 11-19-07 - The construction work to the south section of Taxiway ‘A’ was substantially completed today, November 19, 2007. The project area will be stabilized for the winter and cleanup activities will be wrapping up shortly. For more information click on the "Project Update" icon.

FAA SafetySeminar ~ 11-18-07 - I just received a tip from Jim Dubois that some new safety seminars have been added to the list. There's one in Center Ossipee on "Flat Light". What is flat light you may ask? To help you understand they'll be serving Pizza Barn pizza at the seminar. How about a fly-in event at Laconia airport at Emerson Aviation called, "Loss of Control." I don't know if they'll be serving anything but they suggest you bring your own chocks if you fly-in. Click on the icon for more information.

Taxiway Construction Update! 11-14-07 - Taxiway contruction project continues to progress with the latest poster information. If you did any flying on yesterday you saw the paving equipment in full swing. 
For more information click on the "Project Update" icon.

VFR In The Dark ~ 11-14-07 - Keeping your pilots license up to date can sometimes be a challenge, especially when it comes to night flight proficiency. However, at this time of the year, you just need to wait until 5 pm.  If you're doing a solo night flight, you might bring more than just a handy cockpit light and grab that trusty MagLite flashlight that looks like a piece of black pipe with a lens stuck on the end of it. And as you preflight the aircraft, you might be thinking about those aviation news articles that talk about keeping a sharp eye out for any suspicious activity. But not to worry. It's very likely that the most suspicious activity anyone would see from the parking lot would be you, as you stealthily walk around the aircraft in the blackness with flashlight in hand doing your preflight... note: Any strange noises are probably animal critters... except for last night.

Alton Bay Ice Airport News ~ 11-10-07 - Plans are in progress for the Alton Bay Ice Airport operation on Lake Winnipesaukee. In an email titled, "B18 Alton Bay Seaplane Base/Iceport", Paul Arsenault gives us a heads-up on some of the upcoming events. He's also looking for help on plowing the runway from anyone wishing to donate some time and resources to help maintain the ice runway in top condition. CLICK HERE for more information.

Taxiway Construction Update! 11-8-07 - Here's an update on the taxiway contruction project. Full paving production is anticipated for Monday, November 12th and Wednesday, November 14th, weather permitting. The taxiway will reopen to all traffic during the week of November 19th after the taxiway paint has been applied. Construction of the North Section of Taxiway ‘A’ may start as early as the week of December 3rd.
For more information click on the "Project Update" icon.

Smashing Pumpkins ~ 11-7-07 - And the winner is:  Eleven year old Joshua LeBrun who came in first place and hit the target with his first pumpkin, according to Foster's Democrat. The sky finally opened last Sunday and the Pumpkin Bombing Contest was underway. Click on the icon to see the article that was in the Foster's.

12 Golden Rules ~11-04-07 - Here's a link sent in by Jim Dubois to a web site about flying safety. This web site is called pilotworkshops.com. Here's what it says on their home page. "PilotWorkshops.com provides hands-on, practical, computer-based workshops focusing on skill building and pilot proficiency. Our workshops are taught by some of the best instructors in the business and are designed for pilots of all skill and experience levels." Click HERE to see the tip that was sent to Jim.

Taxiway Construction Update! 11-2-07 - The work on the South Section of Taxiway ‘A’ remains on schedule. Full paving production is anticipated for Wednesday, November 7th through Friday, November 9th, weather permitting. While the South Section of Taxiway ‘A’ remains closed during this paving, the FBO maintenance hangar will be accessible on a prior notice required basis. The taxiway will reopen to all traffic during the week of November 12th after the taxiway paint has been applied.
For more information click on the "Project Update" icon.

Taxiway Construction Update! 10-31-07 - The work on the South Section of Taxiway ‘A’ remains on schedule. Full paving production scheduled for Friday, November 2nd and completed on Wednesday, November 7th, weather permitting. While the South Section of Taxiway ‘A’ remains closed during this paving, the FBO maintenance hangar will be accessible on a prior notice required basis. 
For more information click on the "Project Update" icon.

New Gas Prices ~ 10-31-07 - Here's the latest posting as of this last day of October. With careful managing and planning we can help you with a training budget that will help you meet your flying goals. Gives us a call at 332-0005 for more information. CLICK HERE or on the "Cost & Rental" menu item for gas & rental fees.

Taxiway Construction Pictures~ 10-30-07 - Here's a few pictures of the taxiway construction. It's not a patch job, that's for sure. By the looks of the new foundation, the new pavement will be a smooth as glass. As you can see, getting to runway 33 is a "back taxi" procedure.
 
 

Taxiway Construction Update! 10-24-07 - The work on the South Section of Taxiway ‘A’ started as scheduled on October 23rd with all pavement reclamation now completed. Grading and base material will be placed on the South Section of Taxiway ‘A’ starting October 25th. Paving is anticipated to start on Wednesday, October 31st, weather permitting.For more information click on the "Project Update" icon.

Taxiway Construction 10-18-07 - Scheduled to start around October 23rd will be a major construction project on the taxiways. By the looks of the "Project Update" notice, it appears that we'll be having an extension going right to the beginning of runway 15. Click on the Project Update icon for more information. Also, the Project Update icon has been added to the home page right column during this project for easy access for the latest information.

FAA SafetySeminar ~ 10-12-07 - "CFI/DPE Workshop" 
Monday, October 29, 2007, starting at 6:00 pm, Avarax Aviation Services 104 Grafton Drive Portsmouth, NH. Flight instructors and Designated Pilot Examiners are welcome to join this forum directed toward your roles as educators and evaluators. 
 

Looking Out The Window ~ 10-12-07 - Flying VFR around the New England area brings a pilot in contact with all kinds of weather conditions. In flying, there is no such thing as a routine flight. Here's a small collection of pictures taken from 11R within a 20 mile radius of Skyhaven that depict various weather conditions.
 

9-30-07 -  Mike McMahon is at it again with the 3rd annual pumpkin bombing contest, OCTOBER 27TH & 28TH, 10:00 A.M. - 4:00 P.M., Skyhaven Airport Rochester, NH (603) 332-0005. Pumpkins donated by Scamman's Home & Garden Center, Stratham, NH.
Here is how it works: $30/person for 3 “ bomb” runs. Fly in our Cessna 150 and try your luck at bombing the target. Now, if you:

FAA SafetySeminar UPDATE!~ 9-27-07 -  Here's an update from Jim on another local seminar. This time it's at Sanford Airport. The title is: "ATC Communications for VFR Pilots." The seminar is Oct 3rd beginning at 6:00 pm. Jim also passed this link along which is a pdf file about "5 steps prior and during taxiing operations." Click on the icons in this article to get the whole story.

B24 Bombers  ~ 9-24-07 - The Collings Foundation and other organizations like the "Confederate Air Force (Commemorative Air Force)" have amazing collections of well preserved and restored WWII aircraft. Their numbers are limited and sometimes listed as one of a small number of planes still flying. However, at one time, these aircraft  lined airport ramps as far as the eye could see. I recently came across an article about Lockheed Martin and they happen to have a picture of a B24 assembly line during the war.

FAA SafetySeminar ~ 9-23-07 -  Here's an update of the latest search on the FAA Safety Seminar. This week there's a fly-in seminar at Laconia airport at Emerson Aviation, this Tuesday Sept 25 at 6:00 pm. "The seminar will provide information regarding IFR departure, enroute, and approach procedures.  VFR pilots will find this seminar helpful in improving their ATC radio communication skills & system understanding." For more information click on the FAAST icon in this article.

B17, B24, B25 Pics from Mike McMahon ~ 9-22-07 - Here he is again flying in those Collings Foundation WWII aircraft. Some people wonder what it was like to fly a B24, but for other people, wondering isn't enough. Here's some great pics from our CFI Mike McMahon flying in those well preserved Collings Foundation WWII aircraft. Click on the icon to see Mike's pics. Click HERE to visit the Collings Foundation web site and more information about the B17, B24, and the B25 tour schedule..

Pilots Lounge ~ 9-17-07 - Have you seen  our pilots lounge lately? It even has a nice vending machine in the corner with a couch and chair that are bound to make you feel at home. Relax, and read up on your favorite FAR's. Click on the small picture to enlarge.

Cospas-Sarsat ~9-16-07 - Here's an email from Jim Dubois he forwarded from the FAA about the FAA talking about changing the ELT's in the aircraft from 121.5-MHz to 406-MHz. AOPA says that the NTSB has recommended that pilots be required to equip their aircraft with a 406-MHz emergency locator transmitter (ELT). AOPA recommends that pilots should be able to choose between 121.5 ($200) or 406 MHz ($1000 to $1800) ELT's. AOPA also says that the association has been working to educate pilots about the two ELTs, personal locator beacons, and cell phones with GPS receivers that can be used in case of an emergency.
CLICK HERE TO SEE THE AOPA ARTICLE

Congratulations! 9-13-07 Congratulations to "Surfer" Joe on making his first solo in our beautiful Cessna 150. Thanks to CFI Dan Heeter, it looks like Joe has been flying on his own since July 31st. Sometimes the shirt cutouts don't get on the wall right away for various reasons, but when we see it, we'll post it! Good luck Joe with your flying and have fun with our Cessna 150.

AFD Online ~ 9-8-07  Wondering what the "Airport Facility Directory" has to say about your next destination? Well the FAA has a web site with the AFD (not AFV) in pdf format that allows you to search with various criteria like state, city, airport ID, etc. The web site is called "Aviation Systems Standards" (AVN). Huh? How do they get AVN out of "Aviation Systems Standards"? When it comes to acronyms, the FAA can't be beat! Normally, you use the first letter of each word to form the acronym. However, it looks like the FAA had a good reason not to follow this rule with "Aviation Systems Standards". Click on the icon in this article to visit their site. I've also added the icon to the right column of the OVA home page.

Jim and Diane ~ 9-3-07 What's a good way to round out the summer activities with something special and out of the ordinary? How about a plane ride in our beautiful Cessna Skyhawk and a tour of Rochester and the seacoast area. Maybe fly down the Piscataqua River out to the Portsmouth Shipyard turn south along the coast, then head north and make a touch & go at Pease (Portsmouth), and land back at Skyhaven. For more information click on "Scenic Flight Information".
 

Maine Jet Rally ~ 8-31-07 Have you ever seen the Maine Jet Rally RC jets? Amazing... well they are having another rally at Sanford Airport. Here's some info... "The Maine Jet Rally is a three day, AMA sanctioned jets only fly-in. The event is in its 9th year, and this will be the third year at the Sanford Municipal Airport in Sanford, Maine
Friday through Sunday, September 7-9. Friday (no general public attendance) 12-7. Saturday -- all welcome -- 9-5. Sunday -- all welcome -- 9-3"
 

Aero Club of New England (ACONE)  ~8-26-07 Here's another new link added to the OVA links page. Thanks for this tip and message from Jim Dubois. Due to an inability to get an air traffic control tower for their 2007 event, the ACONE Basin Harbor Fly-in for September 9th 2007 has been cancelled. There will not be a fly-in at Basin Harbor this year. In place of the Basin Harbor fly-in, ACONE members and their guests are invited to join them for the ACONE Owls Head weekend in Maine this October.

Alton Bay Ice Airport ~ 8-26-07  In New England if you really like the summers more than the winters it's not considered polite to talk about the winter in the middle of summer. But for those of us who enjoy all the seasons of New England, here's some news about Alton Bay. Glen Horne tells me that the Ice Airport now has it's own web address which is "www.flyaltonbay.com". Also, there will be a phone number 603-332-9098 that will have an answering machine for current condition and information. Be sure to visit the Alton Bay Ice Airport page to see information and pictures about the ice runway.

Top Gun Pilot! 8-23-07 Check out the latest link added to our "Links" web page. I would have to think that this site offers a plane ride that could probably be the ride of your life. However, I simply cannot imagine a non-pilot thrill ride seeker stepping into an EXTRA 300L and doing  Lomcevak that's hard to say never mind do. Have you ever asked yourself what Air Force fighter pilots (F-18's, F-16's, A-10's, etc) do for fun, besides fly 737 commercial airliners? How about giving thrill rides in Extra's...
 
 
 

Congratulations! 8-22-07 - Congratulations to Mindy Holman  on obtaining her private pilot license. The journey to your private pilot license is different for everyone, and what kind of twist and turns you run into is something you just don't know. But once you are there, a new direction can open up for you and it looks like Mindy has decided to make a career in flying as she pursues her flying studies at Daniel Webster College. Good luck to Mindy on her studies towards a flying career.

Congratulations! 8-22-07 - Congratulations to Michael Bloss  on making his solo flight in 23G. According to our CFI Jon Riebau, this is Michael's 2nd solo flight. The first solo Michael made was 20 years ago at a time where continuing his flight studies was not meant to be. However, Michael is back at it again and has chosen Ossipee Valley Aviation to help him pick up where he left off and continue working towards his private pilot license. Welcome back Michael, and thanks for choosing Ossipee Valley Aviation.

Runway Repairs 8-21-07 - If you Take a close look at the notam and you will see that the runway is open before 9 am and after 7pm. But during the day the repair crews are out and about making those needed repairs to maintain our runway. This may be a good excuse to get caught up on your night flying proficiency requirements. Click on the icon to see the men at work.

AIR SHOW at Pease (Portsmouth) Airport! 8-19-07 - If you managed to get down to Pease Airport to see the airshow this weekend you might have notice that many of the airshow performances were seen at the Skyhaven Airshow in 2005. Dan McCue was there flying his L-39 and the Collins Foundation Corsair. The F-18 also put on quite a performance showing off its sheer power with its 18,000 lbs of jet engine thrust gulping jet fuel by the gallons. Click here to check out some pics I took...

Congratulations!update 8-22-07 - Here's a picture of Steve after his solo flight. 8-19-07  Congratulations to Steve Sprowl on making his first solo flight in 50J. Steve joins the ranks of a growing number of student pilots that have decided to do their training in our Cherokee 180. The Cherokee 180 is not only a fun airplane to fly, but also has impressive performance specifications that will allow you to bring some friends and baggage to your favorite destination. Thanks to our CFI Mike MacMahon, Steve is well on his way to becoming a private pilot. Good luck to Steve as he continues his studies.

2007 WINGS OF HOPE AIR SHOW!  8-16-07 PORTSMOUTH — A world class air show returns to New Hampshire's Seacoast this weekend when Pease Air National Guard Base hosts the Air Force Week New England — Wings of Hope Air Show 2007. 
The show kicks-off Saturday, August 18 at 9 a.m. and features a wide range of air and ground shows throughout the day. The event continues on Sunday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.  Click here for more info

Congratulations! 8-15-07 Congratulations to Bryan English on making his first solo flight. Bryan is under the guidance of our CFI Jon Riebau. I'm not sure which airplane Bryan soloed in but I'm guessing it is our Cessna 150. More and more student pilots are seeing why our Cessna 150 is a very practical choice for student pilot training. The economy and utility of the 150 just can't be beat. Good luck to Bryan as he continues his training towards his private pilot license.

FAA SafetySeminar ~ 8-12-07-  Here's an update of the latest search on the FAA Safety Seminar from Jim Dubois titled, "Sharpen Your Edge: A Flight to Hartford". Learn how to communicate and navigate in the complex New England airspace structure. Sounds like they'll be talking about the AOPA event that will be happening at Hartford. Click on the FAAST logo for more information.

TFR IS Gone !  8-12-07 ~    Ok, the haze is gone and the TFR is gone. So, come on down and do some flying. Also, haze doesn't mean IFR. Here's a few pics from 11R taken a few weeks ago and as you can see, the view is just as awsome. Give us a call and ask about our Cherokee's and Cessna's and take that ride you've been putting off, and you can bring a friend.

TFR Notice! - 8-8-07   AOPA is sending this message to advise pilots in and near Kennebunkport, Maine, that the FAA has issued a notam with a temporary flight restriction (TFR) in the area during President Bush's planned visit from Thursday, August 9, through Sunday, August 12. There will be a large 30-nautical-mile-radius TFR centered on the ENE VOR's 143-degree radial at 8.3 miles, extending up to Flight Level 180. It will be in effect from 1 p.m. local Thursday until 2:05 p.m. local Sunday. Also, there will be multiple smaller 10-nm-radius GA no-fly zones in effect within the larger TFR duringthat time frame.

Congratulations! 8-1-07 -Congratulations to Justin Evans on making his first solo flight. Our flight instructor Mike McMahon is at it again. Lately, it seems that a dark gray shirt is a popular flying shirt. We'll have to get Mike a white marker if this keeps up. This time we know that Justin soloed in our Cessna 150 and landed on runway 15. Ever wonder why some students land on runway 15 and some on runway 33? For a pilot, that's a no-brainer. But for a student pilot, it's an important part of your studies, especially on a hot day. Good luck to Justin as he continues his studies for the private pilot license.