Winter is coming...

The following article appeared in the November 2020 issue of the American Bonanza Society magazine - www.bonanza.org

Type-specific training and insurance checkouts for new Bonanza and Baron owners are mostly what I do as an instructor. Lately, I have had a number of clients take delivery of some very well-equipped aircraft, including ones that sport TKS systems or hot props. As part of my systems review, the topic of managing icing conditions seems to foster quite a bit of discussion – especially for folks with the TKS system.

Working through various scenarios ultimately incites excitement in the new Bonanza owner on firing up this expensive equipment and putting it to use. Unfortunately, what I also see is lack of enthusiasm for the rest of the anti-ice and de-ice features of the aircraft, lack of understanding of their use, and subsequent lack of preflight planning for wintertime flight. Some pilots see having TKS as a ticket into icing conditions, when in fact, there are very few Bonanzas and Barons certified for Flight Into Known Icing (FIKI), and even if you are flying one of these aircraft, understanding the current inflight conditions and ensuring you have a plan to exit icing conditions at some point is an important aspect of staying alive.

Preflight and Systems Checks

As important as having the equipment is testing it.  I find that many pilots enjoy exercising their TKS system if nothing else than to comply with the manufacturer’s recommendations: 

Running the system every 30 days keeps the moving parts lubricated, the lines and panels relatively charged, and would give advanced warning of any failure.

Ensuring the system is running and that is has a full reservoir prior to flight is important. TKS fluid is expensive, but it’s relatively cheap compared to potential maintenance issues and that flight where you end up running out of fluid prematurely and wish you had filled the reservoir. The company responsible for the TKS system –CAV Systems – has a website with a great FAQ that I encourage all TKS system owners to review: (https://www.cav-systems.com/support/faq/). 

Those of you with pneumatic boots aren’t exempt from pre-flighting these systems.  Performing a preflight just the other day, I was admiring how nice the boots were looking on a twin that I have been flying lately.  They obviously haven’t been exercised in some time, and come to think of it, I don’t think I “popped the boots” since the owner had them dressed back in March!  Ensuring the boots properly inflate is an easy check to perform as part of the Before Takeoff checklist. I was recently flying with a pilot and noticed that the deice boots inflated a little bit as we took off and stayed inflated as we flew. Very doubtful they would provide much value in any kind of icing encounter.

Checks of heated elements are equally important. Is the prop heated? When was the last time you checked it? How about the pitot heat? I find that many pilots forget about turning on the pitot heat when entering visible moisture that may be below freezing. No matter the temperature, I try to instill the habit of turning on pitot heat any time visible moisture is expected so that a routine is developed. This will come in handy as pilots transition to pressurized aircraft that routinely fly in temperatures below freezing all year, and will help them be prepared when it is 60 degrees on the ground and find themselves picking up ice at 9,000 feet. 

Oftentimes during pre-flight and again during pre-takeoff checks, pilots check to see if the amperage rises when the pitot heat is turned on. But that doesn’t always cut it. I flew with a pilot where we tested the pitot heat and found that while we were getting amperage draw, the tube wasn’t heating up. This may seem impossible, but sometimes these old pieces of equipment develop problems that don’t always pop a breaker.  Also to consider, many aircraft have the pitot heat circuit tied to the stall warning vane heat, heated fuel vents, heated static ports, and a host of other heating elements. Are your static ports heated?  This is a preflight check item that rarely happens and brings about blank stares when I ask.

Knowing your amperage draw with everything working is important since you may still show an amperage draw if one of those systems is not functioning properly. But a proper preflight check would be to carefully check them on the ground. I say carefully because a pitot tube can heat up quickly to the point where if it’s touched, it can send the pilot to the emergency room. What I encourage all pilots to have in their hangar is one of those non-contact laser/infrared temperature guns. I purchased mine online for less than $20.

FLIGHT OPERATIONS

While there is quite a bit of excitement about turning on the TKS system to “test it out,” I start to get glazed eyes when I start to talk about pitot heat, defrosters, and alternate air as tools in everyone’s arsenal when it comes to safe winter operations.

As mentioned earlier, I encourage pilots to turn on the pitot heat any time they are entering instrument meteorological conditions. This may be old hat to some of the seasoned wintertime flyers in our group, but for the folks transitioning into more capable equipment, those doing more instrument flying or even the new instrument pilot, the defroster is sometimes a long-forgotten tool in the icing toolbelt.  Ensuring the defroster is turned on high before experiencing airframe icing may give you the visibility you need when landing. Ice can and does form on surfaces other than just the wings and propellers.

Speaking of which, induction ice is also of concern. Thankfully, our Bonanzas and Barons are equipped with rudimentary automation when it comes to ice (or contaminants) blocking airflow in our air intake filter.  When was the last time you checked to make sure this works? Depending on your model of Beechcraft, there are a couple of ways. You might have an alternate air handle in the cockpit, which is to be used if you suspect the alternate air door isn’t automatically opening. It can also be used on preflight to determine if the alternate air door is sticking or not moving for some reason. Discuss the operation of the alternate air system with your mechanic so you understand how this works for your model of Bonanza. 

CONCLUSION

It’s hard to believe I am talking about winter flying especially since, as I am writing this, it is a balmy 88 degrees here in Chicago. But as time slips away, we will soon find ourselves in situations where the freezing level is right smack in the middle of our typical cruising altitudes and, later, all the way to the ground – causing even more complication. These are just a few notes that I have gathered from some of the post-purchase checkouts I have done with new Bonanza and Baron owners, and should not be a substitute for an extensive conversation with your CFII about managing icing conditions, flying in instrument conditions, or thorough preflight checks of all of your systems. 

There are many considerations to undertake when flying in the winter and flying in weather conducive to icing.  Flying with an instructor knowledgeable about our very capable Beechcraft is a good reason to fly with a BPPP instructor.  

Can I get paid to fly my Beechcraft?

The following article appeared in the July 2020 issue of the American Bonanza Society magazine  - www.bonanza.org

Images of airliners packed with people wearing face masks have sparked fear in many and have caused mass cancelations of travel plans. As people start to tip-toe their way out of isolation, an increase in the desire to travel is starting to emerge. But there is still much fear about boarding an airliner. A local jet center told me there have been a record number of inquiries about private jet travel, and I have even had a number of aviation clients and students reach out to me asking what it would take to get their commercial pilot certificate. Why would there be so much interest in getting a commercial certificate? My sense is pilots are seeing an untapped opportunity to capitalize on individuals starting to move around, whether it be for vacation or other reasons, and to utilize their Bonanzas and Barons to satisfy these needs.

If you want to get paid for flying your airplane, is your biggest challenge finding the motivation to get your commercial pilots license? Possibly. But first we must take a look at the regulations for commercial pilots and operations to determine whether your ideas are legal.

COMMERCIAL PILOT PRIVILEGES

FAR 61.133 outlines privileges and limitations for commercial pilots, so it is natural to go there for guidance. Here is an excerpt of the regulation (I emphasized the part in bold print):

FAR 61.133 (a) Privileges -

(1) General. A person who holds a commercial pilot certificate may act as pilot in command of an aircraft (i) Carrying persons or property for compensation or hire, provided the person is qualified in accordance with this part and with the applicable parts of this chapter that apply to the operation;

The phrase that is bolded indicates there are other parts of the FARs that might apply. If you have ever heard of Parts 135 or 121, you have an idea that there are other regulations in play depending on what you are planning on doing with your newly minted commercial pilot’s license.

Thinking back to some of the rudimentary methods I used as a private pilot to remember some of those fringe FARs, I always equated Part 121 with airliners – scheduled service –  and Part 135 with “those corporate guys” flying around the rich and famous to exotic destinations – on-demand service. It does not seem like either of these apply to what we are contemplating. Or do they?

PART 119

It may seem shocking, but when I was training pilots for ratings and certificates (specifically commercial pilot), my students would shake their heads in disbelief as I introduced an FAR they never heard of –Part 119. This Part is key to understanding what you can and can’t do as a commercial pilot. 

The title of FAR Part 119 is "Certification: Air Carriers and Commercial Operators". Not a particularly lengthy set of regulations compared to the two we are used to (Parts 61 and 91), but section 119.1 explains that this FAR applies to each person operating or intending to operate civil aircraft - as an air carrier or commercial operator. Further reading outlines some of the nuances of how commercial operators or air carriers should operate, and what additional FARs apply to them: such as Part 135 and Part 121.

One interesting paragraph in the very first section – 119.1(e) – introduces a convoluted phrase riddled with double negatives, which makes it difficult to determine what is being said. Essentially this section outlines parameters for determining what additional FARs may apply to you, and probably more importantly, outlines those specific operations that can be performed by commercial pilots without worrying about the additional FARs such as Part 135.

You may read this section and think: “Wait a minute. Commercial operator? Part 135? I’m not a commercial operator, I’m just a pilot that wants to fly people around and get paid for it.” 

As we start to dig into what this really means, we need to define commercial operator. A quick look at FAR Part 1.1 shows that commercial operator is defined as “a person who, for compensation or hire, engages in the carriage by aircraft in air commerce of persons or property.” This is exactly what most pilots I have talked with are considering and is evidence that this FAR, and potentially others, now applies to you. Leave it to the FAA to create an FAR that prescribes additional FARs!

THE BREAKDOWN

Now that we have determined that FAR Part 119 applies to anyone wanting to perform commercial operations and have defined what it means to be a commercial operator, let’s look at 119.1(e), which outlines those activities a commercial pilot can do without falling under Parts 135 or 121. These activities include flight instructing, aerial photography, and banner towing. However, none of them align to being paid for flying people or things in my Beechcraft.

As we continue to investigate, we come across 119.23(b). This sounds very similar to what we might be considering:

119.23(b) Each person who conducts noncommon carriage (except as provided in § 91.501(b) of this chapter) or private carriage operations for compensation or hire with airplanes having a passenger-seat configuration of less than 20 seats, excluding each crewmember seat, and a payload capacity of less than 6,000 pounds shall –

• Comply with the certification and operations specifications requirements in subpart C of this part;
• Conduct those operations in accordance with the requirements of Part 135 of this chapter, except for those requirements applicable only to commuter operations; and
• Be issued operations specifica­tions in accordance with those requirements.

It looks like our planned operation needs to comply with these three items. The first states that we must meet the requirements of subpart C, which outlines requirements for operating Part 121 and 135. A little more directly, the second item says we must conduct operations in accordance with Part 135. Finally, we must be “issued” operations specifications from the FAA FSDO – which will be part of an FAA Air Carrier Certificate. This means that you will be interacting with the FAA quite a bit more than what you are probably used to…

  …and just like that, we are now bound by FAR Part 135.

CONCLUSION

The real travesty of an article like this is that I likely dashed the dreams of many pilots looking to make some cash while flying their aircraft. “Does this mean that getting paid to fly is out of the question?” Certainly not. If you decide to add a commercial pilot certificate to your list of accomplishments, you will need to embark on the process of obtaining Part 135 Air Carrier certification if you want to provide carriage to the public and get paid for it. These additional rules are not trivial, but they are obviously doable as evidenced by the many Part 135 operations happening daily throughout the country. You will be required to obtain an FAA operating certificate and jump through a host of other procedures for maintaining it. I recommend that you enter into this with eyes wide open and take a look at subpart C of Part 119 to see if this is a journey you want to consider. A peek at FAR Part 135 is the next step. Some other considerations that are not regulatory in nature, but will definitely affect your pocketbook, are insurance, marketing, and an increase in maintenance and wear on your aircraft.

There are some nuances, grey areas, and perceived loopholes in commercial operations, so it would be best to seek counsel on what you are looking to do. This article also doesn’t go into any special provisions for getting paid for flights, what it means to hold out, and the operations allowed by 119.1(e). So there may be instances where you can get paid for flying without all of the furor, especially if you are hired to fly someone else’s airplane and not providing the aircraft yourself.

Whether this article changes your mind or not, get your commercial pilot certificate. It will challenge you to be a better pilot. And who knows, it might come in handy for that day you go work for a commercial operator, or that day you decide to become one.

Oshkosh - Reinvented

The following article appeared in the April 2020 issue of the American Bonanza Society magazine - www.bonanza.org

It was 2007 and I decided not to attend Oshkosh.  Attending since 1997, I thought I’ve seen it all and it got to the point where I was seeing the same airplanes, in the same spots, the same vendors with the same “stuff”.  Of course, the only thing that was new were the aircraft on display from the big aircraft manufacturers – totally out of my league, by a long shot.  Yes, they sure were fun to look at and if they would let folks peek inside, get a sniff of that new airplane smell, but even that was becoming “usual”, or maybe more appropriately unattainable and unrealistic. I had flown into Oshkosh VFR in beautiful weather, IFR with low ceilings, landed at Fond du Lac because of full parking and drove my car on those real bad weather days.  Yes, I figured - been there, done that - so I decided not to go. Besides, life was busy. I was instructing a lot, kids were heading to college, I just bought a new house and thoughts of slugging around the EAA grounds in a mix of heat, sun exposure and the occasional downpour didn’t appeal to me anymore. 

Just a month or so before Oshkosh that year, I received a call from a buddy of mine: “Hey, are you going to Oshkosh this year?”

I said “Nope – I can honestly say that I’ve been there, done that - I’ve seen it all”

He admitted that he wasn’t going either and mentioned feeling bad about it.  I shrugged it off.

Being a flight instructor and a general ambassador for aviation, a few weeks after Oshkosh, I was asked by more people than I can remember how the show was.  Nobody had any idea that I wouldn’t possibly go!  Boy, the guilt and shame started to settle in.  How could I not go? What happened? I realized this would have been my 10^th year of attending – the proverbial 10-years in a row badge – denied.

Fast-forward one year, and I had planned on not going again, but I received a phone call from that same friend on the week of Oshkosh:  “I know its last minute, but do you want to run up to Oshkosh for the day tomorrow?”.

Without hesitation, I said yes!

We flew up in his beautiful V-Tail Bonanza and we had a blast.  The same vendors were in the same places selling the same stuff.  I think I walked past the exact same beautifully restored aircraft, including a V-Tail Bonanza on my way in for the 10^th time.  But things were about to feel different – turning my been there, done that attitude on its head.  Walking through Aeroshell center, I ran into an old friend of mine and chatted for a bit. I thought this was kind of odd with the thousands of attendees, what are the chances I would run into someone I knew, but it happened about 4 more times that day.  I had some great laughs and realized what I missed was the camaraderie and seeing the folks that I don’t normally see other than at Oshkosh! 

I looked at some of the new aircraft and avionics – definitely stopping at the Beechcraft spot to check out the new King Airs that I really missed flying and doing a fateful stop at the ABS tent on recommendation of my uncle that had a B36TC. He wanted me to eventually get my BPPP so I can run him through the rigors.  I eventually did get my BPPP accreditation, but sadly, my uncle passed before I eventually got off of my rear to get it done.

There was a speaker just finishing up a talk in the ABS tent, so I looked at the roster to see what it was about.  I noticed there were quite a few topics that I was really interested in hearing and made a mental note to come back to the tent the following year. 

What just happened?  I’m already planning my trip for next year?  How did that happen?

The following year I did come back to the tent, absorbed the material, and found that there were all kinds of seminars and learning opportunities throughout the show!  I was hooked! Flight instruction seminars, avionics training, and I even learned how to weld!

The year after that, a student of mine offered the couch in his camper to me to stay multiple days.  You see, going to Oshkosh over that 9-year period, I never camped.  Camp Scholler was a whole other world. What happens when Oshkosh closes for the night?  The camping fun begins! I have camped with that student and a handful of flying buddies ever since.  Half of the Oshkosh experience happens after the show.

In 2020, I will be doing yet another thing I’ve never done at Oshkosh before – hold a BPPP Seminar in the ABS tent.

Some may be surprised at my eventual lack of enthusiasm that overcame me back in 2007, but I have talked to a number of folks that have gone through similar cycles.  My message to you is to not discount the camaraderie the event brings and the learning opportunities that are presented – for free!  The ABS tent is a perfect venue for this.  Socializing with your fellow Beechcraft aficionados and taking in some great material presented by BPPP instructors, vendors and other masters in the industry.  These days, technology is advancing faster and faster, so even the vendor booths are changing at a furious pace.  If you are on the fence about going this year, remember, the event is more than static displays and the airshow – try to reinvent your experience.