Q3 2023 Newsletter
Updates from the FAAFC Board
Message from the President – Doug “Smash” Yurovich
As you can see from our webpage, the annual meeting was well attended and the business of the club was handled efficiently. Thanks for all the effort from those members and guests that assisted with setup and clean up!
We continue to take in new members. Trying to find instructors with time to get them checked out in our airplanes is a new unique problem for the FAAFC this year.
The fly-in and convention at Oshkosh, Wisconsin starts July 22nd. That day in the Fly-In theater at 8:30 PM is “Top Gun”…don’t be late!!
As we ease into the summer months and hopefully consistently clearer weather, four flying tips to consider:
- Takeoff roll increases about 10% for every additional 1,000 feet of density altitude.
- Calculate Civil Twilight for Logging Night Flight Time.
- Stay a minimum of 5 miles from storms.
- Add Half The Gust Factor On Windy Day Landings. (Review the POH/AFM for recommended flap settings with crosswinds.)
Also, stay hydrated.
Again, this Summer many people are looking to start flight lessons. If you have your pilot license and are interested in joining a flying club, check out the FAAFC at Manassas. We have a few openings.
See you on the flight line!
Smash
Operations & Maintenance Officer’s Update – Dan Botzer
N75382 (Hangar G6)– Maintenance contact – Pete Hawkins:
- Will be repairing the carb heat box.
- Possible future upgrades:
- New interior
- Digital Autopilot
- G5s to replace AI/DG
N9397W (Hangar B13) – Maintenance contact – Jon Lammers:
- Wheel pant brackets cracking. Have new brackets we’ll install at the annual in September.
- Possible future upgrades:
- G5s to replace AI/DG
- Digital AP
N6472J (Hangar B11) – Maintenance contact – Andrew Baron:
- CGR-30P installed in June. Set to actual aircraft tach time now. The ammeter issue was fixed and the landing light bulb replaced.
- Fuel primer replaced. New starter relay installed. New SureFly mag installed.
- Will need to replace the carb heat shroud at some point.
- Would like to get electric trim fixed.
This summer we (Glenn and I) plan to try to repair some of the paint loss on 72J. Helpers are welcome to join us. Will let you know when we plan to do this.
– Possible future upgrades:
– Totally new paint job
– Digital AP
General maintenance comments:
– If you can’t reach a plane captain, call me Dan Botzer (botzerd@verizon.net – 703-623-3975)
– Jeff Ensminger is doing the 650/750 database updates. Jeff also downloads the engine monitor data from all of the CGR-30s. We send this data to Savvy for analysis for all three planes.
– We continue to do oil analysis on our engines.
– We should pull the engine cowling off on pre-flights for 97W and 72J. This is the only way to check the brake fluid level.
– Continue to lean religiously all planes
– Please do not ride the brakes
– Please clean up the interior of the plane after you fly. And wipe any kamikaze bugs off the windshield and leading edge of the wing.
– Please check the Oil Change tach hours on the cover sheet when you fly and when we are within 5 hours of oil change time, send an email to Pete, Jon or Andrew
– If a plane is not listed as in Maintenance on the schedule, then it is available for use by members.
Membership Officer’s Update – Todd Berry
As of July 31, 2023 the Club has 38 active members with 0 candidate on the Club Waitlist.
We are still actively looking for new members!
Safety Officer’s Update – Glenn Collins
The FAA has been busy the past few months updating documents and changing resources we use. In this newsletter I’ll briefly address two recent changes impacting use as pilots. I challenge all to take a look at these and assess how each impacts your particulate flying.
In early June the FAA published a new version of Advisory Circular 90-66 Non-Towered Airport Flight Operations. The new revision is 90-66C and was effective on 06 June 2023. The update to this Advisory Circular was intended to document current procedures and practices used at airports without operating control towers as well as those airports with part time control towers. The changes in this document are extensive throughout. Most are not procedural but are reworded and often clarified. My guess is a new document owner has been assigned and this change makes it theirs. Unfortunately, there isn’t a change log or even change bars denoting updates provided. Considering we all operate VFR and frequently visit Non-Towered Airports; a quick review of AC 90-66C is prudent.
The second change affects the next release of sectional charts, VFR Terminal Area Charts, and Helicopter Route Charts. The change is intended to better depict and emphasize the location of wind turbine farms. This change will also be published in the Aeronautical Chart User’s Guide at bit.ly/FAAChartGuide.
The changes you will see are:
- Replacing the current dashed line border around wind farms with a zipper border (aviation blue) for easier identification of the boundaries of the wind turbine farm.
- The addition of 45-degree (diagonal) cross-hatching lines within the depicted wind turbine farm areas.
- They are also revising the masked elevation box. It will now include a white background and include the mean sea level (MSL) elevation figure of the highest obstruction (wind turbine rotating blade tip at the 12 o’clock position) within the wind turbine farm. The letters UC are added to depict a wind turbine farm Under Construction.
In the recent change announcement, the FAA points out that wind turbine blades and/or blade tips are not lighted. The obstruction lights on wind turbines are located on top of the nacelle (generator), which in some cases can be 200-300 feet below the rotating blade tips. In accordance with 14 CFR section 91.119, pilots must maintain the appropriate separation (laterally and/or vertically) from wind turbines. Additionally, pilots are reminded to check for other obstacles, such as antenna towers, that may be taller than the turbines located within (or adjacent to) the wind turbine farm. Finally, pilots are reminded of the basic VFR weather minimums contained in 14 CFR section 91.155 and that some wind turbines may significantly exceed 499 feet above ground level (AGL) and extend into Class E
These are just two of the recent changes the FAA has announced. It is reasonably safe to assume others are pending. As pilots we must stay abreast of the changes and modify our operations as needed. Announcements are usually posted through the FAASTeam using the FAASafety.gov email system. You should also monitor the Advisory Circulars for new releases and changes.
Secretary’s Update – Francisco Fuentes
The annual meeting was held on May 20th at the FAA FC hangars. There were 21 people in attendance. Yearly update of the club was well received. Maintenance is up to date on all aircraft, financials are healthy, and members are looking forward to the next set of updates.
The secretary is working diligently to organize all club documents and updates to bylaws. The board is currently reviewing proposed updates that will be sent out to the members for approval once the board agrees on which ones should be incorporated.