Letters from our February 2020 issue

I’ve always enjoyed Dave Hirschman’s articles. But there’s something about writing about his family that really makes him shine. I remember how much I enjoyed his articles about his mom, some years ago, and his new piece about flying the AirCam across the country with his brother was just a treat! I didn’t know he had a brother, let alone a fighter pilot brother, but he sure does sound like a good guy to have around.

Stephen D. Leonard
AOPA 419129
Boise, Idaho

Wonderful reading that article. Reminded me of that other cross-country, by the Buck brothers—Flight of Passage! 

Manoj Sinha
AOPA 6684091
Penn Valley, Pennsylvania

Been in the aviation business for over 50 years. Truly one of the best articles I have read, and the photographs are fantastic.

Allen Carter
AOPA 10416905
Germantown, Tennessee

How Mags Work

Mike Busch’s story “How Mags Work” is right on. When I had about 300 hours total time, I was in my Cessna 140, with the Continental 85-horsepower engine, about 20 miles east of Quincy, California, when the engine started running rough. It’s not a good place to land off airport, all forested, steep ground, even the highway is steep, or curved. I did my procedure right: carb heat, checked fuel selector, and switched mags from both to right and left. The engine ran fine on one. However, I was so shaken by the engine almost failing that I inexplicably switched back to “both.” I must have thought you can’t fly on one mag, or if the good one failed I would go down. I ran at reduced power on the rough engine all the way back to Quincy. Somewhere in my training, I should have had an instructor demonstrate that the airplane flies fine on one mag; then I would have managed it better. Great article.

Don McLean
AOPA 586362
Oroville, California

Fly-bys

Richard McSpadden may have saved lives with his piece “Fly-Bys” by outlining how to do them with a degree of safety. He also wisely pointed out that the FAA has gone after pilots for violation of the regs after they do a fly-by in an airport environment.

Having defended pilots accused of low-flying violations, I think that the risk of a violation should be emphasized. I’m surprised how many pilots do not realize that the FAR 91.119(c) prohibition on operating an aircraft closer than 500 feet from a person, vessel, vehicle, or structure is not limited to 500 feet vertically. It simply says 500 feet. That means 500 feet in any direction, including horizontally. A fly-by down a runway has to be more than 500 feet from hangars, taxiing or parked airplanes, and people watching the fly-by—which is impossible at most airports, especially in the backcountry. Yes, pilots have been busted for flying closer than 500 feet horizontally from a building or people. Plus, since a fly-by is an intentional action, the FAA’s Compliance Philosophy program for counseling rather than a violation citation after an innocent mistake is not applicable. Before doing a fly-by, a pilot should consider McSpadden’s guidance as well as the need to be more than 500 feet horizontally from people and things made by people. 

Rick Durden
AOPA 684126
Bonners Ferry, Idaho

Kudos

Many kudos to everyone at AOPA on what must be a very conscious effort to do some “spiffing” up of the magazine. This February issue is truly First Class airmail!

Larry Fenwick
AOPA 2875064
Macksville, Kansas

Pop culture influences

I really enjoyed reading Julie Summers Walker’s “Pop Culture Influences” article and remembering the experiences of watching many of those movies and TV shows back in the day. When I came to The Bob Cummings Show, I was surprised to see the reference to the Taylor Aerocar as I didn’t know that it had ever been used as a “prop” for a TV show. I did, however, note an error. Perhaps it’s just a typo, but the Aerocar’s designer was Moulton “Molt” Taylor, not Mort. Thanks again for a wonderful article.

Phil Raker
AOPA 633937
Augusta, West Virginia

When Always premiered some 32 years ago, I was a young movie theater executive with a private ticket. I was obsessed with all things flying and Steven Spielberg. When the movie premiered, I was disappointed that the critical reviews were mostly tepid. That did not stop me. Whenever I could, I sneaked out of my office in Secaucus, New Jersey, and would go into one of our 14 theaters down in the plaza. I timed my arrival in order to watch the final few minutes of the film. I would go in at the part where the John Williams music quietly plays the dead-stick A–26 into its watery grave. As people would exit the theater, I would look to see if there were tears in anyone’s eyes. Sometimes there were. I always had tears in my eyes. Not because of the emotional scene, but for the loss of the A–26. The aviation imagery in that movie was strong and remains as strong in my mind today. I would also like to say that director Brian Terwilliger of One Six Right has the same “Spielberg” vision of the majesty and grandeur of aircraft and aviation. Thanks for the fun look back, it supplied me lots of lift and no drag.

John Monsport
AOPA 528983
Lawrence Township, New Jersey

What few people realize is the classic 1980 movie Airplane! is a direct lift/spoof of a 1957 movie Zero Hour! It is eerie; hardly any of the script is even altered. It finally explains why the jet airliner sounded like a Connie.

Andy Griebel
AOPA 5275729
Little Rock, Arkansas

Errata

“Destination: Cuisine Caliente” (February 2021 AOPA Pilot) incorrectly described the colors of the New Mexico flag and misspelled the name of a city in New Mexico. The flag is yellow and red, and the town Madrid was made famous in the movie Wild Hogs. AOPA Pilot regrets the errors.

We welcome your comments. Send letters to Editor, AOPA Pilot, 421 Aviation Way, Frederick, Maryland 21701 or [email protected]. Letters may be edited for length and style.

What do you do to keep your aviation knowledge fresh during the winter?

Fly: 34%
Safety seminars (online or in-person): 16%
Practice on a simulator: 5%
More than one of the above: 41%
Other: 4%

Aviation eBrief poll

Hangar Talk

Shinji Maeda had flown all the way across the continent to Maryland for this photo shoot—but it seemed unlikely to happen. Clouds and rain had moved into the area and the forecast called for them to stick around all evening. “I bet we can find a sliver of sunshine out there somewhere,” said Adrian Eichhorn, Maeda’s friend who planned to join him in his own Bonanza (“Unlikely Friends,” p. 58). “It won’t take much to light up these airplanes.” AOPA senior photographer Chris Rose directed the photo ship to an open piece of sky about 30 miles west and the light turned out to be magical. With Eichhorn and Maeda tucked in neatly beside the open door of the photo airplane—an A36—the flight of three Bonanzas orbited together until sunset. “That was one of my favorite flights ever,” Maeda said. “Flying next to my friend Adrian in that gorgeous sky was something I’ll never forget.”