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From the Co's Cockpit |
| By Michael Schloss, President of EAA Warbirds of America
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 This issue of Warbirds hits
the streets just as EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2001 is getting underway.
Hopefully you’re in Oshkosh, enjoying the aircraft and the friendship of
your fellow members. Whether you are able to attend or not, some of our
“new” activities and news are as follows:
The Tuesday Warbird air show will be
a P-51 Mustang-only show.
Wednesday morning, from 10:00 a.m. until noon will
be “Cockpit Day” for Warbird volunteers. Some of our warbird owners
will make their aircraft available for volunteers to sit in the cockpit of
their birds (examples at press time include a T-34, T-6, T-28, and
Skyraider) and have their photo taken. A sign with the available aircraft
and their location will be posted at the registration building.
At 5:30 p.m., Wednesday evening, Warbirds will be hosting a Wine and
Cheese Party for our guests from VA-195 at the Fond du Lac Holiday Inn. I
would encourage everyone to attend this gathering. This time should
provide enough time for those of us who have signed up for the Wednesday
night dinner cruise aboard the Pioneer Princess to return to Oshkosh
before we “cast off.”
A severe storm in June “flattened” our Squadron Buildings at Oshkosh,
but if all works out, the local Army National Guard unit will come to our
assistance and will put up a tent for our squadron use during the
convention.
Flying
Safety
Many of us will be flying T-6s to Kenosha, or T-34s
to Sturgeon Bay, practicing our formation flying skills and “tuning”
up before flying on to Oshkosh. Others will be flying directly to Oshkosh.
Some have already performed in air shows this year, and others have
practiced with friends and with check pilots. Oshkosh brings together many
pilots with different levels of training experience and skill. Even though
the flying may be tough, the ground-holds long and the cockpits hot, most
of us look forward to flying in the show at Oshkosh; it is one of the high
point of the convention. In spite of the fun and excitement of flying the
air show, there is an increased risk in bringing together the large number
of different types of aircraft that we put up in our warbird show, so
safety is a high priority for us. There were three warbird accidents in
early June in Europe. Howard Pardue sent me a copy of a letter to the
British warbird air show pilots, in which Rod Dean, the head of the
General Aviation Department in Britain’s Civil Aviation Authority (the
equivalent of our FAA), responds to the loss of life and the destruction
of a Vampire, a Spitfire and a Kingcobra. The letter eloquently makes a
number of points which I feel are of value for all of us who will fly
warbirds at Oshkosh or in other air shows. I will quote a part of that
letter:
“There are a number of questions that we should
all consider before we undertake any further display flying. Amongst these
are:
PERSONAL
ABILITY - is the planned display
within my capabilities?Over
and above any limitations imposed by your Display Authorization, assess
your own limitations and capabilities and make a sensible decision about
what you can and cannot do.
PERSONAL CURRENCY
– am
I adequately current in both the aircraft and the type of display I intend
to fly?The
requirements of CAP 403 (Editor’s Note: Civil Air Publication 403
"Flying Displays and Special Events: A Guide to Safety and
Administrative
Arrangements")
are a minimum and should be treated as such. Further training
must be undertaken if there is any doubt.
AIRCRAFT
SERVICEABILITY – is the aircraft
adequately prepared and serviceable for the planned sortie?
AIRCRAFT
LIMITATIONS – is the
proposed flight within the limitations of the aircraft?
AIRCRAFT EMERGENCIES – have
I adequately practiced the aircraft emergency drills, forced landing
drills etc?
DISPLAY MANOEUVRES – are
the planned manoeuvres appropriate to the aircraft type?Clearly modern aerobatic aircraft are specifically designed
for the advanced aerobatics but what manoeuvres are appropriate for a
Spitfire?
DISPLAY CRITERIA – am I fully confident that I know my display requirements, manoeuvre
entry speeds, gate heights and emergency contingency planning?
“If the
answer to any of these questions is “no” then do not undertake any
display flying until confident through further training that the answer is
‘yes.’
“Finally, we need to review our motivation towards display flying. The
aim of the exercise is to allow the public to see these aircraft in their
natural element. There is no requirement, particularly with these
ex-military types, to operate on or close to the limits or to display
outstanding feats of piloting ability. We are there to entertain the
public, not to make them fear for their, or our, lives.
“Please make time to take stock and fly safely within your and the
aircraft’s limits and capabilities.”
“Keep 'em flying”
Mike Schloss
President
Warbirdpres@aol.com
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