NWOC 2004 Wrap-Up Report
NWOC 2004
Into the Heartland
By Peter Moll
The faithful and the ever-present newcomers to the National Warbird Operators Conference (NWOC) were in for something new in 2004—gathering in an aviation-laden locale without an aviation museum. That’s not to say that an extracurricular aviation tour was excluded from this year’s gathering, but it was a slight departure from what we have done in the past.
Oklahoma City was a unique location for warbird owners, pilots and maintenance personnel at which to gather, and the chief aim in doing so was to capture the knowledge and expertise of the FAA, whose aero-medical, airman records, and accident investigation facilities were more than curiosities for the group. Opportunities to visit this sprawling complex are not an every-day occurrence; seeing first-hand the acceleration sled (some got to witness it in action), the altitude chamber (with fellow NWOC attendees in it), plus an eye-opening (pun intended) experience in a smoke-filled airline fuselage made for an appreciated visit.
The “meat” of the National Warbird Operator Conference, however, is the presentations from experts in the various aviation disciplines, which help us keep ‘em flying. And those disciplines are not always tangible, like engines, tires and parachutes. For instance, the opening program on medication management by Dr. Warren Silberman, followed by a panel of AMEs (Drs. Bill Harrison, Michael Schloss, and Guy Baldwin), gave each of us more insight into drugs—both prescription and over-the-counter—that may affect our flying abilities, as well as hints and tips to keep our health in top shape.
Two unique presentations this year were from the U.S. Air Force—one on the USAF Airframe Structural Integrity Program (USAF ASIP), and the other on the USAF Engine Structural Integrity Program (USAF ENSIP). Although no one—at least none that we know of—in the warbird community is operating a KC-135 or B-52 and their respective engines, nonetheless the point of these presentations was to illustrate the military’s proactive look at fatigue possibilities in 50 year-old-plus aircraft and engines. Are we, as a community of warbird owners, doing similar studies, or are we only being reactive to occurrences? The choice is ours.
Since the first NWOC, engine operation and maintenance sessions have dominated the agenda, and perhaps rightly so. Lacking proper maintenance techniques and/or a knowledge of operating limits, these powerplants will only last so long. Hopefully the unexpected will not occur in flight. For years we’ve relied on the large radial engine wisdom of Mike Hudon from Precision Engines (and continue to do so). This year we listened to NWOC-newcomer Ron Hollis, from Covington Aircraft Engines, discuss the nuances of the smaller radial engine family. And the in-line engine users received their education through the expertise of Dan Whitney and Bud Wheeler. Whether the participant agrees with every tidbit of information provided, the bottom line is that we all need as much information to make sound choices on how we operate these engines.
Just to prove that technical and pilot skill topics are not the only popular subjects, owners are also keenly interested in other aspects of aircraft ownership. Case in point is the insurance subject. This panel discussion routinely generates meaningful dialogue between the users, insurance company reps and brokers. Another way of looking at this is that it provides an opportunity for the owners to meet and greet those faceless names who are quoting our insurance. The addition of a claims representative on the panel increased the educational awareness for the group. Special thanks to Wayne Gregory from U.S. Specialty Insurance Company, Tom Johnson from Cannon Aviation Insurance, Greg Hiser from Air Capital Insurance, and Bob Norris from LAD Aviation for demystifying the insurance world for NWOC attendees.
If one speaker on a subject is good, then two must be twice as good, correct? That depends, but when you tag-team on emergency egress from an aircraft, with one of the team members who has a true-life experience to share, you can bet it will be interesting. And we know that visual displays will hold our attention better and provide a better learning base. For the past several events, Allen Silver has entertained us with lessons on parachute fitting and use, oftentimes interspersing this serious and frank discussion with offbeat humor, just to ensure we are listening. It’s difficult not to pay attention to it. Rather than photos and PowerPoint slides to illustrate “how it should be,” Allen will don a parachute repeatedly, and even jump off a chair with the chute to demonstrate a point. This topic is well worth the cost of the entire conference.
For the second part of the tag-team, and actually speaking first, Doug Jeanes of Cavanaugh Flight Museum provided a true-life show-and-tell; two years ago he was piloting a P-47 on a post-maintenance flight, which quickly turned into a fiery handful on takeoff. Quick-thinking and proactive training kept Doug from losing the airplane and his life, but further contributing to the positive result was his wearing of a Nomex™ suit and gloves, and a helmet. Nothing gets your attention quicker than seeing a flying helmet with a melted visor and scorched portions of the flight suit. Imagine the consequences had he not worn them. Are you wearing yours? Do you know how to use your parachute? Do you know how to get out of your airplane if need be? We hope so.
Confirming what many have said for years—warbirds attract more spectators at air shows than aerobatic performers—John Cudahy, president of the International Council of Air Shows (ICAS) reported on many positive aspects of warbird air show participation. His presentation was a refreshing change of pace for this conference. The question of how to market your warbird to air show promoters was touched on, but we plan to delve deeper into that subject in 2005.
In 2003, the CAF conducted an operational stand-down to assess the pilot culture that existed within the organization. The presentation that Doug Rozendaal made to the unit safety meeting, with a revised presentation to NWOC, resulted in an introspective look into each pilot’s attitude towards flying. It also was a look into the attitudes of fellow pilots with whom we fly. Following an in-class exercise (possibly another first for NWOC), the ensuing discussion was truly enlightening; in fact, there may have been a few “it could have happened to me” stories afterwards. I think it’s safe to say that the majority of those present at this discussion left with a very different thought process when it comes time to fly again.
A decade of National Warbird Operator Conferences is certainly cause to celebrate, and what better way than to recognize the individuals who’ve had a perfect attendance record. The following were presented with exclusive NWOC 10 year gifts: Bill Harrison, Ralph Royce (Bill and Ralph collaborated on the NWOC idea in the very early 1990s), Mark Clark, John Kraman, Chris Peatridge, Mike Bertz, Linc Dexter, and Peter Moll.
Rather than wait until the end of NWOC 2004 to discuss the future of the event, the big news was announced at the forefront. To ensure the future success and growth of NWOC, Bob Cannon has donated space at his Scottsdale, Arizona, office as well as staff for the new NWOC office, and Cannon Aviation Insurance is committed to be the presenting sponsor of NWOC 2005 in Seattle, Washington. Long-term plans for NWOC include regional educational conferences, both to encourage resource sharing and to increase awareness of NWOC. These will also help identify more speakers and more diverse topics. Wendee DeBusk, of Event Productions, has agreed to a multi-year commitment to support NWOC.
And finally, thanks. Thank you to the over-150 participants who attended. Thank you to the 2004 sponsors: Cannon Aviation Insurance, U.S. Specialty Insurance Company, Courtesy Aircraft, EAA Warbirds of America, Precision Engines, North American Trainer Association, Texas Airplane Factory, Air Capitol Insurance, Trade-A-Plane, and Klein Tools. Thank you to each of the presenters and breakout session leaders for taking time to share your expertise with us: Dr. Warren Silberman (FAA), Dr. William Harrison (retired MD), Dr. Michael Schloss (MD and EAA Warbirds), Dr. Guy Baldwin (AME), John Over (USAF), Colonel Greg Burris (USAF), Ron Hollis (Covington Aircraft Engines), Dick Delagrange (Goodyear Tire), Paul Bowen (photographer), J.D. Martin (FAA), Jack Harrington (EAA Warbirds), Wayne Gregory (USSIC), Tom Johnson (Cannon Aviation Insurance), Greg Hiser (Air Capitol Insurance), Bob Norris (LAD Aviation), Mike Hudon (Precision Engines), Doug Macnair (EAA), Allen Silver ( Silver Parachutes), Doug Jeanes (Cavanaugh Flight Museum), Dan Whitney (Aircraft Engine Historical Society), Bud Wheeler (Allison Competition Engines, Art Pierce (Concorde Batteries), Paul Quinn (Parker Stratoflex), Stoney Stonich (NATA), Warren Wood (CJAA), John Kraman (Courtesy Aircraft), Doug Rozendaal (CAF), and John Cudahy (ICAS). Thank you to the raffle prize donors: R.T. Foster Art, Warbird Parts and Memorabilia/Jay Wisler, EAA Warbirds of America, and NWOC. Thank you to the fine staff at the Waterford Marriott. And finally, thank you to Wendee DeBusk and Bob Cannon, for taking the leadership roles in the National Warbird Operator Conference.
We hope to see many more of you in Seattle, Washington, on February 24-27, 2005.
