Table of contents for June 2023 in Plane & Pilot

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has released its final report on the August 7, 2021, crash of a Mooney M20 in Victoria, Minnesota, that killed three. The plane was on an instrument approach when it went out of control and crashed, killing all three aboard, including the 72-year-old pilot and 40-year-old student pilot/passenger along with another passenger in the rear seating area. As is the case with mishaps where the cause is not well known or only suspected, the NTSB’s finding of probable cause reads like a description of the accident. That cause, according to investigators, was: “The pilot’s loss of airplane control due to spatial disorientation during final approach, which led to a spiral dive that overstressed the airplane and resulted in an in-flight breakup.” If there were…

For generations, the name “Reno” has been synonymous with the National Championship Air Races, but this coming year will be the last time they are held at Reno Stead Airport, according to the Reno Air Racing Association (RARA). In its release, RARA explained, “While we knew this day might eventually come, we had hoped it wouldn’t come so soon.” Reno has hosted the races for nearly 60 years. It wasn’t the race organizers’ call, apparently. In its extremely diplomatic release, RARA said it was the airport authority that made the call, and in doing so, it cited, “…the region’s significant growth,” the meaning of which we can only speculate; it’s most likely the concerns of commercial and residential real estate developers. The event did bring in millions of dollars to…

Across 1 When landing, it keeps its nose up 9 Tire pressure measure, abbr. 10 Amelia Earhart’s instructor and one of the first female test pilots, 2 words 11 Black Halloween animal 13 Plane departure, 2 words 16 Turbulence may cause it 17 Engage, as a security system 18 The p in mph 19 “___ day” distress call 21 Golden state 23 Touching down 26 _____s: they provide the current information available to pilots 29 French for friend 30 Great family plane from Grumman 31 ____ angle of attack 33 Yes in Spanish 34 Locations 35 Line used to measure latitude, north or south Down 2 One who flies a plane 3 Grumman American ____ 4 Moves like a propeller 5 Fuel 6 Fuel ____ (spending less on fuel) 7…

There’s a concept called “tolerance stackup,” an example of which can be found in engine building. Wherever rotating surfaces meet, a supply of oil is essential to minimize wear and restrain heat buildup. When assembling an engine, you must take care to measure and record the gaps (tolerances) between each of these rotating surfaces. An extra thousandth of an inch might seem negligible, but if an engine has excess tolerance in each of a dozen or more bearings, the result is extra gap between those surfaces that oil must fill. An engine oil pump will produce flow that increases as engine RPM increases, up to a point beyond which further increase of RPM will not produce more flow. If the tolerance stackup is too great, oil pressure will not build,…

Our latest Plane & Pilot Your Flying World Photo Contest has wrapped up, and we have chosen the finalists and the winners, and we’d like to take this time to congratulate all of them. Coming out on top was Philip Johnson for his Jolley Roger in the Sky, a brilliant shot of a North American F-86 Sabre, flown by Steve Hinton. Taking home second prize was Adrien Penhoet, for the photograph entitled Evening at KGAI (Montgomery Country, Maryland). It’s a really compelling shot of airplane silhouettes behind a long line of chain-link fencing—we’ll let you work out all the symbolism on your own. Finally, in third place was Kristina Rosenfeld for her shot, West Coast Sunrise. We like sunrises in general, but this one is fantastic. As it has been…

A Beechcraft King Air 200 crashed shortly after takeoff from Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport in Little Rock, killing all five aboard the plane. No one on the ground was injured. The FAA and NTSB are investigating. Officials say the plane was carrying employees of CTEH, a Little Rock-based environmental practices consulting firm. The plane, which was destroyed in the crash, was owned by CTEH, and the pilot was an employee of the company. The King Air 200 is a pressurized nine-passenger twin powered by two Pratt & Whitney Canada PT-6 engines producing 850 horsepower apiece. It was a development of the straight-tail King Air C90, its major enhancements being a T-tail, more capacity and a higher maximum weight. The accident airplane was built in 1983, making it almost…

TKS Automatic Ground Source Pump Designed to transfer TKS fluids from 2.5-gallon containers without the need for a wall plug, the TKS Automatic Ground Source Pump is powered by alkaline batteries. It has an auto-stop feature to prevent spilling. To use, the included hose is inserted into a TKS container, the pump is screwed on, and pumping can begin. The system comes with batteries, a container adapter, a microfiber towel and a storage box. Price: $150. Available at: www.sportys.com. Start Pac Green This 100% battery-powered autonomous GPU is capable of starting turbine and piston engines and powering up aircraft. It was designed to be a tool for operators that need to jump-start aircraft to perform maintenance on inverters, avionics, GPS and the like. It’s powered by a large 26-volt battery…

RELIVE THE MAGIC OF SUN ’N FUN, the annual aviation gathering at Lakeland, Florida, that had plenty to offer fans of flight during its 2023 run—excited crowds, pulse-racing flybys, the latest and greatest in aviation gear, and eye-widening static aircraft displays. Young and old shared in a palpable camaraderie at the show, taking in unforgettable sights and sounds. This collection of stunning photos from photographer Jim Koepnick captures our undying fascination with all things airplane, and the images show that the aviation industry is not just alive but thriving with boundless innovation, joy and hope.…

Managing risk is a full-time job, no matter the size, speed or cost of the airplane. Our friends in the military live in a world where risk is baked into the equation. Flying fighter jets a couple feet apart, like the Air Force’s Thunderbirds or Navy’s Blue Angels, simulated air-to-air combat at Red Flag or Top Gun, or pilot planes involved in challenging rescue and logistic missions in transports and helicopters all involve elevated levels of risk. Yet the safety record of these intrepid aviators who fly on the edges of the envelope is exemplary. So how do they do it? The first step is accepting that risk is present in every type of aviation or human endeavor and then dealing with it. We go to an airshow and watch…

In Arizona, two planes collided in midair during a practice formation flight, with one of them, a Ryan Navion, landing safely despite being nearly cut in half. The other plane, a Yak-52, made it back to the runway at Falcon Field, and both occupants survived with minor injuries. Photos of the bare metal Navion have been circulating online, and its ability to make it back to the airport despite the grave damage to it has spurred an online love fest for the plane, which was manufactured starting in 1946 and continued off and on until the early 1960s, with more than 2,500 of the planes being produced over that time frame. It was introduced after World War II by North American Aviation, whose P-51 Mustang is one of the most…

There’s a certain thrill in rolling out into a dark final approach with a welcoming, well-lit runway waiting for your landing gear to touch down. Night landings are not to be lightly regarded, given the unseen hazards awaiting the unwary. But, with preparation, they can become routine. To gain proficiency in night landings requires achieving good basic skills in stabilized approaches and consistent touchdowns, practiced during daylight. Although one may get by with flying dynamic rapid-fire arrivals during the day, with all the peripheral cues and sensory inputs of daylight, trying to make a hurried pattern at night is asking for trouble. Night flying requires deliberate, unhurried procedures; particularly when landing, we should be taking our time, avoiding abrupt, disorienting maneuvers. As I’ve always stressed, the airplane doesn’t know it’s…