The Unexpected

I was flying right seat for an instrument student setting up for the RNAV GPS Runway 24 approach to the Dunkirk, NY airport. 

"I can't see," he exclaimed to me as he was joining up on the final approach course!

"Of course you can't see," I replied. "You're in instrument conditions."

"No, you don't understand, Bob" he replied.  "The lens just fell out of my glasses.  I'm blind without my glasses!"

I turned and looked at him as he squinted at me with only one good eye. 

"Take the controls," he said to me.

"Nope, I can't do that.  You're on your own," I replied. 

And, thus . . . the unexpected had, indeed, happened to my hapless instrument student.  Exercising classic "tough love" and much to his displeasure, I refused to help him.   I left it entirely up to him to complete the landing with just one good eye.

"Bob . . . help me, please.  I can't focus on the gauges and I have no depth perception.  You've got to take the controls," he pleaded.

"Sorry, friend.  You're on your own here," I replied in cryptic fashion. 

He did complete the approach to minimums, then landed the airplane with a few more bumps than usual.  As we taxied to the ramp, I sensed the enormous self-satisfaction my student felt for having successfully overcoming his adversity.

Probabilities . . .

Okay, so what is the probability that a perfectly good set of eye-glasses would self-destruct just as you are intercepting the final approach course in IMC weather?  Nil to nothing, I would guess.

But it did happen.  And it happened just like any variety of unexpected things happen in airplanes.  Mr. Murphy is, indeed, alive and well!

It is a sad but true fact of aviation life that things go wrong in airplanes, and they typically go wrong at the worst possible time.  In response, we have two choices.  We can succumb to the fact that things are not going well and accept the consequences.  Or, we can take control, master the situation, and produce a successful outcome.

At first, my student was willing to give up.  He wanted me to resolve HIS problem.  When I refused, he reluctantly took charge.  He became an instant master of his fate.  He worked the problem.  He prevailed . . . and he walked away safely to fly another day.

With proper training, anybody can learn to fly an airplane.  That's the easy part.  It's what happens when things go wrong that separates the proficient from the non-proficient pilot.  This has been proven countless times when one engine fails on a twin engine aircraft.

Upset recoveries in the clouds is another example.  Just getting safely out of an unexpected IMC penetration kills more pilots and passengers than any other weather-related factor!

What would you do if your radios failed in IMC?  Following the regulations (FAR 91.185) could be the wrong answer, particularly if the failure was caused by an electrical short-circuit near a vacuum line.  Think about that one for a moment!  How about a runaway autopilot or electric trim?  Can you find the correct circuit breaker in the dark while fighting the controls on climb out in IMC over water at night?

Captain Al Haynes of United Airlines flight 232 on July 19, 1989 proved to the entire aviation industry that things in airplanes that cannot possibly go wrong do, indeed, go wrong.  Unfortunately, our dismal GA accident record is replete with examples where something went wrong aloft and the pilot failed to correctly address the problem.

Solution . . .

Yes, there is a solution.  That solution involves turning EVERY flight into a series of "what if" scenarios.  Even if it is a short hop over to the next airport for a fly-in breakfast.  What would you do if a main gear wheel departed the aircraft just after lift-off?  Be imaginative.  Think of every possible thing that could go wrong in your airplane.  Mentally role-play what you would do.  Be serious.  Do this on every flight.

Next, schedule yourself for some aggressive simulator work.  A good sim operator can turn a grown man or woman into a weeping puddle of mush in minutes!

After that, go out and get some serious upset or aerobatic training.  You'll learn simple techniques like unloading the wing to prevent a stall or worse, airframe damage.  Proper spin recovery technique should be second-nature to every pilot.

There is still more to do.  Schedule two hours every year with an experienced instructor.  Think of this time as "spring cleaning."  Use this annual ritual to clean out the cobwebs, dust off the basic skills and, quite possibly, learn something new that could save your bacon someday.

Want more?  Spend several hours of ground time each month in front of your computer screen working through the many available interactive training videos.  Begin with the AOPA Air Safety Foundation's award winning safety courses. 

Then add an hour or two of serious reading of your favorite aviation print magazines.  My favorites include anything put out by Belvoir Publications.

No mention of pilot skill enhancement exercises would be complete without reference to the FAA's WINGS Pilot Proficiency program.  You'll need a bit of patience here to work through its rather steep learning curve and its somewhat obtuse web structure, but once mastered, this program is an excellent way to document your training efforts.

In summary, as Stan Makowski, the esteemed former mayor of the City of Buffalo, said on live national television during the Great Blizzard of 1977, "You never know what the unexpected will bring!"  We proficient pilots, too, never know what the unexpected will bring, but we're prepared!

Aircraft Performance Charts - Beware!

One would certainly expect that a 3,930 foot long runway would be sufficient, even on a warm day, to get a Piper Aerostar into the air.  Maybe yes, maybe no!

According to the manufacturer's performance chart, a Piper PA-60-601, operating at maximum gross weight, with a 3,000 foot density altitude, requires 3,800 feet on a paved, level runway to clear a 50-foot obstacle with the pilot using a proper short-field takeoff technique. 

A footnote on the performance chart indicates that full power must be established before brake release to achieve this 3,800 foot takeoff distance.   Proficient pilots also know that published takeoff distances can be adversely affected by less than optimal engine performance, increased drag resulting from poor rigging, airframe dents, and other factors commonly associated with aging aircraft.

Down the runway he goes!

The pilot began his takeoff roll at the Lakeway, TX airport's 3,930 foot long runway in his 1975 Piper Aerostar.  The outside temperature was 90d F. and the density altitude was 3,000 feet.  A light wind was coming right down the runway at 3 knots.

With him were three adults and two children, lots of fuel, and enough baggage to bring him within 208 pounds of maximum allowable gross takeoff weight.  They were bound for Oklahoma City.

The airplane seemed to take longer than expected to get airborne, according to one witness.  He said, "The airplane did not rotate for climb-out until the airplane was approximately two-thirds down the length of the runway, and then he made a very flat climb clearing the trees by a rather slim margin."

A person inside the FBO listened to the pilot's radio calls on the CTAF frequency.  This person will likely never forget what he heard!

"Oh God! I'm in trouble...three with me..." During this transmission, the witness stated the pilot's voice was drowned out by the sounds of screaming.

A former flight instructor and multi-engine rated pilot standing nearby said that he looked up and observed the airplane veering to the left in level flight about 500 feet above ground level (agl).  He said it was yawing back-and-forth, the wings were "dipping" up and down, and the landing gear were retracted. The engines sounded as if they were at full power. Then, the airplane made a steep left bank, rolled inverted, and nose-dived into the back porch of a home.

So what happened?

The NTSB probable cause report said that the accident was caused by the "pilot's failure to successfully perform a short-field takeoff and his subsequent failure to maintain adequate airspeed during climb-out, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall."  NTSB Report

This tragic accident should give us all pause!  From all of the evidence shown, the pilot was operating within the performance capabilities of his airplane . . . barely.  It's the "barely" part that we should find troubling.

The manufacturer's aircraft performance charts typically found in our Pilot Operating Handbooks (POH's) were developed by test pilots flying new, perfectly rigged airplanes with optimally performing engines.  Contrary to popular opinion, there is no "fudge factors" built into these performance numbers.

Our airplanes, on the other hand, are typically older, slightly out of rig, with a dent or two, powered by less than optimally performing engine(s), and flown by, well, less-than-proficient pilots.  Our actual performance numbers could vary widely from what the POH says.

Lessons learned . . .

This tragic accident is rich with lessons for all of us.  First, it tells us that the manufacturer's performance tables should never be put to the ultimate test.  When it comes to takeoff distances, add at least 30 percent to be safe. 

Second, hot days produce dramatic reductions in our aircraft's expected performance.  Be extra careful whenever the OAT is 90 degrees or above, even when operating close to sea level.  High density altitude kills!

Third, acquire and maintain stall prevention and recovery proficiency.  How this airplane became inverted before impacting the ground remains a mystery.   Had this pilot discovered that he could not gain sufficient altitude to clear the obstacles, a better choice would have been to maintain minimal flying speed, keep the wings level, and hope for the best.

In summary, there is no short cut to pilot proficiency.  It requires proper training, frequent flying, and aggressive annual recurrent training.  Anything short of this can lead to disaster . . . as in this case!

Secret to Great Landings . . . a stabilized approach!

Nothing causes more non-fatal accidents in general aviation than botched landings. 

There is a good reason for this.  We pilots typically focus on the wrong thing.  We're focusing on the landing rather than on the approach!

Curiously, a well-trimmed airplane, in proper configuration, with just minimal power, and at the correct speed, will land itself.  In fact, it will land much smoother all by itself than with pilots at the controls!

Power, Pitch, and Airspeed

There is a wonderful landing exercise I use with my student that instills near-perfect landings nearly every time.  This exercise begins on the downwind leg of the traffic pattern. 

In a typical training aircraft, e.g., C152, C172, Piper Warrior, setting power at 2,200RPM in trimmed, level flight will produce 90KIAS.  Achieving this flight condition while on the downwind leg is the first task.

Approaching the base leg, a power reduction to 1,700RPM with 10 degrees of flaps produces a 600 f/m descent rate along with a slowing to 80KIAS.

Established on base leg, now with 20 degrees of flaps and a slight trim adjustment, further reduces airspeed to 70KIAS.

On final, a power reduction to 1,200RPM and 30 degrees of flaps will place the airplane over the runway threshold at 60 to 65 knots and in the correct flight attitude for a "greaser" landing, every time!

Keep the pattern tight . . .

The power, pitch, airspeed configuration described above assumes a close-in approach instead of the long airliner-type patterns taught by far too many flight schools and CFIs.  Simple laws of aerodynamics, instead of yanking, banking, pushing and pulling on the yoke or stick, are used to produce a stabilized approach necessary for smooth landings every time.

The art of seeing the improbable!

Any pilot, proficient or otherwise, can quickly recognize an engine failure in flight.  How many of us, however, can recognize those subtle little changes in our flight status that have the potential of wreaking havoc if left resolved?

Is our scan quick enough to observe a slight rise in oil temperature when penetrating turbulence?  Can we detect a less responsive than normal attitude indicator that occurs shortly after a vacuum pump failure?

Those are the easy things.  Let's look at a couple of "killer" items.  Can we detect carbon monoxide leaking into the cabin?  How about a surreptitious drop in oil pressure on takeoff?

Think you're pretty good at keeping your eye on things in the cockpit?

If you think your instrument scan is up to snuff, click on the link below.  It opens to a two-minute video that asks you to do something very simple.

Please note that a video similar to this is being used by NetJet's corporate flight training department as part of their recurrent training program!

Here's the link:   http://www.dothetest.co.uk/.  It only takes a couple minutes. Try it.  See how perceptive you are!

Thanks to OTA reader (and my original instrument instructor) Ken Beyea for sharing this with us.

First priority . . . Fly the airplane!

Anybody who has ever flown to AirVenture, Sun 'n Fun, or other busy airport gathering knows the challenges awaiting them as they approach the traffic pattern.  What they sometimes forget is the challenge of flying the airplane!

Such was apparently the case two years ago with one particular pilot arriving at AirVenture 2006.  He, along with a passenger, was flying an Europa XS.

The airplane was apparently in a long conga-line of VFR arrivals during one of the busier times of the day.  According to the NTSB report, the first radio transmission was when the aircraft N229WC was on a downwind leg for runway 27.

The controller instructed the "light-colored" low wing airplane to start its descent and advised that he was following a twin Cessna, which was on a mile and a half final approach.   Turning on base, he was cleared to land past the "green dot."

Then they forgot to fly the airplane!

Turning on final, two tower controllers working arrivals reported seeing the airplane stall.  According to the NTSB report, four witnesses on the ground reported seeing the right wing drop as the airplane was turning onto final approach. Three of the witnesses reported the airplane stalled during the turn.  Several of the witnesses reported seeing the airplane begin to spin in a nose down attitude just prior to it contacting the runway.

The pilot and passenger both died in the crash.

We will never know what was going through the pilot's mind as he approached Wittman Field that ill-fated morning.  He was likely concentrating on collision avoidance, complying with ATC instructions, and positioning himself for a landing beyond the "green dot" on the runway.

What he was NOT doing was flying the airplane.  That is what likely caused this fatal accident!

You're over the runway . . . but can you get it down?

The typical good news/bad news scenario in flying goes something like this:  "I was directly over the airport when I lost the engine.  Unfortunately, I wrecked the airplane on landing."

The annals of aviation accident history are filled with sad scenarios where fatal wrecks occurred either on the airport surface or near wide-open, obstruction-free land areas. 

The common thread running through many of these accidents is the pilot's failure to make a "dead stick" landing to a suitable site directly below him (or her).  Instead, they follow the traditional flight school mantra and trim to best glide speed enroute to some distant landing area.

Practice "engine out" operations to sites directly below!

The only way to become proficient with any form of emergency operation is to regularly practice it.  In this instance, fly up above an airport, reduce power to idle, announce your intentions on the radio, then land the airplane.  Do this in differing wind conditions and from various altitudes right down to the pattern altitude.

In time, you'll be able to hit the "numbers" every time and from any position over the airport.  This one skill could save your airplane someday - or your life!

News from BMFT, Inc.

Learning to fly or advancing through the pilot ratings and certificates while simultaneously earning college credits has just become a whole lot easier for folks in the Western New York area.

This has been made possible through Utah Valley State College's (UVSC) recent affiliation with Bob Miller Flight Training, Inc. based at the Buffalo Lancaster Airport in Lancaster, NY.

UVSC is an accredited four-year college that is ranked among the top five comprehensive public colleges in the West by U.S. News & World Report.  Its Global Aviation Degree Program has received national awards from the University Continuing Education Association for innovative quality curriculum and student support system. 

Secure a college degree at home online and learn to fly at the same time!

The unique aspect of this program is that students can learn to fly while taking all of the required courses leading to a two-year Associates in Applied Science degree or a four-year Bachelor of Science in Aviation from home online.   

The best part is that students are eligible for all traditional financial aid including scholarships, grants, VA benefits, and other federal assistance.  Low interest flight training loans are also available at Bob Miller Flight Training, Inc.

Low interest loans available for flight training!

Money, or the lack of it, is arguably the single greatest roadblock to obtaining a pilot certificate or advancing through advanced pilot ratings.

Thanks to the fine services of Pilot Finance, Inc., we can offer low-interest loans to students and pilots to help underwrite their flight training. 

Even better, Bob Miller Flight Training, Inc. is able to reduce interest rates even further through a special promotion it has arranged with Pilot Finance, Inc.

Whether you are seeking a new certificate, advanced rating, or even some recurrent training, don't let the lack of money stand in your way!

Click HERE to learn more about Bob Miller Flight Training, Inc.

 Mike Busch, the Savvy Aviator, speaks!

Any GA aircraft owner who has been on the scene for more than 10 years knows of the tremendous contribution that Mike Busch (The Savvy Aviator) has made to our industry.  From his creation of AVWEB to his recent naming as the National Aviation Maintenance Technician (AMT) of the year for 2008, Mike Busch is synonymous with aviation wisdom. 

Like most of us, Mike lurks over many of the online aviation forums.  And like most of us, Mike occasionally finds a posting that he finds troublesome.  One such posting cropped up recently on the Cirrus Owners and Pilots Association (COPA) online forum. 

Here is that posting:
 

"But, I became more paranoid about being picky about the weather that I would fly in. Several trips were canceled this past fall that would have taken me through IMC or landing in marginal VFR or IFR conditions.  As it turned out, after I bailed on those trips, the METARs at the time I would have landed turned out VFR, but I still worried about the weather, crosswinds, and flying into new airports in not-so-good conditions."

Here is Mike's reply to that posting:

 

This reminds me of one of my pet peeves as an instrument instructor, and that is that most pilots go through their instrument training and receive their instrument rating without every having flown in "real" or "hard" IMC conditions. They wind up legal to fly IFR, but scared to do so. It frankly amazes me how much weather timidity I see here on the online aviation forums, and how many no-go decisions are announced there . . . and applauded by fellow forum readers. It's one thing to avoid weather that is beyond the safe capability of the airplane to handle -- I certainly believe in that, and if I didn't I probably wouldn't be around to post this message after 40 years of serious weather flying. It's quite another to cancel a flight based on area forecasts  and TAFs in a weather briefing. That is something I basically never do. The reason is that actual weather encountered during a flight is ALMOST ALWAYS much, much better than forecast. If I made no-go decisions based on forecasts, I'd probably cancel half the flights I make, and possibly 3/4 during the wintertime when ice is almost always in the forecast. Forecasts have a huge amount of pessimism built in. I can't even count the number of flights I've made where the briefing was extremely worrisome yet the actual flight turned out to be a piece of cake. Over the years, I've learned to use forecasts for strategic planning purposes but to give them relatively little weight in tactical decision making. METARs and PIREPs are real and can usually be trusted; area forecasts and TAFs are guesses, and typically paint a much more pessimistic picture than what you actually encounter. Bottom line: I almost always take a look, regardless of what the forecast says. If I don't like what I see, I land (extremely rare) or reroute (relatively common) to deal with the problem. I cannot think of a single mission I've cancelled in the past 30 years due to weather, and I can only think of a few times during that time that I had to make a precautionary landing because the weather was too bad. As an instrument instructor, I consider it unethical to sign a student off for his IFR checkride without taking him or her up for at least a couple of flights in real weather, preferably with some icing and turbulence involved, and at least a couple of approaches in actual low IMC. My own CFII never did that for me, and I remember ever so clearly the first time I picked up a trace of rime flying a little Cherokee 140 over northeastern Pennsylvania just how terrified I was. When I became a CFII, I vowed I would never let one of my students go through an initial icing encounter alone.  It may not be strictly legal, but it's the right thing to do. Our airplanes are remarkably capable. They are largely limited by the capabilities and confidence and judgment of their pilots. I think our training has gotten so focused on the stick-and-rudder skills and button-pushing training that it has lost sight of the more important stuff.  IMHO, you can't learn weather flying from a book. You have to go out and do it. Like anything else, you start with minor weather challenges and gradually work up to major ones as your experience, knowledge, judgment and confidence builds. I realize that most of what I've written is not "politically correct" and am fully prepared to receive flak for it. But it's what I believe, and what I've experienced over a many-decades-long career flying piston aircraft. Fire away! Mike Busch, A&P/IA CFIA/I/ME info@savvyaviator.com

Bravo, Mike!  The fact that your "politically incorrect" reply to this forum member is NOT shared by a large portion of our flight schools is evident in our chronic fatal accident rate.  Rather that instilling understanding and appreciation of real world flying, many of these flight schools cancel training anytime the presence of adverse weather is revealed in the forecasts.  In so doing, critical training opportunities are missed.

Aging Pilots - Protect Your Insurability!!

While few of us like to think about it, advancing into our 70s, and even 80s changes the rules a bit when it comes to insuring our airplanes.  What was once a simple insurance renewal suddenly becomes a more complicated procedure as insurance underwriters begin to question the proficiency and health of us aging pilots.

So what is it that insurance companies want from older pilots?

If you expect to be flying beyond age 70 and want to continue flying right up to the point you have great grandchildren riding along in the back seat, listen up!  What you do today can make a big difference down the road.

In preparing this brief article, I asked Owen Cole, an aviation insurance representative with Sargent Tyler & West, located in Yarmouth, Maine who, by the way, handles the insurance for my flight school, what the insurance companies expect from aging pilots.

"I've been writing aviation insurance policies for pilots for over 20 years," says Owen.  "Over that period it has been made repeatedly clear that insurance companies consider aging pilots as an added risk factor when calculating premium rates," adds Owen.

"So what can we do to mitigate this issue," I asked?

Two major concerns . . .

In responding to this question, Own summarized the insurance industries' two major concerns.  They are, first, health status and, second, pilot proficiency.

Health

Looking first at health, many older pilots are now being asked to obtain FAA medicals every year instead of the traditional two year medicals.  "They want to be sure that nothing has changed since the previous medical," says Owen.  "They're looking for the big things like blood pressure, vision and hearing, diabetes and, yes, any evidence of dementia."

While much of our health status in later life is a function of genetics and fate, there still remains much that we can do to extend our "healthy" years.  The first place to start is the bathroom scale.  Keeping trim works wonders in keeping blood pressure in check.  The connection between body fat and the major diseases of lifestyle, e.g., heart disease, cancer, stroke, diabetes, and arthritis is no longer even being debated!

Watch those carbs!  Remember, carbs are converted directly into sugar by our bodies . . . and sugar in the urine is precisely what those little test strips detect when we pee in the cup at the medical examiner's office!  If that little test strip detects sugar, your medical could be delayed for months, or forever if not corrected.

Equally important in staying healthy is a simple regimen of exercise three or four times a week.  This works wonders in keeping the pounds off.  And for me, personally, keeping the pounds off keeps my blood pressure well within normal limits.  In fact, I don't even need a scale.  Instead, my blood pressure numbers will tell me my weight.  The higher the numbers, the higher my weight!

Pilot Proficiency

The second major issue is pilot proficiency.  It is no secret that our aging brains work less efficiently than those of younger pilots.  Similarly, our reflexes begin to slow. 

There is no way that our insurance companies can come out to the airport to evaluate our piloting skills and mental proficiency.  There is, however, something they can and do do.  Insurance companies are taking a very close look at the type and frequency of recurrent training we engage in.

Simple biennial flight reviews don't cut it anymore for older pilots and certainly for older pilots operating more sophisticated aircraft like Cessna 210s and other high performance/complex aircraft.  Instead, they're looking for solid evidence of rigorous annual recurrent training that covers everything from aircraft systems, to emergency procedures, to weather analysis, to upset recovery maneuvers, and more.

In summary, flying long into later life is a genuine option for pilots who take specific steps to protect their health and maintain their piloting proficiency.  Don't wait until it is too late!

Airport vs. Highway????

You are on top at 19,000 feet in a pressurized Cessna P210.  Cloud bases over the terrain below are just 500 feet.  Things begin to go wrong. 

What you do in the next several minutes and the decisions you are about to make WILL spell the difference between a safe outcome or a tragic ending.

Click HERE to read the exchange between ATC and the P210 pilot who experienced this scenario several years ago over Kentucky. 

In reviewing this event, let's look first at what went wrong with the airplane. 

The engine in this aircraft has external oil lines that provide oil to the turbocharger waste gate (bypass) valve actuator and then return it to the engine crankcase.  This hose assembly was found to have "fretting" that penetrated the hoses.  A leak was detected in one of the three hoses that extended through the steel braid in two locations resulting in a loss of oil.

This "fretting" was caused by an improper alignment of a turbocharger oil line.

The pilot's actions . . .

Even a cursory review of the ATC/Pilot voice tape suggests that the pilot had good handle on the situation.  He remained calm as he discussed his options with ATC. 

Nonetheless, he was in a grave predicament.  With cloud bases at barely 500 feet, he had only three choices.  Remember, he was still at 12,300 feet by the time his engine quit.

Choice 1: He could get established on a published instrument approach.

Choice 2:  Maneuver as close as possible to the airport, break out VFR just 500 feet above the ground, find the runway, and land.

Choice 3: Use his GPS to descend over top of the nearby Interstate highway, break out VFR at 500 feet and land.

Note:  The NTSB report does not indicate that this pilot had a moving map GPS aboard his aircraft, but since he did ask for the 3 letter identifiers for various airports, we might reasonably assume that he did have a GPS.

What was the final result?

The pilot apparently opted for Choice 2. 

Sadly, the outcome was not good.  The aircraft impacted trees and an electrical transmission line about 1 1/2 nautical miles southwest of Madison County Airport and was consumed by post-impact fire.  The pilot was killed in the wreck.

Analysis . . .

From personal experiences, I can tell you that our ability to think properly during a serious emergency or crisis is compromised far more that most people imagine.  The voice tape suggests that this pilot performed admirably in his attempt to get safely on the ground.

Nonetheless, from his 19,000 foot cruising altitude, there should have been sufficient time to find a suitable instrument approach procedure within gliding range of his airplane.  Let's not forget, however, that this pilot had lost pressurization and quite likely began to suffer from hypoxia.

Adding to his troubles, the pilot reported having oil all over his windscreen.  This situation was becoming more grim by the minute.  And the entire matter was compromised by having just 500 feet of VFR conditions above the terrain.

What would you have done in this situation?

What would you have done in this scenario?  Please share your thoughts by emailing them to me at rjma@rjma.com.   I will pass along your most insightful comments to our OTA readers in the next issue.

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Bob Miller to be inducted into the Niagara Frontier Aviation and Space Hall of Fame!!

Protesting strongly that I am not old enough for such honor, I was pleased to be named for induction into the Niagara Frontier Aviation and Space Hall of Fame.  The actual induction ceremony will take place on Friday, May 16th.

The stated purpose of the hall of fame is to "honor and enshrine all those men and women, who in their own unique way, contributed significantly to the history and development of aviation on the Niagara Frontier."

I would like to thank my good friends, Paul Pederson and Jim Cavanaugh, and my many other colleagues and friends throughout the Western New York aviation community for this genuine honor!
 

 

Why?  The answer is deceptively simple.  People who enjoy what they do learn more, faster, and more enthusiastically.  Happy people don't quit!

Bob Miller, ATP, CFII
rjma@rjma.com
716-864-8100