Lexington Flying Club Newsletter

June 2008
Edited By Mike Proctor

Revised: 6/07/2008

Click Refresh or Reload for the Latest Updates

 

June Monthly Meeting

Our June monthly meeting will be held in the new conference room in the Air 51 FBO facility.  It is located on the 2nd floor.  The meeting is Tuesday,  June 10th at 7pm.  Come on out if you can !  Thanks to the new FBO for providing the conference room facilities !  Plan to park at Air 51,  not the LFC Club House.

Club House Moved  !!

The Hangar (Hangar 4) that our club house is in is scheduled to be torn done as part of a plan to make more ramp space available for the 2010 Equestrian Games.  We moved the Club House to the L3 Building.  A key to the building and a key to the office in the building will be located in combination key boxes at the front door and on our office door.  We are sharing the L3 building with two other tenants:  the Lex CAP Squadron and RGAS Resources. 

Note: To protect our computers and other items in the common area, we need to insist that the door to the parking lot ALWAYS be kept locked.

May Annual Meeting

Many thanks to our guest speaker, the new ATC Tower Manager at KLEX,  Jim Call.  Jim, an instrument rated pilot, shared his views of ATC from his unique perspective!  Jim also announced that our very own, Faron Collins, has been promoted to a Supervisor position at the LEX ATC facility.  Congratulations,  Foxtrot Charlie !!  We also announced the officers for the 2008/2009 LFC Fiscal Year:

President

MikeProctor

Treasurer

Tony Baxter

Secretary

Tom Stone

Asst Treasurer

Lloyd Young

Safety Officer

Steve Bird

VP C150

Mike Smith

VP C172 03F

Jay Close

VP C172 903

Mike Holbrook

VP Archer 01W

Bill Allen

VP Archer 26N

Terry Flora

Going UP - Tac Air Gas now at $3.45 $3.49 $3.54 $3.59 $3.82 $3.83 $3.98 $4.14 $4.19 $3.99 $4.14 $4.24  $4.34 $4.49 $4.35 $4.45 $4.56 $4.61 $4.76 $4.96 $5.36 5.46 / gal – Forced Hourly Rates Up !

Since fuel costs are a big part of the cost of operating our fleet,  we are forced to react when gas prices change.  Tac Air has raised its rates from $2.99 to $3.09 to $3.24 to $3.38 to $3.45 to $3.49 to $3.54 to $3..59 to $3.82 to $.3.83 to $3.98 to $4.14 to $4.19 to $3.99 to $4.14 to $4.24 to $4.34 to $4.49 to $4.35 to $4.45 to $4.56 to $4.61 to $4.76 to $4.96 to $5.36 to $5.46 in the last 4 years, so we are now basing our hourly rates on Tac Air’s price of $5.46 per gallon of avgas.  

Rates, effective 5/16/2008, based on tach time, are:

C150 – $66.25

C172 - $92.00

Archer 26N – $104.50

Archer 01W - $109.75

Membership News -  We need 0 members

Please welcome Michael Marmino, Tyler Welch,  John Pentecost, Dale Proctor, Joe Ches, Larry Sward, Marty Prather, Hank Whitman,  and Chris Bryant as our newest Restricted Members.  

Barrett Brown got his Private Certificate !    He gets a $50 flying credit for that milestone !

Barrett Brown also moved up to Full Membership from Restricted !

Congratulations to Dave Falconer and Don Morgan for getting their Level III Wings Award and a $50 flying credit for that achievement.  Bill Saunooke,  Jim Hutchinson and Mike Proctor get a $50 credit for getting a WINGS level under the new WINGS online program.  Click here for details about the new WINGS program.

Marty Prather gets $20 for recruiting John Pentecost.  Nathan Hoskins gets $20 for recruiting Marty Prather.  Gordon Davis gets $20 for recruiting Paul Southgate.  Mike Holbrook gets $20 for recruiting John Leddy. 

Remember, you get a $20 or $50 flying credit for recruiting a new member, so keep your recruiting hat on.  

To check out the newly updated roster, use your Schedule Master id and password at http://data.lexingtonflyingclub.org/default.html

 

Spring Wash and Wax Event – Good Turn Out

As most of us know,  we scrub on the birdies twice a year.  The Spring Wash and Wax Event was held on Sunday,  April 27th from 1 to 4pm.  We had 26 members and several additional family members pitch in and scrub on the five birds.  Special thanks to the CAP for letting us use their pressure washer.  And special thanks to Linda Huff,  who plied us with burgers, hot dogs, macaroni and cheese, and Cookies !!   Remember,  you get a $50 flying credit for attending both W&W events in a calendar year.  You get dinged $50 if you miss both of them.   

Runway Safety Action Team Meets – Issues Report

In late April, a group of safety conscious professionals met to review issues related to Runway Safety at Blue Grass Airport.  Click HERE to view a summary of the meeting and associated recommendations.

Lexington ATC Issues Letter To Airmen #08-1

Click HERE to view this letter from the Tower on the subject of  practice instrument approaches.

Things to Do

Saturday, Hot Dogs at Sporty’s

Saturday’s, from noon to 2pm

June LFC Monthly Meeting – Air51 Conference Room

Tuesday, June 10th, 7pm

July LFC Monthly Meeting – Air51 Conference Room

Tuesday, July 8th, 7pm

Buy Gas away from LEX and try to save the Club some $$$!

When "out and about" stop in one of the outlying FBOs and see what they offer. Last time we checked, (6/3/2008) gas was $5.17 , $4.55 and $5.30 at the FFT,  DVK and Richmond-Madison self-serve pumps.  Cynthiana and Mt Sterling are charging $4.50 and $5.05 per gallon respectively for their self service operations. And Georgetown is $5.05 per gallon. When you buy gas yourself just turn in the gas receipt with your payment to the club and it will be deducted from your bill.  Please be sure that you indicate both your name and the plane's N number on the receipt.  Click HERE to see the latest gas prices in the area.

 

2nd FBO at Lexington Open

Check out the website for the second FBO open at Lexington.  Stop in and say hi and check out their new digs ! 

Phone number 252-5100

Arinc (Unicom) Frequency: 130.325

http://www.air-51.com/

Click here for more pictures

More Info

 

Club Minutes Available Online

Click here: 2007_12 to view the online copy.

Click here: 2008_03 to view the online copy.

Click here: 2008_04 to view the online copy.

Financial Results

Our 2007 end-year financial summary information is available as an excel file.  In addition, earlier summaries are available.  Click on these links to review the information. 

File 1 – Tony’s January 2006 Presentation 

File 2 – Mike’s January 2006 Presentation

File 3 – 2006 Mid-Year Presentation

File 4 – 2006 End Year Presentation

File 5 – 2007 Mid-Year Presentation

File 6 – 2007 End Year Presentation

LEX Airport proposes building Runway 9-27

The proposal to do away with Runway 8-26 and build a Runway 9-27 to the west of the existing runway complex is outlined in this link to a set of informational slides presented at the Public Workshop held last September. 

http://www.bluegrassairport.com/documents/FinalPublicWorkshopPresentation091807.pdf

New AWOS at Richmond-Madison (I39)

Richmond KY (Madison) [I39]: October NOTAM #254 issued by Louisville KY [LOU]

Automatic weather observing/reporting station (AWOS) - 3  Frequency:  119.625

Phone Access 859 - 985 - 5969 commissioned

Second C172 – N75903 On Line

Since it is the same make and model as our current C172,  no additional checkouts are needed.  The altitude hold auto pilot and the combination gps/comm radio might take some getting used to.  Note to IFR pilots: this GPS is VFR Only. 

Here are links to download a copy of the owner’s manual for the GPS 250XL and the S-Tec 50 Altitude Hold Auto Pilot

Note: There is a quirk that you need to understand in order to get the S-Tec 50 autopilot to come on …   Click Here for the Helpful Hints  !!!

 

Phone Numbers and Frequencies to Use:

LFC Club House 433-5950

Flight Service 800-WX-BRIEF

LEX automated weather: 281-5700
TAC Air call for fuel on 129.875 ; Regular phone 255-7724; Airport Extension 4265
Schedulemaster  Reservation Service 800-414-6114
Schedulemaster  Reservation Service Internet access: http://www.schedulemaster.com/smlogin.htm

FAA Wings Update – A Glimpse at the New Program

The FAA has published on the www.faasafety.gov website a glimpse at the updated version of the WINGS program. Click here ! to view a description of the revised program.

The FAA has also published a multi-media tutorial.  Click on this link:  http://www.faasafety.gov/articulate/wings/default.htm

Sign up for notices about Safety meetings                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         

The FAA has set up a great website where you can register to have them send you emails about safety seminars in your area.  There are also many online safety features to review.  I’d like to see 100% participation in this program by our members !!  The address is

www.faasafety.gov

 

 

 

 

 

General aviation to get choice at airport

AIR 51 TO OFFER FUEL, MAINTENANCE, STORAGE

By Jennifer Hewlett

HERALD-LEADER STAFF WRITER

As soon as six months from now, Blue Grass Airport might have a second business offering fuel, maintenance and storage space for planes.

Air 51 LLC will become the second fixed-base operator at the airport, which is now served solely by TAC-AIR.

The airport's board voted yesterday to allow Air 51 to occupy just over 2 acres in the southeast quadrant of the airport property.

The company plans to spend $2 million on construction, including a fuel farm and a 12,000-square-foot hangar for aircraft maintenance and storage.

The hangar will include a conference room, flight planning area, sleep rooms, showers and a pilot's lounge.

Also planned are ramp space for aircraft, a 75-space parking area for ground vehicles and an observation deck.

Air 51 looks to capitalize on increased traffic from new models of small jets. The company also expects more traffic with the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games in 2010, said manager Walter Kamb.

The company is owned by Dr. Joe Richardson, John Sawyer and Rex McClanahan, all of Lexington.

"Adding a second fixed-based operator will provide members of the general aviation community with a choice when selecting services," said airport spokeswoman Amy Caudill.

Air 51 will be leasing more than 91,000 square feet from the airport, at 25 cents per square foot per year.

The airport will receive 7 cents per gallon from fuel sales, 10 percent of gross food and beverage sales, half a percent on gross aircraft sales, and 2 percent of all other gross income generated by Air 51.

Also yesterday, the board agreed to spend up to $100,000 for revising an environmental assessment for moving the general aviation runway. The assessment is required by the Federal Aviation Administration.

The assessment began in 2005, but the runway length under consideration has changed from 3,500 feet to 4,000 feet.

The airport is seeking $9 million from state government, which if secured by Oct. 1 would make the airport eligible for $9 million in matching funds from an FAA program.

The airport board would contribute the remaining $9 million of the estimated $27 million project.

Plans are to eventually extend the general aviation runway to 5,000 feet.

Wait 30 minutes and the bird is yours

If you are standing on the ramp on a sunny afternoon and a bird is just sitting there begging to be flown, be aware that the bird can be yours IF the current reservation is 30 minutes old. The Schedule Master computer will let you schedule over the top of a reservation once 30 minutes from the start of that reservation has elapsed. DO NOT take the bird without scheduling it however. The phone system works just fine to make this kind of "over schedule."

If YOU are the one who booked the original reservation and you are simply running late, be sure to get on SM before the 30 minutes has elapsed and cancel and re-book the plane from the current time to the end of the original reservation period.

EXCEPTION: The SM computer will NOT allow scheduling over the top of overnight reservations; if you suspect a problem there, it will take an officer to make a decision. If someone has not cancelled an overnight reservation, he/she will be liable for a hour of flying (2 hours on Saturday or Sunday).

Copy of the new digital clock in the C172 “ How-to “ instructions

Click Here to see the “how-to” pamphlet that came with the new digital clock in the C172

Track the last flight (that flew on an FAA flightplan) for the birds of our fleet !

N6433K  N6203F  N3001W  N4326N N75903

Find out why a bird is down for Maintenance

Click on this link for a quick tutorial on how to use Schedulemaster to find out information about why an airplane has been taken out of service for Maintenance.  Each Maintenance Officer creates a short message explaining why the airplane is unavailable.  You can read this message on Schedule Master !

Here is a great treatise on the difference between Pipers and Cessnas

Must reading for folks transitioning to the Archers from the  Cessnas.  Click here.

CFI’s working with LFC members

Neal Smith, Mark Anders, Mark Beauchamp, Pat Brookins, Lowell Wiley, Steve Bird, and Linda Huff are very actively working with folks in the Club.  They join Mike Proctor as active instructors working with Club members.  Schedulemaster has been updated to allow you to reserve a block of their time at the same time as your lesson.  Check out the instructors page on the website and in the roster. http://www.lexingtonflyingclub.org/instruct.html

Our Next Door Neighbor wants to rent out his Airplane (‘ 72 Piper Arrow)

A new student pilot in the local area, Tom Roberts,  has decided to learn to fly and he wants to do it in his own airplane!   In order to cut down on the cost of ownership,  Tom has acquired insurance that will allow him to rent out his airplane.  So, if you want some RG instruction or if you have 125 hours,  you are eligible to fly this airplane.   Tom intends to charge $127.40 (effective 5/16/08) tach time per hour but block times will be available.

As a service to flying club members,  we are passing along this information.  This is not a leaseback with the Club.

NOTE:   We STRONGLY advise anyone wishing to fly this airplane to get a renter’s policy that has Liability coverage and enough Hull coverage to cover the $2,500 deductible and “loss of use” during downtime.  Click here to view a sample renter’s policy.  To get $500,000 per accident, $100,000 per person and $10,000 hull coverage, using the AOPA 5% discount, this policy will cost $374 per year. 

Click here to see a copy of  Tom’s rental agreement   

Click here to see a link showing pictures and vital statistics about this 1972 Arrow. 

This is not a leaseback operation with the club!  Tom just wants us to let you know he could use some help with his expenses !!  (You do not have to be a FULL member, or even BE a member of the flying club to fly this airplane.)

Contact Mike Proctor, Steve Bird, or Lowell Wiley for more details. 

Club Aviation Video Tape and DVD Library

We are maintaining a large library of aviation videos and DVD's. For a $6 donation (per volume), billable through the CLUB, you have two day access to the Private or Instrument Courses.  We’ll keep those under lock and key,  but the remaining items will be available for viewing at the club house!  If you have a DVD or video that you like to donate,  please contact Mike Proctor

Click here to view the complete list of Library Items that we have at the club house :

Pilot Operating Handbooks, Checklists, and Aviation Books Available

Thanks to Bill Ford and PDQ we now have a lot of pilot supplies available at the club house.  Call Mike Proctor for access,  338-4040 or email PDQ at pdq@lexingtonflyingclub.org for (three kinds of) checklists and the POH's for the airplanes. Also available are GPS reference guides for our units, plus all the study guides and miscellaneous pilot supplies you need. 150 Manuals are $33 -- 172 Manuals are $33 -- Archer Manuals are $30; Gleim Books, Practical Test Standards, Written Test Prep guides; Oral Guides; BFR Guides; FAR/AIM; and FAA publications (Instrument Flying Handbook, Pilots Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, Flight Instructor's Handbook, Aviation Weather, Aviation Weather Services) also available. 

Click here for a complete list

Tired of paying dues each month? 

If you would like a hiatus from paying dues each month, consider loaning the club the amount needed to pay a 5% dividend on your investment.  You can get your money back on 2 day’s notice.  In the meantime, enjoy a dues free environment!  Restricted members need to loan the sum of $9,960.00 and Full or Special members need to loan $13,920.00  Save the club some money and earn 5% at the same time.  Contact Mike Proctor for details.  Terry Flora and Sean Peffer have taken us up on the offer,  thanks, guys !! 

9am to 4pm process - Airport badge initial or renewal now requires fingerprinting, $35 fee, 3 to 6 days to process; Ramp driving process changes in effect as well

Badge Applicants: Since you have to pay your money to the Accounting Department, you must get there when they are there; i.e. 9am to 4pm. Details on the new process are documented on the Blue Grass airport website at

http://www.bluegrassairport.com/badge.html

DVD's added to our club library

We've updated our list of library video's to include Sporty's DVD's. Check 'em out below at the bottom of the newsletter …..

New Look to our oil bottles - Exxon Elite 20w50

 

 

Based on information from our mechanics, we are changing to the Exxon Elite 20w50 oil in the gold quart bottle.

Look for it in the club oil locker.

 

 

 

Never too bad to fly -- Now Available -- Access to an ATC 610J Flight Training Device ( "Simulator" )

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Need an hour of instrument time for your WINGS level? Mike Proctor has purchased a totally refurbished ATC 610J desktop flight training device. The unit covers an area from Lexington, west to E-town and as far northwest as Louisville and Frankfort. It was programmed just prior to delivery so it has the latest approaches. Its flight characteristics (flaps, throttle, prop, mixture) mimic the Piper Arrow. ILS or localizer approaches are available for LEX, FFT, SDF, and LOU. VOR approaches are available for all these airports plus BRY and EKX. ADF practice is also a feature.

In addition to WINGS instrument time, the unit can be used for up to 20 hours of training towards the instrument rating and can be used for all six instrument approaches, holds, and navigation required to stay in IFR currency. Cost will be $40 per hour including CFII signoff of the time. If you choose to use another CFII, the unit will rent for $20 per hour. For the time being, Mike will be setting up the unit at home in Richmond. The FAA requires logging of time in flight simulators (see 61.51 g 4) to be used under instructor supervision only; not solo.

 

Keep your personal information up to date on the Scheduling System

The Internet Interface to the Reservation System has been modified to allow you to document vital statistics on your flying activities and status. Once you are in the system and are looking at the schedule page, you can click on USER and then click on CLICK HERE TO EDIT YOUR OWN INFO. There you can update your BFR and Medical and Insurance Expiration dates. You can indicate your participation in the Wings program and document the dates when you go out of currency for the 90 day requirement and IFR. You can also document your total hours, hours in complex birds, and hours in the last 90 days. The system will post a warning when you get close to those expiration dates as a reminder. Sort of a glorified alarm clock !

The Safety Officer is going to be monitoring this information and will be contacting members who have not been keeping this information up to date. Eventually, we may have to make this information mandatory to satisfy an insurance underwriter.

Telephone Installed by airport just outside our Gate 20

Tac Air is now just a phone call away, Extension 4265; Airport Operations/Security is Extension 3113; Only airport extensions can be dialed, so you cannot close a flight plan or make off airport calls.

Flying Club Bill Available On-line

Key in the URL below and follow the directions to have a copy of your flying club bill mailed to the email address we have for you. If you have not told us that you have an email address, please notify either Tony Baxter or Mike Proctor. We will continue to mail bills out, until and unless you tell us that a hard copy is not necessary. Welcome to the electronic age! http://www.cs.uky.edu/~tony/lfc/lfc_bills.html

GPS Advanced Simulator CD-ROM available for our GPS Units

In addition to the quick reference guides and entire printed manual and the videotape on the GPS units; I also got a copy of the revised GPS CD-ROM. This version depicts the rings of Class B, C, and D airspace correctly. You can change heading and speed and actually fly instrument approaches with this version. Contact Mike Proctor

Radio Communications Trainer CD-ROMs available

We have both the VFR and IFR versions of  the radio trainer CD-ROMs that will help you sound like a pro on the radio. Contact Mike Proctor.

Anyone interested in headsets?

Bill Ford has David Clark  and Flightcom headsets for a price under retail and no shipping costs. Check with Bill at. 254-3519 or email him at pdq@lexingtonflyingclub.org

Pick up sectionals or Terminal Area Charts at PDQ. Save money by getting a subscription and having them dropped off at the club house for you. Contact Bill Ford or Mike Proctor for details.  Here is an email address to use:  pdq@lexingtonflyingclub.org

IFR Charts

Subscription, billed to your CLUB account:

Lo Alt Enroutes - $4.00
Approach Plates - $4.15

AFD’s - $4.10

VFR Charts

Subscription, billed to your CLUB account:

 

Charts delivered to the club house

VFR Sectionals - $7.25

Or, pick 'em up at one at a time for the cash and carry list price:

VFR Sectionals - $9.12