Lexington Flying Club Newsletter

July 2009
Edited By Mike Proctor

Revised: 7/03/2009

Click Refresh or Reload for the Latest Updates

 

July Monthly Meeting

Our July monthly meeting will be in the Conference Room at the Air51 FBO on Tuesday, July 14th.  We hope to see you there!

Tac Air Gas now at $4.66 / gal – Hourly Rates Down !

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 to $5.51 to $5.71 to $5.96 to $5.76 to $5.51 to $5.31 to $5.11 to $4.96 to $4.66 in the last 5 years, so we are now basing our hourly rates on Tac Air’s price of $4.66 per gallon of avgas.  

Rates, effective 3/17/2009, based on tach time, are:

C150 – $62.25

C172 - $83.75

Archer 26N – $96.25

Archer 01W - $100.75

 

Spring Wash and Wax Event Results

Great turnout for the Spring Wash/Wax Event:  28 members!  Many thanks to all who came out !   Special thanks to Lloyd Young for providing cold drinks and to Linda Huff , chef-in-chief, for feeding the hungry crew hot dogs and burgers !

Remember, bylaws call for each member to attend at least one W&W event each year to avoid a $50 penalty.  If you attend both,  you’ll get a $50 flying credit.  Please mark your calendars.  The second W&W event will be the last Sunday in September, September 27th.  

Airplane / Parking Changes  -  Read Updates in Green

*** Important ***  Security / Parking changes:

The construction work to tear down four hangars and work on the pavement where our birds were originally tied down is well under way.   The second phase which will involve tearing down the L3 building started on Monday, October 6th.

1) Currently access to the ramp area by vehicle via Gate 19 has been discontinued for all CAP, Lexington PD and Flying Club members due to the construction activities and aircraft congestion. Due to the destruction of the pillar where the keybox hung;  the key box now resides in the club house office.

2) If you need to access the field by vehicle,  please coordinate this with Tac-Air.

3) Construction has eliminated Gate 20.  Access is now through Tac Air.  Also, our Clubhouse office has been moved to Tac Air.

4) You should plan to park at Tac Air.

***IMPORTANT*** Public Safety does not want pedestrian traffic across Taxiway Delta;  Tac Air has been asked by Public Safety to chauffeur LFC members back and forth across Taxiway Delta and Tac Air is willing to provide this service.

Tac Air has moved our Cessna airplanes to the area on the west side of Taxiway Delta, just across from the Air51 FBO.  This area is known as “Ramp F.”  The Archers are now parked close to the gate at the north end of the Aviation Museum parking lot on the east side of Taxiway Delta.  This area is known as “Ramp A”.

Plan to tie the airplane down where you found it.  If that spot is not available when you return, pick another spot. 

Use caution around the new tie-down anchors;  they are tall enough to cause damage if hit by a wheel or a prop !

If no tie downs are available, call Tac Air 255-7724 and leave word with them that you are leaving the airplane chocked ask them to come over and find a place to park the plane (it might wind up in a hangar !! )

It is going to be confusing for the next few months, but we need to insure that a plane does NOT sit out with just tire chocks.

Archer 26N – Listed for Sale at $55,000

You’ll see ads for the airplane in Trade-A-Plane and in Aviation Shopper Online (ASO).   The bird just completed it’s annual.  Squawks included fixing the pilot side shoulder belt inertial reel and replacing a sump valve.

Membership News -  We need 3 members

Please welcome Jonathan Lammers, John Wells, Ron Hall, Daniel Lingrosso, Austin Hatcher, Drew Allison, Rocky Russell, James B Green, John Olsen and Matt McKnight as our newest Restricted Members. 

Kevin Coley has upgraded from Restricted to Special membership.

Samuel Bridges has reactivated his Restricted Membership.

Greg Buntin passed his CFI, Airplane Checkride.  Matt Fannin, Adrian Riley, Brandon Buffin, Jacob Wasilkowski and Barrett Brown got their Private Certificates !    Tim Robertson and Brent Bowman passed their Instrument Checkrides!  Scott May passed his Instrument-Helicopter Checkride.  Brent Bowman passed his Commercial Checkride!  Mark Anders passed his ATP Multi-engine Checkride.   They get a $50 flying credit for those milestones !

Please welcome Jeff Dembo, Aaron Renfro, Russ Bell,  Keith Tomminga,  Alex Damelio, and Rob Paul, our latest FULL Members.

Rocky Russell, Austin Hatcher, and Tom Spitler moved up to Full Membership from Restricted !

Mike Holbrook and  Don Morgan get a $50 credit for getting a WINGS level under the new WINGS online program.  Click here for details about the new WINGS program.

Larry Sward gets $20 for recruiting his son, Kyle.  Brandon Buffin gets $50 for recruiting George Branch !

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

Things to Do

Statewide Do-in’s  !!

http://transportation.ky.gov/Aviation/newsletter.htm

Saturday, Hot Dogs at Sporty’s

Saturday’s, from noon to 2pm

July LFC Monthly Mtg

Tuesday, July 14th, 7pm at Air51

Click Here to get a copy of your current LFC Bill

http://www.cs.uky.edu/~tony/lfc/lfc_bills.html

Annual Ballots sent out via E-mail – Election Results are In !

The members at our April meeting voted to send out the ballot to all the members for the election of officers for the 2009-2010 fiscal year.   All the officers from last year were elected for another term,  with the exception of Jay Close who needed to step down.  Paul Southgate, an active participant at our regular meetings has agreed to serve as maintenance officer for N6203F.  Many thanks, to Jay for all of his volunteer time and efforts!

Archer 01W has a new Garmin 430 WAAS-enabled GPS/Nav/Comm unit

The local radio boys offered us a $700 discount on Garmin 430W hardware;  we also noticed that 01W was not booked for a two week period, so we jumped at the chance to get a timely and frugal installation of a Garmin 430W in our Archer now!  Here is a link to find out more about the Garmin 430W !  From here you can also find manuals, simulators and other free stuff.

https://buy.garmin.com/shop/shop.do?cID=194&pID=301

Garmin WAAS Enabled 430 Installed in N75903

N75903 is now available with a new audio panel and a Garmin 430W GPS/Comm/Nav unit installed. 

Here is a link to find out more about it  !  From here you can also find manuals, simulators and other free stuff.

https://buy.garmin.com/shop/shop.do?cID=194&pID=301

 

The VFR GPS has been installed in the C150

Here is a link to download a copy of the owner’s manual for the GPS 250XL

 

 

Financial Results

Our 2009 mid-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

File 7 – 2008 Mid Year Presentation   File 8 – 2008 End Year Presentation   File 9 – 2009 Mid-Year Presentation

CFI’s working with LFC members

Greg Buntin, Ryan Lee, Dan Kaberle, Drew Alliston, Adam Kaufmann, Adrian Reynolds, Kevin Moberly, 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

Club Minutes Available Online

Click to view the online copies

2007_12   2008_03   2008_04   2008_06   2008_07   2008_08   2008_09

2008_10   2008_11   2008_12   2009_01  2009_02   2009_03

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.  Click HERE to see the latest gas prices in the area.

LEX Airport to build Runway 9-27 in time for Equestrian Games in 2010

It’s official !  The preliminary plans for the layout of the runway, taxi-way, ramp areas and road system for the runway that will replace the closed runway 8-26 are available to see.  Caution: This is a huge 6MB pdf file

http://www.lexingtonflyingclub.org/RW 9-27 w Parallel Taxiway.pdf

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.  Caution: This is a huge 6MB pdf file

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

Here is a quick reminder / tutorial on a unique savings opportunity that the club offers to you

As those hourly rates continue to skyrocket,  here is a link that we have on our website, reminding potential members about the savings that result because we charge on the tach NOT the hobbs.  Click Here

Club House Moved Again !!

The L3 Building is GONE !!  Tac Air has given us Club House office space in the Tac Air Building.  It is located on the 2nd floor; turn right at the top of the stairs;  go all the way to the end; last door on the right.  The key is in the same old familiar blue dongle hanging from the office door.  Although I continue to plead our case to bring the airplanes over to Tac Air’s side of Taxiway Delta,  the Cessna planes are currently still located on the far side.  Keys to the planes were moved to our club office at Tac Air.

Pictures of Airport Construction Available

In preparation for parking a ga-zillion airplanes for the 2010 Equestrian event,  much of the GA part of the airport is going to turned into pavement.

4 of the hangars are being torn down and Taxiway D is being straightened.

Taxiway_D_Overall_Plan.pdf   shows the overall plan

Taxiway_D_Phase_1a.pdf   shows Phase 1a of the plan where our old club house hangar is going to be torn down.  This work is scheduled to commence in August.

Taxiway_D_Phase_1b.pdf   shows Phase 1b of the plan where our current club house location (L3 building) is going to be torn down.  This work is scheduled to commence in October. 

New executive terminal to be built at Blue Grass Airport

- jhewlett@herald-leader.com

TAC Air, one of Blue Grass Airport's two companies that service private aircraft, said Wednesday it plans to spend $11.5 million on improvements, including a new executive terminal.  The 12,000-square-foot terminal, which will have amenities not usually seen at similarly sized airports, is expected to be completed before the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games in 2010.

TACAir

"What we're proposing is construction of a completely stand-alone terminal, which is a good bit different from what's there now," said TAC Air Vice President Danny Walsh.  The terminal will include a large passenger lobby, two conference rooms, a gift store and art gallery, upscale food service, a movie theater, exercise facility, pilot lounge, quiet room and flight planning area.  In addition to the terminal, TAC Air will be constructing three 15,000-square-foot hangars.  The new terminal will be in an area between the existing general aviation terminal and the Aviation Museum of Kentucky. General aviation is private planes, not the commercial flights that come into the main terminal.   The existing general aviation terminal will continue to be used. The new hangars will replace ones that have already been torn down, and there is room to build more if needed, said Michael Gobb, the airport's executive director.

The new construction is part of TAC Air's new 10-year agreement with the airport, which the airport's board approved Wednesday after looking at bids from three other companies.  "These new facilities will provide Blue Grass Airport's general aviation customers with a high-quality travel experience," Gobb said.  TAC Air has been providing ramp service, fuel, storage, tie-down spaces and maintenance for private aircraft at Blue Grass for the past 12 years. Air 51 is the airport's other fixed-base operator for private aircraft.  Under the new agreement, TAC Air will pay the airport $484,000 in annual land rent fees, $374,000 in annual building rent and $70,000 in annual fuel facility rent, said airport spokesman Brian Ellestad. The airport also will get 8 cents for each gallon of fuel sold by TAC Air and 10 percent of its food sales.

"The increased revenue over the current contract will be about $500,000 annually," Gobb said.  TAC Air will pay for the new buildings, which will eventually become the property of the airport.  In the new terminal, Walsh said, plans are for the theater to include a 6-foot screen and Surround Sound with space for several lounge chairs and maybe a couch. The gift shop, he said, is to be an upscale affair that sells Kentucky-themed items. And TAC Air plans to work with deSha's to cater the general aviation planes.  "Their terminal building will be world-class," Gobb said. "In today's competitive environment, we need to be better. We need to be out in front, and this shows that we are."

 

Second 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

 

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.

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 might take some getting used to.  Here is a  link to download a copy of 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/files/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

 

 

 

 

 

 (Except for over-night reservations) -  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 flight plan) 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.

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" )

ds

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.

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 - $4.25
Approach Plates - $4.50

AFD’s - $4.25

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