aviation Archives - Scott Sky Smith Insurance

Student Pilot Buying A Piper Arrow

Posted on August 29, 2018 by skysmith

Student Pilot Buying A Piper Arrow

Q. Hi, I am a student pilot buying a Piper Arrow. I have located a 1974 PA-28-200R Arrow with 5,500 hours total time and 500 hours since a major overhaul. It sounds like a good deal for the price. However, before I worry about buying the aircraft, I need know how many hours I will need in this model to qualify for insurance coverage. In addition, are there any restrictions for a retractable gear aircraft based on turf fields?

A. Typically the underwriters would like to see about 150 hour total time and 25 in retractable gear aircraft before they will offer a quote in the Arrow. A few will consider less total time if you have higher retractable time. The Arrow is one of the few retractable gear trainers, so it is better for transition.

Being a student pilot buying a Piper Arrow also doesn’t mean you cant buy insurance, just makes it more difficult and of course, more expensive.

The turf restriction varies with companies. Most underwriters do not want to insure a retractable gear aircraft that based on a turf field. However, most polices do not usually restrict landing on turf runways.

Oshkosh 2018 Facts and Figures

Posted on July 31, 2018 by skysmith

EAA AIRVENTURE OSHKOSH 2018

FACTS AND FIGURES

FACTS AND FIGURES – Comment from EAA Chairman Jack Pelton:

“A ‘perfect’ event may be unattainable, but AirVenture 2018 came about as close as one could imagine. The combination of outstanding programs, aircraft variety, a robust economy, and good weather combined to complement the efforts of our staff and 5,000 volunteers throughout the grounds. The week was upbeat, exciting, and filled with many ‘Only at Oshkosh’ moments.”

Attendance: Approximately 601,000, nearly two percent above of 2017’s record total. Comment from Pelton:

“EAA members and aviation enthusiasts attended in large numbers, even without the presence of a military jet team as we had in 2017. Our efforts to create unique attractions and aviation highlights across the grounds were incredibly successful. Attendance on opening day was the best in our history, as the vast majority of our guests came to Oshkosh early and stayed throughout the week.”

Total aircraft: More than 10,000 aircraft arrived at Wittman Regional Airport in Oshkosh and other airports in east-central Wisconsin. At Wittman alone, there were 19,588 aircraft operations in the 11-day period from July 20-30, which is an average of approximately 134 takeoffs/landings per hour.

Total showplanes: 2,979 (second straight year over 2,900): 1,160 homebuilt aircraft (5 percent increase), 1,094 vintage airplanes, 377 warbirds (7 percent increase), 185 ultralights and light-sport aircraft, 75 seaplanes, 22 rotorcraft, 52 aerobatic aircraft, and 14 hot air balloons.

Camping: More than 12,300 sites in aircraft and drive-in camping accounted for an estimated 40,000 visitors.

Commercial exhibitors: 867.

Forums, Workshops, and Presentations: A total of 1,500 sessions attended by more than 75,000 people.

EAA aircraft flights: 2,800 people flew aboard EAA’s Ford Tri-Motors, while 3,032 people flew aboard EAA’s Bell 47 helicopters and 680 flew aboard EAA’s B-17 Aluminum Overcast.

Social Media, Internet and Mobile: More than 12 million people were reached by EAA’s social media channels during AirVenture, including 5.5 million via Facebook videos; EAA’s website had more than 1.7 million page views; EAA video clips during the event were viewed 2.2 million times; and EAA’s 2,400 photo uploads were viewed more than 12.4 million times. Additionally, EAA web streams were accessed nearly 800,000 times by viewers in more than 200 countries, who watched more than 170,000 hours of activities from the AirVenture grounds. The AirVenture app was downloaded and used by nearly 50,000 attendees.

Guests registered at International Visitors Tent: A record 2,714 visitors registered from 87 nations, also a record total. (Actual counts may be higher since international visitor registration is voluntary.) Top countries represented by registered visitors: Canada (538 visitors), Australia (386), and South Africa (277).

Media: 976 media representatives on-site, from six continents.

Economic impact*: $170 million for the five counties in the Oshkosh region (Winnebago, Outagamie, Fond du Lac, Calumet, and Brown). * – based on 2017 University of Wisconsin Oshkosh economic impact study

What’s ahead for EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2019 (July 22-28, 2019)? Comment from Pelton:

“We are celebrating our 50th consecutive year in Oshkosh during 2019, so we’ll be looking back on a half-century of unforgettable highlights at Wittman Regional Airport, and planning activities that involve EAA’s hometown and its unique place in aviation history. While 2018 is barely in the record books, we’re talking to many groups and individuals with intriguing new ideas for aircraft, innovations, exhibits, and events. We’re already planning for 2019 and looking forward to announcing features and attractions very soon.”

Information updates posted at www.eaa.org/airventure

Textron Aviation to debut new full-scale Cessna Denali mockup at EAA AirVenture 2018

Posted on July 20, 2018 by skysmith

Textron Aviation to debut new full-scale Cessna Denali mockup at EAA AirVenture 2018

WICHITA, Kan. (July 20, 2018) – Textron Aviation Inc., a Textron Inc. (NYSE:TXT) company, today announced it will unveil its new full-scale Cessna Denali mockup at EAA AirVenture 2018 in Oshkosh, Wisconsin July 23-29 at Wittman Regional Airport. The mockup features a complete cockpit with functioning avionics, fully updated interior and the McCauley 105-inch diameter composite, five-blade, constant speed propeller.

“We have made great strides in the design and development of the Denali,” said Rob Scholl, senior vice president, Sales and Marketing. “Since first introducing the aircraft at EAA AirVenture in 2015 — and unveiling the initial cabin concept in 2016 — we have fine-tuned the Denali’s characteristics based upon feedback gathered from our customer base and look forward to delivering a best in class experience for pilots and passengers alike.”

The turboprop features the widest cabin cross-section in the segment, providing passengers with additional head and shoulder room — and more room for cargo and baggage. Taking cues from design elements found in Textron Aviation’s large-cabin business jets, Denali delivers a new standard of luxury to turboprop passengers. Features such as larger seats and windows, as well as a modular refreshment center and an aft-located lavatory ensure passengers enjoy an enhanced level of comfort on board. During the show, demonstrations of the Denali’s highly adaptable cabin will highlight its abundant space and transform the cabin from an executive configuration to a combi layout – configured for both passengers and cargo.

“The mockup presents the first opportunity for customers to experience the full power of the Denali cockpit — one that revolutionizes the single engine turboprop segment,” Scholl noted. “The Catalyst engine, developed by GE Aviation, is the segment’s first powerplant with FADEC (Full Authority Digital Engine Control), equipping pilots with a digitally optimized single-lever engine and propeller control for ease of handling in flight. The Garmin G3000 flight deck modernizes turboprop avionics and significantly reduces pilot workload with dual touchscreen controllers and Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR) technology, enabling pilots to easily perform common tasks and manage the flight deck. Not one detail has been overlooked and the new Denali mockup is a true representation of the aircraft we will deliver to customers.”

The Cessna Denali program continues to progress on schedule. The company anticipates achieving the first wing mate and completion of the prototype airframes as the program nears first flight in early 2019.

About the Denali

Engineered to achieve cruise speeds of 285 knots and full fuel payload of 1,100 pounds, the Denali will have a range of 1,600 nautical miles at high-speed cruise with one pilot and four passengers and will be able to fly nonstop from Los Angeles to Chicago, New York to Miami or London to Moscow.

A first for aircraft in this class, the FADEC-equipped, 1,240 shaft horse-power GE Catalyst engine will ease pilot workload with its fully automated single-lever power and propeller control. Equipped with McCauley’s new 105-inch diameter composite, 5-blade, constant speed propeller, Denali’s engine features full feathering with reversible pitch and ice protection. Additionally, the engine design delivers an initial 4,000-hour time between overhaul and offers class-leading performance retention for an outstanding hot/high capability.

The Denali features the Garmin G3000 intuitive touchscreen avionics suite and includes three large high-resolution displays with split-screen capability. The G3000 flight deck’s solid-state weather radar, advanced Terrain Awareness Warning Systems (TAWS) and automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast (ADS-B) capabilities ensure compliance with the FAA’s NexGen air traffic control requirements.

Featuring the largest flat floor cabin in its segment, Denali’s design easily converts between passenger and cargo configurations. The executive seating configuration accommodates six individual reclining seats, club-configuration tables and a refreshment unit while the commuter seating layout enables nine individual forward facing seats. Additionally, the aircraft boasts a digital pressurization system maintaining a class-leading 6,130-foot cabin altitude at a service ceiling of 31,000 feet.

First in this class of aircraft, the Denali equips customers with an optional, externally serviceable belted lavatory with pocket door enclosure located in the back of the cabin. Denali customers will also enjoy very large cabin windows, interior LED lighting, a forward refreshment cabinet and an in-flight accessible baggage compartment.

Denali customers will have access to Textron Aviation’s unmatched global support network. Dedicated to complete life-cycle support, the company staffs its factory-direct service centers with expert service engineers offering maintenance, inspections, parts, repairs, avionic upgrades, equipment installations, refurbishments and other specialized services. Textron Aviation also offers a mobile support program featuring more than 60 mobile service units, a fleet of rapid-response support aircraft, and on-site service technicians and support.

*Photo credit: Paul Bowen Photography

About Textron Aviation Inc.

Textron Aviation Inc. is the leading general aviation authority and home to the Beechcraft, Cessna and Hawker brands, which account for more than half of all general aviation aircraft flying. The Textron Aviation brands represent unrivalled innovation, performance and leadership in the industry, and offer an unmatched value proposition rooted in the total ownership experience. Leveraging unparalleled speed-to-market, Textron Aviation provides the most versatile and comprehensive business and general aviation product portfolio in the world through five principal lines of business: business jets, general aviation and special mission turboprop aircraft, high performance piston aircraft, military trainer and defense aircraft and a complete global customer service organization. Textron Aviation has delivered more than 250,000 aircraft in over 143 countries. Its broad range of products include such best-selling aircraft as Citation business jets, King Air and Caravan turboprops and T-6 military trainer aircraft, all of which are backed by the industry’s most capable global service network. For more information, visit www.txtav.com.

About Textron Inc.

Textron Inc. is a multi-industry company that leverages its global network of aircraft, defense, industrial and finance businesses to provide customers with innovative solutions and services. Textron is known around the world for its powerful brands such as Bell, Cessna, Beechcraft, Hawker, Jacobsen, Kautex, Lycoming, E-Z-GO, Greenlee, Textron Off Road, Arctic Cat, Textron Systems, and TRU Simulation + Training. For more information, visit: www.textron.com.

Certain statements in this press release are forward-looking statements which may project revenues or describe strategies, goals, outlook or other non-historical matters; these statements speak only as of the date on which they are made, and we undertake no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements. These statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause our actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, the efficacy of research and development investments to develop new products or unanticipated expenses in connection with the launching of significant new products or programs; the timing of our new product launches or certifications of our new aircraft products; our ability to keep pace with our competitors in the introduction of new products and upgrades with features and technologies desired by our customers; changes in government regulations or policies on the export and import of commercial products; volatility in the global economy or changes in worldwide political conditions that adversely impact demand for our products; performance issues with key suppliers or subcontractors; and demand softness or volatility in the markets in which we do business.

NASA’s “Rocket Women” Talk SLS, Orion and Returning to the Moon

Posted on July 20, 2018 by skysmith

MEDIA ADVISORY:

NASA’s “Rocket Women” Talk SLS, Orion and Returning to the Moon

Leaders of America’s next-generation space exploration programs to participate in a panel discussion and media availability at Oshkosh Air Show – “Rocket Women”

OSHKOSH, WI, July 20, 2018 – Meet the women leading major spacecraft systems development for NASA, laying the groundwork for humans to go back to deep space for the first time since 1972.

The Rocket Women are part of the leadership team that will return humankind to the Moon – and eventually to Mars. Hear what they have to say about NASA’s human exploration efforts at the Propelling Spaceflight panel discussion, and have the opportunity to ask in-depth questions immediately following the panel.

WHO:

Rocket Women: The female leaders behind NASA’s human space exploration programs

WHAT:

Panel Discussion and Media Availability

WHEN & WHERE:

Thursday, July 26 at EAA AirVenture, Oshkosh, WI
1:00 – 2:15 PM: Panel Discussion (Theater in the Woods)
2:15 – 3:00 PM: Media Availability with Panelists

PANELISTS:

Charlie Blackwell-Thompson, Launch Director for NASA’s Exploration Ground Systems Program at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center

Erica Sandoval, Principal Launch Abort Motor Manufacturing Engineer at Northrop Grumman

Tiffany Williams, Orion Sr. Program Manager at Aerojet Rocketdyne

Heather McKay, Orion Launch Abort System Manager at Lockheed Martin

Amanda Gertjejansen, SLS Program Master Scheduler at Boeing

Marcia Lindstrom, Panel Moderator and SLS Communications Lead at NASA

INDUSTRY BOOTH Visit us at the NASA Pavilion in Aviation Gateway Park (located at the northwest corner of Waukau Ave. and Knapp St., near the FAA control tower)

D-Day Squadron Fleet Soaring Into AirVenture

Posted on July 16, 2018 by skysmith

D-Day Squadron Fleet Soaring Into AirVenture

Oxford, Conn. – July 16, 2018 – Representatives from the D-Day Squadron fleet of American C-47 and DC-3 aircraft are making their way to EAA’s AirVenture for the annual “World’s Greatest Aviation Festival.” 11 aircraft that are part of the D-Day Squadron will join forces to wow audiences and commemorate the D-Day invasion of Normandy nearly 75 years ago. The group aims to honor the citizen soldiers who helped liberate Europe and end the War, and build support for their upcoming journey across the Atlantic to commemorate the invasion that changed the course of history.

Get up close and personal with the transport aircraft that carried these citizen soldiers to the frontlines of the fight in World War II. Take a look inside the spaces that once held paratroopers clipped in and waiting for the green light to leap out into darkness over enemy territory.

Keep an eye out for the Squadron flying in formation at the AirVenture Airshow on Friday, July 27 and Saturday, July 28. Find these historic icons on static display in the following locations:

Warbirds

C-47 Virginia Ann of Mission Boston D-Day, LLC

C-47 Placid Lassie of the Tunison Foundation

C47 Miss Virginia of Dynamic Aviation

C-47 Hit or Miss of the Turin Aviation Group

C-47 That’s All, Brother of the Commemorative Air Force Central Texas Wing

C-47 Sky King of the Mid America Flight Museum

C-47 N-99FS of the Liberty Foundation

C-47 Spooky of the American Flight Museum

Vintage

DC-3 Flabob EXPRESS of Flabob Aviation Associates

DC-3 Candler Field Express owned by Jim Sells

DC-3 N-341A of Golden Age Air Tours

Also on Saturday, come down to Warbirds in Review at 10:00 a.m. in Warbird Alley to see Lt Col Richard “Dick” Cole, the last surviving member of the Doolittle Raiders who flew the C-47 in the China-Burma-India Theater of Operations in World War II. He will be accompanied by aviator and author Mark Trahan, alongside the D-Day Squadron’s C-47 Placid Lassie and C-47 Spooky.

“The D-Day Squadron fleet will be an amazing sight flying over AirVenture,” said D-Day Squadron Executive Director Moreno Aguiari. “These aircraft represent the best of American bravery and determination. If you have the opportunity to get up close to the aircraft, it’s an experience of profound respect. You can’t help but be in awe of the courage of the troops that once filled those cargo holds. These citizen soldiers answered their country’s call, and risked their lives to parachute from these same aircraft into great danger.”

The D-Day Squadron is preparing to lead a contingent of American C-47 aircraft in a trans-Atlantic trek to participate in the Daks Over Normandy event from June 2-6, 2019, which will include a mass flyover across the English Channel to commemorate the 75^th anniversary of D-Day on June 6, 2019. Learn more at DDaySquadron.org.

Members of the media are invited to attend a press conference Thursday, July 26 at 10:00 a.m. at EAA Press Center for the latest news and announcements from the D-Day Squadron.

About the D-Day Squadron

The D-Day Squadron is the part of the Tunison Foundation, a non-profit 501(c)(3) charitable organization. In June 2019, the D-Day Squadron will lead an American fleet of historic, restored C-47 World War II military aircraft in Daks Over Normandy, a flyover of more than 30 international aircraft to drop 250 paratroopers over the original 1944 drop zones in Normandy commemorating the 75^th anniversary of D-Day. The event will honor the citizen soldiers of the War, whose bravery led the Allies to the liberation of France, and then to an end of the devastating War in Europe. The Squadron’s education program takes the compelling story of the citizen soldier to audiences at airshows and events off the flight line to honor these brave Americans and ensure their memory and significance is appreciated for generations to come. The group’s efforts are funded through the generous tax-deductible contribution of their supporters. Learn more at DDaySquadron.org.

Press Contact

Moreno Aguiari

Executive Director, D-Day Squadron

director@ddaysquadron.org

(404) 202-9348