Pilotcast shownotes are at http://www.pilotcast.com Copyright © 2006 The Pilotcast

Joining the crew are:

• CFI Jason Miller, host of the "Finer Points" PodCast
• Pilot Ron from Mountain View, CA, a member of the Apple Air Force
• Pilot William Foster, host of the "Pilot's Log" PodCast

Mike starts off by telling the story of how, just over a year ago, the Pilotcast began. Then we move on to the real reason for the discussion, Oshkosh. Pilot Dan gives his impressions as the only one of the three who had not attended before this year. Everyone joins in to talk about all of the sites and sounds they experienced at the show. Three of the group flew into the Airventure, two from California, and they talked about their flights. This was the fourth long cross country that CFI Jason has flown, and it was done in the ZuluWorks DA-40. Pilot Kent had the shortest flight, flying his Cessna 182 from Cadillac, Michigan. For Pilot Ron, this was his first long cross country flight, and he flew it from California, in a Cessna 172. Kent introduces a recording, thanks to LiveATC.net, that shows how not to fly into Oshkosh. Back on the ground, the group gets back to talking about what they've seen at the show. There is a lengthy discussion of the new Very Light Jets and whether or not they're good for aviation.

Moving on, Dan and Mike begin an examination of the pros and cons of the two DUAT online briefing services, losing their current contracts with the FAA. The conversation ends up coming back around to what exhibits the group thought were the most interesting. Mike informs us the FAA has made, and is making, improvements in the handling of medical certifications. A microphone is passed to Pilot William(Will), who flew into Oshkosh in a 1958 Cessna 310, and tells a bit about his fight in and some his favorite displays at the show. We finish up the roundtable with the crew describing some of the Oshkosh related audio and video clips that will be in upcoming Pilotcasts.

Stay tuned for a special audio treat at the end of the show.

• EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2006
• The Finer Points aviation PodCast
• The Finer Points is sponsored by ZuluWorks
• The Pilots Log aviation PodCast
• Pilots of America, where the Pilotcast got it's start
• The Diamond DA40, that CFI Jason flew from California
• The HondaJet VLJ
• The Eclipse 500, the first VLJ to receive FAA certification
• The Diamond D-Jet VLJ, debuted at the show
• Online briefing services, DUAT and DUATs
• Crossbow Technology, mentioned by CFI Jason
• Lightspeed Aviation took care of Pilot Kent's headset battery problem
• A Cessna 310, the type of aircraft flown by Pilot William Foster
• The Commemorative Air Force, of which Pilot William is a member
• Official Blue Angels website

• The Pilotcast will post a separate VIDEO podcast feed under pilotcast.tv. Check iTunes and pilotcast.com for the feed URL.
• Thanks to the staff and volunteers of EAA for the hospitality, especially EAA President Tom Poberezny and EAA Media Relations Director Dick Knapinski.
• Thanks to Dave Pascoe of LiveATC.Net for the ATC recordings. There are plenty more in the LiveATC archives.

Shownotes are at http://www.pilotcast.com

Kent flew into Oshkosh, this year, and gives us a little taste of the approach and landing procedures. There are a lot on non-standard procedures so you need to be ready. If you are not current and proficient in these procedures, you shouldn't attempt flying into Oshkosh. To prove the point, he mentions a pair of fatalities that occurred when an aircraft stalled on the base to final turn. Kent parked in the Cessna Base Camp, new this year, and is spending the week camping under the wing of his 182. Cessna announced their Light Sport Proof of Concept as well as a new Single Engine Proof of Concept, the NGP.

Cessna President, Jack Pelton, announced their entry into the Light Sport Aircraft arena with the first public showing of a Proof of Concept aircraft. The craft will take it's first flight later this year, and is expected to be competitively priced with other LSAs. Cessna emphasizes they have not yet made the decision to enter the LSA market. That decision will be made in the first quarter of 2007, after assessing the LSA market. Here are some specifications on the concept aircraft:

• High wing, tricycle gear, two seater
• Maximum Gross Weight of 1320 pounds
• Level flight speed of 120 kts.
• Powered by a 100 hp, Rotax 912 engine
• Wingspan of 30 feet
• Dual control sticks
• Upward opening doors
• Toe brakes and a castering nose wheel
• Primarily aluminum, with some composite parts

Mr. Pelton, also announce Cessna will be developing a new generation of single engine, piston airplanes to augment the 172 Skyhawk, the 182 Skylane, and the 206 Staionair. No timeframe has been set, but they hope to unveil a Proof of Concept in the not to distant future. The prototype has been flying since June 23rd, and did a fly-by at the show.

• EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2006
• EAA website
• Cessna

The Pilotcast crew is planning to have a live recording ession with a Pilot Roundtable on Thursday night from the grounds of EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh, WI. Stayed tuned here for the update on where the gathering will be.

Dan's flying club's Cherokee 140 has an engine shudder.

Kent's club's Cessna had a prop strike when the intermittent light went out at night.

Shownotes are at http://www.pilotcast.com

This will be the first in a series of shows on surviving Oshkosh. First, though, we start off with the crew talking about their latest flying experiences. One of Pilot Dan's club planes, the Cherokee 140, has developed a hard to find shudder at high RPMs. There's a short discussion of Tach Time vs. Hobb's Time, and which to use when billing by the hour. Pilot Kent took a flight on the 4th of July and managed to see multiple fireworks shows from the air.

Rick Durden joins us and Pilot Mike asks his legal opinion on almost busting the St. Louis Class Bravo, due to an out of date marking on a sectional chart. Then there's a short discussion on the new changes to AVweb's site and how difficult it is to find articles, including Rick's series on Oshkosh. They mention a news item about a Grandfather who lands his Cessna 180 on a road, but clipped power lines and crashed on takeoff. Pilot Mike then brings up the new proposal that would make taking an online course on flight procedures within the Washington DC ADIZ mandatory for anyone flying VFR within 100 nm of it. In more news, they discuss the Southwest Airlines co-pilot who was arrested for being under the influence of alcohol. Pilot Dan has a friend at the Miami Herald, who just complete a 3 part series about fatalities in the air cargo industry. Before Pilot Ron joins us, Rick mentions his Fly In Fest' at Cadillac, Michigan. Pilot Kent will be attending to do some seaplane flying and possibly get some dual time in a P-51D Mustang.

Pilot Ron, a member of the Apple Air Force, joins us and we move on to a discussion of Oshkosh. Rick has written a series of columns, available from AVweb, on "Surviving Oshkosh." Pilot Kent has put together a simple flow chart for the Fisk arrival NOTAM. Rick identifies the biggest risk to flying into Oshkosh are planes going too slow on their final approach, forcing planes behind to go slower than they should, causing a stall. Pilot Dan asks for a walkthrough of the VFR approach, during the busiest arrival period.

1. Read and understand the NOTAM!
2. Make sure you can fly your airplane at the appropriate approach speed
3. As you're approaching, listen to the ATIS and do not make any calls
4. Arrive over the town of Ripon and set up on speed
5. Get in line with the other aircraft and follow along the railroad tracks
6. As you approach Fisk, listen on the appropriate frequency for the controllers
7. At Fisk, you will be called by airplane color and type, given instructions on which runway to set up for, and given the next radio frequency
8. Acknowledge the call by rocking your wings (Do not call!)
9. Be aware, you will be flying a lower than normal patter altitude
10. If landing on 36, you'll be on a left base and the controller will call you by color and type, and give you either 36L or 36R
11. If landing on 9, make a gently right turn to 45 degrees, and you will be told to land on one of a series of colored dots
12. If landing on 27, you'll be on a right downwind, low and close in, and flying a tight pattern, unless instructed otherwise
13. Maintain the 90 kt speed until a 1/2 mile final to not slow the traffic behind you
14. Once down, you'll be instructed to exit the runway, immediately, without stopping
15. Follow the flag people to parking, keeping full back pressure on the yoke because you're taxiing on grass

For entertainment before the airshow, Rick suggests sitting by the runway, with a cooler of beer and an air band radio. You'll witness some amazing flying, both good and bad. Just a few more points to keep in mind:

• If departing on 27, stay below the maximum altitude in the NOTAM, to prevent entering the stream of arriving aircraft
• At 30 nm out, switch your transponder to standby
• Make sure all eyes on the cockpit are looking outside
• If you're unable to hold your speed, altitude, and direction, you shouldn't be flying into Oshkosh
• Student pilots are prohibited from flying arriving or departing aircraft
• Use the busses that take you from aircraft parking to the admission gate
• Join EAA before going in order to get the admission discount
• There is a shuttle bus that takes you to the seaplane base
• If driving in, enter in the center lane which heads you to the red lot, which is about 1/2 mile closer than the yellow
• Pilot Mike has a secret method for getting a closer parking space, but you'll have to listen to get it

Pilot Ron asks about getting an IFR reservation and for any tips on surviving the crowd or 800,000 people for a week, once you get on the ground. The IFR procedure is explained in the NOTAM. Rick noted that if the airport is in VFR conditions, you will be encouraged to cancel IFR, but they can't require it. 

Rick comments on camping on the field. Be prepared for sometimes oppressive hot and humid weather and occasional violent thunderstorms. Mike has some tips on routes and parking for those driving in.

Rick and Mike review a list of items to have, from Rick's Survival Guide:

• tie down stakes and rope
• comfortable walking shoes
• small backpack
• sunscreen
• water bottle or CamelBak
  
• light snacks
• money
• plastic sheet/tarp
• duct tape
• extra rope
• lightweight cardboard for signs
• marking pens
• money
• the NOTAM for OSH (The FAA's version might be hard to print or read; you can try the PDF version instead.)
• camera
• film (three times what you think you'll need)
• batteries

• EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2006
• EAA website
• AVweb, the Aviation News site
• AVweb news: Pilot Lands On Road, Is Killed Trying To Take Off
• New ADIZ Training Requirement Sparks Concern
• Co-pilot arrested on alcohol charges
• The Miami Herald's series "Deadly Express," about fatalities in the air cargo industry.
• NPR coverage of the "Deadly Express," series.
• Wexford County Airport, site of Rick's Fly In Fest

• Pilot Kent's flow chart for the Fisk arrival NOTAM
• Rick Durden's Oshkosh Survival Guide columns
  • The Pilot's Lounge #38: Yes, Pogo, the Enemy Is Us
  • AVweb's AirVenture 2003 Survival Guide -- Part One
  • AVweb's AirVenture 2003 Survival Guide -- Part Two
• Palo Alto Airport, where Pilot Ron will begin his flight to Oshkosh