AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2024 - 43

(about 200 feet more than the book estimate of
1,200 feet), and the airplane reaches a height
of 50 feet agl in 2,300 feet (about 100 feet more
than the book estimate of 2,200 feet).
On a two-hour flight at 7,500 feet and
warmer-than-standard temperatures, the
Bonanza averaged 168 KTAS while consuming
16.8 gallons of avgas per hour at a rich-ofpeak
power setting. The IFR approach flown
on autopilot at the destination airport was on
localizer and glideslope, and the touchdown
took place on centerline at 69 KIAS and a
6-degree pitch attitude.
As in so many other aspects of our highly
scrutinized lives, whether all this data is used
for good or ill is an open question.
FlySto's tagline is " Flying
stories you can trust. "
On the bright side, real information about
the ways we actually fly can lead to pilots flying
more predictably, precisely, and safely based on
real observations. We can build community by
measuring our own performance, and that of
our airplanes, against our peers. We can spot
unsafe trends and learn about engine anomalies
before they result in costly repairs or failures.
The downside, of course, is that knowing
our flying is being observed and monitored
pretty much all the time feels at times like
driving down the highway with a state trooper
filling your rearview mirror. Even if you're
observing the speed limit and your license and
registration are tucked neatly in the glove box,
that level of supervision just isn't enjoyable.
There's no indication FlySto data has ever been
used for enforcement, but the data exists.
FlySto's tagline is " Flying stories you can
trust. "
That's interesting but it misses the bigger
point. FlySto has built an exceptional tool that
can help pilots learn, master their craft, and fly
with greater precision and safety. The data can
also be aggregated, and that can help general
aviation business owners make more informed
decisions.
FlySto is much more than a way to share
flying stories. It has the power to shape them.
dave.hirschman@aopa.org
flysto.net
AOPA PILOT / September 2024
43
8 It takes time to pump air out of an altitude chamber and
reduce the atmospheric pressure inside. If a pilot wearing
a space suit is sitting in such a chamber at an " altitude "
of 25,000 feet, how is it possible to simulate sudden
decompression and instantly elevate the chamber to
73,000 feet?
See Answers on p. 48
Test Pilot /
BY BARRY SCHIFF
1 From reader Jerry Griggs: True or false? Many homebuilt
and experimental airplanes have been powered by
converted or modified automobile engines, the Ford V-6,
Volkswagen, and Corvair engines to name a few.
No airplane, however, has ever been certified and
produced in the United States with a converted or
modified automobile engine.
2 Who was the first licensed woman pilot in the
United States?
3 From reader Gary Holden: True or false? There was a time
when the government encouraged civilians to become
pilots by offering them 72 hours of ground school and 35
hours of flight training at no cost.
4 What are their first names?
A. de Havilland
B. Fahrenheit
C. Lockheed
D. Luscombe
E. Sopwith
F.
Stearman
5 Who was the first successful
glider pilot?
6 True or false? During World War II, Focke-Wulf Fw.190s
were mounted on top of unmanned, twin-engine Junkers
Ju 88s. The fighter pilot took off with the larger, powered
aircraft suspended beneath him, dove toward a target, and
dropped the explosive-filled parasite aircraft when a halfmile
from the target
7 From reader Roger Bourke: What vortac shares its name
with and possibly obtained its name from a famous,
6-mile-distant brothel?
JOHN UELAND
http://www.flysto.net
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2024

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