AOPA Turbine Pilot Magazine - October 2023 - 20

LETTERS
sent representatives to the USS Missouri to
sign the instrument of surrender. Emperor
Hirohito was not present.
Mark Allen
Aylett, Virginia
Backcountry Basics
" Backcountry Basics " by Alyssa J. Cobb
(August 2023 AOPA Pilot) was spot on and
brought to mind my own five-plus decades of
enjoying such mini-adventures. I have shared
the following visualization technique with
many friends as they began to develop their
own techniques and build confidence.
Picture a large window frame sitting just
above the final approach obstacle. The base of
the frame is barely a foot above the obstacle
and the top is about 150 percent of the height
of the airplane above that. The sides are 120
percent of the wingspan and centered over the
centerline of the strip. The objective is to fly in
a stabilized configuration at exactly the target
speed through the imaginary frame. There is
no latitude for error.
If the speed is not stable at the target number
or if the path isn't within the limits of the
frame immediately correct successfully or
go around while space permits. After going
though the window, simply land. Many who
have tried this report it really works.
Richard C. Broussard
Youngsville, Louisiana
Fire Boss
I'm a leadplane pilot for the U.S. Forest Service,
and have flown with Jesse Weaver quite a bit
(featured in " When the Heat is On, " by Richard
McSpadden, August 2023 AOPA Pilot). As
McSpadden noted, he is a masterful pilot;
that's really just a small part of the story. What
really sets Jesse apart is his amazing situational
awareness. He " sees all. " He is a busy leadplane's
best asset, fitting in perfectly, always
adding to success, and never weighing down
the operation. I have been around long enough
to remember the first pilots flying " ag " aircraft
fighting fires, and I can tell you it's come a very
long way, in no small measure to the amazing
talent of guys like Jess.
Jamie Tackman
East Wenatchee, Washington
BasicMed Success
I read Kollin Stagnito's article in the August
issue of AOPA Pilot; I agree that BasicMed has
20
AOPA PILOT / October 2023
Hangar Talk /
" Old fighters have a
special spirit, " says
Assistant Editor Emma
Quedzuweit. " It's
something every pilot
should get to experience. "
She got to help sand
struts on Golden Age
Air Museum's SPAD
XIII, which she feels a
personal connection
to after writing about
two World War I aces in
France. Read " Biddle's
Bones, " on p. 70.
been a great success-I've used it since it first
took off. But this year I got a third class medical
exam. Why? I plan to fly to Canada this summer
and I learned from an inquiry to the AOPA
that the Canadians don't recognize BasicMed.
My suggestion is that this caveat be included
in future publications advocating BasicMed.
Thanks for your article. I consume AOPA
Pilot in its entirety a day or two after it arrives.
Roger Bourke
Alta, Utah
An Electrifying Flight
I have enjoyed Barry Schiff's articles over the
years, however this one hit home with a bang
( " Proficient Pilot: An Electrifying Flight, "
August 2023 AOPA Pilot).
I was flying an Army Skycrane (CH54A)
up from south Florida intending to land at
Naval Air Station Jacksonville for fuel. We
were cruising along the St. Johns River with
about a 15 minute ETA to NavyJax when the
number 2 engine suddenly quit and the fuel
pressure light came on for the fuel tank that
fed that engine. I did a cross feed from the
other fuel tank and got a restart on number
2, then checked the fuel gauges only to see
the remaining tank gauge coming down rather
fast as it was now feeding two engines.
Since my mental arithmetic showed it was
doubtful we were going to make the field, and
only the river to land in, I declared the emergency
and requested a downwind landing
since I didn't think we had enough fuel for the
pattern. After an argument with the tower, I
got the downwind landing, and taxied to the
base of the tower. The Crane
requires the APU to shut
down, so I only had enough
fuel for that.
The fuel ticket showed
the amount taken on board
at NavyJax equaled the
maximum fuel capacity of
about 8,100 pounds of JP4
in three tanks.
It seems this was the
result of two simultaneous
failures: the high level
fuel shutoff in the number 2
tank, and of the cockpit fuel
gauge for that tank when we
refilled at Homestead AFB.
Before takeoff from NavyJax,
we stood on top of the aircraft
and discussed where in
the pattern we would have
crashed if I had not won the
argument with the tower for
the downwind landing.
Dave Sherrard
San Antonio, Texas
Send letters to Editor, AOPA
Pilot, 421 Aviation Way,
Frederick, Maryland 21701 or
pilot@aopa.org. Letters may
be edited for length and style.
AOPA Turbine Pilot Magazine - October 2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of AOPA Turbine Pilot Magazine - October 2023
