Avionics News October 2013 - 41

lie down in the back.” I remained puzzled but decided not to question
him further. Then, a black hearse pulled up, and it all became clear. At
least our passenger wouldn’t be complaining about the bumpy ride
over the Rockies that we were about to embark on.
How long have you been ﬂying?
I received my pilot’s license in 1972, so about 41 years ago. I
learned to ﬂy in Colorado at an airport that was called Arapaho
County Airport, now called Centennial Airport. The ﬁeld elevation was
more than 5,800 feet, making it very sporty taking oﬀ in the summer
months in a Cessna 150 with full fuel. Holding one’s breath on takeoﬀ
was a standard departure procedure. As a young man, I was never
particularly smooth with the ladies, but an oﬀer to take them ﬂying
was always a sure bet to get their undivided attention. A night ﬂight
over the city of Denver always impressed. Back then, just a quick call
to Stapleton ATC and you were good to go.
What aircraft do you ﬂy?
I own a Cessna 172N model, and this is the machine I ﬂy the most.
I have always had a passion for high-wing aircraft. I love looking at
the world from altitude – the rough parts get smooth and beautiful parts look even more spectacular. I’ve never been one to ﬂy for
speed or to get some place in a hurry. The journey is so spectacular
whether it’s gliding amongst the clouds, ﬂying over Sedona, Ariz., or
watching a UAV pass under our path on the way to California’s wine
country. Flying is a privilege I cherish and respect.
What is your favorite aircraft to ﬂy?
Many years ago, I owned a share of a Citabria, although it’s been a long
time since I have ﬂown a tail dragger. For raw ﬂying, it’s still my favorite.
When did you know you wanted to become a pilot?
I certainly couldn’t pin down the exact date, but I remember it like
it was yesterday. I used to ride my bicycle around Stapleton Airport
in Denver, Colo., in the 1960s. A friend and I would peer through the
window of the Cessna Aircraft showroom. They had their latest models on display just like cars. One of the sales guys stepped outside,
thinking he was going to chase us away; I started to mount up on
my bike. Instead, he invited us into the showroom and said we could
sit inside the airplane, with a simple stern warning not to ﬂip any
switches or touch anything … I was hooked.

How does being a pilot impact your job?
Wow, in every way imaginable. First and foremost, being a
pilot and ﬂying connects me with a large aviation community.
I read current articles from ﬂying in the back country to ﬂying
in IMC (instrument meteorological conditions). Flying the same
approaches we handle in our ﬂight management systems helps
me to gain a better understanding of challenges our customers
face. Being a pilot helps me to communicate with fellow pilots
through common interest. I ﬁnd it doesn’t matter if they are
ﬂying a Boeing 777 or a Cessna 172, pilots still love to talk about
their ﬂying experiences.
What are your current ratings?
After all these years, I am ﬁnally working on my instrument
rating; something I have wanted to do for some time. Currently,
I have a pilot’s license and need a few more hours of ﬂying under the hood; I call it a torture device before I can test for my
instrument rating. Flying by instruments has been a real personal challenge but one that has been very rewarding. The training
has certainly made me a better pilot.
As a pilot, what are your thoughts on new technologies?
Regarding new technologies, I am personally very excited
about the trends the FAA is taking with the rewrite of Part 23 to
make it easier to certify lower-cost options for existing aircraft.
I use a portable ADS-B receiver and mini-iPad, and have updated my transponder to incorporate extended squitter. I ﬁnd the
weather, Metar and traﬃc information to be extremely useful.
I have also updated my ELT to 406 megahertz with built-in
GPS. As an avionics manufacturer, we work closely with some
search and rescue companies. Listening to folks who do SAR
operations for a living will quickly convince one of the beneﬁts
of the newer ELTs. I frankly don’t understand the pushback from
some of the alphabet groups (not the AEA) regarding the replacement of ELTs. In addition, there are a number of safety upgrades I would like to make, including: autopilot, angle of attack
and fuel injection should they become more cost eﬀective. q

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Kramer at jennak@aea.net or 816-347-8400 to discover how.
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october

2013

Avionics News October 2013

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