AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2012 - 22

LETTERS
of ADF approaches and NDB airways in both Canada and Europe, but that was more than 30 years ago. I would have liked for the loran system to stay intact and maintained (but, it has already been partially dismantled) because GPS is “sky-bound” and loran is “earth-bound,” giving two real sources of independent navigation information. I have a lot of nostalgia for old things, being one myself, but it won’t bother me if I don’t have to shoot another NDB approach. Bill Zollinger, AOPA 0569727 Germantown, Tennessee One of the other great uses for the NDB is tracking regular AM radio stations, an aid in rural areas. Watching an NDB needle while being vectored for an ILS approach, for instance, can surely give you a heads-up if the final intercept angle is going to place you inside, or outside, the outer marker. I was a co-pilot on Cessna Citation Excels and Falcon 2000s up until 2004, and we had NDBs in all the airplanes—and used them. And having a “homegrown” navigation system is going to be essential now that the Chinese have the ability to shoot down satellites. I believe for security reasons alone that we have to keep systems we have total control over, be it NDBs, loran, and the VOR system. It scares me to think of disposing of all other systems in favor of the vulnerable GPS system. Those who oppose NDBs are really those who don’t want to have to learn them—those who like to look at picture screens and not have to have a mental picture of where they are. Sorry to say. Stuart B. Harnden, AOPA 1349267 Bedford, New Hampshire Stop the bashing, start the building When I read Tom Haines’ article “Waypoints: Stop the Bashing, Start the Building” (November 2011 AOPA Pilot), my first thought was to cancel my membership. Haines’ article represents everything that is bad with lobbyists. The plain facts were these [automobile] companies were bankrupt and still paying CEOs outrageous amounts of money and, yes, flying around in the lap of luxury of corporate jets. At the same time they were asking the taxpayers to give them money to continue their lifestyle. Not so many years ago another magazine uncovered many CEOs were playing golf at their private country clubs during the week. They were supposed to be hard at
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work earning their multimillion-dollar incomes, not playing golf. The reaction from the CEOs to the article was to contact USGA, the body that oversees golf handicaps, and demanded their information be kept confidential. Corporate aircraft can be very useful tools, but they are not inexpensive. The sooner we stop this corporate excess, the sooner this country will return to a solid economy where business will be successful and GA will have its rightful place in corporate America. Until then I will fight for my country and the free enterprise system, where successful companies grow and failed companies die. Howard Paul, AOPA 1299930 Mountain View, California There are two points I would like to add: 1) the people most likely to abuse executive privilege with aircraft have proven to be members of Congress, and, 2) there is no need to embed a chip behind your ear for someone to track you. It can already be done to anyone who carries a smartphone, which many people own—some people may even require surgery to remove the phone. Jon Roberts, AOPA 6132250 Columbus, Ohio Powerless flight I enjoyed Dave Hirschman’s article on flying a glider (“Challenges: Powerless Flight,” November 2011 AOPA Pilot). In my more than 2,200 hours I have witnessed many pilots’ flying skills. Without exception, those who have flown gliders are above-average pilots, especially when it comes to energy management. I wish that the FAA would require all pilots earning a living carrying passengers (commercial certificates) to qualify in aerobatic flight, tailwheel airplanes, and gliders. Those three skill sets more than likely would have prevented the Colgan crash. I think also that glider flying can be the best bang for the buck. It can be the cheapest way to get airborne in an airplane while learning better flying skills than your average power pilot. If you think being towed aloft by another aircraft is exhilarating, try a winch tow. You can achieve about half the altitude of the length of the winch line. If your winch is 5,000 feet away at the other end of the field, you should be able to reach 2,000 to 2,500 feet above the airport depending on conditions. And that winch launch will only cost about $10—and that leaves a profit for the winch operator.

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JANUARY 2012

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AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2012

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