AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2020 - 18

WAYPOINTS

Winging in the new year

BY THOMAS B. HAINES
Editor in Chief

Grounded but living in anticipation
NO JOY THIS NEW YEAR in my own little Bonanzaland.
On each New Year's Day for most of the past 20 years,
I have flown my Beechcraft Bonanza A36, believing
that there's no better way to kick off the new year than
to put some airspace under the wheels of an airplane.
Last August was the twentieth anniversary of the flight
my dad and I made back from California where I had
just purchased this A36, a 1972 model built in late 1971.
We shouted back and forth at each other for a couple of
thousand miles because, as I discovered after the deal
was done, the intercom did not work. So much for my
thorough prepurchase inspection.

Unless plans change, this year will
be different. The hangar will be empty
on New Year's Day.

Editor in Chief
TOM HAINES bought
his first airplane, a
1977 Cessna 172N,
in 1997. Birds built
a nest in the tail,
requiring an $800
repair.

18 | AOPA PILOT January 2020

Save for a couple of years when poor weather or a
schedule conflict cropped up, I have flown my airplane
on a local flight to ring in the New Year. On a few occasions I have brought along friends or family members,
but often it's just me-anxious for some time alone after
the busy holidays to ponder the year past and anticipate the new one while droning along, going no place
in particular. With the power pulled back, I often head
southwest from our home base of Frederick Municipal
Airport in Maryland, slipping into the Potomac River
valley and snaking up the river to Harpers Ferry, West
Virginia, then a turn more northerly to investigate the
goings-on at the ski slopes at Whitetail Resort-most
years the only hint of snow in the area. From there, it's
fun to maneuver just outside the Camp David P-40 airspace to check out the Catoctin Mountains and then slide
over the last ridge to inspect the conditions at another
slope, Ski Liberty. Mid Atlantic Soaring Center Airport
lies in the shadow of the ridge, so I keep an eye out for
gliders and tow planes-apparently others like to begin
the new year by flying, as well. Turning more southerly,
I will putter down Glade Valley, checking out the dairy
farms and the ever-increasing number of solar farms.
I'm not sure what they feed those solars, but they sure
do seem to reproduce quickly.
Less than hour after I started I will be pushing the
Bonanza back into the hangar. If it's a warm day, I'll
find an excuse to hang out a little longer-no bugs to

remove, but that windshield could be cleaner. Maybe
grab the vacuum and tidy up the cabin. After closing the big hangar door, my last act will be to pat the
Bonanza on the spinner and the right wing tip before
stepping outside, feeling relaxed and ready to take on
the world for another year.
Unless plans change, though, this year will be different. The hangar will be empty on New Year's Day,
as my old friend will be up in Hagerstown, Maryland,
at Royal Aircraft Services undergoing a wing repair.
A couple of AOPA staffers returning from a magazine
assignment last fall hit a bird when passing between
Washington Dulles and Washington National airports. They were on an IFR flight plan. Typically on
that route we are at 4,000 feet, but this day they were
directed to 2,500 feet by air traffic control. Apparently
bird traffic control had a couple of feathered fliers at
that altitude as well. One of them had a very bad day
as his innards ended up all over the right side of my
Bonanza, leaving a double-fisted-size dent in the right
leading edge and even a small hole in the skin.
While the bird didn't make it safely back to the nest,
the Bonanza trucked on home with no problem. The staff
was kind enough to clean up most of the mess before I
arrived to check it out. I sent a few photos off to the insurance company and was quickly cleared to get a repair
estimate. Royal Aircraft was one of the recommendations from the insurance company. They responded
quickly and after a few discussions with Royal about
what needed to be done, I sent the estimate off to the
insurance company and they approved it the same day.
I also reported the incident to the FAA's National
Wildlife Strike Database, as encouraged by Advisory
Circular 150/5200-32B. Unfortunately there wasn't
enough of the bird left to provide any feathers or other
identifying material to the data analysts. According to
the FAA website, about 15 wildlife strikes occur each
day-97 percent of them birds. The annual cost for
repairs exceeds $718 million, not including down time.
In my case, the insurance company will be writing a
check for nearly $22,000 for the repair. I've never had a
claim before, but that represents more than a decade's
worth of premiums.
I'll report back on how it goes, but meanwhile,
think of me if you're flying on New Year's Day. AOPA
EMAIL thomas.haines@aopa.org

AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2020

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