SQL Airport Runway Closure - Monday Sept 11 for 30 days of Construction

Big announcement for pilots operating at San Carlos Airport in September. The runway will be closed.

For a few years, the San Carlos Airport management has been planning a complete repaving of SQL’s Runway 12-30. The Runway and Connector Taxiway Rehabilitation Project had been originally planned for 2021, but after a series of unavoidable world events, has now been rescheduled to begin September 11. The 30-day closure means pilots can expect the runway to reopen on October 11.

SCFC still plans to operate during the closure, although there will be some obvious changes. Ground training and simulator training will occur uninterrupted. But we will relocate a portion of the SCFC fleet to another local airport. The logistics of this aren't yet finalized, as tie-down contracts with other airports take time to set up.

This is an unusual situation, but is a necessary long-term benefit to the health and safety of the airport. Please expect some changes in the coming weeks, but know that we are doing everything we can to keep you flying. 

Bay Flight 7: Our New Diamond DA40NG

San Carlos Flight Center welcomes an exciting new plane to the fleet. N842LA, a 2021 Diamond DA-40 NG is online at the Flight Center. This state-of-the-art glass cockpit is equipped with a 168 hp turbocharged AE300 jet fuel engine. The DA-40 NG boasts a top cruise speed as fast as 154 KTS, a ceiling of 16,400 feet, and an economy cruise fuel burn rate as low as 5.1 gallons/per hour at 60% power. Typical cruise speeds will be in the range of 135 KTS at 75% power.

It offers unparalleled visibility with its sleek canopy and the interior feels more like a sports car than an airplane. With the G1000 NXI advanced avionics, it is a great plane for instrument training or a quick weekend flight. 

The Strong Case for Renters Insurance

Many flight schools and flying clubs require members to obtain renters insurance. SCFC allows members to make this important decision for themselves. It is worth taking a moment to realize how valuable this relatively low-cost protection is for your flying happiness.

The truth is that sometimes bad things happen, regardless of your pilot ability or your careful attention to managing risk. This is true regardless of whether you own your own plane, or rent someone else's plane. Repairs can be costly, and no one wants to waste money on airplane repair that they could be spending on their next great flying adventure.

At SCFC, we ask each member to make a conscientious decision regarding renters insurance. If in the event some damage occurs, the thought of paying the $2500 damage deductible is not a deal breaker, members are allowed to sign a statement that they choose not to obtain supplemental renters insurance. However, most of our members choose to seek out a renters insurance policy to cover at least the $2500 deductible.

A recent bird strike is a salient example of the value of renters insurance. Through no fault of the student pilot or the instructor, a mid-air collision with a large bird dented the leading edge of one of our airplanes. It may not look it, but that required about $4100 worth of repair. With renters insurance, the work gets done and everyone is happy. Without renters insurance, that is a very bad repair invoice to the unlucky pilot.

If you obtain renters insurance (which we strongly encourage) make sure to get a policy that protects you as a renter wherever you fly. One local club tricks members into buying "insurance" that isn't really insurance and doesn't cover the pilot anywhere else. That is deceptive. Find a real policy and choose a coverage amount that works for you.

For more information on aviation renters insurance, consider joining us for our upcoming safety seminar "What Every Pilot Needs to Know about Aviation Insurance" on Saturday, August 26, given by Zanette Aviation insurance.

Special Use Airspace and ForeFlight

It's no doubt that flight planning tools like ForeFlight have greatly simplified many tasks that pilots previously performed manually. It has also improved situational awareness. But with any tool, knowing how it operates and what limitations exist is essential. ForeFlight features are great but take the time to become familiar with how they work.

As an example, ForeFlight has a feature that can graphically display NOTAMs from the map layer. Turning this feature on will display NOTAMs graphically in various colors. The current ForeFlight Pilot Guide has a table for how Special Use Airspace (SUA) is displayed on the map. A red color indicates that the SUA is active whereas a yellow color indicates it is scheduled.

On initial glance, you may think a quick glance of the map may tell you if that MOA is active or not. If you don’t see it highlighted in red or yellow you might think it is not active. It turns out, that isn’t a good assumption. The key thing to be aware of is that this highlighting is based on an issuance of a NOTAM. Many SUA have published times they are active but also can be activated by NOTAM. In that case, if the SUA is being used during the published time, there will be no NOTAM and ForeFlight won’t highlight it even though it is active. A good tool to do a comprehensive check of the status of SUA is the FAA site: https://sua.faa.gov/

Maintaining Separation on Flying Events

When is close too close? Occasionally you may find yourself flying around a lot of other airplanes. For example, it isn’t uncommon when participating in a FlyOutGroup event to find yourself with many other GA planes in close proximity. This is especially true at the departure and arrival points for these events, and airplane share use of a runway.

Even while enroute, a whole group of planes that are headed to the same destination at the same time may find themselves in close proximity, maybe because you just selected a direct GPS path to the airport, and so did everyone else.

So, what is too close? The FAA does have a regulation, 91.111 “Operating near other aircraft” which partly say “No person may operate an aircraft so close to another aircraft as to create a collision hazard.” With no legal definition of collision hazard, in many cases it is left up to pilot judgment which can differ wildly.

If one plane is closely following another, the airplane in back will have a better view of the proximity to the airplane they are following, which can provide a degree of comfort knowing that they have eyes on the airplane in front of them. However, the airplane that is being followed has no easy view and this will cause most pilot a level of discomfort and probably make them want to get out of the path.

How ATC handles airplanes in close proximity going in the same direction is another matter. When airplanes are in close proximity to each other and receiving VFR traffic advisories, ATC will issue a traffic call. If the airplanes are so close that the targets on ATC radar screens merge or it sets off a conflict alarm, ATC will get involved and inform you that you are following too close to another airplane.

Keep this in mind when you are participating in the next FlyOutGroup event or flying with friends. While you may think you are at a safe distance and feel comfortable following behind another airplane, realize that others may not share that view. You will be causing extra workload and alarms for ATC. Be mindful of your following distance and alter course to stay a respectable distance from other airplanes.

SCFC Member Profile: Andres Kohn

SCFC: How long have you been a pilot?

AK: I got my private pilot's license in 1995 just before moving to the Bay Area, flying a C52 with no GPS (gasp!). I could no longer afford flying on a grad student budget, and ended up taking a 16 year hiatus - but have logged over 700 hours since 2012, mostly on N21591 first as a renter and then as an owner, and then on N466CC since I bought it in 2018.

SCFC: What significant moments from your initial flight training do you still remember vividly?

AK: I'm a little shocked that my initial flight training was almost 30 years ago! One moment that stands out was hitting some turbulence on my first solo cross-country that somehow jolted the door open on the airplane. It was a nerve-wracking few minutes as I tried to close it without losing control of the airplane. Of course, I also remember getting pretty good at folding paper sectionals so they wouldn't get all over the cockpit and depending on roads, rail lines, water towers, etc to guide the way. I still find myself following along on land to make sure the G1000 is taking me the right way!

SCFC: You own a couple of the planes on the Flight Center flightline. What led you to buy your first airplane?

AK: I wanted to be able to fly on multi-day trips easily, which was so hard to schedule with a rental plane. Fortuitously, the owner of the N21591, which was the plane I was renting most of the time, decided to sell it, so I was able to buy the plane I was so familiar with. I haven't regretted it, as I've been able to have many fun aviation adventures.

SCFC: What are your typical flight missions like?

AK: They vary a lot, which is why I love flying my Cessna 206 (N466CC). I can comfortably go on long flights with camping gear and bikes, take 4 adult-sized adults for a fun ride to a nearby destination, fly over the Sierras comfortably at 15,500' with oxygen, or make it as far as PHX on one tank of gas. However, my favorite missions these days are flying with Angel Flight West and helping bring people who need medical attention to the Bay Area for life-saving treatments.

SCFC: You have been a big supporter of the Upwind Summer Scholarship Program. What motivated you to get involved in such a big way?

AK: Aviation has played an important part of my life for 30+ years and I've been so fortunate to be able to afford this expensive hobby. I have found that skills one picks up learning to be a pilot help in so many aspects of life - analysis, focus, troubleshooting, communications, planning, life-or-death decision making. It's wonderful that the Upwind Foundation can help high schoolers jump start this learning at a young age can be a life changer, and even more so if they want to embark in a career of aviation and couldn't afford to do so otherwise.

Upwind End-of-Year Event - Fri Aug 25 6:30pm

You are invited to join the Upwind Celebration party on Friday, August 25. Thanks to the generous support from SQL community, the Upwind Summer Scholarship Program completed its 10th year of providing ground and flight training to high-school pilots. Join us to celebrate the continuing accomplishment of the Upwind Program!

The party will be at San Carlos Flight Center at 6:30pm. All are welcome, please RSVP here with a headcount (for food). We hope to see you there!

FOG Lunch Watsonville - Aug 13 (Sun)

Join the FlyOutGroup (FOG) on Sunday, August 13 at 12 PM with a scenic flight to Watsonville (WVI)! An easy location to get to from the Bay Area, enjoy a quick hop over the Santa Cruz Mountains, and then descend over Monterey Bay. Park in Transient Parking, and we’ll all meet at Ella’s at the Airport located in the terminal building.

Ellas is known for their fresh locally inspired cuisine with a range of options to suit your appetite.

As always please RSVP below with your planned aircraft and if you can take any fellow pilots with you. We’re excited for the event, and look forward to seeing you in Watsonville!

FOG River Rafting - Aug 16 (Sat)

Experience the adventure of a lifetime with flying and river rafting all in the same day! Fly out to Placerville Airport (KPVF) and enjoy the thrill of river-rafting. Take in the beautiful sights, soak in the summer sun, and eat lunch all with your friends on the river.

After landing in Placerville, board private transportation straight to the river. You'll be rafting 13 miles of class II-III rapids on the Gorge Section of the Lower South Fork American River. Includes lunch, so bring your friends. No prior experience required! Transportation leaves from Placerville Airport at 11 AM for the river. Plan to arrive at least before then and plan accordingly with appropriate clothing, sunscreen, and a change of clothes.

Price: $200 per person. This includes river-rafting, lunch, and transportation to and from Placerville Airport. This price does NOT include any associated aircraft rental.

All aircraft are welcome to attend. If you plan to fly an SCFC aircraft, book your plane early. If you need help with booking, call the front desk at 650-946-1700. Once you have confirmed your aircraft please indicate whether or not you can take others with you by updating your registration here.

Email flyoutgroup@sancarlosflight.com for more info. We’ll see you on the river!

Full-Moon Flyers Harris Ranch - Aug 29 (Tue)

A longtime favorite of pilots in California, Harris Ranch (3O8) is known for its award-winning steak and hamburgers. Located just outside Coalinga, the ranch features a hotel and multiple restaurants, as well as an excellent lighted runway for pilots to fly in. On Tuesday, August 29th let’s fly down to the Ranch to have dinner at their signature restaurant.

The flight down is varied as it takes you from the urban sprawl of the Bay Area, across the Diablo Range, and then an easy flight following the I-5 corridor. You’ll get a view of the ranch from the air before descending for the thin runway that sits just to the south of the restaurant. Upon landing, we’ll walk to the restaurant together at 7 PM, where we will enjoy a variety of freshly cut steaks and other dining options. Harris Ranch is regarded as one of the best restaurants for pilots to fly into in Northern California.

After dinner, depart for a moonlit flight back to the Bay Area. The route is easy, as you will follow the I-5 interstate until reaching Tracy, and then from there, it’s just a quick flight over the Altamont Pass into the Bay Area. If you need to reset your night currency or practice night landings for your next certificate, Los Banos, Tracy, and Byron airports are excellent places to do so.

Important: As Harris Ranch’s restaurant is very popular, please make sure you RSVP no later than August 27th. This will ensure we can accommodate seating for everyone. Like other FOG events, please RSVP here, and indicate if you are able to take passengers, so we can allow student pilots and other aviation community members to participate.

We look forward to seeing you there!