Happy New Year 2025

Welcome to 2025. If you're a numbers person, this will indeed be an exciting year. It's been almost a century since we had a year that was a perfect square (45x45=2025).

As if that's not enough, it gets even better. If you add the first nine cubes (1x1x1,2x2x2, 3x3x3,...9x9x9) you again get the magic year 2025! The next one of those is 1000 years away!

We hope all your numbers work out, and that you get all the aviation dreams this year. We're excited to face the new year together.

Unleaded 100R: Fuel Update

We are coming up on two months of using Swift Fuels 100R unleaded fuel in our Cessna 172 R/S airplanes. This initiative supports the Flight Center’s commitment to sustainability, but it also enhances aircraft performance and extends engine life. It is also helping lead the aviation community to a fully commercially available unleaded fuel that will work for all piston engines. Swift Fuels 100R is designed to fully replace 100LL Leaded Avgas across the entire global piston fleet.

Being an early adopter, the Flight Center had to work closely with many partners to make this groundbreaking initiative a success. This included obtaining the 100R STC from Swift Fuels for our fleet of 172 R/S airplanes, coordinating with the San Carlos Airport Administration and Rabbit Aviation Services to temporarily deploy two fuel trucks with 100R fuel in the South Tower ramp area, and training the SCFC staff in the fueling procedures.

In little less than two months, we have flown over 600 flights and nearly 1,000 flight hours on the 100R. The fuel is working as promised and we are looking forward to a wider adoption of 100R at San Carlos Airport. In the meantime, we appreciate our members' support of this initiative.

Safety

Why Doesn't Anyone Answer Me?

Radio communications is one of the fundamental skills pilots learn during training. Pilots use the radio a lot in the Bay Area when operating at towered airports, receiving radar services, and even at non-towered airports. We use it so often that we just expect that it will work all the time.

But what happens if it doesn’t work? You recall that in the worst-case scenario we squawk 7600 and fall back to using light gun signals, review AIM 4-2-13 and 4-3-13 for details. Here are some real-life experiences of what causes some radio failures. 

While not a failure, loading in the wrong frequency can seem like a radio failure. Verify you have the proper frequency as one of the first steps.

Another thing to immediately check is the radio volume. The radio may be working perfectly but the volume has been turned down. Check this by disabling the squelch on the radio so you can check the radio volume.

For the radio to transmit, the pilot must push the PTT, push to talk, button. These buttons get pushed a lot and can fail. This can often be detected by switching your headset to the co-pilot jacks and using the PTT button on the co-pilot side.

Sometimes you think you are pushing the PTT but it isn’t engaging. This scenario can be detected by watching the indicators on the radio. Most radios will show a transmitter indicator when the PTT button is properly pushed. On a traditional Cessna radio, the letter “T” will be displayed anytime the PTT is properly pushed. If you are having difficulty transmitting, check to see that the “T” indicator is being displayed.

A faulty or intermittent headset jack has also been known to cause problems with radio transmissions. In this case, you will need to connect your headset to jacks on the co-pilot side.

Besides the radio, there are other ways to communicate with ATC. If you have a Bluetooth headset, make sure you have paired it with your phone. In many cases, you can call the tower using your mobile phone to advise them of your situation. If you don’t have the San Carlos Airport Tower phone number, ask your CFI for that number and add it to your contacts.

While there are probably other things that can fail, these are some typical ones and options for troubleshooting. In any case, remember the most important thing is to keep flying the airplane and troubleshoot what you can. Carrying a handheld radio is also a good backup, but only if it is charged.

SCFC Member Profile: Chris Harlem

SCFC: Congrats on your recent solo. What was the experience like being alone in the airplane for the first time?

CH: I loved the entire solo experience. There were two moments that highlighted being alone in the plane: (i) when I latched the passenger door shut to start the solo after my instructor, Travis, got out and (ii) in the pattern’s downwind when I felt like I had a moment to appreciate that I was flying alone.

SCFC: People fly for a lot of reasons. What first drew you to beginning flight training?

CH: I’ve always been fascinated by locomotion — planes, trains, cars, motorcycles, etc. I’ve wanted to try flying for years and a neighbor recommended SCFC. Suddenly, it was my birthday earlier this year and my girlfriend surprised me with a Demo Flight. I’ve been hooked ever since.

SCFC: Which fundamental pilot skills do you think is the most important for pilots to master? What control skill took you the most trial and error to develop?

CH: In my early/limited flying experience, exercising good pilot judgment feels like the most critical skill to master, especially when starting to solo. As far as the control skill, crosswind landings took the most trial and error to develop.

SCFC: Do you see any parallels in the methods and goals of flight training and any other aspect of your life?

CH: Regarding methods, learning to fly reminds me of learning to play an instrument. It requires a lot of repetition and focus coupled with diligent studying for the complex things to start feeling simple. Regarding aligned goals, flying has the potential to offer many personal and professional benefits that I look forward to exploring further as “weekend getaways” suddenly can mean a lot more.

SCFC: What aviation adventures do you look forward to the most after attaining your certificate?

CH: I’m excited to take my first overnight trip on which I fly myself to the destination. I’m also eager to dive deeper into mountain flying, learning the techniques it requires and doing some exploring of my own—both solo as well as with family/friends. 

2024 Holiday Party Recap

More than 100 aviation enthusiasts came out on Wednesday night, December 18^th, to celebrate at the San Carlos Flight Center Holiday Party. The event was held in the Flight Center’s MX hangar which was a very appropriate setting for a party of aviators. The usually busy hangar was transformed into a winter wonderland with holiday music, lights and displays.

Members, guests and the community enjoyed a taco bar with beverages for both pilots and non-pilots. Of course there was no shortage of treats. For those that stayed to the very end, they also enjoyed a second course of food featuring pizza.

To recall the fond memories of 2024, attendees were invited to write done their best memory of 2024 and hang it on the Christmas tree. As a way to look forward to 2025, everyone got the opportunity to pin a flag on a destination airport they would most like to visit in 2025. Catalina, KAVX, was the top destination. Look for an upcoming FOG event to tap into those favorite destinations.

Full-Moon Flyers Hollister - Jan 13 (Sun)

Need to practice night flying, or just want to gain more experience at night? Come join us for dinner at Seabrisa’s Eatery in Hollister (CVH) on January 13 at 7 PM.

On the way down, soak in the gorgeous sunset over the coastal mountains before descending into Hollister Airport. Make sure to remain clear of the San Jose final approach course, and consider talking to NorCal Approach to have an extra set of eyes looking out for you.

Park in transient parking, and then walk across the street to the local airport restaurant – Seabrisa’s Eatery! A local favorite for many pilots in the area, they’re known for their unique flavors and vegetables grown from many of the local farms.

After dinner, Hollister is a great place to work on night landings or fly to San Jose (SJC) to complete your night requirements there. With big runways, it’s easy to make the landings to a stop-and-go, and you’ll enjoy the challenge of flying alongside jet traffic.

Everyone is welcome to join us, so please RSVP here and we’ll see you at the event.

FOG Lunch Auburn - Jan 17 (Fri)

This month, join FOG as we head up to Sierra Nevada foothills for lunch at Auburn (AUN). We will be dining at Wings Grill and Espresso Bar, serving a extensive menu with a variety of sandwiches, melts, burgers, and salads.

This is the perfect time of year to head into Auburn as temperatures don’t have a huge impact on density altitude and performance.

Whether you’re a private pilot student or commercial student, at 100NM Auburn is sure to fulfill some cross country requirements. Even if you’re not a student, everyone is invited!

Be sure to RSVP here so we have your headcount. The event will be on Friday, January 17 and we will be meeting at Wings Grill at 12 noon. See you there!