UL94 - Purple or Lavender Haze?

No, you are not imagining things nor is your vision going bad. Yes, the color of the fuel we use at San Carlos Flight Center is changing. Early this week, the shipment of UL94 fuel that Rabbit Aviation Services received was dyed purple. That means over the next series of refueling you will notice the sampled fuel will no longer be clear but a tinge of purple.

Why the change? ASTM International, formerly known as American Society for Testing and Materials, is a standards organization that publishes international standards for a wide range of materials and products. The ASTM International Fuels, Markings, and Dyes task force in 2023 approved the color change. The move is designed to increase refueling safety by visually differentiating UL94 Avgas from other types and grades of fuel. The new purple UL 94 is identical in terms of quality and performance to the previously clear, transparent version.

SCFC's Gray Instrument Syllabus Book in Print

Complementing the announcement in April of the SCFC Instrument Workbook, SCFC announces the publication of the Instrument Syllabus. The syllabus provides the same methodical pathway that is found in our Private Pilot Syllabus. Inside the syllabus are the assignments, activities and completion standards that will take a student through all the required knowledge and skills to become an instrument rated pilot.

The syllabus has been in Beta testing for the last 18 months and will now be provided in print to SCFC instrument students.

Welcome New CFI Henrik Vanitegem

Each year, SCFC holds three hiring periods for CFIs looking to join the team. The interview process is rigorous, as is the three-week CFI Onboarding program all new CFIs complete. New CFIs are thoroughly checked out in our base fleet aircraft, all Club policies and procedures, and spend quite a bit of time studying the Flight Center's syllabus and instruction methods. During April 2024, we welcomed in two new Flight Instructors, one of which has already started new pilots find their way to the skies.

Growing up in the San Francisco Bay Area, Henrik Vanitegem always loved airplanes. As a kid, he would frequently go to airshows and the Hiller aviation museum in San Carlos. After graduating from high school, Henrik started flight training at Reid-Hillview while attending community college. He then transferred to UC Davis to finish his degree and continued flying from University airport located in Davis, CA. After graduating from UC Davis, Henrik continued his flight training at Palo Alto airport and obtained his flight instructor certificate.

Matthew Kopiko also was hired as part of the April crew, but deferred his start date while he finished his undergraduate program at Purdue. Look for Matthew to sit in with the June CFI new hire class, starting up shortly.

Safety

Transponders – What Could Go Wrong?

A transponder is required equipment when flying in around San Carlos airport because we are within the 30 NM Mode C veil of the San Francisco Bravo. The transponder is used in conjunction with ATC radar to help controllers see aircraft on their radar screens. The transponder transmits two important pieces of information. The first is the squawk code and should be set to 1200 unless you are assigned a unique code. The SCFC checklist reminds you to do this in the flight prep section of the checklist. If you forget to do this, ATC may detect this and tell you to squawk VFR or squawk the appropriate code. Imagine the confusion you might create if you forget to set the proper squawk code and it is set to the same code that is assigned to another aircraft in the area. This can easily happen if you skip this step in the checklist since transponders retain the squawk code from the previous flight.

The second piece of information that the transponder transmits is the pressure altitude. This is what helps ATC determine if two aircraft might be too close to each other and necessitate the need for a traffic call. Transponders have several modes of operations including Off, On and ALT. The ALT mode is normally active and when in this mode, the transponder transmits the aircraft’s current pressure altitude rounded to the nearest hundreds of feet. If the transponder mode has inadvertently been changed to something else, ATC will not see an altitude for your aircraft. In this case, they will typically ask you to squawk altitude, meaning make sure your transponder is set to altitude mode.

If there is a discrepancy between the altitude you communicate to ATC and the pressure altitude your transponder transmits, ATC may ask you to check your altimeter setting. A difference could be due to using the wrong altimeter setting and you are really at an incorrect altitude. It could also be that there is a malfunction in your transponder. If you experience this, submit a squawk and include details of the occurrence including your current altitude, what ATC reports as your current altitude and a picture, if able, of the transponder displayed altitude.

Because the transponder reports “pressure altitude”, the altitude on the transponder won’t match your altimeter, unless it is a standard day. On high pressure days, you might see 600 in the transponder when you are at 800' MSL in the traffic pattern.

Insight from the SQL Controllers

Compared to even just a year ago, the services pilots receive from the San Carlos controllers has been significantly improved. One could say it is almost night versus day in comparison.

With that improvement in service there also has been an increase in usage of the airport. Last year it wasn’t uncommon due to staffing that traffic pattern operations were restricted or not allowed all together. Now it isn’t uncommon to have many planes in the traffic pattern. With an increase in aircraft comes a bit of congestion that controllers need to manage.

One method controllers use to manage congestion is to extend planes downwind in the traffic pattern. The familiar phrase used in this case by the controllers is often “extend downwind, I’ll call your base”. Another option is for the controllers to extend aircraft upwind. This is typically less common than extending downwind. In this case, you may hear the phrase “extend your upwind one mile”. If you have been given this instruction, how should you interpret this and how do you know when you have gone 1 mile upwind?

In a recent KSQL Tower tour this question was posed to the controllers. They stated that they simply want you to go about a mile further from your present position before turning crosswind. Does this need to be precisely 1.00000 NM? Not really. Just fly upwind farther than you normally would. As reference, the Diamond Shaped Waterway is approximately 0.7 NM from the departure end of runway 30. The Oracle buildings are approximately 1 NM from the departure end of the runway. If you receive this instruction shortly after takeoff, then plan to turn crosswind past the Oracle buildings.



As always, remember to fly the airplane first. Aviate is our most important priority. Don’t get preoccupied with trying to determine your exact position and when exactly you would have reached that additional mile. And if you are unsure, ask the controllers for clarification.

In a recent KSQL Tower tour this question was posed to the controllers. They stated that they simply want you to go about a mile further from your present position before turning crosswind. Does this need to be precisely 1.00000 NM? Not really. Just fly upwind farther than you normally would. As reference, the Diamond Shaped Waterway is approximately 0.7 NM from the departure end of runway 30. The Oracle buildings are approximately 1 NM from the departure end of the runway. If you receive this instruction shortly after takeoff, then plan to turn crosswind past the Oracle buildings.

As always, remember to fly the airplane first. Aviate is our most important priority. Don’t get preoccupied with trying to determine your exact position and when exactly you would have reached that additional mile. And if you are unsure, ask the controllers for clarification.

SCFC Member Profile: Andrew Selder

SCFC: Congratulations on passing the instrument checkride. What was your initial motivation for obtaining an instrument rating?

AS: I've been a long time private pilot, but hadn't been flying much. My partner started private pilot training, so it made sense to also get back in to flying and getting my instrument seemed like a good way to do i. Given the prevalance of marine layers in the Bay Area, an instrument rating greatly increases the usefulness of my pilot's certificate. I'm also active in Civil Air Patrol, so adding my instrument rating increases my ability to help out there as well.

SCFC: What technology choices did you make at the start of instrument training and why? Did you choose to go the G1000 route? What other tools did you leverage for charts and procedures?

AS: I chose to do my training in G1000 aircraft. The capabilities, and safety features, of today's modern avionics is incredible. When I'll be using my instrument rating for real, I'd be flying G1000 aircraft, so it made sense to train using that equipment. Foreflight is a gamechanger, especially when paired with an ADS-B receiver. Seeing your progress on the plate, other traffic, and weather is amazing. I still like printing my approach charts on paper though. Don't have to work about glare, trying to switch to them. They also make a great place to scribble notes.

SCFC: How difficult what instrument training as compared to private pilot training?

AS: Considering my private pilot training was over 20 years ago, I'm not sure I can remember to compare. I wouldn't say one was more difficult than the other. Private pilots was mainly physical motor skills, learning to maneuver, land etc.. Instrument is much more of mental learning. Planning ahead, getting set up, situational awareness, etc.

SCFC: Any tips you discovered to improve situational awareness on an instrument approach? Or did it just come from repetition?

AS: The key to instrument flying is staying ahead of the airplane and the flight. Brief approaches early, always ask yourself what's the next thing. If you get some free time, ask yourself what task can you do now before you get busy.

SCFC: Do you plan to continue on to Commercial training?

AS: Yes, I plan to relax for a couple months and then I'm going to get going on my commercial.

FOG Lunch - Sac Exec - Jun 15 (Sat)

This month join us on our FOG lunch adventure as we head up to Sacramento Executive (SAC)! We will be dining at Aviator’s Restaurant, located just inside the terminal. Aviator’s serves a wide variety of breakfast and lunch options offered at reasonable prices. They are a great aviation themed restaurant with seating that offers great views of the ramp!

At 70 NM away, SAC is a chance for student pilots or commercial pilot applicants to gain some valuable cross country time. As always, even student pilots can join us with your CFI! If you are an instrument student, SAC is great to get some practice in with plenty of nearby airports offering a variety of different approaches.



Make sure you RSVP so we can keep an accurate headcount! See you at 12 noon on June 15!

Full-Moon Flyers - KWVI Jun 21 (Fri)

Join us for our monthly Full Moon Flyers dinner! This month, we will be doing a quick flight down to Watsonville to dine in Ellas at the Airport. The restaurant is conveniently located on the airport, simply park in the transient ramp right off taxiway D, and walk to the terminal building.

Looking to do a night cross country? Make a quick landing at Salinas (SNS), Monterey (MRY), or Hollister (CVH) on your way into Watsonville. These airports are just a few minutes away and makes it a great opportunity to log some night currency landings!

Make sure you RSVP so we get an accurate headcount! See you at 7PM on June 21!