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Member News
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Welcome New Members
Corwin Adkins
Ritapurna Agrawal
Oliver Beckert
Chris Bruning
Cary Butcher
Robin Davis
Ross Engstrom
Rodney Hansen
Tucker Lambert
Michael Leone
Carnell Lewis
Caitlin Lyons
Sammy Ma
Member Achievements
Jamie Harding
First Solo
CFI Randall Walliser
Joel Slater
Commercial Multi-Engine
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Pop Quiz
A fun monthly knowledge test.
Editor: Herb Patten
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1 - The symbol for a mountain pass is
a)
b)
c)
2 - The highest mountain pass in California is
a) Tioga Pass
b) Carson Pass
c) Kearsarge Pass
3 - Mountain passes
a) Can be great landmarks
b) Often the best route to cross a mountain
c) May contain turbulence and drafts
d) All of the above
(answers are at the bottom)
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Upcoming
SCFC Events and Safety Seminars
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Upcoming 
Events & Trips
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The Fleet
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N447S - $395/hr
(Summer Promotional Price)
Robinson R22
N41WB - $295/hr
Cirrus SR20
C182 - G1000
N123TZ - $238/hr
Piper Arrow
N200KR- $195/hr
N652SP - $157/hr
N106RA - $157/hr
C150/C152
N714SW- $117/hr
N111RK - $99/hr
Simulators
Helicopter Sim - $110/hr
(member prices shown)
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| Contact Us |
| Front Desk (650) 946-1700 Maintenance (650) 946-1701 Email Us info@sancarlosflight.com 655 Skyway Rd Suite 215 San Carlos, CA 94070 |
Stay Informed
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SCFC News
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AOPA Poll Opens
It's time to vote! The 2016 AOPA Flight Training Excellence Awards Poll is now open! Cast your vote for your favorite flight school and instructor to help SCFC be the first school to win the award twice. The surveys take less than 10 minutes each and offer us great feedback. San Carlos Flight Center is always looking to improve so any and all participation is helpful!
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The "Summer of 44"
Looking for an exciting flying adventure to take up this summer? Try flying
Bay Flight 44
, our Robinson R44 Raven
helicopter.
Between June 1st and August 31st, we're offering a special R44 rate of $395/hr to all SCFC members. Our recent fleet expansions and history of safety have allowed us to reduce the cost of the R44's insurance and offer this unique discount.
Give us a call at (650) 946-1700 to schedule your R44 flight today.
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It's Finally Here! ACS has Arrived
After literally years in development,
 the Airman Certification Standard, ACS, will now replace the Practical Test Standard, PTS, as of June 15th. The ACS document adds aeronautical knowledge and risk management items to each of the skills that were in the former PTS and is intended to enable a more holistic approach to learning, training, and testing.
So how does this change the Checkride? For a properly prepared student, there won't be an appreciable difference. Same tolerances, same oral questioning before the flight. It may even be easier for candidates to prepare since the ACS better specifies the required knowledge and risk management topics, giving candidates better visibility to what they need to know (knowledge) and what the need to consider (risk management).
The ACS is being rolled out in phases. On
June 15th
it will be used for Private Pilot Airplane and Instrument Rating - Airplane Checkrides. Expect the ACS to be rolled out next for commercial rating sometime before the end of the year. Want to know more? Attend the upcoming FAA Safety seminar
Wednesday, June 22nd
with DPE Vince Nastro.
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Safety
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Pitching for a Smooth Flare
Pilots work to improve flare and touchdown with every landing. Often, pilot attention is directed to rudder and bank to correct for crosswind, but
remember the importance of pitch! Your flare and touchdown will improve if you understand how pitch is supposed to change from final approach to touchdown.
On short final, pitch attitude should be stable to maintain a stable airspeed. Upon entering ground effect, the pilot applies aft yoke pressure to gently raise the nose to level. During the flare, the pilot continues to ease the nose up until it finally arrives at the correct landing attitude. Nose up too quickly and the airplane balloons, nose up too slowly and the aircraft lands flat and too soon. Smooth gentle pitch control is what allows the pilot to reach the correct landing attitude gradually for a smooth gentle landing.
Tip: Make sure your pitch moves only one way - up. From the nose down final approach, through roundout, until landing attitude the aircraft nose should only move up, and the yoke should only move aft. Pitching forward is bad technique! Pilots who pitch forward risk nose wheel contact, porpoising, wheelbarrowing, and a host of other landing accidents.
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Attitude: The Center of Your Instrument Scan
 All instruments are not equal. When flying by instrument reference, there is a big difference between a Control instrument (tachometer and attitude indicator) and a Performance instrument (nearly everything else). Control instruments are
used right now to directly set the aircraft for a whatever pitch and power setting the pilot wants. Eventually, as the aircraft performance begins to change, indications will be seen on the Performance instruments. Control instruments are what you are doing, Performance instruments say whether it's working.
In inadvertent IMC, the attitude indicator should be the center of your instrument scan. Use the instrument to level the nose and wings against the horizon to maintain stable flight in a normal attitude. Make small changes using the attitude indicator as your guide, glancing only briefly at the other instruments to make sure your plan is having the desired effect.
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Radio Calls at Untowered Fields
Although the FAA does not require radios at untowered fields, safety suggests that we use them to our advantage. A few tips can make operations at untowered fields safer for everyone.
Say your type of aircraft, not just your call sign, so that others can more easily distinguish one aircraft from another. Include your altitude in every position report unless you are in the pattern at pattern altitude. Use the full name of each leg of the pattern to avoid confusion ("Right downwind 30" instead of "downwind"). Keep chatter to a minimum to share air time, and remember that the callsign "traffic" is only used at the start of the call. End the call only with the name of the airport, helping other pilots at other airports know which calls to ignore and which to attend to.
And never assume a quiet radio means no one is in the area! Keep your eyes open for other aircraft without radios, or who haven't yet reported in.
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Community
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Upwind Summer Starts on Monday June 6
June 6 marks the beginning of the 2016 Upwind Summer Scholarship program! A new group of young future pilots embarks on their first adventure in the skies. The four airplane and one helicopter pilots will be training at the Flight Center this summer, so be sure to say hi to the new scholarship recipients.
It is important to all pilots to share aviation with the next generation. Their interest and involvement aviation allows us to keep general aviation open to everyone. Please share your knowledge, your experience, and your passion for aviation with our newest pilots.
The Upwind Foundation provides high school students the opportunity to earn their private pilot certificate during an intense summer training program. You can still help support the future of general aviation in the Bay Area by donating to the Upwind Foundation today!
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Member Profile: Michael Mackin
SCFC:
Who or what inspired you to learn to fly?
MM: My grandfather was an Air Force pilot who served in Vietnam before going on to be a test pilot. Seeing him have such a distinguished career flying really sparked my interest in aviation. As a child, my family would meet at my grandfather's hangar every winter and pile onboard his Beech 18, the very last built, for a skiing trip out west to visit family in Idaho.
SCFC: What are your flying goals for the future?
MM: Right now I am enjoying the reality of having earned my pilots license for both helicopter and fixed wing. Sadly, I am a little too far down my career path for a jump over to aviation. However, it is a long term goal to become a CFII for both fixed-wing and helicopter.
SCFC: What is your favorite part of flying helicopters? Fixed-wing?
MM: For an airplane, there is nothing better than making a perfect landing in challenging conditions. I also enjoy the possibility for quick trips to fun places out of the bay area. The helicopter is fantastic for local sight-seeing. Nothing is better than a bay tour in a helicopter.
SCFC: What is your favorite flying trip or memory?
MM: My favorite flying memory comes from my helicopter checkride. After missing my first landing by two feet, I performed the best autorotation of my life, nailing the H of the helipad dead center. It took all of me not to say 'You wanna get out and measure?' As I walked into the office I was greeted by a smiling instructor and DPE. I had passed my checkride.
SCFC: What do you like to do outside of aviation?
MM: I enjoy indoor climbing, exploring the bay area in my convertible, and hanging out with my fiancee and our two dogs. We are looking to buy a house, so lots of open houses. Thankfully, unlike most buyers I want to live near an airport!
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San Carlos Flight Center is excited to collaborate with the HillerAviation museum on June 4th to showcase some amazing rotorcraft. SCFC will be out there showing off our new R22, Bay Flight 33! Come by and say hello or feel free to hang out after the June BBQ! Visit www.hiller.org for more information!
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 San Carlos Flight Center is proud to support the organization "Support for Families of Children with Disabilities". We are excited to donate a Scenic San Francisco Helicopter Tour for their upcoming silent auction.
"Support for Families" has been providing families of children with disabilities with information, education, and support for over 40 years. SCFC is excited to contribute to such a special organization.
SCFC is an active participant in our local community. Contact us to let us know how we can support your local charity or help sponsor a local event.
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Adventure
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5-Day Colorado Trip June 29 - July 3
Join FlyOutGroup for their 5-day Colorado Mountain Flying trip.
 This amazing trip is packed with scenic beauty and ample opportunities to improve your pilot skills. The trip includes a stop at the famous Leadville Airport, North America's highest airport at 9927' and is a great hands-on way
to understand density altitude and aircraft performance.
Each plane will have 1 CFI and 2 pilots on board. The trip is a great opportunity to complete your G1000 avionics, airplane-specific checkout, or to earn your high performance endorsement. It promises to be an unforgettable flying adventure with plenty of room for ground-based fun as well.
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Edwards Air Force Base July 7 - 8
 FlyOutGroup invites you to their annual private group tour of Edwards Air Force Base. This two-day trip to the Mojave Desert will include a visit to the Air Force Flight Test Museum, the NASA Armstrong Flight Research Center, a safety briefing of Restricted Area 2508(composed of bombing ranges, supersonic corridors, and more), and much more. On Thursday, July 7th we will fly to the Mojave Air and Space Port (KMHV) and enjoy a group dinner that evening. The next morning we will board a private chartered bus bound for Edwards Air Force Base. Edwards is the second largest base in the U.S. Air Force.
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Adventure Across the Country in Luxury
Are you planning some long summer trips with your family an
d friends? Our Cirrus SR20 can be the airplane you need for travel and comfort. This glass panel aircraft is fun to fly and sure to impress your passengers. Find out what a difference modern engine management coupled with modern avionics can make in your journey.
Our beautiful Cirrus is used only by licensed pilots looking to improve their skills and master laminar flow aircraft (She's not used for primary training). If you're looking for the next great adventure, consider flying with one of our Cirrus instructors and experience the speed, comfort, and beauty of Cirrus aircraft.
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We keep our online calendar updated, so bookmark this page:
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