Prospective Pilot Workshop

Are you interested in aviation but not sure where to begin? Do you know someone looking to find out more about becoming a pilot?

San Carlos Flight Center invites you to a Prospective Pilot Workshop on Saturday October 12th. This is a hands-on workshop to share a sense of what it takes to become a part of general aviation as a pilot. This event will explain the steps needed to become a pilot, show you how to read and interpret aviation charts used by pilots, and will provide a chance to see a training airplane and engine up close.

If you have a pilot passion burning inside of you, we welcome you to join us. Admission is free (with prior registration here). Lunch will be provided.

(Please note: This event is a workshop for adults interested in becoming a pilot. Young people are encouraged to join us for a similar event targeted to youth in January next year.)

In-Person Safety Seminars are Back!

You may have noticed our weekly safety seminar program scaled way back in the summer, while attention turned to flying and outdoor adventures. We took some time to rethink and retool, and have added on a new class of web streaming technicians to help us restart this very Flight Center program.

Starting Wednesday October 9th, we'll be hosting in-person seminars and workshops, usually on Saturday morning and Wednesday evenings. The first seminar will be flight stories and lessons learned from the pilots who went on our recent Colorado Mountain Flying trip.

Seminars bring pilots together to talk about safety topics, to hear about regulatory changes, to meet controllers and other guest speakers, and refresh ground topics and skills. A big part of the experience is the in-person sharing of stories and friendship, and the ability to ask interactive questions of the presenters. We hope you are looking forward to the chance to get back together in a seminar/workshop type setting to meet the other Flight Center pilots.

In-person attendance also qualifies for Seminar Engagement Program credits toward flight training. Check out the SCFC Events menu on our website to see what's coming up this month.

New Private Ground School Cycle Begins

The next cycle of Private Pilot ground school started this week with Lesson One - Aerodynamics. The class has been taught on a continuing bases for at least 15 years, with twelve separate class modules that can be attended in any order.

SCFC's Private Pilot Ground School, taught by our Herb Patten, is interactive, immersive, and fun, all while preparing you to take the FAA Private Pilot Knowledge Test, a requirement for anyone looking to earn their license. Our ground school is unique, as students are granted opportunities to look under aircraft cowlings with the help of our maintenance team, tour control towers, and more.

The course is also immensely flexible. There are in-person sessions on Sundays at 10am, and Tuesdays at 6:30pm, where you can attend either session, or both, for that week! There is also the online course, which allows students to work at their own pace, on their own schedule. Students can choose to do either course, or both, for example, attending some lectures in-person, and others online if they choose. Further, each student remains on our roster for two years, and can join the course at any time, so that you can retake the course, or review topics whenever you need to.

Interested in registering? For pricing and further information, check out our website.

Safety

Right Seat Workshop - Nov 2 (Sat)

The Flight Center will be hosting a Right Seat Workshop for non-pilot friends, spouses, and significant others who often fly right seat SCFC pilots. Now is the time to alert the people in your life to sign up for this special workshop.

Right Seat Workshops are introductory and intended to demystify aspects of flight for people that fly often as passengers with other pilots. The more they can understand about what is going on in the cockpit, the more enjoyable the flight will be, and the greater your ability to impact the safety of the flight.

The first workshop in the series covers Radio Communication and Air Traffic Control basics from the perspective of non-pilots. The workshop includes group breakout sessions and exercises designed to help you become more familiar with radio procedures and terms. The workshop runs 10:00am to 2:00pm and the cost is $80 for right-seaters sponsored by SCFC members, or $100 for non-members, and lunch is included. Contact the front desk to sign up (650) 946-1700.

New Fuel Tanks in South Tower Ramp

SCFC pilots will note the arrival of two new fuel tanks in the South Tower Parking area. They are located in the taxi-through row in front of the SCFC Office and Mx Hangar. For now, this is just a safety advisory.

The purpose and use of the tanks will be announced very soon. Pilots taxiing aircraft in the vicinity should use caution and keep to the airport taxi speed limit of 10mph, which applies to operations near buildings and other aircraft.

SCFC Member Profile: Bob Turcott

SCFC: What made you start flight training?

BT: It's a long-deferred goal. I flew hang gliders years ago. I planned to learn to fly sailplanes so I figured I may as well get a pilot's license. Turns out powered flight is amazingly rewarding in its own right. Who knew?!?

SCFC: You recently went on a FlyOutGroup mountain training trip to Colorado. How was that experience? 

BT: Words don't do it justice. I knew it would be great. In fact all aspects of the trip far exceeded expectations. The scenery was stunning. The learning was like drinking from a fire hose. The camaraderie was an unexpected perk.

SCFC: Which aspect of flight training seems easiest to you? Ground knowledge, risk management, or flight skills?

BT: The physics is relatively intuitive. On the other hand, flight skills - like the visual-motor reflexes necessary to gracefully land a plane - have been surprisingly slow in developing. Ossified neural circuits, perhaps? I'm very fortunate to have Herb Patten as my instructor. He seems to have an infinite amount of patience.

SCFC: How did you approach training as an adult learner? What decisions did you consciously make that you may not have made or made differently as a high school or college student?

BT: The broader perspective that comes with age has been helpful, making it easier to think about things at a higher level. My approach to learning, working with my instructor, the role of psychology and emotions, as some examples, are all better informed and more effective than the brute force approach I would typically use when I was younger. 

SCFC: What other adventure flights are you looking toward as a Private Pilot?

BT: I'm really looking forward to dropping into interesting, remote places - Shelter Cove, Hood River OR, Chelan WA, Orcas Island WA, Marble Canyon AZ. So much to explore. Bush flying is calling to me, but will the ossified neural circuits put it out of reach ...?

Fun Times at the Open Hangar BBQ

Thank you to everyone who came to our open hangar and barbecue on Saturday. We were happy to welcome you into our new hangar and show you how the SCFC Maintenance team is growing. We hope to hold more of these events in the future and hope you will join us!

SCFC's "Special Ops" is Accepting New Members

For years, San Carlos Flight Center has been the most active and exciting place for pilots in the SF Bay Area. This energy comes from the contributions of pilots who volunteer on our "Special Ops" team. 

The group meets once a month, and includes the party planners, graphic artists, and event managers who brainstorm and execute our safety seminars, workshops, BBQs, and FlyOutGroup activities. Are you ready to be a part of the Flight Center magic?

If you believe in the Flight Center's mission, and want to be a part of building this amazing place, we encourage you to join the Special Ops board. We generally invite in members with a lot of experience and flight time with the club, but are open to anyone enthusiastic about keeping SCFC the best in the bay. If you'd like to get more information, email Dan Dyer.

Share Your Recent XC Flight Story

One of the best ways for pilots to learn is through the stories told by other pilots. You can find out about a cool airport or route that you didn't know about, or hear stories of things that went wrong that can help you avoid mistakes on future flights. Actual in-flight weather decision-making is often more interesting and challenging than book knowledge situations you read about in ground school.

SCFC invites you to share your recent flight story with the rest of the club, by way of one of our Wednesday or Saturday safety seminars. Bring photos you took along the way, along with screenshots of the weather reports and forecasts and VFR charts and routes you used for planning. What happened that worked out well? How would you approach it differently if you made the flight again? What inside information can you share to the pilots in the club so they can maximize the experience?

These are fun and casual presentations that don't take too much planning. If you're looking for where to start, we have a great template we use to help pilots get their story across. Share your cool pilot adventure story with a room full of club members who are actually interested in what you saw. Contact your favorite SCFC CFI or email info@sancarlosflight.com for more information on how to bring your story to life.

Answers to Hangar BBQ Challenges

San Francisco Area Chart 

1. 4000 MSL
2. 5000 MSL
3. 4000 MSL
4. 7200 MSL
5. c
6. b
7. c
8. b False
9. b
10. 37 NM
11. a Yes
12. b No

KSBA ILS or LOC RWY 7

1. GAVIOTA, GOLET
2. d
3. b
4. b
5. b False
6. e
7. 2400 RVR
8. c
9. b False

Preflight Inspection Challenge

1. Oil fill tube loose
2. Nose axle cotter pin missing
3. Nose shimmy dampener disconnected in the back
4. Cylinder 2 fuel injector line loose
5. Under horizontal stabilizer inspection panel displaced
6. Right fuel cap missing gasket, does not seat
7. Right brake back plate visibly loose
8. Left flap roller missing
9. V stabilizer cap, all screws missing
10. Stall horn reed backwards
11. Fuel in passenger door frame
12. Wrong aircraft airworthiness certificate

Full-Moon Flyers Nut Tree - Sep 16 (Mo)

This month, join us on October 17 for dinner at Monterey!

Whether you take the coastal route or over Highway 17, the flight down is an easy one from the Bay Area. Monterey Airport doesn’t have a transient parking ramp, but we will park at the Del Monte Aviation FBO.

After parking, its a short walk to Woody’s at the Airport located inside the airport terminal building.

Are you a student pilot looking for more flight time? Monterey lies just outside the 50 NM requirement and counts towards your cross country time! Looking for some practice flying IFR? Monterey and nearby airports offer a various types of approaches. Reward your perfect approaches with some great food!

We will be meeting at Woody’s, please make sure to arrive and secure your aircraft by 7PM. Make sure to RSVP so we have an accurate headcount!

Livermore Corn Maze - Oct 19 (Sa)

How many pilots does it take to get through a corn maze? We’re taking the customary FlyOutGroup (FOG) lunch flight and adding a fun Halloween twist. Just right of final to the 25 Runways at Livermore airport is a little gem called G&M Farms. Each year in October they turn their farm into Halloween HQ with an impressive corn maze, pumpkin patch, and kids activities.

Plan to arrive at Livermore at noon, to take Lyft's the short way (1 mile) to G&M Farms. Admission is $10 (children 5 and under are free). After the corn maze fun, we plan to hang around and partake in the food trucks. Bring your friends and family for a great pre-Halloween experience!

Everyone is welcome to join us, please RSVP on our website and we will see you there!

Colorado Mountain Flying Recap - Oct 9 (We)

Join us on Wednesday, October 9th for an in-person Safety Seminar sharing insights on Colorado Mountain Flying from the group of SCFC pilots who went our our annual trip this year. Pilots Jerry Birn, Bob Turcott, Frank Farrell and Stanislav Vitko will join CFIs Herb Patten and Sid Basu to discuss highlights from the trip including mountain operations, high density altitude awareness, positive aircraft control, and the application of true cross-country flight planning. Any pilot can benefit learning from their experience.

Please join us for a recap of this trip with picture and video highlights, and insights from the pilots that attended. Sign up here to attend.