Summer 2013 Vol 59, Issue 3

See HotshotsContinued on page 2

Serving Idaho’s Aviation Community for over 65 Years

AERONA U T I C S

Nineteen of the 20 Granite MountainHotshot firefighters were burned over,resulting in 19 fatalities, when theunthinkable happened outside ofYarnell, Ariz., on June 30, 2013. Amemorial service for the fallenfirefighters of the Granite MountainHotshots was held in Prescott, Ariz., onJuly 9. In addition, thousands of peoplefrom around the country united incentral Arizona or at their home uniton Tuesday to pay final tribute to the19 fallen firefighters.

Our Idaho staff at the Bureau of LandManagement (BLM) NationalInteragency Fire Center (NIFC), as wellas the entire wildland fire services,extends their heartfelt condolences tothe families and friends of the deceased.These firefighters, including the solesurvivor, Brendan McDonough, are trueheroes who will always be remembered.“The Granite Mountain Hotshots, liketheir colleagues across the wildland firecommunity are among the best-trained,best-equipped and best-fit firefightersin the world. They come to work eachand every day on the fire groundexemplifying the best of who we are inAmerica. Every one of the 19 fallencrew members will be missed andcarried in our hearts and memory,” saidTim Murphy, BLM’s assistant directorfor Fire and Aviation.

Idaho’s Tribute to theGranite Mountain HotshotsBy Jennifer Smith, Public AffairsSpecialist for BLM and NationalInteragency Fire Center, andLaura Adams, Editor

Forest air tanker base. During thewestern fire season, NIFC hosts a DC-10 that transports crews and resources;lead planes; and air tankers, includingmilitary C-130s (MAFFS), single-engineair tankers (SEATs) and infrared aircraft.The National Interagency CoordinationCenter dispatches the aviation resources.

Living in such a dry, fire-prone climate,it is imperative that we become morefamiliar with our firefighting resources.For instance, Division of Aeronauticspilot Melissa Kaplan recently made thefront page of the Lewiston MorningTribune on July 20 for her civilianfirefighting efforts and new regard fortrained crews. She flew home to Orofinoon a seemingly ordinary day, and uponarrival, circled her mother’s house tolet her know she was about to land.

Everything looked status quo, but bythe time she tied down the plane andpulled into town, she was shocked tosee billows of smoke rising from thehillside where her childhood home islocated. Melissa, with her husband,Jake, mother, Joan Vanderwall,neighbors, and family friends spentabout an hour battling the blaze withgarden hoses and water from the poolbefore the firefighters arrived.

“As I listened to the crackling of thefire getting closer, I couldn’t help butthink of the recent loss of the ArizonaHotshots. Would I too be trapped bythe approaching flames?”

The 19 fallenfirefighters willbecome a part ofthe NationalWildlandFirefightersMonument at theNationalInteragency FireCenter in Boise.NIFC includes allaspects offirefighting:logistics, planning,dispatch, BoiseBLM Smoke-jumpers, cacheand Boise National

I N S I D E

National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC) plaque

of Mountain Home. She submitted abook review and informationhighlighting her veteran husband’samazing journey of service. Look forthis in our upcoming issues. Sandraalso mentioned that Col. Earl W.“Snake” Pitts (USAF ret.) just celebrated

Page 2 Rudder Flutter

his 88th birthday on July 3. Happybelated birthday Col. Pitts!

You will notice that this issue is focusedprimarily on weather preparedness, sinceit is one of the top 10 causes of GAaccidents according to the FAA. Becauseof the volume of critical weather-relatedinformation we wanted to disseminatewhile everyone is out flying this summerand fall, the Color of Aviation articlewill be postponed until the next issue.

The Rudder Flutter now is offered as afree annual subscription, and it is nolonger tied to registration. Please keepyour Rudder Flutter submissions

coming! Your input is vital for us to beable to accomplish our mission as partof the Idaho Transportation Department– promoting safety, mobility andeconomic opportunities in aviation.

Editor SquawkWe do nottypicallyannouncebirthdays in theRudder Flutter.However, Irecently receivedthe mostintriguing packagefrom Sandra Pitts

On The Fly

By Laura Adams, Editor

HotshotsContinued frompage 1

“Recent aircraftegress (the act ofgoing out of orleaving a place)training remindedme to stay calm,focused and veryaware of thechangingdirection of thewinds. When thefirefightersadvised us toleave, I didn’t hesitate in taking thatadvice, respecting their education andknowledge of the situation,” she said.

Melissa also mentioned that Dave Parkerof Bonners Ferry was flying the “highflier” for the Orofino fire, amongnumerous helicopters and airplanes. Bythe end of the day, the family home wassaved due to the combined efforts. Acharred circle of brush remains 20 feetaround it, leaving behind a picture ofthe devastation that could have been.

Melissa had just completed egresstraining provided by the Division of

HotshotsContinued on page 3

NIFC Monument at NIFC in Boise honorsthe lives that have been lost.

Aeronautics in June. Her personalexperience battling a fire just goes toshow that you never know when fire-related knowledge and familiaritywith Idaho’s firefighting resourcesmight come in handy. Most of us arefamiliar with smokejumping efforts,which originated in Idaho, becauseBoise is home to one of BLM’s twosmokejumper bases (the other isFairbanks, Alaska). However, aviatorsmay not know as much about ground-based crews, such as the Hotshots

Do you have an interesting aviationstory, book review, event, or anidea for an article?

Are you interested in advertisingyour aviation-related business inthis publication?

Contact the Division of Aeronauticsat (208)334-8775 or emaillaura.adams@itd.idaho.gov

Do you want a FREEsubscription to the

Rudder Flutter?

AERONA U T ICS

Summer 2013 Page 3

From theAdministrator:

The Future ofGeneral Aviationin Idaho

A distinguishedaviator asked mepoint-blankduring a recentvisit, “Mike, whatis Idaho doing to

replace all of us old pilots?” It was agood question, one that undoubtedly isbeing considered by many of you. Hemust have been familiar with the lateststatistics:• The private-pilot population in the

U.S. is now at a 50-year low.• Attrition rates at flight schools are

reaching 70 percent.• Nearly every college aviation program

has experienced a solid 20 percentdecline in enrollment over the pastfour years.

The pipeline of new pilots is importantto all of us. Without a steady flow offresh-faced aviators, general aviation(GA) in America will have difficultymaintaining a strong presence. I’m a bitconcerned that companies like Cessna,Cirrus and Garmin may react to thosestatistics by curtailing their investmentsin new technology.

At the Division of Aeronautics we justcompleted our 15th Aviation CareerExploration (ACE) Academy. To date,we’ve hosted more than 400 teenagersfrom around the state for our three-day event, which includes: rocketlaunches, simulator flights, air trafficcontrol tours, navigation andbackcountry-flying. Our pilots alsohave coached more than 30 Boy Scoutsin obtaining their aviation merit badges.

My mentor, Ed Stimpson, once toldme that, “We’ll have all the pilots,mechanics, controllers and engineersthat aviation ever needs, if we can justget enough young kids in the front seatof an airplane, touching the controlstick and gazing at the view out of thewindow.” With that thought and theinspiration of the many volunteer pilotswe’re blessed to have in Idaho, GAappears to have a pretty healthy futurein this state.

Tailwinds,

On the other hand, I’m encouraged tohear that in Idaho many initiativesalready are in place to show off theexciting aviation industry to the nextgeneration.

The Idaho Wing of the Civil Air Patrolcontinues to develop young men andwomen through its cadet program andaerospace education curriculum. TheIdaho Aviation Association and theShep-Rock Foundation combine effortsto send three students throughacademic aviation programs, to the tuneof $9,000 annually.

One of the most successful aviation-introductory programs is theExperimental Aircraft Association’s(EAA) Young Eagles Program, with pilotswho have flown more than 1.5 millionchildren over the past 20 years.According to EAA Idaho Chapter 103President Jim Morrow, a few hundredkids are flown annually by Idaho EAAmembers. Jim says it’s the young girlssquealing and the big smiles of the kidsthat motivate him to “pass out a littlebit of joy” with his airplane. Rumor hasit that local EAA member Ed Dickmanhas flown more than 1,000 kids in theYoung Eagles program. Now, there’s apilot making a difference!

that participated in putting out theOrofino fire.

Hotshot Crews originated in SouthernCalifornia in the late 1940s on theCleveland and Angeles national forests.The name refers to being in the hottestpart of fires. Their specialty is wildfiresuppression, but they are sometimesassigned other jobs, including searchand rescue and disaster-responseassistance. When they are not fightingfire, hotshots work to meet resourcegoals on their home units throughthinning, prescribed fireimplementation, habitat improvementor trail construction projects.

The 20-member Hotshot crews oftenare called Type 1 Crews, but they arereally Type 1 Crews-PLUS since theyexceed the experience, training andphysical fitness required for a Type 1Crew. Their wildland fire assignmentsmay be anywhere in the United States,

or by air, we are thankful for the folkswho dedicate their lives to firefighting.In addition, we ought to know enoughabout what to do ourselves, just in casewe encounter a situation like Melissa’s.

Mike PapeITD Aeronautics Administrator

HotshotsContinued from page 2

Mexico and Canada.Trained in safe andefficient use of all firetools such as Pulaskis,chain saws, fusees,pumps and engines,Hotshots alsounderstand andpractice safehelicopter operations.

Regardless of whetherhelp arrives by foot

Page 4 Rudder Flutter

an interest in aviation. Our art contestis designed as an avenue for school-aged youth (K-12) to express theiraviation enthusiasm. Contest detailsand parameters will be mailed to schoolart teachers this fall. Please help us outby encouraging the art teachers youknow to participate by contactingdan.etter@itd.idaho.gov.

Summer Safety ConsiderationsSafety Wire

Density Altitude

The single most common, reoccurringfactor in fatal aircraft accidents in thePacific Northwest is a lack ofunderstanding about the aerodynamicsinvolved in operating in the highDensity Altitude environment.

The nine deadly sins of Density Altitude,defined by the FAA, are listed below.

Not knowing…1) your turn diameter2) your induced-power requirements3) your best position in a canyon4) your landing ground speed5) how to compute real takeoff

performance6) how to adjust Vy and Vx7) what flap position to use8) your climb gradient9) when to use short-soft-obstacle

clearance takeoffs

Knowledge, followed by relatedexperience, is the key folks! I cameacross the FAA safety video made in1966 titled, “Density Altitude withHarry Bliss.” Forty-seven years later,we still continue to witness incidentsresulting from the same misconceptions.The Bruce Meadows video also providesa good, informative visual.

Density Altitude with Harry Bliss @www.youtube.com/watch?v=ihee35QrWtk

Stinson at Bruce Meadow @www.youtube.com/watch?v=OVM3RRd1vf0

By Dan Etter,ITD Division ofAeronautics

Art Contest

The Division ofAeronauticsencouragesstudents to have

1. Who’s going tograb the first-aidkit, SAT phone,fire extinguisher,survival kit, etc.?

2. What door do Iexit, dependingon the location of

Safety WireContinued on page 18

An exciting prize package will beawarded to the first-place winners ineach category to include:

1. A round-trip flight to Boise (a parentor chaperone is required)

2. An award and certificate ofachievement from Gov. C.L.“Butch” Otter

3. A tour of the Idaho Capitol Building4. Lunch in downtown Boise5. Recognition in the Rudder Flutter

and school newspaper

Egress Training

The Division of Aeronautics staffconducted annual aircraft emergencyevacuation (egress) training in June,using the three state-owned aircraft.The four scenarios we covered caughtsome folks by surprise. We re-enacteda crash landing and aircraft fire, makingit as realistic as possible. The pilots hadtheir hands full dealing with actualemergency procedures.

Passengers, mostly Aeronauticsemployees and a few local volunteers,had the opportunity to egress and climbthrough the emergency escape hatchand cabin door where they were greetedby the Boise Air Rescue and Firefighting

(ARFF) professionals. It was exhilaratingto observe everyone in action.

The following questions had to beanswered in the heat of the moment:

the fire and winds?3. Where do I go, once I’ve evacuated

the airplane?4. Do you have any first-aid training?

Afterward, we added our 2013 “lessonslearned” to those that have beendiscussed in previous years, followedby a good “after-action review.”

Weaknesses were uncovered, but weimproved in all areas.

If you don’t train for unforeseen events,you’ll never uncover your weaknesses.Continual training is the only way towork out those kinks. What better wayto uncover them than in a safe setting,on the ground and with the help of theBoise ARFF team? I especially want tothank the ARFF professionals. Welearned about their capabilities andequipment. They learned more aboutour aircraft, such as the location of ouroxygen bottle and how to silence our406 ELTs.

I look forward to practicing again nextyear.

Egress Training

Summer 2013 Page 5

“Hell Above Earth” by Stephen Frater

This book is a World War II true andunbelievable story. A young Americanman by the name of Werner Goeringvolunteered for the Army Air Corpsearly in the war and turned out to bean exceptional pilot/bombercommander. And, incidentally, he wasthe nephew of Hermann Goering, aleading member of the Nazi party and

commander-in-chief of Germany’sLuftwaffe.

The FBI’s J. Edgar Hoover became awareof this strange happenstance and wasconcerned that the young Americanpilot might be a spy, however, he wastoo talented a pilot, and desperatelyneeded, to simply release. Nevertheless,it was important that young Goering notfall into enemy hands causing apropaganda coup in the case of livecapture or desertion. Hoover sent agentsout to find a man able and willing toshoot Werner dead should it becomenecessary to avoid his capture. Hooverfound his man, another talented pilot,who flew B-17 co-pilot withGoering while holding his orders underthe greatest secrecy. Both survived theentire war and during that time Goeringnever learned of his co-pilot’s orders.

If you have been a pilot in the Boisevalley for some years you will beacquainted with the co-pilot. I knewhim for forty years and never knew hissecret. His name was Jack Rencher.

Review by Gene Nora JessenAuthor of The Powder Puff Derby of1929, and The Fabulous Flight ofthe Three Musketeers

Bookworm

Correction:Readers,I am re-running the “Hell Above Earth”book review by Gene Nora Jessen againin this issue because an obvious errorwas made in the last issue –StephenFrater was incorrectly inserted as theco-pilot. Gene Nora intentionally leftthe name of the co-pilot anonymous soyou would get to solve the mystery.

- Editor

RogersburgContinued on page 12

Rogersburg Airstrip Fire

I saw this mountain coming at me. I didmy right turn over to the Snake River

barreling toward me like afreight train.

Despite the impending threat,I had two things going for me:I was taking off into the wind,and I had plenty of experiencetaking off from this strip. As Iproceeded down the runway, Icouldn’t see anything but anoccasional glimpse of sunlight.The plane’s nose wheel wasshimmying, and it was hitting

I was lined up on the grass runway fortakeoff. Next to me, I had a can filledwith a couple of gallons of unleadedfuel for the lawn mower. As I beganaccelerating down the runway, Iwitnessed what appeared to be the startof an enormous fire heading straightfor me.

Actually, this is not really the beginningof the story. Allow me to back up fora moment to explain what I was doingprior to this departure from theRogersburg airstrip. This dirt and grassairstrip is 1,550 feet long and parallelto the Snake River at the beginning ofHells Canyon in Washington. The BLMhad granted me permission to mow atthe newly acquired strip, and I enlistedtwo pilot friends to help me. Betweenthe three of us, we would clear somebrush and cut back the grass that hadovertaken the strip. Skip and Kennyarrived that morning with a brand newmower, and by the time I arrived inmy Cessna 172, they already had thestrip half mowed.

It was May 19, 2001. I parked at theend of the strip in front of their SuperCub. I was cutting weeds around therunway identifier poles when I suddenlyheard Skip yell, “FIRE!” Kenny and Ithrew down our tools and grabbedshovels and rags and ran half way upthe strip to the fire. Gas from the fuel-vent hole on the lawn mower hadsparked a fire when it spewed into thetall, dry grass adjacent to the airstripthat was being mowed.

We pounded down the flames as fastas we could until the wind increased,but it still morphed into a rip-roaringfire. As the wind got worse and theflames danced at five feet high, I realizedthis was a futile effort. I shouted to myfriends that we must leave NOW! I wasfirst in line to take off. My head wasdown as I went through my checklist.As soon as I glanced up, there was a20-foot wall of fire and smoke comingat me. I couldn’t see through it. Withoutfinishing my checklist, I started my 172and gave it full throttle. The fire was

Lessons Learned

the ground hard. That’s when I hearda strange bang-bang-bang noise. Finally,I gained air speed and lifted the nosewheel, taking off. Then the stall warningstarted, and I had to lower the nose as

Rogersburg Airstrip

By Gregory T. Reed

Page 6 Rudder Flutter

Summer 2013 Page 7

Heartache and the Single PilotAviation Medical Matters

By: Paul Collins, MD, AME andMike Weiss, MD, MPH, AME, CFII no symptoms occur at all. This “silent”

heart attack is more common in diabetics.

Of course, not every pain in the chest isa heart attack. Symptoms such astenderness in the muscles or ribs maybe caused by muscle strain orinflammation in a joint or the liningaround the heart or lungs. An irregularheartbeat or sudden decrease in exercisecapacity, with or without the usualsymptoms listed above, should bechecked out through blood tests,electrical tests, scans and images of thearteries that supply the heart. Even ifyou had the full gamut of cardiac testsand received a clean bill of health today,there is no guarantee that you won’t keelover with a heart attack on your wayhome.

PreventionAll of us can reduce our risk of heartdisease by following therecommendations listed below. If any of

First of all, this is not – advice for thelovelorn pilot. Rather, the discussion isabout chest pain – a condition that getsthe Federal Aviation Administration(FAA) representatives very excited, andfor good reason.

DefinitionChest pain (angina pectoris) is a specificdisqualifying condition, as is a historyof coronary heart disease – treated oruntreated, symptomatic or clinicallysignificant. An Aviation MedicalExaminer (AME) is required to refer anapplicant with this condition to the FAA.When I was in medical school, thestatistic was that one-half of all peopledie of heart disease. Of those folks, deathwas the first sign of heart disease for one-half of them. Although these statisticsprobably have improved since then, heartdisease remains the leading cause ofdeath in adults, and it is still true thatadvanced heart disease can exist withminimal or no symptoms. The firstindication often is a catastrophic heartattack, debilitating chest pain or suddendeath. Read that again, and then thinkof the implications for single-pilotoperations. Does this help youunderstand why the FAA is soconcerned?

SymptomsSymptoms of a heart attack are asqueezing chest pain, also called “angina”if there is no muscle damage; or a“myocardial infarction” when muscledamage has occurred. Sometimes thereis pain in the jaw or in the arm, usuallyon the left side. There may be shortnessof breath, nausea, vomiting, indigestion,sweating, upper back pain or just ageneral feeling of distress called malaise.Any combination of the symptoms abovemay occur, or in 25 percent of the cases,

your parents, siblings or children haveexperienced a heart attack, then yourrisk is increased. You need to adhere tothese measures religiously.

• Stop smoking or chewing tobacco.• Lose weight if your BMI indicates

that you are overweight.• Increase your exercise, unless you

already exercise at least 30 minutesa day.

• Reduce or cease alcoholconsumption.

• Make sure your diabetes, high bloodpressure or high lipids (fat in blood)are monitored often and well-controlled.

• Fly with a partner.

If the person you usually fly with is nota pilot, then, at a minimum have himor her take the free, online Aircraft

Medical MattersContinued on page 11

By: Mike Weiss, MD, MPH, AME, CFII

Conditions AME’s Can Issue (CACI)was recently included in the FAAmedical certification system. Theseconditions include: arthritis, asthma,glaucoma, chronic hepatitis C,hypertension, hypothyroidism, migraineand chronic headache, renal cancer,prostate cancer and testicular cancer.An Aviation Medical Examiner (AME)can issue a regular medical certificate

for any class when the specific criteriaon the worksheet are fulfilled.

An airman seeking qualification usingthe CACI system should:1. Download the applicable worksheet

from the FAA website (www.faa.gov)• The only conditions without one

of these worksheets are prostateand testicular cancer.

2. Bring the required supporting datafrom a treating doctor to submit toan AME at the exam.

What Is CACI?

If you fulfill therequired criteria, theAME can issue amedical certificatewithout furtherconsultation from aregional orOklahoma City flightsurgeon. Look formore informationabout this in theupcoming issues ofthe Rudder Flutter.

Page 8 Rudder Flutter

NEXRAD, Smartphones, and Thunderstormsextreme precipitation over theGrangeville area, moving northeast.The controller was unable to tell methe speed of the cells’ movement. I alsochecked the Grangeville AWOS(automated weather observing systems),which confirmed the RADAR reports.

Visually, I could see the weather wasvery dark in the direction ofGrangeville, but the weather behind it(to the west) was clear and a million.I pointed the nose of the plane towardthe clear air to the northwest of myposition. Still cautious against the stormstalling out over Grangeville, Ipresented my passengers a list ofsuitable alternates. They chose Orofino.Then I created a plan to proceed to an

thunderstorms are in full swing.Recently, I was flying some passengersfrom Boise to Grangeville. The flightwas conducted in VFR (visual flightrules) conditions, in a light single-engineaircraft. Before the flight, I checked theforecast, and it showed VFR weatherthroughout Idaho. But it also showedisolated thunderstorms in the northernhalf of the state.

The RADAR confirmed this by showingno precipitation in the southern half ofthe state, with a line of cells extendingfrom about 30 miles southwest of

Grangeville to the northeast intoCanada. The cells were moving towardthe northeast, with a clear RADARpicture to the west. I estimated that atthe speed the system was moving, itwould pass Grangeville just a fewminutes before I would arrive. As aprecaution against the possibility of mypredictions being incorrect, I chose touse McCall or Council as my diversionairports in case I needed to wait it out.

During my flight I was able to receiveupdated RADAR pictures on mysmartphone. About halfway toGrangeville, it still appeared that myprediction would be correct. I wasreceiving VFR flight following withSeattle Center, and at about 50 milesfrom Grangeville, I decided to askCenter for their observation of theRADAR picture. The controllerconfirmed my smartphone picture,saying the RADAR showed moderate to

Cockpit Conversation

By CadePreston,ITD Division ofAeronautics

We are now inthe thick ofsummer flyingand

NEXRADContinued on page 9

Summer 2013 Page 9

area about 20 miles west of Grangeville,where we could circle for about 20minutes to give Grangeville a chanceto clear up. By the time we arrived atour circling point, the GrangevilleAWOS reported the weather hadcleared and winds were less than fiveknots. About 10 minutes later, we wereon the ground safely in Grangeville.

One of the things I love about today’stechnology is the amount of informationwe can receive with our “smart” devices.These devices and many of today’saircraft are capable of receiving data-link weather and displaying NEXRAD(Next-Generation RADAR) RADARweather data. This NEXRAD weatherdata then can be overlaid on a movingmap. While these advancements intechnology can be helpful, they alsocan lure us into a false sense of security,tempting us to proceed into situations

areas of weather, not for determiningwhere to penetrate a storm.” I will addthat you should create back-up plans,including an “escape route” when youuse these devices.

As always flexibility is required whenyou fly. The mentality should be:“Nothing is so important that I must bethere today.”

NOTE: In my research for this article,I found more information than thisedition of the “Rudder Flutter” wouldallow. If you use NEXRAD, considertaking some time to research the service.Check out class offerings at the flightschools in your area or online!

NEXRADContinued from page 8

Call Idaho State Communications

208-846-7600 or 800-632-8000

Worried? Aircraft late?

NEXRAD is one of the most widelyused weather services for obtainingRADAR data. Some pilots may assumethe data displayed on the screen is thesame age as the time displayed on thescreen, therefore fooling the pilot intothinking the data is only one to twominutes old. This is simply not true.NEXRAD data is at least eight minutesold and can be up to 20 minutes old,giving the pilot a picture of where thestorms WERE located, rather thanwhere they ARE located.

Max Trescott, 2008 National CertifiedFlight Instructor of the Year wrote,“You should use NEXRAD radar todevelop strategies for avoiding wide

we may haveotherwise avoidedwithout thetechnology.

If you hear a distress signal or radio call:Note your altitude, location and time

• ATC or FSS• FSS: 800-WXBRIEF (800-992-7433)• Idaho State Communications (800-632-8000)• Local FBO• Local County Sheriff

MONITOR GUARD FREQUENCY1 2 1 . 5 !

andPASS IT ON . . . IMMEDIA TEL Y!!

Page 10 Rudder Flutter

and the goal was to have the actualground speed be as far over the handicapspeed as possible. Hence, pilots were

By Lois Chattin

Before I report about Idaho’sparticipation and results in this year’sAir Race Classic, you may find thehistory of women’s air racing to beinteresting.

In 1929, the first Women’s Air Derbymarked the beginning of women’s airracing. Twenty pilots raced from SantaMonica, Calif., to Cleveland, Ohio, siteof the National Air Races. Racingcontinued through the 1930s and wasrevived following World War II withthe origination of the All Women’sTranscontinental Air Race (AWTAR),otherwise known as the Powder Puff

(ARC No. 25: Gene Nora Jessen, PattyMitchell and Brenda Carter) finished in10th place – best ever for an Idaho team!In all, 33 teams crossed the finish linewithin the time allotted.

Next year’s race will extend fromCalifornia to Pennsylvania. It is open toall women pilots who are up for achallenge, adventure and lots ofcamaraderie with other women wholove to fly. I hope to see you there! Goto airraceclassic.org for more informationabout this fantastic event.

Idaho Women Pilots andthe Air Race Classic

COMPASS ROSE

of the race at P&Rfield near MountainHome, Idaho. Theroute took racersthrough Idaho,Utah, Wyoming,South Dakota,Nebraska,Colorado andOklahoma, endingin Fayetteville, Ark.

Each plane wasassigned ahandicap speed,

From left to right, Brenda Carter,Gene Nora Jessen, and Patty Mitchell

ARC racers Mary Ann Richards and Lois Chattin nextto Mary Ann’s Skyhawk 172

given the leewayto play theelements, holdingout for betterweather andwinds. Theobjective was tofly the “perfect”cross-country. Inthis type of race,official standingscannot bereleased until the

Derby. The AWTAR was discontinuedin 1977, and the Air Race Classic Inc.(ARC) stepped in to continue thetradition of transcontinental speedcompetition for female pilots.

The race route this year was 2,449statute miles long, and the contestantswere given four days – flying visualflight rules (VFR) in daylight hours –to reach the terminus. Scheduled tostart in Pasco, Wash., weather concernspushed the start to the first timing STOP

Actually, the last arrival couldbe the winner.

Idaho stood out this year becausethree of the 41 teams from acrossthe nation were made up of IdahoNinety Nines, including: GeneNora Jessen, Patty Mitchell,Brenda Carter, Sherry Kandle,Wendy Frazer, Mary AnnRichards and Lois Chattin. Withendurance, strategy and ladyluck, one of our own race teams

finalentrantcrossesthe finishline.

Summer 2013 Page 11

Orofino fire moves towardMelissa’s home.

guides the tankers and “checks the air.”These larger planes returned to Missoulato be refilled, and one of them returnedwith another load to Orofino.

The SEATs hold up to 800 gallons ofretardant per load; however, for safetyreasons each load is usually only 725-750 gallons. The SEAT pilot can controlthe amount or coverage of retardant oneach drop. If fuel on the ground is heavytimber, the pilot likely will release acomplete load to ensure that it reachesthe ground and coverage is good. Thepilots stationed in Grangeville are highlyqualified for wildfire (suppression), andeach year they attend training and arerecertified to continue to pilot SEATs.

When the SEATs get to the GrangevilleAir Base, support personnel on theground manage the safety of the “ramp,”the site of the retardant-reloading station.SEAT managers keep track of flying time,safety, roll times loading and compliancewith contract standards. There are atleast five interagency-dispatched

By Shawna Hartman, Type 2 PublicInformation Officer

Editor’s note: On the front cover, I mentionedthat our pilot, Melissa Kaplan, was involvedin efforts to prevent a fire from destroyingher mother’s home in Orofino. The followingis an account of the coordination involvedin putting this fire out.

The job of Air Tactical Group supervisorin the firefighting world is somewhatlike a traffic policeman at a busyintersection. In Orofino on Thursday,July 18, Air Tactical Group SupervisorJames Grasham, zone assistant firemanagement officer from IdahoPanhandle National Forest stationed inGrangeville, with pilot Dave Parkercoordinated the air support on theBrown Road Fire.

Air attack on the fire in Orofinoincluded four helicopters, four single-engine air tankers (SEATS), two heavyair tankers and a lead plane. With 11aircraft over the fire, one could imaginethe potential chaos, hence the need forsomeone to coordinate the effort.

Thanks to effective regionalcommunication and local pre-positionedair resources, the aerial attack wasimmediate for the Brown Road fire. Theterrain in that area makes on-the-groundfirefighting difficult, and the aerial attackallowed local firefighters to responddirectly to the homes for structureprotection. Circling above the fire,Grasham was able to talk with firefighterson the ground as well as pilotssupporting fire suppression. Incoordination with the ground incidentcommander, the Air Tactical Groupsupervisor sets objectives for the fire anddirects each retardant or water drop.

In Orofino last week, the helicopterswere able to dip from nearby ponds andcool hot spots while the SEATs returnedto the Grangeville Tanker Base wherethey reloaded retardant. The heavy airtankers were flown from Missoula toassist with the Braun Road fire also. The“heavy” tankers are larger planes thatcan carry up to 2,000 gallons ofretardant; they require a lead plane. Thelead plane identifies the line in whichair tanker pilots will drop their retardant.While identifying that line, the lead plane

Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA)Pinch Hitter course given by the Air SafetyFoundation. The 99s also offer this kindof Flying Companion training.Remember, your regular passengers canget some basic instruction from a CertifiedFlight Instructor even if they don’t intendto get a license. Some schools offer low,introductory rates for initial flights, anda medical certificate is not required unlessa rating is pursued. As part of yourpreflight, give your passenger a briefingabout what to do if you becomeincapacitated for any reason. Familiarizethem with the controls and the radio inyour airplane. It’s probably not the mostcomforting thing to talk about at thebeginning of a flight, but that doesn’tmake it a bad idea.

What to do if chest pain occursduring a flightFinally, if you do suffer sudden, severechest pain while flying, it is as much ofan emergency as an in-flight fire. Youneed to get on the ground ASAP. Squawk

Medical MattersContinued from page 7

Behind the Scenes of Air Attack

7700 on your transponder. If you haveoxygen, use it, regardless of the altitude.If that eases the pain, great, but it doesnot change the necessity to landimmediately and obtain medical help.An airport with firefighting services on-site would be preferred, since everyfirefighter is a trained Emergency MedicalTechnician. But it is better to radio forhelp or dial 911 on your cell phone andland. Once you reach medical care, yourchances of surviving are much better.

TreatmentMedicine and surgery may be required,as well as a long period of recovery, butreturning to flying after appropriatetreatment and follow-up testing is apossibility. In many cases, a pilot canapply for a medical certification threemonths after a heart valve repair orinsertion of a stent, six months after aheart attack or bypass surgery. Even aheart transplant can be considered formedical certification after one year. TheFAA will require that steps be taken todecrease risk factors. Don’t wait for thisto become mandatory. Be proactive andget started on the preventive actionslisted above today.

personnel that assist at the tanker base.As fire activity increases in the area,more aircraft are called in; and in turn,more support personnel will arrive tohelp manage the tanker base.

The Idaho Department of Lands (IDL)and the U.S. Forest Service work closelytogether and share use of the SEATs. IDLholds the contract with the SEATcompanies, while the U.S. Forest Serviceprovides the airport support and staffingto maintain the Grangeville Tanker Base.This mutual-aid agreement allows bothentities use of this valuable firefightingresource without carrying the financialburden alone. The SEATs’ usefulness andefficiency of all personnel involved wereexhibited on the Brown Fire. The air showover Orofino was entertaining as well.

Page 12 Rudder Flutter

Calendar of Events

to avoid a collision, but my enginestarted coughing and sputtering.

Immediately, I began searching for aplace to land this bird within the deepcanyon with steep sides. There was ariver, a road with telephone poles, andupcoming wires with the large orangeballs crossing the river near Heller Barboat ramp. This could be a really badday, I thought. Then suddenly, theengine caught and was running

122.9, I verified that he was fine andasked him to look at my tires. Ienvisioned them being burned throughor smoking, at least. But he looked andtold me they were fine. After an audiblesigh of relief, I headed back home toLewiston, Idaho, to report the fire. I feltlike I’d just flown out of hell, and it washeaven to get back home.

In retrospect, the engine must have beenrunning poorly because there was nooxygen in the air on the runway. Alsothe air was thinner, so the densityaltitude couldn’t have been good. After

this experience, I realize that fires maketheir own weather conditions. By sharingthis close encounter with you, I hopethat you don’t ever risk getting close toa fire with your airplane, unless you area trained firefighting professional.

Oh yeah, and if I’m in that situationagain, I’ll have a large fire extinguisherplaced on the lawn mower. I’m prettysure that the whole fiasco would havebeen prevented, if we had been preparedfor the fire. Contact Greg atgregtreed@hotmail.com.

RogersburgContinued from page 5

smoothly. Iactually made itover the orangeballs and up intothe canyon.Thank God!

Still ruminatingabout thebanging noisethat I heard onthe runway, Idecided to checkon Kenny. Using

Reed and his Sport Cub atRogersburg Airstrip in 2007

Greg T. Reed

Summer 2013 Page 13

By Dave Parker, Boundary CountyAirport Manager

Good news! We just received a StudentExchange Visitor Information System(SEVIS) response, meaning that we arenow able to take international studentsand issue VISAs all the way throughCommercial. www.northernair.biz

Bonners Ferry

See Radio ChatterContinued on page 14

spin departures (the left skidding turnfrom base to final simulation wasdemonstrated twice). Stowell talkedthrough the spins over the radio tohandhelds on the ground, one of whichwas positioned next to a microphonehooked up to a loudspeaker.

It was well worth the one-hour trip fromBoise. Many pilots have never gonethrough spin training. It can be a fearfulexperience for many, but it is well worththe cost. And, it might just save yourlife someday. My spin instructors’ advicewas to go through this training every 3-5 years. Sloppy base-to-final turns andengine-out with loss of airspeed andhot-dogging have resulted in manystall/spin accidents. In fact, stall/spinsaccount for 12 percent of generalaviation accidents but upwards of 20-25 percent of fatal accidents. I plan toinvite Rich to our October Safety StandDown Day.

The program was successful enoughthat a second annual Food, Forum &Flight Safety Program may be plannedfor next year. Until then, check outStowell’s cockpit video footage duringthe spin demos on his YouTube channel:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J9xYX8R_uUU 

Cascade Airport work partyShowtime started at 0900 with a workparty of three. We had 83 runway andtaxi lights to dig up and unplug. “HadI made a terrible mistake?” I wondered.At 1000, a C-185 landed, and twogentlemen exited the airplane withshovels in-hand. The cavalry hadarrived! After hearing about thechallenges Ray Arnold was experiencing,Stan and Hoy flew in from Redmond,Ore., to lend a helping hand. 

My four amigos had a combined age of307 years. As the young guy of thegroup, I definitely wanted to hold myown, but I also entertained visions ofpossibly holding the other four fromfalling over. As the temperature steadilyincreased, I began to wonder where tofind the first-aid station and how thisday would end.

I’m a little embarrassed to admit that Iwas the first to retreat for water. These

four guys worked their tails off. Then,Ray’s pilot, Walt, joined the fun. I wasno longer the young stud. Four hourslater, we completed one-half of the airportlights, ate lunch, and sat quietly in Ray’sfixed base operation, not for lack ofwords, but from sheer exhaustion. Beforeheading home, Stan and I exchangedbusiness cards. His card reads “AirportBum” (C-185, PA-12 pilot). He washardly a bum. Really, he reminded memore of John Wayne in the movie “FlyingTigers.” As time marches on, I sure hopeI’ll have the same strength and staminaas my five new friends, Ray, Kent, Stan,Hoy and Walt.

Boise

Priest River

Cascade

By Jim Caviglia

Sept 7, 2013 Fly-InThe FAA is going to do a “WINGS”program on traffic patterns at 9 a.m.with a program by Northwest MedStarair ambulance at 10 a.m. NorthwestMedStar will display their Pilatus PC-12 single engine turboprop and theirEC-135 helicopter. All PIC’s who flyin will eat for free.

ConstructionWe are in the process of a majorconstruction process right now. Ourtie down area is being moved and ashort taxiway is being added fromthe new hangar construction area tothe new tie down area. The accessfrom Highway 57 is also being paved.The construction will be finishedmid-August.

Review of Stall/Spin TrainingBy Dan Etter, ITD Division ofAeronautics

Fifty pilots and guests recently gatheredat the Cascade Airport (U70) for aFood, Forum & Flight Safety Programhosted by Rich Stowell and the BoiseFAASTeam. The crisp morning beganwith a breakfast of scrambled eggs,sausage and pancakes at Kelly’sRoadside Grill, then transitioned intoa rapid-fire, 45-minute talk on stall/spinawareness followed by a live spindemonstration over the airport in aSuper Decathlon.

Participants observed from the groundas Stowell performed a total of eight

Balloon NewsBy Scott Spencer, President of LighterThan Air, Director of Spirit of BoiseBalloon Classic

Balloonists are always happy to sharetheir sport, as am I with you. In the lastissue of the Rudder Flutter, you mayrecall the article recounting our activitieswith the movie “Oz the Great &Powerful.” There are many more excitingadventures for us in the pipeline withDisney, as well as other exciting newsfrom the ballooning community.

“Now wait a minute,” you might say.“I’m not sure that balloonists qualify aspilots.” And to that, I’ll offer my usualdefense. Just like fixed-wing pilots,sailplane drivers, or helicopter pilots, wealso man controls and make similardecisions. The major difference is thatwe don’t know where our destinationwill be exactly, which seems perfectlynormal to me. Friends, we are both flyingin the same airspace, and it is my hope

Work party Ray, Hoy, Walt, Stan,Dan and Kent

Radio Chatter

Page 14 Rudder Flutter

See Ninety-NinesContinued on page 18

challenges have existed for pilots againthis year because of the highertemperatures, especially here in Boise.A 75-degree day sunrise exceeds ourability to operate safely. As heat rises,the atmosphere quickly becomesunstable enough to cause verticalcurrents that simply aren’t a balloonpilot’s friend.

Additionally, consider what it’s likestanding under 28,000,000 Btu’s(British thermal units) of released energyon a warm day. Hence, we are waitingpatiently for a break from the heat intime for the 22nd Spirit of Boise BalloonClassic in Ann Morrison Park, beginningthe morning of Aug. 28 and continuingthrough Sept. 1.

This year’s Balloon Classic will consistof nearly 50 balloons, with pilotstraveling from as far away as Malaysia,launching in the mornings from ourballoon port at the park. The popular“Nite Glow,” will be held the eveningof Friday, Aug.30. Fewer than a dozenflight opportunities are still available.For more details take a look at

that sharing our experiences will helpbring us all closer together as the flyingcommunity of Idaho.

Summer is always a busy passengerseason for ballooning in Idaho, but

Radio ChatterContinued from page 13

See Radio ChatterContinued on page 15

www.spiritofboise.com orwww.scottspencer.net, or call (208) 375-0512.

Other exciting news is that finishingtouches for a balloon-launch area withinEagle Island State Park are almostcomplete thanks to the collaboration ofIdaho Department of Parks andRecreation Director Nancy Merrill, theGovernor’s office and the rangers andstaff at Eagle Island State Park.

May All Your Landings In Life Be Soft!

App UpdateBy Mark Lessor,ITD Division of Aeronautics

We now have an Android version of theIdaho Airport Facility DirectoryApplication available on the Google PlayApp store. Google Play is the standardapp store for Android apps.

Summer 2013 Page 15

Nampa

GoodingInstructors - Get Ready for FIRC 2013By Jennifer Christiano,Ponderosa Aero Club

Within the flight-instructor community,few things are more important thanmaintaining certification. Instructorstoday have several options for doing so.However, if you’re an instructor lookingfor a personal and enjoyable learningexperience, the Idaho Flight InstructorRefresher Clinic (FIRC) is for you. Inthis collegial group setting, the emphasisis not only on learning, but also onshared ideas, new developments,collaboration and camaraderie.

The February 2013 clinic, last year, wasthe first Idaho FIRC offered under thenew leadership of Ponderosa Aero Club(PAC) of Boise. The next FIRC clinicwill be Oct. 11-12 at a new location,the popular AvCenter located at theNampa Airport. PAC is using this

location to promote variety and toexpand its reach to instructors outsideof the immediate Boise/Gowen area.

New leadership includes: PAC staffmembers Jennifer Christiano, as chiefinstructor; William Foote, as assistantchief; and Sharki Kontra, as eventplanner extraordinaire. Together, theyplan to merge the familiar with theinnovative to create events that will bestserve the pilot-instructor communitywell into the future.

The FIRCs are open to all members ofthe pilot community if space is availableafter instructors have registered. At $125a seat, 40 seats are available on a first-come, first-served basis. PAC is hostingthe FIRCs as a service to the pilotcommunity, and this fee is sufficient tocover the cost of producing the event.Register by calling Ponderosa Aero Clubat (208) 344-5401 or use their onlineform at www.PonderosaAero.org.

Thank You to EAA Chapter 103,Nampa, By Natalie Bergevin

Following Memorial Day, the NampaEAA chapter invited our Eastern Idaho

Chapter 407 to help participate in theB-17 tour at the Nampa Airport. Wewere so grateful for the invite, gracioushospitality and the rides in the B-17.You treated us like royalty. Thank youNampa Chapter!

Radio ChatterContinued from page 14

See Radio ChatterContinued on page 17

Review of Young Eagles Air Rally inGooding for the Idaho School for theDeaf and Blind (ISDB), By Nola Orr The annual Young Eagles Air Rally forthe Idaho School for the Deaf and Blind(ISDB) was held May 6. Thanks tovolunteer pilots, this annual eventprovides free airplane rides for each of

Page 16 Rudder Flutter

Prop Strikes

flying and increased risk of strikingobjects on unimproved airstrips.Consider the following scenario:You have just made a beautiful approachand landing into your favoritebackcountry airstrip. You park yourairplane and after exiting to unpack,you discover a dent in your propellerblade! Now what?

Most small airplanes use eitherTeledyne Continental Motors (TCM)or an Avco Lycoming engine; therefore,I will address these. If your aircraft has

a different engine manufacturer, pleaserefer to your engine’s servicepublications for related information.

Referring to the latest bulletin,Continental Service Bulletin SB96-11Bdated July 7, 2008, and LycomingMandatory Service Bulletin #533Bdated Oct. 12, 2013, (which are closein wording and are identical in intent)a prop strike is technically defined as:

(1) Any incident, whether or not theengine is operating, that requiresrepair to the propeller other thanminor dressing of the blades, or

(2) Any incident while the engine isoperating in which the propellermakes contact with ANY objectthat results in a loss of engine RPM.

Basically, if a strike incident (water,snow, bird or ground) causes a decrease

Tech Talk

By TimHenderson,ITD Divisionof Aeronautics

Summertimeactivities includemorebackcountry

in engine RPM, or other than minordressing, any damage to the prop thatrequires repair by a qualified proprepairman, then this is considered aprop strike or sudden engine stoppage.

If your prop strike qualifies under thedefinition above, both Continental andLycoming provide the samespecifications. Not only does the propneed to be repaired, the engine also isrequired to be completely disassembled,along with an inspection of all rotatingassemblies completed with reference tocriteria in each service bulletin – anoverhaul! And, this must beaccomplished before further flight!

In addition to increasing yourknowledge base and understanding,these service bulletins could provehandy to support your case. I’ve beentold the FAA considers a prop withgrass stains as a prop strike and thiscould be enough to ground your aircraftat a ramp check. Although this may notbe enough to convince an inspector toside with you entirely, these servicebulletins may help you reach aninformed agreement.

Idaho’s backcountryairstrips offer a greatgetaway for thosewho enjoy morerustic pleasures, butkeep in mind thateach airfield has itsown little “gotchas,”such as rodent holesand mounds, rocksor hidden objects intall grass.

I bring these servicebulletins to yourattention as a greatreference in caseyou suspect a propstrike. Read thembefore you react tothe urge tostraighten that bladeand fly it out. Itmight make thedifference!

Summer 2013 Page 17

the students at the school. Dale Cresap,Young Eagles Coordinator for theExperimental Aircraft Association (EAA),coordinated the 40 flights. Under theleadership of Natalie Bergevin ofBlackfoot, EAA Chapter 407 is aspringboard for recruiting pilots andground crew for the rally from a largearea that includes Idaho Falls, Blackfootand Pocatello. After weeks of anticipation, this year’sstudents were pretty excited by the timethey arrived at the airport. Althoughweather again resulted in postponement,there was no trace of disappointmenton anyone’s face on the big day. Thecommunication gap was bridged withmutual big grins. One of the pilotsbrought tablets and pencils for thechildren to jot down their thoughts. Thestudents especially enjoyed the sensationof movement, as well as placing theirhands on the aircraft controls to feel the

Radio ChatterContinued from page 15

corresponding changes as they arepressed back and forth or tipped sideto side.

Chesley B. Sullenberger and JeffreySkiles, the pilot and co-pilot of the planethat went down on the Hudson riverin 2009, are co-chairmen of the EAA’sYoung Eagles youth introduction-to-aviation program. Each student receiveda Young Eagle’s’ certificate with their

signatures on it, as well as the signatureof the pilot who personally flew them.Names of the students are entered asYoung Eagles in the world’s largestlogbook at the EAA AirVentre Museumin Oshkosh, Wisc.

On behalf of the EAA, thank youvolunteers! This event would not bepossible without you!

Gooding Young Eagles

I believe, more recently, that tornado-related deaths moved into second place.Let’s get to the story: Here is a little ofwho, what and why.

I was a Huey pilot assigned to FortCarson to support the III Corp Medevacmission at all five installations with 15Hueys. We were assigned there,temporarily, to cover for the originalBlackhawk crews who were deployedto Iraq after the handoff in early 2003.God bless those guys. Shortly after theirarrival in Iraq, they lost a few aircraftto shoulder-fired weapons and smallarms, including an unforgettable young,freckly-faced E-4. Before leaving, neverto return, he went out of his way toshow me the best way to clear the snowoff the tarmac so we could get our “first-up” aircraft out of the hangar. Othernecessary training we received includedthe mountain-training course knownas “HAATS” (High Altitude AviationTraining). This training paid off! Themission that stands out the most tookplace in the late afternoon, as the stormrolled north of Colorado Springs.

The following is the mission summaryfor July 12, 2003:

Waldo Canyon MEDEVAC MissionMEDEVAC Operations received arequest for Air Ambulance at 1824 localtime (L) from the Fort CarsonEmergency CommunicationCenter. The Air Ambulance request hadbeen turned down by civilian operatorsbecause of the potential need for arescue hoist, as well as limited landing-zone capability in the area. A 47-year-old female was struck by lightning whilehiking in Waldo Canyon, located tenmiles north of Colorado Springs. EVAC01 was launched at 1829 L and arrivedat the pickup site at 1845 L.Crewmembers for this mountain rescuewere fully mission-capable to includeHAATS mountain qualification. EVAC01 crew for the July 12, 2003, missionincluded: pilot Capezzuto, crew chiefDavis, medic Salazar, and me as pilot-in-command. Layton was theMEDEVAC mission coordinator on dutyin operations, and he was instrumentalin bridging the communication betweencivilian ground personnel and the flightcrew, as well as running operations.

EVAC 01 arrived at the Pick-up Zone(PZ) and conducted a mountain-landing zone sequence and power-

management brief. Initial PZcommunicated by civilian groundpersonnel was a single-track trail alongthe side of the mountain pass at 7500Pressure Altitude (PA) and 28 °C.  EVAC01 crew effectively analyzed the terrain,wind and atmospheric conditions anddetermined that aircraft power capabilitywas not available for using the rescuehoist at their current mission profile.

In-flight power management briefconfirmed that sufficient Out of GroundEffect (OGE) hover power was notavailable. The crew located a pinnacleapproximately one-half mile from thepatient location and began a landing-zone sequence evaluation. EVAC 01determined sufficient power wasavailable and location was large enoughto support aircraft operations. EVAC01 landed for patient pickup. Theaircraft was shut down to conserve fuelfor remainder of mission while patientwas repositioned for loading.  After thepatient was relocated to the pinnaclePZ, EVAC 01 departed with the patientat 1940 L and arrived at the MemorialHospital by 1946 L.

I walked back through the hangar doorfeeling darned good. Missionaccomplished. We had just saved a life.I stopped for a moment, turned andlooked back at the front range of theRocky Mountains. I couldn’t help butthink about the young E-4 who lost hislife in battle. He was 18 and married,with a child. He most likely would haveparticipated in this mission and returnedto the warmth of his home and family,however he was called to duty and dieda hero.

To this day, I still cannot express inwords the gratitude I feel toward peoplewho put their lives on the line so thatthe rest of us can return to our familiesevery night. My mission seemed to palein comparison, although I was thankfulfor the training that had enabled me tofly into Waldo Canyon, resulting inanother survivor.

Each year, lightning permanently injureshundreds of people. Lightning can causeserious, lifelong neurological injuries.Learn more about lightning safety onthe National Weather Service websiteat www.nws.noaa.gov.

Mission to Waldo Canyon

A line of storms had just rolled throughthe city of Colorado Springs, which islocated 75 miles south of Denver and30 miles north of Pueblo. The area isextremely picturesque, as you canimagine. The storm produced some ofthe most spectacular lighting we hadever seen. Mother Nature, at her finestmoment, wreaked havoc throughoutthe region. Our first-up Medevac crewwatched from the hangar door as thestorm blew past the ridgeline, lightingthe skies north towards Denver. I wastold that Colorado has approximately530,000 lightning strikes per year; andthat over the past 50 years, Coloradohas the fifth-highest lightning-fatalityrate in the nation. I had read thatlightning is the second-greatest causeof storm-related deaths in the UnitedStates, and only floods kill more people.

Safety WireContinued from page 4

Page 19Summer 2013

Summer 2013

Name This Airfield Contest!The photograph posted in the last issuecaptured an aviation breakfast on June 12,1949, at the Emmett Airport (S78). Breakfastincluded 400 pounds of ham, 2,004 eggs,250 cherry pies, 600 pounds of potatoes,2,000 biscuits, 3 gallons of coffee, and 500ripe cherries. Afterward, participants wereinvited to attend a boat regatta at BlackCanyon Dam. Sounds like the Era of theGolden Age, right?

No one was able to correctly identify EmmettAirport from the last issue. Emmett Airportconstruction began in 1930. When thephoto was taken in 1949, the runway hadjust been graded and airport improvementswere made which totaled $8,200. A golfcourse was constructed on both sides of therunway in 1952 to beautify the airport. In1991, the runway was extended to itspresent length and an airport dedicationwas held on Nov 6.

The first correct response to laura.adams@itd.idaho.gov will receivea prize, and the first ten correct responses will be published with theright answer in the next “Rudder Flutter” issue.