April, 2013

Director to Retire KRBG Director Danielle plans to leave post this summer.

Pilot Error May all your mistakes be little ones.

Whazzat? Have you ever seen one of these little classics?

Tom Amorde RV-7A Yet another RV will soon be in the pattern at KRBG.

FOD Report Gee Mildred, I thought it was running a little rough.

Airport Information

Roseburg Regional Airport Newsletter Mike Danielle Airport Director

(541)492-6873 (O) (541)784-7155 (C)

Email: mdanielle@cityofroseburg.org

Next Airport Commission

meeting April 17 at 3:30

Roseburg City Hall.

Roseburg Airport Direc-tor Mike Dan-ielle has an-nounced his decision to retire effec-tive June 30, 2014. Mike has pur-chased a home and hangar in Cottage Grove

and plans to make Roseburg his #1 choice for $100 hamburger runs. “Roseburg will always feel like my home airfield”, says Mike.

Mike began his flying career in 1969 in a C-150. He joined Air Force and he took his pilot training at Columbus AFB, Mississippi. He was assigned to fly C-47’s at Danang, RVN and Nakhon Phanom, Thai-land, the KC-135 air tanker at Fairchild and was a T-38 instructor/evaluator at Laughlin AFB, TX. Mike went on to fly U-2’s and serve as squadron com-mander at Beale AFB, near Marysville CA from 1970 to 1990 when he retired as a Lt. Col.

The only airplane he has owned is the red Great Lakes biplane, which he purchased in 2004. He has

type ratings in B-707, B720, CE-550, bunches of Cessna singles and twins, Piper singles and twins

“Chuck Yeager briefed my squadron in 1988. He said above all else, “Know your systems.” I had a beer with his buddy Bob Hoover in KC, MS. Listened to “Chappie” James talk about blowing over sailboats on Lakes Charles in a P-47 during WWII while he flew in the segregated Army Air Corps. He said, “They wouldn’t let you white boys fly with us.” Mike said, “My time in the U-2 program cumulative-ly was the most memorable and rewarding. ( http://www.southernoregonwarbirds.us/v31.html#mike ) I saw and did things that make for good stories the rest of my life. The scariest flight was crashing in a C-47 at NKP (http://6994th.com/?page_id=120) The only reason I was on this flight was to get my $67 combat pay before shipping out for home!! My longest flight was 14.2 hours non-stop from Beale AFB, Ca. to RAF Alconbury, UK. Most interesting flight. Did you know when over the North pole, no matter which direction you go, you will be flying south? I wasted my entire life in aviation flying 6600 hours and enjoyed every minute of it.”

City Manager Lance Colley has directed the contin-ued funding of the part-time Airport Director posi-tion in the FY 2014-2015 Airport budget. A job opening announcement is expected soon.

Airport Director Announces Retirement

The March edition of Sport Aviation contained a very good article on flying safety by J. Mac McClel-lan. “Mac” outlines the various techniques used over the years to reduce aircraft accidents and the fact that, still, most often the leading accident cause is listed as “pilot error”. So we’re flying some of the most perfectly engineered machines ever devised and, in spite of that, we make mis-takes that cause accidents and fatalities. Cockpit Resource Management techniques apply to not only air carriers and military but also to the savvy solo pilot and can go a long way towards increasing safety. The secret lies not in eliminating mistakes (not humanly possible) but striving to make sure our mistakes are the little ones that are not likely to cause an accident. Mac’s article should be re-quired reading and lead to more investigation by each of us.

Pilot Error – Make Em’ Small The long-established Buhl Stamping Company of Detroit, Michi-gan expanded into aviation in 1925. After the stock

market crash of 1929 sales of Buhl's well-regarded Airsedan abruptly dried up and they designed this small sport airplane to keep the company afloat through hard times. Sales of the single-seat, shoul-der-winged Bull Pup, introduced in 1930, was not enough to keep Buhl Aircraft solvent and it folded in 1933. The Bull Pup was sold with the options of shorter wings for competition, longer wings for high altitude flying and floats. The original engine used was the Szekely 3-cylinder air-cooled radial of just 45 horsepower. From WAAAM website.

Whazzat? – Spotted at Cottage Grove

Joe Messinger photo

Mike Danielle Photo

Roseburg Regional Airport Newsletter page 2 April 2013

Roseburg Regional Airport Information

Latitude: 43°14.3°'N

Longitude: 123°21.2'W

Runway: 16/34: 5,002 x 100

Taxiway: 5,002 x 50

Lighting:

Pilot Controlled Lighting

16: MIRL, REIL

34: MIRL, REIL, VASI

Navigational Aid: 108.2 VOR, DME

Airfield Elevation: 525 MSL

Frequencies: UNICOM 122.8

McMinnville: FSS 122.55

ASOS Frequency: 135.475

ASOS Telephone: (541) 673-1483

FBO Telephone/

Fax: Cell:

(541) 673-4722

(541) 430-8339

EAA Chapter 495 President, Steve Truesdale (541) 673-3030

Roseburg Wings &

Wheels Assoc.

President, Paul Schafer (541) 513-4579

Secretary, Mike Danielle (541) 492-6873

Tom Amorde is an airplane builder’s builder. If you visit his hangar at Rose-burg Airport you’ll find a nearly com-pleted Vans RV-7A. This is the third airplane the 850 hour pilot has built. The first one was a Glasair 2S, which he began construction on in 1990. That airplane was sold and can now be seen in the bay area. His next project was the higher performance low wing Glasair 3, which was purchased by a buyer in England. Ferry tanks were fitted and it was flown across the Atlantic to its new home.

Tom said he had always wanted to fly and tried to start when he was assigned to a MATS squadron based at Hickam field in Hawaii. He said they had an aero club and every time a lesson was sched-uled duty would call and he’d have to fly out on a mission. He start-ed flying in 1983 when he purchased a new Piper Warrior and leased it back to the local flying service to help with his income tax-es. The Warrior was also sold, fitted with ferry tanks and flown to England. Tom has also owned two V-tail Bonanzas. He admitted that the Bonanza did have a tendency to wander a bit but he said it

was not a big deal and he loved the air-plane.

The RV-7A is his first attempt at a constructing a metal airplane and he said he prefers working in glass. His latest project is fitted with a new Lycoming IO 360, a nor-mally 180 horse power engine modified by Ly-Con. They ported the engine and fitted it with high compression pistons. Tom said it now dynos at 221 horses. With its constant speed prop, this RV should really show some performance on takeoff. The all glass panel and two axis auto pilot should make it a great cross country bird.

Tom expects to have the goodies hooked up, fuel tanks tested and be able to do his first engine start in a month or so. He’s looking forward to getting the airplane signed off and inspected for its first flight soon after that.

Tom Amorde Soon to Join Van’s Air Force

As soon as the ground will support vehicle traffic around the site of the old Airport sign at the north end of the airport, a new sign will be erected. The design is a three-dimensional aluminum box sign with prismatic, pad-mounted lettering and will prominently wel-come visitors to Roseburg and the Roseburg Regional Aiport. Col-ors in the sign will closely match those of the Marion Carl Memorial sign at the South end of the Airport.

Sign Replacement Project Nearing Completion

Strangest FOD found on KRBG Runway: An aircraft spark plug! With ignition wire attached!!!

Hey Fella...Did you loose something??

Photos by Joe Messinger