Summer 2013
SEAE
more than 50 exhibitors
September 27-28 GMU pg. 6
Avia tio
receive WINGS credit
A publication of the South Carolina Aviation Association
n
Review k e We
SCAA’s President’s Letter I hope everyone had an enjoyable summer. If you are like me, you welcome the arrival of fall and cooler temperatures, the return of football season and cheering on my favorite team, and the opportunity to attend the annual Southeast Aviation Expo (SEAE). This year’s Expo is September 27 and 28 at the Greenville Downtown Airport (GMU) and is going to be a great time.
The SEAE is fast becoming a premier aviation event in the Southeast. It provides pilots and aviation enthusiasts an opportunity to view the latest products and cutting-edge technology and to hear from nationally recognized speakers like Ed Bolen, president of the National Business Aviation Association, and former Blue Angels pilot and retired U.S. Navy Lt. Cmdr. Scott “Yogi” Beare. Attendees can also participate in aviation training offered throughout the event. Joe Frasher, A.A.E., Airport Manager for the Greenville Downtown Airport, and his entire staff are excited to host the Expo again this year. The Expo Committee has put together a superb slate of more than 50 exhibitors and informative educational sessions. As a South Carolina Aviation Association member, your admission to the Expo is free. Come join us and take advantage of all the outstanding events and excitement this event offers.
Your Aviation Association Board of Directors continues to work hard to promote aviation interests in South Carolina. Aviation Week was a big success and included greater participation and recognition for aviation activities all across our state. The annual Aerospace Industry dinner at the University of South Carolina, hosted by your associaton and the South Carolina Aeronautics Commission, is becoming a must-attend event that showcases aeronauctical industry and businesses in South Carolina. Dinner attendance was great and reflects the growing importance of education for aviation professionals so we can continue to build and strengthen our South Carolina workforce. The board has selected this year’s scharlorship recipients and will make an announcement about three deserving students soon. Association memberships have increased and the response to the Aviation Ambassador Passport Program has been phenomenal. These activities are made possible by your involvement and membership in the South Carolina Aviation Association. I thank each of you for your continued commitment to lead the way in taking aviation interest in South Carolina to a higher level. Take care, and I hope to see you at the Expo. Bill New SCAA President
2 • Palmetto Aviation
New This Year at the Southeast Aviation Expo The Cirrus Owners Pilots Association Southern Region will make a weekend event out of the Southeast Aviation Expo. COPA members are invited to an education session from 11 a.m. – noon on “ForeFlight Optimization” with Jason Miller, cofounder of ForeFlight. (All attendees are welcome to attend.) COPA members will have a private lunch sponsored by the association, with an education session ”Advanced Engine Management for Cirrus Aircraft” presented by Continental Motors. For information on other COPA activities please email gegaige@gmail.com.
Five sessions at the SEAE will be eligible for WINGS Pilot Proficiency Program credit.
1/2 credit for Basic Knowledge Topic 3 1/2 hour total for AMT See page 6 for the sessions offering credit.
The South Carolina Aviation Safety Council will present a seminar on Light Business Aircraft (LBA) Safety Management.
Speaker Cliff Jenkins with Miliken will compare the safety record of LBA/Single Pilot Operations to Part 91 Corporate and Part 121 Airline operations. He willalso show how single pilot and LBA operators can better manage their safety system by utilizing Hazard and risk analysis to achieve similar results as the 91/121 operators.
See page 6 for details.
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Summer 2013 • 3
SC Aeronautics Commission Report By Paul Werts, Executive Director
Governor Haley recognized the importance and value of aviation in South Carolina by proclaiming August 19-23 as Aviation Week. The South Carolina Aviation Association (SCAA) and the South Carolina Aeronautics Commission (SCAC) partnered to create public awareness and increase aviation participation during a week long campaign, held in conjunction with National Aviation Week. SCAC thanks the SCAA and its members for its efforts in spotlighting aviation during the celebration. SCAC received many city and county council proclamations recognizing the value of their airport and many storylines capturing the freedom of flight. SCAA also hosted a scholarship golf tournament during the week to help support the next generation of the aviation community. Aviation transportation means connecting airplanes to airports, and also connecting airplanes to aerospace manufacturing. During Aviation Week, aerospace manufacturing companies (OEMs) were recognized during a dinner at the University of South Carolina McNair Center as major contributors to aircraft development. The USC McNair Center is the “fuselage main spar” that will carry South Carolina’s aviation educational future in research and development forward and provide the future of aeronautical engineering to the state’s workforce. I encourage you to visit SCAA’s facebook page to read about the exciting events held during Aviation Week.
As SCAC begins a new fiscal year, financial assistance grants are available to publicly owned airports, and SCAC offers limited aviation planning and engineering assistance to airports that request this service. SCAC continues to make enormous strides in providing aviation data electronically and we encourage you to visit scaeronautics.com for flight planning or airport needs. Recently, SCAC 4 • Palmetto Aviation
posted an events link on the website, displaying aviation events happening monthly. Please forward any events to be posted. The Commission continues to make great strides in displaying geographic information mapping and data system information (GIS). I call this the “Galaxy Sky’s System,” an endless wealth of information that will someday replace the processes of airport master planning, enhance business development agreements and significantly enhance flight information systems. I am proud to say, SCAC is way ahead of other state aviation departments in this area of mapping information technology. We strongly believe in this emerging technology, and we hope you find it useful as well. SCAC would also like to hear if the web page is fulfilling your needs and what areas we need improvement. Also, SCAC continues to promote aviation awareness by: making presentations at social, civic, and business events; promoting general aviation awareness and the process of becoming a pilot through discovery flights; and helping others understand the freedom chartering or ownership of an airplane, for business or pleasure, offers. If you belong to a civic or business organization that may be interested, contact us to schedule our General Aviation Liaison.
Every day brings a new challenge, and looking forward to the upcoming federal budget continues to be a great concern. In all likelihood, Congress will approve a continuing resolution of the FAA budget, but Congress continues to struggle on a long term operational budget, which places aviation programs in danger. Without long term financial stability, the FAA’s contract tower program and the decisions on how to manage the FAA flight controller’s operational budget will be based on general budget appropriations. With the demand of aviation user infrastruc-
ture such as NextGen, and the possibility of eliminating VOR and NDB approaches from the air traffic control systems, aviation taxation strategic plans are not being executed by a long term objective. In 2015, the airport improvement act will expire. In my opinion, we may see significant programing changes on how airports are funded, fees are collected and what programs will be taken from the tax user system. Managing changes is an everyday challenge but we must be prepared to adjust and seek what is best for aviation. Aviation has many indirect benefits to all Americans. Both general and commercial aviation is a leading indicator of the United States economic prosperity, and we must continue to stress this message. We need to continue to participate in aviation events such as SCAA’s upcoming Southeast Aviation Expo at Greenville Downtown Airport, SC Aviation Safety Council (SCAC) meetings and the AOPA safety seminars sponsored by SCAC; attend South Carolina Aviation Breakfast Club; or participate in the Aviation Ambassador Passport Program. Join a local Experiential Aircraft Association chapter and participate in their flying activities or maybe you have a dream of building an airplane and need suggestions from other EAA members. And be sure to read about how one SCAC employee and his son attended a Triple Tree Fly-In event that not only bonded their aviation passion but provided a most rewarding aviation experience. The article is on page 5. Get Involved and Fly Safely.
If You Build it, They Will Come…
By David Smith Most of us in aviation circles have attended fly-ins. Some even make annual pilgrimages to places like Oshkosh, Reno or Lakeland, but have you been to the annual Triple Tree Fly-In? South Carolina is home to an aviation treasure like no other. Located in the upstate, just northwest of the town of Enoree, is a 7000 -foot-long ribbon of manicured grass that gently slopes to the winding Enoree River at the approach end of runway three. The huge expanse of golf course-like grounds, a river, a pond, a lake, hiking trails and über-class comfort facilities await those who come.
And come, they did. They began arriving in campers and motor homes and tents, along with aircraft of every description for the 7th Annual Triple Tree Fly-In, which started on Wednesday, September 4. From the ultralight to the DC-3 and everything in between, the grounds were filled with aircraft in neat rows two and three deep along the eastern edge of the runway and in small groups among the trees near the river. According to Triple
Tree President Pat Derrick, more than 700 airplanes from 23 states conducted 2,800 flight operations over the five-day period. The numbers, while impressive, do not do justice to the experience. Attendees were overheard more than once to say, “This must be what heaven is like.” My left seat for the trip was my son, Daniel, who was vigilant as we joined the stream of airplanes in the pattern. Volunteer FAA controllers guided the flying faithful from the control tower at mid-field. After a close pattern and touchdown in front of hundreds of landing judges, we taxied off the runway to an army of aircraft marshals who kept the airplanes moving to either camping or day parking. The concierge golf cart came by to see if we needed anything while my teenage
son/autopilot and I secured the airplane. As we set up camp, other golf carts came by and asked if we needed a ride. The service-to-others attitude by the staff and volunteers of Triple Tree prevailed during the entire event. After a full day of watching people and airplanes, we boarded one of the yellow school buses for the ride up the hill to the hangar/patio area for a communal cook-your-ownsteak event. For $15 they provided a steak and sides, with the added bonus of cooking it just the way you like it. The line for dinner stretched around the corner of the hangar. Images of pristine airplanes continued on pg 11 reflected in the
Pilots get together and share flying stories during Triple Tree.
Summer 2013 • 5
WHEN WHAT WHERE COST
SEPTEMBER 27-28, 2013 TRADE SHOW pilot products, services and aircraft displays GREENVILLE DOWNTOWN AIRPORT (GMU) $5 SCAA members, children under 15 & students with id’s are free
t s a e h n t o u i t o S avia po x e
Lt. Commander Scott “Yogi” Beare, US Navy (Retired), former pilot for the “Blue Angels”
National Business Aviation Association President Ed Bolen
EDUCATION SESSIONS:
• Preflight Risk Assessment • Tire Care Service • Tax Planning for Business Aircraft Owners • Advantages of the Touring Motor Glider • Sparkplug Design and Maintenance (WINGS) • Light Business Aircraft Safety Management (WINGS) • Aviation Insurance & Risk Management • 2013 Tax Incentives for Business Aircraft • All You Need to Know About ADSB (WINGS) • Piston Transition to a Very Light Jet • Lessons Learned from a Blue Angels Pilot (WINGS) • iPads and General Aviation (WINGS)and more (WINGS) indicated above, specify the sessions that offer credit for the FAA’s Pilot Proficiency program.
Visit www.scaaonline.com to learn more or call 1-877-359-7222. 2013 Exhibitors/Sponsors to date: GREENVILLE JET CENTER
Southeast Aviation Expo
http://www.scaaonline.com/southeast-aviation-expo/
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Southeast Aviation Expo Schedule of Events Friday, September 27 10:00 am – 1:00 pm Exhibit Set up and lunch – Sponsored by Eastern Aviation Fuels Lunch is provided for exhibitors. 1:00 pm Trade Show opens 1:00 – 1:05 pm One Tank Trip Ignite Session 1:05 – 1:10 pm Restoring the Curtiss Wright Hangar Ignite Session 1:10 – 1:30 pm Live Advertisements 1:30 – 2:30 pm Business Aviation Industry Update – NBAA President Ed Bolen Sponsored by Hope Aviation Insurance 2:30 – 2:50 pm Live Advertisements 3:00 – 4:30 pm Light Business Aircraft (LBA) Safety Management Cliff Jenkins, SC Aviation Safety Council 4:45 – 5:15 pm Tax Planning For Business Aircraft Owners – Aviation Tax Consultants 5:30 – 6:00 pm Aircraft Ignition Systems – Champion Aerospace Hangar
Hangar Hangar Hangar Hangar Hangar Hangar
6:00 – 7:00 pm
Reception in Exhibit Hangar – Sponsored by Greenville Downtown Airport
Saturday, September 28 9:00 am Trade Show begins 9:25 am
One Tank Trip Ignite Session
Hangar
9:30 – 10:00 am
Tire Care Service – Michelin Aircraft Tires Piston Transition to a Very Light Jet – Eclipse Aerospace Hangar
Board Room
10:15 – 10:45 am
Aviation Insurance – Hope Aviation Insurance iPads and General Aviation – Airwolf Aviation
Board Room Hangar
11:00 – 11:30 am
Spark Plug Design & Maintenance – Tempest
Hangar
11:00 am – Noon ForeFlight Optimization – Jason Miller, cofounder of ForeFlight Sponsored by Cirrus Owner’s & Pilots Association (COPA)
Board Room
Noon – 12:45 pm
COPA Member Lunch and Education (COPA Members only) Advanced Engine Management – Continental Motors
Board Room
11:45 – 12:15 pm
Advantages of the Touring Motor – Pipistrel
Hangar
Noon
Lunch available for sale at Runway Cafe booth
Booth 17
12:45 – 1:45 pm Lessons Learned from a Blue Angels Pilot - Scott “Yogi” Beare Sponsored by SCTAC 1:45 – 1:55 pm
Hangar
FAA Wright Brothers Award
2:00 – 2:30 pm 2013 Tax Incentives For Aircraft Used Primarily for Business Advocate Consulting Legal Group
Board Room
2:45 – 3:15 pm
Hangar Board Room
All you need to know about ADSB – PF Flyers Aviation Insurance – The James Gardner Co.
At the conclusion of the last education session, a drawing will be held in the education hangar for four tickets to the October 19 Clemson vs. Florida State football game with a reserved parking pass, sponsored by the Greenville Jet Center. You must be present to win.
Summer 2013 • 7
Thanks to all airport authorities who promoted aviation in their local community during Aviation Week through a resolution, an event or a story in the local paper. August 19-23 was proclaimed by Governor Nikki Haley to be SC Aviation Week. The following airports notified SCAA of their participation.
Hamilton Owens Airport hosted a luncheon at its airport as well as coordinated discovery flights with a reporter and a county official. Georgetown County Airport held an open house during the week.
Charleston International Airport held a FOD Walk, put up a billboard about the week on I-26, and put an advertisement in the Charleston Business Journal.
8 • Palmetto Aviation
Patriots Point recognized volunteer Bill Cart, a former World War II Marine Corps Dauntless and Corsair pilot during aviation week. Cart, a Charleston native, spent years selling aircraft in Greenville SC, then moved back to Charleston where he volunteers at Patriots Point and teaches visitors about aviation and its role in history.
South Carolina Aviation Week A Success Beginning with a proclamation from Governor Haley, South Carolina celebrated aviation during the week of August 19-23. “The goal of aviation week is to create public awareness of the importance of aviation in our state,” said Katie Koon, SCAA Executive Director. Aviation, commercial service airports, general aviation airports and military airfields in South Carolina support more than 70,000 jobs. With more than 100 aerospace related companies in South Carolina, aviation is a multi-billion dollar industry that contribute millions each year in tax benefits to state and local government. South Carolina has six commercial service airports, 61 general aviation airports and four busy military airfields. Several airports around the state reported their Aviation Week initiatives to SCAA.
During the week an Aerospace Industry Dinner was held to recognize the growth of the aerospace industry and provide a forum for aerospace companies to meet and to hear from speakers that promote the industry. Speakers included Susan Pretulak Vice President of the SC Technical School System; Dr. Zafur Gurdal with the University of South Carolina and emcee Charlie Farrell, director of the SC Aerospace Task Force.
On Friday, a golf tournament was held to raise funds for the association to provide financial assistance to students pursuing careers in aviation. The pictures on page 8 highlight how three local counties promoted the week.
Summer 2013 • 9
Implementing the New and Improved SC Aeronautics Code By John Adams Hodge, Esquire
In June 2012, Governor Haley signed into law a major overhaul of Title 55 of the South Carolina Code governing aeronautics. I assisted the Aeronautics Commission (SCAC) for three years to shepherd this legislation into a comprehensive amendment to Title 55. The old bill was antiquated enough to refer to pilots as “aeronauts,” and it also made reference to the Civil Aeronautics Board abolished in 1976. While the new Code has many provisions, the highlights of the changes include:
• It permanently placed the SCAC within the Budget and Control Board.
• It revised and updated the definitions of terms and words to conform to the Federal Aviation Regulations, and it repealed outdated sections. • The bill provides a statutory right for the operation of seaplanes on public waters in South Carolina, updates penalties for such acts as dropping or falling objects from aircraft and hunting from an aircraft, and outlaws the use of laser devices that are pointed at aircraft. The use of a laser may result in a felony and imprisonment for up to three years.
• It strengthened statutory powers and duties of the Commission. In addition to working with the FAA for the promotion and development of airports, the Commission is specifically authorized to administer grant programs, operate a flight department, assist in the development of aviation and aviation facilities, conduct inspection of aviation facilities to ensure compliance with federal and state grant assurances, review and approve airport planning documents, participate in emergency management functions, and establish eligibility for state funding of airports. • The bill encourages cooperation and coordination with the FAA without duplicating federal authority, regulations and functions. • It allows for the promotion of harmonious land use around public airports and protection of airports and airport property to insure safety of operations, and it defines airport hazards and methods to restrain and abate those hazards. This section was passed after coordination and assistance from the South Carolina Municipal
10 • Palmetto Aviation
Association and the South Carolina Association of Counties.
The Commission is given the authority to abate any imminent or foreseeable hazard to aviation safety at or near a public use airport, and it provides for a process by which zoning applications in the vicinity of airports must be reviewed by the Commission staff. Local zoning officials now must take into account and respond to comments raised by the Commission with respect to zoning decisions that have the potential to affect airports and aircraft operations. The land use provisions of the new Title 55 required the Commission to develop a transparent and userfriendly method of implementing the legislative mandate to coordinate with local governments to protect the public investment in South Carolina airports. After numerous meetings with county planners, zoning officials and Commission staff, the Commission is in the process of implementing a GIS web-based product in which an applicant for a zoning change, a local governmental official, Commission staff and any interested member of the public can review online any proposed land use changes with land use criteria developed by the Commission. The criteria are designed to protect airports from encroachment and incompatible land use. This collaborative effort should preserve South Carolina’s investment in its airport infrastructure well into the future. John Adams Hodge is a principal of Hodge & Associates, an aviation and environmental law firm. He is an active pilot with ATP, CFI and FE certificates and numerous Boeing and Airbus aircraft type ratings. He can be contacted at http://www.johnhodgelaw.com.
If You Build It... continued from page 5 polished hangar floor as we shuffled by. Triple Tree Aerodrome founder Pat Hartness welcomed the hungry aviators in line, and the crowd reciprocated with a round of applause. We were entertained while we waited by electric model airplane aerobatics. A powered parachute wheeled overhead and honked its horn to the delight of everyone. The food and fellowship were first rate, as was the hot shower and night spent camping next to the airplane. The night owls among us kept the action going well into the evening with karaoke and dancing at the gazebo.
The Saturday morning silence was broken by the sound of a radial engine rumbling to life followed by multiple runway passes to make sure no one overslept. Another bus ride to the hangar/patio area for breakfast and more “hangar flying” before heading off to one of the many workshops held that morning. We signed up for the composites workshop and our instructor made sure we understood all we were doing. By lunch time, we had built a small composite wing section and gained a wealth of knowledge about mold-less composite construction. The learning sessions went on all day, but we elected to watch airplanes come and go for our afternoon activity. We ran into many old friends and met new ones. All too soon, we packed up the airplane and taxied to the end of runway three. Our time at Triple Tree Aerodrome had come to an end. As we climbed out and departed the pattern, I couldn’t help but think about the scene from a movie where the young man said, “Is this heaven?” No, it’s Triple Tree.
Pilots put up their tent next to their planes and enjoy the weekend events at Triple Tree.
Cessna Pilots Society displayed signage for Cessna pilots to come and chat.
The Triple Tree Aerodrome, vision of Pat Hartness, is a 501c3 trust to ensure the enjoyment of aviation fun, fellowship and hospitality for generations to come. For more information, go to http://www. tripletreeaerodrome.com
An aerial view of Triple Tree shows the grass runway.
Summer 2013 • 11
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