Aero Center Run Up December 2022

SPOTLIGHT

Featuring Ulric Ulroan, Flight Student

Our customer spotlight this quarter is on Ulric Ul roan, Alaskan man who is looking to take his passion for aviation and start an airline for smaller communities in Alaska. Ulric not only has a passion for flying but a passion for helping others in Alaskan communities like the one he is from.

Q: Where did you grow up? And what drew you to aviation?

I am from Chevak, Alaska, a small town located in the Western part of the state, near the Bering Sea coast. The town has a population of roughly 1,100 people. The only way in or out is by air. A one-way airline trip to Anchorage from Chevak costs roughly $600. It’s cheap er for me to fly from Anchorage to Bismarck than from Chevak to Anchorage! I wanted to get my pilot’s license to provide bush pilot services to people in the communi ty and fly into Chevak myself.

Q: Why did you choose Bismarck to get your pi lot’s license?

My daughter is going to school at the University of Jamestown. My first thought when looking for a flight school was to head down to Arizona, as I had heard they had excellent flight schools. Since Bismarck is so close

to Jamestown, I decided to look for a flight school there, and I called Bismarck Aero Center. Clint was extremely responsive, made me feel more welcome, and got me set up immediately. When I decided to pursue my instru ment and commercial ratings, Clint eagerly accommo dated me and wanted to help as much as he could!

Q: What do you want to do with your license once you return to Alaska?

Long-term, I plan to start my own regional airline com pany to provide lower-cost air transportation around Alaska. Current airline service is prohibitively expensive for most of the smaller communities around the state, and I want to fix that.

Q: What advice would you give to someone look ing to get started in aviation?

If you’re looking to get started in aviation, my best advice is to plan ahead. Research flight schools and make sure you find one that meets your needs and has excellent customer service. Make sure you have good transportation to your flight school and your income is steady. I would also say that getting your pilot’s license requires a lot of dedication and hard work, but it pays off in the end!

Spotted on the ramp: Airbus

A320

This quarter, we spotted an Allegiant Air Airbus A320 on the Bismarck Airport ramp. While these Allegiant A320 Airbus aircraft are not uncom mon to see in Bismarck, this one was here for a special purpose. This aircraft brought back 70 North Dakota National Guard soldiers from a year-long mission in support of the Customs & Border Patrol’s protec tion of our southwest border. Welcome home, soldiers!

BAC is proud to be an Air Elite FBO & provide great service to all our customers.

The Garmin GI 275 Engine Indication System (EIS) is a digital engine monitoring gauge that fits in your aircraft’s existing panel. It serves as an all-in-one display for piston engine aircraft so you can remove outdated analog gauges and get better information. For twin-engine aircraft, two can be installed to monitor both engines. The GI 275 dis plays engine, fuel, and electrical data in easy-to-interpret color bands, bar gauge indications and numerical readouts on a bright, easy-to-read display. It can be connected to monitor cylinder head and exhaust gas temperatures and features a Lean Assist Mode, where the gauge actively checks the EGT/CHT of all cylinders and identifies a pre ferred rich/lean setting to balance efficiency and perfor mance. With optional pilot advisories and warnings when

exceeding preset limits, the GI 275 EIS is an excellent way to update your aircraft’s avionics with out a full glass panel. Call to day for a quote and to see if this product is right for your avionics needs.

New Faces

Piper Mann

Flightline Technician I – Full Time

Piper joins BAC all the way from Stanley, ND. Piper is a recent graduate from Stanley Hight School where she received several accolades for academic excellence! Piper is excited to be a new resident here in Bismarck/Mandan as she explores academic op tions at the University of Mary and Bismarck State College. Piper brings a reputation of a great work ethic and strong customer service background. Piper served the communi ty of Stanley and surrounding communities by working in high pressure retail and food service environments. Welcome to the BAC family, Piper!

Bismarck Air Medical Pilot – Full Time

Adam joins BAM with over 2,000 hours as pilot in command. Most recently, he has been flying King Air medivac missions in western ND. Adam is well known for his calm demeaner in the cockpit. Originally from Watford City, Adam, his wife Kendra and their three children have been living in Bismarck for nearly 10 years. He is joining our BAM team with a family aviation heritage and love for flying. Adam and Kendra are also well known in the region for catering smoked foods. He recently catered a customer driven appreciation meal for BAM and BAC co-workers. We are excited to have Adam back at the Bismarck Airport full time again! Welcome to the team, Adam!

Chris Hoffert Certified Flight Instructor - Part Time

Welcome aboard to Chris! Chris has just finished up his final ratings at UND and is plan ning to move back to Bismarck to build his hours in preparation for a call to the airlines. Chris has a Bachelor’s in Aeronautics with a Major in Commercial Aviation and a Minor in Atmospheric Sciences. Chris’s enthusiasm for aviation and optimistic personality will provide a good example for the future aviators he instructs. Chris will play a key role in helping Clint continue to grow our flight school. Chris’s ratings include Commercial, ASEL, ASES, AMEL, CFII.

Adam Taylor

Winter came swift and snowy this year. The old adage of ‘No-Fly November’ seemed to be holding true in Bis marck, at least through the first three weeks. Cold tem peratures are here to stay, and for pilots it seems to be a love/hate relationship. We all hate doing prefights in the cold and usually despise the first couple of minutes until the aircraft warms up and we can get some heated air on us. On the other hand, the thermals and bumpiness of summer are long gone. With cooler, more stable air, airplanes perform beautifully in some of the smoothest flying North Dakota has to offer. Pilots often brag to one another about how their aircraft’s climb performance exceeds expectations as they rocket straight up.

Although the air is usually more stable and our en gines and airframes like the thick, cool air, there are some additional considerations that we need to think about before taking off in these wintry conditions. A couple we’ve all heard before: Don’t rush your preflight and make sure have enough clothing to survive outside the cockpit. Another important factor is to preheat your aircraft and make sure your engine is warm before you advance the throttle down the runway. A thorough pre heat, can go a long way to protecting your engine from damage and premature replacement.

In North Dakota, it is common for us to get sub-ze ro temperatures. At these temperatures, oil becomes thicker, and it is more difficult to circulate through your engine’s oil passages. Because various components

of the engine are often composed of different metals, they expand at different rates after startup. In a typical Lycoming engine, the forged aluminum pistons often expand much quicker than the steel cylinders in which they operate. This difference in expansion combined with poor oil lubrication presents an opportunity for metal-on-metal contact during warmup that can create serious internal wear on the engine and sometimes even damage components.

Getting the engine warm through a heated hangar, Tanis heater, space heater, or light bulb (use caution), will all help the oil warm up and prepare your aircraft for operation. Allowing your aircraft to warm up at low idle for several minutes before high power taxi or take off, will ensure that the oil can warm-up/thin out prior and get distributed throughout the engine. Takeoff and drastic throttle changes should be done smoothly and intermittently when possible. During descent, feel free to reduce the throttle from cruise power down 20 per cent for a few minutes than another 20 percent until you reach your ideal descent power. This gradual change will help your engine cool slower over a longer period versus getting a rapidly shocked. Although the damage caused by ‘shock cooling’ is debated from non-existent to severe, it can’t hurt to be a little more considerate for your engine. Stay warm and fly safe, Clint

We had an excellent turnout for Props & Hops 2022 at the Mandan Aero Center!

DJ recently attended the NDAA Fly-ND Career Expo at the Fargo Air Museum.

The DC-3 Miss Montana gave rides at the fly-in and was on display for everyone to see at the fly-in.

NDNG soldiers returning from a year-long mission.

We hosted over 1,300 people at the Bismarck Airport for the Annual Fly-In & Drive-In Pancake Breakfast.

The Bethke Family at Props & Hops. All proceeds benefited Kelley Bethke in his fight against cancer.

Moving On Up

Joshua Simmers Bismarck Air Medical Pilot – Part Time

Joshua joins BAM with nearly 3,500 hours as a pilot in command. He will continue to stay on full-time with Bismarck Aero Center in his current capacity flying on a weekly basis and handling all payroll related matters. Joshua’s primary role with BAM will be to provide Charter Flight coverage. Joshua is well known for his attention to detail and friendly customer focus. Joshua commutes from Carson, ND where he and his wife Sara have three girls. Ironically, Joshua is also well known for his culinary skills as a baker. Joshua and Adam both attended training together and immediately hit it off as pals studying and hanging out while learning together.

Clint May

Certified Flight Instrument Instructor

The Bismarck Aero Center is excited to announce that our Lead Certified Flight Instruc tor, Clint May, has recently obtained his rating as Certified Flight Instrument Instructor! The rating is obtained through rigorous training, studying and FAA certification processes. This rating will allow Clint to provide all-weather training to private pilot students that are work ing towards their instrument rating. Clint’s previous general aviation and military experience have helped him develop into an A+ Flight Instructor. Clint is known as the “Happiest Man” at the Bismarck Airport and is always found with a smile on his face. Although Clint loves to instruct, his most important role in life is to be an amazing father and husband! Congratula tions to Clint on this fantastic accomplishment.

maintenance corner

One of the most important things for a pilot to know is how much fuel they have remaining. Unfortunately, a lot of GA aircraft have the original factory antiquated technology. Not only is it old technology, but the parts are also getting very old which can add to their unreli ability. The systems are fairly simple, but over the years, neglect and age can cause problems. There is now a solution that will give you much more reliable fuel quan tity indications, as well as much better accuracy. CiES fuel senders use magnetic field technology, whereas older GA aircraft typically use resistance or capacitive technology. If you are having issues with your fuel sys tem, instead of paying money for troubleshooting or to replace old technology parts, consider investing in the CiES fuel senders.

There are some disadvantages to the system. They are initially expensive to install due to having to buy all new senders. In addition, unless you have a modern en gine monitor system that the senders can interface with, you will also need a new gauge. The senders also re quire an additional wire that most older GA aircraft don’t currently have, so that requires some access to run the wire from the instrument panel out to the sender.

We have installed them on numerous airframes and have yet to have any problems with them. Check out their website for more information – www.ciescorp.net. Call today if you would like to get an estimate on what it would cost to install them in your aircraft!

- Erik Peterson, Lead Maintenance Technician

A special DC-3 from Missoula, Montana, visited us for this year’s Fly-In, Drive-In Pancake Breakfast in Bismarck. What was that plane’s original mission?

A. An airliner

B. Smokejumper transport plane

C. Military transport plane

D. Charter plane

Submit your answer by 12/15 for a chance to win a $25 gift card! Contact Shae at shaeh@bismarckaero. com or message us on our Facebook page.

Keep up to date with events, aviation news & cool aircraft! Follow us at: facebook.com/bismarck.aero.center linkedin.com/company/bismarck-aero-center

2301 University Drive Bldg. 53 Bismarck, ND 58504 701.223.4754 www.bismarckaero.com