Geez....the saga continues.... Last month, I wrote about my struggles

with the FAA over my 3rd class Medical. The FAA had asked that I

provide new Blood work, a list of Medications, written statements

from my doctors concerning my heart functional capacity, and risk

of sudden incapacitation, and finally status of my kidney stones

(from 15 years ago). Before I could respond to their requests, they de-

nied my 3rd class medical without notice, and demanded that I sur-

render my 3rd class medical.

I immediately contacted AOPA, and solicited their legal assistance.

I Did Not surrender my 3rd Class Medical as they had requested.

(AOPA legal informed me that the FAA cannot enforce the surrender

of my Medical Certificate without due process of the law.)(Never sur-

render anything to the FAA without due process!)

I Did take their requested tests and acquired written statements from

my doctors, and then returned the package to the FAA via Federal Ex-

press.

July 2017 Volume, 6 Issue 6

Piedmont Aero Club

Inside this issue:

Cruise Flight 7Adventure 15

Recreational Aviation Foundation Fly In 16

From the President …….

Current Event Calendar 3

June Guest Speaker 4

2nd Saturday Breakfast Club 6

USS Yorktown Fly-in 7

Pilot Workshops Tip of the week 14

Let me assure everyone that I am in very good health...One doctor's state-

ment had this to say about my health, "In my opinion, the likelihood of sud-

den incapacitation (or becoming symptomatic) is essentially zero in Mr.

Parker’s case (when compared to the risk of the average member of the popu-

lation). I know for a fact, that he is an avid hiker and bicyclist and per-

formed very well on his 2016 stress test."

In spite of my doctor's comments, and all of the test results, the FAA replied

with the following....

"Our favorable review of your interim follow-up reports regarding

your history of coronary artery disease, diabetes mellitus, requiring

oral medication for control and the use of medication has established

that you are ineligible for medical certification under Title 14, Code

of Federal Regulations"

However, you have been granted continued Authorization for Special

Issuance of a third-class airman medical certificate under Title 14 of

the CFRs, Section 67.401.

Enclosed is your time-limited certificate which expires September 30,

2017.

To Summarize, the FAA is not denying my medical, but rather letting it ex-

pire normally in 4 months, which leaves me eligible to continue flying under

BasicMed. I found out another thing during this process...The BasicMed law

enacted by Congress has a provision to drop the 2nd class medical for Flight

Instructors, so I will even be able to instruct in my retirement years!

For the immediate future, I will continue to fly, and just ride out my 3rd

class medical, until it expires, and then register under BasicMed. Once I am

out from under the FAA Medical branch's thumb, we will see what hap-

pens....maybe I'll run for office? But, that will be another time, and another

Letter from the President.

P.S. Thank God for the timing of BasicMed, and the AOPA!!!

P.P.S. I am sure that without the AOPA's assistance, the outcome would have

been very different!

July 2017 Volume, 6 Issue 6

From the President ……. (cont)

Piedmont Aero Club Page 2

Peidmont Aero Club 2017 Current Event Calendar

Boldface events are sponsored by PAC (free or subsidized ground transport & food)

Underlined dates are firm

July 15 Saturday Sugar Valley cookout and Five Card Stud Poker Run July 20 Thursday dinner meeting, speaker tbd July 24-30 EAA Airshow, Oshkosh Aug 6 - Sunday Race Against your POH/AFM , Sugar Valley NC Aug 17 Thursday dinner meeting, speaker tbd Sept 8-10 Airshow, Virginia Beach (Blue Angels) Sept 9 - Saturday Triple Tree Sept 13-17 Reno Air Races Sept 21 Thursday dinner meeting, speaker tbd Oct 1,2 Red Bull races Oct 7-8 Military Aviation Museum: Warbirds over the beach, Virginia Beach VA (WW1 with bi-planes & tri-planes) Oct 7-15 Balloon Fiesta, Albuquerque NM Oct 19 Thursday dinner meeting, speaker tbd Oct 21 - Saturday Wings over North GA - Rome GA Oct 27-28 AOPA fly-in Tampa FL Nov 4 - Saturday Bowl-o-rama at Spare Time in Greensboro , Piedmont Club Video & Picture Contest judging Nov 16 Thursday dinner meeting, speaker tbd Dec 3- Sunday First Flight Airport pilgrimage Dec 16 Thursday dinner meeting, speaker tbd

.

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June 2017 Guest Speaker …… Rob Ransone

Contributed by Al Lawless

Our June meeting had the best turnout of the year so far with 20 members and guests

coming for a nice pasta dinner supplied by Jason’s Deli and paid via your dues. There was

a ton of good food and just enough leftovers to know everyone had their fill. We started

with a little business, mostly discussing recent past & future events. The planned summer

event at sugar Valley won’t work out due to their busy schedule, so we’ll come up with

something else. Anyone willing to help organize a fly-in or cookout, please contact Activities

Chair Al Lawless – he promises not to trick anyone into taking over the event!

We soon got underway introducing Robin Ransone who got into aviation right out of college in the late 1950’s.

With his school bud Johnny Armstrong (who went on to run the USAF Flight Research office), Rob finagled a

rare opportunity to fly on the B-

58 Hustler program as a flight

test engineer (FTE). By many

measures, this was

among the most

remarkable airplanes that ever

flew. It earned all of the

significant aviation

awards, set all kinds of

records and was among the

best looking airplanes ever.

With four afterburning J-79 engines with very little frontal area, the plane was wicked fast and could easily

maintain maximum allowed speed (limited by leading edge temperature) even with multiple external stores

loaded.

As far as flight test stories go, Rob talked about the time the refueling door ahead of the pilot suffered a

hydraulic leak that splattered the windshield and ruined all forward visibility. His idea to use the tanker’s fuel

to wash the windscreen worked great and they landed with no further incident. He told of how hyper sensitive

the plane was at supersonic speed if the automatic dampers failed and how the legendary test pilot Fitz Fulton

managed to make it work. Rob discussed the fortune of his foresight when he loaded the wing’s fuel tanks

with water prior to executing a maximum brake energy test that resulted in water (not fuel) pouring onto the

hot brakes aft stopping. There was also the near-disaster when the tanks were filled with water to 95%

capacity, but Rob realized the weather was getting cold and water expands 10% when frozen.

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Rob Ransone (cont) ob also talked about more mundane flight testing such as when mentioned test pilot

Charlie Bock would “check the airplane’s damping by pulsing the controls to see how

long it took for the airplane to stop its oscillations.” There were also the scary times

when an engine might “unstart.” The B-58 was very difficult to safely recover from the

loss of an engine at supersonic cruise due to differential thrust.

We discussed the B-58’s special features such as the two 8-wheel bogies with exception-

ally small 22” diameter tires so they’d fit in the wing. Their

small size combined with the Hustler’s high 214 kt takeoff

speed forced them to spin up especially fast. Imagine: tires

inflated to 275 psi spinning at 6,000 RPM!

We also discussed the narrow margin for CG control and

how the requirement shifted rather dramatically as the plane

transition above & below Mach 1.

Interesting Hustler tibdits

Had only 3 flight control surfaces: rudder and L&R flaperons.

The flight controls ran through a highly sophisticated mixer box that took inputs

from the pilot, and various hydro mechanical systems – it was a mechanical comput-

er.

Best range at Mach 2 was achieved using maximum afterburner thrust, letting the

airplane climb as it burned fuel.

Needed 14° angle of attack needed for takeoff rotation "Fuel stacking" due to fuel moving in the tanks during rapid accel/decel caused sud-

den CG changes and could impact pitch or roll control.

Set 19 world speed records

Retains record for longest supersonic flight (8,028 miles

from Tokyo to London in 8:35:20.4) averaging 938 mph.

It would have averaged Mach 2 but an afterburner blew

out, forcing them subsonic in the final hour.

Won the Bleriot , Thompson, Mackay , Bendix, and Har-mon trophies

The externally-carried nuclear bomb was surrounded by a fuel

tank that would drop away first.

Each crew member had his own hatch and escape capsule

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USS Yorktown Trip Finally Happens……Less is Best By Jon Wells

“21….19….17….15….12…. and then there were 11, the final number that had a chance to

enjoy a great day of flying and the entire Patriots Point experience. Aside from some air-

craft Mx issues, and unforeseen last minute cancellations, those that did attend expressed

that it was well worth the trip to Charleston.

An early morning start for three of the original seven airplanes des-

tined to Mt. Pleasant Airport (KLRO), although they were given

smooth conditions and unlimited visibility the entire flight. All of

the aircraft arrived within minutes of each other under sunny skies

and light breezes into Mt. Pleasant. We were greeted with great hos-

pitality, and also the likes of Al Lawless, who was already in

Charleston for a family vacation. Within minutes, we had our rental

vehicles and we were off for the easy trip to Patriots Point.

Upon reaching Patriots Point, the awesome site of the USS Yorktown (CV-10) loomed in

the background. We were given VIP treatment, as we were met by up by Volunteer HAL, a

Vietnam Navy Veteran himself, and allowed us to park in special parking, saving us even

more money. Tickets in hand, we all ventured to the three vessels moored there. We

started first with the USS Clamagore (SS-343), a WWII Submarine. these brave sailors,

from forward torpedo room through the main part of the boat and finally to the aft torpedo

room. Ned Rapp would have felt at home, being a former Navy Submariner himself.

Next was a tour of the USS Laffey (DD-724), a WWII Destroyer that saw massive

action during the D-Day landing on Tuesday, June 6, 1944

and multiple Kamikaze attacks during service in the Pacific

where it earned the title, “The Ship that would not die”. The

ship went on to sail the oceans in support of the Cold War.

We had a chance to go inside the CIC (Combat Information

Center) and experience a simulated submarine hunting situa-

tion, as well as sit in the Captain’s chair on the bridge.

As we left the USS Laffey (DD-724), it was a awe inspiring look “up” to the deck of the USS Yorktown (CV-10). This was the main event of the day, as it was the avia-

tion part of the trip. As we entered the USS Yorktown hang-ar deck, we were greeted by volunteers who were all veter-ans, including U.S. Marine Brian Mahoney, who fought in

the battle of Khe Sahn during the Vietnam War, as well as other Navy veterans. The hangar deck was filled with WWII

and Korean War vintage aircraft, including the F9F Panther, F4U Corsair, TBF Avenger, F6F Hellcat and F4F Wildcat, as well as many other aircraft that had flown off the decks

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USS Yorktown Trip Finally Happens (cont)

of this aircraft carrier. Awesome displays underneath, as well as a chance to go to the

flight deck and experience more aircraft including the F14 Tomcat, F18 Hornet, A7 Corsair

II, A-6 Intruder, F4 Phantom as well as many more. With the arresting hooks down, one

can only imagine having to “trap” the arresting line for a stop, as well as launching from 0

to 143 knots (165 mph) in less than 2 seconds, within 150 feet, off the front catapults. We

also ventured up to the bridge, and again, saw from the Captain’s seat the entire operation

as it would unfold.

Our final area was the newly renovated Vietnam experience, with great displays and simu-

lated fire base. Displays included a riverine boat of the “Brown Water Navy” that patrolled

the Mekong Delta and other rivers of Vietnam, to a CH-46 Sea Knight, UH-1 Hueys, HR-1

Transport and AH-1 Cobra assault helicopters.

Around 1:45pm, everyone started to head back to KLRO to launch back home. The experi-

ence was very moving for everyone, and many want to come back again. Thanks to all that

attended, and made this a possibility after trying multiple times. (Al Lawless and Family,

Chris and Jacob Werling, Ashley Hayes, Wes and Jill Parker and Jon Wells).

The Trip Pictorial

Chris Werling, Jon Wells and Jacob Wer-

ling on the upper deck of the USS Laffey

(DD-724)

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Ashley Hayes takes the Captain’s Seat

aboard the USS Yorktown (CV-10)

Captain’s Seat from Bridge of the

USS Yorktown (CV-10) – Catapult

positions off the bow.

The Trip Pictorial (cont)

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The Trip Pictorial (cont)

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The Trip Pictorial (cont)

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Ashley and Jon on the

flight deck of USS Yorktown

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The Trip Pictorial (cont)

Al and the kids

Jacob Werling sitting in turret

View of the carrier

from the submarine

USS Clamagore

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Piedmont Aero Club

The Trip Pictorial (cont)

"Top Gun" Tom Cruise aircraft on

deck of the USS Yorktown. F-14

Tomcat.

Army jeep at the Vietnam dis-

play. This display opened July

4th, 2016.

3 "Mash" helicopter at the Vi-

etnam display.

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