East Hill Flying Club

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Annual Ground Training <here> Please print the certificate and bring it to the club. Orientation course <here>

"Flying Cheap" Frontline: February 9, at 9:00pm

From producer Rick Young — Inside look at regional airlines. The co-pilot on Colgan 3407 had been making less than $16,000. Some of the folks that fly you around are working second jobs and overnighting on lounge room La-Z-Boys. Regional airlines, once thought of as puddle-jumpers, have grown so fast that they now account for more than half the nation’s daily departures. The pilots are often graduates of "shake and bake" flight schools with minimal times and marginal skills willing to work cheap. The NTSB released its final recommendations as well as a "call to action" that are good reading for all pilots (and passengers) and a plea for increased pilot training and vigilance in flight safety.

"From Sully to Sullied" by Miles O'Brien

After the masterful job of Sully in the "miracle on the Hudson" came Colgan 3407. Please read this sobering summary of the national mood regarding airline travel and the pilot trade today. Budget flight academies and short-cut training produce weak pilots. This article covers the crash of 3407 as a point of departure but many more issues as well.

Congratulations Dale Anderson: First Solo!

Dale said the flying was easy and he likes the extra room in the Cessna 152! Ithaca Tower even gave him an "ata boy" for a job well done. Dale is retired from teaching recreational sports at Cortland State College...really! So he now comes to East Hill to recreate. Dale is also building a Sonnex kit aircraft (not the jet powered version).

Projects from Finger Lakes Flying Service!

David's 7AC Champ: skis for winter!	Jorgen Overgaard's Ercoupe is flying!

The Unfortunate Result of Perfunctory Pilot Training
	Colgan 3407; Better Pilot Training Needed! We all are aware of the tragedy last year with Colgan Air Flight 3407. The news has already extensively analyzed this accident, most notably a series in the Buffalo Newspaper. This excellent series, though somewhat sensationalized, points out the trend toward deteriorating pilot training and the diminishing skills of modern flight crews. Following closely on the "Miracle in the Hudson" the Colgan crash highlighted this foolishness. Ultimately, this is a matter of money. Everyone likes a cheap ticket but the consequences are definitely not worth the risk! The NTSB released its final recommendations as well as a "call to action" that are good reading for all pilots and plea for increased pilot training and vigilance in flight safety.

Log an "Ice Landing" COOL!

Sounds like fun! This is what happens when winter lasts too long, people invent new and crazy ways to have fun. This has been an on again off again tradition but is actually on the chart as a seaplane base: B18. We hope to fly up for the day and (safely) experience winter flying. We have again reserved some planes and CFIs might be persuaded to fly along for some annual training credit. We might even fly a little recon trip to check out this for the event if someone is game. AOPA article < here> A.F. Ice <here>Norway ice runways <here> Live Alton Bay Webcam <here>

Get to Know East Hill People!

Mario Tomei washing planes in preparation for the breakfast	Capt. Tomei, July '69, after 125 combat missions over Vietnam	Jean-Baptiste flying with friends on a nice day at East Hill.	Jorgen Overgaard is working on his Light Sport certificate.