Page 5 - Aug 19 TNT

Airmail In Response to Kevin Ware’s “Check Ride” (June) The first place I go in Twin & Turbine is to Kevin Ware’s stories. It is uncanny how the life of pilots can parallel each other. There are many common threads. What brings me to comment this time is not the check ride (as a Part 135 pilot and check airman for 20 years, I know how those go), but his airport restaurant story. I used to live in the San Juan Islands, close to BVS. My wife and I used to take the Navion over to BVS where we kept a car and did our grocery shopping or whatever was needed on the mainland. Once, we had a little extra time and it was early afternoon so we went in to the airport restaurant for a bite. My wife had a club sandwich. She was ill for days after that...a coincidence? Love the stories though – brings back the many destinations, passengers and weather that one gets to experience. His descrip- tions mirror those great experiences. After 54 years of civil and military flying (got my Master Pilot Award), I’ve had to take a break due to a stroke. At 74 years, it probably means the end but reading stories by Kevin Ware and Kevin Dingman keep me up as if I were in the cockpit with them. Please keep it up. Mark W. Smith In Response to Dianne White’s “Knowing When to Say No” (July) Saw your recent Position Report on wx decision-making. The content regarding the NC JetPROP event was especially chill- ing to me. Kathryn’s Report also had a write up on the event. As is often the case, the comments following the KR entry provide much food for thought, and there’s even a mention of MMOPA. When I read one of these entries, I’m reminded of the stark reality that every time an event results in a fatality, somebody’s (spouse, relative, coworker, friend, etc.) life has now been drastically altered forever. As an aviation safety person, I never lose sight of that awful fact. Your elegant and purposeful work is perhaps one of the better examples of us, at a minimum, not allowing these tragedies to be in vain. Thanks for that. I’ve often wondered how such great aviators as Scott Crossfield, Steve Fossett and others ultimately made decisions that resulted in them paying the ultimate price for their cognitive processes. Keep up the good work. Steven Lasday In Response to Joe Casey’s “Adding King Air Capacity” (July) On behalf of CenTex Aerospace, I would like to thank you for the informative article highlighting the CenTex conversions available for the 90, 200, 250, 300 and 350 series of King Airs. Anyone requiring additional information may contact me by email at d.rogers@centex.aero, or by phone at 254-537-9462. I would like to also clarify some details concerning the Halo 350 IGW conversion for the King Air 350. This conver- sion will provide a 950-pound weight increase for a MTOW of 15,950 pounds. We are currently working through FAA STC certification. Factory Direct Models Select Airparts David Rogers August 2019 / TWIN & TURBINE • 3