Newsletter of the Watertown, Madison, & Dodge County FBOs Spring 2014 Volume 31, No. 2 ANCE TEN AIN M A View Governor Walker Signs Bill Saving Aircraft from Our Owners on Repairs President Pilots and aircraft owners in Wisconsin could realize significant savings The Dead of Winter on aircraft maintenance under a new law signed on April 3 by Governor Scott Walker at Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation’s Appleton facility. I don’t think I have to tell anyone how “hard” our winter The law, Senate Bill 348, provides a sales tax exemption for parts and has been. I use the term “hard” because, although labor used in maintenance on any aircraft. The Wisconsin Assembly it has been a very long, cold, snowy winter, which passed the bill on an outstanding 93 to 0 vote on March 20. The bill was makes it “hard” to be in the aviation business, there are introduced in an attempt to keep aircraft owners from traveling across undoubtedly readers that like and enjoyed the “hard” state lines to one of 36 other states who already have exemptions. winter. The vast majority of our acquaintances did not appreciate the way Mother Nature treated us, and As of July 1, Wisconsin Aviation can pass these savings on to its invariably we were asked how badly it affected us—or customers. Jeff Baum, President of Wisconsin Aviation, was present at more bluntly, “I’ll bet this winter just killed you.” the signing ceremonies and commented, as quoted on MidwestFlyer.com, Well, we’re still alive. The winter was tough—tough on Continued page 3 equipment, tough on people, tough on schedules, tough on heating bills! It was brutal, but with a dedicated staff, we persevered. Our poor line staffs took the brunt of nature’s onslaught but won the day [and were duly rewarded (?) with “I survived the Polar Vortex” T-shirts]. Our charter pilots maintained their schedules and many times rescued those left stranded by the airlines. Maintenance stayed busy and folks kept buying airplanes, including a Citation Encore, which was just added to our fleet! We lost good friends, some of our partners had babies, and our State government passed beneficial legislation. We hosted exciting events, flew to great places and, best of all, enjoyed our great customers. Yes, the weather was awful, but even in the dead of winter, the aviation business was alive and well, waiting for spring! Now let’s all get flying. Thanks for reading. Four Wisconsin Aviation employees attended the bill signing and posed for a photo with Governor Walker. From left to right are: Vice President of Technical Services Jeff Baum Pete Schroeder, President/CEO Jeff Baum, Governor Scott Walker, Madison Maintenance Manager Chris Shaffer, and Watertown Maintenance Manager Kevin Fenske. Midwest Flyer Magazine Photo by Dave Weiman WisconsinAviation.com ICS The Innovative Side of Wisconsin IN MEMORIAM ION AV Aviation’s Avionics Team Jim “Fang” Maroney Wisconsin Aviation mourns the loss pilot since the late 1970’s in a Pitts of longtime customer and friend Jim and then in his Super Chipmunk. “Fang” Maroney, who departed this life • Joined the North Dakota Air on March 23, 2014, en route to New National Guard in 1985 and became Smyrna, Florida, to perform an airshow a Squadron Group Commander. in his DeHavilland Super Chipmunk. He • Patrolled the skies of Washington, was an icon at the Watertown Municipal D.C., and New York following 9/11 Airport, basing his four airplanes there terrorist attacks. and often practicing his aerobatic maneuvers in the area. • Retired from the U.S. Marine Corps in 2002 with the rank of Lieutenant Jim’s 59 years of zestful life were packed Colonel. Before After with accomplishments. Most notable are: • Employed by Delta Airlines first as a line pilot, then as a lead check • Received Mechanical and airman managing 757/767 aircraft Piper PA28-235 Pathfinder N8759W was brought to us in late master, fuel pump, nav lights, landing light, beacon, and strobe Aeronautical Engineering degree fleets, and finally as the Seattle-based December. It had the original 1964 instrument panel layout, were laid out along the bottom support in random locations and from the University of California- chief pilot overseeing 600 pilots. which was not the now-standard “T” configuration. Although a spacing. These were removed and replaced by a Rock Racks Fresno. • Amassed approximately 38,000 nice cross-country IFR cruiser equipped with a Garmin 430W, rocker switch assembly and installed below the avionics stack hours of flying time! KX-155 nav/com, KN-64 DME, and an S-TEC 50 autopilot with for a more modern look. The Rock Racks rockers themselves are • Graduated first of 1500 pilots in a GPS steering converter, the Pathfinder needed a more modern- back lit by LED lights, and placarded covers are used to identify 1981 from Naval Flight Training School, Pensacola, Florida. Jim was never at a loss for a good laugh looking panel to complement these instruments. the system they control. In addition, the original fuses for the only by his family, coworkers, and the • Received “Top Gun” rating in 1983 or a clever practical joke and left smiles battery bus were removed and replaced with modern, pull-type Wisconsin Aviation staff, but by the at Naval Training Weapons School, behind wherever he traveled. His fun- We started this project by doing a little research. The Piper circuit breakers, and a breaker switch was installed to provide numerous friends and acquaintances he Miramar, California. loving personality and genuine concern panels are riveted to the airframe itself and appear to be for an avionics master switch. made throughout the country as well. structural. It turns out, however, that the panel isn’t as structural • Entertained as a professional airshow for others will be greatly missed—not as it appears. It’s thin, about .02”, and therefore has a couple of To complete the project, a glareshield was added. The original vertical ribs to stiffen it. Because these ribs were not attached plastic overlays incorporated a small eyebrow into them to act at the top or bottom, I just cut them out, leaving an inch of as a glareshield. As these would no longer be used, a glareshield Walker Signs Bill - Continued from page 1 material around the perimeter of the panel to which to attach was chosen from Knots 2U. It is made of temperature-stable “Aircraft owners win, as they just got a 5 to 5.5% reduction tax. The new law will not only keep that work in the state, it the new panel with steel hardware. The new panel was designed Lexan, padded with an FAA-approved soundproofing foam and in maintenance costs…Aviation businesses win, as they can also will save pilots time and money transporting their aircraft in house on our Panel Planner program and then sent over to a covered with a special leather-grain-like, non-glare vinyl. The now compete on an even playing field with businesses in other for repairs. In other states with similar legislation, general local machine shop, who cut it from a sheet of 0.090” aircraft- eyebrow that extends three inches over the instrument panel is states…People working in the maintenance field will be the big aviation businesses have experienced significant job growth as grade aluminum. It was then sent out for a coat of Tornado Grey one inch thick and double stitched for durability and beauty. winners as more work can be captured…And ultimately, the a result of increased GA activity. powder coating and screen printing of the required placards. Unlike glareshields that are made of aluminum or fiberglass, the state wins as tax revenues generated by additional employment, glareshield eyebrow will flex, should it be inadvertently struck, additional work hours, and additional business spending with Wisconsin Aviation is a one-stop aircraft maintenance provider The next step was removal of the DME to allow the transponder to provide an additional element of safety. It provided the extra vendors will far exceed the sales tax dollars lost.” Baum went and an Authorized Service Center for Cessna, Cirrus, EADS to be relocated to the center stack and the engine instruments to pizzazz needed to truly give this install the modern appearance on to express his appreciation to the legislators in Madison, Socata, and Piper at its locations in Madison (MSN) and be located in the copilot’s panel. We installed a MaxDim dimmer the customers desired. who in the words of Senator Mike Ellis, “did something right.” Watertown (RYV). They also offer complete avionics service controller and NuLight ring lights for the instruments that were Eric Rosenbrook in Madison and interior upholstery service in Watertown. not internally lit. Originally, the toggle switches for the battery Avionics Technician, MSN In the past, some aircraft owners have traveled to neighboring states for major repairs and maintenance in order to avoid the See the Latest in FEATURING ADS-B SOLUTIONS, GTNTM 650/750 SERIES, G600, G500 & GTSTM TRAFFIC SERIES Garmin Technology! T IGH OL Stop Dreaming and Start Flying! FL CHO When? May 29, 2014 - 6:00 pm S Additional Where? Wisconsin Aviation - Madison International Learn to Fly Day 2014 savings 3606 Corben Court with Garmin Saturday, May 17 — 9:00 am - 3:00 pm Madison, WI 53704 Seminar RSVP: 608-268-5006 Bucks for Madison (MSN) 800-594-5359 Watertown (RYV) 800-657-0761 Juneau (UNU) 800-319-0907 [email protected] attendees! Free Workshops: ATC and You • How to Become Hands-on “Discovery Flights” Refreshments Provided a Pilot • How to Get Back into Flying Your first pilot lesson for only $69.00 WisconsinAviation.com T Safety Matters How a date on lovers’ lane led to GH L LI HOO Did You F SC Touching Down Easy the development of the Learjet Know How would you describe your last landing? Hard? Soft? ? Bumpy? Greaser? What about gentle? That’s how the Airplane Flying Handbook defines the touchdown—“the gentle settling of the airplane on to the landing surface.” Sometimes, that’s a lot to ask, but it’s a good thing to strive for.