SEPTEMBER 2005 VOLUME 32, NO. 9 The Official Membership Publication of The International Comanche Society The Comanche Flyer is the official monthly member publication of the International Comanche Society Volume 32, No. 9 • September 2005 5604 Phillip J. Rhoads Avenue www.comancheflyer.com Hangar 3, Suite 4 Bethany, OK 73008 Tel: (405) 491-0321 Published By the International Comanche Society, Inc. Fax: (405) 491-0325 www.comancheflyer.com CONTENTS ICS President 2 Letter From The President Skip Dykema Skip Dykema Tel: (954) 584-6558 Cover Story: Comanche Spirit E-mail: [email protected] 4 Comanche N5699P Is a Family Treasure Dianne White Managing Editor Dianne White 6 Letters to the Editor E-mail: [email protected] 7 CFF-Approved CFIs Advertising Manager 8 2004-05 ICS Standing John Shoemaker 800-773-7798 Committee Chairs Fax: (231) 946-9588 Technically Speaking E-mail: [email protected] 10 The Life and Death of an Bill Creech Graphic Design Airworthiness Directive Koren Herriman E-mail: [email protected] Pilot Pointers Printer 16 It Should Not Happen To You — Omri Talmon Village Press Comanche Accidents for 2779 Aero Park Drive June 2005 and a Case Traverse City, MI 49685-0629 www.villagepress.com Interview With An ICS VIP Office Manager 18 Meet Charlie & Sara Liller Skip Dykema Gaynor Ekman Tel: (405) 491-0321 2005 ICS Convention – Washington D.C. Fax: (405) 491-0325 24 Convention Update Mark Smith E-mail: [email protected] 25 Flying the Washington D.C. Area ADIZ Mark Smith The Comanche Flyer is available to members; the $25 annual subscription rate is included 27 Washington D.C. 2005 in the Society’s Annual Membership dues in US funds below. Convention Registration Form USA, Canada & Mexico 28 Washington D.C. 2005 $64 First Year, $60 per year thereafter Convention Merchandise Order Form UK, Europe, Asia & Africa From the Logbook $85 First Year, $82 per year 32 Honkin’ Along at FL190 Karl Hipp thereafter All other Countries Incl. Australia 39 Headquarter Items for Sale $80 First Year, $75 per year thereafter 40 From the Tribe Chiefs Cover Photo Featured Fly-In 1958 PA-250 owned by Curtis & Lisa Hahn of Torrance, Calif. 44 Southwest Tribe Hosts Fly-In to Peggy Harmon Spectacular Bryce Canyon, Utah Copyright Notice The act of making a submission for publication Fly-In Reports is an express warranty that such contribution does not infringe on the rights or copyright of 45 European Tribe Visit Corsica Ron Nunn others. Nothing appearing in the Comanche Flyer shall be reproduced or distributed without 45 South Central Tribe Goes Dick Brown the express permission of the publisher. Back to College Postmaster Send address changes to the above address. 46 Comanche Classified Periodical postage paid at Bethany, OK 73008 and Advertiser’s Index at additional mailing office. 47 ISSN 08994223 48 Last Laugh SEPTEMBER 2005 Comanche Flyer • 1 we said anything or not. It was extremely disappointing to be faced with that attitude. Needless to say, there was very little Letter From The President response to my request, and as it was, Maurice passed away just 10 days after that meeting. I’m getting off the merry-go-round Another disappointing subject was the location of the next now. I took a full lap and it is over. It’s Spring Board Meeting. The Board as a whole decided to have been a great experience, one that I will it at Tacoma, Wash. I couldn’t believe it. It made no sense. always remember. I have to say I have Immediately after the meeting, the member who seconded the seen some highs and lows this year. It’s motion stated that he had no intention of attending that meeting. been a real rollercoaster ride for me. Another who voted for it stated that he would not attend either. It all started about a week after I became President when the Others were equally non-committal. FAA came out with the Stabilator Torque Tube SAIB that was My question, why did you vote for it? Go figure. The Board mailed to every U.S.-registered Comanche owner. What a bomb- then over the next four months spent 90 percent of their com- shell that was. I immediately worked very hard to organize a munications discussing whether to continue with Tacoma or series of letters from prominent, high volume Comanche shops change to a different location. As president, I don’t control advocating no AD or greatly lengthened inspection intervals. the Board of Directors, I only try my best to carry out their I also was in touch with Hans Neubert, who is continually in wishes as expressed via motions passed by a majority. touch with the FAA Atlanta Office on our behalf concerning this It is hurtful to even mention the Board’s discussion of my hard matter. The jury is still out, and I guess always will be, as to work on the Stabilator Torque Tube SAIB. Leave it at saying whether this matter will be escalated to an AD or not. But it was probably the most disappointing treatment that I have so far, so good. ever had after doing a massive amount of hard work. The Fall Board Meeting in Dallas was definitely the lowest Maurice’s passing propelled me into a series of trips and point I ever reached during my 26 years in ICS. It was amazing phone calls in this matter. First there was his viewing in Lake to me some of the responses that I received from simple initiatives Wales, Fla., and then a trip a few days later to Binghamton, N.Y., that I requested from the Board of Directors that day. I am still and to his funeral service in Walton, N.Y. This turned out to in shock thinking of that day. At one point I asked the Tribe Chiefs be probably one of the most impressive times of my ICS to contact their members and ask that any members who had membership. I was there with the people who were most known and corresponded with Maurice Taylor to have them write important to Maurice’s life. Although I don’t pretend that I was a little something about Maurice that we could use in case Maurice very important in Maurice’s life, it was a privilege to be accepted were to pass away. I was told by one Board Member at the and made to feel welcome by those who were. I will always meeting that when Maurice was dead, he wouldn’t care whether cherish meeting those unique and special people. Maurice’s passing also propelled me into putting together a special edition of the Comanche Flyer Magazine. Believe me, that was a lot of work. I contacted everyone I could think of to We know aviation and try to get them to write articles about their experiences with Maurice. It was time-consuming and difficult with little help from we know insurance. anyone other than those willing to write something. I gratefully thank those persons. I worked through the last half of November, Our Brokers have an average of 20 years through Thanksgiving weekend, and into early December, doing everything I could to make the magazine a fitting tribute to of aviation insurance experience and Maurice. One Tribe Chief did get a couple of letters together, backgrounds in aircraft ownership, air but unfortunately they weren’t passed to me and then slipped traffic control, insurance underwriting, between the cracks and didn’t make it into the special Maurice edition. Dianne White did an excellent job of organizing and flight instruction. We are able to what I passed to her and making for an excellent presentation understand your needs and produce the to our membership. Some of the most heartwarming things that have happened results you deserve. Please contact us this year have been the well-attended maintenance related so we may show you the difference. fly-ins that ICS has hosted. The first one was in Titusville, Fla., sponsored by the Tribe Chief Kenneth Rivard and the SE Tribe. The second one was in Laughlin, Nev., put together by Lorne Harmon. The third was in Diamondhead, Miss., hosted by Melody and Charlie Horton, and the fourth was in Jackson, Tenn., hosted by Judy and Charlie Tripp. All of these maintenance-oriented fly-ins have been heavily attended and well received by our membership. My thanks to all who have made these fly-ins possible through your hard work and dedication. These sort of fly-ins seem to me to be what the membership wants and what we should strive to deliver in the future. Anytime we can educate our membership on East Kansas City Airport 600 A EE Kirby Road how to better operate and maintain their Comanche, we are Grain Valley, MO 64029 doing the right thing. I would be remiss not to mention that 877.661.1799 • [email protected] technical fly-ins are also being hosted in Australia. They have 2 • Comanche Flyer SEPTEMBER 2005 a great bunch of Comanche enthusiasts down there. It is hoped I would like to thank Omri Talmon for restarting the “It Should we will have some future technical related fly-ins in Europe. Not Happen to You” monthly column. It is an honor for me to Speaking of Australia, there were at least three Australian know that he chose my time as president to come back and members who attended Sun ‘N Fun this year in Lakeland, Fla. contribute to ICS in such an important way. Monica Rehkopf They spent quite a bit of time at the ICS booth and it was good has always been willing to help wherever it was needed and getting to know folks from halfway around the world.