Archive for April, 2022

Flymall / Kraemer Aviation April 2022 Wheels & Wings Newsletter

Friday, April 29th, 2022

Welcome to the Kraemer Aviation/Flymall.org Wheels & Wings Newsletter. The theme this month is “Famous people and their cars/planes/boats/trains, etc. & Famous Cars and Cars Seen On TV”.

This month; the story of Hachiko, new awards for the Laytonsville Cruise In, the first Boeing 720 built, Paul McCartney’s Aston Martin, a plane owned by Elvis, and more.

You can view past newsletters here.

Save the date. May 20 2022 is the “Official Opening Night” for the Laytonsville Cruise In. We will also have free ice cream for the drivers and one guest. Check out the new awards for this year.


Earlier this month, Kraemer Aviation hosted their annual Easter dinner. Click here for pictures from the event.

Interested in living at an airport?  Visit our Aviation Real Estate page here. You can view price data for airport property in our Market Watch section of the Flymall. Here is the data for all airport property. You can refine the search by “state” simply by searching for the desired state under “Model”.

Since this month’s theme is famous people and their vehicles, most likely one of the most famous aviation homes is John Travolta’s home and his planes. We have a few airport homes for sale in the Real Estate section of the Flymall.

We have a very nice grass strip available for sale. Keymar Airport in Carroll County Maryland. Click here for details.

Want to have your business highlighted on the Flymall???  We offer inexpensive rates to have your business featured on our Wheels & Wings page.  Contact us for more info.

History Trivia: Did you know that the first rock star to have his/her own private jet was James Brown. It was a Lear 23.

One of the most famous jets used by rock stars and rock groups was the Starship. The Starship was the very first Boeing 720 built. Groups that used this plane include Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, Elton John, Allman Brothers Band, and many more.

If you enjoy history we have a new aviation history fact each day at the bottom of our webpages.  Some days there may be more than one, just refresh the page.  And if you like Beatles history, checkout our Events Calendar and select the Beatles category.  This is a work in progress, we’re building the most comprehensive calendar of important dates in Beatle history.  For those that like to stick with current news, we have an aviation news ticker on our home page.  This is updated daily to show the current aviation news.

Achievements & Special Recognition: Instructors, what to highlight your students first solo or other achievement here?  Just send us a short write-up and a picture or two and we’ll post it here for you.  Click here for our contact info.

Our friend Bill Gibson deserves some special recognition for his work on his own Bat Cave complete with a real Batmobile and Batcycle with Robin’s sidecar. Harry & Pat were lucky enough to get a personal tour recently. Click here for our post from the visit to the Bat Cave.

Aviation/Aviators in the news: Rock stars and private jets seem to go together. While the rock star’s whereabouts are usually known, sometimes their jets get lost. Elvis Presley’s 1962 Lockheed Jetstar sat abandoned for about 35 years until it was sold at auction in 2017 for just over $500,000 USD. It was in sad shape. You can view price data for Elvis Presley vehicles in our Market Watch section of the Flymall by clicking here.

The aviation section of the Flymall is full of aviation news, training info, and much more for the aviator.

The Kraemer Aviation team attended the Hagerstown Aviation Museum April Open House. Perfect weather and a great time. Click here for more pictures from the event.

Air show season is always just around the corner.  Want to travel to air shows in your own aircraft?  Visit our used aircraft page on the Flymall to view our inventory.

Car/Motorcycle Show News:   The Laytonsville Cruise In is the place to be on a Friday night in Montgomery County.  The Laytonsville Cruise In was started by Harry in 2010. It has become one of the most popular cruise ins in the area. You can follow Harry on Facebook for daily updates during the many shows and events he attends. Here’s info on the Cars & Cones event at the Laytonsville Cruise In.

Earlier this month, the Kraemer Aviation team attended the season’s first Bike Night at Elder Pine Brewing & Blending Co. Click here for some pictures from the event.

Who remembers The Bionic Woman? The series starred Lindsay Wagner. Here she is holding up a Mini Cooper with one hand.

District Harley Davidson held an open house “Blessing of the Bikes & Fish Fry” earlier this month. We were on hand to enjoy the bikes, food, and music. Click here for more pictures from the event.

Our Events Calendar has the most current info regarding local and national car shows, air shows, and more.  With nearly 30 categories, there is something for everyone.  The Day Tripper section of the Flymall has dozens of day trip ideals and interesting places to visit.  Check it out here.

We attended the annual Howard County Motorcycle Show & Swap meet earlier this month. This is a great place to find some good deals on used parts and motorcycles. Click here for more pictures from the event.

Here is a yearly event that is worth attending. A Gas & Steam Engine show at the Agricultural History Farm Park. The show is usually near the end of April or beginning of May. Lots of vintage tractors, farm animals, crafts, classic cars, good food, and more. Click here for some pictures from this year’s event.

If you grew up in the 60s, you will certainly remember The Munsters. You can view price data for some of the Munsters vehicles in our Market Watch section of the Flymall. Pictured here is their daily driver and grandpa in the Coffin Dragster.

Barn Finds/Hangar Finds:  Need an appraisal on your barn find?  Visit our Appraisal Page for information on our appraisals. 

Someone is just waiting and hoping to find this one in a barn somewhere. Perhaps two of the coolest things from the 1960s, Paul McCartney and his 1966 Aston Martin. And to add, the association of the car with James Bond! You can view Paul McCartney items in our Market Watch section here.

Here’s another Paul McCartney vehicle. Paul on his Honda motorcycle.

Visit our online store to search for hard to find car parts, aircraft parts, and much more.  You can pay online in our secure store, just click on the Store button on our home page.

Visit the Test Drive section of the Flymall for reviews on automobiles, aircraft, motorcycles, and more. Read about it before you buy it.  You can also research price info on a wide variety of vehicles, collectibles, and more in the Market Watch section of the Flymall. 

If you’re restoring a fabric aircraft, Ira Walker of Walker Aviation is your resource.  Visit his page on the Flymall by clicking here

CFI / DPE Notes:  Visit Harry’s Practical Test page for information on his checkrides.  You will also find useful information there to help you prepare for your checkride.  You can also visit Harry’s Lesson Plan section of the Flymall for other flight training information.  Visit our Flight Training page for information on our aviation training classes.

Earlier this month, Carmel passed her CFI (flight instructor) checkride with Harry. She is a very talented and natural pilot. This was their 4th checkride together.

Many of the local flying clubs at KGAI will often invite the DPEs to their club meetings and social events. This month, Harry, Pat, and Jett attended the Congressional Flying Club cookout at KGAI. It was a rainy evening, however everyone seemed to enjoy the company and grilled food. Click here for more pictures.

Weather in the news: While April is supposed to be the start of warmer weather, we had a few snow storms in April this year. Some were record breaking/setting.

April has certainly been a month to remember for severe weather. And this is how April 2022 ended. This was the Weather Channel’s forecast on Friday, April 29 2022. We had wind, hail, and tornado warnings!

Three Wheel Association (TWA):  Harry started the Three Wheel Association in 2013 to promote/support the industry of three wheel vehicles of all types. Visit the Three Wheel Association page on the Flymall for more info on the association.

One of our vintage 3 wheelers has met someone rich and famous. Our 1912 AC Delivery Trike and Wayne Carini of Chasing Classic Cars.

Want a reproduction vintage 3 wheeler.  Walker Aviation can scratch built from pictures or drawings.  Visit his page on the Flymall.  

Prototypes: Here’s a famous car from television in the mid 1980s. The Coyote X from the series Hardcastle & McCormick. The Coyote X was made using custom molds. It was based on the McLaren M6GT. The original one was made by Mike Fennel. It used a chassis from a Volkswagen Beetle and engine from a Porsche 914. For the second and third seasons, they used a different Coyote which was based on a De Lorean DMC-12. The judge drove a 1964 Corvette Sting Ray.

Nautical Notes: The rich and famous are no strangers to super yachts. Check out the Rising Sun motor yacht owned by David Geffen. She cost over $200 million to build. She’s 452 foot long and powered by 4 diesel engines producing over 48,000 horsepower. The yacht has 82 rooms and includes a gym, basketball court, wine cellar, and a movie theater. Sir Paul McCartney has been a guest on the Rising Sun.

Riding The Rails: Many celebrities have trains on their property or are model railroaders. Rod Stewart is one of them. Here is a little sample of his model railroad setup.

Animals in the headlines: Have you heard the story of Hachiko? He was a Japanese Akita dog, remembered for his remarkable loyalty to his owner, Hidesaburō Ueno, for whom he continued to wait for over nine years following Ueno’s death. Movies have been made about him. There are statues of him. There is an Akita Dog Museum In Japan that honors him. He has his own Wikipedia page. Click here for more information on this famous dog (man’s best friend).

We close this newsletter with these words: Don’t let anyone talk you out of pursuing what you know to be a great idea.

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Commercial Pilot Questions / Scenarios

Friday, April 8th, 2022

1.On the descent, your captain drops below the glide slope. As FO. You bring it to his attention. He doesn’t respond to you or take corrective action. What should you do? >>>>>>>Call for a go-around (key the mike so it’s official with tower). If the CA still does not respond, take the controls.>>>>>>>>>Depends on how far out we are. IF outside the marker, probably nothing. Inside the marker, I’d insist on a missed approach if unstable and more than about a dot off. At 500 to mins if we are not stabilized and the Captain is unresponsive, I’m taking over and executing a missed approach.

2.You’re the FO. Your Captain shows up with what seems to be the smell of liquor on his breath. What would you do? Why? Other options?>>>>>>>>First, be very certain that it is liquor. Then tell the guy that he needs to call in sick immediately. I would tell him that he needs to first contact the union for substance-abuse intervention, then have the union contact me to confirm he did that. If he doesn’t comply, I call the CP.>>>>>>>>>>Bottom line is this. You need to be damn sure the guy has been drinking inside of the 8 hours or is impaired. Its possible the guy next to him spilled their beer on the Capt’s uniform shirt during the commute in. If I am really sure the guy has been drinking I’m going to encourage him to call in sick. If that fails, he has what is coming to him. I’d call my chief pilot and airport security as a last step.

3.A thunderstorm is moving in and approaching the end of the runway. Your captain is continuing on the approach to the same runway. What would say/do? Why?>>>>>>>>Point it out to the CA. If he takes no action, call approach and inquire about the storm cell. Request vectors if necessary.>>>>>>>>>How far is the T-storm? If close, I’d suggest we don’t land and wait for it to pass. Also, I’d have scoped out a reasonable alternate and suggest that. If we go missed into an T-storm we are done! Bottom line, I’m not going to let the Captain put me and the pax in a risky situation.

4.You’re at the hotel bar with your flight crew having drinks and its getting close to the 8 hour mark. Someone says lets have one more drink. What do you do?>>>>>>>>>Point out that time’s up, then go to my room. That way I dropped the hint, did not break the 8 hour rule, and did not witness anyone else breaking the rule. I don’t think I would play hall monitor. If they show up drunk in the AM, see #2.>>>>>>>>>. I’ve been here. I chose to leave prior to the 8 hour point and stopped drinking around 10 hours prior. Personally, I did not want to be witness to someone violating the 8 hours. When I left, everyone else left too…

5.How would you handle a situation where your captain didn’t seem to like you?>>>>>>>>Try to do your job and be polite. If the CA’s behavior is bad enough to affect your emotional state, you could either discuss it with him or ask company to pull you off the trip.>>>>>>>>I’ve seen this. Sometimes people don’t like you or you don’t like them. Who cares. I would run the checklists and required items, ensure safety of flight, and not let it bother me.

6.What would you do if your captain was performing nonstandard but not unsafe maneuvers?>>>>>>>Remind him of the SOP. If he continues to do it, maybe call union pro-standards…that will provide some intervention without getting him in trouble.>>>>>>If what the Captain is doing is not unsafe, I don’t feel it is necessary to correct them or inform them of company policy. My job isn’t check FO, it’s just FO. Anytime safety is compromised, I have a moral imperative to step in and stop the situation from escalating.

7.There are heavy thunderstorms ahead and your captain wants to fly through them. What should you say to the captain?>>>>>See #3>>>>>>>>>>>. This falls in a safety issue and I just tell the Capt. I’m not comfortable flying through T-storms. Perhaps give them a little lesson on WX radar.

8.You notice that your captain is not following the checklist. You bring it to his attention. He tells you he doesn’t need to follow it he knows it. What would you do? While in cruise, he starts reading a flight magazine. Should you say anything?>>>>>>>>If the CA refuses to use the checklist after being reminded, I would pull the checklist and run it myself to make sure it’s all done…out loud. If I think it’s a real issue, call pro-standards. If the CA takes a magazine out in cruise flight that means it’s time to read the paper, or whatever literature you brought.>>>>>>>>>Checklists are important. I would make sure the checklist is read by me. I occasionally see Capts who don’t do checklists or call for them online. Seriously, everyone reads magazines – I likely wouldn’t admit to reading in an interview, but I would not do anything about a captain who is reading. ALSO, this is a company issue , not an FAA issue. If your OPSPEC doesn’t prevent reading non-company material then it is okay.

9.Under what circumstances do you feel an FO would be justified in taking control of the aircraft (in flight) away from the captain?>>>>>>>>If the captain (a) is non-responsive or (b) flying the airplane into a dangerous situation, or (c) has lost attitude control and seems unable to correct it (stall, unusual attitude, etc). >>>>>>>>Impending doom.

10.The manifest shows you’re 55 pounds overweight. You inform your captain. He tells you it’s okay to fly. What should you do?>>>>>>Insist that the weight issue be corrected. If he refuses, threaten to walk off the job. He then has the choice of mellowing out, calling in sick, or explaining to the CP why his FO jumped ship. If he gives you a hard time about this, contact pro-standards.>>>>>Maybe there was a kid in the back that the FA miscounted as an adult? That should save some weight. If that fails, I’d Change the manifest to indicate less fuel and run the APU longer than required or take a 2 minute delay before takeoff to burn the 55LBS off so we are not overweight for takeoff.

11.If your captain showed up for your flight in a very bad mood, what would you do? Why?>>>>>>>>>>Suggest that maybe he should call in sick, express concern that he has a lot on his mind. If he is really out of control, threaten to walk off the job. He then has the choice of mellowing out, calling in sick, or explaining to the CP why his FO jumped ship.>>>>>>>>Who cares? Do the required checklists and flows, try to be friendly, and not worry about his problems.

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Preflight Inspection

Thursday, April 7th, 2022

Preflight Procedures / Preflight Inspection

Here are some “hot items” to be sure and check closely

Check the spinner for cracks

Check spinner alignment

Look at the two 2 circled areas. They are areas that can rub and wear a hole in the hose. The green is the spiral wrap. The wrap will wear before the hose or wire does.

Brake pad inspection

If you turn on the master switch and you DO NOT hear this noise, what instrument may have failed??????

Know and understand what safety wire is and why it is used

Here is what can happen if you extend flaps above Vfe

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