What should I tell you?!
Many of you have asked questions like “can I go fly 3CD? Is it legal? Is buzzing around town considered an essential activity?”
Look, I’m no lawyer and I don’t give legal advice. The fact is that the pattern in KCRQ looks busy as usual. If anything, VFR flying has become a little easier, since corporate jets are not flying much. SoCal approach has been very friendly and accommodating from what I hear from others when it comes to practice approaches, local transitions through Bravo airspace and flight following. Who knows, maybe this is the time for the long awaited approach into KSAN or KLAX? “But what if ATC shuts down and they close the tower?!”. Well, I don’t know about you, but I fly to many non-towered airports all the time. So tune in that CTAF and ASOS frequency, pick the right pattern for your runway and communicate. Shouldn’t be much of a change for the typical VFR mission (which is what 3CD is being used for 99% of the time). Watch out for ATC-zero TFRs popping out of nowhere though!
I think you guys need to make your own decision and not ask me for advice what to do. The one thing I can tell you is that I won’t be able to hold the plane in the club at those sky-high insurance premiums for months to come with nobody (or significantly less people) flying the plane. I will be much better off on a individual insurance policy in that case.
So, support your local small business, your favorite restaurant, leave hefty tips for people that are at risk of loosing their jobs. And if you have a few $ to spare for your flying hobby, well, do what you think is right.
Happy Landings!
Phillip
PS: I want to shout out a few names here of people who have already supported 3CD in these difficult times, but at the same time, I don’t want to publicly call them out for going flying where others might think that’s not ok. So how about this: Thank you! (you know who you are!)
Oil
The engine is happy between 6 and 7 qts. We are using Phillips 66 XC 20W50 only. Since we dialed up the oil pressure a few psi, the temps have come down a bit and if you keep flying it at Vx (85kts) for initial climb to a safe altitude, Vy (95kts) for climbs into pattern altitude and 100-105kts for cruise climbs, you should see CHTs below 400F and not trigger the engine monitor alarms. Blackstone reports show no metal wear or other reasons for concern.
Rate discount plan
The rate discount plan is available again for 2020. The plan has been simplified and the economics have been adjusted to a sustainable level.
For the pre-payment of $2,000, each enrolled member will receive $80 per hours (hobbs) discount for any hour flown in the 365 days following the enrollment. There is no cap on the refunds. Other terms & conditions apply. Please inquire via info@n173cd.com if you are interested.