Ashley Leman clearly recalls her first time in a small airplane; it was June 2004, right after her graduation from high school. Inspired by the sight of airplanes that would frequently appear overhead and from family members who were licensed pilots, Ashley walked into the flight school at the Lake in the Hills Airport and signed up. That was the day she took her first flying lesson and it was then that she knew she had found her profession. Her desire to pursue a piloting career took her on trips across the country, and across the globe.
A native of Crystal Lake, IL, Ashley continued to fly from the small airport, earning her private in 2005, and instrument rating in December 2007, both with the same instructor who flew with her on her first day.
In the summer prior to Ashley’s 2008 graduation from NIU in with a degree in Business Administration, she was encouraged to apply for an aviation internship. However, it was not your average after-school program. Ashley was selected from a group of college students across the country to participate in a unique opportunity; a brand-new international internship sponsored jointly by the EAA and EADS Socata.
The interns would be living and working for Socata in France and would get to see some of the local sights, as well as help represent Socata at the Paris Air Show. During her five-week stay in France, Ashley was part of the customer support team for the new TBM-850 and got an opportunity to tour the Airbus production facility.
Currently, Ashley is back home in Illinois and is a student in the CFI Academy at DuPage. She says she is looking forward to building time so she can finally get on to the flight deck and take control of her dream job.
For in-depth coverage of Ashley see below:
Far and Wide By: Joe La Valle
The aviation career of Ashley Leman, 22, has only spanned a few years, but she has gained experiences most could only dream of. While a student at Northern Illinois University, and a flight student at the Lake in Hills Airport near her hometown of Crystal Lake, Illinois, Ashley was initially reluctant to pursue an internship in her desired field of flight, but encouraged by her school counselor, she applied in February 2007 for a new program offered jointly by the Experimental Aircraft Association, and EADS Socata Aircraft of France.
EADS Socata had partnered with the EAA and Young Eagles to form a transatlantic aviation network. This internship was aimed at college students who were pursuing careers in the field of aviation and were members of the EAA. Despite the application time being almost closed, Ashley said, “it was worth a shot.” During this time, an internship was the last thing on her mind. She said that she was wholly concentrated on her goal of flying, and working hard on getting her ratings.
The award announcement came during the 2007 Sun ‘n Fun Air Show in Lakeland Florida . Then-CEO of Socata Stéphane Mayer along with Vice-President for Business Development of the EAA Elissa Lines selected Ashley, who at the time held a private pilot license, and John Staines from Ontario, Canada, who held a commercial pilot license, from a pool of thirty-two other pilot-applicants. The notification came unexpectedly to Ashley, who at that time was working as a waitress while she was finishing her school term; she listened to a message on her voicemail after work and was, “really surprised” that she had been selected.
Vice-President of Sales and Marketing for EADS Socata Nicolas Chabbert commented that the selection was very hard. Together with officials from the EAA, they expressed how impressed they were “by the high quality motivation letters and enthusiasm of these students for the program [and] are very happy to host them in Tarbes.” [1]
The internship Ashley was about to undertake would take her to Tarbes , France , a small town in the southwestern region of the country. This is where EADS Socata makes its headquarters and where Ashley and John would spend the next five weeks working closely with engineers and support staff on the line of new TBM-850 aircraft.
The TBM-850 is a single engine, turboprop-powered, high-performance, pressurized aircraft. It has a maximum takeoff weight of 7,394lbs, holds six passengers plus crew and boasts a maximum cruising speed of 320 KTAS and a 20-minute time to climb to its FAA certified ceiling of 31,000ft. [2]
Ashley's main responsibility within her department was to work with the customer support team. As this was the first time that Socata had interns, Ashley was moved around her department frequently and performed many tasks. She began working in the parts department before being moved to customer service. Here, she was tasked with developing brochures, creating digital customer presentations, as well as conducting research. She typically worked an eight-hour day with an hour for lunch and said, “The coworkers were great.”
During her time in France Ashley stayed in an apartment in Tarbes , and was able to spend her weekends touring the countryside. The view from her quiet room gave her a grand view of the Pyrenees Mountains -a range that separates France from Spain . When she was not at work, she was able to do some sightseeing of the surrounding area. Ashley toured historic Lourdes and Tarbes, whose monuments, castles and cathedrals have been witness to the history of France from the time of the Hundred Year's War up to the present day.
As part of the internship program, Ashley visited Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris where she received a tour of the control tower and facilities. While in Paris, she was able to spend time at the Paris Air Show as a representative of EADS Socata and was on hand to receive clients and prospective customers. On another day afield, Ashley and John were given a tour of the Airbus manufacturing facility in Toulouse, where they saw up-close the new A-380 line of airliners being assembled.
Ashley's work with Socata culminated with her and John having to give a presentation to the executive board of the company outlining ideas they had for improving the company and aircraft they had worked in close proximity with.
Their work was not finished when they left France , however. Upon return to the U.S. , they were guests of the EAA at its 2007 AirVenture Air Show in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, and got a chance to recount their experience to the media and aviation community during a press conference with new and current EADS Socata CEO, Jean-Michel Léonard. Léonard said “the 2007 Young Eagles internships were extremely valuable for both the students and EADS Socata, and the company is committed to continuing the program in 2008.” [3]
On the value of internships and scholarships for students of aviation, Ashley “highly recommends” them, saying that they are “good experiences to prepare [students] for the future…a chance to apply classroom knowledge in real life.”
Currently, Ashley has just finished the coursework for her flight instructor certificates at American Flyers in West Chicago, Illinois, and is days away from her checkride. She is looking forward to teaching her first students, but eventually it is the airlines that will be her calling. Her ideal job would be to fly something “big and international”, the Boeing 747-400 was mentioned in particular as being favorite of hers.
When she is not flying, Ashley favors the hobbies of a quiet life, she enjoys playing the piano and loves art and classical literature; her favorite author is Dickens. She had the opportunity to indulge her literary pursuits when, for her senior capstone course at NIU, she composed a thirty-page paper on the inherent similarities between A Tale of Two Cities, and Tolstoy's War and Peace. She enjoys the task of writing, and loves language. She spent eight years studying French, and while she is not yet fluent, her time in country was made easier due to her knowledge.
Ashley is also a current member of Women in Aviation International and looks forward to their next conference, which is being held in Atlanta , Georgia in February 2009. [4] She attended her first conference in Nashville, Tennessee in 2006. She is looking forward to next year's gathering; she will certainly have lots to share.
For more information about aviation scholarships offered though the EAA and Women in Aviation International please visit:
EADS (2007). EAA and EADS Socata selected Ashley & John for their International Scholarship. Retrieved from, www.socata.eads.net, September 2 nd , 2008.
EADS (2008). TBM 850 by Socata. Retrieved from, www.tbm850.com , September 3rd, 2008.
EADS (2007). EAA/EADS Socata's International Trainees Complete Their Highly Successful “Young Eagles” Internship . Retrieved from, www.socata.eads.net, August 27th, 2008.
WAI (2008). 20 th Annual International Women in Aviation Conference . Retrieved from, www.wai.org , September 4 th , 2008.
Happy Aloft
If you happen to talk to Josh Bart of Plano, Texas, don’t tell him you have a hectic schedule; you may not get much sympathy. At just twenty years old, Josh has had a busy life up to this point, and he is always looking for more.
With only two years to go at the University of Texas at San Antonio, Josh, like most students his age, is looking ahead to his career. However, his chosen career is not for the average student. The political science major is looking for a career as a helicopter pilot for the U.S. Coast Guard.
To achieve his goal, Josh is beginning a ROTC program for the Coast Guard as well as earning his pilot certification. His flight training began on June 11th, 2008, and on July 23rd, he passed his check ride. “It was a crazy schedule,” said Josh. His summer schedule ran thus: from 8-12:00 was his flight lesson, summer class went from 1-4:00, and finally work from 5-11:00 pm. With every day consumed, Josh nonetheless remained focused and earned his license. He says he is looking forward to starting his instrument rating, “as soon as possible.”
His desire to fly come from his father who is a corporate pilot type-rated in the Gulfstream 5 and 450 series. When asked what he would like to fly, Josh said either the Jayhawk or the Dolphin (Coast Guard rescue helicopters), but he thinks, “dad wants me to go fixed [wing].” As he considered his future beyond the Coast Guard, Josh says he wants to stay beyond the initial eleven year commitment and fly for as long as he can, saying that he would also like to go to graduate school when he has a chance, but one thing at a time for right now.
Destinations
The world’s largest Halloween theme park is just thirty miles south of Dallas/Fort Worth, and is ready for your visit. The Screams Halloween Theme Park will be open Friday and Saturday nights from October 3rd through November 1st from 7:30 pm until 1:30 am, and on Thursday, October 30th from 7:30 pm to 11:00 pm.
This park features five haunted attractions as well as a host of fall favorites including a climbing wall, rides, face painting, games of skill, karaoke, psychics, souvenirs and food. Located in Waxahachie, Texas, tickets are available at the door and in different combinations depending on the group size and desired attractions. The haunted attractions can be visited as many times as you can stand.
Initially begun on a dare during World War II, the practice of flying an aircraft into a hurricane soon became a practical way to gather data and track severe weather all over the world. The first person credited with piloting an aircraft through a hurricane was Lt. Col. Joe Duckworth, who flew his AT-6 into the eye of a hurricane in the Gulf of Mexico in July 1943. In 1944, the 3rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron was formed to study weather phenomena all over the globe. It became the first department of defense unit to fly into tropical storms and hurricanes; and still is.
Eventually renamed the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron, it flew a wide range of aircraft based all over the world. Initially flying war surplus B-17s and B-24s, the squadron also flew the WB-29/50 aircraft (the first aircraft to have the designator of ‘W’), and the only jet to fly into a hurricane, the WB-47. Currently the squadron flies ten Lockheed-Martin WC-130H aircraft and is based at Keesler Air Force Base in Biloxi, Mississippi.
The WC-130H is able to stay aloft for nearly 15 hours, with the average mission lasting 11 hours. The Crew gathers data for every minute of flight using sophisticated weather observation equipment such as the Atmospheric Distributed Data System (ADDA) and the Omega Dropsonde Windfinding System. The hurricane reconnaissance area includes the Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico and eastern Pacific Ocean areas.
The Hurricane Hunters share counterparts within the Air Force Tactical Airlift Division as well as NOAA; each one flying aircraft into hurricanes to gather data for research and early warning.
Sources: hurricane hunters.com, af.mil
Tips for TAAs
By David Menconi, Chief Flight Instructor
Technically Advanced Aircraft (TAAs) are defined as a GPS equipped aircraft with a moving map, plus any additional systems (i.e. autopilot). Manufacturers have made TAA the norm for virtually all new light general aviation aircraft.
Looking at aviation periodicals today you might conclude that conventional-gauge aircraft are a small portion of the general aviation fleet. Latest statistics reveal that less than 15 percent of the general aviation fleet is actually TAA equipped, but that number is growing steadily and will eventually become the standard.
I am often asked, “How does a pilot transition to one of these push-button and glass cockpits safely?” This question has been asked many times in aviation history. It was decades ago when pilots wondered how they were going to transition to gyroscopic instruments, the VOR navigation system, the Horizontal Situation Indicator and the Radio Magnetic Indicator. The answer is still the same. Pilots familiarize themselves with the basics of the new technology and develop a plan on how to safely incorporate the technology into their everyday flying. Having a Certified Flight Instructor included in this plan will help make the transition more efficient and organized.
The plan should include:
Doing your homework. Get familiar with the system; learn the functions, limitations, normal and emergency operation of your equipment. Use the many publications, web sites and interactive software packages available.
Practicing in a flight simulation device. A good instructor and a flight simulation device can be valuable tools to get “hands on” experience and knowledge. Learn first in the simulator and then practice in the aircraft. The inclusion of TAA equipment into flight simulation devices is becoming very popular; it makes learning easier and safer than in an airplane. It will also save you money.
Planning your initial flights well within your proficiency level. Start with VFR (with a CFI or safety pilot) before you transition to en route IFR, marginal VFR and then IMC.
TAA systems have already made a positive impact in improving aviation safety. One concern however, is the amount of “head down time” pilots need to achieve minimum proficiency levels in the airplane. That can be eliminated with a transition plan and using a Certified Flight Instructor.
October Movie Review
In keeping with the Halloween spirit of the month, we review a unique film that combines the genres of horror and aviation adventure: The Night Flyer. Based on a short story of the same name by Stephen King, The Night Flyer is a mysterious figure that travels to secluded airfields at night in a black Cessna Skymaster. Leaving frightful scenes in his wake, he is relentlessly pursued by a tabloid journalist who pilots his own aircraft following the night flyer’s trail of terror. Replete with all the trappings of a late-night horror flick, this film is perfect for a dark Halloween evening’s viewing.
Source: imdb.com
Better Sleep Hygiene is Easy*
Insomnia is often the result of poor sleep habits and making a few
changes can help you get a better night’s sleep:
Avoid caffeine, nicotine and alcohol four to six hours before going to bed.
Exercise promotes restful sleep, but not if it’s too close to bed time.
Try to wake up at the same time every morning, even on weekends.
Don’t go to bed until you are sleepy; if you don’t fall asleep in 15 to 20 minutes, get out of bed and do something relaxing.
Avoid napping during the day. If you do nap, do so for not more than thirty minutes during the mid-afternoon.
Source: UT Lifetime Health Letter
*For more information about maintaining good health on the ground and in the air, stay turned for the November issue of the American Flyers Newsletter.
Ask the Pilot Professor
By Dr. Michael Bliss
Q: There have been a few times
lately, while on an IFR flight plan,
that the controller did not give me
lower early enough for a comfortable
rate of descent. I want to be prepared
in the future to request lower
when I need to start down. It’s
usually a busy time so I need a
simple way to determine how far out
I should begin my descent.
A: Here is the simplest way I know to do what you request. Make a rough estimate of your ground speed during the descent and follow this formula to get a 500 fpm rate of descent.
GS of 120 = 4 nm for every 1000 feet of altitude loss
GS of 150 = 5 nm for every 1000 feet of altitude loss
GS of 180 = 6 nm for every 1000 feet of altitude loss
For example, you are cruising at 8000 feet, the pattern altitude is 2000 feet, and your GS is 150 knots. You will need to start your descent 30 nm from the airport. (5 nm x 6 = 30 nm)
Calendar Ground Schools & Events
Private
November 7
December 5
January 9
Instrument
November 28
December 26
January 30
Commercial
November 14
December 12
January 16
CFI Revalidation
November 22
December 20
January 24
CFI Academy
November 6
December 11
January 15
CFIA & FOI
November 28
December 26
January 30
CFII
November 15
December 13
January 17
ATP
November 8
December 6
January 10
BBQ/Seminar
November 8
December 6
January 10
October Issue
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“You’re Invited …” Join Us Saturday, November 8th, 2008 at 12:00 Noon For a Free Pilot Seminar & Lunch
Don’t miss our November BBQ!
This month will feature topics on aeromedical factors and night flying. Bring a friend and enjoy a free lunch and then stay to join in the discussion. Last month, the crew at DPA put on a Hawaiian Theme: complete with luau music and authentic, home-cooked Hawaiian fare! The spicy chicken and the seasoned pork went fast, and the refresher course on Basic Attitude Instrument techniques was a success. We look forward to seeing you soon!
WEBSITE SPECIAL
PILOT SUPPLIES, AVIATION GIFTS AND WEARABLES
15% OFF
All In Stock Items
Coupon Good Until November 10, 2008
– PLUS –
Aviation-themed Hawaiian shirts, selected t-shirts and women’s sport shirts with embroidered “Women with Wings” logo have been drastically reduced to make room for Fall/Winter Apparel.
On-Line Discount Code 111008 Type in discount code above at checkout
Attention Readers!
Beginning on Jan. 1st, American Flyers Newsletter will begin publishing readers’ submissions. We are looking for fresh, original material about any and everything to do with aviation. Click Here For More Details
There isn’t a better, more enjoyable and guaranteed class available. Plus the class includes two free hours of simulator!
… you can enjoy two hours of VFR or IFR simulator instruction, free, by attending either one of our weekend classes or taking an “IntroFlight”.
Get involved… introduce friends to flying. If you have a friend or acquaintance who might be interested in aviation send them in, or better yet, bring them! We fly 7 days a week.
