Left to right David Cole, CNCC Chief Flight Instructor, Marissa Coney, CNCC aviation student and Lierra Coburn, CNCC Flight Instructor perform a preflight at the Rangely Airport.
CNCC 2010–2011 National Intercollegiate Flying Association (NIFA) Team displaying awards won at the national completion at Ohio State University, where they were recognized as the top two-year flight team in the nation.
The buzz of planes overhead has become commonplace in Rangely, Colorado. In large part…
Nathan: Welcome to Colorado. I was one of those “high school grads” that got hired in 1955 by Continental, after being turned down by United and being laughed out of the Mohawk Airlines, chief pilots office in 1954, after hitching 135 miles to take the interview. With the exception of “instrument” rating, all my flying was off the family farm in Wayland, Massachusetts, yoke in left hand “how to” in my right. About every four hours I would hire a instructor to see how I was doing and what was next. In March 1955, Continental called me and wanted me in Denver in two days……made it in two and was interviewed on Monday, physical on Tuesday, Link yes Link, on Wednesday, started school on Thursday. I brought with me SIX friends and graduated students at the flight school I was instructing. All that with high “time” of 720 hours. The highest of the pilots I brought on board was 860 hours! Guess what, they all passed school in flying colors and RETIRED at age 65. What does that tell you? The answer is, it is the basic talent, desire and attitude that determines whether a potential employee is “right” for your company. A thousand hours of PIC time is nonsense in today’s aircraft! Try jumping into a DC-3 for your initial flight, only one pilot in my group had twin engine time! Crosswind, short field operations……kid’s play, that is where we came from. I wold close the throttle over our farm and create a real emergency for the student. After landing we would taxi back, walk up to the house and have a sandwich, then leave, with a student still disbelieving what we had done. At 92, I am finally closing my flying, selling my Cub and don’ look up any more when I hear a plane. The log book reads 33,866 hours (blemish free) rated in 8 aircraft, 3 multi, 6 jets. And all the guys did as good or better! The truth is, you can turn out a student in 500 hours TOTAL flight hours, give him an initial month of ground school and training and send him on his first trip. The “Buffalo” accident was a perfect example of people that were not prepared for what they encountered. Half their fault and half the companies, no excuses by either. I have seen horrible examples of airmanship and have been the one that had to make the call to remove the person from flying in either seat, sometimes after years of overlooking and depending on a good co-pilot to make up for the deficiencies. What aspiring pilots have to work with today is momentous. Try flying a back course, circling approach into COS or a ADF circling approach in Manhattan, Kansas. The majority of today’s pilots would be unable, but it doesn’t matter, unless your making it into Katmandu! Wishing you the best in you new position,and lets settle for 750 TOTAL time, I know its possible. (Only one glitch……do you really believe the stall recovery equipment installed in the “Max” was necessary or just another effort to prove that “single pilot” equipped, part 121 aircraft are safe for every day flights and eventually, transcontinental flights. It is the forerunner of an extensive “conditioning” of the traveling public to accept single pilot aircraft. Takes a lot less pilots, eh? As we say in Canada. My best regards to you and your program. Jerry