On Mar 19, 8:32 am, "Fred Goodwin, CMA" wrote:
Scouts have bumpy landing

http://www.mysanantonio.com/salife/family/stories/
MYSA031807.10B.Flying_scouts.3614c98.htmlhttp://tinyurl.com/2ron93

Web Posted: 03/18/2007 01:39 AM CDT

Chuck McCollough
Express-News

Three Boy Scouts and their pilot walked away from a hard landing at
Hondo Municipal Airport on Saturday after part of the plane's landing
gear failed to lock in place, witnesses said.
"I'm glad to be down safe. I was really scared after I saw part of the
wheel fall off," said 12-year-old Eric Riegel.

He and fellow scouts Nathaniel Mayberry, 13, and Kirby Vandervort, 10,
all of Houston, were flying with pilot Thomas Skiles to earn their
aviation merit badges.

Dozens of other Scouts were present when the airplane started its
landing approach and it became apparent something was wrong, said
Nathaniel Mayberry's father, Luther Mayberry.

"My son and the other boys were on one of the last round of flights,
and we were on the tarmac watching the plane coming in when I sensed
something was not well, something was out of place," the father said.
"The wheels did not come down all the way and the pilot circled at
least once.

"As he came in for the belly landing, the emergency vehicles raced
toward the airplane, and I did, too."

Luther Mayberry, as he put it, "ran faster than I ever have before" as
his son, the other Scouts and the pilot quickly escaped the plane.

There was no fire.

Seconds before the plane came down, Riegel said, the pilot told his
passengers he would land on the grass next to the runway.

"Then there was a hard thump when we hit, and we got out fast. It was
about five minutes between the time we knew the landing gear wasn't
working and when we got down. It was really scary," the boy said.

Airport manager Timothy Fousee said a lever that locks the landing
gear in place malfunctioned. He said the Federal Aviation
Administration is reviewing the incident.

Flying Boy Scouts is an awesome thing to do, very rewarding. There is
more paperwork involved, but its not too bad. Many pilots back away
when they see the BSA insurance requirement to issue you the flight
permit but EAA will cover the insurance difference (with some
additional paperwork). Its really not that bad, I would encourage
everyone to fly scouts. The paperwork you will carry will usually
be...
1) Trip permit (usually handled by an ASM, you don't have to worry
about this)
2) Flight permit (you fill out a small form, indicate the amount of
time you have, etc, and submit it to be signed by your local Council,
returned with stamp)
3) BSA parent release (have parents sign the release, usually the
Troop will ensure this will be done the week before)
4) EAA release (can be filled out anytime before the flight).

There are some restrictions (VFR, day, no landings other than
departure point, limited distance (if you are less than 500 hrs)). You
are waved from the "2 deep leadership" rule when in flight which would
normally require two adults at all times. I believe the BSA insurance
(with EAA) gives you an effective $10Million smooth policy for the
flight. You cover all costs though.
I would also encourage pilots to register with local BSA as an
"Aviation Merit Badge Counciler". This will allow you to sign the
boy's "blue card" for each item required of the merit badge. The Troop
will provide you the manual for the Merit Badge, its all very straight
forward for pilots. It usually only costs you $10/yr to be registered
but its often waved. The $10/yr also provides you with general (non
flight) liability insurance of about $10million (in case a boy falls
down in your house/hanger, etc).

-Robert, CFII, ASM