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Maintenance at EFA’s Maintenance Hangar (KLWM) – 5/19/12

Airplane in EFA maintenance facility

Maintenance Seminar at EFA’s Maintenance Hangar (KLWM)

The final class in our Ground Seminar Series will be Maintenance at EFA’s Maintenance Hangar on Saturday, May 19 from 10:00am to 12:30pm. Members of our staff will lead this discussion. $25

As pilots, we understand aircraft systems, but we rarely get to see under the hood. This is our opportunity.

Come to our maintenance office in Lawrence, MA and we’ll look inside the cowling to get a better idea of what goes on in there.

We expect to be surprised at how much more we understand after looking at everything more closely. This spells confidence and safety. It’s also an opportunity you can’t get anywhere else.

Topics will include:

  • Look “under the hood” of the aircraft you fly
  • Learn the whys and wherefores of parts and systems
  • Understand what the pre-flight checks tell you and why you do them
  • Learn the techniques of cold and hot starting and why we do what we do
  • Find out what to do when something doesn’t look/sound/feel/smell right
  • Discuss in-flight abnormalities and how to write them up
  • Develop the systems understanding you need to diagnose abnormalities and take action

Complete Ground Seminar Series Schedule

Sign Up

Click all the seminars you want to attend. There is a three-client minimum registration for each class. Payment is due the day of the seminar.
    Please notify us in advance if your schedule changes.

See the Other Side of EFA

Hot dogs fresh off the grill

Come see the other side of EFA
at our summer barbecue!

The Lawrence Base

We love Lawrence!

Most of our clients fly out of our Bedford location.

Now come see the other side of EFA.

Please join us for a summer barbecue and discover why Lawrence Airport is a great place to live your passion.

What’s Special About Lawrence?

  • Convenient location
  • Relaxed atmosphere
  • Airport restaurant
  • Less air traffic
  • Executive amenities

What to Expect

  • Enjoy a family barbecue
  • Tour our Lawrence hangar
  • Meet your maintenance staff
  • Hang out with other pilots
  • See the other airplanes
  • Kick-off your summer with everything that makes it great

Where We Are

Event Times

  • June 2, 2012
  • Stop by any time 10am-3pm

We encourage you to fly-in to this event! Rent an airplane in Bedford and soar on over!

A Thank-You

Dear All,

A year ago, I took my first flying lesson with EFA. Now, my logbook holds more than 250 hours, 40 of which were obtained in EFA’s Super Decathlon. Besides my PPL, I acquired an Instrument Rating, Tailwheel and High Performance endorsement.

While I was keen to learn how to fly, not in my wildest dreams would I have imagined that not even 2 months after passing my PPL, I would fly a taildragger upside down, by myself. Nor did I expect to transition as quickly and smoothly from PPL to Instrument Rating. Every time I fly an approach, I’m amazed by the immense skill set I’ve acquired. Moreover, I had tons and tons of fun.

For this, I would like to thank the whole EFA team; the dispatch and line team for always providing a plane ready to fly and in excellent shape, all with a friendly smile, and the mechanics for taking such good care of EFA’s fleet.

But first and foremost, I would like to thank my instructors, Marc, with whom I obtained my PPL and who was my FAA-designated examiner and Tony, who was my aerobatics and instrument instructor. Marc and Tony are my aviation mentors; they taught me attention to detail, a willingness to always hold myself up to the highest standards, respect the airplane and avoid complacency like the plague. Their passionate airmanship has instilled in me a great desire to continue to learn, collect more ratings and constantly work to become a better pilot.

In short, I could not have wished for a better training experience and whole-heartedly recommend Tony and Marc to anyone interested in learning to fly or obtain advanced ratings. I’m sure that both Timm and I will be back for more aerobatics and our CPL.

Sincerely,
Christina

Christina""

Thank you for your kind words, Christina.
We have deeply enjoyed your friendship
and your passion for flight.

Brunswick International Fly-In

Flying Scholarships Available for NH Students

Flight Student

Scholarships are available for New Hampshire flight students.

Each year, the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation provides scholarships to students interested in pursuing careers in aviation. For 2012, up to $12,600 will be awarded from three funds:

    Michael J. Keating Scholarship Fund
    For a New Hampshire resident who is an entering freshman or transfer student in a flight operations program.

    David G. Plasch Aviation Scholarship
    For residents of the Seacoast area (including York County, ME) who are pursuing flight training or other aviation careers. The fund has a preference for those who graduated from Portsmouth High School.

    Boardman-Polando-Goodrich-Maloney-Covich Flight Scholarship
    For New Hampshire residents pursuing aviation related studies, including, but not limited to the fields of flight operations, avionics, aerospace engineering and technology and piloting.

Students who fit the criteria of these scholarship programs are encouraged to apply for assistance. To apply, students must complete an online application to our Statewide Student Aid Program.

Students who apply to the Statewide Student Aid Program need only apply ONCE to be considered for all scholarship resources at the Foundation.

The deadline for application is April 13, 2012.
Award decisions will be made within six to eight weeks.

Any questions may be directed to the Student Aid Office at the Foundation: 603-225-6641 ext 1226.

Minuteman National Historic Park Noise Abatement Procedures

We feel honored to be so close to this area’s historic sites where many come to learn about our nation’s heritage.

That’s why we are taking part in Massport’s Noise Abatement initiative. Please join us in honoring our past by learning these touch and go procedures and making an extra effort to follow them during special events.

11/29 Traffic Pattern
5/23 Traffic Pattern


Special Events

04/14/2012 Patriot’s Day at Minute Man NHP – Battle Road

    9:30 AM to 5:30 PM
    Battle Road 2012 will feature musket and cannon firing, battle demonstrations, family activities and more.

04/15/2012 The British Redcoat

    1:00 PM
    Why were the Regulars in Massachusetts? Why did they come to Concord? What happened on April 19, 1775 from the perspective of the King’s Army? Join Park Ranger Roger Fuller to explore the answers to these questions.

04/16/2012 Patriot’s Day at Minute Man NHP – British Mourn Arms Ceremony and Concord Parade

    8:30 AM
    Join park staff and volunteers for a morning of commemorations and celebrations marking the 237th anniversary of the start of the American Revolutionary War.

04/19/2012 Dawn Salute

    5:45 AM
    The Concord Minute Men and the Concord Independent Battery observe the anniversary of the April 19th battle with commemorative speeches and a 21 gun salute.

Arrival of the Sudbury Militia

    10:30 AM
    The Sudbury Companies of Minute and Militia will make their annual march to North Bridge in honor of their fellow townsmen who made the same march in 1775. They will fire volleys from North Bridge in soldierly salute.

04/21/2012 Battle Road Heroes

    7:00 PM to 8:30 PM
    Listen to the personal stories of residents who lived along the Battle Road on April 19, 1775. This special evening of theater and history is presented by The Guild of Historic Interpreters, The Center for 18th Century Life at Minute Man NHP.

The Trip of a Lifetime – Ferrying a Piper Meridian to Australia

20120313-145405.jpg

One pilot’s dream: flying a Piper Meridian halfway around the world.

Pilots dream about that one adventure, that one bucket-list flight they’d drop everything to take.

We interviewed Dr. Arnold Sperling, a long-time friend of Executive Flyers, after his trip-of-a-lifetime. He recently ferried a piston-powered Piper Meridian from Hanscom Field (KBED) in Bedford, Massachusetts to Melbourne, Australia…going East.

Co-pilot of a Piper Meridian

Indonesian customs officials process Sperling’s paperwork

Sperling’s journey began with mountains of paperwork. Innumerable customs documents were required for the ten-nation voyage. He also used a third party flight planning firm called Air Journey. Some clearances took as long as a week to process.

Next, Sperling needed an extended-range tank. He flew the Meridian from Bedford, Massachusetts to Tracy, California where the tank was installed by Skyview Aviation. Then, it was back to Bedford and on to the real journey, which would take Sperling and his friend Mike Groff across five continents.

Their first stop was St. John’s International (CYYT) in Newfoundland, the traditional last stop for small aircraft about to cross the Atlantic. They got snowed in for a day before their leg to the Portuguese Azores (LPAZ).

Sperling and Groff made a stopover in Ibiza (LEIB) off the eastern coast of mainland Spain before crossing the Mediterranean. They landed at Luxor International Airport (HELX) in Egypt where one gallon of 100LL costs $20.

20120313-145358.jpg

Sightseeing in the mountains of Oman.

The next leg terminated at Oman’s Muscat International (OOMS) near the eastern tip of the Arabian Peninsula. Sperling and Groff took a day off to do some sightseeing. They visited the mountains before setting off across the Indian Ocean.

They landed in Colombo (VCBI), the capital city of Sri Lanka. The island nation lies just off the southeast coast of India. After some more sightseeing, it was on to Singapore (WSSL) and El Tari airport (WATT) in Kupang, Indonesia.

Clinic beds in Indonesia

Medical facilities in southern Indonesia.

Dr. Sperling took some time to visit local medical clinics. While fairly typical of much of the developing world, they certainly lacked much of the medical infrastructure many of us take for granted.

The next leg took Sperling and Groff to Darwin International Airport (YPDN) in Northern Australia. Sperling found Australia exceptionally friendly to pilots. There is a legal mechanism making it relatively simple to transfer FAA privileges to the Australian airspace system. Renting an airplane during an Australian vacation sounds fantastic!

Sperling and Groff refueled in Alice Springs (YBAS) near the middle of the country before concluding their adventure at Moorabbin Airport (YMMB) near Melbourne, Australia. The entire adventure covered almost 13,500nm in two weeks.

20120313-143402.jpg

One pilot’s trip of a lifetime.

We are impressed with Dr. Sperling’s airmanship. The journey needed lots of planning, stamina, knowledge of regulations and skill, but the return on his investment is a string of memories and stories he will enjoy for a lifetime.

Flying makes the whole world small enough to explore. Sperling’s international adventure reminds pilots everywhere that, for us, the sky has no limits.


Josh Smith is a blogger at Executive Flyers Aviation, a leading flight school in the Boston area.

Now Hiring Exceptional Flight Instructors

EFA Flight Instructor

Join the finest team of CFIs in New England

Executive Flyers Aviation has an immediate need for an exceptional flight instructor.

We are a leader in New England flight training. You can teach a Part 141 curriculum at a school recognized for its commitment to safety and professionalism.

We have a national reputation for excellence and have seen career-minded CFIs find great success throughout the industry.

We value:

  • Professional character
  • Safe habits
  • Quality teaching
  • Customer service

Learn More

Apply Now

Ground Seminar Series

Skyhawk

We hope you enjoy our Ground Seminar Series!

Our Ground Seminar Series has something for every pilot. Brush up on some flight planning fundamentals, learn new avionics, prepare for your checkride or explore new ways to live your passion.

Seminars are intimate, 2.5 hour lessons designed to develop community and address important topics. Dialog with instructors and students about your specific areas of interest.

Many of our seminars are free. The others still cost much less than a typical one-on-one lesson. They are scheduled on Saturdays during the 10:00am block so you can put your new skills into practice right away.

3/24/12 Checkride Preparation and Clues $40
4/7/12 Advanced G1000 – IFR Operations $50
4/21/12 VFR Flying: Guided Group Discussion & Shared Techniques Free
5/5/12 IFR Flight Planning: Guided Group Discussion & Shared Techniques Free
5/19/12 Maintenance at EFA’s Maintenance Hangar (KLWM) $25

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Checkride Preparation and Clues
Sat 3/24/12 10:00am-12:30pm
Marc Nathanson
$40

  • Making sure everything is in order (including IACRA)
  • Understanding the PTS
  • Filling your “clue box”
  • Checkride jitters
  • How to prepare
  • Using SRM to your advantage
  • Common errors (what not to do and guaranteed bust items)
  • Correcting your errors

{Sign Up}

Advanced G1000 – IFR Operations
Sat 4/7/12 10:00am-12:30pm
Sean Brodeur and John Cronin
$50

  • Entering filed route and changing flight plans
  • Instrument, RAIM and VOR checks
  • Pre-departure setup (DP and emergency return)
  • Checking weather before departing
  • Enroute operations
  • Full or vectored approach setup
  • Course reversals (P/T or hold)
  • Use of GPS in lieu of DME
  • GPS approach criteria for LPV, LNAV, and LNAV/VNAV
  • Missed approach and holds
  • Timers and DA/MDA settings
  • Integrated autopilot and KAP 140 use

{Sign Up}

VFR Flying: Guided Group Discussion & Shared Techniques
Sat 4/21/12 10:00am-12:30pm
Ed Keins and Marc Nathanson
Free

  • Destination airport facilities and services
  • Changing weather conditions
  • Fuel considerations
  • Equipment/engine failures
  • Diversions
  • Overwater to MVY & ACK
  • Night flight considerations
  • Also, bring a list of topics you want to discuss!

{Sign Up}

IFR Flight Planing: Guided Group Discussion & Shared Techniques
Sat 5/5/12 10:00am-12:30pm
Ed Keins and Marc Nathanson
Free

  • Route selection
  • Filing an IFR flight plan
  • How to evaluate the weather forecasts and what keeps you on the ground
  • Alternate considerations
  • Equipment considerations
  • Go/no-go considerations
  • Obstacle clearance minimums
  • Lost comm/nav/equipment problems
  • Diversions
  • In-flight weather updates
  • Precision, non precision, circling, visual and contact approaches
  • WAAS approaches
  • Approach minimums and other considerations
  • Also, bring a list of topics you want to discuss!

{Sign Up}

Maintenance at EFA’s Maintenance Hangar (KLWM)
Sat 5/19/12 10:00am-12:30pm
EFA Staff
$25

  • Look “under the hood” of the aircraft you fly
  • Learn the whys and wherefores of parts and systems
  • Understand what the pre-flight checks tell you and why you do them
  • Learn the techniques of cold and hot starting and why we do what we do
  • Find out what to do when something doesn’t look/sound/feel/smell right
  • Discuss in-flight abnormalities and how to write them up
  • Develop the systems understanding you need to diagnose abnormalities and take action

{Sign Up}


Sign Up

Click all the seminars you want to attend. There is a three-client minimum registration for each class. Payment is due the day of the seminar.
    Please notify us in advance if your schedule changes.

Checkride Prep DVDs on Sale

King Schools Checkride Preparation DVD

Brand new King Schools Private Pilot
Checkride Preparation DVD 50% off!

King Schools has released a series of Checkride Preparation DVDs. Private Pilot and Instrument students will find them a helpful, interactive resource.

We want to make sure the outcome of your checkride reflects all the hard work you’ve put in so far. We thinking watching the videos on your home computer will give you extra confidence and insight into the checkride experience.

Normally $119, we’re offering a few DVDs for only $59.

This is a limited-time offer. Quantities are also limited.