Tales From the Sky
We are looking for your help!
This section of our newsletter is here to provide YOU, our subscribers, with the opportunity tell us about YOUR personal aviation experiences. We are looking forward to providing this forum for your short story about a harrowing experience, a trip you took to a special location, that wire strike for the aerial applicator, that hot LZ for the military pilots, a biography of your relative, ancestor, friend or family who was a pioneer or contributor in aviation, an unexpected encounter with that drone while inflight or on final, or a short piece of fiction that tells a great story related to aviation. Anything of aviation interest. Something to teach us, to entertain us, to enlighten us. Also send pictures with explanations as to what they are about or how they relate to your experience.
This is your chance to let the world know about YOUR aviation story! So email your stories to qchilds@insmgmtgrp.com. We are excited to hear the aviation tales and stories you have.
We all know that pilots have stories to tell! This is your chance to share it with other pilots and folks who love aviation. Please email your story to qchilds@insmgmtgrp.com. The story will be credited using only your first name and your vague geographical location (state, province, country, continent, etc.) so you can remain semi-anonymous!
Aviation Trivia
Who was the first female licensed pilot in the United States?
- Amelia Earhart
- Harriet Quimby
- Bessie Coleman
Weekend Jaunts: “The Beaumont Hotel and RV Park”
Beaumont, KS
About an hour drive east of Wichita, Kansas on US Highway 400, The Beaumont Hotel and RV Park is nestled in the small, prairie town of Beaumont, KS, population 50 or less! This hotel has been providing lodging and meals since 1879 when it began life as the Summit Hotel. Over the years, they have gone from stagecoach stop, to railroad layover, to receiving many an aviator for a comfortable bed and tasty meal. Not to mention being a regular destination stop for motorcycles and other vehicle pleasure rides.
Back in the day (the 1940’s) pilots would land right on Main Street, and when that was deemed to be a bit too much, in 1953, The Beaumont purchased 70 acres on the east side of town, and fashioned a 2,600 foot, turf runway for the aviation community to utilize. That said, you still have to taxi down that same Main Street from the Beaumont Hotel Airport (07S) and park in the “Bent Prop Parking Area” across the street from the hotel and restaurant.
Today, The Beaumont Hotel has three suites and eight standard rooms and breakfast does come with the good night’s stay, making it a truly unique bed and breakfast. The restaurant serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner or breakfast, dinner, and supper, if you prefer.
In 2016, they added an RV Park with eleven gravel pads, four of which are pull thru’s, and tent camping is available. Additional services include, 20-30-50 amp electric service, sewer service at each pad, restrooms and shower facilities, and complimentary Wi-Fi.
In addition to the history of the Beaumont itself, there are other interesting points of interest. A short walk around town to look at the historical buildings. Read the numerous Historical Markers to get a better idea of the way the town used to be, view the 1885 Frisco ponds, the nearby Elk River Wind Farms, and see the oldest wooden water tower in America.
Lastly, if you are a believer in the paranormal, the Beaumont has a cowboy ghost named Zeke. A long time ago, Zeke was a frequent visitor to the hotel and befriended one of the ladies who worked at the Beaumont. She eventually fell for Zeke and her jealous husband did not take kindly to that situation and murdered Zeke. Zeke now roams the hotel and messes with the electric clock radios. Sometimes the alarms will go off numerous times throughout the night and sometimes won’t go off at all, even when they are supposed to wake you up. And on occasion, you can see the full figure of a cowboy at the top of the stairs. So, book room 201 for the best opportunity to meet Zeke.
Do you have a favorite weekend jaunt to get a $100 hamburger? If so, we would like to share it with our newsletter readers. Please email your story to qchilds@insmgmtgrp.com. The story will be credited using only your first name and your vague geographical location (state, province, country, continent, etc.) so you can remain semi-anonymous!
OLDER PILOTS…..HOW IS YOUR INSURANCE AFFECTED?
As we all know, the pilot shortage, either professional pilot or otherwise, is now upon us. This is why we have seen the airlines raise the mandatory retirement age from 60 to 65. The population is generally living longer and is healthier than ever before, which usually equates to better physical and mental capabilities.
So why are aviation insurers becoming concerned about the abilities of the pilot pool? And why are aviation insurance underwriters struggling on what standards should be established for these pilots that have the most experience and untold amounts of aviation knowledge? After all, professional pilots must meet and maintain the FAA required medical standards to retain their first or second class medical certificate. Not to mention the necessary competency and proficiency requirements for all pilots, regarding the aircraft they operate.
Further compounding the issue, from a risk management or loss control standpoint, the AOPA Air Safety Institute published a report, “Aging and the General Aviation Pilot”. This study examined the aging of pilots over a twenty-year period. Amazingly, the report concluded “the situation is extraordinarily complicated……and there’s ultimately no getting around the fact that we are all mortal beings. All of us eventually go through a period of decline.” They further explain there are some pilots who at the age of 60 have a “true age” of closer to 90 and vice-versa. All of us are different and our chronological age is not a very good gauge of how we, individually, function in the cockpit. Finally, the report concedes that how we age and function as we get older boils down to experience, proficiency, physical fitness, genetics, and many of other issues to determine a given pilot’s capability to fly safely.
Well, just what are underwriters looking for? We must remember that insurance companies, like all businesses, are profit oriented organizations. They examine a set group of analytics, compare it to an applicant’s experience, and come up with a premium to charge said applicant. The one piece of data that seems to be consistent is the pilot that has attained the age of 70 results in a second look. Underwriters do seem to complete a bit more “vetting” of the post age 70 pilot than those of younger status. The aviation underwriters remain scattered in their approach toward proper rating and requirements for the older pilot. Some of the requirements proposed by carriers as it relates to these “experienced” pilots are to complete semiannual medical exams or mandatory two-pilot operations or second in command status only and a whole host of other requests.
Bottom line is, statistically, there seems to be no increase in accidents directly attributable to age. Even after the airlines raised their retirement age to 65 there was no appreciable increase in accidents or incidents, and these situations may have even decreased. The AOPA ASI report put it very well when they wrote “Aircraft piloted by men and women over the age of 70 are not falling out of the sky with any great regularity.” So, as with all pilots, chief pilots, and aviation department managers, it is advisable to stay on top of yourself or your entire flight department, and make sure that you and all personnel are physically and mentally capable of doing their job, all day, every day. We are all looking to provide ourselves and our passengers with a safe and uneventful flight experience.
Quentin Childs
Quentin began his insurance career in 1982. As President of IMG, he takes pride in knowing the agency staff is committed to the customers and will provide professional service for your individual and family asset protection needs, as well as, insurance and risk management options for your business or commercial operations. His many years of insurance experience provides our customers a great source of knowledge and assistance.
Beechcraft Model 17 Staggerwing
At the height of the Great Depression, aircraft executive Walter H. Beech and airplane designer T. A. “Ted” Wells joined forces to collaborate on a project to produce a large, powerful, and fast cabin biplane built specifically for the business executive. The Beechcraft Model 17, popularly known as the “Staggerwing” was first flown on November 4, 1932. During its heyday it was used as an executive aircraft, much as the private jet is now.
The Model 17’s unusual negative stagger wing configuration (the upper wing staggered behind the lower) and unique shape maximized pilot visibility while negligibly reducing interference between the wings. The fabric-covered fuselage was faired with wood formers and stringers over a welded, steel tube frame. Construction was complex and took many man-hours to complete. The Staggerwing’s retractable conventional landing gear, uncommon at that time, combined with careful streamlining, light weight, and a powerful radial engine helped it perform well.
Source: Infogalactic – The Planetary Knowledge Core – Beechcraft Model 17 Staggerwing
We would love to feature your airplane. Just send an email to qchilds@insmgmtgrp.com. Be sure to include a picture. The story will be credited using only your first name and your vague geographical location (state, province, country, continent, etc.) so you can remain semi-anonymous!
Aviation Triva Answer
Who was the first female licensed pilot in the United States?
- Amelia Earhart
- Harriet Quimby
- Bessie Coleman
In 1911, the first US woman pilot was Harriett Quimby, a magazine writer. She got ticket #37 making her the first licensed American female pilot. Turned down by U.S. flight schools because she was black, Bessie Coleman went to France, where in 1921 she earned the first International Pilot’s License issued to an African-American woman.