I limit my available check rides from December through March each year. I must attempt to complete the check rides that I accept and make space in my calendar for weather cancellations. December through March also have several holidays, and we travel a bit. What I have available is what you see on CheckRider.io (my check ride scheduling website). Administrative actions such as Military competency and SOE removal can be completed via Zoom, and contact me directly via email.

I’m now using a scheduling website for practical tests conducted at KLWB (Greenbrier Valley Airport). Once you get to the CheckRider website, create an account (no fee) and select my profile. You will then see my available dates and times. This site is for those departing from airports within 100 NM of KLWB. You can also request to be a backup to a check ride date and time that is already scheduled. That way you will move into the check ride position if someone cancels. The website and scheduling program will make my available dates available and visible to all. I will periodically update the site adding dates, usually four to eight weeks out.

The FAA has now authorized Zoom for military competency, SOE removal, and a few other administrative actions. Interestingly an aircraft type with an SIC limitation is not one of the approved actions. Zoom was authorized during COVID but then expired about a year ago. Most FAA inspectors that I’ve spoken to felt that Zoom was a great idea, at least for some administrative certificates. Contact me if you require one of these actions and we should be able to complete via Zoom.

We have set Saturday, June 22 and Saturday, August 31 for our Hotdog Days at WV77. We’ll have a poster out soon. Wings and Wheels will be held on Saturday, 21 September. Glamping sites will open for the season on Memorial Day weekend. This year we will also be offering our camp on AirBnB, stay tuned for the opening date.

Earlier this month, I received the FAA Wright Brothers Master Pilot award. The Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award is presented to pilots who have 50 years from their first solo and no accidents or incidents. So this is basically an old-person award! I am, however, honored to be recognized for many years as a pilot. I soloed when I was 16 years old, taught by my Mom, Ruth Tolley Gwinn. On the day I soloed, Mom flew around the pattern with me a few times at the Hinton – Alderson airport (WV77). She got out with the engine running, looked at me, and shouted, “Three times around the pattern, three landings, and then taxi it. And don’t do anything stupid!” Mom was a great instructor, and I still use the lessons that she taught me today.

I was honored to be an inductee into the U.S. Army Aviation Hall of Fame in April of this year (2022). The Army Aviation Hall of Fame (HOF) is a function of the Army Aviation Association of America, known throughout the Army Aviation community as “Quad-A.” Over the years, several peers and former commanders had suggested that I would be a good candidate for the HOF; however, I was surprised when I received the phone call shortly before Christmas. The phone call was followed up with a FedEx envelope with a rather lengthy list of requirements to be ready for the April 4th induction ceremony at the Quad-A convention in Nashville, TN. First, I had to have a photo that Quad-A would use to create a portrait displayed at the Army Aviation Museum, Ft. Rucker, AL. Hard to believe that I’m now in a museum. Next were things like getting my uniform together as I hadn’t worn one in 13 years and it didn’t fit! My wife and I spent hours working with a media team that created an award ceremony video. David Hartman narrated the video, which is available on YouTube by searching for AAAA Hall of Fame Induction CW5 Michael Gwinn. Why was I inducted into the Hall of Fame? The apparent reason is the 40 years I spent flying on active duty and then as a contractor for the Army. But the reason for my induction, which I’m proud of, is the many Aviators I instructed and evaluated. My legacy is their success and safety while flying in many challenging and dangerous situations. I was a junior Warrant Officer One (WO1) right out of flight school when I arrived at the Cav at Ft. Campbell, KY. I was already an FAA Certified Flight Instructor (CFI) in airplanes, and some folks thought I could challenge the Army OH-58 Instructor Pilot course. Challenging an Army IP course wasn’t done at that time. I successfully challenged the IP course and became a WO1 Instructor Pilot, which led to many opportunities and a great career. I spent the next 39 years as an Army Instructor Pilot in numerous Helicopters and Airplanes.

This update addresses a check ride problem. ForeFlight 14.5 just added a feature to change the ruler to show either magnetic or true north. Until this update ForeFlight only showed magnetic north. Applicants for a Private or Commercial pilot certificate (license) are required to produce a navigation log that starts with true north and continues to find the magnetic heading. I find that some applicants have used the ForeFlight magnetic heading to start this process which then introduces an error in the result. Students tend to know the nav log process early in training but then forget as they use ForeFlight (or similar app). The NavLog process should be reviewed prior to check rides. This update in ForeFlight might help however applicants should know the difference between true and magnetic north. And BTW, ForeFlight is totally acceptable during a check ride but know how to get from A to Z.

We are up and running after a slow start last year. It took a while to get the sites set up and we didn’t open until early August in 2021. Over the winter we improved the hangar facilities with a shower. Check out this video from Alan White. Alan is a regional manager with the Recreational Airplane Foundation. You can also find this video on YouTube by searching for “Big Orange Bird” and then “Airplane Glamping” video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rKR8E0bL8Uk

Well, we have finally completed the setup of the glamping sites (glamours camping – note that I didn’t coin this term) at the airport. We have three sites, each over 100 yards apart. The sites are named Cub, Skyhawk, and Stearman (get it?) and you can taxi up to each site. We intend to keep these sites for fly-in patrons; however, if you also wish to bring a car, that’s OK. A car might be handy to get to white water rafting at the New River Gorge National Park. You could also drop a passenger at the Greenbrier Valley Airport (KLWB) to pick up a rental car. LWB is 18 nm to the north, has fuel, and a 7,000′ runway. We have links to vendors who can provide kayak and float trips on the Greenbrier River. The Greenbrier borders the airport, and all the sites have a great view. The sites can be booked through Tentrr.com and on Airbnb. Also, move over to the airport tab on this website for photos and more info.

Recents changes in work and life are requiring me to part with my beloved C-170. Currently posted on Barnstormers. Check it out if interested.