Thu, Mar 30, 2006
Will Perform Upset Recovery Demonstrations In Columbia
400SL
Columbia Aircraft announced Wednesday it is launching a second
product demonstration tour --the Columbia Airshow Tour featuring
Sean D. Tucker. On the tour, the world-renowned aerobatics
performer will fly a Columbia 400SL at major airshows throughout
the United States, performing a routine demonstrating upset
recovery techniques.
The goal of the tour is to demonstrate the capabilities of the
Columbia – the only Utility Category aircraft certified since
1968 -- as well as to promote Tucker’s E-PATS (Executive
Pilot Awareness Training School). All maneuvers demonstrated fall
within the Columbia’s higher G limit load for Utility
Category aircraft and some maneuvers are also those used in the
E-PATS program.
"E-PATS is Sean D. Tucker’s specialized course at the
Tutima Academy of Aviation Safety that teaches pilots how to
recognize and recover from unusual attitudes," stated Randy S.
Bolinger, Vice President of Marketing & Sales at Columbia
Aircraft. "E-PATS is a tool to help train the pilot to be a safer
operator."
"E-PATS is available to
pilots of all aircraft types," said Tucker (right). "I selected the
Columbia 400 for E-PATS because the Utility Category airframe has
the robustness needed to withstand the day-to-day rigors of such
advanced training and demanding maneuvers... [and] the 400 recovers
from spins more predictably than many aerobatic aircraft I’ve
flown."
The Columbia Airshow Tour is scheduled to make 24 stops in 2006,
beginning at the upcoming Fly-In at Lakeland, FL next month. The
Columbia Airshow Tour featuring Sean D. Tucker runs concurrently
with Columbia’s other national tour, the Fly Columbia Tour
that is making an additional 30 stops in 2006 at FBOs, trade shows,
special events and both regional and local fly-ins.
"We’re thrilled that Sean D. Tucker selected the Columbia
and that major sponsors have chosen to support this unique
demonstration and valuable E-PATS safety training," Bolinger added.
"This tour isn’t a paid endorsement; it’s a real-life
product demonstration in the type of aircraft that GA pilots fly
everyday. The fact is that aircraft can get into unusual attitudes
and pilots must be able to recognize the scenario and understand
how to recover. Pilots should be continually training and upset
recovery is an important part of advanced flight training."
While it's certainly true Tucker will be demonstrating some
much-needed skills that can benefit pilots of all stripes --
Aero-News is admittedly curious to see if Tucker will also be
able to make the 400SL hover inflight...
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