10 or So Things Your Comm Station Should Have

Let's face it... Being a CAP Comm Geek, I'm biased when I say this, but however you operate, quick, decisive and efficient communication is the key to a successful mission. How quickly just one operator can keep the information flowing can mean the difference between life and death for some unfortunate downed pilot.

Here's a list of things I've compiled over the past few years that work very well to not only keep that information flowing between the IC and the field, but are not too terribly expensive. So without any further rambling......here we go (in no order of importance).

1. Generator and a TON of fresh batteries

Now I know that bugging your CC or Finance Officer for moneys to go buy a generator may not be at the top of everyone's list, but once you're running a comm station during a thunderstorm and the lights go *poof*, you'll thank yourself for having that degree of backup. Even if it's just a small one that can only run one VHF, it saves you from the trouble of having to run outside in a storm and work an aircraft and two GT's with nothing more than a handheld. Rummage around in a local pawn shop and price a used one in good condition...Generally around $300, but it can be kept for 10 years with regular MXT. Keep plenty of batteries on hand too. Home Depot had a huge sale last week where I picked up 28 AA's and 8 D's for $11.

2. Computer with internet access

That one for me was a PITA to get going, but now that I have it, I don't know how we ran OPS without it. You can keep your comm inventory, check CEMS and NTC for information, keep tabs on the weather where your GT's and aircraft are, E-mail the IC's if HF conditions are saturated/ or are too good for the telephone.....the list goes on and on and on....... Put Google Earth on it and play around with it.

3. Scanner

You may ask why you might even think you would need a scanner in the comm center, but hear me out on this one. I have around 6-7 various scanners, one I deligated to the comm desk at the SQ. Simply run a 1/8" to 1/8" stereo cable (may require a mono adapter for the scanner) into the LINE IN jack on the computer. Then download one of the many *FREE* scanner recorders available on the web. Set one scanner bank to monitor the repeater input and output only and BINGO! You now have an instant voice recorder that only writes audio when the recorder's squelch is opened. Once you have this up and running, you can even save the file with a mission #, burn the file to a CD and keep an audio file along with the logs. It might require some tweaking to get good sound quality, but let me tell you...when I send the IC an audio file of the mission radio traffic that was just run, the response has always been....WOW! You can also program in ATC, local police/fire/EMS.
Keep a few handhelds around for GT's to use for body blocking a signal if necessary.

4. Zip ties of various colors

Have 5-6 antenna feed lines like me? Take two zip ties, zip one on the feed line and one on the antenna jack. Makes for quick and easy ID of what cable goes where. You wouldn't want to hook up the VHF to the HF antenna now would you? (Yes I've done that, accidentally of course).

5. Clipboards

Get out the nails and make room on the wall to hang them. Keeps them up off the desk and within easy reach. I have 5 I use for my HF log, VHF log, Comm Capability Confidence Checklist, one with blank paper and the other with the mission sign in roster.

6. TAC board

Well, that's what I call it (tactical board). I took an old dry erase board, cleaned it with some yellow cleaner stuff we have (will take paint off a car, I won't tell you the nickname we have for it) and partitioned it off with electrical tape. We have space for the following: Date, Mission Number, Type of Mission, 6 hr Weather Forecast, Comm Plan, Aircrew section with: Crew Roster, Wheels Up time, Next Checkin, OVERDUE, Taskings, Ground Team section with: Crew Roster (with callsigns as needed) Depart, Next Checkin, OVERDUE and taskings. When I train new MRO's, I usually have them assist in keeping the logs as well as keeping the information on the board up to date. Plus, our cadets think it's cool to update the information on the board that the IC and OPS branch is going to come in and see.

7. Copy of the WG Comm Plan

We filled up a 3 ring binder with not only the Wing's Comm Plan, but made a supplement to overview the operations in the Charleston area as well. We update it every year along with the WG CP, and keep emergency procedures for losing contact with an aircraft/ GT, lightening strike (had one last week actually at the FBO...blew a 3" deep hole in the concrete THROUGH the wing of a Gulfstream IV....scary stuff) , failure of VHF or HF and power failures. When any of these happen, the operator is to open the book and skip to the tab with the procedure. Makes for safe and idiot proof operation of the station.

8. Tool Box. (With tools of course). No further explination is needed. You'll use it....trust me.

9. Bag of spare connectors, soldering GUN (not iron) and cable.

I can't count the times I've made a beautifully cut piece of coax only to drive to Radio Shack to buy a PL259-SO236 adapter. (That's UHF connectors for those that don't know). Speaking of the cable, I have a 1000' spool of RG-6 and RG-8. Nice insurance policy I think just in case the WX calls for something nasty (ie: hurricane)

10. A well trained and practiced operator

Let's face it, an awesome tactical comm center like what I've set up at SC-056 (I think it's awesome in my own mind haha) is ONLY as good as the officer or cadet at the microphone. Use down time to plan things out, think "How can I make this station better?"

One final note that I'm not going to place on the list is to hold a class with ALL of your ES team to go over comm plans, what channel does that FM radio in the aircraft need to be on for what, the effective range of the repeater and how to relay messages using the aircraft. This, you'll thank yourself for doing when your team saves someone's life.

I'm going to close this article with a little phrase I make everyone in the SQ remember: God knows where you are and what you're up to at all times, but if your mission base comm team does NOT know where you are and what you're doing.....you'd better be on good terms with God.

First Lieutenant Christopher Bishop
Comm Officer- SC-056

Some of column A, some of column B....

Here's an article I found, rather interesting. Taken from AVweb.com . I'd like to keep an eye on this as it develops, as it could prove to be pretty interesting.


"Where there are hydrocarbons, there can be jet fuel, and the Air Force is looking at an 85-year-old technology to solve a modern problem. Jet fuel is made from oil, some of which must be purchased from other countries (and occasionally expended in the defense of and acquisition of same, according to some). The Air Force wants a guaranteed supply of fuel to meet its objectives and is looking at the work two German scientists did in the 1920s for answers. Franz Fischer and Hans Tropsch figured out how to make a diesel-like (or JP-8-like) liquid fuel from natural gas, coal and even oil-refinery byproducts. Using iron or cobalt as a catalyst, the process takes the carbon monoxide and hydrogen from a controlled burn of the raw material and creates liquid hydrocarbons of various grades, from the synthetic fuel, to lubricants, to wax. Coal-rich but petroleum-poor Germany had 25 plants producing a total of 124,000 barrels a day by the end of the Second World War. The U.S. has vast reserves of coal, natural gas and oil shale capable of guaranteeing a domestic supply of strategic fuel for hundreds of years, say some estimates."

The AF has apparently already created a test unit for the syn-fuel, A B-52 from Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota has been selected to be the first to try out the new fuel. Two out of the eight engines will run off a blend of JP-8 and the new synthetic fuel. '"The recent rise in cost of fuel has brought us to where many think we are now at the break-even point," Maj. Timothy Schulteis, the Air Force's propulsion program element monitor, said in May when the program was announced.'

It NEVER Fails....

Well...for me at least. I arrive home from work around 2230, plop down in my recliner, pop open a ice cold soda and flip it to the History Channel. Five minutes later (just when I'm getting into the program), I hear the very distinct noise of my cell phone screaming at the top of it's voice. (After a few "colorful metaphors")... "Cooridnates? Dual 21-5 and 243? Roger Ma'am, 3926 will be up in 10 minutes with SL410 online in 5 via HF and channel 1/6 victor ." I kiss my wife goodnight and run out the door. (She's in CAP too....she understands).

There goes a quiet evening....Then comes the "self-interrorgation"...Is this an actual downed aircraft? Was it an absent minded mechanic acidentally bumping the switch? Is it a result of the thunderstorms that rolled through earlier? I work at an FBO....OH GOD! DID I TRIGGER IT !!!???!?!?!! (Thankfully hasn't happened yet!)

For many of us, this is what happens when AFRCC comes calling. We never know when or where, so the best medicine we've discovered here in the Lowcountry is to expect the unexpected, prepare for the worst. Hopefully, this will serve as a "guide" of sorts to help you sharpen your response time and get you out there in the field searching as soon as possible.

So, how does one go about doing as such...expecting the unexpected? For starters, talk to your SQ Alerting Officer. Have none? Talk to the IC's at your WG HQ. Give them your name, E-Mail address and telephone number(s). List your ES quals and request that you be placed on the alerting roster for your SQ. If you have a cell phone...take the loudest ring tone you can find and make it so when anyone related to CAP calls or text-messages you, your neighbor 3 blocks down will know you're on a REDCAP. Why you ask? Something has to wake you up to be activated at 0300 now doesn't it?

Now you're ready to save the country from the terrors of that little orange box. Or are you?

You can't just run out the door on a REDCAP with no gear. In fact, all that GT/UDF training might go out the door when you arrive at mission base in nothing more than a green suit. The IC tells you to take a mission base assistant position, or worse....sends you home. All because you didn't have the required gear for the type mission. Yes, I have seen this happen. Granted the IC or your Team Leader might not be as strict as to send you home, but if you go out with no equipment, it's like spitting into the wind. Not much point in that is there?

If you have not a copy of the GT/UDF Manual, my strong advice is to obtain one as soon as possible. This is practically the bible of CAP ground operations. Listed near the front are all the required items for 24 and 72 hour packs. Buying all the items at once can be rather pricey to say the least, so if your budget does not allow for such a purchase, buy the most important items (first aide kit, flashlight, compass, notepads/pens) first, then add to the pack as your budget allows. Soon enough, you'll have a 24/72 up there along the lines of people that have been doing this for years. Or at minimum, some cadet that has a well to do parental unit.

So what to keep all this stuff in? Check the Yellow Pages for local surplus stores, maybe even a pawn shop or two. They're an EXCELLENT source of cheap, very high quality gear. These shops are usually packed wall to wall with old ALICE packs, which will hold everything you need and then some. Be sure to pick up a web belt while you're there...there's 1001 uses to hang gear on these rather comfortably (they look good too). Many of us choose to use mil surplus duly stated to the fact that with normal use, it is nearly indestructable, or pretty darn close. Rummage around in the local shop and see what you can find, then find a way to adapt it to your use. Rifle tripod holders for web belts make an excellent 4D MagLite holder, ammo cans (.30 and .50 cals) are great to store radios (you can fit 10 ISR's in a .30 can), batteries etc...and are pretty water resistant too. A few web belt .223 ammo pouches work just fine to clip a first aide kit, small flashlight, insect repellant handheld GPS receiver in a ziploc bag, nomex gloves.....the list can go on and on.

However, there is not a single reg stating that your equipment has to be anything to the extent of the Itailan CFP2002 that I personally carry. If you learn one thing from my little article here, it is by all means...DO WHAT IS COMFORTABLE AND QUICK FOR YOU! Use the Nike backpack you carried last year in school or the old duffel bag in the closet. Ask a family member who hunts or camps for an old (make sure it's not worn out) hiking pack. Be inventive and think outside the box. Just last week a newly qualified GT3 cadet showed me his 24 hour pack in a medium sized "fanny pack thing" and his 72 on a hiker's backpack his father gave him. It was clean, neat, comfortable for him, and he had every piece of equipment required in the manual at an arms reach.

Speaking of being creative...compact discs make for a great signal mirror... (Thanks to LTC Morris for that one).

Once you have everything, and I can't state this enough...CHECK IT ON A REGULAR BASIS!!! Don't want to be called out into the field with a dead flashlight or a rotten energy bar now. On our team, we have a monthly mandatory equipment check where we open everything and just check it. If something is broken or needs to be replaced, we do as such. Remember your 4R's. Rest, refit, replenish and repair. (I forget the order of precidence here, but you get the idea). Throw a few MRE's in there from the surplus store as well. They'll be a life saver when you're on those long missions or SAREX'es. They have a halflife similar to Uranium so they'll last. Trust me.

Now, and only now are you ready to go. Keep that pack at an arm's reach at any time. Keep it in the trunk of your car, or in a locker at the SQ. If your parental unit or spouse allows, near the door (not as a doorstop). You will then officially be a SAR warrior, sitting in your recliner, drinking ice cold soda and watching the History Channel when out of nowhere.....................

(/insert colorful metaphor)

First Lieutenant Christopher Bishop
Comm Officer- SC-056

Tail Spin

The word about the change of the tail markings on CAP airplanes from USAF-Aux to Civil Air Patrol is old news by now amongst the blog/forum community (if its over 3 days old, its old news). However a glaring example of this has been right in front of our noses and was brought to my attention by a member at CAPblog who commented on Midway Six's original post. Just go to the National website and look at the nice photo-chop work on the front page. Nice Tail-markings guys...

This constant distancing from the AF continues to disturb me. Do we represent the Air Force well? Perhaps at times, but obviously not as well as we could (IE Berry Board incident). The answer is however not to go on our own, but repair the ties to our parent organization. Make them proud to have us in their family, not the odd child out. Its not news that something needs to be done to salvage our relationship with big-brother, all the CAP forums have multiple threads devoted to the issue. I really think that if this wall continues to be built between our two organizations CAP will suffer massive membership issues, moreso than we already have.

SC FTX comes to a close

Above: Students in a simulated line-search

Note: Click pictures to enlarge!

This weekend the Coastal Charleston Composite Squadron (my home squadron) held their state-wide FTX. Students were trained by Charleston Staff members to achieve their GTM3 and 2 in the Fancis Marrion National Forest. Most classes took place at the mission base where students received briefing on how to use a compass, orient a map, and other tasks required for their Ground team rating. The weekend culminated with both ELT DF'ing and a simulated line search for clues and a downed pilot who then was required to be litter carried out.
Above:Mission Base

Above: 1lt Bishop teaches Communication tasks



Above: The students and instructors (your author is in there somewhere!)

Preach it brother!

I hesitate to simply link to other blogs, or make comments about what another blogger is saying because frankly it makes me feel lazy. However sometimes there are issues brought up by my fellow CAP blog community members that I do feel need to be spread. One such issue was brought up by Midway-Six on his site, CAPBlog. The article, which can be found perma-linked here, is as follows.

Taken from CAPBlog:

Stop Screwing the Medics

Here's one of the many things I'm pissed off about these days...

See this picture? It's a picture of a CAP Ground Team member checking on the health of one the littlest survivors of Hurricane Katrina.

Our Teams were the first uniformed responders that 80% of the people we encountered had seen after the storm.

This particular GMT has a Paramedic License. He gets to wear a badge on his uniform that identifiers him as a medical professional.

So what medical direction is he operating under in this picture? What liability coverage does he have?

None of this was cleared up over the last year or so. The Health Services issues were once again tabled at this week's National Board meeting, reportedly due to, "concerns about medical malpractice."

Give me a break.

I've heard people say that, "We don't train EMTs in CAP." Well I've got news for them, we don't train pilots either! But we equip pilots, and we insure pilots, but we do not train them to be pilots.

So let's treat the medical professionals on the ground the same way.

We need to take the rescue part of Search And Rescue (SAR) seriously... just as seriously as the flying part. That means taking care of the boots on the ground."

Amen. Id love to say more than that, but Midway took words I've been saying for quite a while directly out of my head, I couldn't agree more.

Berets strike back?

According to info that has been posted on both Cadetstuff and Civil Air Portal, it would seem the NBB graduates will once again be able to wear their berets at unit activities. This info supposedly comes from a seminar on uniform updates at the national conference. Call me crazy, but didnt we already see what happened the first time we allowed these distinct covers at unit activities? I like the idea of what the beret represents, but more often then not it simply breeds elitism into the corps.

Below is a more complete list of the supposed uniform changes and subjects discussed: (taken from Civil Air Portal)

"On the Corporate Blues:
Up to four CAP badges may be worn. Two above the ribbons, one on the left breast pocket, one on the right breast pocket. A sdqn or group commander may wear the command badge above the nameplate instead of one of the other badges.
Military ribbons may be worn on the corporate blues IF the granting service allows ribbons to be worn on civilian clothing. Military badges may NOT be worn on the corporate blues. This applies to the shirt and service dress versions. This does not apply to the corporate greys. As had been guessed, the specs on wearing the insignia on the flight cap with this uniform came from the Navy, as did the black windbreaker, which - without grade insignia - may be worn with any corporate uniform, and with grade insignia, may only be worn with the corporate blues.
Currently, no raingear or heavy outerwear is listed, so any civilian coats will do for these, but that may change.
The service cap is the AF service cap with a ‘grey’ band instead of black. Vanguard is stocking these bands already. They will also have CAP screw post buttons to hold the band on, however, these are not yet available.

On the bdu:
CAP has submitted an official request to the AF to obtain permission to wear the Goretex jacket with the bdu, using a blue slide on the tab. The slide will have “CAP” and full color grade insignia embroidered on it for seniors and “CAP” with a spot for grade insignia for cadets. This had gone through CAP-USAF, AU, and AETC, and is at the Air Staff at this time. Ms. Parker thinks the AF will approve it.
Berets – Apparently, the NB has approved blue berets for wear by graduates of NBB and Hawk at their units after the activity. It seems they have taken the step to prevent wing and unit commanders from changing this. This change was made yesterday. Ms. Parker didn’t have much information on it.
The national HSO has approached the AF about wearing a solid color boonie hat. The AF was receptive to this and they next step is for the NB/NEC to officially run it through CAP-USAF.
CAP has also submitted for approval, SM's wearing grade insignia on bdu caps.

On the AF flightsuit:
CAP has requested permission to use embroidered grade insignia for seniors. The proposed insignia are to be full color on green fabric. They would be an option to the plastic encased insignia currently used, not a replacement.
The new black leather jacket IS NOT authorized for this uniform."

Senior member grade on BDU caps? Im very on the fence about this one. While it would be nice to be able to have one's grade on the cap, I think this just opens up even more room for uniform violations. If there will be grade on the cap I think it needs to be like the cadets; cloth. If for some reason they decide to use pin on metal grade I think youre just opening yourself up for a world of bad AF-CAP relations. Berry-Boards anyone?

In regards to the flight-suit insignia: I for one find the plastic encased insignia much easier to swap out in the case of promotion through the use of velcro, but I suppose given the rate of promotion after Capt, youre not really looking at that much sewing to deal with in the first place. At least the insignia would be uniform with our BDU's.

Welcome!

"NEW YORK, August 09, 2006 --

Finger Lakes Group of the Civil Air Patrol has announced that one of its local state legislators is now a member of New York Wing's Legislative Squadron.

Assemblyman Dan Burling, who represents the 147th Assembly District, was named a member of the Legislative Squadron and honored with the rank of major. Burling accepted the honor from New York Wing Commander Col. Austyn Granville at a ceremony in Albany.

"I am very honored to be a member of this excellent organization. As a private pilot, I have long known the value of the Civil Air Patrol and am proud to be counted among their ranks," Burling said. "Whether performing homeland security missions or mentoring our youth, CAP is an outstanding volunteer organization with a long and distinguished history."

"Assemblyman Burling is a true friend to this organization and the community it serves. We look forward to working with him in the future, as we perform our missions for the American people," Finger Lakes Group Commander Lt. Col. Diane Wojtowicz said.

In addition to serving in the state assembly, Burling is a registered pharmacist with a store in Corfu, a U.S. Marine Corps Vietnam War combat veteran, a private pilot, a licensed aircraft mechanic, and a lieutenant colonel in the New York National Guard."

My, those sure are some credentials. Its nice to see a member of state assembly getting involved in CAP, if anything it can only work to help highlight what we do well and what we could use help on for those outside CAP in the Govt, even if it is just State assembly. I think alot of good would actually come from inviting you local representative to your squadron to allow them to see what CAP is all about. Who knows you may end up with another member and some support up above.

Bueller....? Bueller.....?

Continuing with my never ending searches of CAP related material I decided to revisit a section of E-Services that I haven't bothered to view in quite some time, this being the Committee Minutes section. I began to peruse the Recruiting and Retention minutes (April 2005) and came across this passage:

Lt. Col. Cramer asked the group if anyone had ideas about why members leave CAP.
Some of the reasons discussed were:
Cadets have too many activities
Cost prohibitive for a lot of parents, especially single parents
Difficulty with written tests for cadets and even some seniors

Now I can agree with the first two, in fact in just the past two weeks I have watch a couple cadets leave the program because they had too many activities outside CAP that took precedence. That's fine, if you have something that takes priority over CAP by all means go do that instead. On the second point I have found there are usually two subsections of these parents. The first is the parent who is fully capable to support their cadet but instead shirk all responsibility off onto those in charge of the cadet program. I've seen first hand parents drop their child off in their BMW, but simply cant be bothered to buy their child uniform materials or help out monitarily in any way for CAP. The truly sad part is often these cadets do want to be at meetings and simply get no support from home.
Conversely you also have the cadets who are motivated, and parents who are motivated; yet the cash just simply isn't there, fortunately there are good members who will go far out of their way to help these cadets; driving them to meetings and helping them buy uniforms.

On the note of the tests: Too hard? According to who?
Sure a cadet or two may fail a test and miss a promotion, but I'm pretty the sure the majority do pass or else we wouldn't have standardized tests for the CP. I've worked closely with cadets and with our TCO and the majority of the problem is that often the ones who fail just cant be bothered with studying. Now that is not to say there are not cadets who truly do need help, and mentoring can be given to help them pass as well as tests correct up to a certain percent by the TCO. But how much of this is just this generation of cadets not wanting to try? How much is simply an extension of the "ritalin generation"? Kid wont study? Oh they must be ADD. Nope, it couldn't be that they just don't care or never had restrictions placed on them to study or repercussion for not studying. The answer is not "Oh its too hard, lets dumb it down and stuff some pills in their mouth". Again, there are true cases of ADD and ADHD, and I do not mean to belittle their disability, I just believe it has been seriously over diagnosed and often was chosen as the easy-way out. In this case the easy way is apparently quitting the CP. If at first you don't succeed, oh well quit doing it. [/rant]

Now in the case of the seniors, if I recall the first written test taken is the ECI13. In my opinion this test should be challenging, if not hard. Becoming a Capt should not be a sure thing in CAP. We already give 2d LT automatically after you watch a couple videos and are a warm body for 6 months. Again I don't think the answer is to dumb down things just for the sake of making everyone pass and feel good about themselves as they sew the railroad tracks on. You're taking an advanced rank within the organization and therefore had better be up to serving as that rank. Is it nice to progress in rank, absolutely it gives you something to work forward to. But if not making Capt because you failed ECI13 is enough to make you quit CAP, well then frankly you may have needed to reevaluate your reasons for joining in the first place. Alot of talk has been cycling boards about creating a new officer training course for CAP or restructuring the requirements to advance in grade. I for one fully support the idea. Some great ideas have been popping up over at Civil Air Portal that you can read here.

A matter of time...?

Recently here in my home wing of SC, we started our Wing Hurricane exercise...a Hurrex if you will. Training has been stepped up in lieu of recent events like Katrina, and frankly I'm glad to see the bit of extra motivation.
The most recent evolution of the exercise is as follows:
"Hurricane Cole has now strengthened to a Category Four storm with maximum sustained winds of 150 mph. This is an extremely dangerous storm and is now almost certainly on course for a South Carolina landfall. The storm has begun to move a little more rapidly to the northwest, and therefore a Sunday evening landfall now appears more likely than a Monday strike. The center of the strike cone is now has the storm making landfall closer to Georgetown, but there are still an awful lot of minor course changes that could happen and change the landfall dramatically. Additionally, Cole is a very large and powerful storm, so no matter where the strike is there are going to be adverse effects all along the coast and possibly well inland."

Currently we have aircrews tasked to flying evac routes while the ground team is simulating going door to door and informing residents of a mandatory evacuation as well as assisting in the evacuation of special needs people.

We've been lucky in the past few years here in SC in regards to hurricanes. It seems that the majority have either veered north to NC at the last moment, or plowed through Florida to the south.

NOAA NHC lists Hurricane direct hits on the mainland U.S. coastline and for individual states 1851-2004 on their site. South Carolina comes in as follows:
19 Cat 1's, 6 Cat 2's, 4 Cat 3's, 2 Cat 4's and 0 Cat 5's. That totals 31 storms with only 6 being major (between Cat 3-5). Hugo, which hit in 1989 as a Cat 4 did an estimated $7,000,000,000 in damage, but since then not much has really come our way. These recent exercises at wing lead me to wonder, how long can our luck last?

New kid on the block.

Well welcome to my new blog. As the description states this is pretty much a blog devoted to Civil Air Patrol, the Air Force, and basically whatever else I feel like posting. You may noticed that although the posts are all under the same username, the name signed to the bottom may change. This is largely due to the fact that I may allow other people to also post, so check the name at the bottom of the entries to be sure who it is you're reading. I will attempt to update this blog on a weekly basis, depending on the amount of views; more views-> more updates. Feel free to leave comments about the entries but do try to be respectful of others, no need for a cyber battle-royale. I'm going to go ahead and suggest if you're viewing this to also look at some other sites related to CAP with great blogs. The first is Midway Six's CAPBlog, a great site with alot of info. I would also suggest looking at Civil Air Portal, also a great site with blog and forums. CAPTalk is another forum I would suggest, my name on both forums is Becks, feel free to find me. You can find all these site and more on the right side of the page in the "Links" Section.