Member Articles

Two teenagers, a 60-hp Champ, and a 2100-mile journey
CFI Drew Kemp tells the story of flying a small plane across the country as a newly minted teenage pilot

NOAA Seabird Protection Seminar Materials
Helpful links and documents about the marine life and seabirds, our coastline, and our Wildlife Refuge Areas and National Marine Sanctuary areas.

ATC Communications Part 2 Liz Sommers
Cheif Pilot Liz Sommers’ writeup about communications with the OAK South Tower.

AAC Tower Tour  Liz Sommers
Cheif Pilot Liz Sommers’ writeup about the club’s visit to the OAK South Tower.

Night Currency  Liz Sommers
Cheif Pilot Liz Sommers discuss’s flying at night.

Left Seat 2010  Liz Sommers
Cheif Pilot Liz Sommers flying left seat.

Personal Minimums 2010  Liz Sommers
Cheif Pilot Liz Sommers discuss’s personal minimums.

Talking with Oakland Tower  David Penney
A interesting read on communication with Oakland Air Traffic Control with information on how to talk the talk

My Last Mission  Doug Johnson
Club founder and member Doug Johnson originally wrote this for the newsletter of the 390th Bombardment Group, with whom Doug flew B17’s during WW2.

The Other Checkride  Ginny WIlken
That other checkride — the one when you finally realise you’ve got what it takes…

The Hayward Proficiency Air Race  Beth Christian
Club member Beth Christian flew the Hayward Proficiency Air Race in 4312R for the fourth year in a row (2001). The word “race” is misleading, the word “proficiency” is not….

Going Commercial  John Ewing
Club member John Ewing earned his commercial certificate November 2001, and I asked him to describe his experiences for the rest of us contemplating going commercial — or just interested in what it takes….

An AAC Member Downunder  Hamish Reid
Club member Hamish Reid finds himself at the controls of a strange aircraft, 10,000 km from Berkeley. At least he (sort of) had the right accent…

A Southlands Trip Report  John Ewing
If (like me) you’ve wondered what it’s like braving the LA basin in a small GA plane, 4AC Plane Captain John Ewing spent Thanksgiving 2001 flying 12R down to the Southlands and back, and survived to tell the tale…

Dave’s Phoenix Trip  Dave Penney
Our Chief Pilot flies N7336B, a lively Cessna A152 Aerobat with the Texas Taildragger conversion, all the way from Phoenix to Oaktown…

Bad Attitudes! Upside Down Over California — Hamish Reid
Hamish Reid learns Immelmans, loops, Reverse Half Cubans and more 6,000′ over the Delta in 36B, taking club instructor Ben Freelove’s basic aerobatics and unusual attitude recovery course…