John Carroll submitted this photo and note: “This photo was taken by Laura Hughes, from the backseat of an L-19 flown by her husband, Mike. I was flying wing in my Sonex. We were part of a much larger group of airplanes that were there to dedicate a new floating bandstand at Alton Bay, N.H. This is the same site of the wintertime ice runway in Alton Bay. Our large group of aircraft took off from the Laconia Municipal Airport (KLCI), formed up, and made several passes over the water and near the town ceremony.”
[Read more…]Where there’s a will there’s a way
It all started about a year ago, in 2019, when a 1964 Cessna 150D was donated to Experimental Aircraft Association Chapter 534 in Leesburg, Florida.
Some people thought the plane had come to the end of its useful life, but others looked at it and said, “this can be rebuilt, but it will cost a lot.”
When viewed from 50 feet away, the plane didn’t look too bad. It was only when you got close that you began to see some of the major work that needed to be done. As someone said, “it has good bones.”
Structurally it was sound with little or no corrosion, but cosmetically it needed to be cleaned up and thoroughly checked out. Cables to control surfaces needed tightening and many other small repairs were needed.
The big expensive items it needed were an engine overhaul and new avionics.
[Read more…]CAP assesses Hurricane Delta’s damage
BATON ROUGE, La. — In the days following Hurricane Delta, the Civil Air Patrol’s Louisiana Wing provided federal and state emergency managers with aerial imagery of the storm’s damage in two different formats.
One format involves conventional photos taken through handheld cameras by aircrew. These images cover fairly large areas. They are processed and delivered directly to disaster analysts or, if requested, posted to emergency management agency websites.
The other format uses high-definition, overlapping images taken simultaneously by two cameras mounted on a wing strut. One camera is pointed straight down; the other is pointed at an offset angle. The images acquired by both cameras are then knit together to form a 3D mosaic, allowing recovery managers to more effectively gauge the impact of a hurricane.
[Read more…]Sporty’s introduces 2021 Learn to Fly course
Just released is the 2021 version of Sporty’s Learn to Fly Course, which adds a host of features to help pilots save time and money during flight training, according to Sporty’s officials.
The course is available on multiple platforms, including iOS and Android devices, and a one-time purchase includes lifetime access.
[Read more…]IMC Club: 10 years and 400 clubs
EAA AVIATION CENTER, OSHKOSH, Wisconsin — The IMC/VMC Club concept, now part of the Experimental Aircraft Association’s pilot proficiency resources, celebrates its 10th anniversary in October 2020 of bringing flight safety scenarios to local pilots.
More than 400 local clubs in communities throughout the country now provide and promote flying, proficiency, and safety. The clubs meet monthly, allowing pilots to share information and resources, using their flying experiences as shared knowledge to enhance safety for all who fly.
[Read more…]First flight in trike ends with untrained pilot seriously injured
The student pilot indicated that this flight was his first in the unregistered trike, and he had no flight training in the Airborne X-Series, but had read the manuals.
After applying full power and reaching an airspeed of about 30 knots, he pushed forward on the control bar to initiate the liftoff. Shortly after liftoff, the trike turned right, “stalled,” and hit the ground in North Pole, Alaska, which resulted in substantial damage to the carriage keel and wing. The pilot was seriously injured in the crash.
[Read more…]Picture of the Day: Little did we know…
Larry Portouw submitted this photo and note: “This is sunrise Jan. 1, 2020, taken by my wife, Charlotte, from our 1969 Mooney M-20C, at 11,500 feet in the vicinity of Tombstone, Arizona, and the Dragoon Mountains looking out into New Mexico and beyond. The Chiricahua Mountains are visible on the left side of the frame. The goal was to make it back down to home plate at Benson Municipal Airport (E95) and watch a second sunrise. We didn’t quite make it as it came up again in the base to final turn to Runway 10 at E95. I’ve done this before in a Tri-Pacer and it is great fun and a good excuse to practice emergency descents. The year started with this and lots of promise. Little did we know….”
[Read more…]Want to build your own airport?
Building your own airport is an often-heard aviation goal that is achieved more often than you might imagine.
Of the more than 19,000 airports listed in the U.S., more than 14,000 are privately owned.
Knowing I wanted to build my own airstrip, I interviewed several individuals who owned or maintained grass airports in the Carolinas area where I fly, seeking their suggestions on building and maintaining my own airport.
Their advice covered everything from the best grass to choose to how to take care of the grass airstrip once it’s complete.
[Read more…]Improvements planned for Fort Kent Airfield
The Recreational Aviation Foundation (RAF) has granted funds to help cover the cost for improvements at Fort Kent Municipal Airfield in Maine.
Additions to the camping area include two picnic tables and a picnic area shelter just off the west side of the runway next to the trailhead to Fish River Falls.
[Read more…]New study could improve how aircraft fly in gusty winds
Scientists from the University of Bristol and the Royal Veterinary College in England have discovered how birds are able to fly in gusty conditions — findings that could inform the development of bio-inspired small-scale aircraft.
“Birds routinely fly in high winds close to buildings and terrain, often in gusts as fast as their flight speed. So the ability to cope with strong and sudden changes in wind is essential for their survival and to be able to do things like land safely and capture prey,” said Dr. Shane Windsor from the Department of Aerospace Engineering at the University of Bristol.
“We know birds cope amazingly well in conditions which challenge engineered air vehicles of a similar size but, until now, we didn’t understand the mechanics behind it,” he added.
[Read more…]