In total, we’ve owned three Cessnas over the years. A Cessna 150, 172 Hawk XP, and a 205. While I remember flying in the 150, I believe we sold it before I got to fly it very much. The 172 and the 205, well, I wish I still had them. Both were great airplanes and I have many fond memories from both. [Read more…]
RAF asks for $2.50 per pilot for USFS, BLM budgets
The grunt work of government is not terribly exciting. But for those of you who have met Chuck Wiplinger, president of Wipaire, Inc., I bet you’ll join me in wishing he’d make his way to Washington D.C. more often to make our case for funding.
Proceeds from Cessna 150 raffle to support cancer survivors
EVERETT, Washington – Puget Sound Flyers (PSF) is part flying club, part charity. For the first part, the club has three airplanes based at Paine Field (KPAE). For the second part, Puget Sound Flyers is a 501(c)(3) non-profit that provides scholarships to children who survived cancer for post-secondary education. [Read more…]
JATO powered Ercoupe
Frederick A. Johnsen’s recent Of Wings & Things — JATO pushed performance — looked back at jet-assisted takeoff (JATO) power. While interest in the column was high, several commenters referred to an Ercoupe as early JATO test bed. [Read more…]
Build a better mouse trap
The 36th Annual Northwest Aviation Conference and Trade Show took place in Puyallup, Washington, on Feb. 23 and 24, 2019. I call it a family reunion. I get to sleep in my own bed each night (the show grounds are just 21 miles from my home). Ahh.
It is fun to catch up with old friends (and meet a few new ones). [Read more…]
Beechcraft – The Numbers
Few aircraft in the marketplace enjoy the storied history and delivery longevity of the Bonanza and Baron lines from Beechcraft.
Introduced in 1947, more than 17,000 Bonanzas have been delivered, in a continuous stream that has at times been reduced to a trickle. Nevertheless, the venerable Bonanza soldiers on. [Read more…]
Bearhawk wins Heavy Touring Category at NZ STOL contest
A customer built 4-place Bearhawk took top honors in the Heavy Touring Category in the premier New Zealand STOL competition.
Jonathan Battson, in his Bearhawk NJB, outperformed all entrants with a combined score of 229′ (74.1 meters), landing plus takeoff. [Read more…]
ForeFlight’s Airport 3D View ups the situational awareness game
Last century, as my Dad and I flew to Florida for SUN ‘n FUN from Washington state, we’d marvel at the ability to easily navigate hundreds of miles over unfamiliar terrain and then struggle to find the actual airport. With one glimpse of ForeFlight’s new Airport 3D View, those are days gone. Thankfully. [Read more…]
Freedom to Fly tells much more than the story of AOPA
A lot can happen in 80 years. Indeed, a lot has happened since the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) was founded in 1939.
Events large and not-so-large dot the calendar. Putting those events into the larger context of the development of general aviation can be a challenge for anyone who has a busy life. [Read more…]
A perfect day of flying
Do you want to go flying?
Is that a trick question? The sky out the window looked clear and inviting. [Read more…]