Because flying is cool
If so, an April 22, 2020, decision by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) might be of interest.
On that date, the FCC voted unanimously (5-0) to approve Ligado Networks’ license to build a terrestrial-based communication network that Ligado claims will “accelerate 5G and the emerging Industrial Internet of Things.”
Great, but what does that have to do with GPS? A lot, according to nearly every 3- and 4-letter advocacy group.
[Read more…]It is heartening — for me at least — to read about people and businesses that are taking next steps.
Some steps are small, others are large. In most cases, each step represents a significant amount of behind-the-scenes effort.
Following is a short list of some of the news that recently put a smile on my face.
[Read more…]If your kids (or grandkids) are like mine, they’re done with online learning. As school winds down for the summer, my kids are looking forward to taking a break from Zoom and Google Classroom.
But then a Kansas State University email hit my inbox to announce its Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) Virtual Academy. The course, slated for June 22-26, 2020, is geared for 14 to 17 year olds.
My son is 14 and when I showed him the program details he said, “that looks fun and pretty cool, plus it’s not like I have a ton of other things to do.”
[Read more…]Aircraft benefit when they are flown more hours, not less. And for those who own an aircraft, and don’t fly it enough, the idea of sharing their baby is likely equal part terrifying and exhilarating.
That idea, sharing, was the topic of a recent Touch & Go column.
[Read more…]In the days before live, graphical weather updates on an iPad, pilots called into weather service or visited — in-person — a flight service station to learn both current and forecast weather.
Years ago, before I had an instrument rating and was trying to get from point A to point B, on a schedule, weather often made its presence known. And that presence rarely seemed to be in the form of clear skies and tailwinds.
[Read more…]“There will always be a need for high quality instruction,” wrote Gordon Alvord, owner of Rainier Flight Service in an email to me.
Gordon and I chatted for a few minutes at February’s Northwest Aviation Conference in Puyallup, Washington, before the world was turned upside down by the coronavirus pandemic. During our talk, Gordon mentioned Rainier Flight Service in Renton, Washington, was finalizing plans for a new flight instruction academy.
[Read more…]Whether you have a little extra time on your hands — thanks to the global pandemic — or are looking for a fun project, B.C. Air has made all of its construction manuals free.
B.C. Air designs aircraft models made from aluminum cans. Pick your can, pick your design, and get started.
[Read more…]You don’t really need that computer backup, or three months of rainy day savings, or those ventilators in the storage room…until you truly need them.
I don’t know about you, but the sheer volume of COVID-19 stories is starting to wear on me. But a recent announcement from Daher about the delivery of ventilators from Sandpoint, Idaho, to Sacramento, California, using a Kodiak 100 caught my attention.
[Read more…]Now showing on the big screen, in your living room: Boldmethod flight training videos.
Boldmethod has launched a new Apple TV App that includes 50 hours of flight training videos.
[Read more…]Gulf Coast Avionics recently completed a panel make-over of a 2004 Piper 6X for client David Linder. The list of Garmin-branded avionics is long and impressive. And there is little doubt David’s 6X panel is both a thing of beauty and a safety-packed, near future-proof system.
[Read more…]
