HOOD RIVER, Ore. – Since 2007, the Hood River Fly-In has earned a smokin’ hot reputation as a premier antique aircraft fly-in. In 2017, “smokin’” turned literal as nearby forest fires enveloped the area around Ken Jernstedt Airfield (4S2) in smoke and a trio of TFRs. In 2016, several hundred aircraft from all over descended […]
Cajun Air Force stands up to support Hurricane Harvey relief
Grant Ancelet just wanted to help Operation Airdrop “transport supplies to victims of Hurricane Harvey.” And as he prepared for his flight, he posted a message to Facebook asking if anyone wanted to donate money or supplies. A few hours later he had a kitchen full of stuff and $3,000 in his PayPal account. It […]
12 miles away, a world apart
As the crow — or drone flies – Santa Monica (SMO) and Van Nuys (VNY) airports are just 12 nautical miles apart. But they might as well be on different planets. While Santa Monica seeks to give their airport a 1,500-foot haircut, Van Nuys is crowing – rightly so – about a number of achievements […]
Full circle in just 29 years
Twenty-nine years ago last month, my mom, dad, sister and I loaded all my belongings into our 1973 Beechcraft Baron and flew me to Grand Forks, N.D., to move me into McVey Hall at the University of North Dakota. Fast forward 29 years and the roles had reversed. My wife and I drove to the […]
Eight random facts about the Piper Cub
It is safe to say that hundreds of thousands of pilots learned to fly in a Piper Cub. For many non-pilots, the Piper Cub is the entirety of small aircraft aviation — like Kleenex is to facial tissue. 2017 marks the 80th anniversary of the J-3. As a tribute to that milestone, following are eight […]
New wing on Eclipse rolls into the sun
ONE Aviation’s Project Canada evolves the Eclipse with a new wing, larger engines, a fuselage stretch, new avionics, and more. On Aug. 17, 2017, ONE Aviation rolled out N990NE, an experimental prototype, from the hangar. A tweet from @OneAviationAero offers a peak. ONE Aviation has rolled out N990NE, an experimental prototype, which has been fitted with […]
Does your state offer aviation-themed license plates?
Many people buy vanity license plates to show their aviation pride. AV8R or RAMPRAT or I FLY or hundreds of other clever plates are seen in airport parking lots around the country. Some states allow residents to go one step further by offering aviation-themed license plates. Washington State — where I live — introduced an […]
Are you a pilot with a plus one?
There are few things in life more magical than flying. Even better is when we take someone else along for the ride. Whether our passengers are kids or kids at heart, nurturing their interest is key. Some may want to become pilots themselves. Others are happy to be passengers. While a few are interested, many […]
Video: ‘Flying was Plan B’
When was the last time you heard someone say “Flying was Plan B”? I’ll guess never. But that is exactly what flying is for Alaska’s Leighan Falley. Once she decided mountain guiding wasn’t a long-term path for her, she executed Plan B. The short film, “Denali’s Raven” is Leighan’s story…