I was reading Charlie Spence’s Capital Comments column recently and I became intrigued by the numbers he was quoting from the FAA’s annual forecast. This annual study, which predicts aviation activities over the next 20 years, is used by the FAA to plan for the effects of expected growth. The forecast predicted a rate of […]
A tale of two airparks
Dave Sclair was co-publisher from 1970-2000. He also is co-founder of Living With Your Plane and a renowned expert on airpark living. I’m an optimist by nature. It’s a good thing I am, considering having spent the last 40 years not only in the aviation business but the aviation publishing business. During this major slice […]
Airparks & GA: International interest in U.S. airparks highlights strength of GA here
Dave Sclair was co-publisher of General Aviation News from 1970-2000 and is the co-founder of Living With Your Plane Recently I received an interesting note from an individual in Europe. He had watched an EAA-sponsored webinar on residential airparks and was really wanting to find one in the U.S. to which he could move. He […]
The fallout from sonic booms
Recently the Seattle-Tacoma region in Washington state where I live was hit by a pair of sonic booms. They were caused by the flight of two Oregon Air National Guard F-15s sent to intercept a floatplane that had violated a TFR established when President Obama visited Seattle. The floatplane’s pilot claimed he was returning from […]
Weeks, Tucker join Lindbergh Foundation board
Two of aviation’s best-known names, air show ace Sean D. Tucker and aircraft collection icon Kermit Weeks, have joined the board of The Charles A. and Anne Morrow Lindbergh Foundation. Both say they were drawn to the foundation by its substantial programs within the aviation community to further the Lindberghs’ strong interest in applying technology […]
Book review: ‘Hearts of Courage’
In January 1943, an Electra piloted by Alaskan bush Pilot Harold Gillam crashed in foul weather on its way from Seattle to Anchorage. Gillam died trying to find help for the survivors. One other passenger also died after a couple days. Miraculously, four others survived nearly a month in the wilderness with little to eat, […]
A trip back in time
I’ve been working on a book about my newspaper career. A major portion of my time in the business — more than 50 years in total — has been spent in the world of aviation. As I ventured into different aspects of my life in aviation, I tried to recall what airplanes I had flown […]
Book chronicles efforts to buy a 150 and fly around the world
Books by pilots about their experiences vary dramatically from very good to, well, being polite, not as good! When a friend brought me a book written by a friend of his about the friend’s efforts to buy a plane and fulfill a lifelong ambition to fly around the world, I kinda rolled my eyes. And, […]
WASPs honored at museum gala
Six WASPs (Women’s Air Force Service Pilots) of World War II were recently recognized at the Museum of Flight’s Hangar Gala at Seattle’s Boeing Field. In addition to the WASPs, the gala was held to recognize the anniversary of the B-17, built at the Boeing plant in Seattle. The WASPs (each wearing a red ribbon […]