By MIKE MARTIN On average, aviation-related injuries result in 1,013 U.S. hospital admissions each year — and 753 deaths, claims a first-ever study published in the journal “Aviation, Space, and Environmental Medicine.” Most hospital patients (32%) were injured in civilian, noncommercial aircraft, the study found. Lower limb fractures were the most common injury (27%); followed […]
Flying solo at nearly half a century
By MARK J. DONOVAN As I recently celebrated my 49th birthday, I couldn’t help but be a bit reflective about my life to date. I’m quickly nearing the half century mark and still feel I’ve got a lot more to accomplish, but a lot less time to do it. By most accounts I’ve done a […]
CAP a decade after 9/11
By KRISTI CARR The buzz of the Cessna 172’s engine seemed an intrusion on the absolute quiet of Manhattan’s crystalline blue skies. In fact, the tiny Civil Air Patrol plane, tail number N9344L, was one of the few aircraft aloft that afternoon in all of America. It was Sept. 12, 2001 — the day after […]
Fly the distance with NextGen: In the beginning there was fire
By JEFFREY BOCCACCIO. (This is the second in a series of articles looking at the impact of NextGen on GA pilots.) The Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) is rapidly approaching and, as astute pilots, we need to start preparing for what influence this new system may have on our day-to-day flying. Using the word […]
Air Race Classic: An excellent aerial adventure
By AMELIA T. REIHELD As I climbed into the sky southwest-bound over North Carolina’s Albemarle Sound a few weeks ago, the reality hit: I was about to become part of a tradition begun in 1929 by pioneer aviatrixes, determined to prove their mettle to a skeptical men’s aviation world. And it was too late to […]
Spins: A fun way to conquer complacency
By MATTHEW J. KIENER Our lessons leading up to the private pilot certificate are riddled with procedures preparing us to handle a myriad of emergencies that may arise in normal flight. We practice landing with a dead engine, what to do if our engine or avionics catch fire, the radio stops working, or our instruments […]
Fly the distance with NextGen
By JEFFREY BOCCACCIO. Today we introduce our newest blog, Fly the distance with NextGen, which will explore what the Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) means to GA pilots and what we need to do to prepare for it. The author, a private pilot and chief engineer at MatchBox Aeronautical Systems, wants this blog to […]
EAA Chapter 1083 hosts summer camp
Rowan Area EAA Chapter 1083 in North Carolina recently hosted A.S.C.E.N.D — Aviation Summer Camp Exploring New Dimensions — at Rowan County Airport (RUQ). The summer camp, for kids 14 to 17, was started with a vision of EAA Chapter 1083 and member Jana Brown of Lexington. The camp was partially made possible through a […]
Advice on choosing an airpark
By BILL WALKER An airpark developer who makes presentations annually at Sun ’n Fun and Oshkosh says potential airpark residents need to do a better job of asking questions and evaluating the merits of flying-oriented communities before buying a lot or a home and hangar. Ron Heidebrink, who said his Hardee Airpark near Myrtle Beach, […]