The new Model 652 Windlock door by US Door and Building Components Inc. is designed to resist hurricane force winds and is compliant with most coastal building code requirements. The Model 652 includes the new UHM Nylon windlocks, which allow for smooth and quiet operation without metal-to-metal contact. In addition to windload resistance, the door, […]
USDA Forest Service taps Iridium for automated flight-following
The U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service (USFS) has fitted 200 primarily contract aircraft with equipment from Iridium Satellite. The aircraft are part of the interagency Automated Flight-Following (AFF) program and are mainly helicopters and fixed-wing airtankers used for wildland fire fighting and other natural resource agency missions. The agencies use Iridium for flight-following as […]
Finger Lakes Sales and Service launches new online inventory system
Finger Lakes Sales and Service, a brokerage firm for commercial aircraft parts and components, recently unveiled a major redesign of FingerLakeSales.com, incorporating its new Online Request For Quotes (RFQ) system. The new RFQ system allows customers to search by part number and description, as well as track and confirm RFQs and see a full inventory […]
Get weight and balance-and more-on your cell phone
Smartsoft has released a new version of Flight WTK 2.1, its weight and balance software for mobile phones. Flight WTK enables pilots to perform weight and balance on their cell phones in as little as 40 seconds. Flight WTK, which uses the mobile phone as a computing device, also gives pilots the ability to download […]
Proxy Aviation Systems debuts SkyWatcher UAV
Proxy Aviation Systems, Inc., a company dedicated to developing autonomous, unmanned aircraft systems, has unveiled SkyWatcher, a long endurance, low and medium altitude, multi-payload unmanned aircraft system. SkyWatcher is designed for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions. The system consists of four main components: autonomous air vehicles; a primary mission-management ground control station; mobile ground control […]
DARCorporation unveils new website and online store
DarCorporation, which has provided airplane design software, books and engineering consulting services since 1991, has a new website and online store at DARCorp.com. To celebrate, the company has discounted its best-selling Cambridge Aerospace Dictionary 50% off retail with every book purchase (one per customer please, quantities are limited).
Do we really need to save airports?
I am an airport manager of a small airport in northern Oklahoma (O53), and I have to disagree that we need more airports (Join the campaign to save our airports, July 8 issue). It has been my observation in this part of the country that we don’t have enough airplanes and general aviation activities to […]
Eliminating the terrorist threat
It is encouraging to read letters like “A different view” and “more tolerance” in the July 8th edition, regarding the Washington, D.C., ADIZ. I couldn’t agree more. The entire “Patriot Act” should be repealed. It is a most egregious and dangerous step toward a Fascist government. It was all prepared before Sept. 11, and rushed through in a […]
How should aircraft engines be preheated?
I just read Paul McBride’s response to John Folinsbee in the April 22, 2005, issue (What led to camshaft damage?) I know this is a huge subject with no easy answers. May I give some information about engines and preheaters that we have observed and which might help your readers understand? Contrary to what you […]