There is a story that circulates in the music business that suggests an interesting parallel to general aviation. The story takes place in the late 1960s when Jimi Hendrix and his band arrived at the BBC studios to do a soundcheck in preparation for a performance to be recorded later in the day. For those […]
What do we want?
There’s a great scene in the movie, “Field of Dreams,” that sticks in my head. Kevin Costner’s character has taken the character played by James Earl Jones to a baseball game. Kevin plays an innocent who has an unlikely story to tell and a major favor to ask. Jones, on the other hand ,plays a […]
There will be paperwork
After leaving a phone message and receiving the requested call-back from a fully qualified staff member, I was able to make an appointment to visit a critical government facility here in central Florida. On the appointed day I motored over to the semi-secret location and rode the elevator to the floor where I had been […]
Something to brag about
Today is a good day to brag a bit. With the SUN ‘n FUN International Fly-In and Expo in the rearview mirror, it’s a great time to celebrate where we are as an industry, because there is a lot going right in general aviation these days. So let’s take a moment to recognize just a […]
The circus is more than just a circus
It’s an American tradition that continues unabated, thank goodness. Kids start smiling a little wider in the weeks before the big day. Neighborhood dogs pick up on the excitement, wagging their tails with abandon. Moms and dads prepare for days of high strung adventure, followed by the easily predictable collapse of exhausted young ‘uns. Wait […]
Willfully distracted and pointlessly engaged
My local coffee shop has been abuzz with conversations about the same top news story that’s dominated the chatter at yours, I’m sure: Malaysia Airlines Flight 370. It seems every news channel on television has dedicated untold hours of coverage to the story, while newspapers have filled innumerable column inches with every rumor that comes […]
The great ones use leverage
A fairly bright man from the ancient world said something to the effect of give me a lever long enough and a fulcrum to place it on, and I can move the world. Admittedly, it’s been at least 2,200 years since Archimedes supposedly uttered these words. So allowing for transcription errors and smudged copies, I’ve […]
General aviation in the marketplace
Last week the news broke that Fantasy of Flight, the aviation-themed attraction in the heart of central Florida, was closing. That was the message most people got, even if it is slightly skewed from the announcement the company intended. Those who read the full story (included the one by Drew Steketee right here in General […]
Can LSAs go commercial?
It’s a regulatory certainty that Light-Sport Aircraft cannot be used in commercial operations. Sure, the LSA category is fast growing. Yes, it’s permeated the marketplace well enough that LSAs can be found on fields across the land. Admittedly, the aircraft are designed and built to a standard that is as high — if not higher […]