Retired Navy Capt. Roy M. “Butch” Voris, a World War II ace and organizer of the famed Blue Angels flight demonstration team, died at his home in Monterey, Calif., Aug. 9. He was 85. In 1946, Fleet Adm. Chester Nimitz, who then was Chief of Naval Operations, went looking for a crack Naval Aviator to […]
Slam Dunk
I don’t care how well you think you are ready for an emergency, nothing beats professional training to make sure. My wife, Staci, and I often fly our Cardinal RG over water to favorite diving destinations. And so it was that we were sitting in a classroom of Survival Systems USA, Inc. (SSUSA) in Groton, […]
Lake Aircraft still up for sale
A first-ever attempt to auction off an entire aircraft manufacturing company at AirVenture didn’t go off quite as planned. The auction of Lake Aircraft’s assets, from its Type Certificates to parts, attracted more than 50 interested spectators during the big show in Oshkosh, but auctioneer Marty Higgenbotham failed to get a single bid. His auction […]
“Something for everyone” from Oshkosh
An estimated 700,000 people attended this year’s AirVenture in Oshkosh. While the highlight of the week was the arrival on opening day of White Knight and SpaceShipOne, this year’s big show was non-stop, with the Global Flyer making an appearance, as well as the debut of the new HondaJet and the unveiling of many new […]
Out of the closet: Honda’s jet
In the beginning, the HondaJet didn’t exist, according to those in North Carolina who, as it turned out, were building it. Then, when it was rolled out and flown late last year, it was shrugged off by Honda as strictly a technology exercise and a test-bed for the company’s HF-118 fanjet engine, also described as […]
The next Epic moment: a jet
“We seem to do this on a regular basis,” said Rick Schrameck as he unveiled his company’s Epic Jet mockup at Oshkosh. Indeed. Only two years ago the Epic LT turboprop was nothing more than a cardboard display. Last year it flew to Oshkosh. This year the first Epic customer flew his LT to the […]
Adam Aircraft moves toward full certification
Adam Aircraft now expects full production certification of its A500 in-line piston twin late this year. Type certification of the A700 twin jet will follow “sometime next year,” said CEO Rick Adam at this year’s Oshkosh AirVenture. The A500 has its type certification, but is limited to daytime VFR flight, three occupied seats and no […]
The need for speed — Flying the Columbia 400
Well, it took awhile. Ever since Sun ‘n Fun 2005, I had been lusting to fly the Columbia 400, touted as the fastest production recip available today. Problem is, they’re selling so fast that Aero Sport Inc., the Columbia dealer for the state of Florida, has difficulty keeping a demonstrator in inventory. In the end, […]
Mooney at full throttle
Mooney is back — and better than ever. The 60-year-old company, which emerged from bankruptcy just a few years ago, is “running at full throttle,” according to Gretchen Jahn, CEO of the Kerrville, Texas-based company, which is on target to more than double its 2004 sales. Last year, the company delivered 36 airplanes. Already this […]