The Navajo Nation withdrew its previously announced financial support of the Utilicraft twin turboprop cargo plane in mid-February. The Navajo Economic Development Committee made the decision on the advice of two New Mexico state agencies, one of which, the state’s Economic Development Department, had brought the two parties together in the first place. However, according […]
Aviator, writer and editor Edwards Park dies
Edwards Park, best known to pilots for his contributions to “Air & Space” magazine and for his book about flying a P-39 in World War II New Guinea, died Feb. 12 from complications following a fall. He was 87. Park was a founding editor of “Smithsonian” magazine. Including his frequent contributions to Smithsonian publications after […]
Flying with the NASCAR Air Force
I learned more from my high school social studies teacher, Mrs. Packan, than any other teacher I’ve ever had. One of the lessons that has stuck to this day is that there is a “good” reason and a “real” reason for every decision. When we moved to South Carolina in 1998, the “good” reason was […]
A star-studded evening
The Evergreen Aviation Museum is rolling out the red carpet Feb. 27 to celebrate the 11 Academy Award nominations received by “”The Aviator.”” The film, which has already won three Golden Globe awards, depicts the life of Howard Hughes and his contributions to modern aviation. The movie includes Evergreen Aviation Museum’s largest attraction, the “”Spruce […]
Transient ops at the ‘DC-3’ — at last
The infamous “DC-3” airports — the three general aviation fields inside the Flight Restricted Zone around Washington, D.C. — are once again open to transient traffic. Well, sort of. Open, that is, to anyone who wants to go through the Transportation Security Administration’s vetting process. For the DC-3, that means being fingerprinted at Reagan National […]
Virginia lawmakers look at diverting airport improvement funds
The Virginia General Assembly is considering a bill that would take $5 million a year “off the top” of the Commonwealth Airport Fund to use as incentives for airline service at “non-hub and small hub” airports. House Bill 1603, assigned to a House finance subcommittee Jan. 12, seeks to amend a portion of the Code […]
Need to know info
“Things My Flight Instructor Never Told Me” is filled with excellent advice, delivered with humor. “Experience is what you get when you don’t get what you want.” Author Michael Leighton says that summarizes his personal experience with general aviation. This rather slim volume is filled with excellent advice, developed from just such “experience” during a […]
‘Success on the Step’ chronicles the history of Kenmore Air
“Success on the Step” tells the history of Kenmore Air, started in 1946 by a pilot and two mechanics who wanted to “be our own bosses and be involved in aviation.” It was a one-plane operation based at Kenmore Air Harbor, basically a mud bog near Seattle. None of them had ever heard of a […]
A tribute to wartime flyers
Although a work of fiction, “A Common Glory” is based on fact and makes good use of historic photographs, as it weaves a charming but sometimes tragic Southern love story during World War II. George Westcott is a Royal Air Force pilot instructor, training RAF cadets at the U.S. Army Air Corps’ Cochran Field in […]