It takes a lot of energy to cover an airshow or a fly-in. Over the years I have experimented with different ways to boost my energy levels. These methods include physically training for a show (running several miles a day or climbing stairs with a 20-pound pack on my back) and during the show ingesting […]
Saying goodbye to a mentor
I was sitting in the terminal building in Orlando on my way home from SUN ’n FUN when my cell phone rang. “Meg, this is Peggy Boyd…” she began. Peggy is the wife of Dean Boyd, my friend and aviation mentor of some 20 years. The tone of her voice told me before she got the […]
Making safer general aviation pilots
Many years ago when I took my Commercial checkride, the Designated Pilot Examiner told me that a pilot’s commitment to safety ebbs and flows. We are at our safest right after a checkride. As we gain experience, our vigilance can diminish, replaced by a new-found confidence that can lead to complacency. Over the years efforts […]
Familiar frame, different name
For some planes, it’s the (air)frame, not the name, that sells it. Such is the case with the Polish-built AT-4, an airframe that was introduced to the American market a few years back as the Gobosh 700. Gobosh, which stands for Go Big Or Stay Home, went out of business in 2009, but the AT-4 […]
First solo: The CFI’s perspective
First solo — exciting for both the student and the CFI. For me, soloing a student is a source of great joy. I am helping someone fulfill their dream. I hope I never become one of those CFIs who treats first solo as “just another part” of training. Per FAR 61.87, there are 15 things […]
A different kind of corporate aircraft
When you think corporate airplane, the image of Gulfstreams and Citation jets may come to mind. The folks at ComLine Pro have something else in mind: a 1969 Polish-built PZL. “The PZL attracts a lot of attention because it’s so unusual,” said pilot Greg Custer from Auburn, Ala. “Most people don’t recognize it.” He explains […]
Bouncing back from the tornado
If your airplane — the one you spent hours building — was destroyed by a tornado at a fly-in, you might be reluctant to go back to that event. Not so for the members of Explorer Post 491, who lost their Kitfox III in last year’s tornado. The kids, who spent a year building, the […]
A familiar frame, a different name
For some aircraft it’s the (air)frame, not the name that sells it. Such is the case with the Polish-built AT-4, an airframe that was introduced to the American market a few years back as the GOBOSH (which stands for Go Big Or Stay Home) 700. GOBOSH went out of business in 2009, but the AT-4 […]
Tips for getting the most out of a demo flight
Sun ’n Fun is in full swing in Lakeland, Florida, this week and one of the main reasons people attend air shows and fly-ins is to do some comparison shopping for aircraft. The experience isn’t complete without a test flight, but you need to be prepared to get the most out of the event. First, […]