Bigger, stronger, faster: That describes Just Aircraft‘s XL SuperStol, which is making its debut in Paradise City at this week’s SUN ‘n FUN. XL stands for eXtra Large. The high wings with the bulbous tires is reminiscent of Just Aircraft’s popular Super Stol, but the XL is 24 inches longer in the fuselage and 6 […]
Gifts for the seaplane pilot in your life
Sectionals, headsets, kneeboards — all are appropriate gifts for the pilot in your life. If the pilot in your life also has a seaplane rating, gifts appropriate to watercraft operations come into play. One of the most popular items, say veteran seaplane pilots, are constant-wear life vests. These are less bulky than the ones normally worn on boats, […]
Santa Monica takes first steps towards closing airport
The Santa Monica City Council has shortened ground leases for tenants at Santa Monica Municipal Airport (KSMO), limiting most businesses to month-to-month leases. Exceptions were FBO Atlantic Aviation, Adelman, a law firm, and the Museum of Flying, which received three-year leases to June 30, 2018, with the option of one-year extensions at the discretion of the city. The […]
Airplane vs. animal
How many of you have hit a bird or another type of animal with your airplane? How many of you know someone who has? If you have, you’re not alone. According to the FAA, there were some 142,000 wildlife strikes involving civilian aircraft reported in the United States between 1990 and 2013. The FAA’s wildlife […]
The ultimate airshow experience
Being an airshow performer is a dream many a pilot has, but one that very few get to fulfill. Robert Pinksten, a pilot from New England, realized this and that led him to creating Airshow Experiences, a company that allows pilots to get a taste of airshow flying from the cockpit of an Extra 300L. […]
The secret to creating a great airshow
It’s no secret that the main draw of many airshows are the aerial performers. That’s how you get big numbers at the gate, that’s how you draw in the non-pilots, and that’s how you inspire the next generation. Airshow performers range from precision military demonstration teams, to energy management acts like glider aerobatics, to high-energy tumbling displays. With […]
Web cams help fight the fog
What do you get when you combine a group of enthusiastic pilots, web technology experts, and some of the foggiest weather on the planet? If you live in Humboldt County on the north coast of California, you get web cameras at six airports to help with weather observation. Humboldt County, located some 200 miles north of San Francisco, is […]
New kid on the ramp: Will Allen, Rock and Roll Airshow Man
What do you get when you combine a passion for aviation and music? If you are Will Allen, “The Flying Tenor,” you get a high energy rock and roll airshow. Allen’s Rock ‘n Roll Airshow Man made its West Coast debut last July at the Arlington Fly-in, held in Arlington, Wash., just north of Seattle. […]
A deadly combination: Selfies and flying
Recently the National Transportation Safety Board released a report on the May 2014 crash of a Cessna 150 in Watkins, Colo., that was attributed to the pilot being distracted by taking selfies. How many people heard about this crash and thought to themselves, “It was only a matter of time before this contributed to a […]