When an airplane is designed for a particular purpose and performs to expectations, it’s a wonderful thing. When that performance brings relief to people after a natural disaster, it’s even better. That about sums up the use of the Quest Kodiak in Haiti, says Paul Schaller, president and CEO of Quest Aircraft Co. “The Kodiak […]
Imagination takes flight
One of the perks of owning an airplane is that you can paint it any way you want — the designs are limited only by the imagination. The owners of Van’s RV aircraft are among the most expressive out there, as a walk through the RV parking area at last year’s AirVenture proved. Some aircraft […]
Like a bat out’a Hell
The Lancair is one of the fastest airplanes on the market. In fact, you could say that it goes like a bat out of…you know where. That was the thought process Rich Denisar of Mount Holly, N.J., went though when the time came to name his Lancair 320. “The Bat out’a Hell just buzzes along,” […]
The allure of Warbirds, Part II
In the first part of this story, I chronicled my flight with the Aeroshell Aerobatic Team at this year’s Sun ’n Fun. At the end of the flight, Steve Gustafson, who flies the left wing slot for the team, sighed and said, “And back to reality.” I was struck by Gustafson’s remark because I’d heard […]
The allure of Warbirds, Part I
The warbird ramp is usually one of the more popular places at air shows and fly-ins. There’s something about those old airplanes with the radial engines that draws people to them. If you’re lucky, you might even get a ride in one. During Sun ’n Fun I had the opportunity to ride in the back […]
The Fk Comet: An aerobatic LSA
Want to fly a Light Sport Aircraft (LSA) but continue with the fun of flying aerobatics? You can with the new Fk Comet. Manufactured by Fk-Lightplanes in Speyer, Germany, and distributed in the U.S. by Atlanta-based Hansen Air Group, the sporty Comet made its American debut in January at the U.S. Sport Aviation Expo in […]
Bee plane creates a buzz
If Sun ‘n Fun gave an award for the most whimsical aircraft, Ed Grossheim of Camden, S.C., would likely take the prize with his airplane, a Cessna 120 painted to look like a honey bee. The high-wing taildragger sports a brown and gold striped empennage with a whimsical cartoon bee painted on the side. Wherever […]
Mark Watson’s first trip to Sun ’n Fun: The best of times, the worst of times
Mark Watson of Pensacola, Fla., can sum up his first trip to Sun ‘n Fun with a line borrowed from Charles Dickens “A Tale of Two Cities:” “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.” Watson owns a 1942 Taylorcraft L-2A that was in the Vintage Parking area during last month’s […]
Lack of sleep = bad decisions
Meg Godlewski is GAN’s staff reporter and a Master CFI. Americans are sleep deprived. We work too much. We watch too much television. We spend too much time playing computer games and engaging in social media. It cuts into the time we allot for sleep. And we pay for it. Lately, control tower operators who […]