You’ve probably seen someone roll across the hold short line before the active runway was clear. Maybe the pilot was in a hurry. Or maybe the pilot didn’t understand the signage. Or the pilot failed to heed the instruction to “hold short.” There are a dozen scenarios, but they all amount to the same thing: […]
SAFE launches mentoring program
Would you like to be a mentor, but you’re not exactly sure what to do? The Society of Aviation and Flight Educators (SAFE) can help you figure it out. “We’re here to answer questions,” noted SAFE’s Doug Stewart, one of the founding members of the organization, which is celebrating its one-year anniversary at Sun ‘n […]
How pilots recycle
Pilots will spend a not-so-small fortune on aircraft and avionics, but they are notoriously frugal when it comes to maintenance. This is often manifested in a reluctance to throw out anything that might be useful again someday. You probably know a pilot who has a part off of a (insert name of aircraft here), although […]
Flying the Peregrine
One of the perks of being a flying journalist is that it gives me the opportunity to fly aircraft that many pilots don’t, like the record-setting Light Sport Aircraft, the FA-04 Peregrine. The low-wing airplane, built by Fleming Air in Germany, is imported by the Hansen Air Group of Kennesaw, Georgia. “We came up with […]
Battle against Washington State excise tax continues
When the Washington State legislative session ended March 11, pilots thought they could breathe a sigh of relief. That’s because legislators did not take any action on a proposed aircraft excise tax that represented a potential 1,400% increase — or more — over previous aircraft registration fees. But that relief was short-lived as lawmakers were […]
Commemorating 1,000 hours
One of the more frustrating aspects of being a flight instructor is that you get stood up sometimes. People don’t show because they oversleep, they forget, or they would really rather not be there. I remarked to a coworker that I was getting stood up so much I ought to start coming to work in […]
Pilots alarmed by plans to close L52
A series of meetings to study the feasibility of redeveloping Oceano Airport (L52) in California has trigged a backlash from pilots. Jeff Edwards, a developer from Los Osos, Calif., says the airport, which sits on approximately 58 acres in San Luis Osbispo, has outlived its usefulness. “It’s time to reconsider redeveloping the land so that […]
The ‘wind’ in your hair…
You can get away with all sorts of daring fashion moves at air shows and fly ins. One of the more popular items is the classic baseball cap with a miniature windsock atop it, giving a new twist to the old saying “the wind in your hair.” A word of warning: While it might be […]
‘Texas Raiders’ has new home
“Texas Raiders,” one of 12 remaining airworthy B-17s, has a new home. The G-model Flying Fortress, owned by the Gulf Coast Wing of the Commemorative Air Force, has been undergoing restoration for the better part of eight years at William P. Hobby Airport (HOU) in Houston. Soon, the bomber will be flown to David Wayne […]