A bounced rent check prompted the city of Brownsville, Texas, to put a lock and chains on the fence around the headquarters of Taylorcraft Aviation LLC, effectively closing down the business. According to Brownsville City Manager Charlie Cabler, Harry Ingram, president and owner of Taylorcraft, which rents a city-owned hangar at Brownsville/South Padre Island International […]
Mayor Daley can’t touch this one: New Texas airark sports familiar name
When Doug and Vergie Meigs decided to pursue the idea of building an airpark, they knew they’d run into some confusion. That’s because most pilots automatically associate that name with the now-defunct airport in Chicago. “We typed ‘Meigs Field’ into an Internet search engine and up came the other one,” said Doug Meigs, a pilot […]
Glasair Aviation discontinues Glastar kits
You know you’ve designed a good airplane when your customers flock to that particular model. The downside is that other models may not get many orders. Such is the case at Glasair Aviation. “Since we introduced the Sportsman some four years ago, the orders for the Glastar have fallen off dramatically,” explained company spokesman Alan […]
Time machine: Canadian pilots show off their deHavilland Chipmunk
We were prowling the rows of vintage aircraft at EAA AirVenture where, amid the rows of high-wing tube and fabric machines, we spotted a low-wing job that had a decidedly military look to it. “That kind of looks like a warbird,” I remarked to photographer Justin Moore as we looked at a polished metal low-wing […]
Fore! Future of Arkansas airport includes golf
The future of Fayetteville Municipal Airport-Drake Field (KFYA) in Fayetteville, Ark., may include golf. According to Ray Boudreaux, director of aviation and economic development for the city of Fayetteville, the idea of creating a golf course on part of the airport property came out of a study done to update the airport’s 20-year Master Plan. […]
When the wind blows
“Prepare yourself.” You can add that phrase to the list of those I do not want to hear in or around an airplane. The mechanic uttered the warning just before he pulled open the hangar door and showed me a Cessna 172 that was heavily damaged by a windstorm that battered the Pacific Northwest on […]
Another airport in the crosshairs: Proposed development next to Washington airport stirs up pilots and alphabet groups
Pilots in Eatonville, Washington, say that a developer’s plan to build homes adjacent to their local airport, Swanson Field (SW3), is a back-door attempt to close the airport. The proposed development would create 23 to 27 lots on 18 acres that wrap about the south and east sides of the airport, which was built by […]
School built next to Texas airport stirs dreams of flight
Usually, when a school is built next to an airport, school officials express concerns about the proximity of airplanes to the classrooms. At Tradewind Elementary School in Amarillo, Texas, Principal Kim Bentley couldn’t be more excited about the location. The new school is being built next door to Tradewind Airport (TDW) and Bentley, who is […]
Rare Norseman makes its airshow debut
“It’s big.” “It’s beautiful!” “What is it?” These are just some of the comments visitors at EAA AirVenture 2006 made when they approached the Norseman UC-64A owned by Forrest Klies from Basin, Montana. The gold and maroon high-wing beauty was parked in the vintage aircraft area amid the rows of Stinsons and Stearmans. The aircraft […]