Following the dream of being an airshow performer can be a struggle financially. “Only about 10 of the 300 or so people in the airshow industry actually make a living at it,” says Greg Koontz, who, to make ends meet, combines airshow flying with aircraft sales and an aerobatics school at his fly-in bed-and-breakfast in […]
Rain doesn’t dampen spirits at AOPA Tullahoma Fly-In
Thunderstorms followed by steady rain did little to reduce attendance or dampen spirits at the final Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) Regional Fly-in of the year in Tullahoma, Tennessee, Oct. 9-10. Although Friday’s weather was beautiful VFR, a late-day storm front hit with a vengeance and low conditions continued throughout the region until mid-day […]
The Bonanza Man
Perseverance pays off in any business, but George Johnson may hold the record when it comes to aircraft sales. Having outlived and outlasted many of his competitors, the 59-year-old owner of Carolina Aircraft in Greensboro, N.C., recently sold a Beechcraft Baron to a customer he’s been courting for 38 years. That long-term sales prospect dated […]
Move on to get Bob Hoover movie to the masses
“Flying the Feathered Edge,” the documentary on legendary pilot Bob Hoover, has proven popular with aviation enthusiasts since its introduction last year, but producer/director Kim Furst hopes to soon reach a larger audience through showings in local theatres. At an AirVenture press conference, Furst unveiled the “Team Hoover Campaign,” which was launched in Washington, D.C., on […]
Round Engine Round-Up
Airplanes with radial engines were celebrated in late June at the Fifth Annual Round Engine Round-Up at Idaho Falls, Idaho. Hosted by the Staggerwing Club and the Bob Hoff family at their beautiful Aero Mark FBO, the event also included a mid-year board meeting of the Beechcraft Heritage Museum of Tullahoma, Tennessee. Accented by bright lights […]
Inhofe continues fight for pilots’ rights
It’s hard to imagine that general aviation has a better friend in government than Senator James Inhofe (R-Oklahoma). An active pilot for 60 of his 80 years, Inhofe is truly “one of us” and at this year’s AirVenture, as in the past 36 consecutive years, he camped in the North 40 at his usual spot near Runway […]
Rare Mosquito makes Oshkosh debut
Highlighting AirVenture for many warbird fans was the appearance of a rebuilt de Havilland Mosquito owned by Jerry Yagen of the Military Aviation Museum in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Almost 8,000 Mosquitoes were built during the 1940s, but Yagen’s plane is one of only two examples that are airworthy today. The rare plane, made largely of […]
Development continues on Burt Rutan’s SkiGull
Burt Rutan always draws a crowd at his AirVenture forums, especially when introducing a new aircraft design. And since his current project, the SkiGull amphibian, may be the “retired” 72-year-old designer’s last homebuilt, the standing-room-only crowd at this year’s Oshkosh was all ears as he broke his long-standing rule of keeping a new design under […]
10 ways an iPad in the cockpit can get you into trouble
It’s often standing room only at the educational forums offered during SUN ‘n FUN and AirVenture, but there’s one that stood out at both shows: Gary Reeves’ forum on “10 Ways Using Your iPad Can Cause FAA Violations and Accidents.” “With so many pilots now using Apple iPads for navigation and weather information, FAA violations […]