Herb Harney of Jenison, Michigan submits this pilot tip: “The best method of keeping your airplane and engine in top shape…fly it! At least weekly, raise the oil temperature to 185° or max that you can. Your engines will love you for it. If you don’t fly it, then sell it.”
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Video: Professor develops ‘drone catcher’
When Michigan Technological University Professor Mo Rastgaar was watching World Cup soccer, he heard about snipers protecting the crowd from drones — not a good idea, he thought. “I thought, ‘If the threat is a drone, you really don’t want to shoot it down — it might contain explosives and blow up. What you want […]
Tip: Patience is a virtue
Ray Winslow of Laughlin, Nevada, notes: “If you are a hobby pilot like me and live outside very congested airspace, do not do anything about ADS-B until this all settles out. This is especially true if your plane is like mine and only losing value every day because flying is becoming a rich man’s game.I have an […]
Video Tip: Find something unique to attract airshow crowds
Don & Nicole Gutridge from Oakdale, California offer this tip for creating a great airshow: Find something unique to offer for entertainment and/or education.The Oakdale Airport O27 Open House, held in October, found this jaw-dropping performance to showcase. You can view our 2015 Oakdale Flying Display with Greg Milosevich here: Something memorable or safety related […]
Tip: Keep training consistent
Dan Vandermeer submits this “simple tip to help keep flight training consistent: I advise student pilots to routinely schedule three lessons ahead. The most common reasons training sessions are cancelled are: The student or CFI has a last minute schedule conflict; The weather is not good; The aircraft has a mechanical/avionics problem. Just a few […]
Video: Want to go bar hopping?
Backcountry Pilot‘s Zane Jacobsen readily admits the inspiration for his latest 1 Minute Film: “In the grip of the wet El Nino winter, dredging up nearly 3-year-old footage from a warmer season can help the seasonal-affective disorder. How about a gaggle of CubCrafters Carbon Cubs playing on some river bars that are currently under several feet […]
Tip: Addicted to ADS-B
Dan Torres from Baldwin, N.Y., notes that he’s been equipped with ADS-B for almost two years now and admits he’s now “addicted.” I have a Garmin 430W and a Garmin GDL-88. I decided on the GDL 88 about eight months after I had the 430W installed. The cost for the GDL-88 at the time was about […]
Tip: Check that tire pressure
George Gould, an A&P/IA at Scholes Field in Galveston, Texas, noted that the most overlooked preflight item is a tire pressure check. “I tow disabled aircraft every month because of flat tires caused by tire failure from low pressure,” he said. “The tubes chafe and get a leak. Students, instructors, and ATPs all have this problem. Some don’t know […]
Tip: Staying current at 85
Lee Beery from Kelseyville, Calif., sent in this tip: I have a very simple way to stay current that will work for everyone. I have printed on strips of light cardboard “flight tasks” we have all had to do at one time to become licensed pilots. Because I like aerobatics, I have a few of […]