When it comes to adventure and human fulfillment, few aviation careers stack up to missionary flying. The pilots who opt for this route have to have both skill and passion, along with a great deal of resourcefulness as they are literally practicing their craft in the remotest of places. The stories these pilots tell are […]
Feature
Book review: ‘DC-3: A Legend in her Time’
Can you believe the DC-3 has been around for 75 years? As celebrations for the anniversary take off this year, you can learn all about the history of the airplane through the pages of “DC-3: A Legend in Her Time” by Bruce McAllister. McAllister, the author of several pictorial aviation history books, brings forth their […]
Flying Circus takes off
While the American Barnstormers Tour has concluded, many of the barnstormers are now participating in the Flying Circus at various events through the country, including the Wausau Balloon and BBQ Festival. Stearman pilot Sarah Wilson, who blogged about the tour for GeneralAviationNews.com, continues her Barnstormers Blog with what’s going on with the Flying Circus: Each […]
Flight into the future
A cool website to check out is Octuri.com, developed by Laurent Barrou, which details several “Aircraft of the Future,” including a flying yacht (pictured), sailing airplane, honeymoon space shuttle and flagellum oscillator. While his day job is as an an interior designer for a plane manufacturer in Toulouse, France, he’s also been asked to exhibit […]
JFK Jr.: 10 Years After the Crash
Book Review By DREW STEKETEE © 2010 All Rights Reserved Seeing “10 Mistakes JFK, Jr. Made” in a pilot magazine, I wanted to read this “pilot’s perspective” on the infamous July 1999 crash. The book, “JFK, Jr. — 10 Years After the Crash, A Pilot’s Perspective,” is the result of 10 years of research by […]
Cirrus and the search for 100LL’s replacement
As the industry scrambles to find a replacement for 100LL, officials at Cirrus Aircraft weighed in recently on what it’s doing to ensure its customers can continue flying. In a letter posted at CirrusAircraft.com, President and CEO Brent Wouters notes that while the company supports the transition to unleaded fuel, “Cirrus Aircraft does not believe […]
What do you need to know about oil coolers?
What do aircraft owners need to know about oil coolers? The folks at Pacific Oil Cooler Service Inc. share a lot of information on the company’s website, including “An Inside Look at Oil Coolers,” “Common Oil Cooler Woes,” and “How to Spot a Bogus Oil Cooler.” The latest is a simple primer on how to […]
WASPs honored at museum gala
Six WASPs (Women’s Air Force Service Pilots) of World War II were recently recognized at the Museum of Flight’s Hangar Gala at Seattle’s Boeing Field. In addition to the WASPs, the gala was held to recognize the anniversary of the B-17, built at the Boeing plant in Seattle. The WASPs (each wearing a red ribbon […]
A few words in the first person
One of the great advantages of a blog is the immediacy it offers both the reader and the writer. Unlike a traditional article published in the hard-copy version of a publication, the blog format allows for rapid feedback from readers, in the form of comments and e-mails. In my case, I can tell you with […]