For 20 years of his life, Errett “E.J.” Bozarth spent nearly as much time in a cockpit as he did on the ground. As a commissioned officer, tactical fighter pilot and flight instructor in the U.S. Marine Corps, he controlled some of the military’s most powerful aircraft. Later, as a Dallas-based pilot with American Airlines, […]
Feature
Twin CTs around the world
One hundred years to the day, two pilots started a journey to celebrate the first flight of an airplane in Switzerland in 1910. The pair of European pilots departed April 30, flying as a team in two nearly-identical Light-Sport Aircraft. “Two Swiss airline pilots left their home country, each flying in a modified CTLS aircraft,” […]
Reaching beyond the airport
A flight school in Norwood, Mass., Norwood Flight Academy, is exploring a new way to promote aviation among non-pilots. The flight school, in conjunction with Brookline Adult Education, one of the oldest non-credit, public education programs in Massachusetts, is offering a three-day course titled “Introduction to Aviation.” The course is designed to help non-pilots understand […]
Airport management: A search and deploy mission
Unexpectedly, and without any warning, the airport manager quits. It happens. Not often perhaps, but it happens nonetheless. More commonly the airport manager moves on to another position, or retires. It makes little difference in the operational sense. Change is a constant in business. Whomever fills the slot at the moment will be replaced at […]
Salary survey published
The National Air Transportation Association (NATA) has published its 2010 annual survey report of general aviation service employee compensation. The report includes salaries and benefits for pilots, line-service personnel and maintenance technicians. Compensation is broken down by geographic region of the country, the company’s gross sales, the size of the town or city in which […]
Harrison Ford boosts GA on Capitol Hill
Star power met political power Tuesday, April 27, when actor Harrison Ford came to Capitol Hill to talk with members of Congress and staff members. The popular star, who is an avid general aviation supporter, drew an estimated 160 persons who heard him tell how he uses his several aircraft and what general aviation means […]
Who was really the first to fly?
GUEST EDITORIAL By JOHN BECK Who was the first person to fly? Was it that snappy dresser from Brazil, Alberto Santos Dumont? His countrymen fervently think so. His first flight was Oct. 23, 1906. It was recognized by Brazilians and by the French and other Europeans to truly be the first controlled flight of a […]
Preventing bird strikes
According to audiotapes released by the FAA, US Airways Flight 1549, known as the “Miracle on the Hudson,” suffered a “double bird strike.” A formation of birds had approached the aircraft while it passed through an altitude of about 3,200 feet. When the aircraft hit the birds, the windscreen quickly turned dark brown and both engines […]
NextGen: Aviation’s smart phone
In a speech to the Wings Club, FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt calls NextGen — the Next Generation Air Traffic Control system — “aviation’s smart phone.” In the April 21 speech, Babbitt said: “NextGen matches any of a number of technological breakthroughs that are familiar to us. I don’t think it’s a stretch to say that […]