Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) President and CEO Craig Fuller told a gathering of the Light Aircraft Manufacturers Association (LAMA) at the U.S. Sport Aviation Expo in Sebring, Fla., that the aviation industry is depending on the success of Light-Sport Aviation to bring new people into aviation and keep current pilots from dropping out. […]
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MiG-29 soars over the Pacific Northwest
A former Ukranian MiG-29 fighter has become the second privately owned MiG-29 to fly, taking to the air over Washington six years after it left Eastern Europe. Capable of speeds of Mach 2.2 and altitudes of nearly 60,000ft, the Mikoyan Gurevich MiG-29 “Fulcrum” is a far cry from the vintage airplanes that Historic Flight Foundation […]
Need help with your ABCs?
Does Class D airspace require an ATC clearance, or is that Class B? How about TRSAs — will you ever see one at a Class C airport? If it’s been a while since you’ve thought about airspace, odds are you’re rusty on a few details, say officials at the AOPA Air Safety Institute. Now available […]
Sporty’s Academy uses Flight Training Syllabus to increase student retention
Sporty’s Academy, the flight school at Sporty’s Pilot Shop, received attention recently for having a student pilot retention rate three times better than the industry average. Sporty’s has long endorsed modular flight training as an effective method for engaging a more expansive customer base, but other tools have also shown good results, according to company […]
What is the Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award?
In 2004, Dick Waite was the 38th recipient of the FAA’s Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award. At last count, 1,772 pilots around the country had earned the award. The award, created by the FAA in August 2003, recognizes pilots who have maintained safe flight operations for 50 or more years. Similar pilot awards (such as […]
Do you know your V speeds?
The FAA issued a Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin (SAIB) Jan. 18 in the wake of a crash investigation that revealed “many pilots have a misunderstanding of what the design maneuvering velocity (speed), VA, represents.” While the informational bulletin stems from an airliner accident, the information applies to pilots of all certificated planes, as well as […]
Has GA turned mean?
In a blog post titled “The meaning of aviation,” AOPA Editor In Chief Thomas Haines talks about how mean aviation has become. What’s behind that crankiness? He postulates: “As I ponder what brings out the general crankiness of pilots, several things come to mind. The dismal state of the economy, especially as it pertains to […]
Site preparation begins for Sierra Industries hangar addition at UVA
Site preparation has commenced for Sierra Industries’ expansion into its fourth aircraft hangar at Garner Field Airport (UVA) in Uvalde, Texas. Building on a 28-year history of business jet aircraft upgrades, Sierra Industries is adding 18,000 square feet to its facilities. Uvalco Supply Company of Uvalde is the contractor for the expansion, expected to be […]
Tips to make your aircraft safer
Interested in making your aircraft safer? Check out the latest issue of FAA Safety Briefing, which includes the article, “Small Cost, Big Benefit: A Look at Lifesaving Aircraft Safety Enhancements,” by FAA aerospace engineer Della Swartz. The article offers a variety of improvements that can have a positive effect on your safety and well-being without […]