Margery Taylor Ware, who flew as a WASP during World War II, died Nov. 22 of renal failure at the age of 91. Ever a fighter, she stood up against sex discrimination, bigotry, poverty and violence all of her long life. Her father, an Episcopal minister, told her that to whom much is given, much […]
News
The FAA and LASIK surgery: Approval comes with many warnings
About 55% of the civilian pilots in the United States require some sort of vision correction to meet the FAA’s requirements for medical certification, according to the FAA. While glasses are the most common choice, a growing number of pilots are choosing laser refractive, or LASIK, surgery. The procedure alters the curvature of the cornea […]
Go online to speed up the process
The FAA is expected to launch MedXPress, an online system that will allow pilots to electronically complete their applicant information on FAA Form 8500-8 before going to their AME’s office, sometime soon. Yet another effort to speed up the medical process, the system is designed to be as user friendly as possible. While initially slated […]
Toxo: Soaring into the second century of flight
It was a decade ago that Composite Aeronautic Group of Spain was founded with one goal in mine: design and produce a Light Sport Aircraft that would bring together the simplicity and low cost of an LSA with the performance and utility of a more complex and expensive airplane. The Toxo is the culmination of […]
‘Diamond Lil’ undergoes extreme makeover: Reconfiguation may bring name change
The Commemorative Air Force’s “Diamond Lil” may be no more. The B-24, the oldest in existence, is in the midst of a restoration that will return it to its original B-24A status. Based at the B-29/B-24 Squadron at the CAF’s Midland, Texas, headquarters, “Diamond Lil,” was put in the paint scheme and markings of the […]
Wiley Post Spirit Award presented to international aviator for first time
This month the Wiley Post Commission will present Jon Johanson with the Wiley Post Spirit Award. Johanson, a nurse and midwife from Australia, is the first international award recipient. His accomplishments include being the first person to fly solo over the South Pole in a single-engine aircraft and the first person to circumnavigate the world […]
‘Diamond Li’ undergoes extreme makeover
The Commemorative Air Force’s “Diamond Lil” may be no more. The B-24, the oldest in existence, is in the midst of a restoration that will return it to its original B-24A status. Based at the B-29/B-24 Squadron at the CAF’s Midland, Texas, headquarters, “Diamond Lil,” was put in the paint scheme and markings of the […]
Florida rookie Jason Newburg wins at Reno
When something bad happens, a lot of people can let it get them down. Not Jason Newburg, who took something bad and turned it into victory. The Edgewater, Florida, aerobatics performer bought a Pitts Special S-1 in Jamaica. When it arrived in Florida, he found it had been damaged in shipping. The plane, now named […]
Doctor’s order: Fly a one-of-a-kind airplane
It all started for Jeff Laskin when he was in first grade in Chicago. “I was so excited about wearing a ‘Mighty Mouse’ costume for Halloween,” he recalls. “I remember jumping off the desks pretending to fly until the teacher ‘grounded’ me.” But that teacher couldn’t ground his dreams of flight. Those dreams were put […]