The writer who came up with “Snakes on a Plane,” the Hollywood movie ranked as “one of the worst movies of 2006” by several movie reviewers, was not the first to place reptiles on an aircraft intentionally. For years a pair of rubber faux snakes have protected Ron Johnson’s PT-22 while at EAA AirVenture. The […]
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Time machine: Canadian pilots show off their deHavilland Chipmunk
We were prowling the rows of vintage aircraft at EAA AirVenture where, amid the rows of high-wing tube and fabric machines, we spotted a low-wing job that had a decidedly military look to it. “That kind of looks like a warbird,” I remarked to photographer Justin Moore as we looked at a polished metal low-wing […]
What’s the big deal?
Some of the witnesses to the Wright brothers’ first successful powered flight didn’t understand why the brothers were so excited by the event, noting they had traveled much farther than 120 feet in gliders. It took a bit of time to explain that the Dec. 17, 1903, flight was the first time an aircraft had […]
Fore! Future of Arkansas airport includes golf
The future of Fayetteville Municipal Airport-Drake Field (KFYA) in Fayetteville, Ark., may include golf. According to Ray Boudreaux, director of aviation and economic development for the city of Fayetteville, the idea of creating a golf course on part of the airport property came out of a study done to update the airport’s 20-year Master Plan. […]
The ‘other’ flying brothers
The Wright brothers acknowledged the contributions of Otto Lilienthal (right) and his glider experiments in helping them achieve the first powered flight. Rarely do history books recognize that much of Lilienthal’s work was done with the aid of his brother, Gustav. In the 1860s the Lilienthal brothers endured jibes from their contemporaries as they experimented […]
Georgia celebrates aviation centenary
In 1907, Ben Epps designed, built and flew the first airplane ever seen in Georgia. This year, Georgia is celebrating the 100th anniversary of that pioneering flight and honoring the Epps family, which remains a major influence on aviation in the state. Of Ben Epps’s nine children, only one did not learn to fly. Pat […]
The Buzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
“An average of two accidents a week is not a record to be proud of, nor one easily explainable to an insurance company or the FAA.” — the 2006 Nall Report on the number of accidents caused by fuel mismanagement. “This law is unnecessary, discriminatory, anti-business and ineffective — and it violates the U.S. Constitution.” […]
Is your headset canceling too much noise?
The FAA has issued an Information for Operators (InFo) that advises pilots who use noise-canceling headsets of the potential for missing audible alarms and other sounds. While the InFo is intended for commercial operations, the warning is just as important for GA pilots. It notes that noise-canceling headsets use a combination of padding and electronic […]
Pearson Air Museum’s John Nold dies
John Nold, retired operations manager at Pearson Air Museum at Pearson Field in Vancouver, Wash., died Dec. 31 from complications after heart surgery. He was 64. Nold became the museum’s operations manager after a 30-year career as a school administrator. He held the position at the museum for eight years, retiring in June 2006. “He […]