Senator George Allen (R-Va.), Congressman John Mica (R-Fla.), Congressman Tom Davis (R-Va.), and Congressman James Moran (D-Va.) recently introduced legislation that would direct the Department of Homeland Security to resume GA operations at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA).
News
GA accidents hit all-time low
GA accidents last year were the lowest since record keeping began in 1938. According to NTSB statistics, GA accidents in 2004 dropped 8.4% compared to 2003, while the number of fatal accidents declined 11.4%.
FAA issues emergency AD for Cessna 400 wing-spar cracks
The discovery of fatigue cracks in the wings of a second twin-engine Cessna prompted the FAA to issue an Emergency Airworthiness Directive for two Cessna 400 series aircraft Feb. 21. The AD requires more frequent inspections for wing-spar cracks on the 402C and 414A models. According to AD, the most recent incident happened Feb. 11 […]
Sen. Pearce calls for long-term hangar leases
Congressman Steve Pearce (R-N.M.) has introduced legislation that would guarantee long-term leases for those who build hangars. The bill would require a minimum lease of 75 years. The legislation also would require the airport to compensate those who lease hangars if the airport’s development plan requires the hangar to be destroyed or moved. Pearce introduced […]
California’s Santa Paula Airport closed by flood
Torrential rains in Southern California have closed another airport. Officials at Santa Paula Airport (SZP) in Ventura County made the decision to shut down the privately owned field Feb. 22 after the rising Santa Clara River undermined a tie-down area, a helicopter landing pad and swept away 155 feet of the 2,650-foot runway. SZP was […]
Happy 40th Aircraft Spruce
Celebrating a milestone anniversary this year — its 40th — is Aircraft Spruce & Specialty. The company started by Flo Irwin with a mimeographed sheet of products now boasts a 644-page catalog that includes more than 31,000 products. Nearly 20,000 packages are shipped each month from the company’s facilities in Corona, Calif., and Peachtree City, […]
There is nothing new under the sun… or is there?
Sometimes the scariest part of a night flight is taxiing back to the hangar – especially when the taxiway isn’t lighted. Airports, especially smaller ones, have to balance lighting needs with economic realities. Often that means using low-cost methods of marking taxiways for low-light conditions, such as placing reflectors on the surface or on short […]
Missouri voters reject chance to control airport improvements
Voters in Lee’s Summit, Missouri, have rejected an amendment that would have changed the city’s charter to require a vote of the people before any improvements could be made at Lee’s Summit Municipal Airport (LXT). Supporters of the measure touted it as a way for voters to have more say in how their tax money […]
From gliders to flight simulators, the Northwest Aviation Conference had it all
The fog was so thick the geese were walking and there was a new $5 admission fee, but neither seemed to keep pilots, mechanics and aviation buffs away from the Northwest Aviation Conference Feb. 25-27 in Puyallup, Wash. The show has been attracting pilots from all over the northwest for more than 20 years. If […]