Potomac Airfield (VKX) near Washington, D.C., has reopened. The TSA closed the airport in November, claiming Airport Manager David Wartofsky was not following TSA-approved security procedures established in 2002 for the three airports in the Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ). Wartofsky countered the measures that were used at Potomac went beyond the scope of those […]
News
ADIZ public meetings set
Two public meetings on a proposal to make the Washington, D.C., ADIZ permanent will be held this month. The meetings are scheduled for Jan. 12 at the Sheraton Hotel in Columbia, Maryland, and Jan. 18 at the Airport Marriott in Dulles, Virginia. Meetings will run between 1 p.m. and 4 p.m., then start again at […]
The Southern Aviators of 2005
There’s no doubt that the top story of 2005 was the devastating aftermath of Hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Wilma, which battered the Gulf Coast, Texas and Florida. The heroes were the thousands of GA pilots who flew countless missions of rescue, relief and reunion. Angel Flight and other such organizations across the South coordinated those […]
Legend Aircraft expanding
Construction is underway at American Legend Aircraft Co. in Sulphur Springs, Texas, to house the company’s expanding business. Based at Sulphur Springs Municipal Airport (KSLR), American Legend is building a 20,000-square-foot hangar to house manufacturing, assembly, and research and development functions. Also in the works is a 5,000-square-foot hangar for sales and marketing. The company, […]
The meter’s running
There’s a lot of talk about the future of air taxi operations. But the future is now at the Greenville Downtown Airport (GMU) in Greenville, S.C. That’s where Smart Air Travel Solutions, or SATSair, is headquartered. Operated by Rhino Aviation, a 20-year-old charter business, the air taxi operation has taken off since its inception in […]
Chalk’s Turbo-Mallard crashes
Chalk’s Ocean Airways, flying since 1919, suffered its first passenger fatalities on Dec. 19 when one of its Grumman G-73T Turbo-Mallards crashed in Miami’s Government Cut shortly after takeoff. The plane was less than 300 feet off the water when, according to witnesses, the right wing burst into flame and separated from the fuselage. The […]
GlobalFlyer to do it again
Adventurer-pilot Steve Fossett plans to set a record for the longest non-stop flight of an airplane, starting from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center sometime in February. His mount, once again, will be the Burt Rutan-designed GlobalFlyer. The exact takeoff date will depend on the weather, following preflight preparations scheduled to start Jan. 6. Fossett’s plan is […]
Sun ‘n Fun to honor astronauts and Rutan
John Young and Bob Crippen, commander and pilot of the first Space Shuttle flight, are set to appear at this year’s Sun ‘n Fun evening program on April 8. The fly-in runs from April 4 to 10. The program is part of a celebration of the first Shuttle launch, April 12, 1981. Programs honoring the […]
AOPA educating the non-flyign public
The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association ran a series of television commercials on The Weather Channel during the Christmas season. They showed many benefits of general aviation, from assisting with hurricane relief efforts to air ambulance and other humanitarian flying. They emphasized that GA is a vital part of American life which poses no threat. […]