Florida’s Kissimmee Gateway Airport (ISM) is soaring to new heights with recent developments. Ranger Aviation, an FBO at ISM, is in the process of building a 60,000-square-foot executive terminal. This facility will house corporate offices, tenants, conference rooms, pilot facilities and a full-service restaurant. Meanwhile, another FBO, Marathon Flight Services, is nearing completion of a […]
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Ormond Beach Aviation leases 35 Liberty XL2s
A Montana-based aircraft leasing company, LAFT, LLC, placed firm orders for 35 Liberty XL2 aircraft late in January. LAFT, in turn, leased the two-place planes to Florida-based Ormond Beach Aviation, which will use them as trainers. Ormond Beach Aviation plans to operate the XL2s as replacements for its current single engine Cessna and Piper training […]
Fred Quarles is an axemplary Southern Aviator
“General aviation pilots are an untapped national resource,” says Fred Quarles. He reached that conclusion after organizing a phenomenally successful effort to rescue survivors of Hurricane Katrina, many of whom were facing imminent death. Quarles, who operates an international aircraft delivery service based in Charlottesville, Virginia, organized the rescue effort, called Operation Teacup, immediately after […]
NTSB investigatesfewer accidents
The National Transportation Safety Board is sending investigators to ever-fewer fatal airplane accidents – particularly those involving small aircraft – and that has safety experts worried, according to Brian Riley of the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA). GAMA has urged Congress to give NTSB more money to hire more investigators, but sees little hope that […]
Want to see ADS-B in action?
On Saturday, March 11, the North Carolina Department of Transportation’s Aviation Division and Wings of Carolina Flying Club plan to provide rides so that interested pilots can see ADS-B in action. Paul Wilder, Flying Club president, said that six or seven planes will be involved, so “not only will secondary contacts from air to ground […]
A new Sport Aircraft center for Florida
Sportsplanes.com, a major Light Sport Aircraft distributor, has established a Sport Aircraft Regional Center (SARC) for central and northern Florida. It is the latest in a growing number of SARC territories across the United States. Darrell Hamilton opened the center with a Breezer aircraft, to be used for flight training and demonstrations. Hamilton expects to […]
Extra celebrates milestone
Extra Aircraft celebrates a milestone this year: its 25th anniversary. Executives are predicting a record year for the company, which produces the aerobatic EA-200 and EA-300, as well as the EA-400, a six-seat piston aircraft and the EA-500, the turboprop version of the 400. Extra Aircraft will have a number of events and giveaways throughout […]
Florida poker run helps kids
Advocating 4 Kids is holding a poker run and fly-in benefit in central Florida, winding up at Jumbolair Estates (17FL), near Ocala, on March 19. The event supports the recruiting and retention of volunteer child advocates for the Florida Guardian Ad Litem program, which covers special needs for about 5,000 child abuse victims in central […]
Clemson professor’s research leads to safer runways
Look at just about any paved runway and chances are good you’ll see a jigsaw puzzle pattern in the pavement. This kind of deterioration plagues a number of airports, especially where de-icing and anti-icing chemicals are used. A professor at Clemson University in South Carolina has been given the green light by the FAA to […]