Lockheed Martin assumed operation of 58 Automated Flight Service Stations (AFSS) Oct. 4, following an eight-month phase-in period that began Feb. 1, when the company was awarded a $1.7 billion contract. More than 1,750 former FAA employees now work for Lockheed Martin.
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Capt. George C. Watkins, 84
Capt. George C. Watkins, a record-setting Navy test pilot, died of a heart attack Sept. 18 in Lompoc, Calif. He was 84. Watkins, dubbed “Gorgeous George” by fellow pilots, was the first Naval aviator to fly above 60,000 feet, then 70,000 feet. On one day in 1956 he set a speed record of 1,220 mph […]
‘Insuring’ student pilots’ conduct
Insurance company Avemco is sponsoring production of “The Student Pilots” Model Code of Conduct.” Avemco is mailing the code, which is fashioned after the more-comprehensive “Aviators” Model Code of Conduct,” to every new student pilot in the U.S.
Hurricanes ravage Gulf Coast airports
The storms may have passed, but the effects of hurricanes Katrina and Rita will be felt at airports in the Gulf Coast for a long time to come. Several airports in the region were heavily damaged and have been shut down or have limited access. For example, Lakefront Airport (KNEW) in New Orleans is closed […]
World War II wreck found in California lake
The wreckage of an airplane lost during World War II in northern California has been found. The TBM Avenger went down in Clear Lake just south of the Oregon border Dec. 4, 1944, during a training mission. The crash killed both men on board. The body of radioman David Herget was recovered in 1945. The […]
Airport given green flag as race track closes
If you live in Southern California and are a fan of motor racing, you’ve probably been to the Cajon Speedway near Gillespie Field (SEE) in San Diego. Soon the land that held the race track will be replaced by hangars and tie-down spots. The 70 acres, owned by San Diego County, has always been part […]
High-end hangars planned for San Francisco Bay Area airport
Corporate hangar space is so hard to find in the San Francisco Bay Area that even before the ink was dry on permits for a hangar construction project at Hayward Executive Airport (HWD), almost half of it had been spoken for. “The Bay Area hangar market is very tight right now,” says Scott Briggs, project […]
The Buzz
“During my 37 years of flying, I have observed the results of hundreds of weather events, including F4 tornados, straight-line winds, microbursts and severe thunderstorms. What I saw today was the equivalent of an F4 tornado that traveled over 100 miles along the Gulf Coast combined with a tidal wave. The difference was, this tornado […]
When to go REALLY means TO GO
One way to cut the cost of the $100 hamburger is to pack your lunch. Many airport restaurants can help you with this. For example, the owners of Narrows Landing restaurant at the Tacoma Industrial Airport in Washington state now offers boxed lunches for pilots. Each box contains a sandwich of your choice, fruit, cookie […]