Over time, as our weight creeps upward, our resting heart rate climbs, our vital numbers head in the wrong direction little by little, we are playing a dangerous game of chance. For many, our airplanes will outlast us. And there’s little wonder as to why that is. We lavish more care on the aircraft than we do ourselves.
Opinion
Four Down, 608 to Go
The FAA’s new Modern Skies tracker reveals critical delays in the radar upgrade project.
The Fokker Scourge
With panache, the British press coined the term Fokker Scourge to characterize the era when the Eindeckers were the only warplanes fitted with a synchronizer to enable the fighter’s machine gun to fire through the propeller arc. This revolutionized air-to-air combat.
For The Love Of A Cupholder
We used to just fly the airplane. Now, we want air-conditioning, glass panels, noise-cancelling headsets, and cupholders. All good things. All highly attractive to buyers. But they don’t make the airplane fly any better or the pilots any smarter.
Don’t Do Anything Stupid
We pay for aircraft insurance to finance the fallout of something bad happening — and very often that comes from our own lack of common sense.
The Negotiation Game
Owning an airplane is a dream for many pilots, but the asking price is often just a suggestion. Through honest negotiation, buyers and sellers can find a mutual win-win, turning the aspiration of flight into an affordable reality.
Why Octane Ratings Don’t Tell the Whole Story for GA Engines
The general aviation industry faces safety and legal hurdles during the transition to 100-octane unleaded fuel. Understanding the discrepancy between test-engine octane ratings and real-world engine performance is vital for maintaining safety and protecting manufacturers from liability.
Questions from the Cockpit: Slow to the Party
Kimberly, the spouse of a pilot-in-training in Arizona, asks: With all the changes in aviation over the last few decades, how has the current training of pilots changed, compared to previous generations?
Maintenance: Is Less More? Or Just Less?
Should the FAA extend annual inspection rules? Explore how changing maintenance intervals could solve mechanic shortages while reducing maintenance-induced risks.