If everything aeronautical seemed possible in the heady post-war jet age, some aircraft designs found where the limitations were. The Convair F2Y Sea Dart was one of four delta-wing jets in design or production by that San Diego company in the 1950s. Convair embraced the delta planform as its ticket to supersonic performance. But early […]
Opinion
Review, revise, reap the benefits
After years of requiring applicants to operate a complex aircraft in order to earn a commercial pilot certificate (single-engine airplane) or a flight instructor certificate, the FAA recently reversed its own standards to allow commercial applicants and CFI applicants to take the practical test in an aircraft that isn’t complex. No retractable gear, no constant […]
The dash of SUN ‘n FUN
The 2018 SUN ‘n FUN fly-in ended much the same as it started…with a torrent of rain and wind. Those two weather features make any outdoor event rather untenable. But as I was driving to Sarasota to see family on Monday after the fly-in closed early on Sunday, I found myself lost in thought. While the […]
Should vision testing be required for city officials?
After a fire in the Apollo 1 capsule took the lives of Gus Grisson, Ed White, and Roger Chaffee, NASA undertook an investigation. Not so much to lay blame as to understand why the fire happened. With a clear understanding of why, it would be plausible to assume similar tragedies could be prevented in the […]
Human Factors: Elevators
I had a flight instructor once demonstrate how to take off, fly a pattern, and land a Cessna 172 using only power, rudder, and trim controls. Many years later another flight instructor demonstrated the same thing to me during a Boeing 717 simulator session. Granted, both departures were long, flat climb-outs. The approaches were also […]
It’s not the dollars, it’s the imagination
For the past few months I’ve been shopping for a house. Not a particularly big house. Or an impressive one. Just a house that my family and I can move to where we’ll be dry when it rains, warm when it gets cold, and comfortable when the Florida sun beats down in August. If I […]
How do you recommend getting started learning to fly?
“I thought your platform would help me figure out how introduce the following idea to my husband,” began the email that appeared in my email box on April 15. “I’m just beginning in my quest to find flying lessons to give to him as a gift. He’s a semi-retired software engineer (I’ve got to tell you, the […]
Ask Paul: What’s the best way to hone the cylinders in my engine?
Q: I pulled cylinders #1 and #2 to replace the base “O” rings due to oil leaks. The engine is a Lycoming O-360 A3B6D with 650 hours and is a factory reman from 1994 due to Chevron Oil fuel contamination. I would like to know if it is acceptable to use a Flex-Hone to deglaze […]
Is this flying?
Under normal circumstances I’d be writing this column from the comfort of my home office. I probably wouldn’t be wearing closed toe shoes, or long pants, and I sure wouldn’t be wearing a sports jacket. Instead I’m putting this little missive together at Gate 42 among a mass of random people gathered at Orlando International […]