Current estimates of the population of the United States clock in somewhere around 323 million men, women, and children. If we assume a quarter of those people are under the age of 18, as the US Census Bureau suggests, that cuts the number of adults down to fewer than 250 million men and women. Now, […]
Opinion
Why is my new engine running so much hotter than my old engine?
Q: I fly a Cessna 182S registered HP1401. It has a Lycoming IO-540-AB1A5, 3 blade prop. Sea level OAT is 90°F or so year round. It had a single probe analog CHT display connected to cylinder #1, which always remained around 320°F. I then installed a digital engine monitor, which showed the rest of the […]
Enjoy your freedom to fly in 2018
American pilots are extraordinarily fortunate. We have a freedom to fly that many around the world can barely comprehend, much less enjoy as we do. Yes, I’m well aware many American aviators don’t pay much attention to flying outside U.S. borders. Indeed, around 80% of all general aviation airplanes are located in the USA, also […]
No more zero days
New year, new calendar, clean slate. Turning over a calendar seems to create in many of us the desire to do — and be — better. Sadly, all too soon, we fall back into our regular ruts and habits. But this year will be different, I hope. A friend of mine sent me a link […]
A century’s passion lost and found
Because I’m a bit weird, I found myself reading through a stack of newspapers from the early 20th Century recently. In those pages I found something that I hadn’t seen in a while, something almost foreign to the American public in our current time. It was this: Absolute wonder and unrestrained excitement at the idea […]
No pilot? No problem!
An age-old component of aviation has been the pilot-in-the-loop. A pilot brings sophisticated human faculties to bear in solving problems of flight and making judgments on proper actions. But sometimes, the presence of a pilot can be detrimental — to the pilot. If an aircraft is to be subjected to dangers ranging from gun and […]
Dream differently
If you’re a pilot, you’ve got goals. That’s just the way it is. Maybe it’s the fact that we have goals that lead us to this life where we have it so good. Just ask anyone you meet wandering around the mall. Everyone knows pilots are rich elitists with wads of cash stuffed into the […]
What’s the proper mag timing for my engine?
Q: Hi Paul, you helped me out a few years back regarding a question on an O-290 D2B and I really value your advice and opinions, so now I’ll ask for your help once again. I’m new to a beautiful 1974 Piper Arrow, which still has the original IO-360 C1C installed. Total aircraft time is 3,395 […]
Are you dripping fuel? Do you know where your log books are?
When I sit back and look at the world, I find it a fascinating place. For me, the most interesting details relate to people. Specifically, their actions and reactions. If we slow down enough, there are a great many lessons to be learned from our fellow citizens of earth. Mark Howell is a pilot, mechanic, […]