It’s rare that a week goes by that I don’t get an inquiry from someone, somewhere, about their desire to become a pilot. Or if not a pilot, to find some role in general aviation as a real participant. Aviation is an attractive business. One might go so far as to say it’s sexy. At […]
Opinion
Big achievements by a small manufacturer
“It simply won’t work,” say too many pilots. “You cannot run a business making only 50 airplanes a year. To build good, safe airplanes, you must operate a large enterprise.” If you are one of those naysayers, are you sure about that? I write about the world of light aviation, a segment of recreational aircraft […]
What should I do about rust in the barrels of cylinders?
Q: I read some of the material you have posted and was very impressed. I have a question about finding rust in the barrels of the cylinders. Here is the situation: A customer is looking to buy a Piper Lance II. It was asked that we do an annual instead of a pre-buy inspection. The engine […]
It’s a short trip from rusty to restored
Years ago I read a passage written by Richard Bach that has stuck with me. While I can’t quote it, and frankly I can’t even remember which book it comes from, Richard left the impression that flight instruction was a noble calling. He wrote about the satisfaction that comes from passing on to a new […]
How airplanes became aerial ambulances
If World War I showed the nations of the world how the airplane could vault over ground emplacements to strike at an enemy, the combatants also came to appreciate the efficacy of using aircraft as ambulances to surmount obstacles and save precious time flying away from the fray. During that war, U.S. Army aviation devised […]
Consideration — or the lack of it
We were on an out and back — Dulles to Newark, Newark to Dulles. Our assigned aircraft had just come out of maintenance. The captain flew the Newark leg. No issues. I flew us back to Dulles. We landed uneventfully on Runway 19R. I applied the reverse thrusters, and then I applied the brakes. That’s […]
Downwind is not a state of mind
Every pilot owes their safety and security in some part to the predictable actions of their fellow pilots in flight. If only for reasons of self-preservation, it is entirely reasonable to conduct yourself as expected. Certainly, the FAA would like to believe your behavior is a reflection of your respect for its authority and wisdom. […]
Pilot Perspectives: Rich Stowell
By DEREK ROBERTS. Visualize for a moment that you’re high above the ground, nose pointed skyward, throttle in one hand, control stick pulled into your lap with the other. As the aircraft slows you peer over the engine cowl while working to maintain a steady altitude. In tandem a muted horn bleats with a blinking […]
Wielding the power to heal by air and sea
Historically, adversity brings out the best and the worst in humans. That’s certainly been true throughout America’s history. Lately, we’ve had plenty of adversity on our plate, a sad reality that presents the opportunity for individuals to show grace and generosity — which they did. It started with a storm named Harvey that blasted into […]