As I was reading coverage of the announcement that Santa Monica’s airport is to be closed on Dec. 31, 2028, I couldn’t help but shake my head. Yes, I’m sad. But reading the FAA Administrator’s comments provides a blueprint for opportunity. When commenting on the agreement, FAA Administrator Michael Huerta said, “This is a fair […]
Opinion
Ask an expert
Last week saw the launch of the 2017 fly-in season as the gates to the U.S. Sport Aviation Expo in Sebring, Florida, flew open. Thousands of attendees filed through the main terminal building, where Garmin and Spencer Aircraft, and the Flying Musicians Association had taken up residence. The Florida Aviation Network broadcast interviews with notables […]
Cognitive dissonance
I was downwind to base, getting checked out in a light twin, when my instructor asked me if I’d done my GUMPS check yet. Most of my flying has been in large transport aircraft, so, no, I hadn’t. I’d forgotten. I fumbled my way through GUMPS, three times, before I remembered that the “U” is […]
Two pilots walk into a bar …
One of the truly unique facets of aviation that increasingly appeals to me is the expectation that pilots will perform as professionals in the cockpit. They can joke, or not. They can talk about their favorite movie, or song, or fashion trend — or they can just stick to the requirements of the flight. The job […]
A wide world of aviators
In many ways, the Earth is a large place. Yet in other ways, not so much. When it comes to aviation, the world shrinks. You either look skyward longingly, or you don’t. Those of us who do share a bond and joy the vast majority of our fellow earthbound neighbors don’t, and won’t. That’s sad. […]
Buy, buy, buy
A commodity is an object, a food product, or a raw material that is bought and sold on the open market. Commodities have value — a value that shifts constantly as a result of the vagaries of supply and demand. If there’s a hard freeze in Florida, orange juice prices rise. If OPEC floods the market with […]
Lounging around
By JEB BURNSIDE. There are three basic types of people you meet in the typical FBO’s pilot lounge. If you’ve read many of my columns for General Aviation News, it will not surprise you to learn I like hanging around FBOs and pilot lounges. My enjoyment of this pastime stems from working as a lineboy at […]
NORDO Ops: I had no idea I was an ‘idiot’
I have to admit, I’ve had a sneaking suspicion I was an idiot for some time now. Maybe I should join IA (Idiots Anonymous). “Hi. My name is Ben and I’m an idiot.” What would make me admit such a thing? The comment section of this very website, of course. The NTSB Accident Reports we republish […]
Brace for impact
For those of us who fly, the appeal of being airborne energizes us and primes the pump that pushes us through ground school, flight training, and testing. Should you make a career out of what most people think of as a rich man’s hobby, that education and testing never stops. My interest in aviation started […]