Pilots not closely following Light-Sport aviation can be excused for thinking only one LSA seaplane is available. Established LSA companies like Progressive Aerodyne and its Searey or Scoda‘s Super Petrel or Airmax’s SeaMax or any number of aircraft to which floats have been fitted may be somewhat baffled by the outsized attention Icon Aircraft‘s long-delayed A5 […]
Opinion
An unknown engine
Q: I have a unknown four-cylinder Lycoming that only has these numbers on the case: 2299-24 and 61863 assem. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Jerry A: Jerry, when you said you had an unknown engine, you weren’t kidding! I had to really dig deep in my old Lycoming files before I found what I was looking […]
One helping of humble pie, please
Often, the purpose of a column like this is to create an opportunity to begin a discussion. By opening the floor to a wide-ranging collection of potential readers, especially because many of those readers can share real insights and personal experiences on the topics raised, the community as a whole can benefit. That sounds good […]
Don’t cry for Santa Monica
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 […]
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 […]