In America it began in 1793, on the day Jean Blanchard piloted a balloon from Philadelphia to Woodbury, New Jersey. That’s barely a hop, skip, and a jump today. In a time when George Washington was still alive, it was a mind-blowing achievement. It happened again in 1860 when Sam King took photographer James Black […]
Opinion
What mods can help boost power?
Q: Are there any practical, appropriate and compliant modifications that can be made to a 150-hp, narrow-deck O-320? For example, can the compression ratio be tweaked a bit, or are there aftermarket exhaust systems with less back pressure, or is there any porting/polishing possible to effect a tad more power to the propeller? Gordie A: […]
A little turbulence is good for you
As a soft, bald, late middle-age, goofball who still hasn’t figured out exactly what I want to do with my life, I can say this with complete confidence: I hope for smooth sailing. It’s what I shoot for. Of all the people you’ll meet in life, I am not the one who has a penchant […]
Vickers Wave gears up for 2017
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 […]
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 […]