As I perused the Body Mass Index chart recently, I was aghast to find that I have slid just over the line that separated the overweight from the obese category. Yikes! Sure, I can log 25 miles on my bicycle without undue discomfort. Even at my advanced age I can still do a dozen pushups without […]
Opinion
Quirky
By JEB BURNSIDE. It’s ironic that pilots are supposed to do everything the same way each time while the airplanes we’re flying are all different. One supposed characteristic of aviation is its consistency. Performing the same tasks in the same way when dealing with a complicated mechanical device is just good common sense, and pilots […]
It’s beyond understanding, I tell ya
Imagine the plight of the first ancient mariner to point toward the horizon and say, “No more hugging the coastline for me, I’m going direct.” I think his name was Harpolos. For the purposes of this column, let’s say it was. The townsfolk must have thought Harpolos was mad. Crazy as a loon. The rational […]
Still a long way to go
The August 2016 issue of Seattle Business magazine has two feature stories regarding commercial aviation in the greater Puget Sound in Washington state. Why do I care? Because “small aircraft” are a part of the story — and not in a good way. In the lead feature, “Paine Field Ready for Takeoff,” author Stephen H. Dunphy writes […]
Godspeed Tom Wathen
I open all the mail General Aviation News receives. From time-to-time, a subscriber will write a note on their renewal notice. Most often the note is words of encouragement or appreciation. On occasion it is a complaint. We can’t please everyone. But when I read a note on Tom Wathen’s renewal notice, I was taken […]
The upside of adversity
Something wonderful happened on Aug. 1, 2016, in the sleepy hamlet of Winter Haven, Florida. A flight instructor named Jim Porterfield rifled through pages in his student’s logbook, affixed his signature beneath the exact wording of a required endorsement, then climbed out of the C-150 he’d been instructing his student in. He set his 17-year-old […]
How to get the best technical help for your engine…and beyond
I trust by this time everyone is enjoying the summer weather and getting the opportunity to do as much flying as possible. I thought this might be a good time to focus on a subject that everyone should keep in mind when it comes to seeking technical assistance on their aircraft engine. However, what I’m […]
Reckless behavior
I went to a concert at the Hollywood Bowl one January night in 1995. I remember several things about that night. First, I recall offering my jacket to my date, as it was unseasonably cold. Normally in January in the LA basin, summer temperatures prevail because of strong easterly Santa Ana winds scouring hot air […]
What about Military Eagles?
Chad Manning flies 737s for Alaska Airlines and C-17s for the 446th Reserve Wing at McChord Field in Washington state. He hadn’t flown in a J-3 Cub. Ever. “When was the last time you flew in a small plane?” I asked Chad as we drove to the airport. “16 years ago in a 172,” he […]