In recent months the general population of the western world has been on the receiving end of a series of body blows that have left many of us leaning on the ropes, too weakened to stand fully upright under the onslaught. Death has come to the celebrities we love, and it’s shaken us to our […]
Opinion
Building a Super Seawind: From arms to wings
By STEVE WIGHTMAN I blame my flight addiction on Leonardo Da Vinci’s famous quote: “For once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk with your head turned skyward, for there you have been and there you long to return.” Beginning with flying model airplanes in my teens, my eyes were often turned skyward. I’d […]
A notebook’s view of SUN ‘n FUN
It is hard to see the bigger event that is SUN ‘n FUN while also producing the daily newspaper for the show. A 40-page newspaper requires feeding and attention, just like a baby. So as I look back on the show, it’s all a blur. Thankfully I had a reporter’s notebook in my pocket to […]
Bravo FAA, Bravo
The FAA just made flying safer. In case you missed it, the Experimental Aircraft Association announced — at SUN ‘n FUN — a new Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) that will allow Cessna 150s, 152s, 172s and Piper PA-28s and PA-38s owners to install Dynon’s EFIS-D10A. The EFIS-D10A fits a standard 3-⅛” panel hole and can replace either […]
Even with the best of intentions, a good plan is essential
This past Saturday the Central Florida Flying Club (of which I am a member) held its first annual Spring Fling cook-out. We threw the hangar door open to anyone who cared to wander through it. The grill was fired up, the refrigerator was stocked, we rented additional tables and chairs, and even rolled the aircraft out […]
Four extremely affordable aircraft
In the fall of 2015, I wrote about four Light-Sport Aircraft (LSA) you could buy for under $96,000. For many pilots, this price point seemed to strike a melodious chord. Unless you are flying for work purposes, you may prefer to spend only a modest amount to enjoy the view from on high. In this column, I’ll […]
A bright future for General Aviation
By PETE BUNCE What can general aviation learn from NASCAR? When it comes to adopting new safety technology, quite a bit. Following the death of racing legend Dale Earnhardt in 2001, NASCAR took a serious look at the safety of the sport. The racing group took a broad approach to better protecting occupants in the […]
Follow-up: It’s good manners and good business.
After a long, hard, sun-soaked week in Lakeland, Florida, at the SUN ‘n FUN International Fly-In and Expo, thousands of aeronautically minded folks fled the field with their aviation jones fully satisfied, headed in the general direction of home. I joined that group, too. With a smile on my face and a song in my heart, […]
Should we always rebuild at 2,000 hours?
If I did my math correctly, this engine has been operated approximately 38 hours, on average per year, during the 47 calendar years of its life.