I once was the instructor for a high fashion student. Her day-trading job had recently netted her a lot of money. Her hard work paid out handsomely and she wanted everyone to know it. If that meant stepping out of the pilot’s seat of her own airplane in stylish high heels, so be it. Her […]
Opinion
A long trip to a big impact
After playing around at a handful of local flight schools, FBO run operations, and with a plethora of flight instructors, some of whom were good, some not so much, I made the decision to commit to a more structured arrangement with a big-time flight school. That was in 1990, two years into my flight training […]
The No. 1 rule about an air-oil separator
So are air-oil separators bad? No, but it is very critical that they are installed correctly so that the separator unit is well above 212°F during flight, even in cool weather.
A little rain must fall
Precipitation is on my mind, as my friends in Texas, Louisiana, and yes, even California have recently been dealing with moisture from the sky. Some of them have been struggling with rain coming down in large quantities. It happens, thank goodness. After all, rain gives life. But rain also causes calamity and mayhem. Like so much […]
Authentically, actually you
Because I often deal with the non-flying public in venues where my affection for aviation becomes a topic of conversation, I’ve become fascinated by the limits people put on themselves. I often talk to people who profess to want to fly. They wish they could. They dream they can. They imagine the wonder of it […]
Ask Paul: SI creates confusion about exhaust valve
Q: I recently purchased a high hour O-320-A1A in an RV-3. The rocker arms were out of limits and I had them rebushed and sized. The description for the exhaust valve is confusing on Lycoming Service Instruction No. 1451A. Under the cautionary note, the exhaust valve is “identified by the oil drain hole located under the valve […]
Whiplash in Salem
True cooperation is the key. On May 1, 2015, the FAA posted a notice of proposed rule making (NPRM) in the Federal Register to expand Class D and E airspace around Salem, Oregon’s McNary Field (KSLE). The summary of the NRPM states, “After a biennial review, the FAA found it necessary to amend the airspace […]
Birds do it, but they have a learning curve, too
By JEB BURNSIDE. A variety of sources detailing the Wright brothers’ research methods and conclusions prior to the successful first powered flight note their study of birds. From that study, they observed and identified the ways soaring birds changed their wings’ shape to control the flight path. That data led to conceiving and implementing wing […]
Tips to restart an idle airplane
Q: Because of medical problems, my IO-720 has not run in six months. While always hangared, the hangar is sometimes damp. The question is what to do in re-starting? Do we open it up and clean, or change the oil often? Larry Smith A: Larry, first of all, we certainly hope all of your medical issues are […]