By DEAN BILLING. As you might expect, there is good news and bad news surrounding aviation fuel. First the good news: A self-serve fuel system has been installed at Nampa, Idaho. (KMAN). An Oregon bill, HB-3193, that “increases license tax on leaded aircraft fuel,” stalled in the Oregon House Committee On Transportation And Economic Development and is […]
Opinion
‘The design has always been there’
I’m not an avid book reader. Never have been. I wish I was. I’ve bought many books I have yet to read. My wife and daughters are always reading. My dad often read three or four books at a time. We still have most of his books. So, with school wrapped up for the summer […]
Trying to reason with thunderstorm season
By JEB BURNSIDE. Welcome to the first of what is planned to be a monthly installment about pilots. We’ll look at how well they aviate, how poorly, and how they can do better. We’ll pick apart news items affecting them, and also have some thoughts about their future. It’s that time of year in the […]
We the (aviation-oriented) people
Occasionally I’ll see a survey online or in a publication that asks readers to select their favorite airplane of all time. I’m sure you’ve seen similar surveys. There’s a good chance you’ve participated in one. I certainly have. Perhaps you’re a minimalist with a love of classic airplanes: Creations of fabric-covered steel tubing with little instrumentation, […]
Batten down the hatches
Once I began flying the line, I rarely thought about seat positions and calibrations. At a certain point, takeoffs and landings in an airliner are all about holding a particular deck angle. That generally means eyes more inside on the artificial horizon than outside. Plus the time pressures we were under to run our checklists, […]
Technology lost: A very real possibility
Modern society exists in its present form, all over the world, because humans have developed, deployed, and adapted to technologies that make our lives easier, more pleasant, and longer than ever before. Every phase of life is improved to some degree by the availability of technologies we use without the slightest thought. These technologies are […]
Ask Paul: What to do about a broken stud?
Q: If on a radial engine (specifically a Warner) one finds one stud broken at the flange level, would you recommend replacing all the affected cylinder studs? I assume cylinder movement caused the break. Gennaro Avolio A: I believe in this particular situation I would only replace the broken stud. However, I would very closely […]
The magic number is 30 — for now
The number of pilots in the United States is decreasing. Pretty much anyone who flies is aware of this unfortunate fact. Consider the irony: Although aviation is more ubiquitous than ever and the overall population of the nation is increasing, the number of us who have a valid pilot’s certificate is actually diminishing. In my […]
Do something
Frederick, Maryland, has an amenity often missing in my home town: Sidewalks. Where I live they’re spotty at best. Hence, it’s common for walkers to get into a gasoline powered vehicle which they drive to a place where they can walk without undue risk of being hit by a car, or a truck, or perhaps […]