WASHINGTON, D.C. — General aviation might be seeing some light at the end of the long tunnel of decline, according to comments from officials from the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) at their annual “state of the industry” press conference. GAMA, which now reports world-wide data, shows that 50% of GA deliveries last year were […]
Opinion
The great ones use leverage
A fairly bright man from the ancient world said something to the effect of give me a lever long enough and a fulcrum to place it on, and I can move the world. Admittedly, it’s been at least 2,200 years since Archimedes supposedly uttered these words. So allowing for transcription errors and smudged copies, I’ve […]
Mentoring: Your Role As Mentee
By BRENT OWENS. If you are being mentored or plan to be someday in the future, this post is for you. We can all benefit from having a mentor, no matter how experienced we are. Last time I wrote about the role of the mentor (link here) and what is involved. This time the tables […]
FAA forecast shows growth in turbine planes and sport pilots
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The long-term outlook for general aviation is favorable, even though the slow growth of the U.S. economy has affected near-term growth, according to the FAA, which released its forecasts for the years 2014 to 2034 today. According to the forecast, the growth in numbers of aircraft and hours flown will be primarily […]
Déjà vu in president’s latest budget proposal
WASHINGTON. D.C. — Anti-general aviation measures in President Obama’s proposed budget for 2015 will keep GA’s alphabet groups busy working Congress to once again defeat the same issue they have fought in past years. The main proposals affecting aviation are: A $100 fee for some GA flights; a reduction in time for business to take […]
The next wave in LSA
Even as we come to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Sport Pilot/Light-Sport Aircraft rule in 2014, many general aviation pilots have only recently become fully aware of this large and growing fleet of more than 134 designs. Let me repeat: That is 134 new aircraft models in less than 10 years, a pace of […]
Aviation saves the day… again
A young high school athlete needs to be in two places at roughly the same time. On one end, in Toledo, Wash., to lay her 58-year-old father to rest following his year-long battle with melanoma. One the other end, in Yakima, Wash. (about 140 miles away) to play in the Washington State 2A Girls Basketball Championship game. How will she do it?
Bill to eliminate medicals for more pilots introduced in Senate
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Three members of the U.S. Senate introduced a bill Tuesday, March 11, which mirrors one introduced in the House of Representatives last December, which would eliminate the medical requirement for non-commercial pilots flying day VFR below 14,000 feet in aircraft weighing less than 6,000 pounds and carrying no more than six people. […]
General aviation in the marketplace
Last week the news broke that Fantasy of Flight, the aviation-themed attraction in the heart of central Florida, was closing. That was the message most people got, even if it is slightly skewed from the announcement the company intended. Those who read the full story (included the one by Drew Steketee right here in General […]