What’s obvious and beneficial to one person may be a total mystery to another. Put another way, you have to have a frame of reference if you’re going to make use of the tools available to you. That’s true whether the tools you’re working with are tangible or intangible. They may be physical items or […]
Opinion
I found the next generation
I found the next generation of pilots. But depending on where you read this, you may or may not like it, and you may or may not understand it.
Sell the sizzle, not the steak
WASHINGTON, D.C. — There is not much talk openly about it here, but the steady decline in the number of general aviation pilots has some GA advocates concerned. General aviation has had several boom and bust periods. From the time the Wright brothers’ first flight until the first commercial airline began flying from St. Petersburg […]
The changing face of general aviation
By LEN ASSANTE The Dec. 20, 2013, issue of General Aviation News showcased general aviation’s “up and comers,” a group of innovators who are passionate about changing this industry for the better. I have had the honor of meeting some of these people and agree they offer some amazing ideas and unmitigated passion for GA. […]
Ask Paul: What’s causing vibration?
Q: I recently installed a new three-blade propeller in my Comanche 250 with an O-540 engine. After the first flight I noticed a vibration when I decrease the rpm to 2400 or below, so I had the prop dynamically balanced. This did not change anything. The engine still vibrated. I contacted McCauley and they had […]
Mentoring: Sharing the magic
By BRENT OWENS. Flying is such an amazing experience, I can’t imagine anyone who doesn’t think it’s cool on some level. Because of this mindset I have a real passion for seeing our industry flourish — most of us do. It’s partially selfish, because if people aren’t interested in flying we shrink as a community. […]
Clearing obstacles
Making great progress isn’t worth much if you don’t know where that progress will lead. There’s an old joke about travel that ends with the subject proclaiming, “I don’t know where I’m going, but I’m making good time.” It’s funny because the listener knows innately that traveling quickly in an unknown direction is pointless. For […]
NextGen over budget and behind schedule
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Pilots and aircraft owners at all levels of aviation are reluctant to invest in the necessary new equipment for the Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen). One reason is that the FAA has not clearly defined what benefits will be achieved and when. A recent report from Calvin Scovel III, Inspector General […]
Link: A Skosh of Paranoia
A fatal stall/spin accident, reconstructed by AOPA, led to a discussion between friends and was capped off by an interested blog post titled, “A Skosh of Paranoia” by Ron Rapp at the House of Rapp blog. As is often said, a good pilot is always learning. Do yourself a favor and wander over to Ron’s site for a read.