[Start sarcasm]: The FAA has seen the light. With its budget challenged by sequestration, FAA brass came up with a “pay for play” program to extort — er… I mean bill — the nation’s fly-ins for traffic control. This is a great thing. You see, FAA leadership has realized now what uncertainty means. So in the future, when ICON […]
Opinion
The FAA’s broken record?
As General Aviation News reported yesterday, the FAA has issued a long-anticipated request for proposals for a lead-free drop-in replacement for avgas. As described in the agency’s press release from June 10, “The Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) today asked the world’s fuel producers to submit proposals for fuel options that would help […]
Beyond the bumper sticker
Periodically my eye is drawn to a bumper sticker while I’m out driving. Many are aviation oriented — or at least many of the stickers I see are. The slogans are familiar to you as well, I’m sure: “I’d rather be flying.” “My other car is an airplane.” “I love jet noise.” They’re all positive […]
Florida and Maine pass symbolic anti-ethanol laws
In moves that are largely symbolic, Florida and Maine recently passed laws aimed at providing more ethanol-free options at the pump. As described in the marine publication Trade Only, “It’s one more mandate off the books,” state Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fort Walton Beach, who has been trying to achieve the repeal since he took office […]
Ask Paul: The Cherokee Rattle
Q: I just bought a 1974 300-hp Cherokee Six. It has about 1,200 hours to run, has great oil pressure, good compressions, hardly uses oil, no metal in the filter, but during the run-up at 2,000 rpm, the engine makes quite a deep knock. If you go from both mags to either the left or […]
The real reason airports matter
Stewart Beckett Sr. was born into a different world than the one you and I live in. He came into being in 1898 not far from St. Petersburg, Florida. The family wasn’t wealthy, but they were reasonably well off. Which is to say they lived in a house, ate on a regular basis, and managed […]
Chevron abandoning avgas?
Last week your bloggers received news that Chevron appears to be departing the avgas distribution business. We called Hank Maierhoffer, manager of the Plantation Airpark in Sylvania, Ga., (JYL) who confirmed that his avgas supplier, Chevron, is ending sales of avgas and has covered up his Chevron sign. They are handing their business over to […]
An aviation musical to bring in the kids?
At best, it sounded like a novel idea: SUN ‘n FUN would write and stage a musical for local Florida schools to interest kids in flying and aviation careers. Nice community relations for the newly expanding SUN ‘n FUN mission, but could they pull it off? Turns out, they did — with flying colors. What […]
Spotlight on GA brings positives along with negatives
WASHINGTON, D.C. — General aviation is getting attention here, but the results are mixed between a favorable outlook and a more pessimistic future. The direction it will take seems to be determined more by affecting influences than on the industry. The airlines cutting back on service presents a greater need for general aviation to maintain […]