When I left for the office on a recent Friday, my oldest daughter, 13-year-old Savannah, gave me an extra tight hug. She knew I would be out at Pierce County Airport (PLU) in the late morning to regain my currency so I could take her… and myself… flying. She was very excited. The last logged […]
Opinion
The great equalizer
With all the hand wringing and brow furrowing we’ve experienced lately as a result of the sequestration, it’s probably worth remembering that we live in the most technologically advanced, affluent, and safe period of human history. When my granddad was a boy he lived in a world that was devoid of everyday modern conveniences like […]
Lackluster growth predicted for GA
WASHINGTON, D.C. — General aviation will grow over the next 20 years, but at a rate of only 1/2 of 1% a year, according to the FAA. The agency also forecasts the total number of aircraft used in general aviation to increase from 220,670 in 2012 to 246,375 in 2033, an increase of only 25,705, […]
LSA market share: The rest of the story
We recorded very strong interest in our recent market share post. Traffic spiked to double in the days since our report was posted at ByDanJohnson.com (and that was from record levels). It would appear the LSA segment is hardly in “critical condition,” despite what some may think. The Light Aircraft Manufacturers Association (LAMA) board of […]
More good shale oil news
Despite the recent rise in prices for aviation fuel and what we consumers pay at the gas station, news contained in this recent RIGZONE article paints a sunny picture for increased U.S. reserves and ultimately lower prices. When we might see lower fuel prices at our airports is anyone’s guess, however the clear trend towards […]
NTSB preparing videos on GA safety alerts
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is preparing short videos about five safety alerts for general aviation covering the most frequent types of GA accidents. The videos will be available this spring and feature regional air safety investigators sharing their experiences and observations of the various accidents they investigate. The NTSB investigates […]
Learning to speak the customer’s language
While sitting at my desk last week, passing the time of day in a genial manner with one of the local CFIs, I noticed Rick Matthews wandering by my door. Being in a particularly social mood, I called him into the office. Rick is one of the creative minds behind the Aviation Access Project, but […]
Double lung transplant survivor earns Private
“Well, I am now a real private pilot, as of yesterday,” noted an email I received this morning from Jennifer Julian. If you don’t recall, I wrote about Jennifer last May. She survived a double lung transplant, earned her 3rd class medical, and was an active student pilot. She’s now a certificated pilot. Jennifer is a woman who […]
Some question FAA’s selection of sequestration cuts
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Sequestration hasn’t caused the sky to fall in Washington, but there are indications some efforts are being made to pull it down to meet the dire threats of disasters that have been put forth. The FAA notified employees of intended furloughs of up to 11 work days beginning about April 7. Contract […]