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 […]
Opinion
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 […]
A little alliance goes a long way
It started with a conversation, which lead to a thought, which resulted in a plan. In no time at all that process caused an email to be drafted and sent to approximately a dozen hopefully receptive recipients. That was the start of the Polk Aviation Alliance, a diverse group of aviation professionals who have committed […]
We’ve hit the wall
Exactly as your bloggers have predicted the past several years, according to industry experts, we’ve finally hit the ethanol blending wall — even if every drop of gasoline produced in the U.S. contained 10% ethanol, the federally-mandated blending quotas cannot be met. As the energy industry’s leading news service Platts reported this past week: “The […]
Coming of age
General Aviation is dead. If it’s not dead, it’s dying. If it’s not dying, it’s paralyzed with a sickness that manifests itself in the form of high prices, lousy service, ancient participants, and a generalized sense of ennui among the spectators at the fence line. You’ve read these charges, and I’m here to tell you […]
N6ZQ follows in N5ZQ footsteps
I met Bill Harrelson at the 2009 Copperstate Fly-In. Bill, an efficiency expert, sent me an email detailing the nearly non-stop flight home (Arizona to Virginia) in N5ZQ, a Lancair 320. That was more than three years and one N-number ago. In Thursday afternoon’s EAA e-Hotline I see that Bill is back at it. He […]