Nancy, a student pilot in Florida, writes: Over airport pancakes and discussion of holiday plans, Ol’ Saint Nick’s airport came up, and my friends and I began to banter about the location of the North Pole Airport and what its GPS location would be. I thought it should be 0° North latitude, by 0° longitude…but then I realized that I don’t know if zero longitude is west or east. To top off all that confusion, Google says the North Pole is at 90° north, 135° west! What gives?
Opinion
For the love of aeronautical surf n’ turf
Like many pilots who have had the opportunity to fly a wide assortment of airplanes, I’m occasionally asked, “what’s your favorite airplane?”
Ask Paul: Why did my tach fail?
Our engines expert turns to another expert for help in answering a reader’s question.
Company creating fleet of jet airliner firefighting aircraft
Neptune Aviation will be the first company to use the Airbus A319 to fight fires.
Expert tips on extending the life of your airplane’s engine
I have been working in the General Aviation fuels and lubricant area for about 45 years, and for the last four decades one of the most frequent questions I get is “what are the biggest problems in these areas?” The answer for both is the same.
The Bakersfield Boeings: Dusters to dust?
A footnote in aviation history, the converted crop duster Boeing 203s remain elusive.
In celebration of the gift of lift
It’s magic. It’s science. It’s amazing. And even if we don’t understand exactly how it works, we can still take the controls and successfully guide an airplane into the sky to experience the wonder of flight for ourselves.
Ask Paul: How would I know if my engine’s cam lobes are pitted?
I must admit that an engine that left the Lycoming factory in 1978 may be a little concerning, simply because of the time it’s been in storage, especially in Florida.
Human Factors: A cold, hard lesson
The pilot’s cold weather start technique is blamed for accident when his Cessna 172’s engine quits due to a lack of oil.