GUEST EDITORIAL By THOMAS P. TURNER Rich, suicidal idiots — that’s what most people think about general aviation pilots. In many ways we bring these perceptions on ourselves. If we are to improve the public’s opinion of personal aviation, these are the stereotypes we need to address and, if possible, refute. Rich As a “personal […]
Opinion
Lawmakers work to quash air tour amendment
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The House General Aviation Caucus has joined aviation’s alphabet groups in an attempt to derail an amendment in a bill that would give the National Park Service authority to regulate air tour flights over national parks. Recently, 18 members of Congress signed a letter to Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), chair of the […]
General aviation airport inspections and the TSA
By DAVE HOOK. In my previous post I covered what an agent of the TSA could “request” of a general aviator. Because the article was so regulation intense, I sent an early draft to the TSA’s Office of Strategic Communications and Public Affairs for comment. They afforded me the courtesy of a review with useful […]
The big dogs came to town
As the political season heats up with candidates on the stump and spokesmen backing them or tearing them down on television, there is one message that is clear to many of us. We will never personally meet or have a substantive conversation with the individuals at the top of the ticket — not unless we […]
Of airport BBQs and the TSA
By DAVE HOOK. I am partial to barbeques, so when I received a recent invitation to go to a local airport and enjoy a free barbeque lunch and escape the office, I jumped at the opportunity. I had the pleasure of enjoying my pulled-pork sandwich and iced tea with some local aviators that call the […]
Flying the Bristell
Since the Sebring LSA Expo in January, the airshow season has rushed by at warp speed and now we can return to more aircraft flown at the event that kicks off the aviation year. In this post, we’ll have a quick look at the all-new Bristell, first unveiled to the American pilot community at the […]
Government like (using) aircraft
The National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) hired NEXA Advisors to produce at study titled, “Government Use of Aircraft: A Taxpayer Value Perspective.” Spoiler alert: government personnel, at all levels of government, like using aircraft to do their job and find value in doing so. Imagine that. The quotes in the 24-page study are good reading. They include: […]
Do something
We donated a gift subscription to the Friends of Oceano Airport (FOA) for their May 12 Oceano Airport Celebration silent auction. In today’s mail I received a thank you letter from FOA organizers, Mitch Latting and Jolie Lucas. From the letter, “we’ve gathered funds which will help us continue to promote and protect this ‘little slice of […]
The unavoidable nature of ‘No’
If you’re going to advocate for general aviation, or pretty much anything else for that matter, you should probably get comfortable with the notion that you’re going to hear the word “no” from time to time. Frankly, you’re probably going to hear it a lot, so get used to it. Hate it. Get frustrated, annoyed, […]