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.
Opinion
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.
Satisfaction deferred is still satisfying
There is a piece of me that is very glad I maintained my role in the right seat as a CFI. The success of my students feels like a success for me, too. And that’s a pretty darned good feeling.
Look up
Sometimes is pays to look up. There may be a special, highly detailed story connected to what flies overhead. And it’s at least possible that somebody reading this article will realize they, and I, have logged time in the very same airplane, somewhere in America.
Upscale, unique, and useful
Prototype aircraft of the World War II era, whether or not they pointed the way to a long production run, were sometimes discarded once their primary flight test work was concluded.
A Mite-y friendship
Just imagine, if they hadn’t had the same camera, none of this may have ever happened.