By DAVE HOOK. Do you know about 49 CFR 1552? This regulation deals with alien flight training and flight school security awareness training and is one of the few federal security regulations that the U.S. Transportation Security Administration requires compliance from general aviation. Are you interested in submitting your comments to the TSA and the […]
Opinion
General aviation user fee civility
User fees have reared their head in President Obama’s fiscal year 2013 proposed budget. Longtime General Aviation News columnist Charles Spence wrote about a letter 100 mayors sent to President Obama regarding the budget’s potential $100-per-flight fee. The comments that follow are interesting. Commenter “gbin” says: “I wonder how many of the mayors who signed […]
GAO: NextGen over budget and behind schedule
WASHINGTON, D.C. — After causing the FAA to limp along on 23 temporary funding extensions, Congress finally passed a four-year authorization last month. A question now facing FAA watchers is: Will this steadier funding mean a smoothing of the turbulence the agency has seen in developing the Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen)? A report […]
Autogas passes the quack test
You know the old adage, right? “If it looks like a duck, swims like a duck, and quacks like a duck, then it probably is a duck.” This year marks the 30th anniversary since the FAA approved the first STC for the use of autogas in aircraft. Since then, it has enjoyed an excellent track […]
NW Aviation Conference recap
By Ben Sclair The Northwest Aviation Conference & Trade Show is a “home game” for us at General Aviation News. It is always great to see so many great friends in one place. Tracy and Larry Cruz from Wings West Governors were at the show. The fact that Larry was at the show at all, […]
Is it security or bureaucracy?
By DAVE HOOK. Security results in action. Bureaucracy results in more bureaucracy. There is no group of people better qualified to discuss action and response than pilots. From our first day of flying training our flight instructors teach us not to take an action for granted. Flip a switch, look for an action. Make a […]
The $64 million answer
Here’s a good quiz question for you: What do Stuart Jet Center, in Stuart, Florida, Region Air in Sparta, Tennessee, and Missouri Aviation Center in Warrensburg, Missouri, have in common? They’re all running specials with discounts on fuel for pilots traveling to Sun ‘n Fun. That’s right, the reach of Sun ‘n Fun extends well […]
GA Security: Risk controlling — how much?
By DAVE HOOK How much disposable income should I invest in security stuff to protect my aircraft? This question is probably one of the most sensitive that I get because flying is not cheap. Even if we have the best of situations, there are still annual inspections and scheduled maintenance, repair of things that break […]
Time to put on your walking shoes
You can buy a fast, modern 180 kt Cirrus for under $150,000. The old guard turn their noses up at the design and construction. Who cares. The Young Turks have shown that this is what the real market wants: Fixed gear, glass panels, speed and sexiness.