The Oct. 7 issue of General Aviation News included several articles warning against the dire consequences of user fees being proposed by our federal government. In a letter to the editor, Kevin Mossey even made the astounding claim that we “all need to sacrifice” by accepting higher fuel taxes. One can only imagine that he […]
Opinion
FAA restores BARR to let pilots block flight info
Pilots on IFR flights will no longer have to submit a Certified Security Concern to the FAA in order to prevent their flight information from being broadcast over the Internet. FAA officials announced the reversal Friday, Dec. 2, after Congress ordered it in the fiscal year 2012 appropriations bill. Previously pilots could “opt out” of […]
Electric Aircraft Development Alliance in works
A wide range of people recently sat in a room used all day long by the ASTM Committee that develops the Light-Sport Aircraft certificate standards. Apparently sitting in a room all day — while the sun shown brightly and the flying would have been great — was not enough punishment for this hard-working crowd. Indeed, […]
The NRA of the Air
Chris Dancy, talented media relations staffer at the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA), recently moved on to the Helicopter Association International. This prompts some reflection on GA’s relations with the media. AOPA is a good exemplar for this, having long dominated the effort as “The NRA of the Air.” I have it “from the […]
The importance of bonding
Earlier today I went to meet three local men for lunch. They’d asked me to put on my city commissioner hat and come listen to their idea for improving the quality of life in our little burg. Being an agreeable sort I took up the challenge, drove to the outskirts of town and pulled into […]
Ask Paul: Tips to getting Dad’s Pacer flying again
Q: I was reading your explanation on the difference between narrow deck and wide deck Lycomings — what an excellent piece of writing. My interest is that my brother Lee and I have my Dad’s PA-20 and, while stored indoors, it hasn’t flown since 1964 or so, but I’m thinking (perhaps foolishly) about putting it […]
Aircraft Spruce acquires California Power Systems
Aviation powerhouse Aircraft Spruce (officially Irwin International Inc.) recently completed agreements to buy California Power Systems (CPS); both are California-based enterprises. This shows what CPS had accomplished through 30 years in business, but it also shows that Aircraft Spruce remains committed to Light-Sport Aircraft, by far the largest users of the Austrian engine. It also […]
Latest FAA fleet fuel report deeply flawed
In November, the FAA published its latest “Reciprocating Engine Aircraft Fleet Fuel Distribution Report” DOT/FAA/AR-TN11/22. As described in the report’s abstract, “The purpose of the data analysis was to establish a baseline of aviation fuels currently in use by all reciprocating engine-powered aircraft to quantitatively assess the effect of first reducing and, eventually, eliminating the […]
What affect will Super Committee failure have on GA?
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Politics in Washington, normally baffling, is even more so now that the Super Committee has failed to reach an agreement on funding with a highly contested election approaching and the nation facing a massive $15 trillion debt. When the Super Committee was formed, Congress included in the bill a provision that if […]