Earlier I wrote about several changes of leadership at LSA producers. Here’s a similar story, one I find quite amazing for its breadth. Consider this: The following organizations — some of the biggest and most influential in aviation — have seen longtime leaders depart: EAA, Sun ‘n Fun, Sebring Expo, and a couple years ago, […]
Opinion
The power of lasting impressions
Over this past weekend I saw a young man named Zachary Drum stand at the front of a packed room and command the attention of every person in it. At 21 years old, Zachary is not tall or physically imposing. He doesn’t have the booming voice of an evangelical preacher and he never gestures wildly […]
Best bargain in a ready-to-fly airplane?
Many pilots speak of airplanes they cannot afford. Indeed, $150,000 Light-Sport Aircraft are priced beyond common budgets. One way to solve this is through a partnership or fractional ownership… and I will be writing about partnerships later this year. Another way involves a ready-to-fly aircraft for under $15,000. You read it right: $14,995 for a […]
A road not taken
My pre-move house cleaning has yielded another aviation memory: A 1972 letter from the old Monmouth Airlines. It offered an answer to every young hopeful’s need for multi-engine and turbine time — very expensive but necessary stepping stones to pro flying. The question was, as always, how to afford it — and back then, how […]
The OX-5 racers
In a previous column, I discussed the penetration of the ubiquitous, war-surplus Curtiss OX-5 engine into the new aircraft market, which lasted into the 1930s. Not only was the OX-5 engine used as a powerplant option on new aircraft, it also powered custom-built aircraft that were used in exhibition work and races. In fact, the […]
‘Congress must now act responsibly’
By Ben Sclair The U.S. Senate passed legislation today (Thursday, September 15) that extends funding for the FAA four months and avoids a second partial FAA shutdown. The following quote on the topic blows me away. “It is a positive step for the country that the Congress has passed this historic combination of extensions, which […]
Aboard Flight 93: GA’s man on 9/11
I have the feeling that few GA pilots know “one of ours” was up there on United Flight 93, capable of bringing that 757 back had passengers overcome cockpit hijackers. He was a college classmate of mine. Donald Freeman Greene was the name. I only bumped into him briefly freshman year in the dorm. He […]
The case for the corporate jet
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Corporate jets are getting a bum rap here since the deficit and budget have erupted into major political battlegrounds. But it is not jets alone that are the target — the use of any aircraft is being painted as a plum of the rich. While many in the aviation community may think […]
Ask Paul: Should you lean for a sea-level takeoff?
Q: At or around sea level in a non-turbo airplane, like a 152 or a 172, should you lean your air fuel mixture for takeoff? The reason I am asking this is after seeing a video of a flight in a 172, I noticed that the pilot leaned the mixture before takeoff. I wrote to […]