Since the beginning of aviation (or at least since near the beginning) government has approved any aircraft the public may buy and fly. A newly designed model, after proving its airworthiness to company engineers and management, had to gain government approval before sales could begin. The cost curve has been steeply upward. Cirrus Design is […]
Opinion
Smaller is (sometimes) better
Air shows drive the calendar of many people involved with aviation, certainly so for the business men and women. Everyone knows about the large events, such as EAA AirVenture Oshkosh at the end of July or Sun ’n Fun in Lakeland, Florida, at the end of March, or AOPA’s Aviation Summit, which is approaching at […]
Another summer with E0 autogas
Central Maine Regional Airport in Norridgewock, Maine, has had another successful summer supplying ethanol-free 91 Octane autogas to the regional fleet. Although our supply has been tenuous, it looks like it is settling into a pattern where we will be able to get the fuel from April to September. In the fall and winter months, […]
Arguments, discussions, and finding peace
Arguments, discussions and peace: These are not incompatible terms, even if they may appear to be at first glance. Keep that thought in mind. Several weeks ago a reader sent me a book. The title is, I assume, intentionally incendiary, “How Safe is Your Pilot?” If that doesn’t grab your attention, the subtitle certainly will. […]
Why can’t GA be more like renting a car? Once, it was…
Debates about GA’s practicality are weighty, sometimes bitter, discussions I think often miss the point. But one of the best deals I ever found was “Hertz-like” plane rental at Lease-A-Plane. It opened up lots of possibilities. A big gripe of renters: The “daily minimum,” a minimum of flight hours to keep the plane all day. […]
Positive reports continue out of Oshkosh
Reports continue positively for results at AirVenture 2011…despite FAA’s partial shutdown, a media frenzy over the debt ceiling, a roller coaster ride in the stock markets, and a continuing bum housing market. If you can smile after all that, things must be improving. Here’s more evidence of improvement: Icon Aircraft announced it secured 143 delivery […]
ExxonMobil departs general aviation
ExxonMobil quietly announced its departure from general aviation sales of 100LL and Jet-A in July. According to this AIN Online article, the company will end sales of the fuels to general aviation and dissolve its Avitat FBO network. As documented in this GAfuels article, 100LL sales have been dropping by some 4% annually for years, […]
Is another FAA shutdown looming?
The 21st temporary extension of authorization for the FAA expires Sept. 16 and another period of possible shutdown looms. Congress returns Tuesday, Sept. 6, after an August recess — and early indications suggest continued disagreements between the Senate and House of Representatives over authorization funding for the agency. President Obama and the Senate committee on […]
The mythical E10 mandate
Many people misunderstand what the country in general — and their state in particular — is required to do about ethanol in auto gasoline. First, let’s look at the BIG picture: There is no federal mandatory E10 law. Many people believe that there is, but it is not true. There are only six states with […]