In the latest good news to reach sport aviators in the Southeast, the Mountain Empire Airport (MKJ), located in a lovely mountain valley in western Virginia, has added 93 AKI ethanol-free, lead-free autogas. The popular and energetic manager of the airport, Charlie Hoffnagle, described the change: “We have an all-new airport commission that has made […]
Opinion
Congress and BARR
Congress has been active in the Block Aviation Registration Request (BARR) program. The FAA recently cancelled the BARR program, permitting anyone to obtain current details of all flight plans and follow flights from takeoff to landing. Officials with AOPA and NBAA say this violates privacy, can be dangerous, and allows business competitors knowledge of a […]
Raising Cain
Last week I went to a dinner where Herman Cain, one of the Republican presidential candidates, was speaking. He spoke well, clearly articulating ideas that were far outside the mainstream of Republican politics, and making them palatable in the process. He was well received, and warmly applauded by the end of the evening. Still some […]
Continental’s IO-360-AF alternative fuel engine
At last week’s AOPA Aviation Summit, Continental Motors impressed many with the announcement of its IO-360-AF engine, an 180-hp powerplant that is a lower-compression ratio version of the company’s IO-360-ES engine. According to John Dorman, director of business development for Flight Design, whose new four-seat C4 aircraft will use the engine, the ability of the […]
What’s going on at the top?
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, […]
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 […]