Drew Steketee was president of BE A PILOT, senior vp-communications for AOPA and executive director of the Partnership for Improved Air Travel. He also headed PR and media relations for Beech, GAMA and the Airport Operators Council International. More than 10 years ago, I asked AOPA members to vote for their “Favorite Fly-Outs.” These would […]
Opinion
N.J. airport puts open land to innovative use
Drew Steketee was president of BE A PILOT, senior vp-communications for AOPA and executive director of the Partnership for Improved Air Travel. He also headed PR and media relations for Beech, GAMA and the Airport Operators Council International. In rural southern New Jersey, GA seems to be going one way and high-end sports car racing […]
Arachnophobia
And those quacks at Oklahoma City? Turns out they do know what they hell they’re talking about.
Helping others see the light
LETTER TO THE EDITOR After reading The fallout from sonic booms, I couldn’t help but share some of the things that our flight club in Elkhart, Indiana, have been doing. I personally think that people look at pilots and planes with much wonder; we are not mainstream and the only experience people have is either […]
Oberstar’s defeat stuns aviation community
After 36 years in the House of Representatives, Rep. James Oberstar (D-Minn.) went down to defeat and his congressional seat will be taken over by a former airline pilot, an event that has members of Washington’s general aviation community shaking their heads in disbelief. A Democrat, he was swept away by what he termed “a […]
Study shows FAA delays and inconsistencies inflate costs and slow production
Irregular procedures, delays, and consistency problems in FAA’s programs to certify aircraft, aviation equipment and systems can inflate costs, lose production time, and put U.S. firms at a competitive disadvantage, according to a study by the Government Accountability Office (GAO). The study says there is a lack of uniform standards and evaluation criteria with FAA […]
Going aggressive vs. being assertive
Jamie Beckett is a CFI and A&P mechanic who stepped into the political arena in an effort to promote and protect GA at his local airport. One of the big lessons to come from this year’s political battles has hardly been noticed in the press, but it’s such an important aspect of conflict resolution that […]
Jabiru-powered RANS S-19 is simply superb
Dan Johnson, president of the Light Aircraft Manufacturers Association, is an expert on Light Sport Aircraft. Pilots seem to love more power. All other things being equal, a more potent engine is preferred to one with less power. Pilots also like sweet-handling airplanes. So, put 20 more horses in front of the S-19 Venterra and […]
Smile! Proposal to put photos on pilot licenses expected by end of year
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Smile, you might soon see your face on your pilot certificate. The FAA says before the end of this year it will issue a Notice of Proposed Rule Making to require photos on pilot certificates. This follows years of prodding by Congress and others after a bill requiring photos on IDs in […]




