I’ve just read your article “Developing Pilot Skills With MS Flight Simulator” in the March 9 issue of General Aviation News. I am wondering if you’d consider doing an article listing the variety of computer programs available? An overview, including a general reference to how powerful a computer is needed for each program, would be […]
Opinion
Should we trust the FAA? Its employees don’t
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Management of the FAA and its controllers have been at loggerheads for many months. Now a report in The Washington Post reveals groups of other employees, as well, have problems with management. The National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA) has been pointing out incident after incident where it says management’s actions are […]
The real fun at Sun ‘n Fun
A lot of my friends think I’ve got it made. After all, I not only get to go to Sun ‘n Fun and AirVenture every year, I get paid to go. They don’t know the half of it. Attending those shows, the premiere events of the air show season, are a great perk of this […]
Confused about replacement parts?
Q, I have a Lycoming O-320 150 hp engine with no suffix in my PA-22 Tri-Pacer. In one of your articles you list the O-320-A1A and the O-320-A3A as the numbers to refer to for replacement parts. Lycoming does not list an O-320-A1A and shows the O-320-A3A fitting a Piper PA-23. Lycoming lists the O-320-E3D […]
TOUGH PILOTS, TOUGH PLANES, TOUGH FLYING
The caption for a photo on page 24 of the April 20 issue (Tough planes, tough pilots, tough flying: Montana Mountain Flying Museum showcases the best of aviation in the Big Sky State) states that “Smoke jumping got its start in Missoula…” I don’t think this is true.There is no doubt the Missoula smoke jumper […]
Are we preaching to the choir? Some say general public needs to be included in debate about user fees
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The current differences over user fees and air traffic control modernization is not an aviation issue, but an air commerce matter, a former FAA administrator declared at a forum sponsored here by the United States Chamber of Commerce. Alan McArtor, who was administrator from 1987 to 1989, said there is a need […]
The XR-7755: The whole story
I was reading about the XR-7755 on the Internet and was wondering if you would clear something up for me. Most sources say there were two engines made, but I’ve found there were three versions. The first was set up for a single output shaft, a second had contra-rotating shafts and the third was set […]
WHAT A TRAGEDY
What a tragedy regarding the Grumman American accident in the Accident Reports in the March 23 issue. Somebody turned this guy loose in an airplane that he couldn’t control and he kills himself with two friends or family — and instead of flying the airplane as it gets too slow, he’s on the radio! WALT […]
Bigger than life: The world needs more characters like John Thun
My wife and I were cleaning out some boxes stuffed with old photos when we came across some pictures of the late John Thun. The pictures really set my mind whirling as I thought about this bigger-than-life character from the Tacoma, Wash., area, where we have made our home since 1970. When I mention John, […]