WASHINGTON, D.C. — Opening salvos in the FAA reauthorization/user fee battle were fired March 8 in the Senate Aviation Subcommittee and it quickly became clear the coming months will see aggressive actions by all sides in the controversy. This first hearing brought out the expected supporters and opponents of the administration’s proposals, plus a few […]
Opinion
Confusion abounds on difference in rocker arms
I’m confused about the rocker arm differences on the O-360-A4K parallel valve cylinders because I know about the extreme heat that the exhaust valves endure. My question is why does the intake rocker arm #69444 have the extra oil hole that leads to the intake valve shaft to cool and lubricate it while the exhaust […]
LEGAL DEFENSE FUND CREATED FOR CFI
This is the case of a flight instructor, Paul Preziose, who is being sued by the owner of an Oregon skydiving operation. Over a long period of time, Mr. Preziose observed a pattern of rule infractions and threats to safety at the Hobby Field Airport in Creswell from the operations of the skydivers. Mr. Preziose […]
AN OPEN LETTER TO DIAMOND’S CHRISTIAN DRIES ABOUT THE D-JET
I recently read the Nov. 3, 2006 issue of General Aviation News with the article “In a class of its own” by Janice Wood about your D-JET. Although your statements in the article may be well targeted (as the D-Jet may be) at the less experienced, casual pilot who nevertheless wants to fly a jet, […]
It don’t come easy: A coveted ticket is hard earned
I did it. I finally obtained my Multiengine Commercial rating. If it is true that “getting there is half the fun,” then I had a whole lot of fun. My multiengine odyssey began just over two years ago, when I saved up $4,000 for the rating. The first challenge was finding an ME instructor. You […]
User fee battle just the beginning: airlines want even more from GA
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The user fee/fuel tax issue is consuming much of the time and energy of aviation advocates here but, win or lose the battle, general aviation will continue to have difficult struggles with the airlines for months — or perhaps years — to come. That was obvious from statements made by officials at […]
THE ART OF POLITICS
In reading the article by Charles Spence in the Jan. 5 issue concerning EPA’s fuel rules (“Capital Comments: The latest on NAVAIDS, user fees and fuel rules”), I am reminded of a comment by the famous film comedian of the 1930s and 1940s, Groucho Marx. He said of government, “Politics is the art of seeking […]
IN SEARCH OF A BALANCED REPORT
Several months ago you did an article on the Symphony 160 (Symphony 160: The next generation trainer, July 7, 2006). I meant to write this back then, but it slipped my mind until reading about the company’s bankruptcy a few days ago (Bankrupt: Tiger and Symphony close doors, Feb. 2). I owned Symphony #29 (out […]
A SO-CALLED P-38
As a World War II Tac Recon pilot with the 64th TRG, 9th AF, ETO, I caught the misidentification of the so-called P-38 that Bill Lear Jr. was flying on page 46 of your Jan. 19 issue (Art Report: “Bill Lear and surplus WWII aircraft — what’s the connection?”). No gun ports on the nose, […]