Should a plane be painted in its natural environs – playing tag with clouds or hopping over trees and meadows? What about painting it forlorn looking, like a sad-eyed puppy dog, on the ramp waiting for its master to take it for a hop? Or maybe it should be shown perched expectantly on a catapult, […]
Opinion
Feds get serious about security matters
Washington, D.C. — Recent developments in the Washington area demonstrate just how serious the government is about security matters. A major announcement was made about reopening Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport to general aviation after its closure following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. The media carried stories about flights returning. The first general aviation flight […]
Time to get real: Zealous regulators are hazards to aviation
In olden times – that’s 60 to 70 years ago – wrist watches with glow-in-the-dark radium numbers were popular. Whether we wore a Timex or a Rolex, that’s what we wanted. In those days, many aircraft instruments glowed in the dark. That, too, was accomplished with minute amounts of radium-226. Thousands of World War II […]
Paying for the Meigs fiasco
In the end, we must assume the taxpayer in Chicago will pick up the tab for the $33,000 fine for the Meigs Field fiasco perpetrated by the Mayor of Chicago (FAA fines Chicago for Meigs Field destruction, Sept. 23 issue). And now we learn that there may be a much larger fine on its way […]
CAP’s public relations working overtime
I read with interest your editorial regarding lost opportunities for publicity on the outstanding contributions of the aviation community during Hurricane Katrina (The New Orleans example, Oct. 7 issue). The attached documents present the Civil Air Patrol’s Hurricane Katrina media relations program and a report on the publicity received. Please know that I applaud your call […]
Bonanza leader tackles critics
I must respond to the Oct. 7 letter from Michael R. Baas complaining about the mass arrivals of type specific aircraft at AirVenture (Just say no to mass arrivals). His complaint centered about the need for him and others to hold during the arrival. As leader of Bonanzas to Oshkosh I can answer most of […]
How do I figure what parts to use for an early O-320?
QUESTION: I have one of the very early O-320s with no suffix. Can you enlighten me as to what modern engine code I should use to buy parts for it? I went to the Lycoming website and it lists the A2A as the earliest generation, but I have heard that is not necessarily correct. Rick […]
One bad apple can spoil it for the rest of GA
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Just as the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) was getting a leg up on security with the signing of a homeland security bill that includes a program called Transportation Security Administration Access Certificate (STAAC), up pops a corporate pilot who allegedly steals a Cessna Citation jet. This was just one of a […]
One size does not fit all
Re: Expect to keep a closer eye on the weather, Capital Comments, Sept. 23: I, for one, hope NTSB does not manage to make it mandatory to demonstrate ability to fly safely on instruments every BFR. It would be a totally impractical waste of time for me to even try to bone up for this […]