There’s something about a P-38. A poker face turns into a smile when you start talking about the Lightning. If you have never touched one or seen one swoosh by with those turbocharged Allison engines singing their beautiful tune, then you’ve missed a great joy in life. And those who have been fortunate enough to […]
Opinion
Curiosity and invention
“Results! Why, man, I have gotten lots of results. I know several thousand things that won’t work.” That was Thomas Edison talking. Edison probably was the most prolific and successful inventor of our, or any, time and his statement emphasizes the importance of curiosity. In Edison’s case, that often meant research just for the sake […]
Indicated v. True Airspeed
I was reading the March 25, 2005 issue (No. 6) Pilot’s Report about the XL-5 Velocity. I have a question about the speeds that were presented in the table. The Vne was at 200 kts IAS and the cruise speed (75% power) was at 205 ktas. Can you clarify why the cruise appears to be […]
The outsiders
Alan Klapmeier gets a lot of grief because he’s selling planes. Well, it’s not because he’s selling planes — it’s who he’s selling them to. “Our company gets beat up for trying to sell airplanes to people outside the industry,” says the co-founder and CEO of Cirrus Design Corp., which produces the SR-20 and SR-22. […]
Is it normal to lean the mixture for ground ops, takeoff?
QUESTION: I’m operating a C-172 with a Lycoming O-360 engine at an approximately sea level airport. Is it normal to have to lean the mixture for ground operations and takeoffs? I have to or the engine runs a bit rough. Perhaps the mixture settings on the carb are not adjusted correctly, although some say it […]
Just say no
WASHINGTON, D.C.— A push to privatize the air traffic control system and/or put it on a fee basis is heating up, but two recent hearings in the House of Representatives indicate that members of the aviation subcommittee will have nothing to do with it. The subcommittee is looking into the modernization of ATC and its […]
‘Tailwind vs. Cougar’
By PETER M. BOWERS. Throughout the homebuilt movement many designs have a strong resemblance to others. The all-time toppers in this area are the Wittman “Tailwind” and the Nesmith “Cougar.” The “Tailwind” came on the scene first, back at the very beginning of the present homebuilt era. Steve Wittman of Oshkosh, Wis., was a schoolteacher […]
Not Nazis
On page 8 of the April 8 issue of GAN, in the obituary about Gen. Salisbury, reference is made to Nazi transport planes being shot down. There were no such things as Nazi planes, Nazi soldiers, Nazi tanks, Nazi ships, whatever. The word “Nazi” was an abbreviation for Nazional Sozialistiche Partei (National Socialist Party), a political party. […]
Thought provoking
William Helsell’s letter in the April 8 issue (Unabashed admiration needs to be tempered) in which he claims no rational person could believe the framers of the Constitution intended the right to bear arms to include weapons that had not yet been invented, was thought provoking. Using that line of reasoning, we must conclude that the […]