The Fire Boss is aviation’s ultimate hybrid: An Air Tractor AT-802 turned elite firefighter. Discover the high-stakes world of water scooping, the veteran pilots behind the stick, and how this niche fleet dominates global wildfires.
Opinion
From Sewing Machines to Sky Ships: The Lycoming-Zeppelin Connection
Our engines expert tells the tale of how a rumor led to Lycoming powering the famous Goodyear Airships.
The Evolution of Greenhouse Liberators
With a crew of 10 — and that number cycling through the system from 1941-1945 — plus thousands more Americans building and maintaining B-24s, the Liberator touched more families in this country than any other aircraft of the war. Chances are, if your family has been in the U.S. four generations or so, you have an ancestor whose path crossed with the B-24 during World War II.
DIY Is Where It’s At
Building an airplane teaches kids so much more than the names of airplane parts. They develop the ability to work as part of a cohesive team. Real world problem solving is a constant feature of the program. They even get to wrestle with financial considerations of damaged parts needing to be repaired or replaced. There will be damaged parts. Believe me.
Moving Into the Future with 1930s Engine Technology
Are we stuck with ashless oils and poor performance forever in aviation piston engines or is there a way out?
What’s Your Favorite Airplane?
For columnist Jamie Beckett, the answer varies, but always comes back to the one airplane he wishes he could own again — and the one he couldn’t wait to get away from.
You Never Know
At 85, non-pilot Larry Cole has a vintage hangar he’s sees becoming a one-of-a-kind Airbnb destination at some airport.
Mandatory Reporting: Fact vs. Fiction
Justin, a private pilot in Texas, writes: “There’s a lot of chatter online about Air Traffic Control Towers “having to” report any mechanical issue a pilot has to the FAA and pilots having to follow up on incidents with the FSDO. Is this new? Where does this come from? What rises to the level of being reported? And what should you do if the FAA calls or writes?”
Human Factors: No Such Thing as Routine
What can we learn from a training flight that never left the ground?