Sometimes lifting someone up has very little to do with wings, relative wind, and horsepower. It can be a result of simply caring, interacting, and becoming a mentor to someone who very much wants to know what you know and do what you do.
Opinion
Futuristic retro: Junkers reintroduces A50 Junior
Why is our LSA expert writing about a 93-year-old aircraft? Because it’s back — with a modern twist.
Not that ignorant after all
The EFB marketplace just makes it far easier to gather preflight information and engage with it.
The wing is the thing
By the time the sun set on Dec. 17, 1903, perhaps the most important test aircraft in human history had successfully flown four times, been destroyed in an accident, and sparked a firestorm of imagination, experimentation, and development that continues to this day.
Questions from the Cockpit: Why are pilot watches so big?
Linda, an FBO employee in California, writes: What can you tell me about pilot’s watches? It seems like all the pilots I see — especially the men — wear HUGE watches. Is this something they actually need? Or is it a style thing? And are they as expensive as they look?
The misplaced confidence of team spirit
Blind devotion to a sports team — or a political party — is as silly as adopting the belief that Cessna pilots are really good people, and Piper pilots are okay, but you need to keep a close eye on Grumman pilots, and Cirrus pilots don’t have any idea what they’re doing.
Blue collar proud
As a pilot, I check the oil, peek into the fuel tanks, then climb under the wing to inspect tires and brakes. Whether a pilot is wearing a crisp white shirt with epaulets or a T-shirt with oil stains, I consider that position to be very blue collar. Gratifyingly so.
The sleek Swan
After shipping delays, the Swan 103, designed specifically for the U.S., made its debut at the Midwest LSA Expo in September 2022.
The fate of World War II surplus aircraft
Thousands of war surplus aircraft were scrapped after World War II, many salvaged for their engines, parts, and aluminum. By removing aged warplanes from the scene entirely, the aircraft industry and the military did not have to contend with some in Congress who might be attracted to false savings with old airplanes versus the development of state-of-the-art new aircraft.