Truthfully, the general aviation market and environment is as good or better than it has ever been. Our challenge remains, however. The pilots who attend safety seminars are by and large the pilots who least need the refresher. The pilots who don’t attend safety seminars are the pilots who present the greatest threat to the rest of us.
Opinion
Be a goldfish
Research could lead to new methods for training current and aspiring pilots beyond the mechanics and memorization of flight.
First flight for Alice but still a long way to go
I’m one of many who are hoping for a breakthrough in battery technology.
Expanding on an open door policy
A student flying club’s open door policy was tested during Hurricane Ian and while the club’s hangar was damaged, club members are now confident the club can weather any storm.
Questions from the Cockpit: I reckon so
Phillip, working on his commercial ticket in Florida, writes: “Settle a bet for us here at the flight school: Why is dead reckoning called dead reckoning? Online, there seems to be a lot of difference of opinion about the origin of the term.”
Should I buy this aircraft that has only 49 hours on it?
I’d suggest you approach buying any aircraft slowly, and ask lots of questions, such as total time, does it have a history of extended periods of activity, and review any and all maintenance records.
GAO targets FAA over lasers
By all means, let’s see if we can reduce the number of laser crimes being committed against pilots. But let’s keep our eyes on the criminals, not the pilots.
A hangar full of ideas
Everything in the massive collection at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, an annex of the National Air and Space Museum, was considered to be impossible until someone who didn’t respond well to established limitations proved otherwise.
How the search for unleaded avgas is like two elephants mating
Whenever a new problem or crisis arises in general aviation, it reminds me of two elephants mating. The first step is total panic, followed by complete chaos with trees uprooted, huge dust storms, and everything flying everywhere. And when the dust finally settles, nothing happens for years.