Of Wings & Things columnist Frederick A. Johnsen sent in this video of the much-anticipated air show debut of the “Yak-110” — two Yak-55s plus a jet engine merged into one trimotor aircraft — at the Mountain Home Air Force Base airshow on June 3, 2018. “The aircraft’s air show performance is impressive,” he reports. […]
A Red Letter day
The U.S. Postal Service will continues its 100th anniversary celebration of air mail in August when it releases the second commemorative air mail stamp. In May, the Postal Service issued a United States Air Mail Blue Forever stamp to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the beginning of airmail service. On Aug. 11, 2018, it will […]
More than $100,000 in scholarships available
The National Gay Pilots Association has launched its 2018 scholarship program, which encompasses more than $100,000 in awards from private pilot to tailwheel endorsement to advanced flight training. NGPA is the largest organization of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender pilots, aviation professionals, and enthusiasts from around the world. Its mission is to build, support, and […]
AOPA kicks off fly-in season in Montana
The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) is holding its first regional fly-in for the 2018 season in Missoula, Montana, June 15 and 16, hosted by North Start Jet on the east end of the airfield, along Aviation Way. The fly-in kicks off on Friday with all-day workshops. Starting at noon, attendees can visit the […]
Backcountry familiarization flight goes awry
The pilot, accompanied by a flight instructor, was conducting mountainous backcountry familiarization training. The flight instructor reported they taxied about 1,000′ down the runway because the field was wet. During takeoff at a high altitude (6,370′ elevation) backcountry airstrip in Stanley, Idaho, the airplane became airborne near the end of the runway. During the initial climb, […]
Picture of the Day: In the pattern
Bill Pixley sent in this photo of Runway 03/21 at Venango Regional Airport (KFKL) in Franklin, Pennsylvania. He notes the photo was taken on April 17, 2018, with an an iPhone8. Would you like to have your photo featured as Picture of the Day? You can submit it via this form. All photos sent in for […]
Sal’s back — let’s celebrate
Something happened over this past weekend that could be seen in one of two ways. It was either a perfectly ordinary event that is hardly worthy of notice to anyone but those directly involved, or it was a remarkable achievement deserving of applause. I’ll let you decide. The story involves my friend who, for the […]
3 tips for flying in areas with active volcanoes
The National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) recently posted three tips for pilots flying in areas with active volcanoes, especially timely now with several volcanoes currently active, including Kilauea in Hawaii and Fuego in Guatemala. NBAA officials note that now is a good time to brush up on your knowledge to keep you safe while flying in […]
Video: Unmasking offshore storms
It looks like the radar images you’d see your local TV meteorologist use, and that’s by design, but this new product from the FAA is called Offshore Precipitation Capability (OPC), and it shows precipitation in areas where you couldn’t see it before. The FAA’s NextGen Outreach and Reporting group has a new video showing how […]