The student pilot reported that during a solo soft field takeoff at the airport in Sanford, N.C., the tail of the Diamond DA-20 hit the ground. He lowered the nose, and as the airspeed increased, initiated rotation. After liftoff, the plane drifted to the left of the runway, descended, and hit the bottom of a […]
Highlights from Reno 2017
Mac Little sent us these photos taken at the National Championship Air Races in Reno in 2017.
Pilot Perspectives: Rich Stowell
By DEREK ROBERTS. Visualize for a moment that you’re high above the ground, nose pointed skyward, throttle in one hand, control stick pulled into your lap with the other. As the aircraft slows you peer over the engine cowl while working to maintain a steady altitude. In tandem a muted horn bleats with a blinking […]
An unexpected package
An unexpected package was recently delivered to the FBO at Wautoma Municipal Airport (Y50) in Wisconsin. “Upon opening it, we found a very nice framed “Thank You” collage from someone we provided emergency maintenance support to a couple flying their RV6A to Oshkosh for the 2017 EAA Airventure,” reports Larry Stencel. The couple had flown […]
Racers fly for Hurricane Harvey victims
Hurricane Harvey impacted the Texas coast and the city of Houston in unimaginable ways. The devastation was monumental and the coming together of people from all across the U.S. to lend aid was something even the movies could not have scripted. The 2017 Galveston Island 150 Air Race was scheduled to run Sept. 9, 2017. […]
Pilot shortage boosts enrollment at Embry-Riddle
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — When Peter Wagner’s uncle introduced him to the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds when he was in the fifth grade, he became hooked on learning to fly. Recent stories about the commercial pilot shortage and a tour of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University’s Daytona Beach Campus while he was in high school helped finalize […]
Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum director to retire
Gen. J.R. “Jack” Dailey, director of the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum, will retire in January 2018. With 18 years as head of the museum, he is its longest-serving director. Dailey, a retired U.S. Marine Corps four-star general and pilot, assumed the duties of director in January 2000. As head of the museum, Dailey has […]
New officers and directors for NASAO
Members of the National Association of State Aviation Officials (NASAO) elected new officers and regional directors for 2018 during its 86th annual convention and trade show held in Point Clear, Alabama. Ronnie Mitchell, Aviation Division Director for the Nebraska Department of Transportation, was named Chairman of the NASAO Executive Board of Directors for 2017/18. Outgoing […]
Missing bolt brings down Howard DGA
The pilot was en route to his destination when three to four miles before reaching the runway, he lost elevator authority. He used elevator trim and power settings to control pitch and descended over the runway in Englewood, Colo. He was able to level off over the runway and tried to get the airspeed to […]