Shortly after takeoff from Santa Monica Municipal Airport in Southern California, the pilot advised the air traffic control tower controller that the Ryan’s engine had lost power, and he requested an immediate return to the airport. He initiated a left turn toward the airport, however during the approach, he realized that the airplane was unable […]
Star power
Smitty Smith, the force behind FunPlacesToFly.com, sent in this photo, explaining: “The ‘star’ of the static area — this beautiful bird flew in for our EAA Chapter 1246 First Saturday Coffee and Donuts get-together.”
Shock treatment
Once upon a time, the producer of a yellow LSA taildragger installed the industry’s most powerful engine, resulting in a performance leader. This gambit succeeded handily and the builder enjoyed several strong years of sales. Others looked upon this success and saw that it was good. So, of course, being aviation entrepreneurs, others worked to […]
Could STEM prevent the next Santa Monica fiasco?
To say my “Don’t Cry for Santa Monica” column struck a chord would be an understatement. Sadly, I fear it struck the wrong chord. (And, for the record, I support the efforts of the National Business Aviation Association and others as they continue to fight SMO’s closure.) A sampling of comments taking me to task… “Ben’s attitude […]
CAP marks 1,000th cell phone mission
MAXWELL AIR FORCE BASE, Alabama – Civil Air Patrol’s National Cellular Forensics Team participated in its 1,000th mission March 16, 2017. The mission ended, like hundreds before it, in a “save,” CAP officials said. “The 1,000th cell phone mission has been conducted and it was a success,” said Col. Brian Ready, one of the members […]
Washington seeks input on state’s aviation plan
The Washington State Department of Transportation is asking the public to review the Washington Aviation System Plan (WASP) draft report and provide input during the next 30 days. Washington’s system of 137 public-use airports is a crucial contributor to the state’s transportation system, economic vitality and quality of life, according to state officials. The WASP […]
NTSB leadership changes
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Christopher A. Hart’s term as chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board concluded on schedule March 15, 2017, and Vice Chairman Bella Dinh-Zarr now serves as the agency’s acting chairman. Hart will remain at the NTSB, applying his transportation safety expertise in the capacity of a board member. The NTSB has five board members, […]
New Commander nosewheel fairing deflects FOD
Twin Commander Aircraft has engineered a solution to the problem of damage from nosewheel FOD (Foreign Object Debris or Damage) — a nosewheel fairing. Twin Commander’s predecessor company had developed a nosewheel fairing intended to deflect debris, but the design caused significant drag, which forced pilots to use lower airspeeds and angles of attack when the […]
Fuel exhaustion brings down Kitfox
The pilot departed for a local flight in Logan, Utah, with the fuel gauges showing about a quarter full in each fuel tank. The pilot did not perform a visual inspection of the fuel tanks during his pre-flight procedures. About 30 minutes into the flight, he headed back to the airport. Prior to reaching the airport, […]