Frequent contributor Megan Vande Voort sent us this photo, with a quick note: “A Champ and a Cirrus stay warm.”
Flying the American Dream
By ZAC NOBLE In 1944 Walter Beech was on a mission to build a better mouse trap, aka…airplane. Beechcraft was already successful with its Model 17 Staggerwing and the twin engine Beechcraft Model 18. The 18 was being manufactured to meet the military’s transport and training needs. Beech was convinced that when the war was […]
Video: Behind the scenes at ATC
Air Traffic Control is there to help, but for many new pilots, the other side of the radio is a mystery. In a video tip, Sporty’s goes behind the scenes with Air Traffic Control to learn what tools they use, how they see weather on their screens, how transponder codes work, and what services are […]
Trump budget calls for spinning off ATC
President Donald Trump released his first budget proposal March 16, 2017, which calls for spinning off Air Traffic Control from the FAA to an independent non-government organization. The proposal mirrors that of a report released recently by the Eno Center for Transportation’s Aviation Working Group. “The purpose of spinning off air traffic control from the federal […]
Debate over privatizing ATC: Us vs. Them?
In the space of one week in February, a report calling for sweeping changes to Air Traffic Control, including taking control of ATC from the FAA and putting it in the hands of a non-profit organization funded by user fees, was released, just days after a survey was released showing that most voters oppose privatizing […]
Researchers ask for input from pilots on economic challenges
A team of researchers at George Mason University School of Business have launched a survey on the economic impact of private and sport aviation. While aviation is thrilling, it’s also expensive. That’s led to a “significant” number of aviation enthusiasts grounded, unable to afford such an expensive hobby, according to the researchers. Their study addresses […]
CiES digital fuel sender earns STC
BEND, Ore. – CiES’s digital fuel quantity system has earned Supplemental Type Certification (STC) approval for Beechcraft, Cessna, Cirrus, Piper, Fairchild, Gippsland, Maule, Mooney, Vulcanair, American Champion, Pilatus, and Britten Norman aircraft. More than 1,750 CiES fuel systems have been delivered by OEMs, including Cirrus (SR20, SR22, Vision Jet), Quest’s Kodiak, Vulcanair’s P68, Tecnam, Gippsland’s […]
Distracted pilot forgets to lower gear
During a ferry flight, while turning from downwind leg to base leg of the airport traffic pattern in Siler City, N.C., the pilot became distracted when the Bellanca 17 31A’s cabin door popped open. He continued on the approach and prior to touchdown, advanced the propeller rpm, set the mixture to full rich, and put the flaps […]
Taking things literally…
This photo caught my eye when it first appeared in Vermont Aviation, an email newsletter put out by the Aviation Program of the Agency of Transportation for the state of Vermont. They spotted it first on a Reddit thread.