What could be nicer than building and flying your own Jungmeister? Why, having a buddy who’s doing the same! That’s precisely what Hank Galpin and Jay Billmayer have been up to for more than a decade. The two are longtime friends and hangar neighbors at Glacier Park International Airport in Kalispell, Montana. But first there […]
Homebuilt accidents drop to historic lows
Fatal accidents in experimental category aircraft, particularly amateur-built aircraft, continued their decline during the FAA‘s 2017 fiscal year that ended Sept. 30, falling to historic lows. For the 12-month period from Oct. 1, 2016, to Sept. 30, 2017, fatal accident totals in amateur-built aircraft were down 18% to just 27, compared with 33 during the […]
Retrofit market boosts avionics sales
According to the latest figures from the Aircraft Electronics Association avionics sales topped $1.73 billion in the first nine months of 2017. The third-quarter 2017 Avionics Market Report shows that worldwide business and general aviation avionics sales were up 4.1% compared to the first nine months of 2016, which saw sales of $1.66 billion. Sales during the third-quarter […]
Lancair Builder Assistance Center takes off
UVALDE, Texas — Lancair’s first production Mako customer was welcomed last week to the newly-launched Builder Assistance Center at the company’s Texas headquarters. Housed in a 10,000-square-foot climate-controlled hangar, the Builder Assistance Center provides a dedicated work environment for Lancair kit owners to complete critical aircraft assemblies or the entire aircraft. In-house factory support, including […]
FAA WINGs seminar to be streamed live online
ORONO, Maine – WINGsReality EDU will host a blended (classroom and online) WINGs seminar titled, “Becoming a Snowbird” on Tuesday, Nov. 28, from 6:30-8:30 pm EST. Does the thought of snow, ice, freezing precipitation, contaminated slippery runways, obscured airport signage and markings, short days, cold engines and airframes, fewer emergency landing spots, cold weather survival […]
Vietnam helicopter nose art featured in new book
Just published is “Vietnam War Army Helicopter Nose Art” by John Brennan. The book showcases previously unpublished photos of Army helicopter nose art “extolling the expressive American spirit,” according to officials with Fonthill Media, which published the book. The photographs are from Army veterans. Each is accompanied by a caption containing data of the helicopter […]
Equipment failure leads to oil starvation
During the en route climb to cruise altitude, the low oil pressure warning light activated. The pilot notified air traffic control, received vectors to the nearest airport, and began a descent as the oil pressure continued to decrease. About three miles from the airport in Fayetteville, Arkansas, the Cirrus SR22’s engine experienced a total loss […]
Picture of the day: A nice night flight
Arthur Billingsley sent in this photo, explaining: “This was a moment toward the end of a flight from Washington, D.C., to Jacksonville, Florida, in a Cessna 310Q. The picture was taken approaching Jacksonville at 7,200 feet. A nice Fall night flight.”
Ditching
My last column, “Asleep at the Yoke,” included a report about a Piper Seneca pilot who had to ditch his airplane in the Gulf of Mexico. The thought of having to ditch an aircraft intrigued me, especially when I realized there is a different psychology to the act of ditching vs. an intentional forced landing […]