In the fall of 2015, I wrote about four Light-Sport Aircraft (LSA) you could buy for under $96,000. For many pilots, this price point seemed to strike a melodious chord. Unless you are flying for work purposes, you may prefer to spend only a modest amount to enjoy the view from on high. In this column, I’ll […]
Ohio man wins flight in P-51
Ben Rayl of Loudonville, Ohio, will soon fly a piece of World War II history. Mercy Flight Southeast drew Rayl’s winning raffle ticket for a chance to fly a P-51 Mustang. Stallion 51 had donated the experience flying its P-51 “Crazy Horse” to raise money for Mercy Flight Southeast, which provides free air transportation to […]
FAA launches online ADS-B equipment database
The FAA recently published its 2016 NextGen update, which provides an overview of where NextGen stands today, and where it’s going in the years to come. As part of this update, the FAA posted an online ADS-B equipment database, which allows pilots and aircraft owners to learn what equipment has been certified and other useful […]
Secord flies Meyers 200C to victory in Sunshine Express
John Secord is no stranger to flying fast in his Glasair Super II, so this year’s Sunshine Express 400 from Greenwood, South Carolina, to Winter Haven, Florida, was another great opportunity to race in the highly regarded but fairly new venture, which debuted last year as the “Race to the Sun.” And, while John is a […]
Last flight slated for rare 1933 Boeing 247D
SEATTLE — The world’s oldest flyable Boeing airliner will make its last flight April 26, according to officials with the Museum of Flight. The classic twin-engine Boeing 247D from the 1930s — one of four remaining in the world, and the only one flyable — has been in the museum’s collection since 1966. Based at the Museum’s Restoration Center […]
Aerial photography, inspection tops list of FAA-approved RPA use
The Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI) has released an interactive analysis that finds 38 types of business operations have been approved by the FAA to fly remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) — also known as drones and unmanned aerial systems (UAS) — commercially in the National Airspace System (NAS). According to the report that analyzed […]
Scholarship recipients revealed
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The National Air Transportation Foundation (NATF) has revealed the winners of the Dan L. Meisinger Sr. Memorial Learn to Fly Scholarship and Pioneers of Flight Scholarship.NATF annually awards academic and flight training scholarships to assist outstanding candidates in the pursuit of careers in aviation service businesses. Matthew Bettmeng, a student at Embry […]
Seaplane pilot misjudges altitude over glassy lake
The pilot of the float-equipped Cessna 206 reported that he intended to practice water landings and operations after about seven months of seaplane inactivity due to winter. He was flying above a lake in Gilford, N.H., with glassy water conditions surveying the surface for ice or other hazards when the airplane’s floats inadvertently contacted the […]
Air Racing from the Cockpit: Speed kings
Dispatch from T74, Taylor, Texas: I’m singing out loud, off-key, in the cockpit. I can do this because I’m alone in the plane. I’m not normally the singing type, but I’m in a buoyant mood. First, after a weather delay, we’re finally on the race course. Second I’m flying. And third, my airspeed indicator is showing […]