The United States has the largest and most diverse GA community in the world, with more than 220,000 aircraft — including amateur-built aircraft, rotorcraft, balloons, and highly sophisticated turbojets. The FAA and the GA community are working together to put the right technologies, regulations, and education initiatives in place to improve safety, FAA Administrator Michael Huerta […]
RAF Weekend at Sullivan Lake
This weekend, Aug. 12-14, members of the Recreational Aviation Foundation will fly to Sullivan Lake State Airport (09S) in Metaline Fall, Washington. RAF officials invite all pilots for “scenic beauty, fun and camaraderie.” “Plan to spend the weekend and enjoy all the fun — hiking, swimming, fishing, visiting, and admiring airplanes. There’s lots of room for airplane […]
Airman Certification Standards and you
Now available online, the July/August 2016 issue of FAA Safety Briefing focuses on the world of student pilots and airmen-in-training. The issue provides tips and resources for success in initial pilot certification. It also explores the new Airman Certification Standards (ACS), which begin rolling out this summer. The ACS list the standards for what an applicant […]
Commemorative Air Force to honor WASP
The newest addition to the Commemorative Air Force‘s national educational outreach program is CAF RISE ABOVE: WASP. The initiative will bring the legacy of the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) to a nationwide audience, with the story of a group of women who served their country with distinction. The CAF RISE ABOVE: WASP program is centered […]
Beechcraft introduces 2017 American Bonanza Society Sport Package
Beechcraft unveiled an American Bonanza Society (ABS) Sport Package option for the Beechcraft Bonanza G36 at AirVenture 2016. The factory option includes a custom interior and paint scheme that will be available starting in 2017 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the American Bonanza Society and the 70th anniversary of the longest continuously produced aircraft in history, the […]
Platinum Air Center opens at KJKA
A new FBO, Platinum Air Center, opened its doors July 29 at Jack Edwards Airport (KJKA) in Gulf Shores, Alabama. The independent, family-owned FBO is a member of the Paragon Network of FBOs. Its new facility features a pilots’ lounge, flight planning room, and work stations with high speed WiFi, and a full-service concierge. “While Platinum […]
Failure to open fuel valves brings down Kitfox
During preflight refueling, the Kitfox pilot reported he closed a fuel shutoff valve located at each wing root to prevent cross feeding. Upon starting the engine and preparing for takeoff, he verified that the main fuel valve was in the on position, but failed to open the fuel shutoff valve located on each wing, causing […]
Pictures of the day: Another view of Oshkosh
Will Goldstein of PlaneLogix sent in these photos he snapped at this year’s AirVenture:
The upside of adversity
Something wonderful happened on Aug. 1, 2016, in the sleepy hamlet of Winter Haven, Florida. A flight instructor named Jim Porterfield rifled through pages in his student’s logbook, affixed his signature beneath the exact wording of a required endorsement, then climbed out of the C-150 he’d been instructing his student in. He set his 17-year-old […]