BAKERSFIELD, Calif. — The Minter Field Air Museum’s Annual Founder’s Day Banquet will be held Saturday, Feb.20. Guest speaker is Dick Rutan. Rutan spent two decades as a USAF pilot, retiring as a Lt. Colonel. Most of his time was spent in Tactical Air Command. During the Vietnam War he flew 325 combat missions. His […]
LoPresti introduces BoomBeam for Learjets
SEBASTIAN, Florida — LoPresti Aviation has introduced the BoomBeam HID light kit for Learjet 45 and 75. “The Lear 45 system uses our latest technology 85 watt ballast and our newest generation of light reflectors,” said David LoPresti, vice president. “You can add our lights to just the taxi position or landing/recognition ‘belly lights’ or […]
Pilot’s overreaction proves fatal
The Beech 95-B55 was inbound to the airport in LaGrange, Ga., conducting an instrument approach in visual meteorological conditions, when the pilot announced its position over the airport’s common traffic advisory frequency (CTAF). Witnesses described the airplane’s approach as fast and stated that it never touched down. The engines then rapidly accelerated to full power […]
Picture of the day: A bear Cub
Jackson Maddux sent us an email this morning, with the attached reworking of a recent cover in the print issue of General Aviation News. He explains: “My 9 year old decided to make it a ‘bear’ cub flyover (complete with sound effects).” Don’t know what my favorite part is: The “feet” or the sound effects…
Tip: Soundproof your aircraft
There is little doubt headset technology has made flying much more comfortable. But compare the noise level in the cockpit of a late-model four-place airplane to that of new four-place car and the difference is dramatic. Headsets do help, but… Bill Nash, CEO of Super Soundproofing, sent me a helpful link to his Soundproofing Aircraft […]
Why do you fly?
By GRANT BOYD Why do you fly? If you have never been asked this, or asked yourself it, then you have quite a question to tackle. I am sure that many pilots reasons are similar, but all of these aside, we can unanimously agree that flying is pretty cool. I was exposed to aviation as […]
GA shipments drop 4.6% in 2015
WASHINGTON, D.C. — General aviation airplane shipments fell 4.6% last year, from 2,376 aircraft in 2014 to 2,267 in 2015. Billings also dropped, down 4% from $21.8 billion in 2014 to $20.9 billion last year, according to recently released figures from the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA). Shipments of piston-engine airplanes fell for the first […]
GA advocates file more complaints against Santa Monica
The City of Santa Monica has diverted airport funds, charged excessive and unreasonable landing fees, and denied leases on airport property, according to a new Part 16 complaint filed by a group that includes the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA), National Business Aviation Association (NBAA), and airport businesses and tenants. “With this filing we […]
Air Rally dates set, deadline extended for scholarships
This year’s Air Rally, sponsored by Hayward Air Rally, is set for a June 24 departure. Celebrating its 52nd anniversary in 2016, the rally will depart from Hayward, California, (KHWD) to a new destination: Reno Nevada Stead Airport (KRTS).The Hayward Air Rally gives aviators a chance to test their flight planning, navigational skills, pilotage skills, […]