This January 2009 accident report is provided by the National Transportation Safety Board. Published as an educational tool, it is intended to help pilots learn from the misfortunes of others. Aircraft: Piper Seneca. Injuries: Six Fatal. Location: Huntington, W.Va. Aircraft damage: Destroyed. What reportedly happened: The flight was planned for five people aboard the airplane. […]
The OX-5 era
Dennis Parks is Curator Emeritus of Seattle’s Museum of Flight. After the end of World War I, surplus warplanes were dumped on the market at a fraction of their original cost, leaving manufacturers with little demand for new aircraft. Without a doubt this availability of cheap aircraft hindered the development of new aircraft in the […]
Book review: From Props to Jets
If you are enamored with the evolution of the airline industry, “From Props to Jets: Commercial Aviation’s Transition to the Jet Age 1952 to 1962” is a book for you. The 160-page book, written by Jon Proctor, Mike Machat, and Craig Kodera, details the growth of commercial air travel around the world. It covers all […]
Airworthiness bulletins stress Piper corrosion inspections
The FAA has issued five special airworthiness information bulletins (SAIBs) to address potential corrosion problems on a variety of Piper aircraft, according to a report at AOPA.org, which notes that each SAIB highlighted specific problem areas on the Pipers, but all the bulletins urged owners to “increase their focus on inspections.” Read the full report […]
Stratos advances to wind tunnel tests
Stratos Aircraft officials say the Bend, Oregon-based company will conduct wind tunnel testing of the Stratos 714 in April or May of this year. Design and construction of the wind tunnel model has begun and tests will be conducted over a five- to 10-day period. The purpose of the wind tunnel testing is to verify […]
GI flight training bill signed into law
President Barack Obama last week signed into law a bill that expands educational funding opportunities for active duty servicemen and women, for the first time including flight training in eligible programs. Both Houses of Congress passed the “Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Improvements Act of 2010” during the busy lame duck session of the 111th Congress. […]
Long-time Sun ‘n Fun volunteer dies in boating accident
Long-time Sun ‘n Fun volunteer Robert Romanelli was killed Jan. 3 when an explosion occurred on a boat he was on board in Del Ray, Florida. Romanelli, who volunteered at Sun ‘n Fun for 26 years, served as a Classic judge in the Aircraft Judging area and most recently in the Rotorcraft area. “He could […]
PilotMall.com releases flight planning app
PilotMall.com, Inc. has released its Flight Computer iTunes app. This proprietary flight planning application, priced at $6.99, presents pilots with a user-friendly interface and a set of four buttons. Pilots can use Flight Computer as a simple timer or calculator and can easily convert between Nautical, Statute and Metric measurements from length to weight to […]
CubCrafters awarded STC for extended landing gear
CubCrafters has recently been awarded another Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) by the FAA for the new 3X3 (3-by-3) landing gear, available as a modification for all PA-18 Super Cubs. The new design moves the wheels 3 inches forward and 3 inches lower than stock gear and increases the strength of the gear system as a […]