During a recent newspaper interview about the management of the local airport, the reporter stopped me and asked for clarification. “I’m sorry, “ he said, “What’s an FBO?” “FBO stands for Fixed Base Operator,” I answered. “The FBO is the primary business on most general aviation airports.” The reporter appeared curious, so I expanded on […]
Deliveries down, billings up for GA industry
Just released figures from the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) show that in the first half of 2010, total general aviation airplane shipments fell 9.8%, from 1,039 airplanes in 2009 to 937 this year. Billings for general aviation airplanes totaled $9.40 billion in the second quarter of 2010, up 0.2%. This is the second consecutive […]
‘Promising outlook’ in Rate & Labor Survey
The Aircraft Electronics Association released the results from its 2010 Rate & Labor Survey this week to participating AEA member companies. The complete survey will be available in October online at AEA.net. In comparing this year’s annual survey results with the 2009 Rate & Labor Survey, the AEA discovered a promising business outlook for the […]
America’s Top 10 aviation attractions
TripAdvisor, a travel site, has unveiled its list of the top 10 aviation attractions in the U.S., according to traveler ratings and TripAdvisor Flights experts, who note that America has a rich history as the birthplace of aviation, giving air travel lovers and flying fanatics myriad opportunities to learn more about planes, gliders, shuttles, and […]
The days of bad airport coffee nearing an end?
Freshly roasted and brewed coffee is better. That seemed to be the sentiment of all who tried the “OSH blend” coffee that was served to thousands of workers, vendors and attendees at AirVenture last week in Oshkosh. Rob Riggen, who has been passionate about aviation and coffee since the age of 13, explains, “It has […]
The future of aviation
About 50 years ago TV animators predicted in 2062 that people would be flying to work and using robots for housework. How close are we to that fictional world of the Jetsons and what are the possibilities — at least for aviation and related fields? Futurists, visionaries, entrepreneurs and technologists will explore those questions at […]
Tips to preserve the life of your battery
Concorde Battery Corp. recently issued Technical Bulletin No. 10 “Parasitic Drain” in response to questions throughout the aviation community about the effect of parasitic drain on battery state of charge. A parasitic drain is an electrical load that takes power from the battery even when the Master Switch or Battery Switch is Off. Examples of […]
Aircraft Spruce sponsors Homebuilders’ Hangar at AirVenture
Aircraft Spruce & Specialty Co., a distributor of homebuilt and certificated aircraft supplies, has donated $100,000 to the Experimental Aircraft Association to sponsor the new Homebuilders’ Hangar on the EAA grounds at Oshkosh. During last week’s AirVenture, the Homebuilders’ Hangar was used for presentations by renowned aircraft designers and builders. There also was a social […]
Archer returns to lead Superior Air Parts as new owners expand into China
Tim Archer has been appointed CEO of Superior Aviation, Beijing and its wholly owned subsidiary, U.S.-based Superior Air Parts, Inc. As CEO of Superior Aviation, Beijing, Archer will oversee all day-to-day operations, including directing the completion of a 14,400-square-foot state-of-the-art piston engine production facility in Beijing, China. Once the facility is operational and training is […]