This May 2008 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: Thorp T-18. Injuries: 1 Fatal. Location: Kent, Wash. Aircraft damage: Destroyed. What reportedly happened: The ATP-rated pilot, 69, held a variety of certificates including […]
How you can prepare for the end of 100LL
I am constantly asked what we can do to prepare for the coming fuel debacle if no timely replacement for 100LL is found. Work on our aviation alphabets to support two pumps on every airport selling fuel. Some 20 years ago, this was mostly the case. What is ironic is that in the proposals the […]
More on the Death of Common Sense
LETTER TO THE EDITOR Re: The Death of Common Sense: Common sense has been driven out of most airports, but it does still exist here in the boondocks. If the runways are grass — or dirt — and the aircraft do not have radios, or they are not used too much, and the pilots cannot […]
AERO Friedrichshafen 2010
Located on the shores of emerald-green Lake Constance, whose clear waters originate in the nearby Swiss Alps, AERO Friedrichshafen is Europe’s largest trade show dedicated to general aviation. It is also my second home, having worked as an aerodynamicist for the German aircaft maker Dornier in the 1980s. Since marrying a Lake Constance fräulein in […]
Skykits opens new facility in Tennessee
Skykits Corp. has opened a new $2.5 million manufacturing facility at Henry County Airport (PHT) in Paris, Tennessee. Skykits began selling kits and manufacturing ready-to-fly airplanes in Canada in 2004 from designs produced by an Italian company, ICP Srl. “After several expansions in Canada, a move to the U.S. was the next logical step because […]
Largest online collection of aviation images launches
The San Diego Air & Space Museum (SDASM) has launched what could possibly be the largest online collection of aviation images in the world. By using Flickr.com, the entire SDASM Library & Archives digitized photo collection will eventually be viewable via the Internet anywhere in the world. To date, 64,000 images have been uploaded, and […]
‘The Last Time’ plans record-setting DC-3 flight
The world’s largest reunion of Douglas DC-3s since World War II, dubbed “The Last Time”, has appointed eight industry experts to assist in the planning for an historic and world record-setting formation flight. Not since D-Day in 1944 and the invasion of France have this many vintage aircraft planned to operate together in flight, organizers […]
Lee appointed to CAP Board of Governors
One of the Civil Air Patrol’s longest-serving and most active members, Lt. Col. Edward F. “Ned” Lee of the California Wing, has been appointed to the nonprofit, all-volunteer organization’s Board of Governors. In his 40-plus years as both a CAP cadet and senior member, Lee – a retired Army National Guard infantry officer and presiding […]
MIT-led team designs ‘green’ airplane
An MIT-led team has designed a green airplane that is estimated to use 70% less fuel than current planes while also reducing noise and emission of nitrogen oxides (NOx). The design was one of two that the team, led by faculty from the Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics, presented to NASA last month as part […]