Knowing your limits is sage advice that applies to everything in life from financial risk to piloting an airplane. But when it comes to aircraft tire wear, it’s all about routine inspection and knowing the facts. Aircraft tires experience wear during taxi, takeoff, and landing. Takeoff generates the most tire wear because the airplane has […]
Kermit Weeks honored by acrobatics society
Fantasy of Flight creator and founder Kermit Weeks was recently honored by the World Acrobatics Society as one of its 2010 Gallery of Legends inductees in the Extreme Sports category. Weeks was tapped for this honor for performance in specialty aerobatic airplanes. Every year WAS selects a GOL recipient in each of seven categories: acrobatics […]
Piper taps two for customer service
Piper Aircraft has promoted two experienced managers to higher positions within the company’s Customer Service organization. Vincent Zarrella has been named director of Customer Service, while Jim Slaton was named senior manager of Parts Sales. Zarrella has nearly 25 years of aircraft support experience, the past eight at Piper in increasingly responsible roles, including his […]
Burt Rutan tribute planned for Oshkosh
Paying tribute to an aviation legend responsible for many unique aircraft designs, EAA AirVenture 2011 will salute Burt Rutan with a special day of recognition. The 59th annual Oshkosh will be July 25-31 at Wittman Regional Airport in Oshkosh. In addition to marking the 25th anniversary of Rutan’s Voyager aircraft around the world flight, AirVenture […]
Unexpected engine start injures two
This December 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: Cessna 150. Injuries: 2 Serious. Location: Palenstine, Texas. Aircraft damage: Substantial. What reportedly happened: The private pilot and a 6-year-old passenger boarded the airplane […]
On the threshold of powered flight
Dennis Parks is Curator Emeritus of Seattle’s Museum of Flight. During the closing years of the 19th century, there were important events that brought the development of aircraft to the edge of powered flight. It was a period of great expectations, full of such developments as the gasoline engine, the automobile, electric lights and the […]
Changes coming for CFI renewal process
The National Association of Flight Instructors (NAFI), representatives of other aviation organizations, and flight instructor renewal clinic (FIRC) providers met with representatives from the FAA’s AFS-800 division in Washington, D.C., this week to discuss updating the flight instructor renewal process to increase safety and reduce the number of GA accidents. According to NAFI officials, the […]
Mica selected chairman of Transportation and Infrastructure Committee
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Rep. John L. Mica (R-Fla.) was confirmed by a vote of the House Republican Conference today to serve as chairman of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure in the 112th Congress. The committee has broad jurisdiction over the nation’s highways, aviation system, transit, rail transportation, pipelines, the Coast Guard, maritime transportation, […]
‘History Detectives’ to film at Seattle museum
On Dec. 13 a crew from the popular PBS summer TV series, “History Detectives,” will visit a Museum of Flight aircraft restoration facility in Seattle to shoot part of their investigation about propaganda leaflets dropped on Japan by U.S. bombers during World War II. The production will make use of the museum’s B-29 bomber, the […]