When the Washington State legislative session ended March 11, pilots thought they could breathe a sigh of relief. That’s because legislators did not take any action on a proposed aircraft excise tax that represented a potential 1,400% increase — or more — over previous aircraft registration fees. But that relief was short-lived as lawmakers were […]
Senate and House to try after recess to reconcile FAA reauthorization
When the Senate finally passed an FAA reauthorization bill, it appeared there would finally be an end to the string of extensions that have been needed to keep the FAA afloat. But, alas, it was not to be. The 12th three-month extension passed both houses of Congress just before they broke for the Easter recess […]
CAP aircrews rack up hours in flood missions
Aircrews from the Minnesota Wing of the Civil Air Patrol have accumulated more than 100 hours of high-tech flying time in recent days, supporting disaster relief efforts in the Red River Valley in North Dakota. “Minnesota Wing has a reputation of excellence and providing a strong response when called upon. This has been demonstrated repeatedly […]
Sun ‘n Fun goes green
When you think of environmentally friendly products and services, aviation may not be the first industry that comes to mind. But Sun ‘n Fun officials are working to change all that with the return of an exhibit area known as “GreenSpace,” which will have a prominent location at this year’s fly-in, slated for April 13-18 […]
LAL awarded $2.4 million grant
Lakeland Linder Regional Airport (LAL) in Florida, home to the Sun ‘n Fun Fly-In, has been awarded a $2.4 million grant from the FAA. The funds will be used for taxiway improvements designed to alleviate complex geometric intersections and improve the safety of taxiing aircraft at the airport, officials said. Construction is scheduled to begin […]
FAA issue safety warning for high-performance homebuilts
The FAA has issued an Information for Operators (InFO) safety advisory for owners of amateur-built experimental Lancairs and other homebuilts “possessing high wing loading and stall speeds in excess of 61 knots.” According to the InFO, released March 9, an FAA analysis of fatal accidents for airplanes operating under an experimental airworthiness certificate, such as […]
Are you a Whiz Wheel Master?
To help pilots learn the many functions of the manual E6B, Sporty’s has released a CD-ROM training course titled “Virtual Tips & Tricks for the Manual E6B.” Through the use of detailed graphics and narrated animations, every calculation is demonstrated and explained, Sporty’s officials said, noting all the features of Manual E6B flight computers are […]
Red Bull Air Races take off
Austria’s Hannes Arch won the first point of the 2010 Red Bull Air Race World Championship by posting the fastest time in Qualifying on Friday, March 26, ahead of Saturday’s season opener in Abu Dhabi. Defending champion Paul Bonhomme of Britain made a dash to try to beat Arch and snatch the one point away […]
‘Aviation Saves’ Open House slated at APA
The Centennial Airport Business Association (CABA) will showcase the contributions of Centennial Airport (APA) and its many aviation-related businesses and activities to the Denver area during its first-ever “Aviation Saves” Open House, scheduled for April 28 from 12-7 p.m. on the ramp between the Signature Flight Support and XJet facilities. The event is open to […]