This April 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: Cirrus SR22. Injuries: 1 Fatal. Location: Big Bear City, Calif. Aircraft damage: Destroyed. What reportedly happened: According to family members, the pilot made the […]
First flight of Stinson Model O replica
The first flight of a full-scale replica of a 1933 Stinson Model O, or Senior Trainer, was made Wednesday, March 24, at the Scappoose Airport (SPB), just outside of Portland Ore. The plane is the result of 28 months of work by the craftsman of Evergreen Aviation Services and Restoration, a part of Overall Aircraft […]
Cardinal Flyers Unite!
There are benefits to throwing the door open and seeing who comes sauntering through it. If airports thrive on traffic and visitors, perhaps there is benefit to hosting fly-ins both large and small throughout the year, whenever the opportunity presents itself. Failing the willingness of the management to host the event, why not let the […]
FAA girds to prevent cyber attacks
“America is at war,” FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt told attendees at an agency information technology conference. Malicious attacks on the FAA’s computer system and industrial networks are occurring at an unprecedented rate, he said, adding that it is an evolving menace on an international scale. The FAA gets pinged every minute of every hour of […]
Flight for the Human Spirit takeoff delayed
Forecasted high winds, along with rain showers and gusty winds in Missouri, prompted the decision by the Flight for the Human Spirit mission control team to cancel the takeoff planned for Monday morning from the America Jet hangar at the Salina Municipal Airport (SLN). “I had set this date almost two years ago, but had […]
More on glass cockpits
LETTER TO THE EDITOR Re: Glass cockpits haven’t boosted GA safety: The FAA is right on. So-called glass cockpit pilots need more training, but more than that, other issues remain which the article did not mention. First, they present an enormous amount of pilot distraction. Look at a typical layout with its scores of buttons […]
Hawker Beechcraft partners with university
As an expansion to a strategic partnership, Hawker Beechcraft Corp. will transfer the equipment and operations of its electromagnetic compatibility, mechanical and environmental test laboratories to the National Institute for Aviation Research (NIAR) at Wichita State University (WSU). This is the second collaboration between NIAR and the company, signifying a unique university/industry relationship. NIAR currently […]
Distressing news about distress calls
The FAA hears distress calls from pilots facing emergencies. How well it responds is a different matter, according to an Associated Press story in the New York Times. The story begins with the tale of Sam Smiley, who crashed in Georgia after his plane failed to clear a mountain ridge. The 78-year-old survived the crash, […]
Alphabet groups join to lobby for bonus depreciation renewal
More than 80 alphabet groups, ranging from the National Business Aviation Association to the American Institute of Architects, have written to leaders of the House of Representatives and Senate urging elected officials to “work in a bipartisan manner to renew the recently expired bonus depreciation law through at least 2010.” The temporary 50% bonus depreciation […]