Reader Mark Priglmeier routinely sends us information about fly-ins and other get-togethers in Minnesota and, when we’re lucky, he includes some wonderful photos. The photos in a recent e-mail were so cool that we wanted to share them with everyone, along with some narration from Mark: “With a week of vacation to spend, I set […]
Austin crash stirs up GA’s critics
WASHINGTON, D.C. — After several years of making forward steps in building public and government support for general aviation, a single act by a disturbed individual saw the industry lose some ground and, again, bring the alphabet groups into an all-hands-on-deck mode of damage control. The individual who deliberately crashed his Piper Cherokee into the […]
Something new: Fly a Hang ‘Copter
I readily admit to being a hang glider pilot at heart. After flying several hundred airplanes, I still consider flying a hang glider to be perhaps THE purest way to fly. I’ve always said that if I could just snap my fingers and be in the air — oh, that it was so simple and […]
FAA releases Zodiac report
Several factors, including a wing structure that does not meet ASTM standards for Light Sport Aircraft, are indicated as causes for Zodiac CH601XL and CH650 aircraft in-flight accidents, according to a report released by the FAA. According to a report at EAA.org, the FAA’s investigation did not indicate a single root cause for the in-flight […]
Embry-Riddle to test biofuel in bid to fly first ‘green fleet’
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University plans to phase in lead-free renewable fuel in its training aircraft, the nation’s largest collegiate fleet. The university is partnering with Swift Enterprises, developer of a biofuel that has been tested by the FAA Technical Center with promising results. “We believe this effort by Embry-Riddle and Swift will guide the way to […]
Perspective on a pilot’s suicide
Responding to last week’s crash of a man angry with the IRS into an Austin, Texas, office building, Craig Fuller, president of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association reached out to pilots and the general public, asking all to keep the event in perspective. He says: This week, the aviation community suddenly found itself at […]
Expanded Nall Report released
The newest edition of general aviation’s annual safety analysis is out, and for the first time, the AOPA Air Safety Foundation’s Joseph T. Nall Report examines helicopters and for-hire GA operations with aircraft weighing 12,500 lbs. or less. “The AOPA Air Safety Foundation has been telling the story of what went wrong for two decades,” […]
Goodrich donates 1929 Taperwing to WACO Historical Society
Goodrich Corp.’s Aircraft Wheels and Brakes team in Troy, Ohio, has donated a 1929 WACO Model CTO “Taperwing” biplane, once owned by famous air racer Joe Mackey, to the WACO Historical Society. Brian Brandewie, president, Goodrich Aircraft Wheels and Brakes said, “Donating Joe Mackey’s Taperwing to the WACO Historical Society underscores the rich aerospace heritage […]
FAA launches NOTAM survey
The FAA System Operations Safety Management, Safety Assurance Group is conducting an assessment of the Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) system. As part of the assessment, the group has created an online questionnaire to gather input from frequent NOTAM users, including flight crews, schedulers and dispatchers. The objective of the assessment is to identify operational issues […]