Aircraft Spruce & Specialty Co. now offers an online Live Chat service that allows customers to get real-time responses to their questions. Log on to the Aircraft Spruce website, click on Live Chat, and then select Product Support, Avionics, International Sales, Website Support, or Customer Service, and a representative will be available for assistance. For more […]
Miller introduces ArcStation
Miller Electric Mfg. Co. introduces ArcStation, a workstation designed specifically for welding and metalworking. ArcStation models start at $352 and are customized from there. Welders choose an approximately 30- x 30-in. or 30- x 60-in. table, a 3/16- or 3/8-in. tabletop, and customize it with optional accessories, including an X-Pattern tabeltop, X-Clamps, tool chest, weld […]
Spatial disorientation, structural overload kills two
This December 2007 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 210. Location: Bloomfield, Ky. Injuries: 2 Fatal. Aircraft damage: Destroyed. What reportedly happened: The private pilot’s logbook showed he had logged 1,650 hours, […]
California pilots fight power plant next to C83
Some pilots are trying to convince the California Energy Commission that power plants and pilots don’t mix. The pilots are opposed to the construction of a gas-fired power plant near the Byron Airport (C83) in Alameda County east of San Francisco. Pilots are worried that the emissions coming from the proposed smoke stack, which will […]
Winter Haven invests in GIF
While municipalities across the nation struggle with debilitating fiscal woes, record unemployment, and depressed property values, Winter Haven, Florida, has taken an unexpected but welcome turn. This small, central Florida city has adopted a decidedly pro-aviation stance that has led to the investment of millions of dollars into Gilbert Field (GIF), and the decision to […]
Barnhart receives Sorenson award
Kurt Barnhart, professor and head of Kansas State University’s Department of Aviation, was awarded the Frank E. Sorenson Award for 2009 by the University Aviation Association. The Sorenson Award was presented at the UAA Fall Education Conference Awards Banquet in Wichita, Kan. The Sorenson Professional Educator Award is presented to professional educators who have made […]
Zenith & AMD 601XL under intense scrutiny
SPLOG By DAN JOHNSON Bad as in-flight break-up accidents are, many opinions blur the big picture. Last spring NTSB recommended FAA “ground the fleet,” so to say, of Zenith Air and AMD’s CH-601 aircraft. FAA chose further study. When additional CH-601s became involved, media outlets and other organizations jumped on the bandwagon. Let’s review: The […]
LSA website boosts free content
A well-known aviation businessman once said, “Pilots are information starved; they read anything and everything that pertains to their area of interest.” With that in mind, leading Light Sport Aircraft (LSA) website, ByDanJohnson.com, now offers a larger array of content after enlisting professional blogger, James Lawrence. Lawrence is the LSA editor for Plane & Pilot […]
Cockpit safety checklists takeoff in hospitals
Procedural checklists modeled after preflight checklists used by pilots seem to encourage safe practices among medical personnel. According to a story at MedPageToday.com, medical personnel who used checklists were more likely to report safety-related incidents and feel empowered to address safety issues. The checklists, it seems, helps medical staff who may be uncomfortable confronting doctors […]