A lightsaber, the weapon made famous by Star Wars movies, will be taken into space aboard the next shuttle, slated for launch in October. The weapon, from the original 1977 Star Wars movie, is on loan from Lucas films. Since the beginning of the space program astronauts have taken trinkets into space. This is first […]
the buzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
“This is the center of the universe. There’s nothing better than being at Oshkosh this week.” — Alan Klapmeier, co-founder of Cirrus Design, on AirVenture’s opening day “Don’t drop the airplane to fly the radio. An airplane flies because of Bernoulli, not Marconi.” — GAN contributing writer Mark Grady, who presented an Air Safety Foundation […]
Do you have the Right Stuff? If not, can it be learned?
Everyone knows at least one pilot who has “the right stuff.” “These are the people we trust, whom we look up to — and not just for their stick and rudder skills,” says Bill Rhodes, owner of Aerworthy Consulting, who is kicking off a first-of-its-kind study of what makes a pilot a superior pilot. Dubbed […]
THE LIGHTER SIDE
I just picked up the July 20 edition and read the Scuttlebutt column, “Fear, full frontal nudity. . .and real estate.” Excellent humor! Loved the part about “I want my mommy” when given clearance for a “full approach!” I’m a retired Army aviator now working for Era Helicopters in Lake Charles, La. It’s refreshing to see […]
NO AMOUNT OF MONEY
Being a retired flight instructor, I really enjoyed the article “Why can’t you find a CFI?” in the July 20 issue. The comments of all the people who contributed to that article brought back a lot of memories and this is one of them: We rolled to a stop and I got out of the […]
The stars of the show
Getting a T-shirt from a big show like AirVenture is cool enough for most kids, but 8-year-old Katherine Schwerman, from Genesee, Wis., took it to the next level. When the self-proclaimed aviation enthusiast went to the WASP exhibit, she got a lot more than she expected when she bought a shirt and some replica WASP […]
Duck and cover
You can tell a lot about a pilot by the pitot cover on his airplane. While there are many who go with the classic sleeve and the red REMOVE BEFORE FLIGHT placard, there are those who — at least at airshows such as AirVenture — take the opportunity to get whimsical. Rubber ducks (sporting aviation […]
FAA administrator moves on: Successor will jumpinto the user fee debate
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Marion Blakey’s term as FAA administrator expires Sept. 13. She will become president of the Aerospace Industries Association (AIA), the lobbying trade group of companies involved primarily with military and commercial aerospace. At one time, nine companies that produced general aviation aircraft and engines were a part of AIA. They were called […]
What’s causing popping noises at low RPM?
I have a high-wing homebuilt aircraft into which I have installed an IO-360-A1B 200-hp Lycoming salvaged from a Lake Amphiban, with 660 TT. My problem is that it makes loud popping noises at low RPM, such as when landing or taxiing. I have a cross-over type exhaust, and have had a mechanic check both the […]