I received numerous comments about my recent article on the bonehead editorial in another magazine that called for the removal of brain-dumbing lead from avgas (Misguided public opinion could end avgas, April 20 issue). One of the notes was from a Dr. Lyons concerning the futility of trying to replace leaded avgas. He also pointed […]
June 2005 Accident Report
The inadvertent encounter with instrument meteorological conditions and failure to maintain adequate terrain clearance, which resulted in controlled flight into the terrain. Contributing factors were the pilots’ delayed decision to reverse course, and the low clouds, which obscured the rising terrain.
“The Greatest Airplane Ever”: It’s a matter of opinion, but three stand out
When we asked our readers to name The Greatest Airplane Ever, we expected – and got – a wide variety of opinions. What fascinated us, though, was the consistency more than the variety. The DC-3 and its C-47 military variant won, but not by much, followed very closely by the Piper Cub and the Wright […]
How can you help when disaster strikes?
June is the start of hurricane season and, in the southern part of the country, residents are bracing for the worst. The latest prediction from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Climate Prediction Center projects 13 to 17 named storms. Seven to 10 are expected to become hurricanes, with three to five possible “major” […]
A new way to reach kids: Todd Trainor hopes Aircraft Trading Cards will inspire dreams of flight
Like many good ideas, Aircraft Trading Cards was born because of a young child’s dreams. Todd Trainor’s 6-year-old nephew was bitten by the flying bug after a Young Eagles flight. And, like most kids these days, he also was fascinated by the Pokemon cards that are all the rage today. Unfortunately, his mother said no […]
Frustrations abound with FSS: Lockheed Martin working to fix problems, but pilots say transition glitches compromise safety
It started out as frustration for Dave Davidson, a veteran GA pilot from Texas. Now he’s angry — like so many other pilots who have tried, and failed, to contact a Flight Service Station run by Lockheed Martin. “This is a big mess,” said Davidson who, at 86, has been flying for more than 64 […]
‘Red Tail Reborn’ makes its air show debut at this summer’s AirVenture
The documentary film “Red Tail Reborn,” which tells the story of the Tuskegee Airmen, the first African Americans to serve as military pilots, has been added to the 2007 AirVenture schedule. Michael Dorn, an actor and accomplished pilot who is known around the world for his portrayal of Commander Worf in the Star Trek franchise, […]
Airport workers wrangle wallaby
Baggage handlers at Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC) became animal wranglers, albeit briefly, when a wallaby staged an escape recently. The animal was on its way to a family-owned zoo and animal preserve near Deadwood, South Dakota, when he managed to escape the kennel that held him and a female wallaby. The female wallaby […]
Russell Shavitz’s 195 proves looks can be deceiving
The “you can’t judge a book by its cover” adage goes for airplanes as well as people. When we spotted a black, orange, gold and yellow Cessna 195 with the image of a black widow spider on it in the vintage display area at this year’s Sun ‘n Fun, General Aviation News photographer Will Jones […]