First, you have to define “”greatest;”” that is, the greatest airplane in what respect? Bomber, fighter, transport, general aviation or the greatest fun to fly? The greatest bomber has got to be the Boeing B-52. It’s been our first-line bomber for nearly 60 years and, with modifications and upgrades, it’s expected to be around for […]
Look Sharpe! Tackling Sun ‘n fun with triplets
If you think it is challenging to attend a fly-in with one toddler in a stroller, then you will appreciate the courage of Robbie Sharpe from Greensboro, N.C., who made the scene at Sun ‘n Fun with triplets Cole, Connor and Collin. The boys were 19 months old when they attended the show and, according […]
The numbers don’t add up: Airlines claim they pay 95% of ATC costs, but FAA numbers prove that’s false
The Air Transport Association (ATA), the trade association that represents the airlines, began running television advertisements in airports around the country, late in May. The ad deceptively attempts to mislead viewers into believing that commercial, passenger aircraft are backed up on runways because of congestion caused by small aircraft, that small aircraft somehow get preferential […]
What is normal oil consumption?
I have a 2005 Robinson R-44 Clipper II that I purchased new. The engine is a 540 injected Lycoming. I broke the engine in on mineral oil as suggested and changed to ashless oil after the initial 50 hours of break in. The ship has used about 1 quart of oil per every four hours […]
Alcohol-free fuel: how to find it, how to test it
Jerry Quint of California, part owner of an aircraft with a Jabiru engine, wonders how to go about finding auto fuel that does not contain alcohol. He also wonders how to be sure that the fuel is alcohol free. Jerry Quint of California, part owner of an aircraft with a Jabiru engine, wonders how to […]
May 2005 Accident Reports
A loss of engine power due to an unsecured mixture control cable, which was not properly secured by maintenance personnel during a recent annual inspection.
Tuskegee Airmen receive Congressional Gold Medal
Sixty years after earning fame for their feats in World War II, Congress has bestowed its Gold Medal on the surviving Tuskegee Airmen. “This means that we have recognition at the national level, even 60 years later, that we accomplished something important,” said William Broadwater, 81, of Clinton, Maryland, a bombardier and former Tuskegee Airmen […]
LoCamp kit ready to fly: Charming flying machines with souls as standard equipment
Aerolab, the Italian company that introduced its beautiful LoCamp kit at Sun ‘n Fun last year, has announced that the kits are in production and being shipped. A new Light Sport Aircraft, the LoCamp looks for all the world like an airplane from the early years of aviation, sporting two open cockpits, fabric covering and […]
Xenon takes gyroplanes to a new level
If you’ve ever hankered for rotary wings but couldn’t see yourself flying the typical birdcage gyroplane – or affording a helicopter – take a look at the handsome Xenon. Looking as though a multi-million dollar Agusta helicopter had given birth to a pup, the Xenon is the inspired design of Raphael Celier, whose idea was […]