Last May, John and Debra McBean, former SkyStar employees and owners of Sport Plane LLC, an Idaho-based builder’s assist center, purchased the assets of SkyStar Aircraft Corp., makers of the popular Kitfox. The McBeans announced their intentions to continue manufacturing kits. But as anyone who has been in the aviation business for even a short […]
New jet center markes new age for California airport
Two years ago pilots and airport officials at Buchanan Field (CCR) in Concord, Calif., were fighting a developer’s plan to close the airport to make way for homes and a shopping center. When the FAA and the local community raised objections, the developer dropped the idea. It was then that — finally — airport officials […]
F-14’s seized by Uncle Sam
Four retired and stripped F-14 aircraft were seized recently by the federal government as the result of a 17-month investigation into the illegal sale of aircraft parts to Iran. The aircraft, including three that were at museums at the Chino Airport in Southern California and one that was a Hollywood prop, had been in civilian […]
Airport vs. an old-growth forest: Which will be left standing?
Every pilot thinks that his airport is special. Sky Harbor Airport (KDYT) in Duluth, Minn., is special for several reasons, or so say pilots, the people who live near the airport and the government agencies that are charged with managing and protecting not only the airport, but the surrounding area. Sky Harbor Airport, as the […]
Developer’s plans shot down by pilots — and everyone else
When a developer started eyeing a piece of property for a housing development less than a mile from Centennial Airport (APA) in Centennial, Colo., just outside Denver, it wasn’t just the aviation community that raised the alarm. The business community and local homeowners association raised the cries of opposition, as well. The proposal was to […]
Chicago’s DuPage Airport: A study in preparation and protection
You may have heard the saying, “Proper planning prevents poor performance.” They certainly have at DuPage Airport (DPA) in West Chicago. Careful planning has helped make the airport one of the key economic engines in the Chicago area. It didn’t happen overnight, notes Michael Masciola, director of business development and marketing for the DuPage Airport […]
Burglar breaks into Evergreen Aviation Museum: Damages still being calculated at the home of the Spruce Goose
The Evergreen Aviation Museum in McMinnville, Ore., had an unexpected — and unwelcome — early morning guest March 19 when a man broke into the facility. According to Captain Dennis Marks of the McMinnville Police Department, 19-year-old Gerald Lahey, a transient, smashed a window in the rear of the museum to gain access to the […]
Most Memorable Aviation Records of 2006 named
The National Aeronautic Association (NAA) has unveiled its annual list detailing the Most Memorable Aviation Records of the previous year. Each year NAA tracks dozens of aviation record attempts, certifying new records as the official record keeper for United States aviation and ratifying them with the Federation Aeronautique Internationale, the world air sports federation. Here […]
An “X Prize” for LSA
In 2005, NASA teamed with the Comparative Aircraft Flight Efficiency (CAFE) Foundation to host the Personal Air Vehicle Centennial Challenge (PAV CC), a $250,000 annual flight competition for small aircraft. “PAV CC is modeled after the ‘X Prize’ and embodies NASA’s commitment to the first ‘A’ in NASA: Aeronautics,” explained CAFE President Brien Seeley. As […]