The Iowa state legislature has created a dedicated state aviation fund. Revenues from aircraft registration and aviation fuel taxes will begin to flow into the fund beginning in July 2007, and will be subject to annual appropriations by the legislature. In FY2008, 50% of the registration and fuel tax revenues will flow into the fund […]
Boom times reported by GA manufacturers
GA manufacturers recorded the highest first quarter billings in history, according to the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA). Billings for the industry totaled $4 billion, an increase of 39.7%, compared to $2.9 billion for the first quarter of 2005. Shipments for the first three months of 2006 totaled 845, a 34.1% increase over the 630 […]
What’s in a name?
Does your aircraft have personality? “They all do,” insists Danny Groggins, an official with Legend Aircraft Co., as he taxied the Texas company’s latest plane, a Cub Special named “Baloo,” to a display area at Sun ‘n Fun. “We named this one Baloo because it’s blue and because of the cartoon character. Baloo was the […]
A cup a day sends an aspiring pilot on her way
Many enterprising aviators ran lemonade and Kool-Aid stands in their youth to raise money for flight training. Café Avion, an organic coffee roasting company based in Coeur D’Alene, Idaho, is taking that idea to a new level by making a donation to the Ninety-Nines scholarship fund for every pound of its Aviatrix blend purchased. “I […]
Prove it!
When I was a small boy, if a schoolmate made a statement with which another disagreed, the accepted rejoinder was “Prove it!” Later on, having discovered an interest in science, I learned that this is an appropriate response to any theory. “Prove it.” Today, however, theories abound, proofs are as scarce as hens’ teeth, and […]
A simple solution to FAA’s funding woes
I continue to be astonished by what appears to be the inability of both the FAA and those now debating its funding sources to perceive a blinding flash of the obvious that surrounds the passenger excise tax issue. The portion of FAA income that does not originate from general fund revenues contributed by all income […]
Drawings could revitalize GA
GAN could sell more issues than it could print! The thousands of model builders would subscribe if you would publish three-view drawings of all popular personal airplanes as you just did on the cover of the April 7 issue. You could add to those all owners who would like to plan their own T-hangars as […]
Vertical engines for kit-built heilcopters
I have been traveling and was way behind in my reading. I saw your comments regarding a vertical piston engine for a homebuilt helicoper (Ask Paul: What’s the best engine for a kit-built helicopter? March 10 issue). The Brantly used the V0-360 with a carb for the model B-2 and B-2A. I owned the TC […]
Sikorsky’s S-38: The Beauty and the Beast
Dave Paulley, who is known for Western art as well as aviation art, has an affinity for stories of the Golden Era of aviation – the late 1920s and 1930s. One of his favorite subjects is seaplanes because of their artistic beauty and the adventuresome stories they have to tell. One plane in particular, the […]