Can you imagine riding a ribbon into space like it is an elevator? “It’s possible if the ribbon is made from carbon nano tubing,” says Michael Laine, president of the LiftPort Group, which is developing a Space Elevator using the technology. “Carbon nano tubing is an ultra-strong, lightweight material. It is at least 20 times […]
On ‘Chemtrail’ and other irrationalities, including NORAD’s
If you’ve never heard of chemtrails, don’t feel badly. I thought I’d heard most of the nutty notions affecting aviation, until a friend suggested running a Google search on chemtrails. Try it. You’ll be astonished by the concept, to begin with, and the enormous number of pages devoted to it. In sum, chemtrails enthusiasts say […]
Time for FAA to end all hope?
John “JT” Helms clarified his point very well and his concern for rising insurance premiums is mine as well. And I think we can agree that insuring Sport Pilot pilots is a can of worms that will sort itself out as a history of insurance claims develops. If John’s point of view is the basis […]
More on the Sport Pilot Medical
In reply to Bob Mackey’s letter and the others which claimed I missed the point in my initial letter (Could medical kill Sport Pilot, Dec. 2, 2005, issue): You apparently didn’t read the original article (Pilots still frustrated by Sport Pilot medical, Oct. 21, 2005, issue). The intent of the original article was clearly to […]
What about AOPA’s Boyer
Regarding your Feb. 17 article “How innovation can save our airports” by Thomas F. Norton regarding the statement: “William T. Piper thought that every village in the United States should have an airport and, from the 1930s until his death in 1970, campaigned tirelessly and often successfully toward that end. Today it is Vern Raburn, […]
‘Black Cat’
Every picture has a story behind it and this one is no exception. In fact, it has more than one story. “”Black Cat”” by William Phillips is one of 10 paintings the artist did for the United States Postal Service for a series of stamps that depict “”American Advances in Aviation.”” A series of stamps […]
FAA officials use growth in number of airline flights to tout user fees
WASHINGTON, D.C. — General aviation flight hours are expected to grow at a rate of 3.2% a year for the next 10 years Meanwhile, airline passenger count is forecast to grow at a rate of 3% a year, but there will be more flights with air carriers using smaller regional airplanes with lower ticket costs. […]
Stay safe while fueling your plane
Part of the concern over the use of auto gas in aircraft is procedures used to handle the fuel.
Good for the heart
There’s good news for pilots with heart conditions. The FAA recently announced that aviation medical examiners (AMEs) will be able to renew third class medical certificates issued under authorizations for nine heart conditions — myocardial infarction, angina pectoris, coronary artery bypass, angioplasty, stent placement, tissue and mechanical valves replacements, atherectomy (removing plaque from an artery), […]