Weather forecasters in the middle of the United States are making better local predictions for pilots thanks to an airborne sensor being tested by NASA’s Aviation Safety Program. Researchers at NASA’s Langley Research Center, Hampton, Va., led the team that designed, built and equipped dozens of Mesaba Airlines planes with the Tropospheric Airborne Meteorological Data […]
Flying into the nation’s busiest airspace? Want a sneak peak?
Thinking about tackling the crowded skies around Atlanta? Get a sneak peek of what you’re in for at ATCMonitor.com. The website recently expanded its coverage of the airspace surrounding Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, the world’s busiest air terminal, adding near real-time radar video and pilot-controller radio communications from the Atlanta regional Terminal Radar Approach Control […]
A quick course on patents
As an active pilot and patent attorney, I enjoyed reading “Texas pilot patents flying motorcycle,” in the Feb. 3, 2006, issue. The article explains that Larry Neal of The Butterfly LLC in Texas recently acquired a new patent to his “flying motorcycle.” After reading the article, I located Mr. Neal’s new patent on the Patent Office website: it’s […]
Another Chicago airport will be a white elephant
I want to take issue with Charles Spence’s comments about the (perhaps) third Chicago Airport (Capital Comments, Jan. 6 issue). Jesse Jackson Jr.’s “Suburban Coalition” consists of ZERO communities in Will County, where the airport is planned. It does include some towns around O’Hare, who will do anything to keep O’Hare from expanding. The fact […]
A loving memory from a long-time reader
I am renewing a three-year subscription to General Aviation News. Here is a little bit of history I wanted to share with you. In 1959 my wife sent in a subscription to the old Northwest Flyer for my birthday. She used my first name and middle initial, which is Robert P. I have always gone […]
A cub made in China?
I have been reading a lot about the Cubcrafters’ complaint (Cub vs. Cub, Dec. 2, 2005 issue). I have read in history books that the Wright brothers were very concerned that someone would copy them and they filed for patents and tried other avenues to stifle competition. This competition is what makes better products and […]
Outstanding service should be recognized
I enjoyed Mark Grady’s column on FBO service (Bad business: Are some airports hurting GA? Jan. 20 issue). It’s nice to see that sometimes “what goes around, comes around.” However, the other side is that service above and beyond should also be recognized. I’d really like to put in a recommendation for the Redding Jet […]
Oil demand a killer for air shows?
The day is soon coming to the aviation community that air shows will need to be drastically limited. The allocation of an increasingly precious commodity can no longer be used for entertainment. Global oil production is nearing its peak. Oil is a finite resource and cannot be economically pumped from the ground forever. The transition […]
Sharing a plane not a new idea
Great article about sharing aircraft (Share a plane, without all the hassle, Feb. 3 issue), but the idea is not at all new! We have been doing this for over 53 years here at East Hill Flying Club in Ithaca, N.Y. Started by Mohawk Airline employees with a PA-11, we now have six aircraft and […]