The city of Chicago has appealed a $33,000 civil penalty imposed by the FAA stemming from the destruction of Meigs Field in March 2003. The FAA requires a 30-day notice be sent before an airport can be closed. City officials claim a 30-day notice was “not practicable” and the park district, which oversaw the airport, […]
Congress creates liabilty shield for Katrina volunteers
The House of Representatives has passed a bill to protect volunteers assisting the victims of Hurricane Katrina from any liability arising from injury and property damage. HR 3736 shields volunteers providing aid, medical treatment and rescue assistance. In the aftermath of Katrina, some relief organizations chose not to use aircraft and other assets offered in […]
The passing of time
Landmarks make a city. Can you imagine Seattle without the Space Needle or St. Louis without the arch? Aviation and history buffs in the Silicon Valley are pondering the idea of a landscape without Hangar One, the dirigible hangar that dominates the grounds of Ames Research Center at Moffett Field. The grand old building, which […]
Worrisome vibration
This morning, I read your answer to Lou Lacy in Ask Paul in the Aug. 5 issue concerning his engine vibration. I have been an FAA CRS certified for dynamic prop balancing since 1991. I would strongly encourage him to investigate and find the problem before he conducts any further flight. I agree he did […]
The pilot diet
It is a bit amazing how poorly pilots eat. It is so common to see beer belly guys around airports and airshows. So it is no surprise Lisa Jenerette got grounded, and apparently she still is, so I wonder what she is doing to change (Maintaining your medical: Grounded by something as simple as not […]
Just say no to mass arrivals
I must commend you for publishing the excellent article by Lisa Kondrick, “Time to get outta Dodge” (Sept. 9 issue) as it relates to the feelings that I have had for years regarding the mass flights to OSH made by type clubs. I have been attending OSH since 1972 in several types of aircraft and have […]
Shuttle Launch promotes record Internet traffic
Where were you when NASA launched Space Shuttle STS-114? Approximately 433,000 people can say they were glued to their computer screens. According to NASA, that’s how many people tapped in to the NASA webcast of the post-Columbia return to space. The event is the most viewed NASA webcast, easily bypassing the number of viewers who […]
When to go REALLY means TO GO
One way to cut the cost of the $100 hamburger is to pack your lunch. Many airport restaurants can help you with this. For example, the owners of Narrows Landing restaurant at the Tacoma Industrial Airport in Washington state now offers boxed lunches for pilots. Each box contains a sandwich of your choice, fruit, cookie […]
The Buzz
“During my 37 years of flying, I have observed the results of hundreds of weather events, including F4 tornados, straight-line winds, microbursts and severe thunderstorms. What I saw today was the equivalent of an F4 tornado that traveled over 100 miles along the Gulf Coast combined with a tidal wave. The difference was, this tornado […]