The AOPA Air Safety Foundation (ASF) has published a special report for pilots who fly technically advanced aircraft (TAA). Titled “Technically Advanced Aircraft Safety and Training,” the report outlines a training syllabus, compares accidents of TAA and traditional aircraft, and includes NTSB accident narratives and Aviation Safety Reporting System reports. The FAA defines TAA as […]
Disney goes to war
During World War II, many Disney designs were used for squadron and unit patches, as well as nose art for aircraft. It began in the pre-war days — 1939 to be exact — when the United States Navy asked Walt Disney to design a badge. Disney came up with a cartoon showing a wasp with […]
Fulfill a flying fantasy
Starting June 1, groups of 10 or more airplanes will be granted pre-approved permission to fly in for the day to Fantasy of Flight in Polk City, Fla. Individual planes will not be able to fly in, but prearranged and preapproved groups of 10 planes or more will be able to make reservations to fly […]
Passenger lands plane after pilot dies
A passenger on board a twin-engine private plane was forced to take over the controls and land the airplane when the pilot suffered a heart attack in flight. According to the Associated Press, the pilot, Douglas Reichardt of Henderson, Nev., filed a flight plan to San Diego on May 6. Reichardt and his passengers departed […]
AOPA Fly-In slated
The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) will host its 15th Annual Fly-In & Open House at AOPA headquarters on the Frederick Municipal Airport in Frederick, Md., June 4. Thousands of members and other pilots are expected to attend the free event, which is the nation’s largest one-day fly-in event. Meanwhile, Bruce Landsberg, executive director […]
Relax, it’s one of ours
The sight of a C-17 doing low approaches at a civilian airport in the San Francisco Bay area generated a flood of panicked phone calls to authorities and the news media on Tuesday, April 26. The large transport, out of McGuire AFB in New Jersey, had come to Buchanan Field Airport (CCR) in Contra Costa […]
MotoArt: Taking aviation junk and turning it into modern art
It has been said that one man’s trash is another man’s treasure. In the case of MotoArt, one man’s piece of junk is another man’s high-end executive desk. Founded in 2002, the Southern California-based company takes pieces from old airplanes, such as wheels from Boeing 707s, doors from C-119s, training bombs and old propellers, and […]
Javelin hits another milestone
Another milestone has been reached for the Javelin jet: permanent installation of the specially modified Williams FJ33-4-15M turbofan engines. The Williams engines have been modified to include an inverted oil system to allow for aerobatic flight, noted officials with Aviation Technology Group, the Englewood, Colo.-based company behind the jet. Along with the engines, the vertical […]
Kansas pilot shot in head while looking for suspect
A Kansas pilot assisting sheriff’s deputies in apprehending a suspect took a bullet to the head, but was still able to land the aircraft. Pilot Mike Spicer and passenger Arnie Knoettgen launched on April 29 from Clay Center Municipal Airport (CYW) in Spicer’s Cessna 150 at the request of law enforcement authorities. Spicer, who has […]