When John King said “you are not normal,” he meant it as high praise for Tracy Atobatele, winner of the 2023 National Association of Flight Instructors/King Schools scholarship.
Loose clamp leads to accident
A loose stand-off clamp which resulted in a throttle assembly malfunction, and the inability of the engine to produce full power during the attempted takeoff.
Picture of the Day: Ready to race
Rich Eisenberg submitted this photo and note: “Deciding on which toy to use.”
Swamp STOL Competition kicks off 2023 series
Cold light rain, experienced pilots, a variety of planes, and a lot of crawfish marked the first stop for the 2023 National STOL Series. The new season kicked off March 17 at the third annual Swamp STOL Competition & Fly-In held at Jennings Airport (3R7) in Louisiana.
Video: There’s nothing like a country hangar
Smitty Smith of FunPlacesToFly.com just posted a new video to YouTube paying homage to his country hangar, which he says he loves because there’s “no tower, no traffic (to speak of), no over-priced hangar leases, no rude FBO, just good friends and peaceful surroundings.”
Long Island mechanic honored
During a special ceremony held April 5, 2023, the FAA awarded its Charles Taylor Master Mechanic Award to Long Island aviation mechanic Ed Libassi.
Unleaded avgas now available at KOXR FBO
Golden West Jet Center at Oxnard Airport (KOXR) is the latest California FBO to offer Swift’s UL94 unleaded aviation gasoline.
A nonchalant pilot plus a fast aircraft equals a safety hazard
Most disturbing is this pilot came back to the airport several days later and I spoke with him, indicating I was his near midair the other day. He made light of it and lied, stating he was trying to look for the windsock.
Picture of the Day: Landing on an island
Bill Peters submitted this photo and note: Landing on grass strip at Sunbury Airport (71N) in Pennsylvania.”