Greensboro, North Carolina-based professional aviation photographer Greg Loflin had the good fortune to capture a truly historic legend in action…an immaculate 1941 PT-17 Stearman named “Sophie.” She is leading the easy life with tender loving care after previously being resurrected from a boneyard and fully restored to near show quality.
The birds and the bees and any given airplane
Literally overnight, a bird of indeterminate breed had begun to set up shop in the engine compartment of my lovely little flivver. Just one night was all it took for a feathered fellow flier to begin to pile kindling onto the face of the oil cooler, in close proximity to a cylinder head, in an effort to establish a warm, safe, weather-protected shelter for herself and her soon-to-be offspring.
Showroom opens for electric flying car
Pre-orders are now being taken for the electric vertical takeoff and landing vehicle, which is priced at $789,000. First flights are expected in 2022, with certification expected in 2026.
Oshkosh 2021 NOTAM includes changes inspired by pilots
The 2021 EAA AirVenture Oshkosh NOTAM includes several important changes suggested by pilots, as well as from an FAA review of arrival and departure procedures. If you are planning to fly in to the big show, this is required reading, according to Experimental Aircraft Association officials.
Museum offers scenic night flights in historic aircraft
The Airbase Arizona Flying Museum is offering two scenic night flights on May 7, and May 21 2021, out of Falcon Field in Mesa, Arizona.
Too much brake breaks RV-6
The pilot’s overapplication of the brakes during landing on a grass runway, which resulted in a nose-over.
Picture of the Day: Flying over 49WA
Ben Carlson submitted this photo and note: “Mike Downing flying his PA-18 over Cougar Mountain Airfield (49WA) in Yelm, Washington.”
Ask Paul: More on removing vacuum pumps
Thanks to a good friend who acts as my “conscience” for my posts, I’ve been advised that I may have mislead those who may be thinking about permanently removing a vacuum pump in a Lycoming engine in a Piper Arrow III.
Mars helicopter logs second successful flight
For this second flight test at Wright Brothers Field, Ingenuity took off at 5:33 a.m. EDT (2:33 a.m. PDT), or 12:33 p.m. local Mars time. But where Flight One topped out at 10 feet above the surface, Ingenuity climbed to 16 feet this time. After the helicopter hovered briefly, its flight control system performed a slight (5°) tilt, allowing some of the thrust from the counter-rotating rotors to accelerate the craft sideways for 7 feet, NASA officials reported.