WASHINGTON, D.C. — Christopher A. Hart’s term as chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board concluded on schedule March 15, 2017, and Vice Chairman Bella Dinh-Zarr now serves as the agency’s acting chairman. Hart will remain at the NTSB, applying his transportation safety expertise in the capacity of a board member. The NTSB has five board members, […]
Aviation News
New Commander nosewheel fairing deflects FOD
Twin Commander Aircraft has engineered a solution to the problem of damage from nosewheel FOD (Foreign Object Debris or Damage) — a nosewheel fairing. Twin Commander’s predecessor company had developed a nosewheel fairing intended to deflect debris, but the design caused significant drag, which forced pilots to use lower airspeeds and angles of attack when the […]
Fuel exhaustion brings down Kitfox
The pilot departed for a local flight in Logan, Utah, with the fuel gauges showing about a quarter full in each fuel tank. The pilot did not perform a visual inspection of the fuel tanks during his pre-flight procedures. About 30 minutes into the flight, he headed back to the airport. Prior to reaching the airport, […]
Generation Gap
Frequent contributor Megan Vande Voort sent us this photo, with a quick note: “A Champ and a Cirrus stay warm.”
Flying the American Dream
By ZAC NOBLE In 1944 Walter Beech was on a mission to build a better mouse trap, aka…airplane. Beechcraft was already successful with its Model 17 Staggerwing and the twin engine Beechcraft Model 18. The 18 was being manufactured to meet the military’s transport and training needs. Beech was convinced that when the war was […]
Video: Behind the scenes at ATC
Air Traffic Control is there to help, but for many new pilots, the other side of the radio is a mystery. In a video tip, Sporty’s goes behind the scenes with Air Traffic Control to learn what tools they use, how they see weather on their screens, how transponder codes work, and what services are […]
Trump budget calls for spinning off ATC
President Donald Trump released his first budget proposal March 16, 2017, which calls for spinning off Air Traffic Control from the FAA to an independent non-government organization. The proposal mirrors that of a report released recently by the Eno Center for Transportation’s Aviation Working Group. “The purpose of spinning off air traffic control from the federal […]
Debate over privatizing ATC: Us vs. Them?
In the space of one week in February, a report calling for sweeping changes to Air Traffic Control, including taking control of ATC from the FAA and putting it in the hands of a non-profit organization funded by user fees, was released, just days after a survey was released showing that most voters oppose privatizing […]
Researchers ask for input from pilots on economic challenges
A team of researchers at George Mason University School of Business have launched a survey on the economic impact of private and sport aviation. While aviation is thrilling, it’s also expensive. That’s led to a “significant” number of aviation enthusiasts grounded, unable to afford such an expensive hobby, according to the researchers. Their study addresses […]