This column is for the optimists — those rare individuals who read the same tea leaves as everyone else, but see an entirely different future. They see potential. They recognize opportunities. Yet they are the very same folks who squeeze a dollar until it squeals, resist opening their wallets unless it’s absolutely necessary, and keep their […]
Aviation News
SocialFlight.com Event of the Week: WAAAM’s Second Saturday
The Second Saturday of each month, the Western Antique Airplane & Automobile Museum (WAAAM) in Hood River, Oregon, opens the doors to roll out and run some of its antique airplanes and cars. Visitors can watch airplane operations up close and may get to ride in old cars too. The museum is one of the last […]
SQ1 will keep ’em charged
Electronic devices surround us. Personally, I think they are descendants of bunnies. They seem to multiply just as fast. And with that rapidly growing population of electronics comes a voracious appetite for power. Power is easy to come by if you are at your home or office. But what if you’re on a cross-country (aerial […]
Sport Air Racing League prepares for takeoff
Entries are now open for early events in the Sport Air Racing League — billed as racing for the rest of us. The Sport Air Racing League has offered open course cross-country speed air racing since 2007. All pilots and all fixed-wing propeller-driven aircraft are eligible to participate. “Yes, any pilot can be an air racer,” […]
The Frugal Pilot book published
Dan Ramsey, who wrote The Frugal Pilot column for General Aviation News for the past few years, has published “The Frugal Pilot: How to Fly on a Budget.” In the book, Ramsey includes hundreds of tips on aircraft maintenance, price shopping, barter and trade, multitask flying, co-ownership, partnerships, flying clubs, reducing taxes, owner maintenance, selecting […]
Mechanical issue brings down RV-9A
The pilot reported that, during the approach to landing, the RV-9A’s propeller stopped spinning, but that the engine continued functioning normally. He subsequently made a forced landing to a field near Apopka, Fla. During the landing, the plane flipped over and came to rest inverted, which resulted in substantial damage to the wings and vertical […]
Picture of the day: A new pilot
Robert Blankenheim recently sent in this photo, taken at Van Nuys Airport (VNY) in Southern California, explaining: “I recently became a private pilot this past September. This is one of my favorite pics this year.”
Tip: Addicted to ADS-B
Dan Torres from Baldwin, N.Y., notes that he’s been equipped with ADS-B for almost two years now and admits he’s now “addicted.” I have a Garmin 430W and a Garmin GDL-88. I decided on the GDL 88 about eight months after I had the 430W installed. The cost for the GDL-88 at the time was about […]
The day I groundlooped a Baron
By JEB BURNSIDE. Flying the same aircraft all the time can be boring after a while. It’s an affliction most aircraft owners share, though it’s not one to generate much sympathy from non-owners. But after months and years flying the same familiar flivver, one begins to seek out new opportunities, different aircraft and even additional ratings. So […]