Now that cold weather is here, I get asked quite often, “How long should I warm up my engine before I drive/fly off?” As always, there is no simple answer. Part of the reason we warm up our vehicles is to get the heater going. But there are technical reasons to warm up our cars […]
General Aviation
‘The show is back on’
When Dee Hanson, Executive Director of the Alaska Airmen’s Association called on Thursday, she sounded relieved. The first words out of her mouth were, “The show is back on.” The “show” is the annual Great Alaska Aviation Gathering. Until Thursday, there was doubt about an 18th annual show taking place in the FedEx Express maintenance […]
FAA funding secured through September 2015
Congress has passed a spending bill that keeps the FAA, and other government agencies, funded through the end of the fiscal year in September 2015, according to a report at AOPA.org. The bill includes $12.4 billion for the FAA, approximately $17 million less than the FAA’s 2014 funding level. It also covers full operation of the air traffic […]
Sporty’s launches Cessna 172LITE project
Sporty’s has launched its new Cessna 172LITE project, acquiring Cessna 172s and equipping them with basic flight instruments. In fact, the only avionics are a communications radio and a transponder. A factor not usually considered in attracting new pilot starts is today’s trainers overwhelm beginning students as they stare at dozens of switches, buttons and […]
Nominations open for Lightspeed Aviation Foundation grants
Nominations and applications for Lightspeed Aviation Foundation’s 2015 grant program are now open. The deadline to receive nominations is Jan. 31, 2015, midnight PST. Applications will be accepted until Feb. 6, 2015, at midnight PST. Each year, the Lightspeed Aviation Foundation recognizes a select group of aviation nonprofit organizations that are actively promoting growth in aviation or […]
National Aviation Hall of Fame reveals Class of 2015
DAYTON, Ohio — The National Aviation Hall of Fame (NAHF) has revealed the names of four individuals who have been elected for enshrinement at its annual formal ceremony, Oct. 2, 2015 in Dayton. On that night they will officially join the roster of 225 men and women air and space pioneers who have been inducted by the […]
Improper parts for Piper
Aircraft: Piper Arrow. Injuries: 1 Serious. Location: Lock Haven, Pa. Aircraft damage: Substantial. What reportedly happened: According to the pilot, when the airplane was in cruise flight at 7,500 feet, the engine began to “surge,” then stopped producing power. The pilot selected a forced landing area in a clearing, but the plane lacked enough altitude […]
Picture of the day: Swapping rides with Burt Rutan
Mike Kincaid from Idaho sent in this photo from a ride swap he did with famed airplane designer Burt Rutan:
And then this happened
Syd Jones is not your average guy. From his early adulthood, he’s been…let’s say, unique. Not content to follow the traditional path of a young man fresh out of an educational institution, Syd didn’t find the idea of a regular, stable office job to be all that appealing. Hunting for pirate treasure? Well that’s something […]