There’s probably no one more surprised than North Carolina pilot Dawson Simmons that he spends May to October in Alaska, flying guests in an iconic bush plane to some of the most beautiful fishing and hunting locations in the world.
Pilots
A Ray of Hope for the 1940 Air Terminal Museum
Housed in a terminal at KHOU that is on the National Register of Historic Places, the museum is also going through a review by the Texas Historical Commission that could provide a framework for reopening.
Grant, Volunteers Tapped To Improve S45
The Recreational Aviation Foundation has awarded a grant to rehabilitate the campground at Siletz Bay State Airport (S45), near the small community of Lincoln Beach on the Oregon coast.
Aviation Garden Gnome Debuts
Sitting on a bright red airplane, the gnome features a solar-powered LED light that illuminates the airplane’s nose cone at dusk, automatically charging by day — no cords or batteries required.
Pilot Lands Gear Up When Distracted By Busy Pattern
Probable Cause: The pilot’s failure to lower the landing gear before touchdown, which resulted in a gear-up landing.
Picture of the Day: Fond Memories
Tom Sharpe submitted this photo and note: “My RV-8A sitting on the ramp at Rockingham County NC Shiloh Airport (KSIF) in Reidsville, North Carolina. KSIF recently celebrated its 50th anniversary. I was one of — if not the first — CFI to instruct there 50 years ago. Fond memories.”
Deep Pockets
A number of issues remain affecting general aviation’s transition to unleaded avgas. Perhaps the most important is the three companies working on the solution lack “deep pockets” in a very litigious society.
Historic Palms To Pines Air Race Returns in 2026
Teams will compete across a multi-leg route from Southern California to Madras, Oregon, combining precision flying, cross-country strategy, and teamwork.
Free Aviation Safety Webinar Focuses on the Silent In-Flight Emergency
Lightspeed Aviation is presenting a free safety webinar, “Carbon Monoxide: The Silent In-Flight Emergency,” featuring Axel Alvarez, March 26, 2026.