Summer comes early in South Florida. Temperatures rise into the 80s and 90s while much of the north is still contending with melting snow, cold wind-driven rain, and yet one more oil delivery to keep the furnace running. It’s on such a day that I sit at a picnic table across from George Chase, president […]
Politics for Pilots
The realization of a dream
When the idea of flying first became real to me, I became a voracious reader of aeronautical magazines. My imagination went wild with the idea of not just flying, but of actually owning an airplane. The reality of my situation was somewhat less optimistic than my imagination. For one thing, I was living in a […]
Let’s get inappropriate
I’ve told the story before of my first attempt to get involved in aviation, and my absolutely dismal failure. It was sophomore year at Glastonbury High School in rural central Connecticut. A US Navy recruiter came to speak to students who were open to enlisting in the military. That may seem like no big deal today, but […]
Success starts with a good breakfast
When an idea has merit both literally and metaphorically, I tend to be intrigued. That’s certainly true of the title of this piece. Being successful at pretty much anything begins with a good breakfast. Now, when I say “good,” I don’t mean tasty. I’m not advocating a lifestyle soaked in sugar, massive quantities of carbohydrates, […]
Review, revise, reap the benefits
After years of requiring applicants to operate a complex aircraft in order to earn a commercial pilot certificate (single-engine airplane) or a flight instructor certificate, the FAA recently reversed its own standards to allow commercial applicants and CFI applicants to take the practical test in an aircraft that isn’t complex. No retractable gear, no constant […]
Should vision testing be required for city officials?
After a fire in the Apollo 1 capsule took the lives of Gus Grisson, Ed White, and Roger Chaffee, NASA undertook an investigation. Not so much to lay blame as to understand why the fire happened. With a clear understanding of why, it would be plausible to assume similar tragedies could be prevented in the […]
It’s not the dollars, it’s the imagination
For the past few months I’ve been shopping for a house. Not a particularly big house. Or an impressive one. Just a house that my family and I can move to where we’ll be dry when it rains, warm when it gets cold, and comfortable when the Florida sun beats down in August. If I […]
Is this flying?
Under normal circumstances I’d be writing this column from the comfort of my home office. I probably wouldn’t be wearing closed toe shoes, or long pants, and I sure wouldn’t be wearing a sports jacket. Instead I’m putting this little missive together at Gate 42 among a mass of random people gathered at Orlando International […]
Making connections that count
Generally speaking, most people are pretty decent. Given the chance to offer help to others, they will. Or at least they’ll try. Unfortunately, we often mistake that willingness to assist for the ability to be helpful. Unfortunately, things don’t always work that way. When my middle child was about seven years old, she decided she […]