I learned of the passing of SUN ‘n FUN Fly-In founder Billy Henderson on April 12.
I saw Billy at the April 4 ceremony for the 2019 class of inductees into the Florida Aviation Hall of Fame during SUN ‘n FUN. He had been delivered to the festivities by long-time friend Dale Faux. While Billy looked more frail, he still had his ever-present twinkle in his eyes. [Read more…]
I’m frequently amazed at the connections that come as a result of having a simple conversation with someone.
While walking around chatting up fellow exhibitors at the recent Northwest Aviation Conference in Puyallup, Washington, I had the pleasure of meeting Shawn Christman. He was dutifully standing in his display at JetProp Partnerships.
In short, he owns a beautiful JetProp DLX and is looking for partners. But as we chatted, the conversation meandered among his back story, his career, our mutual flying experiences, and things we find interesting.
Among that wandering conversation, he told me about the podcast “99% Invisible” in general and the “Children of the Magenta” episode specifically. Shawn’s an architect, so his following a podcast that focuses on design makes sense. Being a pilot/owner of a rather sophisticated airplane, he found the topic of cockpit automation interesting and suggested I give it a listen. I pulled out my reporter’s notebook and jotted it down for later reference. [Read more…]
The grunt work of government is not terribly exciting. But for those of you who have met Chuck Wiplinger, president of Wipaire, Inc., I bet you’ll join me in wishing he’d make his way to Washington D.C. more often to make our case for funding.
The 36th Annual Northwest Aviation Conference and Trade Show took place in Puyallup, Washington, on Feb. 23 and 24, 2019. I call it a family reunion. I get to sleep in my own bed each night (the show grounds are just 21 miles from my home). Ahh.
It is fun to catch up with old friends (and meet a few new ones). [Read more…]
A lot can happen in 80 years. Indeed, a lot has happened since the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) was founded in 1939.
Events large and not-so-large dot the calendar. Putting those events into the larger context of the development of general aviation can be a challenge for anyone who has a busy life. [Read more…]
Do you want to go flying?
Is that a trick question? The sky out the window looked clear and inviting. [Read more…]
For anyone who has flown in the Pacific Northwest in general and at Boeing Field (KBFI) specifically, Galvin Flying is an FBO you’ve likely heard of. At the end of January, the skies of the Pacific Northwest darkened just a bit with the loss of longtime owner Peter Galvin Anderson. [Read more…]
We recently shared a nice little story about Shana Bartell, a young lady bitten by the aviation bug. She also happens to be a divorcee with five kids.
And many – but not all – in the crowd on Facebook and our website feel it appropriate to tear her apart. After all, they know better. [Read more…]
Last January I flew to Bozeman, Montana, to hang out with a friend for a few days. After my travel plans were in place I emailed John McKenna, chairman of the Recreational Aviation Foundation (RAF) board, who happens to live in Bozeman. I was hoping to meet up for lunch or dinner.
Before I could blink, John and his wife Tricia had put together an evening gathering at the McKenna home. All I needed to bring was my friend, an appetite, and a desire for discussion. A great time was had by nearly a dozen of us. [Read more…]
Fairbanks, Alaska-based Wright Air Service flies a variety of aircraft on charter flights to remote locations in the interior of Alaska. Among its fleet of 21 aircraft are four Helio Courier H-295s.
Years ago, Wright modified the engines on two of its Helios. The modifications were field approved by the FAA. Since then, those two Helios have more than 22,000 hours of operating experience. [Read more…]
