Bravo CubCrafters. Bravo. On June 2, XCub officially joined the CubCrafters line-up. It’s a 180-horsepower machine with lots of bells and whistles, including heated seats (coming soon) and a $297,500 base price. Go ahead haters… pile on. They can take it. But from my perspective, the best feature of the XCub announcement is… it’s certified and available for immediate delivery. […]
Touch & Go
Back to the drawing board in Salem
If you doubt one person can make a difference, doubt no more. Salem, Oregon pilot Chuck West watched as Salem’s NcNary Field (KSLE) airspace was re-drawn, and re-drawn again. There was a problem. Portions of the instrument approaches were no longer protected and that violated FAA Order 8260.26F. Chuck found that a pilot flying inbound from […]
Thank you Dee
It should go without saying that aviation means a little (or a lot) more in Alaska. But it’s so much fun to talk about. My wife, Deb, and I just returned from Anchorage and the 19th annual Great Alaska Aviation Gathering. Once again, the FedEx Maintenence Hangar at Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport was packed to the […]
A notebook’s view of SUN ‘n FUN
It is hard to see the bigger event that is SUN ‘n FUN while also producing the daily newspaper for the show. A 40-page newspaper requires feeding and attention, just like a baby. So as I look back on the show, it’s all a blur. Thankfully I had a reporter’s notebook in my pocket to […]
Bravo FAA, Bravo
The FAA just made flying safer. In case you missed it, the Experimental Aircraft Association announced — at SUN ‘n FUN — a new Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) that will allow Cessna 150s, 152s, 172s and Piper PA-28s and PA-38s owners to install Dynon’s EFIS-D10A. The EFIS-D10A fits a standard 3-⅛” panel hole and can replace either […]
A bright future for General Aviation
By PETE BUNCE What can general aviation learn from NASCAR? When it comes to adopting new safety technology, quite a bit. Following the death of racing legend Dale Earnhardt in 2001, NASCAR took a serious look at the safety of the sport. The racing group took a broad approach to better protecting occupants in the […]
Whiplash in Salem
True cooperation is the key. On May 1, 2015, the FAA posted a notice of proposed rule making (NPRM) in the Federal Register to expand Class D and E airspace around Salem, Oregon’s McNary Field (KSLE). The summary of the NRPM states, “After a biennial review, the FAA found it necessary to amend the airspace […]
What about SARA?
“The department continues to be bullish on new technology,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx in a Feb. 24, 2016 release about the FAA’s efforts to expand the safe integration of unmanned aircraft. “We recognize the significant industry interest in expanding commercial access to the National Airspace System. The short deadline reinforces our commitment to […]
Entertainment, education all around
What do the 1929 Powder Puff Derby, the Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome, the adventures of an airplane fanatic, the de Havilland Mosquito, and drones all have in common? All of these topics — and many more — have recently crossed my desk over the last few weeks. You see, general aviation is vast. Simply put, if it flies […]