GUEST EDITORIAL By MICHAEL KRAFT, senior vice president and general manager, Lycoming Engines I commend Janice Wood for taking on the avgas issue (“Preparing for the end of 100LL”) and reporting objectively the comments made at this year’s AOPA Aviation Summit in Tampa. The past and present story of 100LL has technical, political, economic and historical […]
Touch & Go
A story we need to share
At the conclusion of October’s Copperstate Fly-In, held at Casa Grande Municipal Airport (CGZ) in Arizona, I attended the annual awards banquet. As luck would have it, I sat at a great table. Seated with me was Chris Christiansen (and his parents), designer/builder of the award-winning Savor, Dave Edwards from Las Vegas, who turned me […]
Movie review: “Amelia”
With all the hype surrounding the new movie “Amelia,” I was prepared to encounter another aviation biopic that slaughtered the main character and violated the Laws of Physics when it came to aviation and what airplanes can actually do in the air. I am pleased to say that the Laws of Physics remained intact, but I […]
A buyer’s market for airparks
To prepare for the forums I’m presenting at this year’s AOPA Aviation Summit in Tampa, Florida, (Nov. 5-7), I’ve done a lot of talking with people about the status of residential airparks. It probably isn’t much of a surprise to anyone that the sale of lots and homes on residential airparks, regardless of their size, […]
Continuing education
GUEST EDITORIAL By PAULA DERKS, president, Aircraft Electronics Association My son graduates from college in December. His father and I could not be happier. Of course, we are proud he is obtaining a college degree, but I must admit we are more than a little thrilled that it means no more tuition payments, no more […]
Flying ‘Songbird III’
If you are of a certain vintage, you probably remember this sentence: “Out of the clear blue of the western sky it’s Sky King!” The words were followed by majestic music that introduced the popular adventure serial from the 1940s and 1950s. The show, which first aired on radio then went to television, depicted the […]
Up Ship! Learning to fly a Zeppelin
I am enamored with airships, so when I found out that Airship Ventures, a start-up company in the San Francisco Bay area, was offering a chance to pilot one, I had to take advantage of the offer. Airship Ventures was started in 2006 by Brian and Alexandra (Alex) Hall. Brian’s background is in project development […]
Fly casual
Guest Editorial By THOMAS P. TURNER “Fly casual.” If you’re a pilot and a fan of the “Star Wars” movies (hey, I was a teenager when the first one came out), this may be one of your favorite lines of the entire series. Han Solo tells his Wookie copilot Chewbacca to “fly casual” to avoid […]
Meg flies a Mustang
When someone offers you the chance to fly in a P-51 Mustang, you do not pass it up. I recently flew “Betty Jane,” a rare two-place P-51 that is making its way around the country on the Collings Foundation Wings of Freedom Tour. The foundation also has its B-17, “Nine-oh-Nine,” and the B-24 “Witchcraft” making […]