There is a learning curve that must take place when you go from being an aircraft owner to a renter. A number of my clients are learning this. Some of them are between airplanes. Others decided that it is a better financial decision to rent airplanes than to own them at this time. They all […]
Touch & Go
User fees: it’s time to get into this fight
If you don’t think user fees are the most serious among current threats to general aviation, listen to Rep. Sam Graves (R-Mo). His wry comment was that the plan would give us the “safer skies” the airlines keep talking about, but only “because it would rid the skies of general aviation aircraft.” I agree. Graves […]
It don’t come easy: A coveted ticket is hard earned
I did it. I finally obtained my Multiengine Commercial rating. If it is true that “getting there is half the fun,” then I had a whole lot of fun. My multiengine odyssey began just over two years ago, when I saved up $4,000 for the rating. The first challenge was finding an ME instructor. You […]
Overcrowded skies, too few controllers? The same story has been told countless times over the years
I wonder how many times in the years since I earned my pilot certificate in 1969 I’ve read an article — in a non-aviation newspaper — about the crisis that will occur in the coming crowded skies and the absence of an adequate number of air traffic controllers to handle all of those aircraft. It […]
What’s your motivation?
What’s your motivation when it comes to flying? Do you fly because it’s something you enjoy? Do you fly because you are building your hours to get a better paying job? If you have a career in aviation, the answer to both of those questions is probably yes. When you lose that motivation it is […]
“Paul Rever’s hose”: Charlie Lawrance and his engine that changed aviation
It is probable that you’ve never heard of Charles Lanier Lawrance, and that’s a shame. You know a lot about Wilbur and Orville Wright, of course, and you’re beginning to know about Charles Taylor, who was their mechanic and engine builder, and thus the world’s first A&P. You know somewhat less about Glenn Curtiss than […]
When the wind blows
“Prepare yourself.” You can add that phrase to the list of those I do not want to hear in or around an airplane. The mechanic uttered the warning just before he pulled open the hangar door and showed me a Cessna 172 that was heavily damaged by a windstorm that battered the Pacific Northwest on […]
Curious about airparks? Our expert tackles the frequently asked questions
For three decades I’ve been tracking residential airparks all over the United States and, to some extent, around the globe. We’ve developed a website, LivingWithYourPlane.com, which contains an extensive database on airparks as well as a host of other information. (A caveat: Most airparks are operated by residents who are volunteers in their homeowner associations. […]
How to protect your airport… and other things I learned at AOPA Expo
Are THEY trying to close your airport? THEY must get around and be great in numbers because during AOPA Expo in Palm Springs last month I heard all about the ubiquitous THEY who are trying to close airports in several states. The first thing I asked when greeted with this statement was “Which they is […]