Features

Recently, an airliner checked in with Boston Center at FL340. Pilot:“Boston Center, good morning. Airliner 123 at FL340. Light chop.” ATC:“Airliner 123, good morning. That light chop has been there for the last 29 years.” Luigie Martinezvia e-mail

Our friends in Colorado may have gotten 14 inches of snow this week, but that will not stop the fly-in season from providing everything from a Texas hot air balloon fest to a T-6 gathering in Torrance, Calif. – all reported on SocialFlight. On Saturday, May 16, Thompson Field, Van Zandt County, Texas, will be […]

We’ve watched the evolution of the Diamond DA40 series with interest. Our first reaction to what would become the Diamond Star was to be less than impressed. We thought the canopy was a marketing ploy that would make emergency egress difficult, and the cabin looked small and uncomfortable. Then we flew it. The canopy provided […]

I was picking up my Cherokee 160 at the Charlotte County (Florida) airport after IFR/weight-and-balance certifications. As I was preparing to taxi out, I heard another pilot report there was a turtle that was “taxiing” toward runway 22. Not too long after this report, I heard yet another taxiing pilot ask the question, “What type […]

Were flying along blissfully the smooth night flight conditions and the panorama of lights below. The engine is purring, and, for once, we have caught a tailwind. We think this is why we became pilots and then we proudly wonder out loud what the groundbound populace below is doing on such a pleasant evening when […]

This Sunday is Mother’s Day, so if you want to celebrate by taking your mom out for breakfast, EAA Chapter 486 is hosting an all-you-can eat pancake fest at the Oswego County Airport, in Fulton, N.Y. The event, one of hundreds across the country listed on the SocialFlight website, will also include Young Eagles flights, […]

Confession is good for the soul but can be embarrassing. Here, now, the unscientific tabulation of readers’ responses to “Brainteasers” quiz 194‘s question, “How did you screw up your checkride?” Before pointing snarky fingers, I’ll confess that my Private pilot checkride performance 40 years ago was lame. I remember the examiner snarling, “I don’t want […]

Back near Christmas of 1979, I was on my first solo ferry flight to Europe in a Cessna 206. I was filed from Bangor, Maine, direct to Shannon, Ireland, to negate the need for the required inspection in Moncton for single-engine crossings. I passed a position report mid-Atlantic through a passing airliner on 121.5. After […]

I hear it consistently, Yeah, Ill do the ADS-B bit later, once there are more boxes to chose from and the price comes down, Ive got lots of time. Maybe not. While the sky is not falling, pilots are notorious for procrastinating when it comes to compliance with regs-ask any AME whether the demand for […]

SocialFlight is showing fly-ins and aviation gatherings in almost every state this weekend, with some venues not waiting until Saturday to host aviators. On Friday, May 2, at Tri-Cities Airport, Pasco, Wash., Bergstrom Aircraft is holding its annual Cinco De Mayo Potluck Lunch. It runs from noon to 1:00 p.m.; bring a side dish or […]