Features

Before there was eBay, Craigslist and Controller.com, not to mention web sites for every imaginable aircraft marque, the one and only place you looked for a used airplane or obscure parts to fix one was Trade-A-Plane, the iconic yellow shopper that, for many of us, was and is a dreamsheet. Despite the onslaught of competition […]

Especially in military operations, it’s impossible to eliminate risk, but it can be minimized. Many of their risk-management techniques can apply to your flying. No matter what we do in an aircraft, we cannot eliminate risk entirely. Instead, we can manage that risk and take positive steps to mitigate or reduce it; in rare cases, […]

There’s nothing like a global recession to kill the buzz around new airplanes and gadgets, but they seem to keep cropping up. This week, we have a 1,430-lb. personal jet, two flying bicycles, and electric taxiing for airliners. What’s going on? Is innovation in aviation alive? (click to answer) Last Week’s Question: Results Want to […]

Mooney aficionados tend to be clustered in the end of the gene pool that has “I want a fast airplane” in the DNA. For years, they flocked to the marque that promised and delivered speed while sipping fuel. Starting with the single-seat Mite, they were willing to shoehorn themselves into tiny cabins in return for […]

Back in the ’70s, a Southern gentleman friend was an airline pilot who owned a C-182 that he called “Juan” – as in “Juan Eighty-Two.” His N-number ended in 4Q, and if he either wanted a laugh or didn’t like an ATC instruction, he acknowledged with, “Roger. Four Q.” Pronounced in that Southern-gentlemanly style that […]

Air shows will look a little different this year without the U.S. military presence, but they’re working hard to get you to come. What air shows are you planning to attend? (click to answer) Last Week’s Question: Results Want to see the current breakdown of responses? Take a moment to answer the question yourself, and […]

For over two years, Lockheed Martin has been investing heavily to develop new applications to bring to its Flight Services, seeking to create what it hopes will be a significantly more useful platform for pilots, but pilots are no longer the only direct users the company targets. According to Jim Derr, head of flight services, […]

In the early ’70s in Orlando, an Aztec, N910JQ, would always ask for a straight in to Herndon. So we could say: “Nine ten Jack Queen has a possible straight.” Jim Woolfvia e-mail

Ah, June — the beginning of summer and the inspiration for flying plans. What’s your agenda? What are your summer flying plans? (click to answer) Last Week’s Question: Results Want to see the current breakdown of responses? Take a moment to answer the question yourself, and then you can view real-time results. What’s On Your […]

The insurance market for older pilots isn’t as grim as it once was. Stick with the same company, fly often and get recurrent training. The insurance market cycle has come a full 180 degrees from where it was in 2003, from very hard to very soft. The number of insurers competing for every GA insurance […]