Features

Climbing out of Houston on a Sunday afternoon: Houston Center:“Citation 123, please see if you can contact Challenger ABCD on 128.17 and have them contact Houston Center.” [A few minutes pass.] Challenger ABCD:“Houston Center, this is Challenger ABCD checking in at flight level 360.” Houston Center:“Roger, Challenger ABCD. Descend to FL 240. What was the […]

Flight planning software, devices, and services are evolving at a furious rate. Are you keeping up? Do you use the latest high-tech flight planning technologies? (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. […]

In five years since its birth, Redbird has gone from zero to number one in its market niche. It has put more than 300 active-motion flight simulators into general aviation pilot training centers. It has introduced a compelling price for performance argument within the flight training segment. And it has wrapped all that in an […]

Each week, we run a sampling of the letters received to our editorial inbox here in AVmail. One letter that’s particularly relevant, informative, or otherwise compelling will headline this section as our “Letter of the Week,” and we’ll send the author an official AVweb baseball cap as a “thank you” for interacting with us (and […]

In the late 1950s, our aero club was transitioning from Tiger Moths without radio to “cabin class” with the addition of a Tri-Pacer and a C-172A, where the flights were made without headsets using the overhead speaker. It came that an MK-5 Auster we had been restoring was due for test flying, and our chief […]

Overheard during a very, very rough ride out of Newark last week: Center:“Airliner 123, how is your ride?” Airliner 123:“The rides are crap.” [momentary pause] Airliner 123:“I’m sorry. That was unprofessional of me. The rides are unsatisfactory.” Center:“Your first description was acceptable.” Rob Nabieszkovia e-mail

Aviation entrepreneur Rod Rakic’s idea for OpenAirplane has earned the support of some big names in the aviation industry who believe it could simplify access to aircraft, improve pilot safety, increase profits for flight schools and FBOs, and generally boost the aviation industry — all by changing how we rent airplanes. OpenAirplane is nearing its […]

Not that he likely needs any, but Rod Hightower’s sudden departure may open opportunities to make EAA better. What would you tell Pelton to do? (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. […]

Frederick Municipal Airport (FDK, elevation 303 feet) with a long-standing glider club on the field, recently began tower operations. After the tower had been operating for about one week, on a relatively busy Saturday afternoon I heard this exchange: Glider:“Frederick Tower, Glider XXX at 1,600 feet inbound for a right downwind for landing runway 12, […]

Denzel Washington plays an alcoholic airline pilot in Flight, which premieres Nov. 2, and the preliminary reviews seem positive. Do you go to aviation movies? (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. […]