Features

Heard over Oakland Center frequency in northern California: Oakland:“Bonanza 123G: Report Chico in sight for the visual approach.” Bonanza 123G:“Roger. Looking … .” [Several minutes pass.] Bonanza 123G:“Bonanza 123G has Chico in sight.” [pause] Bonanza 123G:“Still looking for the airport, though.” Zack Brownvia e-mail

The aviation world is buzzing with the ill-advised landing of a Piper Warrior on famous Rockaway Beach in Queens, NY, a few miles from Kennedy Airport. Have you ever made an impromptu off-airport landing? (click to answer) Last Week’s Question: Results Want to see the current breakdown of responses? Take a moment to answer the […]

I overheard the following tower transmission after a King Air made a particularly short landing at Metro Airport near Denver. The King Air landed in less than a thousand feet and cleared the runway much earlier than the tower anticipated. Controller (obviously stunned – and in good humor) :“King Air, would you mind telling the […]

Live the likes of new-age airplane companies like Cirrus and Diamond one thing: They have resisted the overwhelming urge to fit their airplanes with folding gear. But manufacturers of the 1960s and 1970s had no such resistance, including Cessna when it added retractable gear to the venerable 182. Was the effort worth it? It did […]

ATIS was being implemented in the late 1960s, and many pilots were not yet aware of it. While making practice instrument approaches at San Jose International Airport in California, I overheard the following exchange: Cessna 1234:“San Jose Tower, Cessna 1234. Ten south, landing San Jose.” SJC Tower:“Cessna 1234, do you have information Hotel?” [silence] SJC […]

In light of the apparent lapse at Reagan National early Wednesday, we’re wondering if you’ve noticed any slip or improvement on the other end of the radio in the past couple of years. How would you rate ATC service? (click to answer) Last Week’s Question: Results Want to see the current breakdown of responses? Take […]

In the largish universe of used airplanes, there are a handful that are often overlooked. One of these is Pipers Cherokee 140, the modest but nonetheless seminal model that literally launched a lot more than a thousand ships. The baby Cherokee was a variant of a model that marked Pipers no-looking-back departure from its rag-and-tube […]

While on final, RNAV 9, into Isla Grande airport in San Juan, Puerto Rico recently: Tower:“Mooney 5 Triple 8 Quebec, be advised: Iguana crossing the runway, south to north, midfield.” Then, on short final: Tower:“Double 8 Quebec, iguana no factor. He’s crossed the white line on the north side.” I’ve heard a lot of funny […]

Analyst and investment guy Brian Foley thinks he can attract homegrown investors to outbid the Chinese for control of Cirrus Industries. If you had some investment cash, would it attract you? Would you invest in Cirrus? (click to answer) Last Week’s Question: Results Want to see the current breakdown of responses? Take a moment to […]

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 […]