Features

This Week’s Question |Previous Week’s Answers PREVIOUS RESULTS *** Last week, we asked if diesel engines are the wave of the future in aviation. While that seems to be the prevailing opinion, AVweb readers disagree. Your answers were pretty evenly scattered across a range of options from absolutely to no way, with just under 50% […]

Ethanol In Autogas After reading the article in today’s AVweb about ethanol in auto fuel in Idaho (AVwebFlash, May 4), I want to tell you that almost the same situation exists in Kansas. In my hometown of Hutchinson, the only place in town where I can get auto fuel without any ethanol is at one […]

No matter where pilots gather, it’s only a matter of time before someone starts a debate over which are the best and worst airplanes. It is no exception in the Pilot’s Lounge at the virtual airport, and the battle was raging one afternoon when I happened to wander in. Old Hack was adamant that the […]

Overheard in IFR Magazine‘s “On the Air” While flying practice approaches at Sioux City, Iowa I heard: Tower:“Skylane Eight Seven Charlie, cleared for the approach; caution, waterfall in the area.” [a short silence, presumably while the Skylane pilot questioned passengers on the transmission] Skylane:“Eight Seven Charlie, say again?” Tower:“Skylane Eight Seven Charlie, cleared for the […]

This Week’s Question |Previous Week’s Answers PREVIOUS RESULTS *** Last week, in the wake of DayJet’s cutbacks, we asked AVweb readers whether air taxi services still have a bright future ahead. A third of you said yes, but in a limited capacity, and nearly as many gave an unequivocal yes as your answer. It seems […]

Overheard in IFR Magazine‘s “On the Air” Heard on 121.5 on December 1, 2001 in the Frederick/Hagerstown, Maryland area (near Camp David or P40): Pilot:“Air Force on 121.5, Cherokee One Two Three.” Air Force (my guess is this was the AWACS controller):“Go ahead.” Pilot:“There are some F-15s near me. They do not answer my calls.” […]

This Week’s Question |Previous Week’s Answers PREVIOUS RESULTS *** Last week, we asked whether you’d ever consider owning an electric-powered airplane. Nearly half of those who responded to our poll (47%) were optimistic but cautious, saying they might climb aboard when the range and power get better – but a full quarter of you were […]

MOAs This [MOA] controversy is stirring up the controllers.While using VFR flight-following on a clear day on my 14-hour Sun ‘n Fun trip home from Florida to New Hampshire, I was about to enter an MOA in South Carolina when the controller indicated it was now hot (no warning, no schedule — he had just […]

A good copilot is a good copilot, no matter what the aircraft. I fancied myself a good copilot back when I was a first officer on various airliners. I considered myself better than the average bear when it came to flight engineering, as well. Being a good copilot is harder, in my estimation, than being […]

On a Qantas flight from Adelaide to Perth last week, our lovely senior air steward announced the following after the doors closed: Over the Speaker:“Ladies and gentleman, please turn off all electronic devices such as laptops, mobile phones, washing machines and hairdryers. However, if they have a flight mode, please switch now.” It made me […]