Features

Air Traffic Controller Staffing As an air traffic control supervisor at one of the nation’s busiest airports, I am angered and disappointed by the opinions expressed by Mr. Jim Trinka, FAA director of technical training and development (AVwebFlash, Feb. 10). Either Mr. Trinka is [unaware of] the plight of FAA ATC field facilities, or he […]

Overheard in IFR Magazine‘s “On the Air” I was on the ILS into Oakland, California one busy dav and was cleared to land behind two other aircraft that were in the pattern. The pilot of the aircraft ahead of me was clearly flustered: Piper:“Tower, is Piper One Two Three cleared to land?” Tower:“Piper One Two […]

This Week’s Question |Previous Week’s Answers PREVIOUS RESULTS *** Last week, we asked which of general aviation’s twin boogeymen was most likely to ground you – user fees or skyrocketing fuel prices. While fuel prices continue to be a thorn in the side to those of us who fly for fun, user fees garnered 57% […]

Light Sport Aircraft Who will profit most by my purchase [of an LSA]? Who will profit least by my purchase?The trend of business in the U.S. today seems to be driven by the notion that we can simply be the brokers and let everyone else do the “work.” Our fathers left us with the ability […]

It was a tough approach to a landing and I was all by myself. No co-pilot to help me and no company dispatcher to ask for numbers or advice. I was fairly low on fuel — about two and a half gallons left — and the air pressure in my left main gear tire was […]

Overheard in IFR Magazine‘s “On the Air” We were in our Seneca performing the pre-takeoff run-up at Orlando, Florida when we heard this exchange on ground control frequency: Cessna:“Orlando Ground, Ccssna Two Three Four, clear of the active.” Ground Control:“Cessna Two Three Four, taxi to the ramp.” Cessna [still on ground frequency but thinking he’d […]

[AVweb’s reprint of A Pilot’s History began with Chapter 1.] In California it was nice to meet my wife and to see — for the first time — my young son, even though he yelled when he saw me, a stranger to his eyes. There was also a German shepherd pup named “Rebel.” How did […]

This Week’s Question |Previous Week’s Answers PREVIOUS RESULTS *** Alaska governor Sarah Palin is proposing the state offer low-interest loans to help owners upgrade their avionics for ADS-B.  Last week, we asked AVweb readers if they thought that would be a good idea for the rest of the U.S. A clear majority (57% of those […]

Cessna Skycatcher I am a 73-year-old private pilot living in Bend, Oreg. I have had nine airplanes, starting in 1955. Six of these have been Cessnas: two C172s, two C180s and two C182s. I still own and fly a 1972 C182P.I was delighted when Cessna purchased Columbia with the decision to continue manufacture here in […]

I was arriving at Wichita with the GPS set up for the ILS Runway 1R approach. About 10 miles from the final approach fix, approach control called: “9PT, change in runway, expect the ILS 1 Left, fly present heading to intercept the localizer.”My world got really busy, fast.I was facing what safety researchers call an […]