Features

The virtual airport, home of the Pilot’s Lounge, is much like any other little airport in the country. As with other modest, general aviation airports, we occasionally have the aeronautical version of the fender bender, where someone skitters off the side or end of a runway and comes to a somewhat ignominious halt.One of our […]

Seeing is believing… Overheard while in the pattern at FNT: Tower: N12345 traffic at your one o’clock. N12345: Looking for traffic. Tower: N12345 traffic now … your traffic at three o’clock. N12345: Still looking. I only see birds over there. Tower: Well, look close. One of them has a transponder in it. Find all of […]

Resultsof Last Week’s Question PREVIOUS RESULTS *** Last week, AVweb asked about your level of emergency preparedness: Wewanted to know how many of you have landed on non-traditional surfaces – grass,dirt, water, and the like. As it turns out, a full 55% of those who responded have landed ongrass. At the other end of the […]

Lockheed FSS Needs Help! Re: the article in the June 29 AVweb, “Lockheed wants your feedback” …I’ve been trying to register/logon for several days without success. “Registration is never activated, no email confirmation sent, etc.”I’ve noticed a significant decline in FSS service since Lockheed took over. In almost 50 years of flying I can count […]

Like the changing of seasons, I imagine this scene happens at regular intervals through the year: The managing editor of some large technology magazine catches a story on the net about some crazy aviation idea that could revolutionize the industry, make flying possible for every man, woman and (quite possibly) child on the planet with […]

You know me. I’m the “To TBO and Beyond” guy. I believe in running engines as long as they’re demonstrably healthy, even if that means going beyond the manufacturer’s recommended TBO. Nothing disturbs me more than when I hear about owners who are talked into tearing down an engine that’s running just fine (or talk […]

Whooping Cranes Whooping cranes born in the wild is a first (On The Fly, Jun. 29)? Chicks being “born” at all seems pretty amazing!Ed Wischmeyer Stay Away From Nuclear Plants Regarding your story about departure routes over a nuclear power plant (NewsWire, Jun. 29): “… the FAA’s proposed new departure routes from Westchester County Airport […]

Flying high… Delta: Center, Delta 123 request higher. Center: Delta 123, climb and maintain Flight Level 500. (long pause) Center: Delta 123, how much higher did you want? Delta: Center, Flight Level 390 would be fine. (pause) Thanks for asking.

You don’t land a Champ or a Luscombe in the same manner as you land a B767 or an MD-88, but the principles are the same. Both kinds of airplanes require your full attention until you have them parked, chocked and shut down.Landing a tail-dragger only begins with the touchdown. Once the tires kiss the […]

This Week’s Question |Last Week’s Question PREVIOUS RESULTS *** LSA has officially been with us for more than a year now – and lastweek AVweb asked if the Sport Pilot Rule is really bringing new pilotsinto the fold. The greater part of you who took time to answer last week’s question(46%, to be exact) thought […]