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Editor’s Note: This opinion piece from the National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA) is in response to a letter from an AVweb reader about recent negotiations between the FAA and NATCA. First of all, NATCA is not proposing a pay increase. NATCA has proposed the current pay table, meaning the status quo would be maintained […]

This will be the column that allows devotees of liquid-cooled engines to rock back in their Aerons, place palms on paunch and proclaim, “Aren’t we the smart ones?!” With some design care, a liquid-cooling system for aircraft can be simple to execute and remarkably insensitive to variations brought by series production or less-than-surgical ongoing maintenance. […]

Submitted by a heavy iron driver… After landing on RWY 30 the other day I began to taxi to the gate when I noticed a beautiful red fox strolling across the taxiway. Me: Hey, Ground. Did you know you have foxes here on the airport? Ground: Oh, sure, plenty of them. I’m surprised you knew […]

Lightgun Signals I have never had occasion to respond to light gun signals while in a plane, either on the ground or in the air (QOTW, Nov. 17).Once, however, at night I was walking on a taxiway in a non-movement area from my hangar to a friend’s hangar somewhat further down, but still within the […]

I heard the commotion as I started down the hall from the flight school to the Pilot’s Lounge at the virtual airport. In the few moments it took to get to the door of the Lounge, individual voices became clear, split into two very vocal camps: The vehement “Yes it will!” calls being answered by […]

I was practicing night landings when another aircraft departed the airport to the southeast. This is the communication I heard between that aircraft and the tower… Departing Aircraft: Uh, Tower, N1234. Are you talkin’ to this traffic out here? He’s headed straight for us. (short pause) Departing Aircraft: Scratch that … (timidly) … we’re looking […]

EZ Rocket Cross-Country Flight XCOR Aerospace should check German archives from the mid-1940s before claiming a record for their upcoming EZ Rocket flight (NewsWire, Nov. 14). It’s quite possible that an ME163 diverted to an alternate base after a mission exceeded 11 miles in controlled, rocket-powered flight.Robert Wolff Your story on the EZ-Rocket and its […]

A 777 cockpit can be a crowded place if you fill all of the seats. Along with the relief-pilot seat there is a fairly uncomfortable jump seat. With the back of the airplane full of returning Americans and potential British ex-pats, I found myself a sort-of cockpit captive for the eight and a half hour […]