Features

A recent legislative change to the taxation of jet fuel is creating significant concerns for commercial and private aircraft operators as well as fuel vendors. The National Air Transportation Association (NATA) and National Business Aviation Association (NBAA), along with tax experts, FBOs, air charter operators and private aircraft owner-operators are now working on developing industry […]

But It Could Be Worse (Avgas Prices) Are we living in a world of lunacy? I’m reading the article published in this week’s AVflash regarding the high price of avgas with the writer telling us it is not such a bad thing that our price of aviation fuel is actually an 11% overall increase in […]

When Hurricane Katrina left the Gulf Coast devastated, general-aviation aircraft and pilots were there to help. AVweb reports on what has been done so far and what else we can do. The First Week The Storm Hurricane Katrina hit Florida first, killing 11 people as it passed over the peninsula on Aug. 25 with 80 […]

The dangers of the double negative… ATC: Did you get your numbers? Airline: [Somewhat garbled] Negative. ATC: Was it “Negative?” Airline: [Again, rather garbled} Affirmative. ATC: So … “negative,” or “affirmative?” Airline: “Affirmative” for “negative…” [The other guy in the cockpit can be heard chuckling in the background.]

Airliner one twenty three, cleared to SHINE, hold northwest, as published, expect further clearance one five three zero.”Holding might not be ordinary to you, but in Atlanta Center (ZTL) it’s as ordinary as pine trees in Georgia. During normal business hours, somebody — somewhere — always seems to be holding in ZTL airspace. I think […]

MIV AFSS Offline On Sep. 2, there was a fatal crash near Teterboro, N.J. (NewsWire, Sep. 8). As of the Sep. 3, the FAA still has no plans on getting Millville, N.J., Automated Flight Service Station (AFSS) up and running. They seem to be ignoring the problem and hoping it will go away when Lockheed […]

As I mentioned in my last column, the best way to really learn your craft in aviation, the best way to become a better pilot — while not having to make the same mistakes others have already made — is to find a mentor. OK, that sounds easy enough — find a gray-hair and listen. […]

Falling on deaf ears… Airline: New York Center, Bizmumble 123, inbound from across the pond. How are you today? Center: Well … I’m working on a holiday. Airline (indignantly): You’re barkin’ up the wrong tree, buddy.