Features

Eminent Domain If the Dallas Cowboy’s and the city fathers of Arlington, Texas, can justify eminent domain to purchase land to build their new stadium, why can’t it be used for a new airport (NewsWire, Aug. 15)? Recently we have seen eminent domain used to build a new mall in Richland Hills, Texas; now it […]

Identification by dialect… While enjoying a chartered King Air flight, a fellow passenger and I were passing time trying to guess from what part of the country the crew originated. The conversation came to an abrupt end when we noticed one of the landing lights seemed to be shining oddly skyward, Voice In The Cockpit: […]

Standard phraseology is the product of years of experience and has been developed to combine precision, brevity, and audibility. … Talk slowly and speak distinctly, do not run words together. Make the listener hear all you say the first time you say it.”That sounds like a quote straight out of the AIM, doesn’t it? It […]

In the history of general aviation manufacturing, some airplanes were instant hits and destined to endure. The Beechcraft Bonanza is a classic example.Others seemed like good ideas at the time, but either the market timing was wrong or the models just didnt have the sales appeal the factory had hoped for. The Mooney PFM qualifies […]

Politicians Of The World United After the suicide of a pilot with an ultralight plunging onto the green between the Kanzleramt (office of the German Chancellor — like the White House) and the Reichstag (parlament of Germany), the government decided to close the airspace inside of the inner circle of the S-Bahn (railway for public […]

No doubt you’ve read plenty here and elsewhere about the 2005 edition of EAA’s AirVenture — something we who have to work it just call “Oshkosh” — and I’m happy to add to the coverage because, for fans of internal combustion, it was a pretty good show.Yes, it’s true that Honda’s nifty jet, the pair […]

FAA User Fees The Administrator is at it again! For months we have heard that GA pilots are facing “user fees.” This time Ms. Blakey is using controllers as the excuse (NewsWire, Jul. 29). She says the salaries paid to controllers is too high and trust fund monies too low.Well, of course trust fund monies […]

During 1978 while working ground control, a C-152 from a neighboring airport’s flight school was getting ready to depart. Prior to engine start the pilot called the tower and was informed, “Clearance on request, contact ATIS prior to taxi.” The instruction prompted the following response… Pilot: Cessna 1234 ready to taxi and we contacted Patrick […]