Features

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 […]

As is the case with most of us here in the Pilot’s Lounge at the virtual airport, my involvement with state aeronautics commissions had, for years, been limited to paying a small annual fee and receiving a nice book that gave information on all of the public-use airports in the state, as well as an […]

Thirty-Minute DCA Rule Last week I flew into DCA on United 602 from ORD. We were told by the cabin crew that the 30-minute rule [all passengers in their seats] still applied in spite of media reports to the contrary. When questioned on it, they said the Captain told them it was so. On further […]

Occasionally heard on the MRI ATIS on slow days (and on dozens of other … ATII … across the country). Advise on contact you have information ECHO…Echo…echo…