Features

New Marine One Contract On a topic other than general aviation, I was disappointed to hear that the Navy’s presidential helicopter contract went to Lockheed-Martin as opposed to Sikorsky (NewsWire, Jan. 31). The Lockheed product — the US101 — is simply a licensed copy of the European Augusta EH101 helicopter. It will be built by […]

Overheard while flying through Chattanooga, this exchange with approach control and an aerial photo operation… Skylane 12345: Chattanooga we would like to take pictures of the Chockamauga Dam, one rolling to right and one to left. Control: Approved. Maintain VFR. Skylane 12345: Chattanooga, we need to climb to 10,000 to take a couple more. (short […]

Seeing as I’m supposed to be on vacation this week, I thought I’d write about a subject that I enjoy: vectoring. I guess that doesn’t make you (the pilot) feel all warm and fuzzy inside, does it? Knowing that controllers enjoy vectoring you all over the sky for spacing when you just want to go […]

Overheard while waiting for takeoff on Runway 29 at Oakland California: Airliner 123: Airliner 123, waiting in sequence. Oakland Tower: A little too much information, 123 … but I’ll bet you look adorable in sequins.

Part-Time Control Tower Operations and Airliners I am a Boeing 727 captain based out of Memphis, Tenn., flying for a very large, overnight-express delivery service. I also fly a small general aviation airplane. I am writing to express my concern and utter disbelief with regards to the current status of part-time control tower operations and […]

After my last column on how to pass a checkride, one of you wrote in and asked for a column on how pilot examiners are chosen by the FAA and what kind of training and experience is required to be a pilot examiner. I thought that was a really good idea, and so here we […]

Military Airspace Revised In response to a recent Question of the Week (QOTW, Mar. 3): “Should the military be allowed to take over any more airspace without giving up an equivalent amount? What’s fair when it comes to MOAs?” As a past member of an airspace-design team at Minneapolis Center (ZMP) I have experienced many […]

It was a normal weekend morning in the Pilot’s Lounge at the virtual airport; students were either exulting or bemoaning flights they had just completed, a few pilots were debating where they should go for their high-dollar hamburgers and a couple of airplane owners were deep in discussion over the operating costs of their steeds. […]