Features

I was taking my brother for his first flight in a GA airplane. He was somewhat nervous and a little overwhelmed by what we go through to launch a flight. I picked up the local ATIS on my handheld before engine start and, after we got in the plane and were ready to call for […]

*** PREVIOUS RESULTS *** We received over 300 responses to our question last week on the publics support of general aviation GA). Approaching half (44 percent) of those responding felt many people dont understand the many benefits GA offers the community, while 309 percent said general aviation is perceived as an annoyance. Only 1 percent […]

New York City TFR Talk about one hand not knowing what the other is doing — the FAA wins the award this week. There is a NOTAM TFR that basically follows the outline of the New York Class B. Except, TRACON is telling us the TFR has a radius of 40 nm, not 20 nm […]

Neighborhood parties usually aren’t my thing. When it comes to drinking beer in the backyard while dozens of unaccompanied minors are screaming and running around my ankles, I’m not easy to get along with.This neighborhood beer bash had an important difference that made it more fun for me: It wasn’t in my back yard. This […]

Approach : Heavy 123 : Hold straight and level! Heavy 123: Holding straight and level.(pause)At least, that’s assuming my First Officer can hold straight & Level…

*** PREVIOUS RESULTS *** We received over 100 responses to our question last week on the pending FAA Reauthorization Bill. The vast majority (75 percent) of those responding felt the ongoing delays of this legislation are a result of the usual play of politics on Capitol Hill. Less than one-tenth (8 percent) mentioned the need […]

When Greg Herrick asked me 18 months ago to be one of the pilots for his five aircraft on the National Air Tour he was re-creating, I reacted like most every one else: “Sure I would!” To be perfectly honest, I thought there was no way in hell he could pull this off, so I […]

National Air Tour Received your much-read article this morning (Newswire, Sept. 18). The information on the National Air Tour is a little bit in error. You may want to check the route they are taking (it will be modified a little along the way due to weather).They left Wichita on Sunday morning for Tulsa, not […]

Back in the 70’s, BOAC (British Airways) flew into O’Hare Chicago and their call sign was “Speedbird”… O’Hare: Speedbird xxx slow to 200 kts. Speedbird xxx: Sorry, running late, need to keep the speed up. O’Hare: Ok, turn right 90 degrees and keep your speed up. Speedbird xxx: Errr, how long would we be on […]