Features

Ordinarily, as summer winds down here at the virtual airport, the Pilot’s Lounge regulars are engrossed in planning their hundred-dollar-hamburger trips in directions that will give them the best scenery as the fall colors start to show. But this year, discussion of the continued high level of incompetence at the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), and […]

The FAA recently granted ODAR status to Adam Aircraft – the Denver-based aircraft manufacturer and builder of the cabin class, centerline thrust, twin-engine A500 aircraft. ODAR (Organizational Designated Airworthiness Representative) denotes recognition that the FAA has approved the manufacturer’s organization, processes, and qualified staff members authority to perform conformity inspections for manufacturing processes and aircraft […]

Invited to Participate in 2005 Demo The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), in partnership with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), has invited Adam Aircraft to participate in a demonstration of their new research & development program focused on developing technologies to create a small aircraft transportation system (SATS). Under the project, NASA has initiated […]

Jim Slade was born December 4,1936, in Morgantown, W.Va. As a kid he washed airplanes for flight time, earning his pilot’s certificate 15 minutes at a time. His deep voice and ability to think on his feet pointed him to a career in radio journalism, and during his 40 years in the business he covered […]

“My God, read this!” I said, brandishing a page of USA Today to my co-pilot, Jim. USAir is going bankrupt and United says they won’t be far behind. “That newspaper is a week and a half old,” said Jim. “Here is one that is more recent and has a story about the latest Delta-Northwest-Continental link […]

The longest flight of my aviation career begins much the same way as the day I got married: Although the event was certain, how to accomplish it wasn’t. A squall line of business and personal responsibility creates a downpour of deadlines. The summer monsoon season pinpoints a three-day time frame. My youngest daughter Savannah has […]

Please forgive me if I rant and rave here, but I simply can’t help it when I see what’s happening to that which I love dearly – aviation. Although I am solely responsible for the opinions expressed here, I am sure that thousands of GA pilots share these opinions. And although the subject of this […]

Welcome back class. Now that we have you up in the air, we have to figure out a way to get you back down. As you have no doubt been told by your CFII, this part is not optional. Failure to successfully complete this section of the course will result in your termination. Permanently. For […]

The term “Fried Valves” seems to be sneaking into the lexicon of engine terminology, and is most often used by those who speak in dire tones about LOP (Lean of Peak) operations. Next they’ll blame LOP for tail flutter, vacuum pump failures, faded upholstery, and other such things. While were at it, let’s blame LOP […]

In December, 2001, the ATSB (Australian Transport Safety Bureau, similar to the U.S.’s NTSB) published one of the worst accident reports I can remember reading. In my opinion, the ATSB has taken junk science, pure speculation and profound ignorance to levels seldom before seen. They have not only perpetuated “Old Wives’ Tales,” but they have […]