Reader Mail

Airline Patriotism No doubt it is neither my business nor my right to comment on how certain airlines — specifically United, Northwest and UPS — are equipping themselves with foreign-made (read AIRBUS) airliners.Can’t help but notice that Boeing’s Commercial Airliner Division is still laying off workers, because of dropping sales. So Seattle is feeling that […]

Flight Schools I’m happy for those companies that have made through these tough times, but all in all, general aviation, flight schools, and A&P schools have suffered a 50 to 60% decrease in business. The small mom & pop operations continue to suffer and are closing at an alarming rate. The media tends to ignore […]

Two Poles, One Pilot, One Engine The idea of flying single engined across both poles doesn’t sound nearly dangerous enough to catch my attention. Let’s disconnect one of the magnetos and use some contaminated fuel just to keep things interesting.Who gets to search the polar ice caps when she goes missing?Sylvia Else Deadheading Pilots Want […]

As the Beacon Turns: The Silence of the Lambs Mr. Maya Charles:I found your story very interesting. I’m an A&P/IA professionally, and a glider pilot for fun (not at the moment — I work in the Central Pacific for the U.S. Army, but that’s another story).I did think that perhaps you might have focused on […]

Chicago Lakeshore VFR Corridor The closure (temporarily, we hope) of Meigs tower greatly increases the danger of mid-air collision, as single-engine aircraft flying VFR — almost all between 2,000 and 3,000 MSL — prefer to fly within a mile or so of the shoreline.Why doesn’t the FAA NOTAM a CTAF (121.3) for all aircraft between […]

Guns In The Cockpit (Yet Again) Up until now I have tried to keep my opinion on this issue to myself. But, after reading Mr. Shaw’s April 28 letter on the subject I feel compelled to comment.I mean no disrespect to Mr. Shaw, but please, please, please do not drag what is, in my opinion, […]

Pentagon Cold Shoulder As long as the DOD is expressing its right to boycott, can someone ask them to also boycott the 2003 Chicago Airshow? I think Mayor Daley can make the connection. Mitch Aldrich Meigs Field The purpose of this letter is to express my dissatisfaction with the City of Chicago’s recent closing of […]

Guns in the Cockpit While reader Boney’s hypothesis [AVmail April 20] can’t be disproven (that’s the neat thing about hypotheses), the U.S. score at this point in the terrorist war is Suicidal Terrorists 19, Suicidal Pilots 0 for fatal cockpit insurrections. In the case of a single, armed pilot, the probability is at least 50% […]

EAA Flies Reality TV Show I assume that the EAA’s student pilot, Kyle, is male. This is unfortunate, in that if GA is to grow, organizations like the EAA have to capture the imagination of women. Females are vastly underrepresented in the ranks of GA, and if GA is going to grow it will only […]

Guns in the Cockpit I am a Learjet and King Air pilot who is worried about the abilities for pilots to carry guns in the cockpit and have a secured door. The problem with this can be demonstrated in a hypothetical scenario.A 767 is on final approach to JFK. One of the pilots who has […]