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Eastbound and down, loaded up and truckin’, we’re going to do something that they said couldn’t be done — arrive on time in Newark on Christmas Eve.This feat is harder during the Christmas season than almost any other. In addition to unusually high passenger loads, icy weather and high winds, we airline crews are dealing […]

You may not know how to tie a safety wire, or you may be convinced you can’t do it unless you’re an A&P mechanic. Legally speaking, you’re on solid ground: The current FAR Part 43 (Appendix A) specifically allows pilots to replace defective safety-wire without apparent limitation (although we urge you not to touch turnbuckles […]

Lockheed Martin FSS I’ve had a little different experience with Lockheed Martin FSS than Ted Anderson (AVmail, Dec. 5).I retired from the Oakland, Calif., FSS in 1998. One reason was that I could see the “handwriting on the wall.” The FAA was pouring millions into updating FSS equipment. But between management ineptness and foot dragging […]

In the weeks that followed Hurricane Katrina, the images being showcased by the media were hard to miss: helicopter rescue crews hoisting survivors off rooftops in the flooded city of New Orleans. With nowhere to go but the murky waters that surrounded their flooded homes, Hurricane Katrina survivors looked to the sky for hope and […]

I don’t know why air disasters take on the names of towns or places. I guess we have to give them some sort of name to catalogue them in our minds. Perhaps geography is just convenient. It does seem unfair to the towns. Lockerbie, Scotland, didn’t have anything to do with Pan Am 103 blowing […]

FAA Takes Credit? I am sure glad to hear that the Teflon FAA has found something to be responsible for — all those safe flights (NewsWire, Nov. 28). Well, at least I’m glad for the smile it brings. Allow me to state the obvious: Credit goes to those individual cockpit crews and especially those individual, […]

Editor’s Note: This opinion piece from the National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA) is in response to a letter from an AVweb reader about recent negotiations between the FAA and NATCA. First of all, NATCA is not proposing a pay increase. NATCA has proposed the current pay table, meaning the status quo would be maintained […]

This will be the column that allows devotees of liquid-cooled engines to rock back in their Aerons, place palms on paunch and proclaim, “Aren’t we the smart ones?!” With some design care, a liquid-cooling system for aircraft can be simple to execute and remarkably insensitive to variations brought by series production or less-than-surgical ongoing maintenance. […]

Lightgun Signals I have never had occasion to respond to light gun signals while in a plane, either on the ground or in the air (QOTW, Nov. 17).Once, however, at night I was walking on a taxiway in a non-movement area from my hangar to a friend’s hangar somewhat further down, but still within the […]

I heard the commotion as I started down the hall from the flight school to the Pilot’s Lounge at the virtual airport. In the few moments it took to get to the door of the Lounge, individual voices became clear, split into two very vocal camps: The vehement “Yes it will!” calls being answered by […]