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A recent legislative change to the taxation of jet fuel is creating significant concerns for commercial and private aircraft operators as well as fuel vendors. The National Air Transportation Association (NATA) and National Business Aviation Association (NBAA), along with tax experts, FBOs, air charter operators and private aircraft owner-operators are now working on developing industry […]

But It Could Be Worse (Avgas Prices) Are we living in a world of lunacy? I’m reading the article published in this week’s AVflash regarding the high price of avgas with the writer telling us it is not such a bad thing that our price of aviation fuel is actually an 11% overall increase in […]

When Hurricane Katrina left the Gulf Coast devastated, general-aviation aircraft and pilots were there to help. AVweb reports on what has been done so far and what else we can do. The First Week The Storm Hurricane Katrina hit Florida first, killing 11 people as it passed over the peninsula on Aug. 25 with 80 […]

Airliner one twenty three, cleared to SHINE, hold northwest, as published, expect further clearance one five three zero.”Holding might not be ordinary to you, but in Atlanta Center (ZTL) it’s as ordinary as pine trees in Georgia. During normal business hours, somebody — somewhere — always seems to be holding in ZTL airspace. I think […]

MIV AFSS Offline On Sep. 2, there was a fatal crash near Teterboro, N.J. (NewsWire, Sep. 8). As of the Sep. 3, the FAA still has no plans on getting Millville, N.J., Automated Flight Service Station (AFSS) up and running. They seem to be ignoring the problem and hoping it will go away when Lockheed […]

As I mentioned in my last column, the best way to really learn your craft in aviation, the best way to become a better pilot — while not having to make the same mistakes others have already made — is to find a mentor. OK, that sounds easy enough — find a gray-hair and listen. […]

The Right to Flight I heartily applaud your editorial, “The Right to Flight” (ATIS, Aug. 24). Under Bush, the administration has gone way too far. They are using 9/11 as an excuse to curtail (and possibly eliminate) the freedoms of the average American. Spreading out from the U.S., a sludge-like ripple effect of limitations to […]

I was in one of the big, tattered recliners in the Pilot’s Lounge at the virtual airport, checking e-mail. It’s the way many of the regulars at the Lounge keep in touch. I enjoy the give and take of our exchanges, and from time to time I get comments or questions that raise issues many […]

I pulled my Cessna T310R out of the hangar, and performed the usual pre-flight walk-around. I climbed into the left seat, watched my two passengers take their seats and fasten their seat belts, and checked that the cabin door was properly secured. Pre-start checklist: flight controls free and correct, switches and dimmers off, circuit breakers […]

Cessna Incident Regarding flying without five feet of wing (NewsWire, Aug. 22) …The picture appears to be that of a P210. Five feet is an exaggeration since it appears from the photo that the aileron is intact and that surface extends to the tip.With extended wingtips incorporating a fuel tank, such as those provided by […]