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Boeing Looks at McAirliners Just a quick note on something I thought was incorrect in the AVweb newsletter. The article says “Seattle-based.” They are now headquartered in Chicago, Ill., as of a couple years ago. Love the newsletter; keep up the great job, I love seeing it in my mail box.Ric Vanselow FAA Wings Program […]

In the mid-1980s, my father-in-law Harry became the proud owner of his first diesel-powered pickup truck. A Michigan camping enthusiast, he was certain his new engine would not only out-perform any engine he’d ever owned, but it would last him forever.Harry decided to use oil analysis to ensure he’d know about any potential problems in […]

Cirrus Robb’s “Best Of Best” As a Cirrus SR22 owner, I understand and appreciate the Robb Report’s selection of the SR22 as one of the “Best of the Best.” It truly is a great airplane.People know me as an advocate for aviation and aviation safety. Therefore, I am disappointed by AVweb’s allusion to the Cirrus’ […]

True story.A guy named Chuck flies 757s for a major airline, and builds and flies an RV-8. Flying the RV-8 is quite different from his day job: The 757 has a glass cockpit, side-by-side seating, and trainer wheel up front, and is designed for straight-and-level flight; RV-8 has steam gauges, fore and aft seating, is […]

For those who haven’t been counting, this concludes my second year of writing for AVweb. No one is more surprised than me. It doesn’t seem that long. I guess it’s true. Time does fly when you’re having fun.And it has been fun. Even more important, at least in my book, it’s been educational. Everyone’s heard […]

This article appeared in the April, 2002 edition of Aviation Consumer and is reprinted here by permission. Any aircraft owner who expects the experience to be one slam dunk after another can be certain of only one thing: disappointment. Nothing about owning an airplane is a sure thing, least of all maintenance decisions.And topping the […]

Before we get into this month’s column, a little “housekeeping.”I’d like to remind readers that my old email address (jdeakin@avweb.com) is no longer valid, as the new owners have done away with AVweb email for columnists and other staff. My current addresses are my “Old Faithful” for more than 20 years, jdeakin@compuserve.com, and my newer […]

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 […]

I was 33 by the time I slid into the left seat of the 152 for my first lesson, and by the time we’d finished the run-up and were pointed down the runway, I’d had my first gnawing doubt about being able to do this. My instructor, Pamela, was handling the radio work and I […]

Editor’s Note: This article originally appeared in Cessna Owner and Pipers Magazines. “It was apparent that a propeller was simply an aeroplane travelling in a spiral course. As we could calculate the effect of an aeroplane travelling in a straight course, why should we not be able to calculate the effect of one travelling in […]