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Nearly half the households in the United States include one or more animals, and many of these households also include a general aviation aircraft owner or pilot. Arrangements must be made for the care of their pets before the human members of the household can take a trip of more than one day’s duration. Do […]

The media is filled with stories on how today’s youth has gone bad. However, in our aviation industry there are thousands of young people fulfilling their dreams of learning to fly. In the process of learning how to build a wing, or earning a pilot’s certificate, they have acquired self-esteem and an introduction into the […]

The subject of this column was suggested by a reader, a former gofer at the flight school I operated. (We always had an ambitious young person who did “grunt work” on a trade deal in exchange for flight instruction.) Larry was one such, and now he is a graduate electrical engineer and part-time flight instructor. […]

I know it will come as no surprise to you that the recent midair collision on the Swiss-German border has been dominating my thoughts this week. It’s the ultimate nightmare in ATC, for pilots, passengers, and controllers alike. We will have to wait months before we know precisely what went wrong. The waiting will be […]

On Saturday, July 13, 2002, a crowd of more than 1,500 people witnessed the rollout of the first Eclipse 500 in Albuquerque. By the time you read this, the revolutionary six-place, twin-engine mini-jet may well have made its first flight. With its high-tech avionics, 355-knot cruising speed, 1,300-nm range, and 41,000-ft ceiling – all for […]

Folks, I love being positive and cheerful. I’d much rather write about pleasant things, good memories, good products, good people, and fun things. I didn’t enjoy doing the Whyalla column, and I’m not going to enjoy this one. But Flying (July 2002, page 73, “Can your engine run too lean?“) missed the boat so badly, […]

(click any image for a larger version) The crowds were large, but there was plenty of room on the grass for those watching the airshow The airshow salute was necessary protection from the hot sun at Arlington R.D. “Crash” Williams is interviewed by aviation journalist Charity Scott under his pristine Grumman Avenger Allan Wilkie, of […]

It may be because it is such a young industry and avocation that aviation is driven, almost obsessed, by firsts. In ways that captivate, and sometimes annoy, the quest for such distinctions fills volumes and occasionally makes headlines. Airshows, the big ones, anyway, try to ensure some sort of “first” is on their agenda. And […]

I just finished giving my favorite curmudgeon here at the virtual airport, Old Hack, his flight review. He had the windows of his Super Cruiser open, so the pleasant breeze was a nice bonus to a flight that went well. After we flew, we went back to the big chairs in the pilot’s lounge to […]

Perhaps there can be some good to come out of the nearly hysterical news reports on high-profile fatalities in 2001, and that is to become totally aware of all the things you can do to be safer from a maintenance, training, and an optional-equipment perspective. The concepts of safe, legal, and smart also apply here, […]