FBOs

Check out AVweb’s “Airmanship” section, where Paul offersan article about deadly spiralsthat could save your life. Paul A. Soderlind was born August6, 1923, in Billings, Mont. He took his first flight lesson at age 12, earnedhis private certificate on his 18th birthday (which was then the CAA minimumage), and earned his Commercial and Instructor ratings […]

First,a little housekeeping. For those interested in some of the old books I reprint,there have been several changes. Be sure to check out my list of availablepublications. Also, I am often asked “When are you gonna do the the turbocolumn?” I’ve now got a turbonormalizer from TornadoAlley Turbo in Ada, Oklahoma, and as soon as […]

Itis only May, but here in the Pilot’s Lounge at the virtual airport, a few of thepilots are already making plans to go to Oshkosh, Wis., to the annual EAAAirVenture blowout the end of July. Some are checking out their camping gear andperusing Sport Aviation magazine to see what is going on and when they […]

Jerome C. Stannard was one of the “quiet heroes” to survive thesecond world war. He completed 76 combat missions flying the Jug (the RepublicP-47 Thunderbolt) in the U.S. Army Air Corps (predecessor to the United StatesAir Force). USAAC Cadet Stannard in 1943 When he returned home and separated from the Army – like manyothers – […]

Frankly, I hated the massive rewrite ofPart 61 that went into effect on August 4, 1997. No one asked me, but I didn’t think itneeded an overhaul. A few minor tweaks to clear up a few poor areas would have done verynicely. It changed rules and requirements that had been in effect for decades, from […]

One of the more occasional visitors to the Loungestopped in and brightened our day recently. Kirby was here for a while; hecracked a few jokes, talked about old airplanes a little, chatted with some ofthe regulars and then left, driving slowly away in his beat-up pickup truck. Hisage is starting to show and it aggravates […]

Norman Lyle Prouse was born September 29,1938, in Wichita, Kan. He won his first airplane ride by writing an essay for his father’scompany, Beech Aircraft. After high school he joined the Marines, learned to fly, andstarted a family. In his 13-month tour in Vietnam he earned seven air medals. He resignedhis commission and took a […]

TheFreight Dogs When someone says, “commercialpilot,” the first thing the listener thinks of is an air carrier pilotwearing a blazer with stripes up to his/her elbow. But there are many moreoccupations for professional pilots than just flying a human mailing tube, notleast of which are the so-called “freight dogs” – the cargo haulersflying all kinds […]

The 747 was nearing the end of the trans-Pacific flight from Tokyo to Anchorage, Alaska, and had begun a descent from Flight Level 370 about 120nm from the runway. The triple Inertial Navigation Systems (INS) had functioned perfectly, and the autopilot in INS mode still held the big bird on a flawless and perfectly straight […]

It wasn’t really a bad day, just a little challenging. The wind was gusting to about 15 and it was bumpy. The clouds were solid at 3,000 feet, but the visibility was great. Students were working hard in the crosswind and the gusts, and a couple of pilots were sitting here in the Lounge drinking […]