AVweb Insider

AVweb Insider offers a curated collection of opinion pieces, personal narratives, and expert analyses that delve into the nuances of aviation. From firsthand pilot experiences to in-depth discussions on industry trends and safety considerations, this section provides readers with thoughtful perspectives that go beyond standard news reporting. Ideal for aviation professionals and enthusiasts seeking deeper insights into the flying world.

Cliff Robertson: Actor/Pilot

click for larger image Some sad news over the weekend: Actor Cliff Roberston died. He was a day past his 88th birthday-not a bad run. That’s of interest to pilots because Robertson was one of us, having owned a stable of airplanes, not the least of which were a couple of Tiger Moths and a […]

Read More »

Prez Stifles EPA on Ozone. How About Lead?

If you were minding the news over the quiet Labor Day weekend, you may have noticed a bombshell of sorts: The Obama administration pulled the rug out from under EPA on proposed new regulations for tighter ozone standards. This caught nearly everyone by surprise, since Obama and the Democrats were believed to be on track […]

Read More »

9/11: Yes to Commemoration, No To Commiseration

On the morning of September 11, 2007, I was in the security line at O’Hare Airport. At exactly 8:46 a.m., the entire line stopped and the concourse almost instantly went silent for a full minute. There was no announcement; no one said a thing. Everyone knew what it meant. When the minute passed, life resumed.As […]

Read More »

Should Airline Pilots Fly More — Or Less?

In an AP story this week, the issue of pilot skills gets another look — with increasing automation, pilots just don’t get to fly enough to stay as sharp as they should be. The answer proposed most often is that procedures need to evolve to be sure that pilots spend more time as actual manipulators […]

Read More »

Tackling Weather in LSAs

In 20-odd years of doing aviation journalism, I have learned that the have and have-not syndrome applies as equally in aviation as it does in everything else. That’s another way of saying pilot attitudes and preferences are strongly shaped by the experiences they’ve had, especially with regard to equipment. And those who’ve gazed down from […]

Read More »

Sukhoi’s T-50: The End of U.S. Dominance?

Last week’s news item on the not-that-new Sukhoi T-50 fifth generation fighter and a subsequent poll we published on the appearance of the airplane prompted a curious response. The T-50 is being pitched as an F-22 wannabe, with similar stealth capabilities, super cruise, sophisticated low-observable radars and combat maneuvering capability as good if not better […]

Read More »

Innovation, Cooperation, And Prognostication

Trying to predict what our technology will look like 10 or 20 years from now — whether it’s something as relatively simple as a new aviation fuel or as complex as a revamped electric grid that can run on renewable power — seems to me about as hopeful an enterprise as trying to predict the […]

Read More »

EAA’s Not So Young Eagles

The persistent downturn in the aviation economy is obviously related to the larger world economy, but there’s another long-term trend buried in the numbers: The pilot population is dwindling and student pilot starts have been down for a decade. Take your pick of theories to explain this, but I don’t think there’s a single cause.My […]

Read More »

Lycoming’s View: Airworthiness by Design, Not Luck

For decades, general aviation has been operating and designed around a single fuel – 100LL. Now environmental and economic pressures are driving the search for an unleaded alternative. Lycoming firmly believes that an equivalent performance unleaded aviation grade replacement for 100LL is the best total solution for our industry overall. We also know that using […]

Read More »

Lycoming’s View: Pump Gas is Not Mogas

For decades, general aviation has been operating and designed around a single fuel – 100LL. Now environmental and economic pressures are driving the search for an unleaded alternative. Lycoming firmly believes that an equivalent performance unleaded aviation grade replacement for 100LL is the best total solution for our industry overall. We also know that using […]

Read More »
Sign-up for newsletters & special offers!

Get the latest stories & special offers delivered directly to your inbox

SUBSCRIBE