Greensburg, KS Recovery Fund
Greensburg KS was wiped off the map on Friday, May 4, 2007 by a record tornado, and is now a Federal Disaster Area. Two of the residents are Duane and Ron Shank, both aviation enthusiasts, who have contributed much in their lifetimes to aviation. While each of these individuals survived the tornado, both suffered a total loss of their personal homes and their businesses. [ More ]
 

Luscombe Fly-In in Mattoon
June 28, 2006 One of the largest national fly-ins for Luscombes will be held Aug 25-27 at the Mattoon, Illinois Airport (MTO). All arriving Luscombes will receive a $0.25 per gallon fuel discount, and the Comfort Inn is offering a special rate if you prefer to camp in the comfort of a bed. More information available from Jerry Cox -- 217.234.8720 or Jerry25 at Consolidated dot Net.
 

Mooney CEO Wins Powderpuff Derby June 27, 2006 Gretchen Jahn, Mooney Airplane Company CEO and her teammate Carol Foy flew a Mooney M20 R Ovation2 GX to victory in the 2006 Air Race Classic. They covered the 2,400 mile transcontinental course from Mesa, Arizona to Menominee, Michigan between June 20 and 22, at 1.51 knots ahead of the closest competitor. [ More ]

17th Annual Vintage Aircraft and Classic Car Show
Angel Flight East is having their 17th Annual Vintage Aircraft and Classic Car Show on Sat. Sept 9, 2006 from 10AM to 3PM at Wings Field (KLOM) in Blue Bell, PA. Take a nostalgic trip back in time while walking among Vintage Aircraft and Classic Cars. Enjoy the music of those”good ol’ days”, visit exhibits and have a fun day for the entire family. Wings Field is the birthplace of the AOPA! Any pilot of a Vintage Aircraft is invited to fly in for this very special day. Every pilot who flies in will get a continental breakfast and lunch. Admission is FREE to the public. There is a $10/car parking fee. The rain date is Sept 10, 2006, and all net proceeds will go to benefit Angel Flight East. Contact Bonni Bellet Schwartz at 800-383-9464 x106 for more information and registration forms.
 

Kansas Luscombe Fly-In
Emporia, Kansas is hosting another annual LUSCOMBE fly-in on June 9,10 & 11. On Saturday the 10th the Emporia Municipal Airport will also host a OPEN HOUSE with a fly-in breakfast and lunch availiable. For more information, contact Don Tevis, Airport Manager, at 620-342-3598. Also click here for a poster about the event.
 

How to Propose Marriage
Apr 24, 2006 A controller at YVR (Vancouver, BC) proposed to his his girlfriend who was a passenger on an arriving flight. Listen to it at airplanepilot.blogspot.com/2006/04/marriage-proposal.html.
 

Attention Flight Instructors
Mar 11, 2006 Do you give instruction to students outside of a formal flight school environment? If you answered yes, Homeland Security is watching... [ More ]
 

Ouch...
This video shows how not to fly in the Alskan Bush. Makes a great case for taking along a Satellite phone, too... Click here to view (Windows Media format).
 

Hawkins & Powers Aviation - An Era Ends
Nov 28, 2005 More Than 60 Vintage and Firefighting Aircraft are being auctioned off as Hawkins and Powers ceases operations. We are not prone to run stories about military aircraft here at PopularAviation.com, however this time merits an exception. More than 60 vintage planes and aerial fire-fighting aircraft in Greybull, WY are a mix of military workhorses such as the Boeing B-25, Lockheed C130As, Boeing KC-97s, Consolidated PB-4Ys, and the famous Fairchild C119 “flying boxcar”. [ More ]
 

ADS-B To Go Nationwide
Nov 9, 2005 Breaking News! The FAA is about to announce that ADS-B will go nationwide. This is a major stake in the ground for autonomous collision avoidance. More soon...
 

Aero Commander to Build in Missouri
Oct 7, 2005 The manufacturer of the Aero COmmander, Commander Premier Aircraft Corporation, will relocate its airplane operation from Oklahoma to Cape Girardeau, Missouri. Cape Giradeau has been stuck with a defaulted bond payment ever since the departure of bankrupt Renaissance Aircraft, who tried and failed to manufacture Luscombes. [ More ]
 

New Luscombe Manufacturing Facility?
Oct 3, 2005 Update Long-time followers of the Renaissance Aircraft Corporation battle with the Luscombe Foundation will be interested to learn that new discussions are taking place in California. According to the Fresno Bee, Sequoia Field near Visalia is the focal point for a renewed manufacturing effort. However, a subsequent investigative report in the Fresno Bee disclosed a history of financial issues and failures for both Renaissance (the manufacturer) as well as the comunnity that hosted them in Missouri. [ More ]
 

Snowbirds Accident
August 24, 2005 Canadian media report that a Snowbird went down near Thunder Bay, Ontario -- which is on the northern shore of Lake Superior. The pilot ejected safely and was treated and released from a local hospital for minor injuries. Apparently the aircraft was involved in a pre-show exercise when the engine flamed out while inverted at 1000 feet above the ground. The Canadian Snowbirds are well known as the Candian equivalent to the Blue Angels or Thunderbirds, and are also respected as demonstrating an exceptionally high standard of precision flying.
 

Duxford Airshow
One of the best GA Airshows around is Duxford, in England. This year the show was held on July 10th, and featured a Battle of Britain re-enactment. See www.photovan.copperstream.co.uk/ for some excellent photos. Thanks to James van Etten of the London Morning Paper for this.
 

Airplane Magazines
Tired of the same old magazines that re-hash the same old stuff month after month? So are we. Remembering a great Saturday afternoon at a London newsstand a few years ago, we pointed our browser so that the compass read "east". Two of the findings were traditional magazines while one was electronic. All of them were interesting... [ More ]
 

New Aerobatic Form We don't usually feature airliners on PopularAviation.com. This is worth an exception! The site is in Japanese, however you will see where to click (Windows Media Player required). The opening of a new terminal building at Tokeyo’s Hanada airport compelled ANA to create a TV commercial in Japan. The text explains how "The planes are so happy about the new terminal, they broke into a dance". Click here to view.

One For the Pilots
The anti-airport crowd is a potent bunch. But once in a while reason sets in, and they get shut down completely. This article comes to us by way of the Canadian Owners and Pilots Association, and describes how the local community tried to outlaw aviation without success. Perhaps we whould consider outlawing their electricity... [ More ]
 

Register for FAA Updates
Ever wonder why you don’t hear from the FAA about local safety seminars anymore? Thanks to recent budget cutbacks, the FAA now relies on the Net and email to communicate with pilots. Problem is that fewer than a third of all pilots are signed up to receive email alerts. If you are not already registered, we encourage you to do so today at www.faasafety.gov. [ More ]
 

Okie Derby Air Race Slated
The largest Proficiency Air Race in the World. Sponsored by the Oklahoma Chapter Ninety-Nines. Accoding to a chapter spokesperson the Okie Derby Air Race is an opportunity to have fun and polish your flying skills. August 19 – 20, 2005, Wiley Post Airport, Oklahoma City, Ok. For information visit www.okiederby.info.
 

Kansas Luscombe Gathering
The Second Gathering of Luscombes Over Kansas is scheduled for June 17 thru 19, 2005. The location is the Emporia Municipal Airport in Kansas. Emporia is approximately 100 miles South of KC and about the same distance North of Wichita, right along I-35. [ More ]
 

Birddog Roundup 2005 Slated for Sept 18-21
The International Birddog Association (IBDA) will hold Birddog Roundup 55, to celebrate the 55th anniversary of the Cessna L-19/O-1 Birddog, on Sept 18-21, 2005 in Fredericksburg, TX. [ More ]
 

Flight Service Privatized
Washington, DC – The U. S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced today it has selected a team headed by Lockheed Martin to provide services now offered by the agency’s automated flight service stations. The total evaluated cost of the five-year contract, with five additional option years, is $1.9 billion, which represents savings of $2.2 billion over the next ten years, according to the FAA. [ More ]
 

Luscombe Calendar
Thanks to the hard work of Sharon Tinkler, you can download the 2005 Luscombe Calendar byt clicking here. It's an 8MB PDF file, and will require some thinking about how to print it out. The intent of the calendar is to create as many reasons to fly as possible by listing solo anniveraries of Luscombe Pilots...
 

Training With Flight Simulator
For many years, Bruce Williams was on Microsoft's Flight Simulator team. In fact, you may well have met him at Oshkosh in Microsoft's Booth. Now retired from Microsoft, Bruce spends his time flying an Extra 300. But being a Microsoftie at heart, Bruce is still passionate about Flight Sim. Now Bruce has posted some great tips to his website. [ More ]
 

Flying the DC-3
Oct 29, 2004 Ever wonder what it would be like to fly a legend? Dan Schmiedt has a great article about what he did on the spur of the moment one day on the way home from work. Really! [ More ]
 

Microsoft Flight Simulator
Oct 26, 2004 Ever wonder what it's like behind the scenes creating Flight Simulator at Microsoft? Here's a great video done by the Channel 9 team at Microsoft. Point of view is that of a software geek, not a pilot; but that makes it even more unique. Click here to view.
 

Aviation Books: Are They Just About Airplanes?
This compilation by lifetime aviator Dale Adams is a required resource for each pilot's Holiday wish list. Dale solicited input from the Luscombe List (groups.yahoo.com/group/luscombe-silvaire/, with a representation of pilots from North America and Europe. [ More ]
 

FAA Proposes Legal Action Against City of Chicago’s Meigs Field Closure
WASHINGTON, DC – The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) today announced that it is taking legal action over the 2003 closure of Meigs Field which could result in penalties against the city of Chicago. The FAA is citing the agency’s regulatory responsibility to preserve the national airspace system and ensure the traveling public with reasonable access to airports as the basis for its action today. [ More ]
 

Australia First to Use ADS-B and GPS for Air Traffic Control
Aircraft with ADS-B equipment use the GPS satellite system to derive their position. That position is then automatically broadcast at rapid intervals to air traffic control for precise tracking of the aircraft without the need for conventional radar. [ More ]
 

Unmanned Flight with Windows
Windows is everywhere -- if you doubt it, see research.microsoft.com/displayArticle.aspx?id=685. Faculty and students at Cornell University built an unmanned airplane with its own on-board, embedded control system. The large-scale model plane flies by accessing coordinates from an off-the-shelf GPS unit.
 

FAA Issues Sport Pilot, Light-Sport Rule
July 20, 2004 The FAA has created two new aircraft airworthiness certificates: one for special light-sport aircraft, which may be used for personal as well as for compensation while conducting flight training, rental or towing; and a separate certificate for experimental light-sport aircraft, which may be used only for personal use. The rule also establishes requirements for maintenance, inspections, pilot training and certification. [ More ]
 

Sport Pilot Passed
July 16, 2004 The EAA reports that the Sport Pilot initiative finally made it out of the bureaucratic quagmire and into history! See www.sportpilot.org for details. This is excellent news for General Aviation!!!
 

Twister Flies On June 29th the first North American Twister kit plane was awarded its Airworthiness Certification, and the next day made its first flight -- three months after construction began. The Twister is typical of a new generation of kit aircraft, designed to be fast to build, with plenty of guidance and assistance from the distributor. [ More ]

Renaissance Air Given Extended Deadline
June 25, 2004 The city council in Cape Girardeau, MO has given Renaissance Aircraft until October 1 to put its financial affairs back on track. Renaissance, which was embroiled in a years-long battle over the Luscombe type certificate, was originally obligated to start paying monthly lease payments this spring. If Renaissance fails to meet their obligations, the city plans to evict them at that time. Court dates in the Type Certificate battle dragged on until April of this year, eliminating any hope that Renaissance would have their business up and running in time for the original deadline. Many in the industry are skeptical that the business will ever thrive, because Renaissance's fixed costs are too high. According to the firm's president, John Dearden, the company is pinning it suucess to sales in the new Sport Aircraft category because the Luscombe meets the requirements and stringent FAA certification requirements will not apply.
 

Space Flight Photos
The recent flight into space by a private citizen was truly remarkable. We're not going to repeat the story here, since others told it well; rather we are pleased to share with you some of the photos taken by people behind the scenes. These folks are also remarkable! [ More ]
 

Chasing the Tiger Moth I wanted to write a little something about my weekend. I had to return to the UK from my current home in France to renew my medical, and took the chance to re-validate my Tiger Moth currency at the Tiger Club, based at Headcorn Aerodrome (www.headcornaerodrome.co.uk) in Kent (home to the P51Bs of 354th Fighter Group in 1944/45). [ More ]

NZ Hangliding Regs Slated to Change
New Zealand's Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) plans to rewrite rules governing commercial hang gliding and paragliding operations. This is the latest chapter in a saga that began when a tourist fell to their death in 2003, while aloft in a tandem hang glider. The pilot, Stephen Richard Parson, was convicted of manslaughter. [ More ]
 

G8 TFR
Here we go again. Another nasty TFR, with maximum spin applied by the FAA in a press release. At the request of the U.S. Secret Service, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) will implement airspace restrictions in Georgia from June 6-10, 2004, before and during the G8 Summit. This will also affect Savannah, GA. By comparison to most pop-up TFRs, this one is huge -- so make certain you understand it. [ More ]
 

Historic Space Launch Attempt Scheduled for June 21
June 2, 2004 Mojave, CA: A privately-developed rocket plane will launch into history on June 21 on a mission to become the world’s first commercial manned space vehicle. Investor and philanthropist Paul G. Allen and aviation legend Burt Rutan have teamed to create the program, which will attempt the first non-governmental flight to leave the earth’s atmosphere. [ More ]
 

X-Prize Heats Up
The X-Prize race is nearing an end, and most betting people have their money on Burt Rutan's entry. The photos here are not the ones you usually see. They are from the "Scaled Composites Supersonic Flight Test in Mojave, California on April 8, 2004" and represent the first privately-built airplane to break the sound barrier. Going straight up, no less! It has only flown supersonically, twice: once on December 17th for Wright Brothers anniversary, and on April 8th. Paul Allen, a Microsoft co-founder, is a financial backer of the Scaled Composites project. (Paul is a big backer of aviation in all forms.) [ More ]
 

Julie Boatman Appointed AOPA Senior Editor
Sometimes stories are big just because of the circumstances. Today AOPA appointed long-time staff member Julie Boatman as Senior Editor. PopularAviation.com is pleased to announce our small part in the celebration... [ More ]
 

Renaissance Air Acquires Luscombe Type Certificate
April 30, 2004 Breaking news... The court in Arizona advises that Renaissance Aircraft was the successful bidder for the assets of the Don Luscombe Aricraft History Foundation. These assets include the Luscombe Type Certificate. Physical asset transfer is expected somtime next week. More as soon as details are available from the court.
 

Gyroplane Record Attempt
A pilot has started his attempt to become the first person to fly around the world in a gyroplane. In preparation for this trip, Barry Jones -- the pilot -- set a world record for continuous flight in an open-cockpit gyroplane. He landed in Scotland after completing a 584 mile non-stop journey in seven hours and 23 minutes. For more, see news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/north_yorkshire/3658535.stm.
 

Luscombe Foundation Assets Up for Auction
Another milestone has been reached in the ongoing saga of the Luscombe Type Certificate. The Arizona bankruptcy court set up a trustee to oversee operation of the Luscombe Foundation (more formally known as the Don Luscombe Aircraft History Foundation, or DLAHF). On April 16, 2004 the trustee recommended dissolution of the Foundation, with sale of the assets to the highest bidder.
[ More ]
 

The Twister Kit Plane comes to America… In the little town of Verl, Germany, just west of Hannover, two brothers and a band of helpers have spent the last six years creating a tiny jewel of an airplane known as the Twister. It all started with the design for a radio control model that flew so well that they decided to scale it up to full size. The original idea, and one that may yet come to fruition, was to power the resulting Spitfire-lookalike very-light airplane with an electric motor driven by a lightweight motor/generator. The desired product was an airplane that would fly quietly and frugally on a fraction of the fuel used by the typical recreational aircraft. The technology has yet to catch up with this original idea, but the concept of a frugal and lightweight single seater remains. As the price (and social costs) of fuel continue to rise, there will be a market for an airplane for those who want the thrill of flight without burning quite so much fossil fuel. In the automotive world, the Lotus company has been very successful at building light, low powered sports cars that are a real blast to drive. The Twister could well be the aeronautical version of this concept. [ More ]

Willi Lischak and His Tiny Racer. In the town of Bad Voeslau, just south of Vienna, Austria, you will find a general aviation airport similar to many others sprinkled about in this land of snow capped mountains and green valleys. Here in Bad Voslau lives one Willi Lischak, an enterprising pilot who had an idea about setting distance records that resulted in his receiving the prestigious FAI Bleriot medal in 1988. This is the story of how he did it, and of the tiny aircraft that he used to set several records that stand to this day. [ More ]

Purchase Your Luscombe Operators Handbook and Parts List
PopularAviation.com is offering a CD containing an electronic reproduction of the Luscombe Operators Handbook and Price List, circa 1945, consisting of over sixty pages of information and parts lists, as well as seven pull-out drawings. In addition to the manual, the CD contains over 1,000 photos of general aviation aircraft from this website, along with a variety of articles. [ More ]
 

TFRs in Europe
Bet you thought that TFRs are an artifact of post 9-11 US flight operations. Well, it turns out that the French have implemented a number of them as well! In a six-page PDF file, the French government outlines the extensive list of sites that will be prohibited effective June 5, 2004. Most of these sites are industrial plants. [ More ]
 

Second SpaceShipOne Test Flight
April 8, 2004. Space.com is reporting that Burt Rutan's X-Prize contender made its second flight today. According to the report, 40 seconds of rocket burn propelled the plane to Mach 2 at 105,000 feet. Looks like another frontier is about to be conquered!
 

FAA Grounds Paper Airplanes
Washington, DC (April 1, 2004) The FAA announced today that in cooperation with the Department of Homeland Security, paper airplanes will be grounded effective immediately. [ More ]
 

National Cherokee Fly-In Slated
On June 18-20, 2004 Cherokee owners from across the nation will gather for their annual event, open to all PA-28 & PA-32 Cherokee pilots, their families, and friends. At the renowned Tan-Tar-A Resort on the Lake of the Ozarks, Osage Beach, Missouri. Grand Glaize airport (K15). The 2004 Fly-In includes 50+ vendors, 10+ seminars, aircraft judging, and banquet dinner including guest speaker Dr. Karl Bergey (Chief Designer, "Father of the Cherokee"), awards ceremony, and entertainment/dancing. Reception BBQ at the airport on Friday at 5:30 pm. Saturday events starting at 8:30 am. Sunday begins at 9:00 am with a Q&A session with Karl Bergey, followed by a Cherokee Pilots' Association meeting with Terry Lee Rogers, and raffle of vendor offerings. New Piper Aircraft, Inc. will be there to show and give rides in some of their new aircraft. See www.cherokeeflyin.com for more information.
 

New Speed Record Set March 27, 2004 NASA's experimental hypersonic X-43A has broken the world speed record by flying at seven times the speed of sound, according to NASA. The 12-foot long unpiloted aircraft used a scramjet engine that runs on hydrogen, with oxygen being consumed from the atmosphere. [ More ]

Lawn Chair Pilot
Many people have heard of the lawn chair pilot over Los Angeles in 1982. In fact, some people think it's an urban legend. For once the story is true: in 1982 Larry Walter, a truck driver from the Los Angeles area, connected weather balloons to a lawn chair and drifted over Los Angeles at altitudes up to 16,000 feet. [ More ]
 

Avionics Wiring Kit Announced
Need to upgrade your avionics stack to accomodate Garmin GNS 430/530s? If you started with a King KX155/165, it may be easier than you thought. Approach Systems Inc (www.approach-systems.com) has a series of quick-conversion kits; this combination is the latest pairing in the series. Their Pro Hub adapters can be installed or retrofitted to any certified or experimental aircraft. See the website for additional information. It could save you Big Bucks.

 

New Aviation High School
Washington State will have a new high school next year, named Aviation High School. The mission of the school is "to prepare students for college, work, and citizenship through a personalized, rigorous, and relevant learning experience that is facilitated in the context of aviation and aerospace." [ More ]
 

Renaissance Air Troubles Continue
The Southeast Missourian, a newspaper in Cape Girardeau, MO, has an update on Renaissance Aircraft's lengthy legal battle with the Don Luscombe Aircraft History Foundation. They confirm what many Luscombe enthusiasts already knew: it is unlikely that there will be new Luscombes manufactured anytime soon, if ever. The paper reports that the legal battle could soon end (there is another court hearing scheduled for March, 2004), however company president John Dearden admits serious financial problems remain. Click here for the complte story from the Southeast Missourian.
 

Taylorcraft Around the World Here’s a chance to live an adventure vicariously. The adventure began with a false start thanks to engine problems; however a Canadian is on his way around the world in a 65-HP Taylorcraft. The trip goes first from the west coast of Canada to South America (where pilot Hans Hofmaier and his plane are now), then back north and across the North Atlantic. It’s a true shoestring operation, with no financial margin for error. Find out more at members.shaw.ca/spiritonashoestring/.

Around the World in 80 Hours (Solo) Sponsored by Virgin Atlantic, pilots Sir Richard Branson or Steve Fossett plan to set a world record for the first solo, non-stop, non-refuelled circumnavigation of the world. Powered by a single jet engine, and designed (as usual for an innovative plane) by Burt Rutan's Scaled Composites Corporation, the Virgin Atlantic GlobalFlyer has the look mid-way between a sailplane and the Enterprise. The aircraft's design carries fuel nearly five times its own weight, in order to fly around the world non-stop. [ More ]

Pilot Lost Off California Coast
It happens quietly, on a daily basis. Light aircraft commute across large expanses of water -- plying routes between Hawaii and the Mainland, across the North Atlantic, between New Zealand and Australia. Once in a while -- more often than we hear about -- something goes awry with tragic results. The latest example is a fuel problem several hundred miles off the California coast on a delivery flight from New Zealand to the US. Click here for a story in the New Zealand Herald.
 

FSS To the Rescue
The FAA is pushing for privatization of Flight Service. As part of a promotional plea, the union offers a recording that shows their value add. Everything turned out OK, but don't listen to this during dinner... www.naats.org/docs/flightassist.mp3.
 

The Wierd Stuff How about a rocket belt? Or an ornithopter? How about a nuclear-powered nuclear bomber? (Is that recursive logic, or...?) The Canadian Broadcasting Company, better known as CBC, ran a series of five segments on these critters. See www.cbc.ca/asithappens/100yrsflight/index.html to listen.

Luscombe Montages Available
PopularAviation.com is pleased to make two Luscombe Montages available for download, or as streaming files. [ More ]
 

New Soaring Record
Terry Delore from new Zealand and American Steve Fossett claim three new records at the end of their Argentinian adventure. Flying out of San Carlos de Bariloche, they added over 100 km to the world open class declared triangle distance, with a new total distance of 1502.6km. They also broke the world 1500m triangle speed record with an average speed of 119.11km/h, and set a new free distance triangle record of 1502.7km.
 

Ground Effect Vehicles In Alaska Southeast Alaska will have a new form of ferry transportation this summer, in the form of ground effect vehicles. Designed to carry 8 passengers plus 2 crew, the $800,000 craft operates 10-12 feet above he water. Power is provided by a V-8 automobile engine. A Flightship craft lifts totally clear of the water surface at around 50 knots to ride on a self-generated airwave at speeds up to 85 knots. There is no effect on the flat quiet ride quality from waves or wind. The FS8 is able to cruise comfortably over waves up to 12 feet high in winds of up to 25 knots See www.pacificseaflight.com for more details about the Alaskan service, and www.flightship.net for the manufacturer's website.

New Luscombe Site
The Luscombe Heritage Foundation just launched a new website, complete with parts price lists, fly-in calendar, and more. This is the source of the annual "Win Me" Luscombe, and you can purchase a relatively high-probability raffle ticket. See www.luscombeheritage.org.
 

Last Scheduled DC-3 Service
In the Canadian Arctic a DC-3 plies the remote Hay river-to-Yellowknife route. MSNBC ran a really interesting article on the old bird; click here to read more. But wait, there's more! Click here for a second MSNBC story on old airliners still in use around the world.
 

Marion, Indiana Fly-In Slated
No excuse this year, given nine months advance notice! September 4th, 2004 (Saturday) will be the date for the 14th Annual Fly/In Cruise/In at Marion Municipal Airport in Marion, Indiana. This annual event features antique, classic, homebuilt and warbird aircraft as well as vintage cars, trucks, motorcycles, and tractors. An all-you-can-eat Pancake Breakfast will be served with all proceeds going to the local Marion High School Marching Band. Website: www.FlyInCruiseIn.com Contact: Ray Johnson (765)664-2588 E-Mail: FlyInCruiseIn@indy.rr.com
 

World's Smallest Helicopter
A 70 mm high chopper that weighs in at just 10 grams is being touted as a flying camera platform for exploring collapsed buildings. Read more about this on the BBC website.
 

Airpark Living
Some pilots are lucky enough to live with their plane at an airpark. However restrictions usually come in the form of "no turbines, and max gross weight is 12,500 pounds". In other words, a lot of neighborhoods don't allow the owners to park Boeing 707s outside their homes, which is why actor John Travolta moved to Jumbolair, near Ocala, FL. See heraldtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20031102/NEWS/311021090/ for an interesting look at one pilot's new digs.
 

Concorde Retires in Seattle One Concorde reached its final resting place in Seattle today. Arriving almost thirty minutes early, the supersonic airliner touched down at Boeing Field (BFI) after a wide circle that conveniently took them past the SeaTac tower at 1500 feet. Word is that the crew set a new speed record on the JFK-SEA run, thus the early arrival. [ More ]

2003 Luscombe Raffle Winners Announced
Each year the DLAHF -- more commonly known as "The Luscombe Foundation" -- has a "Win Me" raffle for a freshly-rebuilt Luscombe. The 2003 winner was announced at Copperstate 2003, along with the runner-ups for other prizes. [ More ]
 

New Glastar Sportsman 2 + 2 Kit Ships
Oct 24, 2003 New GlaStar now focuses on accelerated kit development, moving concept aircraft to their first kit shipment in approximately 2-1/2 months. [ More ]
 

Luscombe Email List Has New Home
We don't generally carry this sort of news, however the Luscombe community is an active supporter of PopularAviation.com. The electronic community just moved to YahooGroups.com after a long battle with quality issues at their previous home. You can subscribe by sending a blank email to luscombe-silvaire-subscribe@yahoogroups.com (note the "-Silvaire" suffix -- there is another group at Yahoo designated simply "Luscombe").
 

Eleventh-Hour Concorde Petition
Concorde buffs have started a "Save Concorde" petition. The petition addresses the British fleet (the five that British Airways are still flying, and two that are used for spares), all due to be retired on October 24th. [ More ]
 

The New Alaska Pilot
Talk to someone about flying in Alaska, and the immediate image is an individualist, flying a Beaver on floats to a remote village. Perhaps, but there is another sort of corporate pilot up there as well, plying the route from Anchorage to the North Slope in a 737. The Anchorage Daily News just ran a brief article describing their jobs, which you can read by clicking here.
 

Hot Air Balloon Crosses Atlantic
A British citizen crossed the Atlantic in an open hot air balloon, as reported by the BBC. Read the details, including how the Concorde's sonic boom forced his balloon to descend twice while enroute. For details click here.
 

AF Thunderbird Crash
An Air Force Thunderbird crashed Sunday during an airshow at Mountain Home Airforce Base in Idaho. The pilot ejected safely; witnesses reported that the aircraft appeared to suffer a loss of control. See www.idahostatesman.com/News/story.asp?ID=49171 for additional details. Video courtesy of Seattle TV station KING-5 is available by clicking here.
 

PIREP: Warbird Flight Ever think about one of those warbird rides that are advertised in Trade-A-Plane? Here's a PIREP, in a T-6, over America's heartland. A big radial engine, a cool summer day, and a light load. Awesome. [ More ]

Aging Aircraft Guidance
The alphabets have jointly published a guide for dealing with aging aircraft. Slated for mailing to all aircraft owners in September, you can download the soft copy by clicking here.
 

River Ranch, Florida Luscombe Gathering Once again it is time for Luscombe owners to make the annual pilgrimage to River Ranch to meet and greet one another. As always, there will be plenty to do with little time to spare. Arrivals starting Friday evening October 31st. Activities begin Saturday November 1st and continue right through noon Sunday morning. For the die hards out there you can camp under the wing or accommodations can be had at the lodge. Each accommodation package includes one room for two, two bar-b-que dinner tickets, two rodeo and hayride tickets for $110.00 plus applicable taxes. Reservations need to be made before September 31st by calling 888-792-1243 and identifying yourself as with the Luscombe gathering. General Information email: dbcox@earthlink.net, and more information on the resort can be found at www.westgateriverranch.com.

Hail Upon B737
How would you have liked to been in the front office for this flight? home.quicknet.nl/qn/prive/f.braaksma/.
 

Luscombe Gathering Slated
The scond annual Gathering of Luscombes at Level Acres(GoLaLA II) will be held at Level Acres Airport (PA84), near York, Pennsylvania on September 27-28, 2003. See mason.gmu.edu/~gnievin/golala/ for additional details.
 

PIREP: Qualicum Beach The forecast called for Seattle's morning marine air to become a deep blue afternoon. Those who know the Pacific Northwest will not be fooled; within sixty days battleship grey will crush the region. In other words, this was the perfect day to show my niece the Luscombe, the majesty of a summer afternoon's flight, and at the same time explore a fresh destination. [ More ]

Be-103 Debuts at Oshkosh August 14, 2003 Beriev Aircraft Company debuted the Be-103 amphibious aircraft at the EAA Oshkosh Airventure Fly-In, after the aircraft arrived in Oshkosh aboard an Antanov AN-124 direct from Russia, along with a contingent of 18 maintenance technicians, flight operation personnel, and test pilots. The Be-103 made history by being the 1st Russian amphibious aircraft to receive a type certification from the FAA in recent years. [ More ]

Hughes Racer Crashes
Aug 5, 2003 Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family of Jim Wright, who died today when the Hughes Racer replica crashed in Yellowstone National Park. This incredible aircraft was returning to its home in Cottage Grove, OR after a week at the Oshkosh airshow. The racer has been featured here on PopularAviation.com for several years, and was a truly incredible piece of art and engineering combined into a flying machine. However none of that matters in the face of the tragedy for the Wrights... More details at customwire.ap.org/dynamic/stories/Y/YELLOWSTONE_PLANE_CRASH?SITE=WYCAS&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT.
 

New Pilot Certificates Ordered
July 31, 2003 OSHKOSH, WI Beginning today, the FAA will begin issuing new, security-enhanced airman certificates to the nation’s 650,000 active pilots. FAA Administrator Marion C. Blakey unveiled the new certificate at the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) AirVenture. [ More ]
 

New Glasair Announced July 30, 2003 Long-time homebuilder-kit-provider GlasAir just announced a new four-place model, dubbed the "Sportsman 2+2". According to GlasAir, this is the only four-place general aviation aircraft on the market that is a tail-dragger, trike, float ready, wing folding, trailerable, high-utility aircraft, all rolled into one, although they qualify their claim saying that the rear seat is really designed for children. See www.newglasair.com/new.html.

Celebrity Interviews
A couple of interesting interviews came to our attention. The first is with Harrison Ford, and can be read at vannuysjournal.com/articlesview.php?ID=165, where Harrison is shown with his many aircraft. The second is a great article about Baron Hilton: always the gracious host with toys and a setting most of us will only dream about. Read about him at www.centennialjournal.com/articlesview.php?ID=166. You'll note that both these articles are courtesy of the same publisher; pretty cool stuff!
 

Skydiving Across the Channel
A British skydiver plans to cross the English Channel via controlled freefall. Well, sort of. Actually he aspires to be batman, and will wear wings while jumping from 30,000 feet. Read more about this on BBC's website at news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/3106147.stm.
 

Mattoon Fly-In Set
The MTO 2003 LUSCOMBE FLY-IN will be held in Mattoon, IL on August 22-24, 2003. This is one of the grand-daddies of all Luscombe events, and not to be missed if you are able to attend. [ More ]
 

Boeing Stratoliner Flies Again
The B-307 Stratoliner that ditched in Seattle's Elliott Bay in March, 2002 is flying again. The rare and highly-polished airliner will be at Oshkosh for Airventure this year (last appearance was in 2001), then it will fly on to Washington, DC for permanent display at the new Smithsonian museum near Dulles. That is, if they don't run out of fuel again waiting for clearance into the ADIZ...
 

Winona Airshow Slated
Check out this year's Winona, MN airshow on July 6, 2003. There will be a fly-in/drive-in BREAKFAST 7:30 AM – 11:30 AM, with a free air performance at 1030. AIRPLANE RIDES AVAILABLE!! The airport will again have many unique aircraft for you to encounter first hand. Exhibits include Winona Aero Modelers, Winona County DARE, Civil Air Patrol, Medlink Helicopter and much more. New this year will be future pilot events “just for KIDS” .
 

Arlington Fly-In Info
For five days, July 9 through 13, the Arlington, WA Airport will become the site of the third largest fly-in in the country. There are a number of ways the airport changes during Fly-In weekend that pilots need to be aware of. Many of the changes are outlined here, but the final authority for all the details is the NOTAM issued for the event. The NOTAM. is available from the Flight Service Station or from the Northwest EAA Fly-at www.nweaa.org on the Internet [ More ]
 

Luscombe Gathering & Forum
There will be a Luscombe Gathering and Technical Forum, July 25-27,2003, in Brodhead, WI. Luscombe expert Gar Williams will conduct a lengthy Technical Forum followed by Q&A beginning at 10:00 AM on July 26th. Food will be available Friday evening for early arrivals, as well as all day Saturday and Sunday morning. Join other Luscombe pilots, who plan to attend and then fly on to Oshkosh on Sunday July 27th. For further information, contact Steve Krog at the Luscombe Association 262.966.7627.
 

Latest Luscombe Update
In response to many inquires about the disputes between Renaissance Aircraft and the Don Luscombe Aircraft History Foundation, the following statement (dated June 16, 2003) has been approved by the US Bankruptcy Court for the District of Arizona. [ More ]
 

Spatial Disorientation Seminar
Simulations Of Solutions LLC, in conjunction with the FAA, will be hosting a pilot safety seminar at their offices in Lennon, MI on Tuesday, August 26th, at 7:00pm. The programs for the evening will be Spatial Disorientation and Pilot Decision Making. In addition, attendees will be given free flight simulation training throughout the program. Contact Mike Pidek at 810-621-5600 or www.simulationsofsolutions.com for more information.
 

New Website Feature
There is nothing like that first ride in a plane! Many of us started with that innocent view of the world, seen from above. The new Young Eagles section is dedicated to the spirit and delight of these young aviators, and offers you an opportunity to post a photo of that magic first ride! And be sure to check out our other bragging-rights sections for solos and new ratings...
 

Luscombe Lawsuits
For Luscombe owners there's a lot going on that affects the future of the Type Certificate, as well as parts for your airplane. A series of lawsuits between the Don Luscombe Aircraft History Foundataion and Renaissance Aircraft are close to resolution, although more appeals are promised. [ More ]
 

Spirit of St. Louis Crash
A replica of the Spirit of Saint Louis crashed today at an airshow in Coventry England. Witnesses reported that the left-hand wing folded back and up. The pilot died enroute to the hospital. Complete story at news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/west_midlands/2953268.stm.
 

Hailstorm Punches Airliner
When was the last time you saw holes in an airplane due to hailstones? According to the BBC, it was football-sized hailstones in this instance... "The pilot said that in his 20 years of flying experience he had never encountered anything quite like it and, to reassure the passengers, he said it would be very unlikely if we ever encountered anything like it again." See news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/manchester/2941118.stm for all the details.
 

Stratoliner Close To Flight
The Seattle media keeps a close eye on the state of restoration of a beloved Boeing 307 Stratoliner. Seems like acres of polished aluminum went for a dunk two summers ago when the plane ran out of fuel. Latest update is at the KING5 News website.
 

Emotions Run High Over Floatplane Base Closure
Alaska and airplanes go together. In fact, any pilot who has flown in to Merrill Field in Anchorage realizes just how important airplanes are in the life of an Alaskan. So it's no surprise that closing a floatplane base will get folks riled. What is surprising is that in this instance it's GA vs. GA; Iliamna Airport is approximately 200 miles southwest of Anchorage, and a potential traffic conflict between the floatplane base and a nearby public field got the FAA's attention. Read the story on the Anchorage Daily News website.
 

Alaska-Russia Route Opens
Update The FAA just made it official with a NOTAM: the Alaska-Siberia route is now open! It's not quite "file and go", because the Russians require a minimum of 5 full working days in advance of intended flight. It is recommended that flight permission is requested at least 14 full working days in advance. Full details are available at www.alaska.faa.gov/AT/notices/russia.htm. Consensus goal is that a second segment from Russia to Japan become available in the future. [ More ]
 

New Weather Site
OK, just a new url... Check out www.aviationweather.gov for NOAA's portal to everything you'll need for aviation weather. Makes you wonder why the private sector is able to charge.
 

More Space Race Wannabes
Now it's the high-tech bunch: Jaff Bezos of Amazon.com has a "research" facility in Seattle, the Silicon Valley crowd is cloistered in -- of course -- the valley. However all of them have a common theme: be the first in space and claim that X Prize (of course each claims a more alturistic goal). See www.msnbc.com/news/904842.asp for a roundup of the action.
 

Did Miniature Aircraft Fly in Iraq? How did the United States do so well in the Iraq war? Could it have been Paul MacCready's handiwork? There are lots of reasons, and many people, that factored in to the answer. PopularAviation.com has uncovered information that leads to Dr. MacCready as a key enabler of battlefield intelligence information. [ More ]

Burt Rutan Builds Spacecraft
Update Aircraft designer Burt Rutan unveiled Friday a fully-built launch system that, if flights outside the atmosphere prove successful, would be the first private manned space program. Both the spacecraft, called SpaceShipOne, and its launch platform, a futuristic jet known as the White Knight, were developed and built in secret and have already begun tests at lower altitudes. Read the complete story at www.msnbc.com/news/902224.asp?0ql=c9p. A second story is available at www.msnbc.com/news/903281.asp?0ql=c7p, describing the aircraft in even more detail.
 

Concorde To Stop Flying Both British Air and Air France have announced that the Concorde will stop flying later this year, due to declining revenues. The Concorde has always been a tenuous venture for these airplines, with round-trip tickets in the $6,000 range between Europe and New York City. See news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/2934257.stm for more details.

Gathering of Luscombes
There will be a Luscombe fly-in, known as Gathering of Luscombes Over Kansas, on June 21 and 22 in Emporia, Kansas (EMP). [ More ]
 

Secret UK stealth plane project revealed
The existence of a secret programme to produce Britain's own stealth plane has been revealed with the declassification of a single photograph and a short statement. See www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99993590 for details.
 

Meigs Field Closed
The city of Chicago dug up part of the runway at Meigs overnight, and the airport is closed - with aircraft stranded there. The cops have shut off access to the airport, and no one is allowed in. This is the latest, and possibly the finale, in Chicago's mayor Daley's attact on General Aviation. Given that the airport receives no federal funds, it is unlikely that the mayor will be successfully challenged on his tactic.
 

New PopAv Features
Two brand new sections of the website have just been added... Inspired by the Webmaster's son's solo shortly after his sixteeth birthday, there are now sections to add bragging rights for your (or someone else's) first solo, or for a new rating. Enjoy!
 

Eielson Joins Alaska Aviation Hall of Fame
Alaska has some of the most significant aeronautical pioneers on the planet, but Carl Eielson is in a category by himself. Born in 1897, he was a peer of the Wright Brothers. In 1928, another pilot and Eielson flew 2,000-miles from Barrow, over the Arctic Ocean, to Spitzbergen in a Lockheed Vega. The flight's course was over uncharted territory without landmarks, using a magnetic compass. Read more about this amazing pioneer at The Anchorage Daily News.
 

Stratoliner Rebuild On Track You may recall that in the spring of 2002 a Boeing Stratoliner ditched in Seattle's Elliott Bay due to fuel exhaustion. This was especially dismal news, given that the aircraft had just emerged from a seven-year rebuild effort. A Seattle area newspaper, the King County Journal, just published an excellent update on the latest effort to restore the 2002 damage. Click here.

Aircraft Manufacturing Continues Plummet
Each month we update the N-Number database here at PopularAviation.com. That snappy search engine offered on the website sits on top of much more data than what we display. Out of curiostity, we ran a query to determine what is happening to the manufacturing industry. The results were scary. [ More ]
 

GA Pilot Helps in Air NZ Emergency
A private pilot acted as co-pilot on an Air New Zealand flight to Auckland yesterday when the captain fell ill. See www.nzherald.co.nz for the full story.
 

Microsoft Flight Simulator Certified On Feburary 5, 2003, the Australian Civil Aviation Standards Authority certified a MS flight simulator 2002 based installation as a "synthetic trainer" under the Australian FSD2 standards, the rough equivalent of the FAA FTD Level 2. For added spice, it was certified in a motion configuration, using a 3 axis hydraulic base. [ More ]

Pilot Rights: Getting the Word Out
Pilots already know the awful truth: that the TSA is ignoring our rights by acting as cop, juror, and appeals court. Not to mention that evidence against pilots found in violation of TSA regulations is secret, and the pilot has no right to find out why they are in trouble. The general press is starting to hear our plea for help. First CNN ran a story on their Headline News channel, an now articles are starting to appear in the general press. For example, click on The King County Journal to read one example.
 

New Glasair Website
www.NewGlasair.com is online after a refresh. The company is under new ownership (effective last summer), and appears to be getting back on track with its customers. Located in Arlington, Washington, GlasAir is noted for two popular models of kit aircraft.
 

FAA Upgrades DC Security Orange Threat Level WASHINGTON, DC – The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in conjunction with the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) today announced enhanced airspace control measures in the National Capital Region to a level consistent with National Threat Level Orange. [ More ]

It Got Worse
Lee Schiek, manager of one of the DC-3 airports in the Washington DC area, wrote the following email today. Note that the re-validation mentioned below will require that a federal employee be paid to sit around at the airport in order to make certain pilots didn't suddenly become terrorists. But we digress... [ More ]
 

Important! DC Class B Changes Alert Feb 7, 2003 1832 EST. Pilots in the Washington DC Area need to check NOTAMS for two changes expected within a few hours: (1) ALL aircraft within the Mode C Veil must have a discrete transponder code, or face dire consequences, and (B) the DC3 airports will be closed to all flight operations (not that they were ever really open). We want to stress neither of these points are yet official, but we are informing everyone now because reliable sources say the NOTAMs are imminent.

Luscombe Foundation Update
Recently we reported that on the 18th of January 2003, Doug Combs resigned his position as president of the Foundation and the board of directors elected Ron Price president. Here's an update... [ More ]
 

Crosswind Landings
This video shows crosswinds like you've likely never seen... home.no.net/ossvense/Movies/TAP_321_ventos_fortes.asx. Yikes!!!
 

In Memoriam
Fellow pilots, both in the shuttle and in their respective favored aircraft, the crew of the Columbia lived to fly. The tragedy of February 1, 2003 brings pain to those left behind, although crew's souls have ascended from orbit to the heavens. Our thoughts and prayers are with their families, friends, and co-workers in this hour of pain.
 

Combs Resigns as President of Luscombe Foundation On January 18, 2003 the Don Luscombe Aviation History Foundation accepted the resignation of DOug Combs, its founder and president. [ More ]

Four Walk Away From Crash
When you hear about an aircraft going down, the worst possible outcome is front of mind. The BBC reports on an airliner that crashed and all involved walked away -- a tru Christmas story. [ More ]
 

The Night Before Christmas
'Twas the night before Christmas, and out on the ramp,
Not an airplane was stirring, not even a Champ.
The aircraft were fastened to tiedowns with care,
In hopes that come morning, they all would be there. [ More ]
 

Major Eclipse Setback Eclipse Aviation Corporation, manufacturer of the Eclipse 500 jet, today announced that it has ended its relationship with Williams International, developer of the EJ22 turbofan, initially intended to power the Eclipse 500 jet. Given that Eclipse designed their airframe around this engine, the future of Eclipse's aircraft is subject to substantial changes. [ More ]

Concorde Goes Boom
Air France caused some "excitement" on board a Concorde flight when an engine had to be shut down at supersonic speeds. Read more in this BBC story.
 

Boeing Stratoliner
Remember that Boeing 337 Stratoliner that ditched in Seattle's Elliott Bay last summer? Looks like Boeing is taking on the job of the repair and restoration. See www.eastsidejournal.com/sited/story/html/110320 for a complete run-down. The really interesting thing about this story is that it made front-page headline news in a major suburban paper!
 

Was Personal GPS an Accident Factor?
The first reported accident involving personal (non-certified) GPS equipment under IFR conditions was reported by the NTSB. It appears that the pilot was using this equipment as a navigational reference when he collided with a tower in Kentucky on October 15, 2002. The accident is likely to be the first serious test of "we are supplying approach data, but don't rely on it for navigation", and its corallary "take responsibility for your own actions", because widows and lawyers are remarkably un-sympathetic to such a line of reasoning. See www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/brief.asp?ev_id=20021023X05372&key=1 for addtional information on the accident.
 

FAA Issues Photo ID Rule for General Aviation Pilots
WASHINGTON – In a move to further balance security and the needs of the aviation community, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is issuing revised rules that provide a readily available, low-cost way for pilots to carry acceptable photo identification when flying. FAA Administrator Marion C. Blakey announced the new rules today at a conference sponsored by the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) in Palm Springs, Calif. [ More ]
 

Luscombe Fly-In Nov 2nd
The first annual Luscombe Fly-In will be held at River Ranch in Florida on Nov 2-3, 2002. Attendees from as far away as the UK are expected to attend. [ More ]
 

Luscombe Strut Alert
The FAA issued a bulletin about certain replacement Luscombe struts manufactured after 1996. We're carrying the text of an "Airworthiness Concern" document generated by the FAA's Los Angeles Aircraft Certification Office (LAACO) regarding reports of defective welds found in Luscombe Foundation wing struts P/N 58290, and 58290-1 through -12, manufactured after March 18, 1996. [ More ]
 

PIREP: Port Townsend, WA This is another in a series of Pireps about the Pacific Northwest, and its many destinations. Most people equate Seattle with rain, and for good reason. There are in fact other kinds of days when the blue sky draws green out of the ground for a Technicolor result. [ More ]

Letter To All Cirrus Owners
Recently, the pilot of a Standard Cirrus was fatally injured in an accident. Although the accident remains under investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board, the initial investigation indicates that the horizontal stabilizer may not have been properly attached during assembly of the glider. Read the article for important information. [ More ]
 

Wright Glider Repro Flight
Yesterday, Army Capt. Tanya Markow -- prone at the crude controls of a replica of the Wright brothers' 1902 glider -- sailed off wind-scalloped dunes several times as part of a centennial commemoration titled "Return to Kitty Hawk". Read the entire story at www.dispatch.com/news-story.php?story=dispatch/news/news02/oct02/1525099.html. Registration required to read the story, however it's free.
 

Flying Restrictions for September 11 Events Announced
WASHINGTON – The U. S. Department of Transportation’s Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced today temporary flight restrictions (TFRs) that will be in effect on September 11, 2002. These restrictions will be in effect in connection with public events that day in New York, Washington, DC and Somerset, PA.
[ More ]
 

Queen Receives Visitors
Imagine what would have happened here in the US if a couple of glider pilots landed on GW's ranch.... Read more about the Scottish version of things at BBC's website.
 

Eclipse Jet First Flight
ALBUQUERQUE, NM — August 26, 2002 — Eclipse Aviation Corporation today announced the successful first flight of its flagship aircraft, the Eclipse 500 jet. Piloted by Bill Bubb, Eclipse Aviation’s chief test pilot, the jet took to the air at 9:18 a.m. MDT, flying as planned for approximately 60 minutes.
[ More ]
 

The Shuttleworth Collection The smell of wood and treated linen may tell visitors to Old Warden aerodrome that the aircraft hangared here are not of the sort normally seen in the skies. But the equally heavy odours of oil and exhaust fumes attest to the fact these aren't earthbound museum exhibits either. Read the BBC's story about the Shuttleworth Collection at news.bbc.co.uk.

Pirep: San Juan Islands
The Pacific Northwest is noted for its scenery, for good reason. One of the crown jewels of Washington State are the San Juan Islands. These salt-water nuggets float on a usually-calm stretch of water between the Washington State mainland and Vancouver Island. [ More ]
 

Oshkosh Add-In for Microsoft FlightSim The scenery designers at Microsoft have worked with EAA specialists to recreate the look and feel of AirVenture through the use of highly detailed aerial photography and three-dimensional models of structures from Wittman Regional Airport in Oshkosh, the home of EAA and AirVenture. [ More ]

Pie in a Post 9-11 World
This is a story that comes in two parts: $100 pie, and dealing with customs. Canda and the US have very different approaches to aircraft that enter their respective countrie. It just doesn't get any more stark than this. [ More ]
 

Airports Considering Significant Changes in Security
The American Association of Airport Executives which is composed mainly of managers from larger airports has proposed a list of new security recommendations for all public-use general aviation airports. The AAAE forwarded their recommendations to Congress and the new Transportation Security Administration. The proposals are a matter of great concern to general and sport aviation groups who believe that the recommendations would have little effect in improving security and would require high user fees to support the new activities. The proposals may be viewed at AAAE Proposals.
 

Plum Island Museum To Open
NEWBURY, Mass. ­ May 18, 2002 ­ Plum Island Community Airfield, Inc. (PICA) will open a new aviation museum at the Plum Island Airfield in Newbury, Massachusetts on June 1. [ More ]
 

FAA Deploys Free Flight Technology at Washington Center
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The FAA today announced the successful deployment of an advanced system at Washington Air Route Traffic Control Center that improves airspace efficiency and capacity by allowing pilots to select more direct routes to their destinations. Controllers and pilots began using the User Request Evaluation Tool (URET) last month at the Leesburg, VA, facility. This new digital system is one of numerous building blocks in the FAA's Free Flight technology, which is aimed at transforming the nation's air traffic operation with a quick influx of new technology. In addition to Washington, URET is in use at Kansas City, Cleveland, Chicago, Indianapolis, and Memphis, TN. [ More ]
 

Boeing 307 -- Insider's Story
The recent ditching of the remaining Boeing Stratoliner has many people dismayed. Read the attached for one rumor about what really happened. [ More ]
 

Last Remaining Spitfire Crashes
South Africa's last remaining Spitfire crashed and exploded, kill its pilot on Friday, April 26, 2002. Witnesses reported that there was an in-flight engine failure while the pilot was holding for landing instructions near Pretoria. There are only 45 Spitfires still flying worldwide. See www.bday.co.za/bday/content/direct/1,3523,1072456-6078-0,00.html for additional details.
 

Weather News This NOAA has a great site with a weather newsletter aimed at pilots. Can't remember how to read a SIGMET? The latest issue has an article all about them. Check it out at aviationweather.noaa.gov/.

The day our plane fell from the sky
Great story in the Minnapolis Star Tribune about a crash landing. Click here for the entire thing.
 

Lindbergh Flight Re-enacted
Erik Lindbergh, grandson of the famous pilot, will re-enact the transatlantic flight that originally took place in 1927. To celebrate the 75th anniversary of the original journey, Erik will fly a Lancair Columbia 300. A "slightly improved" performance envelope means that this aircraft will cruise along at 184 MPH instead of the original 108. Track the flight in real time at www.aeroplanner.com/Lindbergh.
 

Boeing Stratoliner Ditches
SEATLLE - March 28, 2002. A vintage Boeing Stratocruiser 307 ditched at approximately 1:15 in the afternoon in Seattle's Elliott Bay. The aircraft, on a local flight after some routine maintenance, appears to have suffered a landing gear problem that was followed by engine trouble. [ More ]
 

Mooney Purchased Advanced Aerodynamics & Structures, Inc. (OTCBB: AASI) announced on March 18th that it has acquired the assets of Mooney Aircraft Corporation. [ More ]

Soviet Moon Race
The BBC has an interesting article that includes photos of the Soviet Union's rockets that were intended to win the moon race. Story is at the BBC Website Science Section.
 

Cessna Lawsuit Settled
Without disclosing terms, Cessna settled a jury order that involved a 1989 Florida crash. Last August, Cessna was found negligent and ordered to pay a $480 million dollar fine ($400 million of that amount was punitive damages). [ More ]
 

Glenn Stearman Dies
Glenn Stearman, former president and owner of Stearman Aircraft Products Inc., died Sunday at age 94 Austin, Texas. He was 94. Glenn was the cousin of Lloyd Stearman, who founded the Stearman Aircraft company, which was later sold it to Boeing. See The Wichita Eagle for a wonderful story about his life.

 

Airborne Weather Data Announced WASHINGTON - Pilots are now able to receive up-to-date weather information in the cockpit following FAA approval for VHF Data Link Mode 2 (VDL-2) avionics to support Flight Information Services Broadcast. [ More ]

FAA Takes Major Step in Next Generation Air/Ground Communications Program
WASHINGTON - The U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has established agreements with three companies for the development of technology that integrates digital voice and data into air/ground communications. [ More ]
 

Win A Luscombe In October, 2002 the Don Luscombe Aviation History Foundation will hold a drawing for a completely restored airplane. You need not be present to win. [ More ]

Push For Better Search & Rescue Procedures
When Canadian Herb Brown's father went missing on a ten-minute flight, search and rescue spent over $1 million to comb a six hundred square mile area. If they had followed standard procedures, Brown claims that his father would have been found within hours. But what really riles him is that NavCanada refused to give him tapes of his father's final transmissions; tapes that he listened to and made out a crucial transmission that the transcribers missed. Read more at http://www.canada.com/vancouver/.
 

Finally -- Closed Airports To Re-Open
On January 18, 2002, a final deal was struck to reopen CGS, Hyde Field and Potomac Airfield, the last 3 public airports that have remained closed since Sept. 11th. Airport Managements, FAA, Secret Service, Homeland Security, FBI, etc etc. have agreed to a plan that shows hope that some aircraft will be back in the air within the next few weeks. [ More ]
 

Purgatory
Pilot crashes (all survive)
Pilot walks out to cell signal range
Helicopter picks up pilot and returns to crash site
Chopper crashes (all survive)
And where did this happen? Why Purgatory, of course… Story at CNN.com
 

Raven Flies (Briefly)
Up in the Pacific Northwest, they're trying for a new human-powered flight record of 100 miles. On December 30, 2002 the Raven made it's initial flight of 100 feet before crashing in a gust of wind. Read a great account at the Seattle times Website, but be aware that the real story is not quite as much of a story about overcoming adversity. [ More ]
 

Pilotless Plane Piles Up
Every so often it happens: pilot props plane, it takes off. Sad to see a wrecked plane, but no one got hurt (and it flew twenty miles!). See the story with video at the KCRA website. And children, don't try this at home....
 

Beaumont's Fly-in Hotel Reopens
The runway isn't ready yet, but it doesn't seem to matter. Pilots are so eager to drop in for a visit they're landing next to the unfinished strip in Kansas. A great story by the Wichita Eagle. [ More ]
 

College Park Airport
Most of the nation is back to Flying As Usual. However three airports remain closed by order of the government after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11. One of those closed airports, the College Park Airport, only 7-1/2 miles from the White House, was started by Orville and Wilbur Wright and is the oldest continuously-operating airport in the world. Listen to this National Park Radio segment at www.npr.org.
 

$100 Hamburger Club Matt Brashears/Journal A belly full of fish `n' chips doesn't dampen the diligence of the $100 Hamburger Club's Steve Sogg, left, and John Sutton. Flying back from an August lunch at Bremerton National Airport's Airport Diner, the two pilots monitor other traffic in the air. This story is noteworthy because it was front-page news in the Seattle area, with "page two" being the entire front page of Section 2. See www.eastsidejournal.com/sited/story/html/74334 for complete story.

Stearman 80 Update
Replica Aircraft, maker of the Stearman 80, plans to suspend operations for at least four months due to certification delays and cash flow problems. [ More ]
 

Oops... Our source says: "Mechanics were taxiing the B747 when this happened. Apparently the mechanics only started the outboard engines (1 and 4). They soon found out the hydraulic pumps for the brakes are on the inboard engines (2 and 3).” Photos can be viewed in article detail. [ More ]

Rocket-Powered Long-EZ Flies
On October 3, 2001 a rocket-powered Long-EZ took off from the Mojave Civilian Flight Test Center to an altitude of 6,200 feet before gliding back to Runway 30. The EZ-Rocket is powered by twin 400 pound thrust rocket engines designed and built by XCOR Aerospace. Pilot was none other than Burt Rutan -- see www.xcor.com for details.
 

Wings Over Houston Airshow
Houston's official air show takes off at Ellington Field October 20-21 featuring one of the largest displays of vintage World War II Warbirds (over 100), aerobatic acts, and modern military aircraft as well as the annual highlight, Tora! Tora! Tora!—an explosive reenactment of the attack on Pearl Harbor. See www.wingsoverhouston.com/.
 

Luscombes Over Washington
Update: The first ever Gathering of Luscombes* Over Washington (Go LOW) WILL BE HELD at the historic College Park Airport (CGS) September 28, 29, and 30, 2001. The airport welcomes you to come a few days early and/or stay a few days late in order to take advantage of the sight-seeing unique to Washington DC. [ More ]
 

Airspace Update
Bulletin: Sept 13, 0838 PDT Visit www.fly.faa.gov for airspace updates. Also visit www.faa.gov/ats/ata/airport_cert/airport_cert.html for a separate, more detailed list of major commercial airports. As in all breaking news events, these two pages are not always in agreement with each other.
 

First Scramjet Flight
09/07/01 - ARNOLD AIR FORCE BASE, Tenn. (AFPN) -- It only took about 30 milliseconds for a supersonic combustion ramjet engine, known as a scramjet, to make testing history here recently as it powered a projectile in free flight for the first time ever. [ More ]
 

Mooney Looking For Buyer
A Texas bankruptcy court has cleared Mooney Aircraft to look for a buyer. According to one of Mooney's attorneys, the company is confident that they will sign a deal within the next 30 days. Their reasoning is based on the strong brand name that Mooney has, as well as the fact that over 80 inquires have been received to date. Mooney filed for bankruptcy earlier this summer, after they failed to secure a new credit line, and defaulted on $11 million in loans. Mooney built 70 airplanes in 2000, while 100 were required for break-even operations.
 

Thunderbirds are gr-r-r-reat! 08/27/01 - SAN ANTONIO (Air Force News Service) -- People representing the U.S. Air Force Aerial Demonstration Squadron, the Thunderbirds, are featured on a collectors box of Kellogg's Frosted Flakes appearing in stores across the country. A reported 30 million boxes are being distributed. Sharing honors with Tony the Tiger are, from left, Maj. Kevin Mastin, Maj. Jonathan Greene, Lt. Col. John Venable and Capt. Richard Boutwell. (Courtesy photo)

Plum Island Airport Re-Opens
Plum Island Community Airfield, Inc. (PICA) announced today that the Plum Island Airport open will reopen later this week after being closed for nine months, culminating a 17-month effort by PICA and others to keep the airport open. [ More ]
 

Amelia Earhart Search
Interest in this old mystery seems to grow each year. TIGHAR, one of the more active groups searching for her plane, is currently enroute to the South Pacific to try a search yet one more time. They are not trying on a shoestring, with over $400,000 in funding. See their website at www.tighar.org to track this year's excitement.
 

$100 Hamburgers
We all do it -- head off to the latest hot restaurant for lunch. Here's a great story that tells the world how passionate we are, and how lucrative the business can be. Read it in its entirety at The Wichita Eagle.
 

Last Flight For One, Best Flight For Us All
The 87-year-old Phoenix man, dying of cancer, climbed into a single-engine experimental plane that he began building 23 years ago in his back yard and took what could be his final flight. The smile on his face was beyond description. Read this heartwarming story at the www.ArizonaRepublic.com website.
 

Balloon Flight a Bust
More than 10 hours of flying through thunderstorms and a weather system that blocked any straightforward passage across the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans did what a dozen days of slow flying across Australia and the South Pacific failed to do: stymie Steve Fossett in his attempt to become the first solo balloonist to fly around the world. The balloon landed near the Brazilian city of Bage at about 7 a.m. CDT Friday. [ More ]
 

Cessna Loses $480 Miilion Lawsuit
Cessna has to pay $480 million to plaintifss in conjunction with a 1989 crash in Florida. During a go-around attempt, the pilot's seat slid backwards and the pilot pulled back on the yoke. The resulting stall caused a fiery crash in which at least one person received burns over 50% of their body. The seat rails had been replaced the previous year. Click here for the full story in the Wichita Eagle.
 

Homebuilt Flies After 20 Years
It started out with plans for a Wag-Aero Sport Trainer. After a lot of modifications Ron Hanna ended up with what he calls a cross between a Piper J3 Cub and a Super Cub. The fuselage is J3 but it has the larger SuperCub engine and engine housing, mounts and so forth. So why an article here on PopularAviation.com? When was the last time you saw front-page coverage in the local paper? Check it out at www.grandrapids-mn.com. Sometimes newspapers really get it -- this one obviously has a pilot at the controls!

 

Mooney Files For Bankruptcy Mooney Aircraft Corporation announced on July 27th that it has filed for re-organization under the protection of Chapter 11 of the federal bankruptcy law. In a related move, Chris Dopp has resigned his position as President/CEO and Director of the company, handing over day to day responsibilities to Michael McConnell, Senior Vice President of Strategic Planning, Mike Baldridge, Vice President of Operations and Tom Bowen, Vice President of Engineering. [ More ]

Plum Island Airport Lease Signed
Plum Island Community Airfield, Inc. (PICA) announced today that it has signed a five-year lease with The Society for the Preservation of New England Antiquities (SPNEA) for the purpose of reopening the Plum Island Airport. PICA will reopen the airport upon issuance of a provisional certificate of operation by the Massachusetts Aeronautics Commission (MAC). [ More ]
 

Sport Pilot/Light Sport Airplane Update
The Experimental Aircraft Association reports significant progress on the sport flying initiative! According to a bulletin, "The EAA Government and Industry Relations Office learned July 5 that the Sport Pilot/Light Sport Airplane proposal has taken another significant step: The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has received the proposal from the Department of Transportation. OMB now has up to 60 days to review the proposal, after which time it will be returned to the FAA for publication as a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM)." Visit the EAA website for additional details, and hope that this is true...

 

Transatlantic Attempt Update! An attempt to cross the Atlantic in a microlight aircraft has ended without a successful flight, as of July 7th. Initially the pilot was waiting for weather to clear, in order to reach St. Johns and start the thirty-three hour hop to Shannon, Ireland. Then his attempt was stalled for regulatory reasons, mostly to do with the lack of proper equipment and an IFR rating. Finally he was set to go, albeit without official blessing. But on takeoff the aircraft failed to clear the far end of the runway, resulting in damage that ended the attempt. Brian Milton, the pilot, has a detailed diary posted on the official website. See www.atlanticflight.co.uk for additional details.

GlasAir Back
After several years of bankruptcy, Glasair production is getting underway again under the names New GlaStar LLC and New Glasair LLC. The new owner promises that both product lines will be treated equally (a point of contention between customers and the former company). According to the company's website at www.NewGlasAir.com, initial work is focusing on inventory reconcilliation and filling urgent customer orders. They also have quite a project at hand just whacking weeds! The PopularAviation webmaster taxied past their plant in Arlington, WA on July 2nd, and observed a ladder up against the building -- apparently changing the sign.
 

Around The World On June 19, 2001, Michel Gordillo took off in his MCR01 from Madrid, Spain around the world. The MCR01 is based on the Ban-Bi, a homebuilt designed and built by Michel Colomban, who designed the legendary CriCri. The pilot, Michel Gordillo, is 45 years old, and an airline captain working for Iberia Airlines. He has over 12,000 total flying hours and flies Airbus 320s for Iberia Airlines. Follow Michel's history-making flight at www.sunriseflight.com.

New 7 cylinder Radial Engine
After 5 years in design, development, and testing, Rotec Engineering Pty. Ltd. (Australia) has Announced the availability of their R-2800 Radial engine in North America. [ More ]
 

New NASA Jet Destroyed in Flight
June 4 — The first prototype of an aircraft intended to revolutionize travel and shatter speed records was destroyed during its maiden flight on Saturday after a booster rocket carrying it aloft veered out of control and tumbled from the sky. See http://dsc.discovery.com/news/reu/20010604/x43a.html for the complete story.
 

Pope AFP & Ft. Bragg Open House
Pope AFB invites you to visit the Open House to be held on July 7-8, 2001. Featuring performances by the USAF Thunderbirds, the Army Golden Knights, and Pope's own A-10 Demo team, this Open House is sure to be a crowd pleasing family event! See www.pope.af.mil/Pope_openhouse for more details.
 

Glasair Production Slated
Glasair kits and factory support have been unavailable for some time due to Stoddard-Hamilton's bankruptcy. Things are about to change, according to the Stoddard-Hamilton website. [ More ]
 

Paperwork Causes Engine Failure
Paperwork makes planes fly better, right? Just ask the FAA and military... If you really believe that, read this story. [ More ]
 

Luscombe Inspection Recommended
A recent incident prompts PopularAviation.com to suggest that all Luscombe owners inspect their rudder cables for adverse wear. A Luscombe suffered an in-flight failure of one cable, resulting in a crash landing and substantial damage to the aircraft. Fortunately, there were no injuries in this incident. [ More ]
 

Cessna 172 AD Issued
The FAA just issued an Airworthiness Directive for Cessna 172s, which requires a one-time inspection for proper engine idle speed and fuel control mixture setting and adjustment. The AD also requires incorporating engine operating procedures into the pilot operating handbook and flight manual. This AD is the result of reports of rough engine operation because of an over-rich fuel mixture (improper fuel flow settings). Full text of the AD available in the text of this article. [ More ]
 

Concorde Test Pilot Dies
The first British test pilot of Concorde has died at the age of 77.
Brian Trubshaw described the maiden 22-minute flight from Filton near Bristol to RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire on 9 April 1969 as "the highlight of my aviation career". BBC News Online has the complete story at news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/uk/newsid_1241000/1241582.stm.

 

F-16 Crash Results Released
The Air Force has released the results of their investigation of the mid-air between a F-16 and a C-172 over Florida. Bottom line: the F-16 was 9-11 miles off course, and in Class B air space (ultimately Class C air space) without authorization. [ More ]
 

London to Sydney Air Race
Now under way is the London to Sydney Air Race, a collection of planes that range from a 1943 L4 Cub (flown by a true eccentric), to a Cessna 340A. See www.airrace.com.au for more details.

 

SPN Scholarship Winners Announced
Wheeling, IL – March 16, 2001 – The Student Pilot Network and its parent company, McConnell Aviation Inc., today announced the most recent winners of the online aviation community’s scholarship program. [ More ]
 

Mooney Unveils Enhanced Eagle2 Aircraft Mooney Aircraft Corporation has unveiled its newest aircraft, the M20S Eagle2, an enhanced model of the popular Mooney Eagle aircraft. The new Eagle2 has all of the Eagle’s most popular features, but adds increased takeoff performance, greater useful load with a Maximum Gross Weight increase and interior luxury enhancements. The aircraft’s Performance/Value equation remains unchanged with cruise speeds of up to 180 knots KTAS at 7,500 feet. [ More ]

Seattle Tower Damaged The recent Seattle earthquake caused severe damage to the SeaTac control tower. Read a gripping account of the quake, as the tower disintegrated around the controllers. A transcript of the controller chatter shows the professionalism of the tower crew amid utter chaos. [ More ]

Stoddard Hamilton Sold It appears that Stoddard Hamilton's assets have finally been sold. Although not every detail is final, this sale was authorized by the bankruptcy court. That fact alone makes the sale much more likely to go thru. Stoddard-Hamilton is the manufacturer of the popular Glasair and Glastar composite aircraft kits. See www.glasairnews.com/Menu/TextIndex.htm for additional details.

Dale Adams' wonderful essay about life with his son, and how flying changed their relationship. [ More ]
 

Aircraft Down!
Ditching an aircraft: one of the most chilling outcomes a pilot can imagine. In this first-hand account, read how an Australian pilot survived a water landing hundreds of miles off the Hawaiian coast. [ More ]
 

Any Landing
Written by the son of a pilot shortly after their 1997 ill-fated trip to the rec.aviation.homebuilt fly-in in Pinckneyville, Illinois. After weather-related issues, they were finally in Kentucky, about 70 miles from PJY, able to hear the Unicom traffic, when the engine stopped. Matt was 11 when this happened, but the story stops the heart of parents with children of any age. [ More ]
 

Canadian Firearms Update
Pilots who Alaska's wilderness areas are required to carry firearms in case of a forced landing. For most of us, that means a trip thru Canada prior to arriving in Alaska. Canada just changed the rules for entry with guns, and there are things you need to know before arriving at the airport of entry. [ More ]
 

Anne Morrow Lindberg Dead
The widow of Charles Lindberg has passed away at the age of 94 on February 7, 2001. The United States' first licensed female glider pilot, she lived a full and interesting life. [ More ]
 

Proteus Sets Three World Altitude Records On October 25 and 27, 2000, Scaled Composites set three unofficial (pending ratification by NAA/FAI) world altitude records with the Model 281 Proteus aircraft. The three records were peak altitude (62,786 feet), sustained altitude in horizontal flight (61,919 feet), and peak altitude (of 55,878 feet) [ More ]

Do Penguins Topple Over?
Urban legend has it that aircraft flying over penguins causes them to topple like so many dominoes. Thanks to the taxpayers in England, we now have a definitive answer. Read more at www.abcnews.go.com/sections/world/DailyNews/britain010202_penguins.html.
 

Stearman Replica Debut
Replica Aircraft Works announced today the completion of its 80% Stearman PT-17 Biplane. The aircraft was designed and built at its Vancouver Island Facility, and will be test flown in early March, 2001. It will be powered by a seven cylinder radial engine (100 HP) and will have a range of 1,000 miles at an average speed of 99 miles per hour. Further information is available by phone at 250.749.4024 or via email to raw@seaside.net. Additional information at sirius-aviation.com/stearman.html.
 

Soaring Safety Seminars
The Soaring Safety Foundation will host a number of safety related activities at the SSA Convention and Air Expo in Indianapolis in February. Several of these activities are being produced especially for the SSA Instructor.
[ More ]
 

WWII Fockes Manufactured Again
For the first time since the 1940s, the Luftwaffe's most feared warplane - the Focke Wulf 190 - is being assembled from scratch. The BBC has a full story on this remarkable development, which you can read at news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/world/europe/newsid_1104000/1104025.stm.
 

Are Cell Phones an Airborne Hazard?
The Subcommittee on Aviation held a hearing in July, 2000 to determine if portable electonic devices constitute a safety hazard when operated aboard commercial aircraft. [ More ]
 

Jupiter: Bizarre New Sights and Sounds NASA's Cassini spacecraft, as it approached Jupiter, detected waves in the thin gas of charged particles that fills the space between the Sun and its planets. The waves are in low radio frequencies, which have been converted to sound waves to make the patterns audible. [ More ]

FAA Releases AD on Champ
After an extended comment period, the FAA finally released its AD on the Champ series 7, 8, and 11. This AD is in response to cracked spars found during several inspections of these aircraft, and must be performed at the next annual. [ More ]
 

Closer Ties Between Air Force, Civil Air Patrol 12/20/00 - WASHINGTON (AFPN) -- Recently approved legislation promises to usher in a "new era" of cooperation between the Air Force and its auxiliary, the Civil Air Patrol. [ More ]

Adam Aircraft Type Certification Moves Forward
Adam Aircraft announced that it is embarking on the first phase of aircraft type certification and, in the process, will be among the first private U.S. aircraft manufacturers to utilize the FAA’s new streamlined process for aircraft certification, called the Certification Process Improvement (CPI). [ More ]
 

Aircraft Manufacturing Employment Up
Update General aviation manufacturing is alive and well, with an order pipeline that is overflowing. Wichita's three largest GA employers --Raytheon Aircraft, Bombardier Aerospace and Cessna, plan to hire thousands of employees in 2001. And down in Kerrville, Mooney announced several key executive hires. [ More ]
 

Online Towpilot Training
The Soaring Safety Foundation and Civil Air Patrol have worked together to provide an on-line tow pilot course with the purpose of providing standardized tow pilot training to aid in developing safe and competent tow pilots. The course can be accessed from the SSF distance learning page and is available to all in the soaring community. Given the importance of safety in the Soaring community, this initiative is welcomed by all.
 

Santa Has MidAir

 

Laird Super Solution Replica Flies On Dec 6, 2000 the Jim Moss Laird Super Solution Replica made its maiden flight. Built in the Seattle, WA area, this replica is one of a number of 1930s replicas that are bringing back the golden years of air racing. [ More ]

Anti-Airport Activists Lose
In Santa Anna, CA a judge threw out a voter initiaive aimed at blocking the transformation of old old El Toro marine base into Orange County's second commercial airport. In throwing it out, the Judge stated that the initiative violated the single-issue rule, then went on to say that air transportation is a statewide issue instead of a local one.

The opponents vowed to appeal, saying that one judge's ruling is irrelevant. More info on this at www.elToroAirport.org
 

Your Radio Becoming Obsolete
One of the best kept secrets in the avionics industry is one that you should know about if you're considering the purchase of a Nav/Comm -- new or used. Europe has adopted 8.33 kHz Nav/Comm channel spacing, tripling the number of aviation channels available in Europe, while the FAA is bypassing 8.33 kHz spacing and going directly to digital communications (NEXCOM) to relieve spectrum congestion. Due to design limitations, it's unlikely that any Nav/Comm purchased today, either 25 kHz or 8.33 kHz, will be able to be modified to meet the NEXCOM format. [ More ]
 

FAA Proposes Rules For Commercial Space Launches
Commercial space travel is almost here! The FAA recognizes that commercial launch operations will soon be carrying passengers and payloads into space. Businesses providing the service are likely to use their own launch facilities, which led the FAA to publish a proposal for regulations pertaining to disposable launch vehicles. These regulations will license operators and establish safety procedures. [ More ]
 

2001 National Swift Fly-In Dates The National Swift Fly-In will be held at McMinn County Airport in Athens, TN from May 23-27, 2001. [ More ]

Stearman Flies Round The World At 3:00 P.M. CST on November 17, 2000, Robert Ragozzino touched down at Wiley Post Airport, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, completing his historic around the world flight, that began 5 1/2 months ago. With the completion of the flight, Robert set a world's record for the world flight in an open cockpit bi-plane. More than 100 people were on hand to welcome him home. [ More ]

Confederate Air Force Votes to Change Name
FLASH! In what appears to be a highly contentious vote, the Confederate Air Force has voted to change its name, effective Jan 1, 2002. No name has been selected yet (thath's up to a committee), but word is that this change is the result of pressure to recognize how offensive the Confederate flag is to many Americans. More info at www.ConfederateAirforce.org.
 

FAA Struggles With Radio Frequencies
The radio frequencies that pilots and air traffic controllers use to communicate are nearly filled to capacity, threatening the ability of the aviation system to expand to meet growing demand, according to Federal Aviation Administration and airline officials. This will lead to new radio requirements this decade for general aviation aircraft. Complete story (written for the general public) on the Washington Post website.

 

Pigs Fly