There is a new compass rose plastered on the ramp outside my office window this morning. It’s roughly 50 feet in diameter, and at its center is an interlocking pair of 9s – representing the logo of the International Organization of Women Pilots. The 99s. How this compass rose came to be on the ramp […]
Defining the Bob Costas effect
Every now and then it’s good to challenge your views. If nothing else, it gives us the chance to grow. As we mature, our insights become more in depth, our tastes tend to be more nuanced, and our goals have us reaching higher and farther than a younger, less experienced version of ourselves might have […]
The great equalizer
With all the hand wringing and brow furrowing we’ve experienced lately as a result of the sequestration, it’s probably worth remembering that we live in the most technologically advanced, affluent, and safe period of human history. When my granddad was a boy he lived in a world that was devoid of everyday modern conveniences like […]
Learning to speak the customer’s language
While sitting at my desk last week, passing the time of day in a genial manner with one of the local CFIs, I noticed Rick Matthews wandering by my door. Being in a particularly social mood, I called him into the office. Rick is one of the creative minds behind the Aviation Access Project, but […]
A little alliance goes a long way
It started with a conversation, which lead to a thought, which resulted in a plan. In no time at all that process caused an email to be drafted and sent to approximately a dozen hopefully receptive recipients. That was the start of the Polk Aviation Alliance, a diverse group of aviation professionals who have committed […]
Coming of age
General Aviation is dead. If it’s not dead, it’s dying. If it’s not dying, it’s paralyzed with a sickness that manifests itself in the form of high prices, lousy service, ancient participants, and a generalized sense of ennui among the spectators at the fence line. You’ve read these charges, and I’m here to tell you […]
Is it time to re-think TFRs?
“A TFR is a regulatory action issued via the U.S. Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) system to restrict certain aircraft from operating within a defined area, on a temporary basis, to protect persons or property in the air or on the ground.” So says AC91-63C, an advisory circular issued with the intent of illuminating the public […]
This ain’t your grandfather’s SUN ’n FUN
Two months from now we’ll all be talking about the SUN ’n FUN International Fly In and Expo in the past tense. It will be behind us, and if history repeats itself, SUN ’n FUN 2013 will be as successful as it has been in the past. This year will be different, however, because this year […]
A newbie’s plans for joining the club
Regular readers of this blog know I make no secret of my affection for flying clubs. My devotion to the concept is based on the wealth of opportunity these clubs can offer. In a nutshell, my thinking goes like this: If there is a better method of cutting the cost of flying, establishing a long-lasting […]