Last night I spent the evening walking and talking with a young man from my neighborhood. He’s out of high school but hasn’t begun taking classes that would lead to a higher level of certification. He’s got a job, but it’s menial, low-paying, and often frustrates him. To his credit he wants to go to […]
Opinion
The greatest threat to aviation
I was once blinded by my best friend while flying at night. He was trying to help me read a map. We were out of KDAL, heading to KSMO. Inbound to KSMO, at night, over California’s high desert, the earth below looked black as pitch, the sky above a planetarium ceiling’s worth of stars. I’d […]
A little solidarity can go a long way
When you get right down to it, politics are not really about Republicans and Democrats, Greens and Libertarians, Socialists and Capitalists. It’s about people. Individual people and how they interact with other individual people, and how those people plan, debate, and ultimately work together as their numbers grow into an ever larger group. The study […]
A primal passion
By IVY McIVER. I could answer the question “Why should I learn to fly?” with very practical answers: The business benefits, the convenience, the ability to find better weather in which to bike and access it in a matter of hours, or visiting multiple clients in one day. All of those things are indeed benefits […]
General aviation: Get evangelical about it
General aviation — get evangelical about it. This may seem unlikely, even inconceivable to some, but I have been fortunate enough to make a career out of being excited. It’s a pretty good career, too. I spend the bulk of every day doing something I really love to do. I work with people I’m glad to […]
Nostalgia for your coffee table
There was a time when aviation was an almost impossible dream. Millions, no, billions of people around the world were aware of the airplane, but most didn’t have the means to experience flight for themselves. That was the way of the world between 1945 and 1975. Then something miraculous happened. The Boeing 747 became ubiquitous […]
1929’s record-setting endurance flights
The 1920s saw many records set for altitude, speed, endurance and range, but they were destined to be only fleeting. The records fell quickly due to the development of better aircraft and engines. January 1929 began the year with an achievement that many thought would never be exceeded anytime in the near future — the epic […]
How extensive an inspection does my engine need?
Q: I have 210 hours on my engine, which was overhauled in November 2009 at 3,288 hours. Five of the eight studs are now broken on cylinder #3. The motor had only a slight vibration during the last 3/10ths of an hour before discovering the broken studs. I would appreciate your input as to how extensive an inspection […]
General aviation goes clubbing
For some time now I’ve been singing the praises of the flying club. Not any particular flying club, mind you — although there are some excellent examples out there — just flying clubs in general. They work. ‘Nuff said. Don’t believe me? Read on. Here’s the skinny on flying clubs. They provide the pilot, or the student, an […]