Forget a Sweet Sixteen party. Wyatt Angel of Mount Airy, N.C., spent his 16th birthday doing something way more fun — flying 11 airplanes solo at the Mount Airy-Surry County Airport (KMWK), then making his way to the Piedmont Soaring Society in nearby Farmington, where he soloed three gliders. He hopes his birthday celebration will win […]
Pilots
Putting an end to border crossing frustrations
The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) is bringing together U.S. and Canadian officials in an effort to make crossing the border a simpler, less cumbersome and more manageable experience for general aviation pilots and passengers. At an Oct. 2 meeting hosted by AOPA in Washington, D.C., U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) leaders met […]
Coradine launches LogTen Pro X
PORTLAND, Ore. — Coradine has released LogTen Pro X, a pilot logbook available for all Apple devices. LogTen Pro X features a new interface designed to reduce distraction and help pilots focus on their data, according to company officials. It is optimized for iOS8 and iPhone 6 and includes fast flight entry, automatic GPS detection of nearest […]
Drugs and the GA pilot
FAR 91.17 prohibits flying after the use of “any drug that affects the person’s faculties in any way contrary to safety.” Yet every year pilots crash, killing themselves and their passengers, often because the pilot is chemically compromised by over the counter medications. That’s the big message from a recent study by the National Transportation […]
Two airplanes (almost) anyone can afford
“Everything you need and not much else,” is the catchy tagline from aviation entrepreneur Chip Erwin. With those words, he described the Italian Zigolo, which is based on a design by American Mike Sandlin. (In a sign of our global times, Erwin imports it to both USA and China.) One look at the aircraft and […]
Would you hesitate to declare an emergency?
The fact that all three of my passengers were throwing up simultaneously left me three options: Tough it out and press on to our destination; join them in their nauseous state; or declare an emergency and get the hell on the ground. My right seat passenger was a Horizon Air first officer. She thought she […]
ASA debuts Learn to Fly blog
New from ASA is the Learn to Fly Blog, a place for current pilots, students, and future pilots to learn, explore, and share insights on the foundations of flight and flight training. Find out what it takes to become a pilot, learn the fundamental principles behind the wonder of flight, get test-taking tips, share training experiences […]
Third-class medical reform caught in government maze
WASHINGTON, D.C. — It started two-and-a-half years ago and there is still no clear end in sight. It’s another example of apparent government slow — or no — action. In March 2012, the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) and Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) petitioned the FAA to reduce the requirements for a third-class medical […]
NTSB study on drug use criticized by GA groups
A new study on pilot drug use released by the National Transportation Safety Board is “incomplete and its conclusions should be regarded with caution,” according to officials with the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association. The study of more than 6,600 cases reviewed toxicology tests performed on pilots killed in aviation accidents from 1990 through 2012. The […]