By CARMINE MOWBRAY Montana has more cows than people, and in cattle country, unbranded calves are called “mavericks.” In people terms, we think of a maverick as being a loner, without ties or loyalties. And alone, a person — no matter how passionate — can only accomplish so much. Partnerships that match folks with common […]
Opinion
DOT audit says FAA likely to miss drone deadline
WASHINGTON, D.C. — A government report says the FAA will miss the Sept. 30, 2015, deadline set by Congress for drones to share the skies with manned aircraft. The Washington Post said the agency is “significantly behind schedule” in drawing up rules. The newspaper reported its findings based on a report by the Department of Transportation Inspector […]
BackcountryPilot.org: 400-hp Zenith CH801
A Ford V-8 400-horsepower Zenith CH801 is not all that common. Want to see, and hear one? Hop over to BackcountryPilot.org to read Zane Jacobson’s great write up and watch smartly edited video.
The four secret steps to becoming a good old boy
In your town, right now, there is a good old boy network firmly in place. I know this because there is a good old boy network in place in every town. Whether you’re in New York City, Los Angeles, Clarksville, Texas, or Carrington, North Dakota, there is a group of men and women known locally — and […]
USA Today goes anti-GA
WASHINGTON, D.C. — On June 18, the national publication USA Today published an article titled Unfit for Flight. It painted general aviation as a dangerous activity and the manufacturers of aircraft as contributing to general aviation accidents. This is not new. Anti-general aviation material has been printed and broadcast in the past. Two things make this time different. […]
Are you ready to share the sky with drones?
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Unmanned aerial systems (UAS), better known as drones, are moving fast in development. General aviation pilots are starting to delve deeper into the subject as FAA expects as many as 30,000 UAS to be flying in U.S. airspace by 2020. Here’s why pilots are looking at what they are sharing the airspace […]
Courting integrity for the long haul
My family is probably as dysfunctional and weird as any. Yet for all the squawking and sarcasm and occasional emotional outbursts, we still care for one another. You might even say we love each other. Certainly, there’s a sense of trust and acceptance that defies logic. I’m proud of that. I suspect most parents feel similarly […]
‘Significant progress’ made on NextGen in last year
WASHINGTON, D.C. — It has been one year since FAA Deputy Administrator Mike Whitaker took over as Chief NextGen Officer. In his first report to Congress early in June, he noted that “significant progress” has been made. That optimism is not totally shared by others, however, most of whom have questions about equipment requirements and […]
Memorial Day: Early and late this year
Last month, it seemed that Memorial Day came early, didn’t it? Regardless of the calendar, it came early for some of my old buddies in aviation. And it came decades late for some World War II GA fliers I knew. Let me explain. First, there was the memorial luncheon for my buddy and president of […]