Last summer broken bones grounded me. This summer I am making up for lost time by not only doing as much flying as I can, but also flying as many airplanes from my “wish list” as possible. You already know about one of them – the DC-3 (Living the dream: Our reporter flies a DC-3, […]
Opinion
Why do we call an ace and ace?: It was all a mistake in translation
Have you ever wondered why the more successful fighter pilots are called aces? It’s an odd story, which begins with a popular Frenchman of pre-World War I vintage. Roland Garros was a Parisian bon vivant who became entranced by flying in 1909, after seeing Alberto Santos-Dumont skimming madly among the city’s chimney pots aboard a […]
How can TBO increase by 33%
Cessna 182s have been burdened by a 1,500 hour TBO for many years. However, the O-470-U engine is now available with a 2,000 hour TBO. What possibly could they have done to the engine to extend the TBO by 33%? MARC COAN Taos, N.M. While my background is primarily in Lycoming engines, I think […]
Oil consumption not normail for a new engine
Just picked up the June 8 issue and saw your answer to Mr. Blanchette in the Ask Paul column (What is normal oil consumption?). While you are technically correct that a quart in four hours is not out of limits, it’s not normal for a new engine. In our case, we had new ECi brand […]
THE PBY CATALINA GETS HIS VOTE
My vote for the greatest aircraft ever is for one not nominated: The versatile Consolidated PBY “Catalina” flying boat. The tool, the servant, the magic carpet, the seven league boat. A graceful form expressing its function. In service from the tropics to the arctic, on land and sea. Performing key roles in war and peace […]
140 OWNERS NEED HELP FIGHTING FAA
Please consider this problem: Someone losing a medical who has flown his 140 for more than 30 years and is an excellent pilot. As an organization we were hoping for an approval as a Light Sport Aircraft and had already received that when the FAA reneged. The EAA and the AOPA have not helped us […]
A ROSE BY ANY OTHER NAME?
First let me say how thoroughly I enjoy your magazine. With a 71-year affiliation with a general aviation company, among many other endeavors, my personal underlying efforts have been to foster among the general public a better understanding of general aviation and how it differs from “aerial mass transit,” i.e., scheduled airlines. There are some 12,000 plus airports in the nation, […]
A sigh of relief – and a warning: House passes FAA reauthorization bill without user fees
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Passage by the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee of the FAA Reauthorization legislation — without user fees — brought some level of relief to the general aviation community, but also a warning that user fee opponents cannot let their guards down. Introducing the bill, Rep. James Oberstar (D-Minn.) said projected growth of […]
A hard-won tribute: Painting captures a moment in time when a B-29 crew finds a safe haven
Aviation art often tells the story of a particular aircraft by depicting a specific moment in time. It can tell whatever the artist wants it to say – the beauty of flight, the horrors of war, or those last exhausting, but exhilarating, moments of flight when man finally returns to Earth after a very long […]