You are to be commended for having the guts to say what needed to be said in your Straight & Level of the December issue (False perceptions of danger: This is a free country, isn’t it?). I am sick and tired of people who have no knowledge of an activity telling me what I should […]
Opinion
Just one type of Intelligent Design
I read your article on user fees revisited (Headwinds, December 2005). I also agree that user fees are ridiculous. One comment I have is Creationism is not intelligent design, but one type of of intelligent design among others. For instance, some people believe aliens created life — that is also intelligent design. I have a […]
That time of year
I’m not certain how it happened, but aviation-wise the first of the year has become a very busy time for us. This year, annuals, medicals and insurance renewals all fall in the first quarter, and this pilot/owner-operator is rather overwhelmed with paperwork, appointments and the need to juggle the household cash flow to meet all […]
Where are the warbirds?
Someone recently told me that there are only 15 B-17s that are considered flyable today and less than three dozen more that are either on static display or are restorable derelicts. Can you imagine what an impressive sight it would be to see a formation of 12 to 15 B-17s fly by? However impressive such […]
The wonders of modern science
Until recent times, pilots often wondered – and discussed at length – how flies land on ceilings. Do they do a half-roll first? A reversed split-s? Half of an inside loop? A few years ago, high-speed cameras finally taught us how the maneuver is done: Flies approach the ceiling in a shallow climb, contact it […]
A lame excuse
I just read Elliott Schiffman’s excuse for mass arrivals at Oshkosh (Bonanza leader tackles critics, Nov. 18 issue). I was one of the people trapped by these guys and the Mooneys. I blame the EAA for letting these so-called Big Money people pull this kind of stunt. My take is get in line like the […]
Could tax bill kill GA?
WASHINGTON, D.C. — As Congress returns from its break, one of the important issues it will take up is the Tax Relief Act of 2005, which contains two harmful proposals for general aviation. The bill —S. 2020 — passed the Senate with these provisions. The House version is different, so it will go to conference, […]
Mass arrivals actually safer
Sorry I missed the Lisa Kondrick article (Time to get outta Dodge, Sept. 9 issue) that touched off this subject, but the letter to the editor by Michael Baas (Just say no to mass arrivals, Oct. 7 issue) concerns me for the lack of bigger picture perspective.A complaint is made that the mass arrivals somehow […]
The bigger question
Mr. Helms raises a valid and timely issue in his recent letter regarding the self-certification aspect of Sport Pilot medicals (Could medical kill Sport Pilot? Dec. 2 issue). I plan to keep flying my Comanche for some time yet, but like many older pilots, have considered switching to Sport Pilot somewhere down the road if […]