WASHINGTON, D.C.— A push to privatize the air traffic control system and/or put it on a fee basis is heating up, but two recent hearings in the House of Representatives indicate that members of the aviation subcommittee will have nothing to do with it. The subcommittee is looking into the modernization of ATC and its […]
Opinion
‘Tailwind vs. Cougar’
By PETER M. BOWERS. Throughout the homebuilt movement many designs have a strong resemblance to others. The all-time toppers in this area are the Wittman “Tailwind” and the Nesmith “Cougar.” The “Tailwind” came on the scene first, back at the very beginning of the present homebuilt era. Steve Wittman of Oshkosh, Wis., was a schoolteacher […]
Not Nazis
On page 8 of the April 8 issue of GAN, in the obituary about Gen. Salisbury, reference is made to Nazi transport planes being shot down. There were no such things as Nazi planes, Nazi soldiers, Nazi tanks, Nazi ships, whatever. The word “Nazi” was an abbreviation for Nazional Sozialistiche Partei (National Socialist Party), a political party. […]
Thought provoking
William Helsell’s letter in the April 8 issue (Unabashed admiration needs to be tempered) in which he claims no rational person could believe the framers of the Constitution intended the right to bear arms to include weapons that had not yet been invented, was thought provoking. Using that line of reasoning, we must conclude that the […]
Indicated v. True Airspeed
I was reading the March 25, 2005 issue (No. 6) Pilot’s Report about the XL-5 Velocity. I have a question about the speeds that were presented in the table. The Vne was at 200 kts IAS and the cruise speed (75% power) was at 205 ktas. Can you clarify why the cruise appears to be […]
NRA a poor model for GA
Your editorial in the February 2005 issue shows how far we’ve moved toward having a police state in this country (They don’t know us: Why security agencies fear GA and what we can do about it). If people think it’s reasonable that we need to get permission from the government to do anything, then we […]
Idea met with polite yawns
I was struck by the degree of naiveté you exhibited by suggesting the possibility of a unitary group combining those whose interests are opposed to GA (restricting the meaning of GA to individual ownership of the aircraft). The airlines despise GA. The airlines are run by financiers, not by the pilots. And I am suspicious […]
Rewriting history
Re: “To save the South: We are gradually erasing reminders of our past,” (March issue): You are right, the politically correct are trying to revamp and remove history. Here in Louisville, Ky., there is a move to remove a very large monument that is over 110 years old dedicated to Confederate soldiers from Kentucky who […]
Can you explain lifter bleed?
QUESTION: Can you explain the lifter bleed down check procedure in detail (or tell me where I can find it) for my IO-360-B1E on my 1967 Arrow? Wayne Whittington Blackwell, Okla. ANSWER: Wayne, I suggest you focus your attention on Lycoming Service Instruction 1011H. It will give you the general inspection requirements and checks for […]