Phillip, working on his commercial ticket in Florida, writes: “Settle a bet for us here at the flight school: Why is dead reckoning called dead reckoning? Online, there seems to be a lot of difference of opinion about the origin of the term.”
Opinion
Should I buy this aircraft that has only 49 hours on it?
I’d suggest you approach buying any aircraft slowly, and ask lots of questions, such as total time, does it have a history of extended periods of activity, and review any and all maintenance records.
GAO targets FAA over lasers
By all means, let’s see if we can reduce the number of laser crimes being committed against pilots. But let’s keep our eyes on the criminals, not the pilots.
A hangar full of ideas
Everything in the massive collection at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, an annex of the National Air and Space Museum, was considered to be impossible until someone who didn’t respond well to established limitations proved otherwise.
How the search for unleaded avgas is like two elephants mating
Whenever a new problem or crisis arises in general aviation, it reminds me of two elephants mating. The first step is total panic, followed by complete chaos with trees uprooted, huge dust storms, and everything flying everywhere. And when the dust finally settles, nothing happens for years.
It’s time to buy
Shopping for an airplane is so much more specific than shopping for a car. Partly because there are so many attractive options to consider. But also, because aircraft are so mission specific. They generally do one thing really well and everything else not so well.
Tips to get your aircraft engine to full TBO
Ben Visser, General Aviation News’s aviation fuels and lubricants expert, offers his top tips to get your aircraft engine to full Time Between Overhauls (TBO).
Ask Paul: The real concern about not changing your airplane’s oil
A lot of people believe the recommended oil change intervals is something the oil companies push in order to sell more oil. It’s obvious that they’ve never seen the inside of an engine that has had infrequent oil changes and the damage caused by corrosion.
Career counseling with confidence
When a teen says they want to be a pilot, too often authority figures shoot down that dream, telling them they aren’t smart enough. Or that they are too short, too tall, the wrong gender, or color. That’s why it’s so important for every one in general aviation to encourage teens to pursue their dreams of flight.