By PETE BUNCE What can general aviation learn from NASCAR? When it comes to adopting new safety technology, quite a bit. Following the death of racing legend Dale Earnhardt in 2001, NASCAR took a serious look at the safety of the sport. The racing group took a broad approach to better protecting occupants in the […]
Touch & Go
Whiplash in Salem
True cooperation is the key. On May 1, 2015, the FAA posted a notice of proposed rule making (NPRM) in the Federal Register to expand Class D and E airspace around Salem, Oregon’s McNary Field (KSLE). The summary of the NRPM states, “After a biennial review, the FAA found it necessary to amend the airspace […]
What about SARA?
“The department continues to be bullish on new technology,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx in a Feb. 24, 2016 release about the FAA’s efforts to expand the safe integration of unmanned aircraft. “We recognize the significant industry interest in expanding commercial access to the National Airspace System. The short deadline reinforces our commitment to […]
Entertainment, education all around
What do the 1929 Powder Puff Derby, the Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome, the adventures of an airplane fanatic, the de Havilland Mosquito, and drones all have in common? All of these topics — and many more — have recently crossed my desk over the last few weeks. You see, general aviation is vast. Simply put, if it flies […]
Deadliest Job Interview
Reality TV strikes again — this time with Discovery Channel’s Deadliest Job Interview. In the first episode, which aired Friday, Jan. 29, we followed Ron Vargas to South Africa. Ron’s goal is to become a bush pilot. He’s in South Africa to train with Milne “CC” Pocock, owner of Bush Air. The show isn’t just about flight training. […]
Aviation fares better on NTSB’s Most Wanted List
The National Transportation Safety Board’s 2016 “Most Wanted List” is out. This is a top 10 list of factors the NTSB feels contribute to unsafe operations across all transportation sectors. Only one of the 10 call out aviation exclusively. Prevent Loss of Control in Flight in General Aviation Loss of Control is back on the […]
I’m already registered
The FAA has never shown interest in the airspace below the top of the 100-plus-foot tall evergreen trees that surround my home. They’ve never inspected. They’ve never inquired. Nothing. Why? In part because it isn’t “navigable” airspace. That all changed when the FAA recently issued an Interim Final Rule that states “anyone who owns a […]
Not all doom and gloom
Doom and gloom too often find the spotlight. While some view the world through Eeyore’s sad eyes, many are too busy enjoying what life — and flying — have to offer. A FRESHMAN’S FIRST SEMESTER Swayne Martin is a freshman at the University of North Dakota (UND). He also happens to co-lease a 1968 Cessna 172I with […]
EAA Chapter lives the aviation (and safety) lifestyle
REDDING, Calif. — EAA Chapter 157 is like any other Experimental Aircraft Association chapter. Or is it? According to FAASTeam representative William Hill, Chapter 157 stands out. In 2005, Hill was appointed the lead volunteer for northern California for the newly created FAASTeam. Hill committed to starting a monthly aviation safety seminar series. All he needed […]