LeRoy Brown should hate me, but he doesn’t. He should at least be mad at me, but he isn’t — and for that I’m eternally grateful. You see, I met LeRoy in the worst of circumstances for an editor. We had published a story from a freelancer that told of the long-ago exploits of a […]
Touch & Go
Maryland and Chicago TFRs carry tough words
If you plan to fly anywhere near Thurmont, Maryland (May 18-19) or Chicago (May 19-21) be very careful. Thurmont is playing host to a G-8 Summit while a NATO Summit will be Chicago. Flight Advisory’s for Thurmont and Chicago events have been posted to the FAA website. The language in these advisories are very strong. […]
Charmed lives are chosen
Our choices can lead us to amazing destinations…or nowhere. “This kind of flying,” was Bill Langdon’s answer to my asking, “What kind of flying do you mostly do?” We’d just lifted off from the back country mountain strip at the Minam River Lodge en route to nearby Joseph, Oregon, with a load of trash. [You […]
‘FIFI’ dustup leaves more questions
The truth is out there… somewhere. Last week, a proposed amendment to the House’s National Defense Authorization Act caused a bit of a firestorm. The proposed amendment from Rep. Michael Turner (R-Ohio) would “bar the Department of Defense from loaning or gifting any U.S. military aircraft or parts to any entity except those that would put the […]
MMA and Cylinders?
Leave it up to the good folks in at San Antonio-based ECi to write a post for their website titled, “Cage Fighting for Cylinders“. In the post, ECi’s Tim Moreland acknowledges that “ECi has gotten a black eye for some cylinder failures so we went to the gym to toughen up.” Using the growing popularity […]
Performers donated $250K, how much did you ‘donate’?
At a closing day media briefing, Sun ’n Fun president John ‘Lites’ Leenhouts said airshow performers donated $250,000 worth of performances to the fly-in this year. Lites was a few minutes late to the media briefing because he was thanking performers at the airshow safety briefing. “When a group donates $250,000 of services,” Lites said, “I […]
Trust but verify
I wonder if the insurance industry will accept a “driver’s license” medical should the AOPA/EAA petition for exemption of a 3rd class medical succeed. After all, just because the FAA says I don’t need a medical to operate a Cessna 172, an underwriter doesn’t have to insure me without one. It’s their money — but […]
General aviation user fee civility
User fees have reared their head in President Obama’s fiscal year 2013 proposed budget. Longtime General Aviation News columnist Charles Spence wrote about a letter 100 mayors sent to President Obama regarding the budget’s potential $100-per-flight fee. The comments that follow are interesting. Commenter “gbin” says: “I wonder how many of the mayors who signed […]
NW Aviation Conference recap
By Ben Sclair The Northwest Aviation Conference & Trade Show is a “home game” for us at General Aviation News. It is always great to see so many great friends in one place. Tracy and Larry Cruz from Wings West Governors were at the show. The fact that Larry was at the show at all, […]