Archive

January 18, 2013

Airplane Withdrawals

Airplane Withdrawals Well I haven’t flown the RV since December 1st and it’s really getting to me. I endeavor to fly weekly even in the winter, but the last month and a half have been tough with work, family, and the weather. I can usually detect the onset of withdrawals. It starts with a nagging…

January 17, 2013

iFLYblog.com Book Club January 2013: You Can Fly Now

Each month I will feature an aviation book that I would recommend you add to your collection. This month I read a really cool book about learning to fly. Titled You Can Fly Now: Your Keys to a Sky Full of Opportunity, by John S. Craparo. This book is a really quick read, but it…

January 16, 2013

New Spark Plugs

New Spark Plugs In troubleshooting a bad magneto check, I have found at least one thing that certainly needed to be addressed – my spark plugs. After watching a webinar on the subject over at EAA.org – link here, I learned some interested things about spark plug and their health. After a couple of easy tests,…

January 15, 2013

Security Theatre

  Security Theatre On the heels of glider pilot Robin Fleming being wrongfully incarcerated in South Carolina, I felt compelled to say a few things about the state of security in the US. Here we have a 70-year-old glider pilot who was such a threat to national security that he was cuffed and put in…

January 14, 2013

Home Simulation: Part 2 IFR Student / IFR rated

Home Simulation: Part 2 IFR Student / IFR rated by Michael W. Wojcik Getting into the soup. Some of the most enjoyable experiences of using flight simulation at home is when I began working on earning my instrument rating. Most pilots agree this is the most difficult, hence most rewarding when completed. The flight school I…

January 13, 2013

Entry-Level Flying Jobs

I was conversing with one of our readers over Facebook and the question came up about first flying job after getting your ratings. I built most of my time flight instructing and if you asked pilots in the US, 90% of them did it this way as well. But what alternates are out there? Here…

January 12, 2013

Home Simulation: Part 1 Aspiring Aviator / VFR Pilot

Home Simulation, when you can’t fly as much as you would like (part 1). by Michael W. Wojcik Like most people, time and budget limit the amount of hours I can normally fly in any given year. For me it’s typically less than a couple dozen. So how can one help their proficiency and stay…

January 11, 2013

Foster Lane: Aviation Pioneer

Foster Lane: Aviation Pioneer I wrote this article published in Air Facts Journal on one of the pioneers of general aviation, Foster Lane. Foster learned to fly between the WWI and WWII and helped to develop general aviation from it’s earliest roots. He also created a sprawling flying business in central Ohio. You can read…

January 10, 2013

Flying with music

Flying with music Oh the guilty pleasure of rocking out to your favorite tune while you are piloting an aircraft through the void. Is there anything more gratifying? I remember as a young man trying to rig up my Sony Walkman (cassette tape) to my portable intercom in the ole -152; those where the days! 

January 8, 2013

Stuck Mic Avcast: Interview

Stuck Mic Avcast: Interview Len Costa at the Stuck Mic AvCast interviewed me for their most recent podcast and you can hear it here: http://stuckmicavcast.com/aviation-podcast/smac039a-best-of-2013-iflyblogcom-with-brent-owens/ Rick, Len, Carl, and Victoria are really passionate about aviation and their podcast is a must-listen. Forget my interview, if you aren’t subscribed to their podcast, you’re missing out. We…