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…
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!
New Year’s Resolutions…aviation style With 2013 already in full swing, I thought it appropriate to post up my aviation related goals for the new year. Many of you know this, but there is a lot of power in actually writing these things down – they seem to have a greater chance of actually happening. In…
Has the last fighter pilot been born? Editorial A recent article from the TechNewsDaily reported that an F-16 squadron from the Iowa Air National Guard had given up their beautiful Vipers for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Tragic! This squadron dates back to WWII. I don’t know about you, but as a person who studied, nay…
Medically speaking Editorial Disclaimer: I am not a medical professional, nor do I play one on TV. The information herein is not medical advice or guidance. Since this month my 1st class medical is due again, I went to the Doctor’s office like I have done for the last 26 years. Over those years I…
Virtual Self-Righteous Aviator As a companion article to the Self-Righteous Aviator(SRA), I present to you the Virtual Self-Righteous Aviator (V-SRA). This particular sub-species of SRA, can usually be found lurking on message boards throughout the Internet as trolls. Their modus operandi is to pounce with impunity on anyone they feel could be a worthy victim.
What will general aviation look like in 40 years? The year is 2053. I drive to my small general aviation airport in my electric vehicle and pull right up to my hangar. There is no need to gain access via gates due to the virtual barrier placed around the perimeter. Any breach will quickly dispatch…
Balancing Flying with Family editorial If you are a family man or woman, you need to balance your flying activities with your home-life. Certainly every situation is different so many of these points won’t apply. If your whole family is into flying, you are probably in the best possible position and the envy of many…
The Self-Righteous Aviator One of the phenomena that I have observed in the wild is the self-righteous aviator (SRA). You know the one; they think they know it all and everyone else is beneath them. This curious species usually migrates to local airports where they can work the lobby making sure everyone knows they are…
Dreaming of Flight: Flying as a second career There is an often asked question that is batted around in real and virtual hangars across the land – should I chase my dream of flying for a living? In a related article I asked, “Is the romance gone from professional flying?”, but as I stated then…