Mark Phelps

4G or not 4G? That is the question. Wide ranging broadband Internet access via portable devices would sure be great, but it could come at a high cost of GPS functionality. A plan to construct 40,000 broadband transmitters for the 4G broadband network could have a “disastrous” effect on GPS reception, according to a report […]

Record cold, snow and ice storms were as much a part of the pre-Super Bowl talk as were blitzes and cover packages. When snow avalanched off the roof of spanking new Cowboy Stadium, several workers were injured. Clearly, Dallas is not well prepared for this sort of weather challenge. For incoming aircraft, Dallas Love Field […]

The Senate Finance Committee approved reauthorization of the U.S. Airport and Airways Trust Fund (AATF) on Tuesday, Feb. 8, and the bill will probably be included in the FAA Reauthorization bill already before the Senate. The committee’s proposal includes an increase in jet fuel tax for general aviation aircraft to 35.9 cents per gallon from […]

The vocabulary section of my son’s third-grade social studies book laid out one of life’s basics that I sometimes miss as an aircraft owner — ‘Budget — a plan for managing money.’ It goes on to tell the story of a teenager with a summer job who has to budget for three areas: his needs […]

Andrew Schmertz is starting with one Cirrus SR22 flying what he bills as “air limo” flights out of Republic Airport in Farmingdale, Long Island, New York. He hopes to expand to as many as five aircraft in his fleet by the summer season, able to shuttle passengers, on demand, from nearby jumping off points to […]

“Relative stability in global economies and improving general business confidence” were two of the reasons Textron CEO Scott Donnelly expects 2011 to be a good one for Cessna and Bell. Textron is the parent company for the two iconic aviation brands, and Donnelly’s remarks came in the wake of strong numbers for the fourth quarter […]

Known worldwide as a legend in the game of golf — and industrywide as one of general aviation’s most iconic faces — voluntarily quit flying quietly last month, choosing not to re-up his medical. No worries on health issues for Arnie — he just decided to retire from flying the left seat of his Citation. […]

The old wisdom was that a thick airfoil would carry plenty of ice. It’s a folk tale based, perhaps, on innumerable stories of DC-3s from the early days of the airlines landing with thick coats of ice. The stories might be true, but the fact that DC-3s had chubby wings does not translate to aeronautical […]

It’s been three years and 17 temporary funding packages since the FAA had long-term funding legislation in place. But next week, Sen. John Rockefeller (D-W. Va.) will introduce a “new” two-year, $34.5 billion bill, which he says is identical to the one passed last year 93-0 by the Senate. That bill stalled in the House […]

It’s just one small step for some helicopters, but it could grow to a giant leap for general aviation in China — and ultimately, the rest of the world. China has begun testing a policy that shows promise of massive strides for general aviation. Over the coming weeks, four helicopters will be permitted to fly […]