Adventures & More

(October 2011) Signature Engines president Bill Schmidt and the company’s chief security officer, Boo Radley, strolled across the ramp to my hangar last week as I was debugging the 180. Boo is actually a spoiled but lovable mutt rescued by Bill and named for the lonely character in To Kill a Mockingbird. Summer flying in […]

One of the few advantages of aging (or becoming “seasoned,” as my wife calls it) is gaining better perspective of our lives and careers. For me, a constant over the past 40 years has been watching the tragic consistency of the rate and reasons for General Aviation aircraft accidents. On a personal level, I‘ve lost […]

In our FBO Spotlight series, we’re highlighting FBOs around the country that have received rave reviews from our readers. The latest Spotlight is brought to you by Leonard Ellis, who recently flew into KMEM in a Cessna Centurion and paid a visit to Wilson Air Center. Here’s why he thinks the service at this Tennessee […]

Flying New York’s Hudson Valley corridor in the fall is a scenic, almost breathtaking experience. The foliage displays a panoply of autumn of colors, temperatures are cool and crisp, skies are clear and the air is often smooth. Nothing epitomizes autumn in southern New England more than Dutchess County in southeastern New York State. Located […]

Professional demo pilots working for popular aircraft and kit manufacturers fly hundreds of demo flights a year. Every once in a while their work goes beyond the same old pitch and becomes something different, something memorable. In this piece, longtime Van’s Aircraft employee Ken Scott tells about a demo ride that almost didn’t happen and […]

(October 2011) The LabCorp offices are only 20 minutes from work; I think I’ll try to get over there during lunch break. As I open the tinted glass door, I come upon a room full of 40 (maybe) people sitting on plastic chairs, most of them staring blankly at a television that is tuned to […]

When all was said and done, AirVenture 2011 was a good one. Despite some pre-show storms and a single day of rain, the weather was nothing short of spectacular. Even with the down economy, pilots came to Oshkosh for the festivities from all around. Airplane parking and on-site camping was maxed out early in the […]

In our FBO Spotlight series, we’re highlighting FBOs around the country that have received rave reviews from our readers. The latest Spotlight is brought to you by Moises Lomeli, who recently flew into KDTS in a 172 and paid a visit to Destin Jet. Here’s what he had to say about his trip to the […]

(October 2011) Those of us who have been around airplanes for any length of time understand the concept of stepping up, whereby a nonpilot becomes a pilot, learns to fly in a certain brand of airplane and then remains loyal to that brand while gaining experience and moving up through the model lineup to bigger, […]

FBO Spotlight: Lanmar Aviation (KGON) Groton, Connecticut In our FBO Spotlight series, we’re highlighting FBOs around the country that have received rave reviews from our readers. The latest Spotlight is brought to you by Bruce Drost, who recently flew into KGON in a PA 28-181. “On arrival they greeted my family and I with a […]