On Course

At the risk of sounding like a certain evangelical radio preacher who made a prediction that didn’t pan out, I’m going out on a limb to proclaim that general aviation is on the cusp of returning to a period of sustained growth after two and half years of economic turmoil. There are plenty of reasons […]

Sadly, it was a rare sight (and sound) over Geneva this week: a lone, single-engine airplane scooting overhead as a group of journalists together with our gracious dinner hosts from Rockwell Collins enjoyed the view from La Perle du Lac restaurant overlooking Lac Leman. A few miles away inside the city’s Palexpo Center, the site […]

When it comes to diapers, razors, and contact lenses, disposable is definitely the way to go. But disposable electronics? Great for Apple’s bottom line, maybe, but a worrisome trend that will eventually turn your new iPad loaded with all those electronic charts, logbooks, checklists and POH apps into a fancy paperweight. A disposable product is […]

I’m not sure where it ranks on my list of life achievements, but I finally did something I’ve thought about doing for a long time. I joined a flying club. I took my club check ride this week with Jon Friedman, a former Navy F-4 pilot turned oral surgeon, who also serves as the club’s […]

Peter Thiel, the hedge fund manager and PayPal co-founder, correctly foresaw the dot-com and subprime busts, so when he makes a prediction about the next big bubble that’s likely about to burst, people would be wise to at least listen to what the man has to say. So where does Thiel think the next spectacular […]

Like a lot of people with a love for aviation, I’d definitely say I’m an adventure seeker. Mind you, that doesn’t mean I fit the daredevil mold. For instance, while I’d be the first person to join a group traveling to see the Inca ruins in Machu Picchu, I’d probably be one of the last […]

It’s commendable that a group of U.S. private investors led by aviation market analyst Brian Foley wants to make a play to purchase the assets of lightplane maker Cirrus by outbidding a subsidiary of AVIC, China’s aviation manufacturing powerhouse. But like a lot of people who’ve heard about the plan, I see the would-be end-around […]

If you own a copy of Microsoft’s Flight Simulator X, you might want to grab a pen, scratch the name Microsoft off the box and write Lockheed Martin instead. That’s because Lockheed Martin has licensed the software and the intellectual goodies that go with it, marking the end of the line for one of the […]

It hasn’t happened very often this winter: For one full day last week, the weather from Maine to Florida was severe VFR. I’d been keeping an eye on the long-range forecast for days in a sincere desire to avoid areas of icing for a planned trip from New Jersey to North Carolina. Never once did […]

No doubt you’ve heard by now that Congress has ordered the FAA to add photos and biometric data to all pilot certificates, which would have to be renewed every eight years with a new photo at an out-of-pocket cost to you of $22. Or maybe it’s $50. Or maybe it’s more than that. Nobody’s really […]