One evening at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh, I was walking behind a gray-haired pilot and his wife. It had been a hot, lengthy day of airshows and he was holding on to his wife for a little extra support as he made the long walk from the flight line to the far reaches of the parking…
For many pilots, it would be a difficult decision to move on from a mint condition Cessna Grand Caravan EX. This was a problem that Tim Russell of St. Petersburg, Florida, had in 2025, when faced with the prospect that the single-engine turboprop may no longer be the best aircraft for his mission. “We had…
Automatic crossfeed is a popular topic of discussion at King Air Academy for several reasons. The first reason has to do with why we go to recurrent training in the first place – to review procedures like crossfeeding, which we rarely perform on normal flights. The second reason is to discuss the potential pitfalls when…
I once flew with a CFI who pointed to a switch in the cockpit and said, “That’s a ‘dusty switch.’” I pondered that comment and then had to ask, “What’s a dusty switch?” He told me that a dusty switch is “a switch that is hardly ever touched, or a switch that you should not…
Garmin Brings SmartCharts to Garmin Pilot Web Garmin’s aviation charting solution SmartCharts is now available for Garmin Pilot Web, the avionics manufacturer’s flight planning website that complements its mobile app. SmartCharts provides pilots with a simplified and intuitive experience by producing clear and relevant data to depict a chart tailored for their specific flight operation.…
2026 Neil Armstrong Outstanding Achievement Awardees Named The National Aviation Hall of Fame announced recently that Mark R. Baker and Bruce Landsberg are co-recipients of the 2026 Neil Armstrong Outstanding Achievement Award. Distinguished leaders in general aviation, Baker and Landsberg have each made profound and lasting contributions to aviation safety, education and pilot advocacy, collectively…
In the April issue we started our dive into the fuel quantity indicating system by focusing on insulation testing the system. That should always be your first step because if you can locate insulation or wiring issues (even if you need to replace wires or splices), there’s no need to be concerned with system calibration…
Photos by Clint Goff Of the five senses that humans possess, which one is most important when flying? Which is the least important? I’d argue that taste is the least important, unless we are including the cookies at the Wilson FBO at the Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport (KCHA). That leaves sight, hearing, smell and touch. Sight…
For 90-year-old Carey Hobbs, flying has never been just a pastime – it is a way to serve, to connect, to explore. He discovered his love for the skies as a Marine aviator and has been a pilot for 67 years, owning two Beechcraft King Air aircraft in his lifetime: the A90 he flew for…
Newly-found photographs and advanced research shed light on the Tennessee farm boy’s initial foray into the world of aviation Editor’s note: I received an email from longtime contributor Edward Phillips excitedly sharing that he’d tracked down rare photographs of Walter H. Beech during World War I. Ed’s hope is that the photographs paired with his…