AOPA Pilot Magazine

Gear for pilots, passengers, the shop and the hangar

Photographers have a difficult task. They must be in the moment in order to see and appreciate what’s happening, and also be an outside observer, capturing the feeling for the rest of us. Professional freelance photographer Heath Moffatt straddles this paradox perfectly, giving us incredible images of the moment that put us in the action.

On July 3, two pilots joined forces to fly a Beechcraft Bonanza G36 from California to their home state of New York. One of them had purchased the airplane and was flying it home.

Mark Goldberg winced as pebbles from the unimproved runway in central Mexico flicked paint away from the Texan’s newly constructed Van’s Aircraft RV–8 low-wing homebuilt. He had just landed in Puebla and was eager to greet the family that housed and cared for him when he was a student at the University of the Americas in the 1970s.

A recent NTSB decision involves an airline transport pilot who mistakenly took his son’s ADHD medication, resulting in a positive drug test that triggered the FAA’s revocation of his certificates. It was undisputed that the pilot accidently took the wrong medication, but the FAA maintained that revocation was appropriate for every instance of a positive drug test.

My affection for the Cessna Skywagon is one-sided. The 180/185s are guarded, selective with who makes their inner circle, and I’m not in it. I first approached the rugged taildragger formally, as you would a debutante.

We’ve recently gone on a health kick in my house, not in the traditional sense, though. (Thank God. Nobody likes a diet.) Instead, this one is based on Dan Buettner’s bestselling book, The Blue Zones.

During a recent visit to the “body shop,” my orthopedic surgeon told me in no uncertain terms, “Barry, your right hip is shot; it’s bone on bone.”

Even with two of us on board and a good load of fuel, the little CubCrafters NX Cub leapt off the grass runway at Driggs, Idaho, elevation 6,200 feet. Soon we snuggled up next to a Cessna 185 in which senior photographer Chris Rose was sitting cross-legged on the floor next to where the co-pilot’s door should have been. He was happy in his perch, his camera framing the NXCub against the Grand Teton Mountains.

Like many general aviation pilots, I am a fan of fall. Cooling temperatures and colorful foliage make for beautiful, scenic, and somewhat calmer flights. This is also the holiday season, and that means spending time with family and friends.

Everyone knows when John Chirtea has arrived. From his low and slow arrival in his Ercoupe to his stylish outfit befitting his aircraft’s name Fancy Pants or his infectious, boisterous laugh, Chirtea brings joy wherever he goes.

AOPA Advocacy

In 1946, the U.S. Civil Aeronautics Authority awarded the first civil helicopter certification to the Model 47.

In 1990, President George H.W. Bush approved the first Congressional resolution proclaiming November as “National American Indian Heritage Month” to celebrate the diverse cultures and traditions of Native Americans.

Landing in a hole is usually not such a good idea but putting your wheels down at Jackson Hole Airport is just the start of a good Western adventure.

Test questions for aviators

By Mort Crim

The heavy hangar doors banged shut with a sound of finality. I clicked the padlock into place, picked up my flight bag, and headed for the car. I did not look back. A breakup is hard, especially when you’re still in love, and even when you know it’s for the best.

The day was hot and humid, just as one would expect of a mid-Atlantic summer day.

By the time you read this, 29-year-old Hayley Arceneaux will be back at work as a physician assistant at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital but she will be more than a cancer survivor, cheerleader for others with life-threatening illnesses, and lover of red lipstick—she will be an astronaut.

AOPA news, industry news

Joby Aviation reports that it has completed its previously announced business combination with special purpose acquisition company Reinvent Technology Partners (NYSE: RTP) and now Joby is listed on the New York Stock Exchange, under the JOBY ticker symbol. As of August 13, Joby shares opened at $11.31 per share.

Benefits of an AOPA membership