Category Archives: Industry & Government

The One in a Billion Rule

Posted on August 4, 2011 by Mac

It was great to visit with Jeff Skiles and Sully Sullenberger at Oshkosh last week. The two heroes of the Hudson are doing a terrific job of keeping thousands of pilots excited about the EAA’s Young Eagles Program, and we … Continue reading →

Posted in Aircraft, Industry & Government, Mac Clellan's Left Seat Blog, Safety, Technology | 12 Comments

The FAA Doesn’t Take Away

Posted on July 29, 2011 by Mac

We blame the FAA for a lot of things we don’t like in aviation, and sometimes we’re right. But as I was standing there looking at the beautiful brand new Wacos here at AirVenture I realized the FAA isn’t in … Continue reading →

Posted in Aircraft, Airmanship, Industry & Government | 9 Comments

Flying For Fun Professionally

Posted on July 28, 2011 by Mac

I have always stumbled a little over the concept of recreational flying, or sport flying. Somehow those words—even though I know the intended meaning—don’t quite go together with the absolutely serious task of flying. The problem is that flying, any … Continue reading →

Posted in Airmanship, Flying for Fun, Industry & Government, Safety | 16 Comments

Oshkosh Is the Place for Embraer Jets

Posted on July 27, 2011 by Mac

When Embraer launched its first clean sheet business jet design it came to AirVenture. That was six years ago, and the Brazilian airplane manufacturer has returned to Oshkosh every summer since to show off its growing line of business jets. … Continue reading →

Posted in Aircraft, Industry & Government, Technology | 2 Comments

Keeping Your Head Up—HUD Avionics Help

Posted on July 25, 2011 by Mac

With each new advance in avionics technology traditionalist among us worry that we are all flying around with our heads down and locked—inside the cockpit. They do have a point. The most crucial information on your actual flight trajectory is found … Continue reading →

Posted in Aircraft, Industry & Government, Safety, Technology | 3 Comments

Can the FAA afford to come to Oshkosh?

Posted on July 23, 2011 by Mac

As of yesterday, the FAA is broke. Now it looks like the FAA leaders may not even have the money to come to Oshkosh. What a crazy system. The FAA has been operating on a long string of very short-term … Continue reading →

Posted in Airmanship, EAA, Industry & Government | 17 Comments

Maintenance Regulations—There Aren’t Many

Posted on June 30, 2011 by Mac

I had a chance to meet Mike Busch, the Savvy Aviator, a couple of weeks ago when people who write for Sport Aviation magazine got together to chat in Oshkosh. I really loved talking to Mike because he and I … Continue reading →

Posted in Aircraft, Industry & Government, Mac Clellan's Left Seat Blog, Safety, Technology | 13 Comments

Your Not-So-Secret ID Number

Posted on June 23, 2011 by Mac

Did you know that your airplane has a distinctive identification number that is not your N number? And depending on what type of transponder you have, that special number may be broadcast automatically without you even knowing it. The special … Continue reading →

Posted in Aircraft, Industry & Government, Technology | 36 Comments

ADS-B has a Missing Link

Posted on June 8, 2011 by Mac

The FAA’s ADS-B requirement moves the bulk of air traffic control hardware and technology from the ground and puts it into the airplane. Instead of using a radar network on the ground to locate the position of aircraft, ADS-B relies … Continue reading →

Posted in Industry & Government, Technology | 37 Comments

What a Certified Homebuilt Looks Like

Posted on June 1, 2011 by Mac

I flew down to Battle Creek to pick up my friend Randy Greene, who had flown his Waco Classic in from New York. Randy heads up Safe Flight, a family-owned company that is the leader in developing and producing flight … Continue reading →

Posted in Aircraft, Industry & Government | 18 Comments