Grassroots

Browse Grassroots, a collection of flying-related articles by Budd Davisson. An accomplished aviation journalist, Budd shares his perspective on  all kinds of flight-related subjects.

Tuesday, December 20, 2011 Of Knowledge, Experience And Regulations Going to school doesn’t necessarily make you smarter At the time this was being written, word was circulating within the aviation community that as the result of the Colgan airline crash in 2009, the FAA is probably going to place new experience requirements on airline copilot new hires.

Tuesday, November 8, 2011 Instructing The Instructor Ten things every instructor learns, whether he wants to or not When you're a flight instructor, you're a combination shrink, drill sergeant, mother confessor and cheerleader; and, if you're a good instructor, you quickly realize that the act of instructing is teaching you more than you're teaching the student.

Tuesday, October 4, 2011 A Personal Journey This thank-you was a long time coming The green fields, most looking as if you could land a 747 on them, stretched off into the distance, where they became low, gently rolling hills.

Tuesday, September 6, 2011 Oshkosh By Any Other Name Of damp dogs, wet aviators and rained-on cowboy hats Yeah, I know: It’s officially AirVenture. But to a lot of folks, the name just hasn’t clicked.

Tuesday, August 9, 2011 Critter Delays No matter what man thinks, Ma Nature still calls the shots Gulfstream Eight Charlie Charlie, go around. The airport is temporarily closed.

Tuesday, July 5, 2011 Aerial Recycling An airliner in the backyard makes sense (almost) For the last six months or so, every time we'd taxi out, my eyes would drift to one end of the jet ramp, and linger on a Falcon 10 that has been there for quite a while.

Tuesday, June 7, 2011 Aerodromes And Longevity A trip to the airport is good for what ails you Have you ever stood around the airport or at a fly-in, looked at some of your higher-mileage friends, and realized that even the gray dogs in the crowd act and look 15 years younger than you know them to be?

Tuesday, May 10, 2011 Jack Once in a lifetime, such a man comes to us We were somewhere in the middle of the desert heading for my daughter's when my cell phone rang.

Tuesday, April 5, 2011 I Do It Because... Explaining why we fly isn't simple "I fly because it releases my mind from the tyranny of petty things." —Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

Tuesday, March 8, 2011 Cub Butt Aviation’s posterior-measuring system The contradictions between the Cirrus and my normal ride couldn’t have been more extreme if I had been in the space shuttle.

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