The Question Is “The Step” just a myth? Or is there really something to it? The Backstory The subject of aerodynamics is a slippery one, with any one effect having many plausible-sounding explanations. One of the most vexing aerodynamic theories is the one that claims that certain airplanes can achieve faster cruise speeds when they more »

FAA minimum pilot height requirement: None Air Force pilot minimum height: 64 inches standing (5’4”) Shortest fixed-wing takeoff/landing: Bobby Breeden, 44 ft total Smallest multi-engine plane: Colomban Cri-Cri, 13 ft long, 16-ft wingspan Smallest single: Stits DS-1 Baby Bird, 6-ft wingspan, length 11 ft Smallest successful single (biplane): Stits SA-2A Baby Bird, 10 ft long, more »

The Mystery What was the real fate of pioneering pilot Amelia Earhart and her navigator, Fred Noonan, who disappeared on July 2, 1937, before reaching their Pacific Island destination on an attempted circumnavigation of the earth? The Backstory The mystery of what happened to Amelia Earhart and Fred Noonan when their flight disappeared over the more »

Tallest height allowable for USAF pilots: 6’7” Heaviest powered paraglider pilot: 440 pounds Highest max takeoff weight: Antonov AN-225, 1.3 million pounds Greatest payload: AN-225, approximately 560,000 pounds Max takeoff weight, Boeing 787: about 502,000 pounds (no, it won’t fit inside the AN-225) Largest piston engine: Lycoming XR-7755, 36 cylinders, 7,750 cubic inches, dry weight, more »

The Backstory The popular story of who flew first is easy. It was the Wright Brothers, at Kill Devil Hills (Kitty Hawk), North Carolina, December 17, 1903. Orville was at the controls, and there are photographs of the plane, the Wright Flyer, on that very flight, which lasted 12 seconds and covered 120 feet. To more »

First woman to receive a pilot’s license, worldwide: Raymonde de Laroche, March 8, 1910 (France) Other aviation accomplishments: women’s altitude (12,869 feet, 15,700 feet) and distance (201 miles) records Death: killed co-piloting a test flight, July 18, 1919 First woman to receive a pilot’s license, U.S.: Harriet Quimby, August 1, 1911 Previous career: Journalist/writer Quimby’s more »

The Myth While flying is something that creatures other than people have been doing for millions of years, we’ve only been actively exploring this realm for around 200 years and flying heavier than air machines for just over a century. But just as we know how gravity behaves and how to make good use of more »

Nickname of first plane capable of flight: Flyer Nickname of first successful seaplane: Hydravion Three planes with unofficial nickname of “Aluminum Overcast:” Convair B-36; Lockheed C-5 Galaxy; Douglas  C-124 Globemaster Nickname of EAA’s Boeing B-17: Aluminum Overcast Nickname of Boeing B-17: Flying Fortress Official nickname of Convair B-36: Peacemaker B-36 Purpose: Heavy bomber (including nukes) more »

On September 9, 2013, Alan Foster landed in the southeast village of Yakutat on the final leg of an almost 4,000-mile-long journey that began when he picked up his recently purchased PA-32-360 in Atlanta. Foster had over 9,000 hours of flight time and had flown for a variety of Alaskan air taxis and commuters. He more »

One sunny January morning, arriving for a Ninety-Nines meeting at the Norwood Memorial Airport (KOWD), I was greeted by a sea of cheering, smiling people, ringing cow bells and waving WELCOME signs. Suddenly warmed on a chilly day, I knew I had just come across something special. That, or an exceptionally friendly airport! Figuring this more »

Year that the term VLJ became widely used: Around 2000 Widely accepted definition of VLJ: Sub-10,000 pounds, single-pilot First VLJ, kind of: Fouga Magister, twin-engine, 7,055 lbs, 385 knots, FL300 Introduced: 1956 for military training Number built: Just under 1,000 Number flying today: Unknown, but still a popular civilian plane Companies today that have rejected more »

First military flight training: 1908, Fort Myer, Maryland First students: Lieutenants Frank Lahm and Frederic Humphreys First trainer aircraft: Signal Corps #1 Reported dual time before solo: 3 hours each First Civilian Flying School: Wright Brothers Flying School, Montgomery, Alabama Started business in Montgomery: March 1910 Moved out of Alabama: May 1910 Current site of more »

Father’s Day is an amazing collection of contradicting clichés, when you get right down to it. I mean, how many dads actually enjoy wearing a tie? And who wants to be the one bogged down with grilling dinner on your holiday? Now, let’s have an imaginary show of hands if you’ve enjoyed an iconic Father’s more »