Northwest Flying Photography Blog

The FAA and the administration are currently attempting to alter the way that the FAA is funded. These changes are driven by the major airlines and are at the cost of the non-commercial flying public.They are asking for an increase of the federal aviation gas tax by nearly 300% in addition to instituting user fees for services.

http://www.aopa.org/faafundingdebate/index.html

We have seen this happen in Europe, and the result was the continual marginalization of general aviation. Increasing the costs so that only the wealthy can afford to fly.

As a private pilot, I already struggle to afford the little flying time I have, increasing the costs of flying would make it nearly imposable.

General aviation benefits everyone, not just those who are passionate about flying. Search and rescue pilots are often volunteers. Small rural communities depend on general aviation for emergency services. Volunteer air transport for the ill and infirm are just some of the many contributions that general aviation makes to the country.

But these arguments aside, the fact remains that the current funding system is more than adequate to fund the FAA and its new initiatives well into the future. The added expense of administering this new funding system as well as the fact that it’s too dangerous to let user fees affect decision making make it imperative that this effort on behalf of the major airlines be defeated.

Please contact you congressional representative and express your opposition to these changes.
House of Representatives
Senate

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and well disserved.

Today the Tuskegee Airmen receive the Congressional Gold Medal for their action during and after WWII.

From the Washington Post:

By Michael E. Ruane and Avis Thomas-Lester
Washington Post Staff Writers
Thursday, March 29, 2007; Page A01
When Charles E. McGee slid his P-51 fighter, “Kitten,” onto the tail of the fleeing German FW-190 in the skies over Austria in 1944, he fired his six big machine guns and struck a blow for civil rights back home.

What these men faced, both in the skies over Europe as well as at home, should inspire all of us.

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Not that Fifi.

This Fifi

The worlds only flying B-29 is in need of new engines. Four of ‘em and they are not exactly lying around. Please do what you can to help keep this important piece of history alive and flying.

Go to the Commemorative Air Force page here for more information.

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Kent Wein and his father are flying a DC-3 across the country. Very cool. I wish I could tag along. If you don’t know the last name of Wein, You are probably not a pilot from Alaska.

You can see a video of the DC-3 they are flying in on You Tube:
[youtube RvKr7ialgM0]
He also has a niffty vid of a crosswind landing taken from the cockpit.
[youtube FP6YvqfdQMY]

I assume that the pilot is his father, but I could be wrong. watch how much controll movement there is, then watch how little aircraft movment there is. That ain’t no Cessna.

The DC-3 is one of my favorite aircraft, and although I have never flown in one, I have sat in the cockpit of one and made airplane noises.

sigh…whatever gets you through the day…

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So my son Cyrus turns four months old in a few days. We have no big plans for the day, other that it’s going to be the first time his Uncle Matt is going to get to meet him. I thought that I would post a quick photo of Cyrus of those of you that are interested.

I asked some folks to give this photo a caption and they came up with some fine ideas, some even printable on a family blog like this one.

Third place is: “Warning: Trunk Monkey is not to be used as a designated driver.”  IF you’ve never seen Trunk Monkey, do your self a favor and search it in google.

Second Place is: “Hmmm, monkey brains….aghsghaghshgh…..” a caption that really needs no explanation

First place and the winner of a fabulous NoPrize: “Look man, I tried. Mom says I don’t need, or even eat bananas yet. You’re on your own!” Congratulations to ”insert your name here”

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Apperently, NASA has decided to shutdown the NASA Institute for Advanced Concepts.  

The NIAC is one of the most worthwhile research centers in the US. I have long been a proponent of space and aerospace research, and the thought of loosing the NIAC is particularly troubling. The NIAC was focused on revolution, not evolution. It was asking big questions, the kind of questions that we should be asking if we want to experience the kind of technological growth that has earmarked the last century. It always hard to explain to people that don’t get it. I’ve talked to people that question the need for an exploratory space program, and to them, this type of research seams like tossing money into a fire. They don’t understand that this is the type of research that needs to be done if we expect to grow our capabilities, and our reach in the universe.  

Ok. So maybe being a Space Nut, Science Nut, Aviation Nut and a Science Fiction Nut makes my opinion a bit biased.  

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Thanks to Slashdot for the link to this post: An auto pilot made from Mindstorms NXT.

This is just super cool. It makes me want to drop a bunch of cash on Lego stuff. Yeah, that’s what I need, another hobby. I hope this guy will post a video when he get’s his system up and installed in an RC aircraft. It will be interesting to see how it works….or if it works.

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