All posts in Misc

Flying is cool, and aviation-themed clothing should be too

By | March 20, 2013 | Misc | 1 Comment
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For several months now, I’ve been following Heading 370 on twitter: @hdg370. Founded by young entrepreneur Ian Hoyt, Heading 370 injects fresh energy into the aviation space by creating fashionable apparel & accessories with an airborne twist. My favorite: the sectional chart cheese tray!

I really like what he’s trying to do with the Heading 370 brand, so when Ian reached out to me to give him a little free press, I couldn’t refuse.

Hoyt wants to take his company to the next level by cranking out more designs, but like most startups, he needs help to make it happen:

“I am asking for you fellow lovers of aviation and design, to help contribute to this idea in a huge way. I am seeking anyone that loves fresh and unique designs to help me in furthering my first t-shirt line for Heading 370. With one design already production, we know that we need more designs out there for the world to see. This is where you all come in. By contributing to our campaign, you are helping the world see the impact that aviation has on its users.”

So he’s basically asking for a little crowd-funding support (what a cool new concept that is for new businesses!). Go check out Heading 370′s IndieGoGo page and see what you think.

What’s in a name? Aircraft engine names explained

By | November 13, 2012 | Misc | 5 Comments
Aircraft Engines Explained - What's in a Name?

Every pilot has been befuddled by the random mess of letters and numbers that make up airplane engine names. Believe it or not, there is a method to the madness. Consider the trusty IO-360-L2A found in newer model Cessna 172′s.

Continental GSIO-520

The Continental GTSIO-520-L(2) tells a lot about itself in its name.

Based on the name of that engine alone, I can tell you that this is a fuel Injected engine with horizontally-opposed cylinders and that it displaces 360 cubic inches on all cylinders. See what I did with the colors?

The first block of letters tells us the characteristics of the engine. The number after the dash is the the cubic displacement, or total volume of fuel/air mixture that is moved through the cylinders in one complete 4-stroke cycle. Lastly, we have the engine model number.

This naming scheme is pretty common in general aviation and is strictly adhered to by the big companies like Continental and Lycoming.

Special thanks to Continental Motors for help and technical insight into engine names.

4 Great Aviation Stories on the Web

By | October 5, 2012 | Misc | No comments
  • Making Your Next Lesson Great  – Chris Findley uses his experience as a flight instructor with some helpful tips for student pilots to get the most out of your next flight lesson.
  • Are You Ready to Learn? — Over at AOPA’s Let’s Go Flying Blog, I pull back the curtain and reveal the flight lesson from the flight instructor’s point of view and introduce some hints to help you come “ready to learn.”
  • Step on the Ball! – Flight instructor and fellow blogger Steve Pomroy has written a wonderful and technical piece dispelling many of the myths of the magical “ball” – the turn coordinator’s inclinometer while helping pilots understand it’s limitations.
  • AOPA2012: Out of Touch, Off-Mission, And Out Of Control? – Jim Cambell, Editor-in-Chief of Aero News Network set up a lightning rod of controversy in his biting critique of AOPA’s latest programs under Craig Fuller’s leadership.

AOPA Teaches Us How to Talk to Reporters about Aviation

By | May 4, 2012 | Misc | 1 Comment
Guide to talking to reporters about aviation

General aviation stories tend to be inaccurate and negative at best. No, the media isn’t out to get us, but according to AOPA “aviation is a complicated and specialized industry that can’t be understood in a few phone calls.” In short, we aren’t good at talking to journalists!

To help, AOPA has put together a great interactive guide to talking to reporters. It gives pilots and airport workers a clear idea of the do’s and don’ts of news interviews and even provides a great checklist for media events.

Check out AOPA’s Guide to Talking to Reporters here.

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