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What would be the perfect general aviation airport?

What would be the perfect airport for passengers (e,g. No TSA if you are in the USA!) differs considerably than what would be the perfect airport for pilots – especially general aviation pilots.

Hence, a recent post by Vincent, the blogger behind the Plastic Pilot blog, is well worth noting as he outlined what would be the perfect airport for him as a general aviation pilot. To begin with, Vincent simply stated that the perfect airport for him can be described by one key word: Simplicity. In other words, the perfect general aviation airport should have:

  • Simple Procedures. Vincent commented that the IFR and VFR procedures for flying into big or even medium sized airport can be “real pieces of engineering.”
  • Simple Taxi. Vincent pointed out that flying a complex approach can sometimes be easier than trying to find a correct parking position on a ramp. And then there are the issues of having multiple runways and taxiways to deal with.
  • Simple Offices. Vincent noted that this is more of a European problem where you might have to visit several offices to pay all the necessary fees (and you may even have to wait 10 minutes for someone to find a glue stick!)
  • Good Restaurant. Besides having a good restaurant, Vincent commented that a good aviation museum is always welcome.

Taking the above into consideration, we want to ask you our readers what you think: What would be the perfect general aviation airport for you? Moreover, is there an airport that you have flown to that meets your criteria for being the perfect general aviation airport? Feel free to share your thoughts below.

Conquering the fear of stalling

Pilots and student pilots especially are usually fairly nervous or fearful about stalls and stall training. Hence, a recent video put together by Jason Schappert for his MzeroA.com site is well worth watching as he noted that stalls really aren’t that scary. In the video, Jason shows you how to practice stalls in order to practice recoveries plus he shows you how to practice a power on or departure stall and a power off or landing stall.

In addition, Jason’s post has already attracted more than 30 comments or Twits about how to practice stalls plus comments from readers who mention their own personal stories and experiences involving stalls or stall training. These comments are also well worth reading.

How much is an aircraft really worth?

If you are planning to buy or sell an aircraft soon, a lengthy article for General Aviation News by Todd Huvard, the president of AircraftMerchants, a North Carolina-based aircraft brokerage, is well worth reading. In the article, appropriately titled The Price Is Wrong, Todd voiced his concerns about online aircraft valuation guides. In fact, he pointed out that the worst offenders in setting wrong aircraft prices or price expectations are the casual users of AOPA’s online version of their vRef valuation guide as these novice users tend to input the wrong data.

In addition, Todd was also critical of the proprietary software used by the National Aircraft Appraisers Association (NAAA) saying that its “cumbersome, archaic and does not work very well.” On the other hand, Todd noted that most professional brokers (along with insurers and lenders) depend on expensive subscriptions to the industry-standard Aircraft Bluebook Price Digest.

Todd also mentioned a few other often-overlooked areas of the valuation process that will impact an aircraft’s value. These areas include:

  • Paint and interior
  • Engine time and overhaul type
  • Damage
  • Condition adjustment

At the end of his article, Todd concluded that if you are in the market to buy or sell an aircraft, take it slowly and make sure that you have “considered the genuine condition of the airplane, using pricing guidelines, market trends and common sense to set the price.” And if you are still unsure of an aircraft’s value, he advises that you should then consult a professional aircraft broker. 

British space buffs send paper airplane into space

Three British “space buffs” (Steve Daniels, John Oates and Lester Haines) have managed to use a helium balloon to send a paper airplane equipped with a camera into space to take pictures. The stunt or so-called operation “Paris” (Paper Aircraft Released Into Space), took a year to plan using an aircraft with an approximate 1 meter (3 foot) wingspan and a helium balloon.

When the balloon with the paper aircraft was released in Spain, it soared to 37 kilometers (23 miles) to take dozens of pictures before gliding safely back to earth after about 90 minutes and landing nearly 37 kilometers (20 miles) away from where it was initially released. Luckily for the trio, the plane narrowly missed landing in a reservoir and a lion enclosure in a safari park.

Operation “Paris” cost the three approximately 8,000 pounds and as you can see from their Youtube page, the camera captured some great aerial shots from space!