Max Trescott Aviation Trends Aloft

Another Airport Saved! Reid-Hillview off the Chopping Block--for Now

Like the TSA, we should assign a colored threat level for every airport in the country, based upon the current level of threat posed to the airport. If we did, San Jose's Reid-Hillview Airport would have been operating all year at a Level 4, Orange, High Threat of Airport Closure. As we reported earlier, that's because the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors voted to study the legal issues and potential financial benefits associated with closing the airport and developing the land. It's the third time in 25 years that the airport has been in danger of closing.

Yesterday, pilots in Silicon Valley...

Oshkosh Finale: the Photos

The Oshkosh photos, all 56 of them, are now loaded. You can find them by clicking here or going to the lower right of the blog page. There are a number of great aerial views from a Bell 47 helicopter and a Ford Trimotor that give a good feel for the enormity of AirVenture. There are also some great views from the new control tower. With this, we conclude our Oshkosh coverage and fall back to our normal 3 or 4 posts a month, depending upon what aviation tidbits catch our attention. I hope you've enjoyed the coverage and that it motivates you to go to AirVenture in 2009! 

Oshkosh Update--Flying a 1929 Ford Trimotor

Saturday was a completely unscheduled day and it was fun to just wander around and take in the random wonders of AirVenture. The day started by meeting up with Paul Plack of www.aero-news.net. If you’re not familiar with Paul’s work, then you’re missing out on an informative and fun part of general aviation. Paul spent more than 25 years in front of the microphone at a variety of radio stations around the country. He now applies his creative energy to understanding all facets of general aviation and produces daily podcasts for Aero-News Network. The guy is a pro and I highly recommend his podcasts.

We recorded a podcast related to...

Oshkosh Update Day 4 – Owning the Night

Another fabulous day and night at Oshkosh. But is there any other kind?

The day started out with official pictures in the EAA Museum with the four General Aviation Award winners in front of the new plaque that lists all of the past and current winners. Then there were the unofficial pictures. I’ve chosen to post one of those, which in this case shows a son and his proud mother. Mom took flying lessons as a teen, though never followed the footsteps of her father and older brother who completed their private licenses. So naturally it was mom who used to drive me to the airport at age 15, before I had a driver’s license, so that I could take flying lessons. I’m proud of you too mom and thanks for coming to share in the fun with me at Oshkosh this week.

Our awards also included...

Oshkosh Update—The View from the Top

It's going to be hard to top today--Oshkosh just keeps getting better and better. The day started out with the Master CFI breakfast, which usually draws around 50 of the approximately 550 Master CFIs. It’s a leisurely affair that affords lots of time to renew acquaintances with other CFI’s and friends in the media who attend.

For at least five years running, the keynote speaker has been...