As I write this column on May 15, it is one of those columns I really wish I didn’t have to write. Recently, we had the local operators’ safety meeting, which is a gathering of all airport operators that includes all the flight schools, rental agencies, airport management and air traffic control. The purpose of this meeting was to discuss operational issues that affect operations at the airport. There were several interesting and some distributing items reported. For example, airport … [Read more...] about Supporting a Growing, High-Altitude Airport
Lance Leighnor
Examining a Life-Long Love Affair with Aviation
Let’s talk about love – the love of aviation. I’m going to speak to my life-long love affair with flying and airplanes. Many pilots and perhaps some non-pilots will see themselves in these small vignettes. My love affair with airplanes started early in life. My dad was a builder and he recruited me at the tender age of three. He needed someone to help work in the controls on the airplane he was building, so he grabbed me, put me in the cockpit along with some rubbing compound on the control … [Read more...] about Examining a Life-Long Love Affair with Aviation
How Community Helped Secure Prescott Airport Funding
As we all learned on Dec. 30, the Prescott Airport reached the goal of 10,000 passengers enplaned within the calendar year 2018. Reaching this goal is a significant accomplishment that will unlock considerable funding for future airport growth. A lot of people helped the airport reach this goal: Airport Director Dr. Robin Sobotta, the city, led by Mayor Greg Mengarelli, as well as many residents of our community who have supported the SkyWest airline service in unprecedented numbers. For 2018, … [Read more...] about How Community Helped Secure Prescott Airport Funding
Understanding the Bond Among Pilots and Flying Community
For many people, pilots are considered a “band of brothers.” For that matter, there are books and shows by that very name. The reason for people in the aviation community to have such a strong sense of community and brotherhood stems to the early days of aviation. Quite honestly, being a pilot at the dawn of aviation was risking your life in a very real way. Airplanes and other flying machines were new and suffered all the issues anything new suffers. As safe as aviation is today, mistakes … [Read more...] about Understanding the Bond Among Pilots and Flying Community
Becoming a Pilot Requires Aptitude and Attitude
Are you interested in flying as a career or hobby? What does it take for a person to learn to pilot an aircraft? The answer is aptitude and attitude, plus decent health. Aptitude describes the skills and knowledge you need to master in order to proficiently pilot an airplane. Pilots are constantly learning until the day they stop flying. Why? Regulations change. There have been several very significant changes in just the past year or so, including a significant overhaul of medical … [Read more...] about Becoming a Pilot Requires Aptitude and Attitude
Understanding the Value of a Vibrant Airport
What economic and lifestyle value does an airport bring to a city such as Prescott and how does our airport impact the well-being of the Quad Cities in the Arizona highlands? Let me start with some statistics from the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) that might shock readers. As you drive by the Prescott Airport heading North toward Chino Valley on State Route 89, you look right down the main runway. Were you aware that this main runway is the third busiest runway in the state of Arizona? … [Read more...] about Understanding the Value of a Vibrant Airport
So You Want To Be a Pilot But Not Go Broke?
If you are thinking about becoming a pilot, right now is a great time to consider such a career. Airlines are facing dramatic pilot shortages and an aging workforce that has a mandatory retirement age. Or, if you want to be a recreational pilot, rule changes by the Federal Aviation Administration have made it easier to get flying. In the past, most airline pilots were ex-military pilots with all the training needed for heavy jet airliners. With the recent advent of drone warfare, the number … [Read more...] about So You Want To Be a Pilot But Not Go Broke?