Category Archives: Aviation History

Brothers to the Rescue, Hermanos Al Rescate

Posted on February 24, 2011 by Joe Clark

Geographically, Cuba is a wonderful place, truly a paradise. Politically, however, it is a mess. Some of the recent news about Cuban politics includes Castro finally admitting socialism does not work and that the Cuban economic situation is broken. The … Continue reading →

Posted in Aviation, Aviation History, Flying, Life in General, Personal | Tagged airplanes, Brothers to the Rescue, Carlos Costa, Cessna 337 Skymaster, Cessnas, Cuba, Cuban politics, Cuban refugees, Cubans risk their lives trying to escape, dreamed of flying, Fidel Castro, Florida, flying, flying career, free Cubans, Hermanos Al Roscate, humanitarian, judgment, Michael Moore's movie, paradise, pilots, professional pilots, quiet confidence, rafting to freedom, shootdown, socialism, the Cuban economic situation, the Florida Straits, volunteer pilots and observers | 3 Comments

Sara

Posted on February 21, 2011 by Joe Clark

Sixty-six years ago today the USS Saratoga, CV-3, fell victim to a horrendous attack by the Japanese. The Japanese, taking advantage of poor weather and low clouds, were able to approach the aircraft carrier at about five o’clock in the … Continue reading →

Posted in Aviation History, History, Life in General | Tagged Bikini Atoll, Bremerton WA, combat operations, CV-3, Desert Storm, Essex-class carriers, Hawaii, Lexington-class carriers, Libya, military service, Navy, Operation Crossroads, Operation Magic Carpet, the affect atomic weapons on naval vessels, the flight deck, the Japanese surrender, USS Saratoga, Vietnam, World War II, Yugoslavia | Comments Off

The Perfect Storm

Posted on February 18, 2011 by Joe Clark

We are facing a situation in the aviation industry, which many may very well describe as an approaching “Perfect Storm.” For years, we have heard people in and out of the industry say there will be a pilot shortage. Current … Continue reading →

Posted in Aviation, Aviation History, Flight Instructing, Flying, Life in General | Tagged aviation industry, discipline, extreme dedication, flight instruction, flight training, flying, inexperienced pilots, instrument flying, judgment, Korean era pilots, learning to fly, perseverance, pilot shortage, pilots, professional pilots, remaining ready, student pilots, the little boy crying wolf, The Perfect Storm, too late, training aircraft, Vietnam vets, World War II pilots, world’s population, young pilots, “Perfect Storm” | Comments Off

New York to Paris

Posted on February 6, 2011 by Joe Clark

It took Charles Lindbergh 33 hours and 30 minutes to fly from New York to Paris. On this date in 1946, Trans World Airlines began international passenger service along Lindbergh’s route flying Lockheed Constellations, or “Connies.” Originally, Lockheed produced the … Continue reading →

Posted in Aviation, Aviation History, Flying, Life in General | Tagged Charles Lindbergh, Connies, deregulation in 1978, international travel, Lockheed Constellations, New York to Paris, nonstop passenger service, ocean liners, Pan American Airways, pressurized comfort, Trans World Airlines | Comments Off

Squeezed

Posted on February 4, 2011 by Joe Clark

Yesterday I opened my e-mail and found my Aviation eBrief from AOPA. The news was fairly disturbing. From Air Transport World, is the news that, “DOT Secretary LaHood reaffirms Obama’s NextGen commitment.” The next headline read, “Column: Middle-class pilots are … Continue reading →

Posted in Aviation, Aviation History, Flying, Life in General | Tagged 120, 140, 150, 170, 172, 175, 180, 182, 185, 190, 195, 210, Air Transport World, AOPA, Aviation eBrief, business jets, Cessna, feeling the squeeze, FlightGlobal.com, General Aviation News, little airplane drivers, NextGen, paying through the nose, Squeezed, who loves technology | 5 Comments

Remember Today?

Posted on January 28, 2011 by Joe Clark

Twenty-five years ago today, I was learning to fly the A-7 Corsair. My base was NAS Cecil Field in Jacksonville, FL on this particular day in 1986 and I would finally have a chance to watch one of the Shuttles … Continue reading →

Posted in Aviation History, Life in General, Personal | Tagged A Major Malfunction, Florida, Jacksonville FL, NAS Cecil Field, NATOPS manuals, of those moments in history, Pearl Harbor, pilots, racing for the heavens, student pilots, the A-7 Corsair, the day Kennedy fell in Dallas, the hangar bay, the ready room, The Shuttle Challenger, The Shuttle Columbia, The Shuttles, the Twin Towers | 3 Comments

The High Cost of Renting

Posted on January 24, 2011 by Joe Clark

In 1971, the cost of renting airplanes was expensive. The sad truth about aircraft rental today is that it still remains too expensive. Relatively speaking, it is more expensive than 35 years ago. In 1971, a Cessna 150 cost $15 … Continue reading →

Posted in Aviation, Aviation History, Flight Instructing, Flying, Life in General, Personal | Tagged airlines, airplanes, Cessna 150, Cessnas, checkride, computers, discipline, final cost for earning a private pilot certificate, Flight instructors, flying, getting rich, ground instruction, how can young kids afford flight training, inexperienced pilots, judgment, learning to fly, minimum wage, navigation plotters, pilots, private pilot, professional pilots, rental and instructional fees, renting airplanes, solo students, student pilots, testing fees, textbooks, the aviation industry, The High Cost of Renting, training aircraft | 3 Comments

The 1940s

Posted on January 18, 2011 by Joe Clark

My friend, Mike, sent me an email featuring a PowerPoint presentation about the 1940s. Coincidentally, I spent time earlier in the day researching some of the great airplanes of the period. I came away thinking about the airplanes and the … Continue reading →

Posted in Aviation, Aviation History, Flying, Life in General | Tagged Air Force, airliners, airplanes, altitude, Chuck Yeager, discipline, Douglas DC-7, flying, humanitarian roles, judgment, Lockheed Constellation, Mach, military service, offensive and defensive weapons of war, open cockpit biplanes, pilots, professional pilots, Royal Air Force, The 1940s, the airline industry, the Korean conflict, The World's Greatest Generation, Tom Brokaw, United States Air Force, World War II | 5 Comments

The First Casualty

Posted on January 17, 2011 by Joe Clark

Today, 20 years ago on January 17, 1991, Operation Desert Storm began. Onboard the USS Saratoga, men prepared to go to war and they would be some of the first warriors over the beach. VFA-81, the Sunliners, was one of … Continue reading →

Posted in Aviation, Aviation History, Flying, History | Tagged airplanes, CAPT Joseph Mobley, discipline, flying, friends, judgment, LCDR Michael Scott “Spike” Speicher, military service, Navy, North Vietnam, Operation Desert Storm, pilots, prisoner of war, professional pilots, The First Casualty, the first loss of the war, the Rampagers, the Sunliners, USS Saratoga, VFA-81, VFA-83 | 6 Comments

The North American P-51D Mustang

Posted on January 13, 2011 by Joe Clark

One airplane which has always mesmerized me was the North American P-51D Mustang. Truly, the airplane and the pilots who flew her into combat were in a class of their own. When I started flying in 1971, I came across … Continue reading →

Posted in Aviation, Aviation History, Flying, History | Tagged .50 caliber Browning machine guns, Air Force, air shows, airplanes, Eighth Air Force, flying, grueling missions, incredibly higher return than Wall Street, inexperienced pilots, judgment, long range bomber escort, military service, Mustangs for sale, Packard V-1650-7, pilots, professional pilots, race pilots, taildraggers, the National Championship Air Races in Reno, The North American P-51D Mustang, torque rolls, Trade A Plane, World War II | 3 Comments

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Category Archives: Aviation History

Brothers to the Rescue, Hermanos Al Rescate

Sara

The Perfect Storm

New York to Paris

Squeezed

Remember Today?

The High Cost of Renting

The 1940s

The First Casualty

The North American P-51D Mustang

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