Fenced Goods (Best Letter)
Thank you, Dave Martin, for your lucid and rational letter in support of airparks and TTF [through-the-fence] operations. You eloquently condensed the obvious: Let the interested parties (aviators) live, mingle and support their preferred resource (airports). In comparison, I question other scenarios such as why residences on shorelines or other public resources are not prohibited. I guess our government doesn’t care about the cost burden of adverse effects such as residential silt/fertilizer runoff and other pollutants.
I propose that the FAA cannot fulfill either of its mandates of regulating and promoting aviation (both safe and efficient), just as the Minerals Management Service (MMS) has failed to manage resources in an environmentally sound manner. How much will U.S. citizens spend (and lose) on the Gulf fiasco? How much will our world lose? If I as a professional engineer (metallurgist) can perceive the ironic and tragic consequences of incompatible missions, why cant our legislators?
I recently heard that Alaska is just creating a statewide Aviation Division, and though I can rationalize the intent, I fear the implications of our governing failures. At the same time, as an AOPA Air Support Network (ASN) member and a sitting member of an airport advisory board, I am committed to finding political solutions. I never forget that we are still losing airports, so I challenge every reader to think hard and creatively on how to improve our culture.
Craig Johnson
Rags & Riches
Wow. I have been reading airplane mags ever since becoming a pilot in 1984 and have never written in until now. Mike Manning has done a great job on his [upholstery] series by presenting good narrative, good examples and great pictures to follow along. Thanks for such a good article and the many other ones you publish including your own well-written pieces and the videos you do on the road.
Ron Wolff
Power Management
I was honestly surprised by some of the reactions to overpowering of the CubCrafters Carbon Cub SS. Clearly these folks have never sat behind a 65- or 85-horsepower engine watching the trees growing larger, wondering if the plane will ever start climbing. Sure would be nice to call up an extra 100 hp. The regulation is to limit sea-level top speed to 120 knots. Adjust your power accordingly, it isn’t that hard.
Jim Hardin
Sportster No More?
Thank you for your fine magazine. In a recent issue, there was a photo of the Warner Aircraft Sportster. I went back to the December and January issues (where your kitbuilt and plansbuilt buyers guides are) but couldn’t find the airplane. Why wasn’t it there?
Byron Myers
Warner has sold kit versions of its excellent airplanes over the years, but has recently focused on developing, building and selling an SLSA, ready-to-fly version of the Sportster. The company says it could resume kit production in the future, and when it does, the design will be listed in one of our buyers guides.-Ed.
Acronyms Anonymous
I have been a subscriber for many years, and can no longer fly. All of my KITPLANES magazines have been turned over to one of my former school-bus passengers, who is now a science teacher at the local high school. He tells me his students have never heard that a person could build and fly his own plane. However, he wishes there was a page in KITPLANES that would explain what all the abbreviations are so that kids could understand what words like KIAS, EFIS, CGS, etc. mean. Would it cost too much to slip in a page to help kids understand our lingo?
John E. Baker
Excellent suggestion, John, and thanks for sending your issues down to the line so that more young people can be made aware of our wonderful, exciting, challenging sport. As for the acronyms and such, well do our best to embed explanations, but a full-on glossary might well be worth a page now and again.-Ed.
Europa Fan
What a pleasant surprise to get the July issue with the Europa on the cover. I have always been a Europa fan since I first saw it in a magazine in the early 90s. I ordered the info kit and watched the video many times. I even got to meet Ivan Shaw and got a demo flight in the original Europa (G-EURO). Although I never bought the plane, I have always fantasized about someday owning one (and still do). It was a great article. Thank you.
Karl Gruen
