tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-54580637657751357042011-11-27T16:24:31.300-08:00where you can feel free to be a little off-centerStevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04536844566593270232noreply@blogger.comBlogger621100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458063765775135704.post-29142502370422981142010-04-19T17:59:00.000-07:002010-04-19T17:59:43.318-07:00

In attending college, I get to take quite a few interesting classes.  One such elective class, Methods of Criminal Investigation, included a presentation of an accident scene where a plane had crashed and killed all aboard.  Sad circumstances indeed, but the class focused on what caused the horrible images we were looking at. The circumstances surrounding the crash included a shortage of fuel an

Stevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04536844566593270232noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458063765775135704.post-59784009662906525592010-01-12T05:53:00.000-08:002010-01-12T05:53:16.435-08:00

A quick glance through Yahoo! News this morning lead me to a story on the rising number of bird strikes.  It claimed the total number of bird strikes in 2009 could surpass 10,000; a first.  At least 57 cases caused severe damage and a total of 8 people lost their lives. I think it's fair to assume that people are becoming more diligent in reporting these incidents.  The Hudson River landing by

Stevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04536844566593270232noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458063765775135704.post-29120609871830881862010-01-11T05:31:00.000-08:002010-01-11T05:31:10.877-08:00

It's true.  I, of course, learned how to prepare and de-ice the plane in weather like this, but I've only actually done so once or twice.  I fly for fun and on days like today-- it's 19 degrees outside-- it doesn't seem like much fun.  I usually just sit it out.  Even when I don't, I make sure I rent a plane at a place that will do all the prep work for me.  That way, I only have to check over

Stevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04536844566593270232noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458063765775135704.post-34526436753654872492010-01-08T19:03:00.000-08:002010-01-08T19:03:27.842-08:00

Some may have noticed that I've not posted in a while.  The holidays have a way of stripping one of extra time and dropping them into a mire of family gatherings and non-stop eating.  Well, I've dug myself out and am back to the places, sounds, smells and excitement I love and know so well... at the airport.

Stevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04536844566593270232noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458063765775135704.post-22133991236493825932009-11-30T06:14:00.000-08:002009-11-30T06:15:42.001-08:00

I'm always happy to meet a fellow pilot.  It instantly creates a conversation and acquaintance through your shared enthusiasm.  I'm usually pretty good at picking out these people, but occasionally I'm surprised. One such occasion happened just this weekend.  I'd gone to a party for the GA-GA Tech football game at a friend's house (I'm neutral for political reasons).  The usual people I know

Stevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04536844566593270232noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458063765775135704.post-88314573638611357552009-11-23T07:06:00.000-08:002009-11-23T07:06:44.277-08:00

Friday morning found me wondering what I was going to do that evening.  The choices were: go fly around the pattern and northern GA for a while or try to go see Boondock Saints 2: All Saints Day.  As fate would have it, my favorite plane was booked the entire evening but, I got a call from my favorite friend who wanted to go do something anyway.  In the end, she and I went to see Boondock Saints

Stevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04536844566593270232noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458063765775135704.post-10515115033349945852009-11-19T07:18:00.000-08:002009-11-19T07:18:56.241-08:00

I've always wanted to fly myself and a few others to a holiday gathering with my family.  I envision landing on a frosty field and stepping out of the plane to meet my family at the airport.  It's part of the thrill of being a pilot and a perk of being able to travel so conveniently.  The adventure, the excitement; it's all part of how I've always imagined traveling as a pilot would be. Then,

Stevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04536844566593270232noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458063765775135704.post-41831727749775443882009-11-16T05:43:00.000-08:002009-11-16T05:43:58.525-08:00

We've all probably read about Dan Gryder's recent arrest at the Griffin-Spaulding county airport last week.  I wrote an article covering the story and was surprised when many local Griffinites spoke up to defend Dan.  Here's what the people that know Dan and the airport area had to say. Several readers point out that Griffin officials at the airport have "had Dan in their cross hairs for years

Stevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04536844566593270232noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458063765775135704.post-56488906678387047342009-11-09T05:53:00.000-08:002009-11-09T05:53:37.104-08:00

We're officially wheels-up today with the care flight.  The care flight is a donation drive in the aviation community to help raise money for Toys for Tots as well as show the world that aviation cares.  Businesses who give $100 or more to the Care Flight will be featured on Examiner.com and LeftofCenterLine.com's weekly coverage of the event and could appear on AOPA.org in December. To learn

Stevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04536844566593270232noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458063765775135704.post-41299580160992730812009-11-06T06:40:00.000-08:002009-11-06T06:40:17.549-08:00

I was excited about going to the celebration at the Candler Field Museum this weekend.  Unfortunately, life happened and I'm no longer able to make it.  Instead, I'll be spending all day with a rock band I manage on the side ("Heave"; and yes, they're awesome) while they perform at a local festival. The celebration is the 3rd of what's become an annual event at the museum.  Static displays,

Stevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04536844566593270232noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458063765775135704.post-25418781395862047952009-11-04T05:54:00.000-08:002009-11-04T05:59:26.893-08:00

I don't normally recycle head lines like above, but this story has been drawn out, yet again.  USA Today, obviously under the direction of a hidden agenda to attack GA, have pointed out, once again, that small airports receive tax payer money... so do schools and local governments, what's the point? They go on to claim that corporate jets, private pilots, and even UPS and FedEx are unfairly

Stevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04536844566593270232noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458063765775135704.post-90263583243656727662009-11-03T05:42:00.000-08:002009-11-03T05:42:48.837-08:00

Here in Georgia, we're fortunate to have the Museum of Aviation in Warner Robins.  I remember walking among the planes as a little child and again right after I got my driver's license.  I recently visited the museum for the third time not long after they opened their Aviation Hall of Fame exhibit and D-day display. Walking through the planes I saw both the familiar displays and the new

Stevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04536844566593270232noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458063765775135704.post-48281736228369104522009-11-02T05:08:00.000-08:002009-11-02T05:08:20.177-08:00

Left of Center Line is proud to announce the launch of LeftofCenterLine.com.  The new website acts as home base for the Left of Center Line blog and the new Left of Center Line WebAzine!  Readers will now be able to sign up for a free monthly WebAzine on the blog or at the new website.  The online magazine will include features on General Aviation Events, News, Developments and much more.

Stevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04536844566593270232noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458063765775135704.post-4987591080558279272009-10-31T12:51:00.000-07:002009-10-31T12:51:17.321-07:00

It may be hard to believe, but media coverage has a heart beat.  This predictable rise and fall in the media's interest in aviation is fed by large stories that resonate for a period of time.  One particularly interesting event can spike the interest of the media and for a week or two after they thoroughly cover any and every story to do with an airplane. It works like this; the media gives

Stevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04536844566593270232noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458063765775135704.post-65141576532843589302009-10-29T06:09:00.000-07:002009-10-29T06:18:26.110-07:00

I'm not feeling all that well today.  In fact, I'm writing this from my favorite chair at home amid a sea of tissues and self-pitty.  All this got me thinking about an often forgotten checklist that could save a lot of pilots a good deal of trouble.  I'm talking, of course, about the PAVE checklist. Pilot     Aircraft enVironment                 External Pressures This check list is actually a

Stevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04536844566593270232noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458063765775135704.post-8267093562314912672009-10-27T05:28:00.000-07:002009-10-27T05:28:35.507-07:00

I've always been very interested in aerobatic flight and hope to, one day, dabble in the sport myself.  That's why I was excited to be able to visit the Bear Creek Boogie at Tara Field Saturday.  Rain and low ceilings had canceled events that Friday, but I hoped to see a bit of flying. Saturday rolled around; no go.  Ceilings were around 2,600 and, as Tim explained, we needed about 12,000 for

Stevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04536844566593270232noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458063765775135704.post-40115650897416717962009-10-24T13:35:00.000-07:002009-10-24T13:36:16.248-07:00

Friday, the IAC Chapter 3's BearCreek Boogie 'hurried up and waited', as Tim put it, due to rain.  Naturally, the small group of aerobatic pilots made the best of it regrouping today and grilling out while they waited for the ceiling to rise.  As Marty explained to me, they need about 4,000 ft ceilings to compete and the ceilings were roughly 2,600 when I arrived. I introduced myself and talked

Stevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04536844566593270232noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458063765775135704.post-25139450622947151152009-10-23T06:13:00.000-07:002009-10-23T06:13:45.023-07:00

"Air controllers and officials were left clueless when a NorthWest Airlines flight from San Diego to Minneapolis could not be contacted for more than an hour.  The plane continued and overshot their destination by 150 miles which understandably sparked a hijack alert."  You can read the rest here. There's a huge stir in the airline world today after two pilots claimed their argument caused them

Stevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04536844566593270232noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458063765775135704.post-136009726468600432009-10-22T10:51:00.000-07:002009-10-22T10:52:25.126-07:00

You've probably noticed by now that I do a good deal of flying in and around the Athens/Winder area.  I was shocked to see that this morning a vintage plane went down after taking off from Athens Benn Epps.  You can view the story here. Unfortunately, the two aboard did not survive when the plane fell in the back yard of a home approximately 1 mile from the airport.  The plane was a Japanese

Stevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04536844566593270232noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458063765775135704.post-68259266224725250702009-10-22T06:11:00.000-07:002009-10-22T06:22:13.833-07:00

The recent news at Atlanta's Hartfield Jackson is centered around a Delta flight landing on a taxiway instead of the runway.  Apparently, the flight from Rio de Janeiro was cleared to land 27R but landed on the paralleling taxiway M instead.  The crew reported they had a medical situation on board at the time, but the FAA's Kathleen Burgen points out that even then they should have landed on the

Stevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04536844566593270232noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458063765775135704.post-53388242221676218262009-10-21T05:35:00.000-07:002009-10-21T05:35:35.758-07:00

You'll remember when I spoke of the letter that two representatives were sending to the President.  In it, they urged him not to push for user fees in his next budget.  They spoke of many reasons including inefficiency in collecting the money and the fact that user fees had already been rejected. I tried to contact my representative, but it turns out I'm not important enough, so...  Either way,

Stevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04536844566593270232noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458063765775135704.post-33547253008123181952009-10-20T18:50:00.000-07:002009-10-20T18:50:40.366-07:00

So I went and got my hair cut.  I was long past due for one and felt like a shaggy bum the whole weekend, but finally went and took the time.  Now, I'm not one of those guys that has a favorite barber I go to religiously; I just kind of float around to whomever's shop I'm closest to at the time.  This time, I ended up at a place called "Sisters Sisters"; don't laugh, they do men's hair too.

Stevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04536844566593270232noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458063765775135704.post-38779663019511472272009-10-20T06:22:00.000-07:002009-10-20T06:27:46.772-07:00

I've recently had my attention directed to a pair of life-long friends on an amazing journey throughout Orlando.  The concept struck me as strange at first, but soon I found myself reading along about their adventures and experiences in the Sun State. The inseparable pair, Kyle Post and Stacey Doornbos, were the winners of a wide search for Orlando's Smile Ambassadors.  As ambassadors, the two

Stevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04536844566593270232noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458063765775135704.post-47005064856543223902009-10-19T05:30:00.000-07:002009-10-19T05:30:23.229-07:00

It takes a good creative mind to make a parody song that actually works and these guys hit the nail on the head.  The wimsical, yet very well written, song takes Nickelback's "Rock Star" and turns it into a helicopter tribute song.  By the way, how'd they come up with that name, Nickelback? Quarterback, Dimeback, Nickelback, Pennyback. On the subject of helicopters, I've always had a strange

Stevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04536844566593270232noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458063765775135704.post-78093115620485451352009-10-16T05:46:00.000-07:002009-10-16T05:46:05.831-07:00

We've all read by now (and I've written twice) about the six year old and his family who believed him to be stuck in a helium filled balloon 8,000 ft. in the air. The poor kid may never live down the nick name Balloon Boy.  What's more, it's now believed that the whole incident was orchestrated as a publicity stunt.  During a live interview last night the six year old looked at his parents and

Stevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04536844566593270232noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458063765775135704.post-1719863593960190872009-10-15T13:58:00.000-07:002009-10-15T13:58:44.617-07:00

Yet another clueless group fires at Aviation.  A study released by Subsidyscope recently has revealed the ignorance of the people involved.  Their study said that from 2005 to 2009 more than $2 billion was spent at over 3,100 airports on 'low priority' projects.  It went on to mention how some projects were funded at airports who had as few as one paying passenger per year.  'Cause you know,

Stevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04536844566593270232noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458063765775135704.post-34769172499381679132009-10-15T08:01:00.000-07:002009-10-15T08:01:34.030-07:00

Being a relatively newish aviation writer, I'm still amazed at what the line "I write for blah blah blah" can do.  Sometimes, it gets me something I'd never get otherwise: a free ride in a plane, behind the scenes tour, a friendship.  On the other hand, it can quickly shut doors for you. I'm not exactly sure why, but some in aviation view any member of the media as an enemy: a snake only

Stevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04536844566593270232noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458063765775135704.post-78075006303768176192009-10-14T16:09:00.000-07:002009-10-14T16:09:17.566-07:00

No doubt many of you have heard of the letter and the movement to get representatives to sign it.  The letter urges the President to not propose user fees in his 2011 budget.  The fees were axed from the FAA reauthorization bill earlier this year, but we face them again in 2011.  I'm going to attempt to talk to Representative Paul Broun about the issue tomorrow (got the info too late today). 

Stevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04536844566593270232noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458063765775135704.post-53975769419266484882009-10-13T12:48:00.000-07:002009-10-13T12:48:09.745-07:00

Who knew it would take that long to put a little cellphone video on youtube?  Well, here's what I got.  Credit for the video has to  to Miles Hardy (my sister's fiance and a friend).  Sorry about the quality; I'm still kicking myself for forgetting the camera. And...

Stevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04536844566593270232noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458063765775135704.post-17385988763063644652009-10-13T08:12:00.000-07:002009-10-13T14:36:06.456-07:00

A reader of my other work here, recently sent me an email asking what a checkride was like.  He said he was about halfway through training, but wanted to know what to expect.  Remembering back to my checkride, I still find it odd how I didn't know exactly what to expect going in to the room with the examiner.  Sure, I'd asked my instructor, but he'd always include the tag-lines "of course, that

Stevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04536844566593270232noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458063765775135704.post-89534691326155471412009-10-12T06:27:00.000-07:002009-10-12T06:27:40.878-07:00

The air show was amazing.  Simply put, it was better than anything I've ever been to here in GA.  Let's start at the beginning. We arrived late.  I was traveling with my brother, his wife (something about them having a baby now makes them very slow at stuff??) and a friend.  Thankfully, my brother's a cop and inherently drives at Mach 0.9 and we weren't too late.  Just as we walked through the

Stevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04536844566593270232noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458063765775135704.post-70184996701140881382009-10-09T05:23:00.000-07:002009-10-09T05:23:37.053-07:00

Yeah, I thought the same thing; missing wheel on a plane.  This, however, isn't about an incident.  I read CFI's explanation of how the landing process in a tricycle-geared plane works.  It was meant for pre-solo students, but it was the best explanation I'd ever read and it all clicked when it stated "You really only have two landing gear; the front wheel is only there to keep the propeller from

Stevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04536844566593270232noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458063765775135704.post-64504808020656055752009-10-08T06:00:00.000-07:002009-10-08T06:00:26.990-07:00

I'm excited.  This will be my first ever time at the Great Georgia Airshow.  The last event this size I attended was at Warner Robbins AFB earlier this year and I'm thinking the GGA is going to be a little bigger.  I was hoping to attend the Media Day at the practice tomorrow, but I also wanted to take some friends and family to the show Sunday; it's a long way to Peachtree City, so I'll only be

Stevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04536844566593270232noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458063765775135704.post-5356344708605597552009-10-07T06:12:00.000-07:002009-10-07T06:12:05.382-07:00

No, I don't mean a flight after having one too many $100 burgers; I'm talking about flying at max gross weight. This is an old post I wrote not long after I got my license when I took a C172 for a flight loaded to the guilles. Now, this isn't a very big challenge for the competent, prepared pilot, but I wanted to share my experience. The day started nicely and I felt the urge to hit the

Stevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04536844566593270232noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458063765775135704.post-49191083556466349992009-10-06T07:08:00.000-07:002009-10-06T07:11:34.991-07:00

Coastal Washington authorities are, once again, investigating an aircraft theft and crash this week.  The plane was stolen on Tuesday and then found in a logged area in route to Camano Island.  It had suffered a very hard but survivable landing.  The craft was discovered after a burglary complaint was called in from a near-by house whose owners reported only their passports, a blanket, and some

Stevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04536844566593270232noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458063765775135704.post-8007385020121994732009-10-05T07:08:00.000-07:002009-10-05T07:08:59.420-07:00

Aviation salvage operation, that is.  I've been wanting to go for quite some time now and I know of one in Griffin, GA.  I'd like to visit the boneyards out West, but a visit to our smaller version will have to do for now.  I'm hoping to get a small tour of the place and ask a few questions; the email response on that hasn't come back, yet. The whole process is very interesting to me; how it

Stevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04536844566593270232noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458063765775135704.post-19132408006477656372009-10-04T14:53:00.000-07:002009-10-04T14:55:47.949-07:00

I found this weekend-- to my great surprise and glee -- that this blog has been featured on AllTop.com.  You can find us under the 'Aviationhttp://aviation.alltop.com/' category somewhere near the bottom (getting in at all was a feat, the bottom's good enough for me). Left of Center Line and all my blubbering posts can be found on the same page with the likes of Max Trescott, Paul (ask a CFI)

Stevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04536844566593270232noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458063765775135704.post-5547712863628666122009-10-04T09:07:00.000-07:002009-10-04T09:07:08.300-07:00

It's true.  I was told by a passenger the other day that I looked angry when we were landing.  I suspect it has something to do with my level of concentration.  You can be sure I'm not angry; in fact, I'm having fun but I just happen to look like I'm angry at something when I'm concentrating hard. Anyway, the video below is of me a few months ago doing touch and go's --or is it touch and goes?--

Stevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04536844566593270232noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458063765775135704.post-5531891574497654342009-10-01T16:00:00.000-07:002009-10-01T16:00:53.012-07:00

I just got an email from AOPA president Craig Fuller; okay, so it was a mass email that everyone got.  Anyway, it talked of the turbulence that GA has suffered the past month.  It can all be summarized in a few statements. Hudson River Corridor debate - A tragic incident sparked a whirl-wind of investigations, committees and 'new plans' to make the corridor safe.  A great deal of it can be

Stevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04536844566593270232noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458063765775135704.post-71428445199021000552009-10-01T07:13:00.000-07:002009-10-01T07:13:33.622-07:00

Yeah, I know every pilot says that, but I truly don't.  I got a text message today from my CFI asking when I was going to come back up there.  Work and family take over during the week.  I try to fly every weekend, but things seem to always get in the way. For the past few weekends, they've been successful in keeping me on the ground.  I like staying proficient and feel better when I have at

Stevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04536844566593270232noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458063765775135704.post-90486842608568770152009-09-30T06:03:00.000-07:002009-09-30T06:03:00.455-07:00

If you don't know yet, let me be the first to tell you; PBS will soon be showing a new series "The Aviators".  I'm excited; I've been excited.  I'd like to see what they have to say about us.  I thought about what I'd show and say about aviation if I were given an hour on national tv once a week.  Then I remembered I'm a writer for a reason; I don't speak well in front of people or cameras that

Stevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04536844566593270232noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458063765775135704.post-20432227769937051722009-09-28T06:10:00.000-07:002009-09-28T06:10:48.467-07:00

It broke my heart reading about the tragedy at Castle Airport outside of Merced, California that occured nearly a year ago. It brought back a realization that life is fragile and, sometimes, is thrown away for no reason. A quick re-cap. Two students of the flight school flew together illegally and against the school's policy on what was supposed to be a solo flight. Upon returning, 26 year

Stevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04536844566593270232noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458063765775135704.post-62518267140063294472009-09-27T13:52:00.000-07:002009-09-27T13:52:42.340-07:00

We've all seen the video of the tragic medical flight that ended in a crash at the end of the runway into a hotel.  Some speculate that (among other things; W&B) the woman riding with her sick son inadvertently caused the crash by messing with the rudder pedals.  We're not going to re-hash that today, but we are going to talk about a few things you might need to consider when briefing your

Stevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04536844566593270232noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458063765775135704.post-36995629841647929292009-09-25T05:32:00.000-07:002009-09-25T05:32:39.470-07:00

This story is from a good while ago when I was in the final stages of my training. It's about a trip I took with my CFI to tour a tower and the exciting side-excursions while we were there. Jim and I had agreed that it'd be a good idea to take a tour of the tower over at Athens Ben Epps airport (KAHN). I had done most of my training at a uncontrolled field and didn't have to deal much with

Stevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04536844566593270232noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458063765775135704.post-63045797966654449562009-09-24T06:47:00.000-07:002009-09-24T06:47:55.130-07:00

Located > that way and down, you'll find my bucket list.  I got the idea from that movie by the same name and thought it'd be cool to share how I'm doing on it.  So far, I've only completed the first one; learn to fly, and that's kinda cheating 'cause I could fly when I wrote the list.  Up next, sky diving!! But don't hold your breath, these aren't exactly things I can do easily; otherwise, they

Stevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04536844566593270232noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458063765775135704.post-37103572605935178772009-09-24T06:15:00.000-07:002009-09-24T06:15:56.465-07:00

My desk is practically my home away from home.  My 'side job', as I call it requires me to be here roughly six hours a day.  My real passion, unpaid passion mind you, is flying.  At this desk, I think about flying and all that entails and hope it transfers nicely to these electronic characters you're reading right now. Naturally, I've blended the two worlds to make this one slightly more

Stevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04536844566593270232noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458063765775135704.post-4176450070020438812009-09-23T05:45:00.000-07:002009-09-23T05:45:05.489-07:00

I don't own a plane.  Don't have the money, time, nor the patience.  I'm a renter, instead, frequenting flight schools and FBOs that offer their battle-scarred rental planes to those who 'prove' themselves worthy.  Any routine renter can attest to the little quirks that come with renting.  A typical day at the airport renting a plane for me goes like this. I arrive with the ritualistic greetings

Stevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04536844566593270232noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458063765775135704.post-52629380335799797532009-09-22T11:52:00.000-07:002009-09-22T11:52:14.247-07:00

As you might have gleaned from previous post, I've been on a self-study track to obtain my Advanced Ground Instructor certificate.  It's been enthralling.  I've had a great excuse to buy pounds and pounds of books and to fill my head with volumes of information that I hope I'm retaining. That's mainly for the second step, however.  First, I must take the Fundamentals Of Instruction (FOI) Exam. 

Stevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04536844566593270232noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458063765775135704.post-43447056763245637142009-09-22T05:54:00.000-07:002009-09-22T05:54:40.114-07:00

Don't worry, I'm not going to brag about any 'skills' that I may or may not have.  I just thought about my personality, life-style and how they seem to fit aviation.  I've come to the conclusion that some great architect of life thought it would be neat if he/she/it/they (whatever your belief) were to mold me to fit aviation and were gracious enough to lend me the enjoyment to go along with it.  

Stevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04536844566593270232noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458063765775135704.post-69420587016724045702009-09-21T13:44:00.000-07:002009-09-21T18:46:44.763-07:00

If you read my article here, you know that lasers are fairly dangerous to aircraft operations.  At the least, it irritates a pilot; the worst case scenario, however, is a crash that takes hundreds of lives.  So, what do we do when a green or red light flashes into our eyes on a quiet evening flight? First, fly the plane.  Just as with any emergency, you want to keep the plane under control and

Stevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04536844566593270232noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458063765775135704.post-3886792494463701642009-09-21T05:50:00.000-07:002009-09-21T05:50:28.137-07:00

This year the Reno air races somehow didn't hit me like they normally do.  Perhaps the mad dash of events I've covered and attended lately crowded them out of my mental calendar or, just maybe, the fact that I've never attended the air races has left me with a lack of excitement that's appropriate for such a great gathering. That's right, I've never attended.  I've wanted to for many years but,

Stevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04536844566593270232noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458063765775135704.post-48590895014519184742009-09-20T14:57:00.000-07:002009-09-20T14:57:13.756-07:00

I found myself trying to cook this morning.  That's right, I 'tried' and, must admit, failed horribly.  What was supposed to be pancakes and eggs morphed into a blob of half-burnt, half-mushy paste and dried-out eggs.  No harm, breakfast quickly turned into a banana as I got ready for church.  My normal fumble for my shoes caused me to stumble across my new, yet already worn-in, FAR/AIM book.  It

Stevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04536844566593270232noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458063765775135704.post-77972988780911950552009-09-19T11:01:00.000-07:002009-09-19T11:01:21.413-07:00

I was recently asked by a student pilot about the best way to prepare for the written knowledge test.  After asking which one he meant (he was going to take the Private Pilot), I hesitated for a moment.  The best answer I could give him was, 'it depends'.  Now, that's not just the lawyer in me, it's a truly objective answer.  People learn differently and should prepare for the test accordingly.

Stevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04536844566593270232noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458063765775135704.post-22980087240229813282009-09-18T06:08:00.000-07:002009-09-18T06:09:54.181-07:00

When I first started writing about aviation in a public venue, I was overly excited that I had decent numbers popping up.  The first day, I had all of four people read something I wrote, but by Thursday of that week, I was seeing numbers in the hundreds; pretty good for an unknown beginner.  That's why when Friday rolled around and only about ten people viewed my work(maybe the original four and

Stevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04536844566593270232noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458063765775135704.post-43848141707506661842009-09-17T07:17:00.000-07:002009-09-17T07:17:49.459-07:00

Maybe not, but they most certainly don't have a problem throwing us under the bus to boost their ratings.  I can just imagine two or three people sitting in an office at their headquarters thinking about what controversy they can drum up to draw readers' attention.  The 'ahaa' moment had to be when they linked us already politically battle-scarred aviators with the use of tax money to maintain

Stevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04536844566593270232noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458063765775135704.post-78371257532410010872009-09-16T20:22:00.000-07:002009-09-16T20:22:32.810-07:00

The 2010 additions of the FAR/AIM book have started arriving to those who'd pre-ordered.  Yours truly was perhaps more excited than he should have been.  For one thing, I enjoy new books -- even if they're mostly the same thing I've already read many times.  In what has become a yearly ritual, I sat down and flipped through the book to find major changes.  Here's what I got: 61.3  The age limit

Stevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04536844566593270232noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458063765775135704.post-8339411541483473962009-09-15T06:42:00.001-07:002009-09-15T08:24:14.492-07:00

Vintage Day first popped up on one of several resources I keep an eye on. I'd never heard of it before and soon I was on the host museum's site (Candler Museum). It looked exciting; a quick check of the calendar, call to a friend who I thought would want to go, and it was set. I was going to the first ever Vintage Day.I've been to first occasion events before. The atmosphere is usually one of

Stevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04536844566593270232noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458063765775135704.post-82017547821996515392009-09-15T06:39:00.000-07:002009-09-15T06:42:05.021-07:00

I apologize for the long intervals between post. Looking at my Google Analytics, it seems a good number of you have checked in and I've neglected to bring new content. I think you'll find my account of Saturday's Vintage Day above intriguing.

Stevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04536844566593270232noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458063765775135704.post-91841593265874356782009-07-25T05:35:00.000-07:002009-07-25T11:44:06.757-07:00

Early on in my training, a friend told me something I perceived to be the most philosophical thing ever. We were discussing some facet of studying and the multitude of acronyms when he told me, "A good pilot never stops learning". Later on, I saw the same quote was part of Training Magazine's theme and the philosophical value was lost. The principle, however, wasn't.Learning is something that

Stevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04536844566593270232noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458063765775135704.post-15380283931920752292009-07-12T11:19:00.001-07:002009-07-12T12:04:43.364-07:00

Death is a difficult thing to deal with at any time, but when it's so related to something you hold so dear, it's even tougher. You hear about it and try to distance yourself, but the tight-nit aviation community feels every single one like a sharp sting.I hesitate to publish any story about the death of an aviator. There's a magnifying glass on aviation that threatens to collapse our world.

Stevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04536844566593270232noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458063765775135704.post-60719355002293600232009-06-21T10:24:00.000-07:002009-07-10T08:06:12.401-07:00

If you've seen my page here, you've probably noticed that my first two articles are very related. I began writing the first one even before I was accepted as the Atlanta area Private Aviation Examiner. I felt it necessary to write about something in aviation that everyone could appreciate, not just pilots.The Air Taxi industry jumped to the front. I thought it was something that everyone would

Stevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04536844566593270232noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458063765775135704.post-10499449496329767582009-06-21T09:59:00.000-07:002009-07-10T08:04:26.593-07:00

You were probably directed to this site through Examiner.com and my collection of aviation articles that can be found there. While the more formal versions of my stories can be found there, I've found that I need an outlet for the rest; the things you might not get to see on Examiner. This blog is my space to express the not so formal; hence, the name: Left of Center Line.I find a great deal of

Stevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04536844566593270232noreply@blogger.com0