All posts by DWMack

Drone Hunter

Fly Days

The ‘DroneHunter’ allows authorities take down rogue drones. T

This is not your average video carrying drone. DroneHunter hunts for unauthorized drones and captures them. It’s a fully-autonomous air defense mechanism.

Airport Hopping

Fly Days, Misc:, Skydiving

Every year, or sooner depending on the aircraft and its use, aircraft owners are required to have their airplane inspected during what is called the “annual”. An annual Inspection is a complete inspection of an aircraft and engine, required by the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), to be accomplished every 12 calendar months on all certificated aircraft. Only an Airframe and Power Plant (A&P) technician holding an Inspection Authorization (IA) can conduct an annual inspection.

Inspection requirements differ with the various uses of aircraft. For example, aircraft being used for compensation or hire must have a thorough inspection every one-hundred hours. Most aircraft, including those used for compensation or hire are required to have a complete inspection every year.
This year I flew in to the Michigan City Airport (KMGC) to leave my Cessna 150C for its annual and took advantage of my fly buddy Dave’s offer to attend the “Friday Fly In” at the Laporte Indiana airport (KPPO) and a return flight to Benton Harbor (KBEH).

As this was the last weekend of the skydiving season at Skydive Windy City here at the airport I took advantage of that and took a few pictures of tandems jumping in the cooler weather and then took a few pictures of the woodland color changes on the way to Laporte. After a great lunch at the Laporte Fixed Base Operator (FBO) building Mr. Dave let me fly his airplane back to Benton Harbor and dropped me off.

For general information, a FBO is the primary provider of support services to general aviation operators at a public-use airport and is located either on airport leasehold property or adjacent to airport leasehold property. In many smaller airports serving general aviation in remote or modest communities, the town itself may provide fuel services and operate a basic FBO facility. Most FBOs doing business at airports of high to moderate traffic volume are non-governmental organizations, i.e., either privately or publicly held companies.

 

 

 

 

Check out the “Last Weekend of the Jumping Season” – Skydive Windy City in KMGC

Hop over to the “Friday Fly In at KPPO – Laporte, Indiana” & And some of the planes there.

The Bridge to Affluency!

Misc:, Water-Related

The following are pictures of the Benton Harbor Ship canal which show the old railroad tracks and RXR bridge running parallel to the ship canal (lower left). The second picture is the same crossing after the RXR bridge and tracks were taken away. The third picture shows the new bridge footings on both sides of the river. The last two pictures are the new pedestrian bridge being placed across the Paw Paw River as it enters the ship canal. The bridge now provides a walking path across the river to Harbor Shores & the Marina. Harbor Shores Community Redevelopment has stated it will maintain it at no cost to either St. Joseph or Benton Harbor. It was noted that the Michigan Strategic Fund Board approved a $1.2 million grant for the project.