George C. Larson

George C. Larson served as editor of Air & Space from 1985 to 2005. He is currently an inactive pilot, but holds a commercial pilot's license, with instrument and multi-engine ratings. He is between airplanes at this time, but has owned or operated a Grumman American AA-5B Tiger and a Mooney 201. He has been writing about aviation since 1972, when he joined the staff of Flying Magazine.

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An Airplane With No Moving Parts

MIT’s <i>Version 2</i> was inspired by science fiction.

In 2014 the AeroShell aerobatic team earned a place in the Air Show Hall of Fame, based on their flying in Wasp-powered North American AT-6 trainers.

Inside the Wasp Shop

These pilots and engineers caught the bug.

Wasp no. 1 never flew, but the Navy bought 200 after ground tests.

The Wasp Engine’s Great Leap Forward

The only aircraft engine to be designated an historic landmark.

America West, like its famous call sign, has ridden into the sunset.

Cactus, Speedbird, and Other Great Call Signs

America West had one of the best, but lost it in the politics of mergers.

The GL-10 Greased Lightning electric tilt-wing is the brainchild of NASA’s Mark Moore

Electrical Power Will Change the Look of Aviation

One propeller? Two? Try a dozen.

Inside the cockpit of an F-16.

Thoughts on a Midair Collision

What may have gone wrong in the sky over Charleston.

★ North American T-6 Texan ★ The Texan served in the U.S. Army and Navy (as the SNJ) as an advanced trainer that taught pilots how to fly fighters with powerful engines and shoot while they were doing it. In service with Commonwealth countries as the Harvard, the T-6 is a favorite among warbird fans and has its own racing class at the National Championship Air Races in Reno, Nevada.

The Basics: Four Trainers

An heir to the 152, the Cessna 162 was unveiled (as a mockup) at the 2007 Oshkosh, Wisconsin fly-in.

A Flight In A Skycatcher

A light airplane that won't frighten new pilots.

A trio of classic Cessna 152 trainers tour Pennsylvania.

How Important Is a Pilot’s First Airplane?

Why older trainers often have the edge on newer ones.

A Boeing employee in Huntsville, Alabama shows his pride.

A Generation Gap Among Aerospace Workers?

A recent machinists’ union vote may point to differing priorities for younger and older members.

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A Gift From the Heart

Last Christmas, I got the chance to fulfill my daughter-in-law's childhood dream

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Going Nowhere Fast (and Loving It)

It's only a simulation, but it's only half the price of a real flight

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Ed Iacobucci, Aviation Visionary

He was famous as a pioneer of personal computing, but I got to meet him because of one of his rare failures

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The Squeeze

Aviation capacity may look like it's growing, but really, it's just getting sliced thinner

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Raiding the Trust Fund

To keep from laying off Air Traffic Controllers, Congress grabbed money intended to improve airport safety

The S.20 Mercury pulls away from its launcher aircraft, the S.21 Maia, at the start of the pair’s 1938 nonstop flight.

The Parasitic Aircraft of Britain’s Short Brothers

Did the S2.0 Mercury pave the way?

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In a Throw-Away Culture, What Lasts?

Airplanes

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On Those FAA Tower Closures

Bad news for air traffic controllers, but the traveling public and small aircraft pilots should see little impact

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The Hotter the Better

Make an engine that can run hotter and still survive, and you can get more thrust from the same amount of fuel

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Hersman for DOT

NTSB Chair Deborah Hersman's mix of intellectual curiosity and fearlessness make her a good choice for Transportation Secretary

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