AOPAPILOT 50 years DEPARTMENTS COMMENTARY 8 14 26 29 148 152 157 162 Hangar Talk The story behind the story. AOPA Action FAA Funding Debate: Up in the Air. Catch-A-Cardinal Sweepstakes Surprise of a lifetime. Pilot Briefing The best of the best. Test Pilot Week-end Pilot. Never Again I survived a graveyard spiral. Fly by Wire Index of advertisers. 4 42 52 56 58 60 62 66 President’s Position Some things never change. Letters Letters from the past. Waypoints Look who’s 50. Proficient Pilot Flying lessons. Pilotage 25 going on 50. With this issue, AOPA Pilot celebrates 50 years as the voice of general aviation. License to Learn Happy 50th! Safety Pilot Déjà vu: 50 years of mishaps. Pilot Counsel True colors: The FAA and NTSB. Pilots Philip Calder. On the cover: Mike Fizer photographed and Chris Rose designed our fiftieth anniversary cover. On these pages: Mike Fizer photographed author Steven W. Ells and Jade Duckart of Tom's Aircraft, readying for a flight in a Cessna 182 in California to accompany the story, “Cessna 182: Then and Now,” which begins on page 90. AOPA PILOT • 3 • MARCH 2008