Latest news with #Cessna172
Yahoo
7 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
'One hell of a pilot': 84-year-old emergency-lands plane in Phoenix-area cornfield
A seasoned aviator was forced to take quick action to avoid disaster while flying over the West Valley. On the morning of May 23, the carburetor on Jim Stark's 1978 Cessna 172 began to fail as he flew near 99th and West Southern avenues. Stark, 84, knew he and his copilot and friend, 78-year-old Pete Biddle, needed to quickly find a safe place to land — they were about 9 miles east of the Phoenix-Goodyear Airport. In that moment, Stark recalled the advice he often gave to others in similar emergencies: 'Stay cool.' More specifically, Stark said, "it was abundantly clear that we weren't going to make it back to Goodyear. So, we just looked around" and located a tractor trail nestled between cornfields. "I mean, that's what you got to do," Stark added. There were no injuries in the landing. The cornfield was 6.35 miles southeast of Goodyear on 95th Avenue, just south of Baseline Road, Stark said. He said cornstalks were unharmed in his impromptu landing, but he "did clip a little bitty tree" on the field's edge that dinged a wing. The plane should be good to hit the skies again, he said. His insurance sent someone to haul the aircraft out of the field at dawn on May 24 and get it to the Goodyear Airport. Repairs were expected to take a week. Stark has been a licensed pilot for about half a century and served in the U.S. Air Force for 20 years. Prescott-raised, he grew up around planes on account of his father being an engineer for Boeing. He has owned this plane — his seventh ever — for more than a decade and has flown it over such remote places as the mountains of Australia. "This airplane is an absolute jewel," he said. "I love it." This was not Stark's first emergency landing among crops. A little more than 10 years ago, he said he landed in a Nebraska soybean field when the plane appeared to be running low on fuel. Biddle, the copilot, said he was reassured by Stark's experience when they ran across trouble while returning from breakfast in Chandler to Sun City where they are neighbors. A licensed pilot since 1976, Biddle likened the landing to those made at what he said are the "dirt strips" found at Red Creek Airstrip near the Verde River. Besides, Biddle said of his longtime buddy, "he's one hell of a pilot." In the works: What's being built near Goodyear Ballpark? This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: 'One hell of a pilot': Man lands plane in Phoenix-area cornfield
Scottish Sun
23-05-2025
- Sport
- Scottish Sun
I'm a League One star targeting Wembley glory with Charlton in play-off final – but I'm also training to be a PILOT
The Addicks stopper has kept a club-record 25 clean sheets this season RED ARROW I'm a League One star targeting Wembley glory with Charlton in play-off final – but I'm also training to be a PILOT Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) WILL MANNION has been training to become an aeroplane pilot. And the keeper hopes his Charlton team will be flying in tomorrow's play-off final against Leyton Orient - before landing a place in the Championship. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 3 Will Mannion is targeting promotion to the Championship with Charlton Credit: Getty 3 The keeper is a pilot in his spare time away from the pitch Credit: Alamy The 27-year-old has already done 15 hours of flying lessons and is a third of the way through being able to fly solo. Mannion told SunSport: "I was 14 when I took my first lesson. It was something I was going to do properly if football didn't work but thankfully it did. "Now it's something I want to do after football. I'm going to do more lessons so I can get my Private Pilot Licence in the next couple of years. "I've been flying Cessna 172 planes, which are like a four-seater washing machine with wings! I've got a fair way to go yet. READ MORE ON FOOTBALL JUST A MINUTE Every EFL play-off final to kick off 60 seconds later for touching reason "When I was at my last club Cambridge, I flew out of RAF Duxford, which was awesome because you would have Spitfires taking off in front of you! "It's hard to describe the feeling of flying a plane. I would liken it to riding a bike in the sky! "It's intuitive when you're up there with the controls. "It's not as scary as people think. It's fun, especially when taking off and landing. BEST ONLINE CASINOS - TOP SITES IN THE UK "Although taking off and landing are the two hardest things because that is where things can most likely go wrong. "But I'm never frightened, you just have to know what you're doing. Ex-Rangers star Greg Docherty sends message to his dad following Charlton Play-Off semi-final victory "The plan is to get more lessons locally. Biggin Hill isn't too far away so will probably fly out of there." Mannion cannot pinpoint why he fell in love with aviation but he then took it up in case a football career did not pan out. And now he is contemplating a career in the sky when his days in football are over. He added: "The next stage for me is to go out solo. I've got to do around 45 hours to get my licence. "The great thing is it's not something you need to do by a certain deadline, you can just chip away at it in your own time. It was something I was going to do properly if football didn't work but thankfully it did. Will Mannion "There are various exams — theory and practical — you must do. Then I can be in a position to just take a plane out for leisure at the weekend or on my days off. "But that is only the first stage. "There are quite a few more exams before you can fly a plane for easyJet. "At this stage I don't know how far I'd go with it but might consider working in the commercial airline industry one day!" Back on the ground, Charlton have the chance to return to the Championship after five years stuck in League One. Mannion has played a crucial role in helping the Addicks reach this Wembley final - having kept a club-record TWENTY-FIVE clean sheets this season. Not bad for a keeper who only joined last summer from Cambridge. He said: "To have played in as many games, finish fourth, play like we have as a team and keep as many clean sheets has been massive. "It's not something I predicted when I came but as the season progressed you could see we were a solid defensive unit and it paid off in terms of our league position and reaching a Wembley play-off final. It will be surreal but it's just another game. We cannot afford to get carried away by the occasion and romance of it. Mannion on Wembley "The clean sheets aren't just down to me. It starts from the front in terms of how we play, we're a high-pressing team. "That transcends throughout the team. "The lads in front of me have been outstanding all season. They've limited what I've had to do to a minimum." Mannion is establishing himself as a No 1 after a lot of years doing the hard yards. He was a young pro at Hull - rubbing shoulders with the likes of Harry Maguire, Jarrod Bowen and Andy Robertson - after being signed by Steve Bruce. He had loan spells in non-league with Aldershot and Kidderminster before a season with Cypriot team Pathos having struggled to find a club at home. 3 Charlton's boss Nathan Jones is aiming for promotion on Sunday Credit: Shutterstock Editorial He said: "It was during the Covid spell. I couldn't even find a club to look at me, never mind sign me. So I had this opportunity to go abroad and I gave it go. "As a life experience it was good to see a different culture - although on the football side I didn't get a lot of opportunities.' A move to Cambridge brought 29 League One appearances over three years before what has turned out to be his best season yet at the Addicks. Mannion has only previously been to Wembley as a spectator — watching Crystal Palace beat Watford in the 2013 Championship play-off final and the 2009 FA Cup final when Chelsea saw off Everton 2-1. He said: "It's one thing imagining yourself playing there and quite another actually thinking you will play there. "It will be surreal but it's just another game. We cannot afford to get carried away by the occasion and romance of it. "We've one more game to achieve what we set out to do - win promotion."
The Irish Sun
23-05-2025
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
I'm a League One star targeting Wembley glory with Charlton in play-off final – but I'm also training to be a PILOT
WILL MANNION has been training to become an aeroplane pilot. And the keeper hopes his Charlton team will be flying in tomorrow's play-off final against Leyton Orient - before landing a place in the Championship. 3 Will Mannion is targeting promotion to the Championship with Charlton Credit: Getty 3 The keeper is a pilot in his spare time away from the pitch Credit: Alamy The 27-year-old has already done 15 hours of flying lessons and is a third of the way through being able to fly solo. Mannion told SunSport: "I was 14 when I took my first lesson. It was something I was going to do properly if football didn't work but thankfully it did. "Now it's something I want to do after football. I'm going to do more lessons so I can get my Private Pilot Licence in the next couple of years. "I've been flying Cessna 172 planes, which are like a four-seater washing machine with wings! I've got a fair way to go yet. READ MORE ON FOOTBALL "When I was at my last club Cambridge, I flew out of RAF Duxford, which was awesome because you would have Spitfires taking off in front of you! "It's hard to describe the feeling of flying a plane. I would liken it to riding a bike in the sky! "It's intuitive when you're up there with the controls. "It's not as scary as people think. It's fun, especially when taking off and landing. Most read in Football BEST ONLINE CASINOS - TOP SITES IN THE UK "Although taking off and landing are the two hardest things because that is where things can most likely go wrong. "But I'm never frightened, you just have to know what you're doing. Ex-Rangers star Greg Docherty sends message to his dad following Charlton Play-Off semi-final victory "The plan is to get more lessons locally. Biggin Hill isn't too far away so will probably fly out of there." Mannion cannot pinpoint why he fell in love with aviation but he then took it up in case a football career did not pan out. And now he is contemplating a career in the sky when his days in football are over. He added: "The next stage for me is to go out solo. I've got to do around 45 hours to get my licence. "The great thing is it's not something you need to do by a certain deadline, you can just chip away at it in your own time. It was something I was going to do properly if football didn't work but thankfully it did. Will Mannion "There are various exams — theory and practical — you must do. Then I can be in a position to just take a plane out for leisure at the weekend or on my days off. "But that is only the first stage. "There are quite a few more exams before you can fly a plane for easyJet. "At this stage I don't know how far I'd go with it but might consider working in the commercial airline industry one day!" Back on the ground, Mannion has played a crucial role in helping the Addicks reach this Wembley final - having kept a club-record TWENTY-FIVE clean sheets this season. Not bad for a keeper who only joined last summer from Cambridge. He said: "To have played in as many games, finish fourth, play like we have as a team and keep as many clean sheets has been massive. "It's not something I predicted when I came but as the season progressed you could see we were a solid defensive unit and it paid off in terms of our league position and reaching a Wembley play-off final. It will be surreal but it's just another game. We cannot afford to get carried away by the occasion and romance of it. Mannion on Wembley "The clean sheets aren't just down to me. It starts from the front in terms of how we play, we're a high-pressing team. "That transcends throughout the team. "The lads in front of me have been outstanding all season. They've limited what I've had to do to a minimum." Mannion is establishing himself as a No 1 after a lot of years doing the hard yards. He was a young pro at Hull - rubbing shoulders with the likes of He had loan spells in non-league with Aldershot and Kidderminster before a season with Cypriot team Pathos having struggled to find a club at home. 3 Charlton's boss Nathan Jones is aiming for promotion on Sunday Credit: Shutterstock Editorial He said: "It was during the Covid spell. I couldn't even find a club to look at me, never mind sign me. So I had this opportunity to go abroad and I gave it go. "As a life experience it was good to see a different culture - although on the football side I didn't get a lot of opportunities.' A move to Cambridge brought 29 League One appearances over three years before what has turned out to be his best season yet at the Addicks. Mannion has only previously been to Wembley as a spectator — watching He said: "It's one thing imagining yourself playing there and quite another actually thinking you will play there. "It will be surreal but it's just another game. We cannot afford to get carried away by the occasion and romance of it. "We've one more game to achieve what we set out to do - win promotion."
New York Post
22-05-2025
- Business
- New York Post
PSE&G gets $80M deal to run Long Island power grid after official, wife's secret stocks sink bidding process
A years-long search to replace PSE&G as the manager of Long Island's power grid ended in shock fashion Thursday as officials gifted the company an $80 million-a-year extension. The Long Island Power Authority OK'd the new deal and scrapped a competitive bidding process after authority member John Rhodes and his wife were found to have financial ties to Quanta Services, the company lined up to replace PSE&G. LIPA CEO John Rhodes and his wife owned up to $120,000 in company stocks with his wife through December 2024 — months after he helped form the selection committee and Texas-based Quanta was recommended as the new manager. 3 A general view of a PSE&G sign in Paterson, NJ as seen on June 4, 2020. Christopher Sadowski Rhodes pushed Quanta, one of only two finalists alongside PSE&G, saying the company offered better safety metrics and slightly higher customer satisfaction scores. But LIPA's board members were skeptical. Critics pointed to Quanta's management of Puerto Rico's electric grid, which has faced rolling blackouts and a government audit. The LIPA board found out about the undisclosed stocks during an April review of the recommendation and rejected the bid in a 6-1 vote. Rhodes had dumped the stocks four months prior. 3 An electrical crew member contracted by LIPA works on overhead lines on Old Country Road on November 19, 2012 in Melville, New York. Getty Images 'John Rhodes does not own stock in Quanta Services, Inc. Previously, he did own stock in Quanta Services, Inc., having purchased shares in 2021, and sold immediately upon becoming aware of those holdings in December of 2024, prior to LIPA staff's recommendation of Quanta Services, Inc., for selection by the LIPA board,' LIPA spokesperson Jen Hayen told Long Island Business News. On Thursday, the board voted to scrap the selection process altogether and just extend PSEG's $80 million-a-year contract, which was set to expire at the end of 2025. The length of the extension hasn't been finalized, although the current deal includes an option for up to five more years. 3 PSEG workers at the scene where a Cessna 172 airplane crashed into a church and power lines, but all three passengers survived on April 15, 2019. Stephen Yang PSE&G has run Long Island's power grid since 2014, though its performance has faced scrutiny — especially after Tropical Storm Isaias in 2020 left hundreds of thousands of residents in the dark for days. That led to a restructured agreement in 2021 that tied $40 million of PSE&G's compensation to performance benchmarks, including reliability, storm response, and customer satisfaction.
National Business Review
12-05-2025
- Automotive
- National Business Review
Near-collision prompts warning for unattended aerodromes
Aviation News 2 mins to read Near-collision prompts warning for unattended aerodromes The two light aircraft passed within 20 feet of each other at Ardmore Airport in 2023. This Cessna 172 was one of the two aircraft involved. Credit:Mark Mabey, source: TAIC.
