Here are some flying stories you may have missed this week:

Hawaiian Airlines and the Bellanca CH-300 Pacemaker
This article is from AOPA Online. Hawaiian Airlines celebrated 80 years of service in 2009. They started scheduled service as Inter-Island Airways in 1929 using the Sikorsky S-38. Their name was changed to Hawaiian Airlines in 1941 when they began service with the DC-3. All but one of their aircraft were damaged during the attack on Pearl Harbor. The article also includes the author’s impressions of flying the Bellanca Pacemaker with Hawaiian Airlines CEO, Mark Dunkerley – who owns and flies his Giles G-202 when he’s not at work running the airline.

Not really a flying story, more a comment on California
This one is from sfgate.com. It seems that a passenger on a U.S. Air flight had one too many cookies. Don’t interfere with flight crews, OK? Interesting to note is that the federal agent, presumably a Federal Air Marshal, testified by affidavit – not in person. Sounds like they let the flight crew take care of the incident.

Pilots remember what it was like to fly the B-25
This article is from the Minot Daily News. When a B-25 flew overhead a former pilot remembered how it was to fly one. The article’s author then contacted two more former B-25 pilots to get their opinions of the plane.

In case you haven’t heard of SAFECON
This article is from The Lantern in Columbus, OH. The 2011 National Intercollegiate Flying Competition or SAAFECON was held in early May in Columbus, OH. Twenty-eight colleges put up flight teams to compete in various flying aviation activities. The article was written as the competition was just beginning. It and all the shouting is now over – here are the results of the 2011 SAFECON competition if you’re interested. It also gives ou a look at the different types of events that are graded.

Did you know that Top Gun was held in Lakeland, FL this year?
This article is from the Wall Street Journal. This particular Top Gun competition was an invitation-only event. there were 120 invitees to the competition that graded on “the historical veracity of their planes’ appearance and style of flying”. If you haven’t figured it out – the competition is for radio-controlled model aircraft. The big topic of conversation at the competition this year is the FAA’s proposals for regulating the sport. As if they didn’t have enough to do already…

Speaking of Over-Regulation…
This article is from kcby.com. It seems that the management of the Southwest Oregon Regional Airport in Bend, OR (KOTH) doesn’t think that user fees are any big deal. I would really like to see the numbers for transient aircraft operations before and after this decision.

Remember what it felt like?
This article is from newsroom.com. It relates the author’s experiences at a pancake breakfast in Corning, CA (0O4 – zero-oscar-four). This particular event happened to coincide with National Learn To Fly Day. The author, who had been fascinated with flying since he was a kid, found himself at the controls of an airplane for the first time. Sounds like he’s still smiling…

Live in the Dallas/Ft. Worth Area? Check this out.
This is from the Star-Telegram. A new aviation exhibit is open at the Ft Worth Museum of Science and History. It sounds like a great opportunity to learn more about aviation and how it developed in North Texas. Well worth checking out.

Have a great holiday weekend in the U.S.  –  and in the middle of all the BBQs and celebrations stop for a little while and remember what the Memorial Day holiday is all about.