Crew Lounge: In Case You Missed It ...

The AC-U-KWIK staff has been talking about these stories during the past few weeks.

Ice Runway closes for the year
The only FAA-approved ice runway in the continental U.S. closed for the year after being opened for 22 days, although not consecutively, this winter season. Hundreds of pilots flocked to the Alton Bay Seaplane Base and Ice Runway, located in Alton Bay, N.H., to try their hand at landing on the 2-foot thick sheet of ice lying over Lake Winnipesaukee. The employees of the base worked hard from Jan. 23-March 11 to keep the 2,600-by-100-foot ice runway cleared of snow. Temperatures fell as low as -10 during this time that allowed for ideal conditions for single-engine planes like Cessna and Piper aircraft to land safely.

Alton Bay doesn’t just offer a unique experience, but once a pilot successfully lands, he or she can enjoy multiple restaurants and shops in the area. After all the snow and ice melts away in the spring, the airport turns back into a seaplane base until the next cold days of winter arrive. Were you able to pay a visit to the ice runway? Check out this great footage we found online:

Harrison Ford Plane Crash
Many know Harrison Ford from films such as “Star Wars” and “Air Force One,” but more recently he’s been in the news for a different reason. On March 5, 2015, Ford took his Ryan ST3KR Recruit aircraft out for a joy ride that ended with a crash landing. Shortly after take-off from the Santa Monica Municipal Airport (KSMO), Ford reported to have had engine failure and was forced to emergency land on a nearby golf course after scraping the tops of a few trees. Luckily, Ford survived with a rather serious head injury. He still remains in the hospital for recovery.

The Santa Monica Municipal Airport has caused quite the debate during the past 60 years for the city. The airport is located in the middle of town-literally surrounded by residential neighborhoods. The local residents don't particularly care for the noise, but pilots and business aviation groups enjoy the easy access to the area. The debate on whether to close the airport still lives on today.

Manufactured in 1942, which also happens to be the year that Ford was born, the aircraft was a fixed wing single-engine, open-cockpit plane that had been used as a training plane for the United States during WWII. The aircraft was still certified to fly until Oct. 31, 2015, according to the FAA.

Click here to listen to the audio from right before the crash.