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July 03, 2012
The Transition to Unleaded Fuel 7
Pia Bergqvist
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Last week, the FAA issued a report on its plan to replace 100LL with an unleaded alternative. The goal of the new Unleaded Avgas Transition Aviation Rulemaking Committee is to develop a entirely new fuel to replace 100LL. After attending a presentation at Santa Monica’s Museum of Flying this weekend, I’m wondering why.

June 28, 2012
Pain at the Pump 6
Stephen Pope
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Dissecting the just-released final report submitted by the FAA’s Unleaded Avgas Transition Aviation Rulemaking Committee (UAT ARC), here’s what you need to know about the future of 100LL avgas:

  • There’s no real financial motive for any of the major fuel suppliers to create an alternative to 100LL aviation gasoline because the market is so small.

June 26, 2012
Diesel Economics 13
Robert Goyer

The new Diamond DA52, powered by Austro
AE300 turbo-diesels

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For the past 15 years or so, there have been strong threats on the part of a number of major engine makers that they were going to get serious about diesel aircraft engines, and so far only two have made good on that threat. Both of them, Thielert and Austro, were house suppliers to Diamond Aircraft, Austro being a subsidiary.

June 21, 2012
Why China Needs Business Aviation
Stephen Pope
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A question I’ve been hearing lately is whether China will scoop up the assets of Hawker Beechcraft, which has filed for bankruptcy and is known to be for sale. Already, several potential bidders have come forward with hopes of buying the entire company or select pieces.

I would bet China has at least joined the discussions about purchasing Hawker Beechcraft, and in particular its business jet line, which would be one more piece of a puzzle that’s forming a clearer picture of the country’s far-reaching aviation aspirations.

June 19, 2012
Drone Wars Begin 11

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In case you’ve been absent from the country without access to a laptop or a newspaper, you have probably taken note of the advent of what I’ve been calling the Drone Wars.  (Are apologies to George Lucas in order?).  These battles, which are upon us already, though few pilots have taken notice, will go a long way toward defining who we are as pilots and, hence, what our member organizations need to focus on in the coming years to protect and assert our rights as pilots.

June 12, 2012
End of the Line for the Bonanza? 11
Robert Goyer

Beechcraft Bonanza

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As we reported last week, there is a lot of behind-the-scenes activity at iconic Wichita GA manufacturer Hawker Beechcraft, a company that was hit harder by the economic downturn than any of its competitors.

June 12, 2012
Avoiding TFR Trouble 9
Pia Bergqvist
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Last week, three small airplanes were intercepted by F-16s in the Los Angeles area as a result of busting temporary flight restrictions (TFRs) during President Obama’s visit to the area. These types of incidents remind me of why it’s so important to get the latest information available for each flight. I always call flight service for a preflight briefing in addition to getting a briefing online.

June 07, 2012
Hydrogen Future? 3
Stephen Pope
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We’ve heard a lot lately about biofuel breakthroughs, batteries and solar power as potential replacements for avgas at some point in the not-so-distant future, but what about liquid hydrogen?

June 05, 2012
Why Hype Has No Place in Flying 17
Robert Goyer

BD-10

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If you’ve been around aviation for a while, you know that there are a few famous cases of airplanes so profoundly hyped that even if there had been any substance to their manufacturers’ overinflated claims, nobody would have believed it.

May 30, 2012
Spin Test: Icon A5 vs. Cessna 150 18
Robert Goyer

The Icon A5 flies beside a Cessna 150.

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Icon Aircraft, the company that’s making the Icon A5 LSA amphibian, has put out a video explaining and demonstrating what their design can do. It’s impressive.

A while back I wrote a blog that was critical not of Icon’s laudable efforts at aerodynamic progress but of the fact the company was unclear in explaining exactly the relationship between its airplane, an LSA, and Part 23 certification.

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