Systems Check

Properly leaning your piston engine can mean the difference between a non-stop flight or landing for fuel. It can also save money and repair bills.

If you think your airplane has enough back-up systems to make single-component failures a non-event, you could be wrong. Redundant systems often arent.

Primary flight displays are all but standard equipment in new airplanes, although some doubt their reliability. Avidyne says those worries are misplaced.

Like a politician, the magnetic compass lies with predictable regularity. But as long as we understand its falsehoods, we can still use it to navigate reliably.

Emergency locator transmitters are slated for an overhaul. The new ones will be more expensive, but will they work better?

When your airplane breaks during a trip, you have a dilemma: fix it or defer it for the trip home. Here are some commonsense guidelines.

Heres how to decide if that new vibration is your imagination, an imminent engine failure or something else.

Engine gauges can tell you a lot about whats going on inside your engine – but you have to understand what theyre saying

Trim makes life behind the yoke better, but only if you know your system and its working as advertised. Check the mechanicals and tune up your technique

Regardless of whether youre too rushed or not mechanically inclined, here are five spots not to miss on your preflight inspection