Search Results for: Cessna 172

Pilots flying into or out of the New Orleans area this week likely diverted elsewhere to avoid Hurricane Isaac, which by this morning had been downgraded to a tropical storm. As of this morning, Lakefront Airport (NEW) remained closed, while Louis Armstrong International Airport (MSY) is expected to reopen tomorrow, according to a notam. The […]

With the possible exception of a hot-air balloon, no matter what kind of aircraft you fly—airplane, glider, helicopter or blimp—it has an undercarriage of some sort, used when it’s on the ground. The component(s) actually resting on the ground can be tires, skids, floats or skis, but they’re attached to the airframe via the undercarriage. In turn, the undercarriage can be fixed, retractable or a mix (e.g., the main gear retracts while the tailwheel doesn’t). And just as there are a seemingly endless number of airframe configurations, undercarriages come in many different flavors.

The pilot reported an unusual amount of oil was being consumed and oil pressure was fluctuating. There were no external signs of an oil leak. When bleed air was turned on, a fine mist of oil issued from the heater vents. Troubleshooting found the engine vent line (p/n: S51-14) had collapsed, internally pressurizing the case and causing the oil to leak internally into the compressor.

San Juan, the capital of Puerto Rico, is historic, mysterious and alluring. There is plenty to keep you occupied on this Caribbean nirvana. Casinos dot the landscape waiting to take your money. The Bacardi factory will beckon you with free samples. El Castillo San Felipe del Morro (“El Morro”) with its famous garitas, is a […]

If I don’t practice one day, I know it; two days, the critics know it; three days, the public knows it.” So said Jascha Heifetz, the legendary violinist. Lately, I can relate. Last spring our Cheyenne turboprop sat, lonely and forlorn, in the hangar at Landmark Aviation in Tampa, Florida (our home base), for six […]

I earned my private pilot certificate in October 2006 at the age of 35. A few months later, in July 2007, a pilot friend of the family heard I was a new pilot and invited me along to EAA AirVenture ­Oshkosh. Even though I had just met Steve, I thought it was an awesome opportunity, […]

My trip home from Oshkosh last week offered an enlightening contrast between “old” and “new” aviation technologies, and a lesson in how best to integrate the two in the same cockpit. While my colleagues at Flying scored rides home in Citation and Falcon bizjets that I’m sure were outfitted with some fairly sophisticated gear, I […]

In the wake of our publication of the Top 100 Airplanes of all time, a number of Flying readers have shared their thoughts on which aircraft top their best-of-all-time list. Take a look at the overall most popular Top 10 aircraft reader picks, and check out some of the interesting lists we recently received below. […]

There are lots of ­reasons you might consider joining a flying club. The most often cited centers on the economics: A flying club with lots of members can offer many of the benefits of aircraft ownership without the hassles or expense of being totally responsible for the upkeep of one. At the same time, the […]

The hangar conversation followed lines one expects on a gusty, blustery, bombastic-air day—with turbulence the topic of the moment. “As soon as Flight Service passed on that Pirep about moderate-to-heavy turbulence ahead, I slowed to VB,” explained the ATP cooling off with some colleagues after his heavy day flying a FAR 23 business jet. “Told the boss she we needed to live with slower or risk not outliving the air.”