Search Results for: general aviation inc

In the spring of 2002 a Beech D-45, the civilianized version of the Bonanza-derived T-34 Mentor military trainer, crashed while attempting a landing in gusty conditions at Minden, Louisiana. Both occupants of the tandem two-seat airplane were killed. The Mentor’s owner, a private pilot, had flown over 1,000 hours in it since acquiring it in […]

The story of Frank Whittle and the invention of the jet engine would make a great B movie, and probably has. I can just see all the mustachioed boffins of the Air Ministry conferring in their offices about how to rid themselves of this pestilential fellow obsessively slaving away in a brick basement in the […]

The late August crash of Comair Flight 5191, a Bombardier regional jet, appears to be an event typifying the old maxim that an accident results from a chain of events. Break any link in the chain and the accident never happens. If, as early reports indicate, the jets crew did attempt to take off from the wrong runway at Lexington, Ky. (LEX), for a rainy, pre-dawn departure, the act of advancing the throttles probably will…

I have often marveled at the illustrations that John Borra does for my articles. Some topics have obvious possibilities, but others don’t seem to lend themselves to an illustration. In fact, more than once I have sent my article in wondering what on earth John would come up with, and every time I have been […]

__For many of us, going places is one of the wonders of flying. Many instructors like to take potential flight students on a short cross-country flight during the initial introductory flight in order to whet their appetite for the reward that awaits after they complete their primary training. Getting kicked out of the pattern is […]

When the weathers good, IFR pilots have a lot more flexibility than when its too foggy to drive to the airport. Know what they are and when you can use them.

Just because it was fine when you landed doesnt mean your airplane is ready to fly again. Checking a few items now can mean an easy pre-flight next time.

If you fly enough, your air-driven gyros eventually will fail. Then, sadly, youre on your own.

One Step Forward

Having just returned from my annual pilgrimage to Oshkosh for EAAs AirVenture extravaganza, Im struck by two seemingly contradictory observations: First, the planes and products seem to get better each year. Second, the pilots dont.

Regarding the first observation, who can argue that products like the mostly certified Eclipse 500, to-be-produced HondaJet, Cessna LSA and NGP (next-generation piston, a.k.a Cirrus-killer), Garmins GPSMAP 496 and the various G1000 offspring, among other new toys, arent about the coolest things on the planet since canned beer? Meanwhile, the maturing light sport aircraft category is beginning to realize its promise of getting…

Like just about everybody else, I first saw the Mooney Acclaim on the opening day at this year’s Sun ‘n Fun Fly-In, when Mooney unveiled it before a standing-room only crowd of aviation journalists and interested show-goers. The particular airplane that Mooney unveiled, N312TN, cut a striking figure on thegreen grass that sunny Florida morning, […]