Aircraft

Not quite 10 years ago, I took the plunge into the abyss of airplane ownership. Having a civilian background in a general aviation environment, and possessing a pilot’s license for more than four decades, it seems that airplane ownership would have long ago been part of my repertoire. Finances, career focus, and other life interests […]

There’s no recognized certification for aircraft sales brokers, so why hire one in the first place? In fact, there aren’t even certifications or regulations providing consumer protections for aircraft buyers outside of the Universal Commercial Codes and import/export requirements of individual countries. Most aircraft buyers, it is assumed, are sophisticated enough to look out for […]

Paraphrasing the 19th century British politician John Dalberg-Acton’s well-known take on the corrupting influence of power, “Power tends to spoil pilots, and additional power spoils them even more.” No matter how fast an airplane flies, there’s always someone wondering why it can’t cruise just a little faster, or climb a little quicker or carry just […]

There are plenty of reasons to want to own and fly a jet. Jets are made for capable, reliable transportation. They come equipped ready to do the job with pressurization, anti-icing and deicing, and substantial turbine-style cockpit displays and avionics. Most important, they come with jet engines. There is nothing better than jet engines. They […]

If you’re an aircraft owner and have not yet installed ADS-B Out equipment in your airplane, you’re running out of time. The mandate goes into effect Jan. 1, 2020, and if you’re not compliant you won’t legally be able to fly in most controlled airspace. And if you don’t act quickly your airplane might be […]

“Let the good times roll” may have been an appropriate mantra for aviation-insurance consumers during the past 10 to 12 years, but the party might finally be over. While the total cost of aircraft ownership — i.e. hangar leases, fuel, maintenance costs, FBO fees and so on — have gone up substantially for the past […]

There comes a time in most pilots’ lives when they’re faced with a tough decision: continue renting an airplane from a local flight school or club, or buy one of their own. Maybe there’s a sweet little bird you’ve had your eye on already. You’ve chatted with the insurance agent, you’ve looked into hangar or […]

Canada’s Harbour Air said last week that it wants to convert its entire fleet of seaplanes into an all-electric commercial fleet through a partnership with a U.S. company. The airline plans to use a 750-hp all electric motor being created by Redmond, Washington-based magni500 to convert its DHC-2 de Havilland Beaver, a six-passenger commercial aircraft […]

The ultralong-range Gulfstream G650ER set another record last week when it flew non-stop from Singapore to Tucson, Arizona, in 15 hours, 23 minutes at an average speed of 597 mph over the 8,379 nm route. The G650 beat the previous speed record on this segment by 44 minutes and landed in Tucson with NBAA IFR […]

Kerrville, Texas-based Mooney Aircraft announced at Sun ‘n Fun in Lakeland, Florida, that is expanding its Mooney Factory Service Centers and customer support offerings. The company is working on an hourly cost program for engine service for the two models it currently produces: the Ovation Ultra and Acclaim Ultra. Named PistonPower, the program would allow […]