Aircraft

(January 2011) — It was my good friend Paul’s second airplane ride. The airplane was a bright red Grumman AA-1 Yankee, my favorite of all the ones owned by the Orlando Aero Club at the time. Quick and responsive, it was my kind of airplane. On this particular flight, we were flying out of Page […]

(January 2011) — When is it, exactly, that something important to you becomes invaluable? We buy things, use them and ultimately come to notice that they are getting a little tired looking or frayed about the edges. Then comes the recognition that this useful, maybe even favorite, article is getting old. A decision is at […]

“Relative stability in global economies and improving general business confidence” were two of the reasons Textron CEO Scott Donnelly expects 2011 to be a good one for Cessna and Bell. Textron is the parent company for the two iconic aviation brands, and Donnelly’s remarks came in the wake of strong numbers for the fourth quarter […]

Flying high, flying far in a luxury piston single.

(January 2010) — We were settled in at 24,000 feet, cruising along at around 225 knots true, burning 24 gallons of 100LL every hour while watching the nautical miles slip behind us. We’d taken off from Orlando Executive (ORL) in a Cessna Corvalis and were an hour into our flight, cruising at an altitude that […]

Piqua, Ohio-based Hartzell Propeller has announced the development of a new two-blade Top Prop conversion kit for Piper PA-23-250 Aztec twins. The scimitar-shape, 77-inch propeller blades incorporate blade-mounted counterweights, offering greater redundancy for pitch control and feathering, compared with the original-equipment propellers that relied on air pressure. The shape of the blades is more efficient, […]

Five manufacturers of Light Sport Aircraft (LSAs) will launch a statewide “roadshow” tour following the U.S. Sport Aviation Expo, which opens today in Sebring, Florida. Bill Canino of SportairUSA said, “We wanted to create an intimate atmosphere for purchasers to see planes, without the noise of a show.” Jim Julius of Sport Planes Florida said, […]

(January 2011) — It happened nearly seven years ago, but the accident remains a shining example of a confluence of unlikely circumstances causing a catastrophe when none of them, by itself, would have amounted to more than a nuisance. Five airplanes belonging to Pan Am International Flight Academy were flying from Deer Valley Airport in […]

The European Aviation Safety Association (EASA) has approved Garmin’s G1000 retrofit package for Hawker Beechcraft King Air 200 and B200 models. The retrofit package has already been approved by the U.S. FAA for C90, 200 and B200 King Air models, with approval for the 300 and 350 Series expected later this year. Garmin vice president […]

Two safety systems announced at last year’s EAA AirVenture for Cirrus models have been approved by the FAA. The systems work within the Garmin Perspective avionics suite and use the avionics technology to enhance safety. The Electronic Stability and Protection (ESP) system provides control pressure when it perceives excessive pitch, bank or airspeed. It is […]