Aircraft

Piper goes back to its roots with this two-seater LSA.

Tom, I’ve got bad news for you,” Brian says when I answer the phone. The phone call isn’t a surprise. I’ve expected the call every time my airplane was in the hands of a mechanic during the last year or so, but it isn’t welcome. The Lycoming IO-360 in my 1976 Cardinal RG was overhauled […]

There are many indicators of how the North American general aviation market is doing — and we’ve certainly had enough up and down cycles to hone our view. Over the years, sales of used aircraft have been one of the surest measures of the industry’s overall health. So a snapshot of one month’s sales, year […]

Brian Foley of Brian Foley & Associates, Sparta, New Jersey, believes that sales of piston aircraft will lead the next GA comeback; and it’s already started. Foley contends that piston-aircraft buyers march to different market beats than jet or turboprop customers. For example, he cites the immediate post 9/11 period when sales of pistons dropped […]

Eclipse Aerospace reiterates its plans to resume production, but says it will take a slow, conservative road back. As one step along the way, the company has announced a new refurb and completion program for the approximately 260 Eclipse EA500s in the existing fleet. Under the trademark ‘Total Eclipse’ program, Eclipse Aerospace will offer the […]

Lycoming Engines, Williamsport, Pennsylvania, has launched a customer-loyalty discount program. Operators who return select engine cores (engines that left the factory as rebuilt or overhauled) can receive “significant” discounts on Lycoming factory overhauled replacement engines. The rebuilt engines come with a zero-time logbook and the same two-year warranty as a new engine. In addition, Lycoming […]

Transport Canada recently revised its rules, making it easier for U.S.-registered aircraft in the Light Sport category to fly in. Until now, LSA operators wishing to fly to Canada needed to call Transport Canada authorities to receive authorization, obtain a validation form to be kept in the aircraft and pay a fee of $100. Under […]

Engine swaps for turbine airplanes are, as Lane Wallace pointed out in her overview of the turbine re-engining marketplace, a popular way for airplane owners to get more value out of an existing airplane. For those owners who are looking to get more hauling power or improved performance without trading up, an engine swap is […]

Texas Turbine’s TPE331 conversion brings extra muscle to the Cessna Caravan and Grand Caravan.

Each month, Flying answers questions about the new Sport Pilot/Light Sport Aircraft rule with assistance from the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA), the authority on the opportunities available within the category commonly known as “Sport Pilot”: Q: How big do N-numbers have to be on light-sport aircraft? A: Experimental amateur-built and experimental light-sport aircraft are required […]