Avionics

GA pilots will have affordable Wi-Fi in their airplanes within about three years and much greater access to space-based services thanks to a $3 billion investment by a Virginia company. Starting in April, Iridium will launch the first of 72 new communications satellites that will, among other things, increase the speed of its Internet signals […]

Remember that IBM commercial back around 1998 that had two executives sitting in the corner office? One is reading The Wall Street Journal and says to the other, “It says here we have to be on the Web.” His companion asks why. “It doesn’t say,” says the WSJ reader. The spot perfectly captured the confusion […]

An airplane conceived in the 1980s gets a modern avionics makeover to take on the small-jet market. SyberJet’s Chuck Taylor says that even after all these years, the late Ed Swearingen’s crowning accomplishment still has no equal. view on YouTube

The Senate Appropriations Committee is strongly opposing a proposal to split the FAA’s air traffic organization (ATO) from the agency. In a pointed letter (PDF) to the leaders of the Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, the appropriations arm says it’s fundamentally opposed to the plan on a number of fronts. “We are writing to express […]

As a percentage of the total cars sold in the U.S., Corvettes and Camaros are but a tiny slice. Chevrolet sold about 35,000 ‘Vettes last year. The fact that they moved even that many shows that Americans have a taste for vehicles stuffed with far more horsepower than they could conceivably ever need. But need […]

Even LSA models will require an ADS-B Out solution to meet the FAA’s approaching 2020 equipage mandate. Flight Design USA has just the solution with the new CTLSi, using Dynon’s 1090ES extended squitter transponder, plus a few options for ADS-B In data. In this video, Aviation Consumer editor Larry Anglisano caught up with Flight Design […]

ForeFlight has acquired JetFuelX, a Web-based fuel card management service for turbine aircraft operators. The service allows users to manage multiple aircraft and fueling locations on one site and features quick-search pricing and fuel management tools. ForeFlight says the acquisition enhances its flight planning app with a unique feature. “We are thrilled to announce this […]

Whether you are upgrading the audio system in an older LSA or experimental or building a new project, PS Engineering and Garmin have non-certified audio panels equipped with advanced features better suited for smaller cabins. In this video, Kitplanes magazine contributor Larry Anglisano puts three of them on the bench for a look and listen. […]

Here’s a common scenario: You bring your airplane to the avionics shop for its 24-month IFR pitot and static system certification and the tech says you’ll be wheels up in a couple of hours. Thirty minutes later while you’re cooling your heels in the pilot lounge, the technician tracks you down with news you don’t […]

A couple of blogs ago, we examined avionics for old guys, but what about avionics for old airplanes? As the fleet ages along with the pilots who own it, a not-that-old airplane these days is one built in the early 1980s. As an inveterate observer of panels, I always peer inside the windows of airplanes […]