Avionics

The Auxiliary, or Aux, pages on GPS units are like those boxes stored up in the attics. “I know there’s some cool stuff in there. I really should dig through it one of these days.” It’s usually not until we’ve leveled off with two hours of cruise ahead and have decided all the navigation and […]

Editor’s Note: This article is reprinted from Cessna OwnerMagazine by permission from Cessna Owner Organization — 888-MYCessna. I took a trip to Mexico a few months ago — and I did not take my do-it-yourself Electronic Flight Bag (EFB) with me. Thereby hangs a tale …To review, an EFB is a portable computer running software […]

NOTE: This article originally appeared in the Cessna Pilots Association Magazine, and is reprinted here by permission. I tend to fly fairly long distances in my airplane, and have done so for decades. Since I acquired my Cessna T310R in 1987, I’ve probably averaged around three transcontinental trips a year. I figure if you’re going […]

Do you own or use a tablet or electronic flight bag? Our sister publication, Aviation Consumer, is doing a review of these products and would like to hear from you. Contact the magazine here.Editor’s Note: This article is reprinted from Cessna OwnerMagazine by permission from Cessna Owner Organization — 888-MYCessna. A few years ago I […]

This is an update of an article originally published on AVweb in 1997, and includes information about new technologies and the status of WAAS and LAAS, as well as suggestions about avionics purchases. Most pilots think GPS is the best thing to happen to air navigation since the compass. And why not? Having accurate position […]

“Now I’ve done it,” I muttered into the left-seat microphone of the Cirrus SR22, forgetting that the factory pilot, my bride and my partner could nearly hear me think.”Everything looks OK,” the demo pilot assured me. “Everything is in the green on the engine monitor and we’re clear of the special-use airspace …”No,” my Annie […]

True story.A guy named Chuck flies 757s for a major airline, and builds and flies an RV-8. Flying the RV-8 is quite different from his day job: The 757 has a glass cockpit, side-by-side seating, and trainer wheel up front, and is designed for straight-and-level flight; RV-8 has steam gauges, fore and aft seating, is […]

This article appeared in the January 2002 edition of Aviation Safety and is reprinted here by permission. Aircraft components are tested and retested. Manufacturers are subjected to inspection, airplanes are inspected, mechanics are inspected. The goal: Nothing mechanical should go wrong without plenty of warning.There is one part that bucks that trend. When called on, […]

You’ve seen the news reports: Russian-made jammers may be used against U.S. GPS-based weapon systems in Iraq, and there have been warnings about this technology in the hands of terrorists. U.S. Representative Joseph R. Pitts (R-Penn.), a former Air Force officer, has a page on the topic on his Web site. How serious is the […]

This article appeared in the February 2002 edition of Aviation Safety and is reprinted here by permission. Thunderstorm. That word causes more angst among aviators than just about any other atmospheric phenomenon. The thought of getting tangled up in the violent bowels of a mature thunderstorm – heavy rain, severe turbulence, hail and lightning – […]