Avionics

Almost daily I receive calls and questions about avionics master switches. Do I need one? What type should I use? Most of these questions come from owners of aircraft that didn’t have a master switch when originally built, and wonder whether one should be installed now. Prior to about 1970, few aircraft had an avionics […]

“They’re nothing but a crutch,” my friend Saul said over the phonefrom Los Angeles. “Well, you know how I am,” I replied. “I need allthe help I can get.” It was good that he couldn’t see the smile on my face. Or my wife’srolling her eyes to heaven. “Sure,” Saul said sourly. “Help. You didn’t […]

On the Starship Enterprise, when something goes awry, an excitedengineer-type says stuff like, “A warp-core breach is imminent!”This is accompanied by ominous humming and flashing warning lightsto give you the idea that the ship is about to explode. It never does. That’s because the Captain knows to remind theengineer that in case of warp-core breach, […]

NOTE: This page was created as a companion to a 1996 AVweb review. Destination Direct has since undergone many changes, and the original links to purchase or download the demo no longer work. We recommend visiting Destination Direct at their current home on the web, www.FlightPlan.com. – 5/24/2005 You can download a free demo version […]

NOTE: This review was written in 1996, and while it may be helpful in planning your purchases, links to purchase or download the demo no longer work.  We recommend visiting Destination Direct at their current home on the web, www.FlightPlan.com.  – 5/24/2005 Iremember my first major cross country flight as if it were yesterday. It […]

As all FSDO offices do, our local FAA branch office has an accidentprevention program. The fellow who runs it happened to call methe other day to mention that the FAA—ever on the cutting edge—hasjust released a new videotape on loran. “Great,” he says, “now I can show tapes about loranwhen everyone and his brother is […]

From a mountain clearing, safely ensconced within a strong and comfortablecabin, a thunderstorm at full throttle is an awesome and beautifulsight. But from a small aircraft in flight, with thunderstormsin all quadrants, the sight loses much of its beauty; and if inIMC with embedded cells, there is no beauty at all.  Thunderstorms are highly developed […]

The attitude indicator is the only instrument on the panel that provides a clear picture of the flight attitude of the aircraft. Without it, the pilot must try to piece together a mental picture of flight attitude by integrating information from several other instruments (turn-and-bank or turn coordinator, airspeed indicator,vertical speed indicator, altimeter) that provide […]

When the factory-installed turn-and-slip instrument in my Cessna 310 took a dive some years ago, I decided to replace it with a turn coordinator. It didn’t take me long to discover that I hated it. My biggest gripe with the new TC was that its slip-skid indicator (the ball) was much smaller and mounted much […]

When I got my instrument rating in 1967 and my CFII in 1971, skill at flying needle, ball, and airspeed received a lot of emphasis. And with good reason: the other gyro instruments (attitude and heading) were vacuum-driven, and the vacuum systems had the nasty habit of failing without warning. Standby vacuum systems didn’t yet […]