Features

Accident Probe: Deferred Maintenance It is the perfect storm. As airplanes age they need more maintenance but the supply chain is withering as suppliers consolidate or simply close with no other enterprise providing the part. Parts costs are rising at an almost exponential rate exacerbated by the regulatory administrative burden to certify low demand parts […]

When I earned my instrument rating many years ago, it was common to add the notation “No SIDs, No STARs” in the comments block of an IFR flight plan. This was primarily because these procedures were published in a separate book from instrument approaches at the time, and it wasn’t common for private operators to […]

I heard the following around my home airport: Cessna 1234M: “Cessna N1234M, four miles northeast for landing with Echo. Full stop.” Tower: “34M turn right base. Cleared to land 25R.” A few moments later as the Cessna was on short final: Tower: “34M, be aware tractor mowing between 25R and 25L.” Cessna 1234M: “Roger. Too […]

“Some wounds never heal, and for me it was the Honda Mini Trail I couldn’t have,” says seven-time Reno Sport class champion Jeff LaVelle. “It was $280 back then and it might as well have been $280 million.” And so began Jeff’s obsession with speed and freedom and winning and, eventually, airplanes. He couldn’t swing […]

Owning an aircraft is an empowering experience. Winged assets in your hip pocket can open up all kinds of opportunities and adventures free of many concerns associated with traditional clubs and aircraft rental operations. It’s also an awesome responsibility, often isn’t kind to your wallet and can bring many new and unanticipated challenges. For one […]

The Hangar’s Done. What Can I Put In It? I absolutely agree about the indefinite storage of non-op aircraft. Airports are for flying and fueling and fixing and all those activities keep GA a vital and growing industry. If hangars are bring squatted on by folks who will never fly their dust-covered aluminum hangar furniture […]

I’ve long-term tested every model of Garmin’s D2 aviator watch since the first in 2013, and as reported in the November 2022 issue of Aviation Consumer, of them all the D2 Air was Garmin’s best attempt at an everyday smartwatch that nicely suits aviator athletes. It was just the right size, had a feature set that’s […]

For years, it seems that the most common disagreement between airport management and hangar tenants is what the tenant can store in his or her hangar. The answer depends on whether the airport is a public use airport that receives Federal Airport Improvement Program (AIP) grant money or a private airport (we’ll lump public use airports […]

Traveling southwest to New Orleans through southern Mississippi, our IFR clearance always includes a pair of VORs, EWA and LBY, to steer clear of the numerous military facilities in the area. I queried Memphis Center about their names, Kewanee and Eaton. Baron 658M: “Center, I can understand the name Kewanee and ID of EWA, but […]

Since starting in 1984, I’ve logged over 1800 hours in more than 45 aircraft types. As much of this has been in the past four years under the employ of a major avionics shop, the recent experience factor provides a bit of confidence, especially since I’m quite familiar with most avionics offered today. A trip […]