Ownership

Eclipse has retired its Total Eclipse series of aircraft, and instead will offer a new factory-refurbished twinjet called the Eclipse Special Edition, the company said this week. The SE, based on the original Eclipse 500, will include nearly all the features of the factory-new 550 jet, including a dual Avio integrated flight management system, anti-skid […]

Pilots decide to buy their own airplane for a variety of reasons. It could be a business decision, helping ensure coverage of a relatively wide sales area, or perhaps an aerial photography business. Specialized flight training—like acro, or a quicky instrument rating—also can be a reason. Recreation or personal transportation is yet another. One of […]

After several years of market silence, Scottsdale, Arizona-based TKM Avionics is under new ownership and says it’s working hard to improve the factory support of existing TKM slide-in radios while also planning an improved product line. Aviation Consumer editor Larry Anglisano talked with TKM’s Joe Gavin at Sun ‘n Fun 2015 in Lakeland, Florida, for […]

One of the centerpieces of any aircraft refurb is upgrading the interior. It can be as basic as recovering the seats, but usually involves a complete redo of the headliner, side panels, carpet and upholstery. As the insulation is often stripped out and replaced as well, it’s a good time to install soundproofing. One thing […]

As a long-time IA and A & P mechanic and pilot I look at airplanes with a somewhat different eye than pilots. My purpose, whether it’s actually inspecting an aircraft, flying one or writing about my experiences, is safety. Most certificated aircraft owners should know what the meaning of airworthy is and that there are […]

Not too many students get to see the result of their school projects on the silver screen but some aviation tech students at a Washington State college will buying the popcorn when the next Nicolas Cage movie comes out. Three students at Clover Park Technical College played a starring role in readying a PBY-6A flying […]

Still the only production four-seat or side-by-side, conventional gear airplanes being built in the U.S., Maules have been attracting owners who march to a slightly different beat for over 50 years. In general, the Maule airplanes are easy and forgiving to fly when in the air, yet not so much on the ground—the runway loss […]

Although Continental gets all the press for its diesel program, Lycoming also has a diesel engine, which is it now beginning to produce in small volume. The engine will eventually be certified. In this video, Lycoming’s Michael Kraft gave AVweb a briefing on the DEL120. view on YouTube

Diamond Aircraft’s Austria headquarters is well along with a third-generation hybrid-drive electric aircraft design that it hopes will serve as a certification template for future electric aircraft. The new airplane is based on a DA40 composite airframe, but rather than a geared conventional prop driven by a diesel engine, the aircraft will have a single […]

If it sometimes seems that the entire aerospace industry is given over to developing ways to plant cameras in the sky to spy on people and things, it’s probably because the entire aerospace industry is given over to developing ways to plant cameras in the sky to spy on people and things. Although the actual […]