Ownership

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 […]

Although the venerable GE 4509 remains the most popular landing light, LED and HID technology are proving popular alternatives for many owners. In this video, AVweb’s Paul Bertorelli compares the technologies. view on YouTube

Engine overhauls give even the most experienced aircraft owners a case of the willies. Beyond the “it’s going to be really expensive,” there are numerous issues to face and decisions to make—choosing a shop; deciding on the type of overhaul, or a factory reman, and what to do about the engine accessories are some that […]

It wasn’t long ago that an entry-level, two-axis autopilot was priced around 10 grand—including installation. Today, that price is double. Add some options and the bottom line could soar toward $30,000. These big proposals have many owners repairing older autopilots. But as service parts for older systems become obsolete, repair costs are high, downtime is […]

Occupational hazards come in all shapes and sizes: Nuclear technicians have to worry about ionizing radiation; Amtrak engineers, we’ve just learned, have to dodge cinderblocks hurled at their heads. For journalists—and consumers of news, I hasten to add—the risk is being spun up like a dime-store top with so many incomplete facts, half truths and […]