Ownership

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 […]

Pratt & Whitney Canada introduced its new PW545D turbofan engine this week at the 2023 European Business Aviation Convention and Exhibition (EBACE) in Geneva, Switzerland. The latest addition to the company’s PW500 family, the PW545D was designed to offer improved specific fuel consumption (SFC), thrust and time between overhauls (TBO). It will power the Cessna […]

Rolls-Royce announced on Thursday that it has successfully completed the first tests of its UltraFan technology demonstrator engine. Considered the world’s largest aeronautical engine to date, the UltraFan has a fan diameter of 140 inches and offers features including Rolls-Royce’s Advance 3 core architecture and advanced low emissions combustion system (ALECSys), carbon titanium fan blades […]

DeltaHawk announced on Thursday that it has received FAA type certification for its 180-HP DHK180 piston engine. The four-cylinder, clean-sheet design features an inverted-V engine block, turbocharging and supercharging, mechanical fuel injection, liquid cooling, direct drive and, according to the company, “40 percent fewer moving parts than other engines in its category.” It is capable […]

If you’re doing your own routine maintenance—and if you’re not, why not?—you’re going to need a means to open your canister oil filter after every oil change. There are choices on the market, and each design seems to follow a slightly different philosophy, even if the desired result is much the same: Cut the base […]

Continental announced at Aero 2023 that its CD series of jet-fuel burning piston engines has reached 10 million flight hours. In addition, the newest CD model, the CD-170, has received a time between replacement (TBR) extension from 1,200 to 1,800 hours. In this podcast, Oliver Leber, Continental vice president for global sales and applications engineering, […]

Piper Aircraft announced today at AERO 2023 that all of its PA-46-based, single-engine turbine-powered aircraft are now able to use sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). Use of the fuel was approved by the FAA under Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin (SAIB) NE-11-56R4, which states that all jet fuel that meets the requirements of ASTM International Standard D7566 […]

Having survived a crash, it’s easy to recommend shoulder harness upgrades in aircraft that still sport old-school lap belts. Without a shoulder belt, I’m convinced my flailing noggin would have smacked a panel full of new Garmin avionics—and it wouldn’t have been pretty. But taking that safety net one step further are airbag seatbelts, which […]

Engines, exhaust systems, propellers, cabin vents and aging door and window seals are just a handful of sources that can make the typical aircraft cabin a miserable place to spend hours on end. It’s also a path to irreversible hearing damage. How do you know if your cabin is too noisy? Fly in a comparably […]