Ownership

A coalition of seven major aviation groups has submitted its comments on the EPA’s endangerment finding on leaded aviation fuel and it’s asking the agency not to jump the gun on banning tetrethyl lead. “The coalition urges the EPA, in coordination with the FAA, to ensure that any final finding and follow-on regulatory actions align […]

The typical stock nosewheel shimmy dampener does a decent job of taming minor oscillations, but the nosewheel on older airplanes (and Cessna singles in particular) eventually needs some care. When all other components are healthy, that often means replacing the shimmy damper (this is occasionally called a dampener), and two popular aftermarket upgrades come from […]

Edge Performance of Notodden, Norway, has been around for little more than a decade, but their EFI and Rotax upgrades have quickly become popular, setting a high bar with race-quality components. I’ll be putting the EP912sti in the SR-1 race plane—not only does it have exceptional power to weight (important given the 661-pound weight limit for […]

Longtime general-aviation wheel and brake provider Matco Manufacturing has been purchased by NMG Aerospace, a large aerospace design and manufacturing conglomerate that builds parts for everything from Airbus A380s to Apache tailwheels. For the immediate future, Matco will remain in Woods Cross, Utah, a suburb of Salt Lake City. George Happ, who had owned Matco […]

Congress has approved $10 million for testing and evaluation of unleaded high octane aviation fuels and all sectors currently involved in the effort can qualify for funding. According to AOPA, President Joe Biden signed the bill that funds the executive branch for the coming year on Dec. 29. “The bill also recognizes the collaborative industry-government […]

It’s a sometimes painful truth of aviation: If you want something done right you need to go to an expert. That goes for finding the right technician for the type of airplane you own, getting flight instruction in backcountry flying or buying life insurance.  For pilots seeking life insurance the scenario is a familiar one—you […]

Pratt & Whitney’s PW4000-94 engine has reached its 35th year in operation with more than 150 million flight hours logged. Powering aircraft including the Boeing 747/767, MD-11, Airbus A300/310 and the KC-46A, the PW4000-94 was the first model in Pratt & Whitney’s high-thrust engine family for large aircraft. The 94-inch engine can offer between 52,000 […]

Rolls-Royce announced on Monday that it has finished assembling its UltraFan technology demonstrator engine. According to the company, the engine has been moved its Testbed 80 facility in Derby, U.K., in preparation for testing, which is slated to begin early next year. The UltraFan demonstrator has a fan diameter of 140 inches and is expected […]

Pratt & Whitney and Rolls-Royce have signed an agreement with Virginia Tech to conduct research on the impact of environmental contaminants on aircraft engine operation and testing. Slated to last four years, the Virginia Tech departments involved in the project are expected to include Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace and Ocean Engineering and Geosciences. The project was […]

There are reasons for high owner satisfaction among Grumman Tiger owners. A sliding canopy alone lends to decent ramp appeal, plus with snappy handling and 180 horsepower it easily runs with Piper Archers and Cessna Cardinals. With plenty of approved aftermarket retrofits for avionics and speed mods, reliable engines and enthusiastic owner groups to help […]