Ownership

It wasn’t exactly what I hadexpected. Let me explain. I am a 1,500 hour pilot with about half those hours in a V35A Bonanza Ihave owned for seven years. I fly about one hundred hours per year – a combination of VFRand (mostly) light IFR in our usually mild Central California climate. I have participatedin […]

For nearly a year now, I’ve been hearing rumors of asmaller-sized aviation GPS from Lowrance Avionics to supersede the rather hefty AirMapthat they introduced in 1996. I was concerned that Lowrance might be following the lead ofthe Garmin GPS III Pilot, a unit that I don’t care for one bit. When Lowrance introducedtheir 12-channel AirMap […]

At my home airport, there isalways a copy of Trade-A-Plane sitting on the table in thelobby of the terminal building. The airport manager marks it “Lobby Copy — Do notremove.” That single copy is probably the most widely read of all the periodicals(and there are many) that are left for the reading pleasure of those […]

It is a big decision. You have wanted to fly for some time and now you’re going to doit. Excitement. Anticipation. You go to the airport and they take you out to the plane youare going to fulfill your dream of learning to fly in and… The plane is older thanyou are. It looks its […]

The ICOM IC-A3 and -A22 transceivers are subject ofa separate AVweb review article. When ICOM introduced its new,lower-cost IC-A4 handheld VHF air band transceiver in March 1998, I was anxious to checkit out. ICOM dominates the aviation handheld transceiver market, and deservedly so: theirhandhelds have always been the best on the market in my opinion. […]

The lower-cost ICOM IC-A4 transceiver issubject of a separate AVweb review article. I‘ve used the ICOM IC-A20 andIC-A21, King KX-99, and Sporty’s A300. They’re all fine handheld aviation transceivers,and it has always been difficult for me to pick any one of them as the best-of-category. For many years, I’ve carried an ICOM IC-A20 in my […]

Partnerships for those seekingto buy airplanes can be the solution to aircraft ownership for some, while for others theyare nothing but trouble from the very first day. Why do some succeed and others fail? Thereasons vary with the individuals involved, but the problems with most unsuccessfulaircraft partnerships usually revolve around money and scheduling the use […]

The airplane purchase process isa long and difficult one for most people, especially first-time airplane buyers. That’sbecause there is a great deal of hard work involved. If you want to be sure that theairplane is worth the purchase price and is in the condition that has been described toyou, several essential steps must be taken […]

(Most photos are thumbnails.  Click them to view larger,higher-resolution images.) WhenDiamond Aircraft’s snazzy little Katana emerged into the flight training scene three yearsago, it seemed an easy setup for a bloody nose or two. “Way too small,” some said. “A plastic airplane? Are you kiddin’? That thing won’t last a month on thetraining line.” “No […]

Ron, tell us about Kennon Wind Spoilers. Your plane was made to fly. If the wind is strong enough it will fly…with you or without you. Tie downs can only hold a flying plane for so long. When you say flying plane, I get the impression that you are talking about a plane that is […]