Aircraft: Beech Bonanza. Injuries: None. Location: Des Moines, Iowa. Aircraft damage: Substantial.
What reportedly happened: According to the pilot, shortly after takeoff the airplane’s alternator indicated a discharge condition. He attempted to return to the departure airport. [Read more...]
It started with Louis Bleriot in 1909. Bleriot, who was essentially an engineer and an auto parts manufacturer, had been interested in aviation for nearly a decade. His fascination with flight nagged at him until he designed his own airplane, built it, and climbed into the pilot’s seat. Of course he didn’t do all this work personally. But he was a major player in the early days of aviation, and so we owe him a great debt of gratitude for several of his accomplishments. Louis was a trailblazer, as we all can be, given the opportunity and the drive.
GAfuels readers already know of the many advantages to using mogas in aircraft approved for its use. Not only does its save them $1.40-$1.50 per gallon compared to avgas, but these pilots are making real progress in reducing lead emissions from general aviation, the only significant consumer of leaded fuel on the planet.
While your bloggers would always recommend obtaining aviation-grade mogas directly from a fuel terminal, and have it delivered and stored in aviation-grade fuel equipment at your airport, in many instances the gasoline obtainable at retail gas stations and marinas is quite suitable for aircraft, provided it has the correct octane (AKI) rating and contains no ethanol. It is absolutely necessary to check each and every batch of fuel obtained from retail sellers of gasoline for the presence of ethanol, regardless how the pump may be labeled. (Fuel contamination is rare, but occurs for every type of fuel, including avgas and Jet-A).
Ohio Governor John Kasich has declared December “General Aviation Appreciation Month.” In Ohio, general aviation airports contribute more than $5.5 billion into the economy every year.
Almost every pilot dreams of flying a Warbird like the F4U Corsair. Until that day happens, you can still dream of it when you see Sporty’s Corsair Shelf hanging on your wall or sitting on your desk.
Are Warbirds your thing? What about Warbirds developed by the Brits for World War II? If so, Specialty Press has just released Tony Buttler’s 268-page book, “British Experimental Combat Aircraft of World War II.”
The NexNav mini GPS WAAS Class Beta-1 is now available for the Trig TT31 transponder for a 2020 ADS-B mandate-ready solution. Trig Avionics recently gained the FAA Approved Model List (AML) of the Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) that incorporates the NexNav mini sensor line replaceable unit (LRU) as a qualified position source.
When you need to write, and there is no light available, or when you don’t want to lose all your night vision, or when you don’t want to disturb those around you, the old solutions used to involve writing blind (and trying to decipher it later) or holding a flashlight in your “spare hand,” or even in your mouth. Technology presents a better solution, and Wicks Aircraft Supply has it: a pen with a lighted tip.
Aircraft: Cessna 180. Injuries: None. Location: Omaha, Neb. Aircraft damage: Substantial.
What reportedly happened: The airplane was on final approach and a half-mile from the runway when the engine lost power. It came down in trees short of the runway.
Picture this: 80 airplanes, more than 400 booths, and hours of seminars in beautiful Palm Springs, Calif. That pretty much sums up this year’s Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association Aviation Summit.
In the more than 10 years I have been working at General Aviation News, I have been to the annual event many times as a reporter. This was the first time I attended as a presenter, as I volunteered wearing my flight instructor cap.
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