We add a lot of content to the General Aviation News website each year. And those stories bring a lot of people to our website. I took a look at our analytics and discovered the following stories were the most read in 2021 between Jan. 1 and Dec. 14. Interestingly, half of these stories were published before 2021.
A bargain-priced helicopter you can fly
Dan Johnson is laser-focused on the light end of aviation. He found a factory built helicopter, priced at $52,000, that can operate under FAR Part 103. And that tantalized a lot of readers in this post from August 2021.
Four extremely affordable aircraft
The desire to own a new aircraft that costs less than $100,000 is a never ending dream for many. This popular Dan Johnson post, from 2016, offers examples of brand-new, fully built and kit versions of aircraft that cost less than $50,000.
10 things you need to know about BasicMed
BasicMed obviously remains a hot topic of discussion. Here’s the top 10 things you need to know from a 2019 post from Editor Janice Wood.
Want to build your own airport?
What pilot doesn’t dream of owning their own airport? William Walker’s feature story from 2020 offers tips and advice from pilots who have done the work to build their own grass runways.
We’re going to put it in the trees
It is the stuff of nightmares for pilots: Your engine starts running rough over mountainous terrain. That nightmare became reality for two Washington pilots, who survived to tell their story in Lightspeed Aviation’s No Tie Down video series.
Why is the cockpit called the cockpit
There are three competing theories to explain the use of the word “cockpit” as the name for the nerve center of an airplane. Questions From the Cockpit columnist William E. Dubois explains all three in this engaging column from 2020.
The Doctor Killer
This feature is nearly five years old, and yet the Beechcraft Bonanza maintains a loyal following, as it should. It also has an infamous moniker it just can’t shake: The Doctor Killer. Editor Janice Wood examines this in a post from 2017.
Ag helicopter bent during reloading after pilot gets out to stretch
Handpropping an airplane by yourself: Can it ever be a good idea to intentionally get out of a running airplane with no one at the controls? This 2021 post of an NTSB Accident Report shows that no, it can’t.
Drunk pilot forgets to extend landing gear
Hold my beer and watch this — rarely a good idea. A horrible idea when combined with flying as shown in this NTSB Accident Report that posted in October 2021.
An automotive engine for your Cessna 172?
The dream of using an automotive V8 engine to power legacy piston powered aircraft lives on in this post from May 2021.
