During SUN ‘n FUN I had an opportunity “fly” ALSIM’s AL250 flight simulator. Stepping into the cockpit of the AL250 brought me back to the 1980s when I attended the University of North Dakota and flew countless hours in Frasca simulators. The AL250, as I flew it, had a glass cockpit, a twin engine throttle quadrant, […]
One tricked out Maule
“We started with a stock M7-235,” said Maule Aircraft President Brent Maule. “The modifications were made using primarily STC’d products.”
Airspace has never been more valuable, and will never again be this cheap
Lately, I’ve had two images stuck in my head. The first is an Interstate highway overwhelmed by gridlock. The second is a graph of the population of the United States. As the population continues to climb, real estate continues to increase in value. Along with population increases come surface transportation challenges. Unless we annex Canada […]
New WingBug is a portable pitot static system and more
WingBug is a new Air Data Heading Reference System (ADAHRS). Weighing just 11.8 ounces, the WingBug system uses built-in WiFi to broadcast data to the WingBug App to display traditional six-pack instrument data on an iPad. Onboard sensors measure pitot static pressure, temperature, and barometric altitude and include an accelerometer, gyro, and magnetometer, as well […]
Ever seen a Cessna Tail Slide?
Necessity, as they say, is the mother of invention. That is certainly the case for Pete and Shiley Nelson from Challis, Idaho. The husband and wife have owned and operated Middle Fork Aviation in the backcountry of Idaho for more than two decades. I met up with Pete and Shiley at the Great Alaska Aviation […]
Aergility introduces ATLIS VTOL
The Aergility ATLIS unmanned aerial vehicle, according to Founder and CEO Jim Vander Mey, is designed to take off and land vertically using electrically powered rotors. Once airborne, a gas-powered engine will provide all forward thrust to push the ATLIS at speeds around 100 mph. An email reply from Jim states “the powerplant we have […]
Oceano Airport adds AWOS
Good things come to those who wait. At least that’s how the saying goes. Seven years after they started, California’s Oceano Airport (L52) in San Luis Obispo has an operating Automated Weather Observing System (AWOS). “The system is currently in test mode,” notes airport evangelist Mitch Latting. “But data is available on 118.375 and 805-489-1305.”
The dash of SUN ‘n FUN
The 2018 SUN ‘n FUN fly-in ended much the same as it started…with a torrent of rain and wind. Those two weather features make any outdoor event rather untenable. But as I was driving to Sarasota to see family on Monday after the fly-in closed early on Sunday, I found myself lost in thought. While the […]
How do you recommend getting started learning to fly?
“I thought your platform would help me figure out how introduce the following idea to my husband,” began the email that appeared in my email box on April 15. “I’m just beginning in my quest to find flying lessons to give to him as a gift. He’s a semi-retired software engineer (I’ve got to tell you, the […]