Among all aircraft producers in the world, a very limited number have exceeded the daunting barrier of delivering more than 10,000 airplanes. Those in this exclusive club include manufacturers of major aircraft such as Boeing, Cessna, Piper, and precious few others. While Van’s Aircraft is approaching this number with its RV kit-built aircraft series (itself […]
Opinion
Ask Paul: What is the correct timing for my engine?
Q: I have a Lycoming IO-360-A1A on a Mooney E model. My mechanic tells me that there are two timing settings for this engine: 20° and 25° BTC. The engine had been set at 20° BTC and he reset it at 25° BTC. What are the advantages or disadvantages of this timing change? The engine […]
Couldn’t sign the user fee petition? Here’s help
By DAVE HOOK. I’ve been receiving emails from readers who wanted to sign the petition against user fees, but couldn’t. Here is what I propose we do: If you send me the same registration information that was required, I will consolidate it and send it to President Obama. Perhaps there are many of you who […]
MoGas flying higher as avgas price rises
“Things are really popping with autogas,” said Kent Misegades, one member of a group, the Aviation Fuel Club, trying to assure more LSA-friendly fuels (like zero ethanol or E0). Though the new Rotax 912 iS can handle ethanol, it truly loves E0 and many experts say it runs more powerfully and cleaner with such fuel, […]
A control tower for FDK
May 1 was the day many in Frederick, Maryland, had long awaited — or dreaded, depending on your point of view. The home of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA), defender of our freedoms to fly, was finally getting a control tower. Was it a day to celebrate or commiserate? A control tower had […]
Biplane Comet hits 100 — Lycoming coming
Fk Lightplanes in Germany recently celebrated the production of Number 100 of its fascinating model, the Fk12 Comet. This snappy handling, steady flying, folding wing biplane has no competitors in the LSA space, even with 123 total models winning Special LSA approval. At airshows here in America, Hansen Air Group has been showing the Comet […]
FAA forecast for LSAs improbable
The FAA recently issued its 20-year forecast for aviation, showing growth prospects for business jets and LSAs. It also forecasts a decline in the total number of piston-powered aircraft. Viewed from a distance, this might seem beneficial to LSA producers and sellers. Reasonably, FAA’s report appears to suggest recreational pilots will enjoy more hours aloft […]
Sharing our airspace with drones
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Have you seen any drones flying around you recently? More are in the sky than you might realize. Information about where they are and where they might be was recently released by the FAA responding to a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit from the Electronic Frontier Foundation. The Mail newspaper, in London, […]
Positive news for Paradise City
Even as we prepared for this year’s Sun ’n Fun, I attended a meeting relative to the area known as Paradise City or the Light Plane Area, though some simply call it the Ultralight Area. Whatever you call it, dramatic changes are underway and you should pay attention. Our meeting was arranged by 23-year area […]