Just released is the second edition of “Microsoft Flight Simulator as a Training Aid,” which provides suggestions, advice, and practical tools for making effective use of Microsoft Flight Simulator in a training environment. Applicable to both Microsoft Flight Simulator 2004: A Century of Flight (Version 9) and Microsoft Flight Simulator X (Version 10), the book […]
Density altitude, too much flap for Cessna
Aircraft: Cessna 172. Injuries: None. Location: Price, Utah. Aircraft damage: Substantial. What reportedly happened: It was a hot day when the pilot landed on a 3,600-foot-dirt strip at a field elevation of approximately 5,891 feet, then decided to take off again. He reported he took off with 20° of flaps and was never able to […]
Exploring the Alaskan backcountry
By BILL WALKER For Alaska pilot Karl Kisser, the day trips he considers routine are the stuff of dreams for many of his counterparts in the Lower 48. He is a private pilot living in Anchorage and often flies from his home base at Merrill Field to backcountry destinations all over the state. Kisser, a […]
Getting over the aircraft insurance hurdles
By BOB MACKEY Some people say the happiest days of owning an airplane are the day you buy it and the day you sell it. I couldn’t disagree more. Others might say buying aircraft insurance is a pain in the you-know-what. That’s not true either. As an insurance agent specializing in aircraft, I have the […]
Rotax 912 iS: Better than predicted
While the 912 iS is essentially the same engine as the carbureted 912 ULS, it has seen numerous changes, including fuel injection and computer controls.
Update to NextGen Implementation Plan includes GA for first time
On June 19, the FAA published its 2013 update to the NextGen Implementation Plan, and it includes an entire section devoted to general aviation for the first time. Updated annually, the NextGen Implementation Plan is the FAA’s primary outreach document explaining how NextGen is transforming the National Airspace System. In addition, the update is available […]
Lam Aviation claims 30% fuel saving, increased speeds, performance and safety
SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. – June 25, 2013 – Lam Aviation, Inc., has successfully flown a Lancair Columbia (now Cessna Corvalis) airframe retrofitted with a new wing equipped with a simple version of the Lam Aileron. Flight test and evaluation show that the modified aircraft realizes improved performance by every measure when compared to the production Corvalis. The […]
Pilots still needed for study
The MITRE Corporation’s Center for Advanced Aviation System Development is still recruiting pilots for a study evaluating proposed changes to runway standards at general aviation airports. Pilots who participate can earn up to $250. The study will examine whether infrastructure standards, such as runway width and length, pavement markings, visual guidance systems and edge lighting, […]
Cirrus expands Grand Forks facility for jet production
Cirrus Aircraft is expanding its Grand Forks, N.D., facility to accommodate a new autoclave oven in preparation for production of the Vision SF50 jet. Modifications to the Grand Forks facility began in May and the autoclave was delivered June 27, when the installation process will begin. The building housing the autoclave will be built around […]