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 […]
Hartzell Top Prop now available for Stationair
Newly certified is Hartzell Propeller’s scimitar aluminum propeller designed for installation on current production Cessna T206H Turbo Stationair aircraft. Tthe 3-blade prop improves aircraft performance significantly, according to company officials, who note it is also available with aircraft-compatible de-ice boots. The propeller diameter is 82” in contrast to the 79” original installed at Cessna. The […]
Sporty’s debuts Warbird sculptures
Sporty’s Wright Bros. Collection introduces two World War II era sculptures: A fighter and a bomber (pictured above). Crafted of resin and painted in precise detail, these sculptures may be hung on a wall or displayed on a desk or bookcase. The front silhouette of the Fighter (pictured below) carries D-Day markings and spinning propeller. […]