MT-Propeller has received an FAA STC for its 5-blade scimitar composite propeller on the Pilatus PC12. The propeller improves overall performance in a variety of ways, according to company officials, including: Ground roll distance reduced by approximately 15%; Takeoff distance over 50 ft obstacle reduced by approximately 5%; Cruise performance improved by up to 5 […]
Aircraft Spruce goes solar
Aircraft Spruce has installed solar panels at its Corona, Calif., and Peachtree City, Ga., locations. “Installing PV systems made good sense to us because Aircraft Spruce has always strived to be environmentally responsible,” said Jim Irwin, president, “but the financial benefits of operating highly efficient systems are a definite bonus.” The company was able to […]
Cessna Citation CJ4 gains Type Certification
Cessna Aircraft Co.’s Citation CJ4 has gained type certification by the FAA. Deliveries are set to begin later this year. The Citation CJ4 is the newest and largest member of the CJ family of business jets consisting of the Citation CJ1+, CJ2+ and CJ3. The CJ4 is approved for single-pilot operations and shares a common […]
Bounced landing bends airplane
This March 2008 accident report is provided by the National Transportation Safety Board. Published as an educational tool, it is intended to help pilots learn from the misfortunes of others. Aircraft: Great Lakes 2T-1A-2 Injuries: None. Location: Tucson, Ariz. Aircraft damage: Substantial. What reportedly happened: Upon arrival at the destination airport, the pilot listed to […]
Lean and powerful
I thought retirement would be different. I envisioned lunch dates on sunny days at small cafes. I could see the Old Man and I snuggled together on the couch on rainy or cold days, reading or just talking while sipping hot tea or coffee. I imagined romantic interludes. Not. If there were any interludes in […]
Book review creates flood of memories
Every now and then I get a call from the office and the conversation usually goes something like this: Ben: Hi dad, what’s going on? Me: Nothing much just watching the Olympics or working on some Rotary stuff but nothing critical … what have you got in mind? Ben: How about coming into the office. […]
FAA forecasts robust LSA growth…for a while
The FAA issued a 20-year forecast for aviation to 2030. According the the agency, Light Sport Aircraft sales will grow by 825 per year through 2013 and then taper off to 335 per year. Hmmm? One wonders why it should fall so dramatically and so soon? Except in a lousy 2009, the LSA industry has […]
CFI tools for the iPhone
Keeping up with aviation apps for the iPhone is nearly a full-time job, but staying current on these apps can definitely be worth it, according to John Ewing, a Gold Seal flight instructor who writes a blog at Aviation Mentor. A good example, he says, is the suite of reasonably-priced apps from CFI Tools. He […]
Safety Stand Down kicks off at Sun ‘n Fun
FAASTeam’s Safety Stand Down, a safety and education initiative to improve general aviation safety, will be launched at this year’s 36th annual Sun ‘n Fun International Fly-In & Expo, slated for April 13-18 at Lakeland Linder Regional Airport (LAL) in Florida. The Safety Stand Down will focus on four areas: Loss of control, surface safety, […]