What do aircraft owners need to know about oil coolers? The folks at Pacific Oil Cooler Service Inc. share a lot of information on the company’s website, including “An Inside Look at Oil Coolers,” “Common Oil Cooler Woes,” and “How to Spot a Bogus Oil Cooler.” The latest is a simple primer on how to […]
New fuel option at FMY
A new 24-hour self-serve mogas fuel station is up and running at Page Field (FMY) in Fort Myers, Florida. The 1,500-gallon tank dispenses 93 octane/ethanol free unleaded gas that fuels many light sport planes, as well as aircraft with a Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) that run on unleaded gasoline. The addition of this fuel supports […]
Powder Puff Pilot releases new book
Powder Puff Pilot has released its third aviation book for children, “Claire Bear Explains…What Pilots Fly.” Like the first two picture books in the series, it stars Claire Bear, a pink-clad aerobatic performer and mentor for aspiring young pilots. The series is the brainchild of Sue Hughes, a pilot since 1996 and a flight instructor […]
Kings Avionics expands with repair stations
Kings Avionics, a 40-year old avionics facility based at Salt Lake City International Airport, has expanded from one Repair Station at its Salt Lake City base to two additional Repair Stations in Henderson, Nevada, and St. George, Utah. Each of the three Kings Avionics Repair Stations has been granted full Instrument and Radio ratings, as […]
Centurion extends engine lifetime
Centurion is launching a service offensive for its Centurion 2.0 aircraft engine series. The operational lifetime for this engine has been extended to 1,500 hours. Centurion also has managed to avoid the factory inspection originally planned for 1,200 hours, according to company officials, explaining this means that the engines no longer have to be removed […]
Tri-Nav charts debut
Howie Keefe’s new Tri-Nav Charts introduce a new chart concept in atlas format for the cross-country pilot. Charts are “combo” charts that keep you legal for both IFR or VFR navigation, with Internet updates conforming to the FAA 28-day cycle, according to company officials. Tri-Nav charts use the FAA IFR Low Altitude Enroute Charts and […]
Aviation watches debut
Christopher Ward recently unveiled two new aviation watches, the C5 Malvern Aviator Mk II and the C8 Pilot Mk II. The C5 Malvern Aviator Mk II is taking the place of the limited edition (1,936 pieces) C5 Mark I, which has sold out. The C5 Malvern Aviator Mark II has a 38mm diameter case and […]
‘Too much energy’ ruins landing
This July 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: Pipistrel Virus 912. Injuries: None. Location: Bend, Ore. Aircraft damage: Substantial What reportedly happened: The pilot was attempting to land in his powered glider. […]
A trip back in time
I’ve been working on a book about my newspaper career. A major portion of my time in the business — more than 50 years in total — has been spent in the world of aviation. As I ventured into different aspects of my life in aviation, I tried to recall what airplanes I had flown […]