I have a 2005 Robinson R-44 Clipper II that I purchased new. The engine is a 540 injected Lycoming. I broke the engine in on mineral oil as suggested and changed to ashless oil after the initial 50 hours of break in. The ship has used about 1 quart of oil per every four hours […]
Alcohol-free fuel: how to find it, how to test it
Jerry Quint of California, part owner of an aircraft with a Jabiru engine, wonders how to go about finding auto fuel that does not contain alcohol. He also wonders how to be sure that the fuel is alcohol free. Jerry Quint of California, part owner of an aircraft with a Jabiru engine, wonders how to […]
May 2005 Accident Reports
A loss of engine power due to an unsecured mixture control cable, which was not properly secured by maintenance personnel during a recent annual inspection.
Tuskegee Airmen receive Congressional Gold Medal
Sixty years after earning fame for their feats in World War II, Congress has bestowed its Gold Medal on the surviving Tuskegee Airmen. “This means that we have recognition at the national level, even 60 years later, that we accomplished something important,” said William Broadwater, 81, of Clinton, Maryland, a bombardier and former Tuskegee Airmen […]
LoCamp kit ready to fly: Charming flying machines with souls as standard equipment
Aerolab, the Italian company that introduced its beautiful LoCamp kit at Sun ‘n Fun last year, has announced that the kits are in production and being shipped. A new Light Sport Aircraft, the LoCamp looks for all the world like an airplane from the early years of aviation, sporting two open cockpits, fabric covering and […]
Xenon takes gyroplanes to a new level
If you’ve ever hankered for rotary wings but couldn’t see yourself flying the typical birdcage gyroplane – or affording a helicopter – take a look at the handsome Xenon. Looking as though a multi-million dollar Agusta helicopter had given birth to a pup, the Xenon is the inspired design of Raphael Celier, whose idea was […]
The little Mermaid: A Light Sport amphibiant hat’s pretty as a picture
The Mermaid amphibian had a problem. The problem was that it’s a Light Sport amphibian. Light Sport rules didn’t allow pilots to “reposition” landing gear in flight. Of course, the whole point of an amphibian is to allow a takeoff from land or water and a landing on the other, and that requires moving the […]
The games stays the same: “Compromise” FAA reauthorization bill still features fees
What has been touted by some as a “compromise” FAA budget reauthorization bill has turned out merely to shift proposed general aviation user fees onto owners of small turbine aircraft. The wording chosen by Senators Trent Lott and Jay Rockefeller of the Senate Commerce Committee does nothing to stop the FAA from imposing user fees […]
Sun ‘n Fun dedicates Scott Crossfield Way
Ribbon cuttings are, by their very nature, pretty boring affairs. A bunch of officials line up, some speeches are made and then the top-ranking official — usually the mayor — uses a giant pair of scissors to cut a ribbon and declare a building or a business officially open. At this year’s Sun ‘n Fun, […]