WASHINGTON, D.C. — Even though the members of Congress have been in their summer recess, this has not been a quiet period for the people here representing general aviation. They have been busy, and signs indicate they will be even busier. Despite long protestations that user fees were out of the question for GA, the […]
Failure of mysterious part results in emergency landing
QUESTION: I have a 1975 Piper Warrior with a Lycoming 0-320 E3D. On the way to Oshkosh I lost oil pressure and made an emergency landing (aircraft and I are OK). At first I thought I had lost the front crankcase seal due to the huge amount of oil on the cowling. We took the […]
Slam Dunk
I don’t care how well you think you are ready for an emergency, nothing beats professional training to make sure. My wife, Staci, and I often fly our Cardinal RG over water to favorite diving destinations. And so it was that we were sitting in a classroom of Survival Systems USA, Inc. (SSUSA) in Groton, […]
Be A Pilot registered 250,000th prospect
The Be A Pilot program, the industry’s cooperative program to bring more people into aviation, registered its 250,000th prospect since its inception in 1997. Richard Roberson, 50, a dairy farmer from Locke, N.Y., won a free trip to Oshkosh courtesy of Be A Pilot. When Drew Steketee, Be A Pilot’s president, phoned to let him […]
Twin Stae certificated
Diamond Aircraft’s new twin, the DA42-TDI Twin Star, received FAA certification during Oshkosh. The jet, powered by twin TAE Centurion 1.7 turbo-diesel engines, sports the Garmin G1000 glass flight deck. The company, which has already delivered 35 Twin Stars in Europe, anticipates U.S. deliveries will begin by the end of this year.
Lake auction fails to produce sale
An attempt to auction the assets of moribund Lake Aircraft was unsuccessful. A first-ever auction during the air show drew a lot of spectators — and seven pre-qualified bidders who had to put up $100,000 for the right to bid — but no one actually bid on the company. Higgenbotham Auctioneers, the Lakeland, Fla.-based company […]
BRS introduces product for Light Sport market
Ballistic Recovery Systems (BRS) introduced its new BRS-6, an airplane parachute for the Light Sport Aircraft market. The new model, which is compliant with ASTM standards for LSA aircraft, has a larger rocket and has been redesigned to fit into more aircraft, according to BRS officials.
HondaJet makes public debut
The HondaJet made its Oshkosh debut this year, staying at the air show for just three hours. But during those three hours, the jet was surrounded by crowds and even toured by FAA Administrator Marion Blakey. Built in North Carolina, the jet has been kept under a veil of secrecy for the past few years. […]
Sport Cub introduced by Cub Crafters
Cub Crafters introduced its new, ready to fly Sport Cub, which made its maiden flight just a week before the show. That same week the company made the first delivery of its certified Top Cub. The company, which started in 1980 rebuilding Super Cubs, holds numerous STCs and aftermarket kits for the venerable Cub.