A gyroplane looks like a cross between an airplane and a helicopter. First developed in the 1920s, the gyroplane is one of the oldest forms of aviation technology. However, gyroplanes are not very common in the general aviation world, perhaps because of a reputation for being difficult or dangerous to fly. It’s an undeserved reputation, […]
Search Results for: questions from the cockpit
Time to get real: Zealous regulators are hazards to aviation
In olden times – that’s 60 to 70 years ago – wrist watches with glow-in-the-dark radium numbers were popular. Whether we wore a Timex or a Rolex, that’s what we wanted. In those days, many aircraft instruments glowed in the dark. That, too, was accomplished with minute amounts of radium-226. Thousands of World War II […]
Like-minded souls
Were you part of the annual migration of aviation enthusiasts to Oshkosh for EAA AirVenture? Pilots joke that attending the event at least once in your lifetime is required by the Code of Federal Aviation Regulations. In the regular world just a fraction of the population are pilots. During Oshkosh, they are in the majority. […]
Return of the Cub
If you learned to fly before 1965, chances are you have some stick time in a Piper Cub. For many people, even the aviation-challenged, the little yellow aircraft is synonymous with pleasure flying. Is it any wonder then that several aircraft manufacturers who are targeting the Sport Pilot/ Light Sport Aircraft market are producing aircraft […]
When the glass goes dark
What happens when the lights go out? Phrased one way or another, that is among the first questions to cross the minds of people unfamiliar with glass cockpits, but all too familiar with Microsoft’s notorious Blue Screen of Death. It’s a good question. Backup instruments are required by the FAA. How they are provided is […]
The outsiders
Alan Klapmeier gets a lot of grief because he’s selling planes. Well, it’s not because he’s selling planes — it’s who he’s selling them to. “Our company gets beat up for trying to sell airplanes to people outside the industry,” says the co-founder and CEO of Cirrus Design Corp., which produces the SR-20 and SR-22. […]
Considering companions — Two hours of truth telling goes a long way toward making them more comfortable in the plane
As July rolled around this year, so did another chance to host a regional fly-in for Cardinal owners. The North Carolina event has taken on more of a training emphasis and it’s gratifying to see how many owners traveled great distances to partake. People came from as far away as Oakland, Calif., Tulsa, Okla., and […]