Owner's Handbook

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, […]

It’s pretty common for the family and close friends of a pilot to consider that pilot “the only one I’d feel comfortable flying with.” It’s no different with my family and non-flying friends. (Those friends of mine who do fly know better!) My wife is my No. 1 flying groupie. We’ve been flying together for […]

This is the second in a three-part series describing the problem with the writer’s currrent avionics package, the solution and his experience flying with the new avionics choices he made. – Editor. Last month I started describing my thought process on how best to upgrade the avionics in my Cardinal RG. There were plenty of […]

By Guy R. Maher. A few months ago, my column addressed pilots as SCUBA enthusiasts, and the subject of combining flying with dive destinations. The excellent response I received from that column only enforced my belief in the flying-diving connection. I mentioned that I would soon be returning to the Bahamas to try out a […]

By Guy R. Maher Southerners have a long-standing reputation for being friendly. My first real encounter with Southern charm came when I was relocating from New Jersey to Georgia in 1978. I chose Gainesville due to its proximity to Atlanta — and it had a good GA airport. When I climbed out of my airplane […]

This is the first in a three-part series describing the problem with the writer’s currrent avionics package, the solution and his experience flying with the new avionics choices he made. – Editor. The first airplane I ever flew that was equipped with a “to die for” instrument panel was a brand new, 1970 Cessna Cardinal. […]

By Guy Maher. Light aircraft are trainers, check-runners, news gatherers, ambulances, taxis, tour guides, fire fighters, police patrollers and family haulers. That’s what general aviation is all about. As aviation enthusiasts, I am sure we all share the same disgust when we hear the uninformed (mainstream media, non-pilots, etc.) make generalizations about aviation that are […]

A first time buyer recently asked me to clear up some confusion about significant differences in cruise performance and range between a ’75 and ’76 model of an airplane he was considering. When reviewing some of the various web sites and basic information provided about the airplanes, he noted that the ’75 model could cruise […]

By Guy R. Maher. In the last issue, I addressed how many pilots are also SCUBA enthusiasts, and how flying to dive destinations can satisfy both interests in one trip. I also mentioned that I would soon be returning to the Bahamas to try out a new destination, once I figured out where that would […]