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Plane & Pilot Past Issues


Aircraft

  • 2009 Cessna Corvalis 400TT
  • 2009 Evektor SportStar SL
  • Cessna 400 Corvalis TT

    Cessna initiates changes to its recently acquired Columbia line of low-wing singles

    Back in the ’80s, when I was working on the ABC TV show Wide World of Flying, I flew up to Washington State to interview Ken Wheeler, designer of the Wheeler Express homebuilt, and fly his innovative airplane.
  • LSA Roundup

    Light-sport models and avionics to suit all budgets

    by James Lawrence You need go no farther than a summer air show buzzing with a vibrant, colorful contingent of light-sport aircraft to see what the excitement has been all about and sense where it might take us. The LSA movement is a living, breathing example of the sheer innovation, quality and giddy diversity that has characterized personal flight from the very beginning in 1903.
  • The Big Blue World: Evektor Sportstar SL

    The Evektor SportStar SL is friendly to fly, sturdy, beautiful and roomy—and what a view!

    by James Lawrence Below, the greening, lake-dotted checkerboard of central Florida stretches in every direction. It’s a beautiful day to be flying a beautiful bird. Color me happy!

Proficiency

  • 10 Signs Of A Great Pilot

    Observations from around the patch

    by Cal Thomas All of us have spent considerable time observing our fellow aviators’ takeoffs, landings, radio communications, preflight inspections and general behavior at (and away from) the airport.
  • Formation Flying

    The risks and rewards of flying wing

    I’ve seen few things in my lifetime as beautiful as looking down on other planes in flight while on the top of a wingover. Multiple airplanes acting as one require a significant amount of discipline, dedication and practice. Even after more than 3,000 hours of flying within 20 feet of other airplanes, I know that this is an extremely risky activity that should never be attempted without considerable ground and flight training.

Products

  • August 2009 Readback by The Editors Nicolas Ivanoff of France won the second stop of the 2009 Red Bull Air Race World Championship (in San Diego, Calif.) on May 10, narrowing the distance between him and race championship leader Hannes Arch, who placed third after a bird strike cost him back-to-back wins.
  • VirtualHUD

    Low-cost HUD–coming to a propeller near you

    by James Wynbrandt William Steele was working on developing a low-cost HUD (Heads Up Display) product when a eureka moment transpired

Pilot Talk

  • A Tale Of Three Air Shows—Not

    Or how to have your column derailed by big news from Over There

    by James Lawrence It was the best of times; it was the most confusing of times. Half an hour or so into our virtual gum flap, courtesy of matching Gucci headsets and Skype’s Internet-based telephony, my head began to hurt.
  • Bringing The “Sport” Back To Flying (Kirk Hawkins)

    Appealing to the emotional rather than the practical may be the key to revitalizing GA

    In 2004, the FAA passed what has been called the “biggest change in aviation in 50 years”—it created the LSA category and sport pilot license. “So what?” you ask. You’ve already got your private, commercial, instrument, CFI and MEI ratings, and your Eagle Scout Badge.
  • Dodging The Tornados

    “Oh, by the way, could you drive a new T182 back from Lakeland, Fla., to Long Beach, Calif.?”

    by Bill Cox There are worse jobs in aviation. It was during the last two days of Sun ’n Fun 2009 that I got the call from Tom Jacobson of Tom’s Aircraft in Long Beach.
  • Fixing Flutter Is Nothing New

    Investigating violent oscillations that led to structural failure

    by Peter Katz In April, the NTSB advised the FAA to ground all Zodiac CH 601XL S-LSA and E-LSA until the FAA determines they have adequate protection from aerodynamic flutter, which occurs when airplane structures vibrate back and forth in increasingly violent oscillations, eventually reaching a point where the structure breaks apart.
  • From The Editor: Solo But Not Alone: “2’s In!” As is the case for many pilots, my student solo had been my most memorable flight, ever. What could be more exciting than the first opportunity as pilot-in-command to return an aircraft safely to earth?
  • Remembering Aviation

    We often have to see through the eyes of an outsider to appreciate what we have

    by Budd Davisson It’s interesting how we can become so close to aviation that, even though it’s fueled by passion, it takes a “civilian” to point out what a great privilege and joy it is to fly. A lot of us instructor types spend four or more hours a day in a cockpit, but we really don’t do much flying—mostly we’re riding and talking.
  • The Golden Hour

    Honoring a fallen friend

    In 2007, my team, Aerophile Air Racing, returned from a very difficult trip to the Reno Air Races.

News

  • August 2009 NOTAMS

    Plane & Pilot’s guide to aviation's most current promotional deals

    by Staff From free training to discounts and rebates, this is the place to find great promotional deals from the aviation industry’s leading companies. Be sure to check this page every month for the latest offers.
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