August 2005
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Aircraft
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"Star Wars!"
The Force behind the Diamond DA42 Austrian invasion
by Douglas Colby
Okay, perhaps it’s true other countries outdo the USA when it comes to manufacturing automobiles, computers and TV sets, but there has never been any serious competition with America’s general aviation airplanes. Companies such as Piper, Cessna, Beech, Mooney, Maule, Cirrus, Lancair, American Champion, American General, Commander and Grumman-American have accounted for the vast majority of light aircraft sales in the last half-century. ...more »
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1978 Grumman-American Tiger AA5B
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2005 Diamond DA42 Twin Star
by Staff
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Light Sport Aircraft Are Here And Flying!
Now, there’s no argument whether or not LSA designs will become a reality
by Douglas Colby
 As some pilots may have heard, the FAA finally handed down its completed rulemaking regarding light sport aircraft (LSA) and sport pilots this past April 15 (perhaps, more than coincidentally, tax day) at the Sun ’n Fun Air Show in Lakeland, Fla. The LSA regulations were several years in the making, the consummation of extensive lobbying efforts by virtually all of aviation’s alphabet groups. In fact, the final rules reflect extensive input by the EAA and AOPA, an example of what can happen in that rare instance when the government actually listens to the people it represents. ...more »
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Straight Talk From Superior Air Parts
The industry’s largest producer of aftermarket cylinders and parts sets its sights on the certified engine business
by Dale Smith
 Superior Air Parts, Inc. (www.superiorairparts.com), knows the value of getting the “little things” right because that’s what its business was founded on. In 1967, it manufactured little piston-engine replacement parts, like valve guides, gaskets and piston rings for the USAF. It wasn’t long after, when the opportunity to provide these parts to the general-aviation (GA) market appeared, that it moved into the commercial sector. ...more »
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Tonry’s Tiger
This snappy little four-seater was so far ahead of its time, it’s hard to beat the amount of fun you can have flying it!
by Bud Corban
 Every pilot loves the Tiger. It’s hard not to. The airplane is one of the ultimate concessions to fun flying, a sporty, eager, little single with just enough practical application to justify it in the minds of those who would never buy a pure fun machine. |
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Proficiency
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Avoiding Midair Collisions
Here’s what you can do to “see and be seen” when flying into high-traffic airspace
by Bill Cox
 It was over so fast, it was almost as if it hadn’t happened. And, of course, fortunately for everyone, it hadn’t. It was only a blur in my peripheral vision, so fleeting that I wasn’t really sure it was there. It may have been a Seneca or Twin Comanche, angling in from my 10 o’clock. The airplane was slightly below me, and I had one of those terrifying, stop-action glimpses of two people in the cockpit, the pilot looking down at his instruments and the right-seater staring at him.
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Top 10 Pilot Errors
Here’s a smart way to look before you leap onto the next flight
by David Ison
 One of the most disturbing statistics about general-aviation accidents is that more than 75% of them are made because of pilot error. Considering that it’s unlikely that pilots are going away anytime soon, the solution comes in the form of prevention. Saying this is easy, but actually making progress toward this goal is rather problematic. The first step toward eliminating pilot error is to examine the enemy. Just what types of errors are pilots committing and why? Then, armed with this information, pilots can make a concerted effort to avoid such mistakes through a fusion of training, planning and keen attention. ...more »
Pilot Talk
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A Chance Meeting
Sometimes reviewing the latest NOTAMs and TFRs isn’t enough
by Bill Cox
There I was, climbing through 5,500 feet in southeastern Texas, when I had a close encounter with a Boeing 747 named Air Force One. It was closer than I would have liked, anyway. ...more »
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The Derelicts
Are airplanes ever so far gone that they’re truly dead?
by Budd Davisson
I’ve mentioned them before—those long-dead, thoroughly baked carcasses I taxi past each day that at some time in the past, were airplanes. Now they’re aeronautically shaped mounds of dust and bird droppings that occupy the last tie-down spots on the ramp. It’s as if they’re purposely quarantined away from “real” airplanes, those that fly, so as to not pass on the lethal disease they may carry. Out here, we refer to those kinds of airplanes as roaches. Don’t ask why. It just seems to fit. ...more »
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Turbulent Times
Grappling with gusting winds during landings
by Peter Katz
A few weeks ago, New York was experiencing an extended period of rainy weather, accompanied by what seemed like constant low overcasts, reduced visibility and winds that were designed to test the quality of airplane tiedown ropes. I was really looking forward to the break in the weather that had been forecast for the coming weekend. ...more »
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