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February 2005


Aircraft

  • 1958 Cessna 172 Skyhawk ...more »
  • 2005 New Piper Seneca V ...more »
  • Origin Of The Skyhawk The straight-tailed C-172 marks the birth of the world’s most popular general-aviation airplane Origin Of The SkyhawkCan it really be almost 50 years since Cessna introduced the first C-172? In a word, yes. Next year, the Wichita, Kan., company will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the C-172’s introduction, and the rest, as no one should ever say again, is history. ...more »
  • Seneca In The Fifth Generation Long on fuel economy and lean on sticker price, New Piper’s twin carries a big bunch of admirers Seneca In The Fifth GenerationOld home week, I reminisced, as I sat in the left front seat of the 2005 Seneca V. Well, perhaps not exactly. The panel of the new Seneca V has about as much resemblance to my old company airplane’s as does a new Ford Thunderbird’s to a Model T’s. ...more »

Proficiency

  • The 10 Commandments Of Aviation Safety There are some things you should absolutely positively know about any airplane you’re flying before you even start the engine
    The 10 Commandments Of Aviation SafetySafety has always been a tough sell. Ask Bruce Landsburg of the AOPA Air Safety Foundation. Landsburg has been in the safety business for 25 years, having worked for FlightSafety in Wichita, Kan., before moving to AOPA. “The sad thing is,” says Landsburg, “much of the time, safety consciousness is a direct result of an accident post-mortem.”
    ...more »
  • Why Every Pilot Should Take Acro Learning the basic maneuvers is more important than you think
    Why Every Pilot Should Take AcroYou may wonder about the benefits of aerobatics to general-aviation pilots, especially when most pilots’ main mission primarily consists of pleasure flights to try another $100 hamburger. After all, why bother with inverted loops when you can merely enjoy the view and have a pleasant flight? The answer is simple: Anyone who practices aerobatics becomes a better, safer pilot, and the skills you learn from a professional aerobatics instructor not only can be applied to your general-aviation flights, but also to saving your life one day.
    ...more »

Pilot Talk

  • Smarter Than A Tow Bar? It hurts when even the simplest things make you feel stupid What’s the tennis ball for?” asked one of my students. Almost every one of them ask the same old question. I answered, “That’s one of the IQ tests that came with my hangar. You can’t be issued a passing grade around here until you figure it out.” ...more »

Which of the following military aircraft do you think is the sexiest?

P-51D Mustang
B-2
SR-71 Blackbird
F-16
F-22

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