Staying Current
Article: Do Something Magical: Learn To Fly
I'm still learning to fly. Even three decades after earning my private pilot certificate at 17, I'm still a student pilot, and I'm okay with it. ...
Article: The Lure Of The Backcountry
Hiding far beneath the surface of aviation's well-known conservative demeanor are those who find their flying excitement off the beaten path. ...
Article: Top 20 LSA
The sky isn't falling on the LSA phenomenon, though daily reports of global financial megadoom continue apace.
Article: Dream Machines
Whether you're just one lottery ticket away from your dream machine or you've got cash burning a hole in your pocket, turbine power is the ultimate way to go. ...
Article: Piston Twins Buyer's Guide 2012
Back in the '70s and '80s, there were nearly two dozen twins on the market.
Article: Piston Singles Buyer’s Guide 2012
Despite what some folks believed was a down economy for piston aircraft, there are still nearly four dozen models on the market, and all 11 manufacturers seem to be standing strong against the recession.
Article: 10 Sexiest Airplanes
We thought we were doing something really clever when we came up with the "10 Sexiest Airplanes" idea. It wasn't until we delved into making up the list that we came face-to-face with the need to define the term "sexy."
Article: Pilot Training: Finish What You Started
More people give up on their flight training than complete it.
Article: Making The Most Of Your Aircraft Asset
There's a verse that goes: "To be successful, all you have to do is work half a day, and most of the time, you get to pick which 12 hours per day you want to work."
Article: 10 Tips For Stepping Up
Most aviators have, at some point in their lives, looked at the cloud-like contrails behind high-flying jets, and ultimately yearned to one day be flying in the flight levels.
Article: It’s The Little Things: Refurbishing On A Dime
With recent news of declining new-aircraft sales, it's pretty clear that we may be in it for the long haul when it comes to a full economic recovery. ...
Article: Today’s GA Market
It's no secret that it is absolutely a buyer's market right now," says Steve Feldman, aircraft broker for AirplanesUSA, one of the largest aircraft dealers in the nation.
Article: Caring For Your Aircraft
Aircraft ignition systems are one of those things that few pilots give much thought to. We turn the key, the prop turns, the engine catches, and we're off for another day of flying.
Article: Pilot Outlook 2010-2029: A Shortage Looms
Like the pendulum on a giant grandfather clock, the availability of aviation jobs goes back and forth in giant, lazy swings.
Article: Caring For Your Aircraft
We all know about TBO (Time Between Overhauls or Time Before Overhaul), and we put money aside—mentally, if not in fact—for engine work with every flying hour, because major work is inevitable.
Article: Sebring 2011: Rays Of Hope Ahead?
The year’s first major aviation show, Florida’s U.S. Sport Aviation Expo, went off swimmingly, if a mite frigidly in January, with good attendance, thanks to show organizer Bob Woods and his friendly volunteers.
Article: Paths To The Sky
In the seven years since FAA created the sport pilot/light-sport aircraft (SP/LSA) category, even with economic woes, nearly 2,000 LSA now grace America’s skies. ...
Article: Sporty’s 50 Years On The Pulse Of GA
I’m meandering along a quiet perimeter road at Clermont County Airport near Batavia, Ohio, on a frigid morning.
Article: The Many Roads To Aviation
Melanie Endsley never set out to become a jet pilot. “The plan was just for me to take some safety pilot lessons since I would be flying with a pilot friend in his jet,” explains Endsley.
Article: Choose Your Own Adventure
So, you just hit the lottery for a half-million bucks (after tax). This sounds like a big deal, except that it’s redundant because your spouse hit it last week for 10 million.
Article: Choosing A Six-Seater
If it’s really true that buyers of four-seat airplanes often buy two seats more than they need, the same may not be true of purchasers in the six-place class. ...
Article: LSA Buyer's Guide
What a great time to be a pilot! The economy gains traction, Big Tin (Cessna and Piper) flexes its muscles as more Skycatchers and PiperSports find homes across America, and new S-LSA—111 models as we go to press—continue to come on line.
Article: Four-Seater Buyer's Guide
Four-seat airplanes have always been the most popular configuration in general aviation.
Article: ElectriFly 2010
In 2007, a quintessential “garage inventor” named Randall Fishman showed up out of nowhere at Oshkosh AirVenture with an electric-powered ultralight—and quietly turned the aviation world on its ear.
Article: Designing Your Flight Review
Like many newly minted instructor pilots, my first “dual g...
Article: Back In The Saddle
The first thing I did was introduce myself to her. I...
Article: Make New Year’s Resolutions Count
The human race has an insatiable need for self-delusion, so every year we make promises to...
Article: Is 35 Hours Enough
The world’s flying community looks at the 35-hour yearly average for U.S. pilots and shakes its collective head. They bemoan what they perceive as a general lack of proficiency and place blame on the pilots, as though they’re doing it on pur...
Article: Jobs and Schools: Accelerated Flight And Instrument Training (AFIT)
For safety’s sake, it’s imperative that people who fly light planes for business or vacation travel hold and use an instrument rating. When flying on a hectic business schedule, for example, it’s...
