AOPA Snips and Bits (November 7, 2009)
Random observations leading with: Should it be called Summit?

Airplane as Pig Sty (November 1, 2009)
Anyone who has ever flown a long cross-country in an airplane knows that the cabin turns into a disorganized mess of charts, water bottles, headsets and snack sacks. Why is that? Give us a good reason and we'll send you a hat.

Flight 60 vs. Flight 188 — The Art of Failure (November 1, 2009)
Those poor sods over at Delta who landed their B767 (with 193 aboard) on (active) taxiway M at ATL after being cleared to land on runway 27R in the pre-dawn of October 19 sure had one thing going for them -- what the pilots at Northwest were about to do on October 21 to trump them. But did they?

Flight 188 NORDO: Admirable Restraint (October 25, 2009)
Why it made sense for the F-16s to stay on the ground. (If they did.)

Arguing? You’re Kidding, Right? (October 23, 2009)
Here's why it may be better if Northwest 188's crew was actually asleep.

VLJ? What VLJ? (October 21, 2009)
For the bizjet industry, that term can't fade into obscurity fast enough.

NBAA: Somber, Resigned (October 20, 2009)
A turnaround will come. But not next week or maybe even next year.

Media Frenzy, GA Opportunity? (October 16, 2009)
The "balloon boy" story revealed some weird ideas out there about aviation, maybe the new "Amelia" film will provide a positive spin.

Balloon Boy's Media Frenzy (October 16, 2009)
Why cover it? Because it's news if DIA is about to get shutdown by a wayward science project.

Safety Is No Place For a Turf War (October 8, 2009)

More on VLJ Price Fantasies (October 5, 2009)
What shoots down the next big game changer isn't technology, it's economics.

EFIS As Lifesavers? (September 29, 2009)
Pardon me, but I'm not buying it.

GA in New York: Let's Not Roll Over (September 24, 2009)
You want to ease congestion? Lose a whole bunch of regional jets.

Airlines as FAA Customers? (September 21, 2009)
Not on my watch, says Randy Babbitt. Here's why he's got it exactly right.

USA Today Blows It On Airport Funding (September 18, 2009)
"USA Today" writer Thomas Frank apparently thinks airport funding should go to the 139 "well-known" airports that handle commercial traffic. Let's hope he doesn't have a heart attack somewhere else.

"Bang, Bang" (September 13, 2009)
Being first to break a story isn't always the best way to be first in service to your audience.

The Victor Dustup (September 10, 2009)
Yes, probably an accident. But not exactly a bolt from the blue, either.

The VLJ Price Fantasy (September 6, 2009)
Low ball prices haven't worked yet. And they probably never will.

NTSB's Hudson Recommendations: Mixed (August 30, 2009)
The board's suggestions won't fix the problem, however, because there is no problem to fix.

Batteries Should Go By Ship, Not Airplane (August 28, 2009)
ALPA is right. These things are too dangerous to fly.

No LSA For Diamond (August 26, 2009)
That's because the venerable DA20 may just run LSAs into the ground on long-term training costs.

The Past Creates The Future (August 26, 2009)
Let's not demolish the Langley Full Scale Wind Tunnel.

NTSB's Snit Fit (August 19, 2009)
Frankly, we expect more measured responses from this agency.

Hudson Midair: Let The Howling Begin (August 10, 2009)
Butin the midst of it all, there's one sane voice: New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg.

Sometimes Only A Business Jet Will Do (August 6, 2009)
Business owners will tell you that sometimes the only way to get things done is to travel by private aircraft. The State Department now understands that after Bill Clinton's successful rescue of two American journalists in North Korea via a business jet.

AirVenture: The Day After (August 3, 2009)
Soft economy or not, OSH rocked this year.

A380 At OSH: Yeah, It Was a Hard Landing (July 30, 2009)
But is it fair to say that? Here's why we think it is.

What Now, Terrafugia? (July 26, 2009)
Terrafugia's first try at a roadable aircraft wasn't terribly successful but the bright young minds behind the project are giving it another well-funded try.

Why Seeing Stars Can Be More Cool Than GPS (July 21, 2009)
Why bother knowing about celestial navigation? No reason, except that it's part of being a better pilot all around.

A Few Words About Apollo 11 (July 20, 2009)
It may have been 40 years, but the thrill still isn't gone.

The U.S. Might Not Lead In Electric Flight (July 18, 2009)
The race for a viable electric airplane might go faster if the three main U.S. proponents worked together instead of competing.

Remembering the JFK Jr. Crash (July 16, 2009)
Awful as it was, AOPA's efforts explained the tragedy in terms reporters and the general public could understand.

United Breaks Policy And Faith With Employees (July 13, 2009)
United Airlines hung its employees out to dry in the overblown case of Dave Carroll's broken guitar. Even Carroll is squirming at United's offer.

Global Warming And Airplanes (July 9, 2009)
Why no one wants to talk about it, much less do anything about it.

Something You Should See (July 4, 2009)
When a news release about a tiny wing-flapping drone came across our desks, we didn't give it the time of day. Maybe we should have.

Greener Airplanes, Bluer Skies  (July 2, 2009)
When we talk about airplanes getting greener, it's not just emissions that make the difference.

Tip of the Hat to Tampa (July 1, 2009)
How often to you complain to the airport authority and actually get a callback? At Tampa, you do.

Aviation and the $6 Hot Dog (June 29, 2009)
This is the year that food vendors at OSH and other shows need to rollback prices.

Lancair Knows News (June 27, 2009)
Lancair has it right when it comes to media relations. It's handling of a gear-up landing in the Evolution Turbine is a model for other companies on how to deal with uncomfortable news.

Amphib LSAs: It Doesn't Get Any Better (June 19, 2009)
But don't take our word for it. Go get a demo flight. If it doesn't peg your fun meter, you don't have a pulse.

Colgan Fallout: What's With The Secrecy? (June 16, 2009)
Seems to us if the government is holding a hearing on air safety, they shouldn't be doing it behind closed doors.

Why Speculating on Crashes Is a Good Thing (June 15, 2009)
It clarifies your thinking, and you might even learn something.

GA A Soft Target for Security? (June 10, 2009)
Pilot David Perry and his passengers were detained, searched and interrogated at gunpoint last month in Long Beach, Calif., and the Customs and Border Protection Agency won't say why. Is this what general aviation security will look like in the future?

Air France: This One's Gonna Be Tough (June 4, 2009)
Professional-grade speculation gets lots of mileage out of Airbus's complex fly by wire. Is that just a whipping boy?

Good Gov, Bad Gov (June 2, 2009)
You have to cheer when the FAA spanks a local anti-aviation city council. That's good use of tax dollars if you ask us.

Is Stall Training Broken? (May 29, 2009)
And if it is, are glass cockpits making it worse?

Colgan: No Experience, No Judgment (May 26, 2009)
If the Colgan crash in Buffalo showed us anything, it might be that learning to fly in a sunny climate can be bad for your — and your passengers — health.

Why Did The Feds Seize Claude's Skyraider? (May 21, 2009)
For the past six months Claude Hendrickson, of Bessemer, Ala., has been the happy owner of a vintage Douglas AD-4N Skyraider but the beautiful aircraft has been seized by ICE. Inquiring minds want to know why.

Was Buffalo Disaster A Glimpse Of The Future? (May 16, 2009)
The NTSB hearing into the crash of a Colgan Air Dash-8 Q400 in Buffalo in February raised serious questions about the process of staffing the cockpits of regional airliners.

The Power of GPS Confidence (May 13, 2009)
We talk a bunch about GPS and position awareness, but there's another aspect we don't talk about as much. Call it "position confidence." Doubt in the cockpit can cause confusion and delay. Remove the doubt and you may find yourself dealing with ATC in a whole new way.

Sean Tucker's Fuel Exhaustion Adventure (May 8, 2009)
For the wise guys among us, Sean Tucker's fuel exhaustion event is a gentle reminder that self-confidence doesn't support combustion.

Is Sun 'n Fun, Like, Over? (May 4, 2009)
The current recession shaved the top off attendance at Sun 'n Fun. But don't sweat it, this show's not going anywhere except back to Lakeland next April.

FAA's Turn Toward Secrecy (April 29, 2009)
Wait a minute ... isn't the FAA supposed to assure public safety in aviation? So why did it bury the White House photo op notification?

New York to White House: Are You %$#&*^& Nuts? (April 27, 2009)
On a scale of 1 to 10 for stupidity, the White House decision to buzz New York with Air Force One for a photo op is a 13. Not telling anyone about it ahead of time borders on evil.

Marc and Paul's Sportsman Pre-Sun 'n Fun Video Blog (Part 5) (April 18, 2009)
The guys finally make it out of Winnemuca after two days of snow and ice and cross the Sierras back into the Golden State.

Marc and Paul's Sportsman Pre-Sun 'n Fun Video Blog (Part 4) (April 17, 2009)
Marc and Paul runnamucca in Winnemucca! That's in Nevada, by the way — and home of the friendliest FBO on the planet. Good thing, 'cuz the boys have been snowed in there for two days. Here's the dramatic details in the final installment of the Sportsman Pre-Sun 'n Fun vid blog.

OSH Tower Waste Is Tragic (April 16, 2009)
The old air traffic control tower at Wittman Regional Airport in Oshkosh was pulverized and hauled to the dump last week. AVweb's Russ Niles thinks that's a tragic waste.

Marc and Paul's Sportsman Pre-Sun 'n Fun Video Blog (Part 2) (April 15, 2009)
Marc Cook and Paul Bertorelli continue their Sportsman odyssey with a look at this unique aircraft.

Marc and Paul's Sportsman Pre-Sun 'n Fun Video Blog (Part 1) (April 14, 2009)
Gearing up for the Sun 'n Fun extravaganza in Lakeland, Kitplanes editor Marc Cook and AVweb editorial director Paul Bertorelli are motoring around the west in Cook's Glastar Sportsman visiting companies prior to the show. Here's their first video blog report.

Aviation News: Dog Bites Man (April 10, 2009)
Was the stolen Cessna 172 story just media sensationalism? Maybe so. But readers still want to read about it.

Enola Gay: History's Surprises (April 9, 2009)
Front and center at the National Air and Space Museum's Udvar-Hazy Center is the Enola Gay, the legendary B-29 that flew into history in August, 1945. The pilot's seat looks as it did in 1945, except for one important detail.

Stolen 172: Foot, Meet Mouth (April 7, 2009)
Oh great idea! Let's leave the keys in airplanes on the flight line. That'll really impress everyone.

Cessna's Rise (April 3, 2009)
There was tough talk from a tough competitor at the Aircraft Electronics Association meeting in Dallas as Cessna's Jack Pelton doled out some strong medicine for an industry facing tough challenges.

TCM Tackles the Fuel Problem (April 1, 2009)
For nearly three decades we've been writing stories about the difficult struggle to find an octane enhancer as good as lead, and now here comes TCM to say, well, never mind. It reminds me of that classic headline about World War I: "Archduke Found Alive; War a Mistake."

Is Babbitt Good For GA? (March 28, 2009)
Randy Babbitt will have his plate full instantly (assuming he is confirmed as FAA administrator), but the main question is the way he'll lean on key issues, based on President Barack Obama's public posture on GA.

The Air Force's Dud Airplane Names (March 24, 2009)
In a stunning lack of imagination, the Air Force will name the F-35 the Lightning II. Geez, guys, have a naming contest or something.

Our Future Starts Now (March 20, 2009)
Non-profit aviation organizations are struggling as much or more as the rest of us during this downturn and if you can spare anything to help them out you'll help ensure they're there when this passes.

Note To the Air Force: Butt Out (March 13, 2009)
Why do otherwise sober-sided military services make stupid decisions like forcing the CAF to give back its Twin Mustang? Childishness comes to mind.

Swift Fuel: Is It for Real? (March 8, 2009)
Swift Fuel, a bio-based replacement for 100LL, sounds too good to be true. But if the stars align, it just might succeed.

When Trained Pilots Make Dumb Mistakes (March 4, 2009)
Sometimes we have trouble understanding how and why this happens. Here's why we shouldn't.

Awful Media Coverage of Crashes (March 1, 2009)
Falling out of the sky! Deadly icing! Dangerous stalls! Oh, the humanity! (And why it's not really that bad.)

Dear Mr. President: Give Us a Break, Willya? (February 25, 2009)
Yeah, we know: Some companies abused bizjets. Can we get over it now and move on?

Looking Past Eclipse (February 25, 2009)
Eclipse Aviation's rapid descent into oblivion didn't do aviation in general any favors but there are lessons to be learned from it tedious demise.

ADM, Chaos Theory, and Why There Will Always Be Crashes (February 19, 2009)
The final details of why Flight 3407 crashed outside of Buffalo will be a while in coming, but whether icing or error is singled out as the final cause, crashes like this will always be part of travel by air. At least every once in a while.

Handing Out Stimulus Money? Let's Save Datalink WX (February 19, 2009)
Sirius XM's bankruptcy would crater datalink weather. Why not have the government buy it with stimulus cash instead of chasing ADS-B?

3407 in Buffalo: FAA Better Pray It's Not Icing (February 15, 2009)
If icing turns out to be the cause, the tragic crash of Flight 3407 in Buffalo may cast harsh light on FAA footdragging in requiring better ice protection and procedures for Part 25 turboprops.

Pelton Gets to the Point (February 11, 2009)
While the world waits for a miracle from the trillions of dollars government is pouring into economic stimulus, Cessna's Jack Pelton is urging the industry to get busy and get flying.

Sullenberger and Haynes: Cut From the Same Cloth (February 8, 2009)
Sullenberger and Haynes: Cut From the Same Cloth Watching Chesley Sullenberger's interview with Katie Couric made us think, "hey, we know this guy." But no, we were channeling Al Haynes.

Flight 1549: You Were Expecting Maybe Shrieks of Panic? (February 6, 2009)
You want to hear how first class ATC coordination is done? Listen to New York TRACON's handling of USAir Flight 1549.

Cirrus: Taking the Chill Out of Icing (February 4, 2009)
With its new certified into known ice package, Cirrus has kicked up weather flying to a new level.

BizAv, Meet Darwin (January 29, 2009)
Business aviation isn't just coping with the suddenly rotten economy, it's fighting the perception that it's irrelevant and wasteful in these circumstances. Those who adapt to the new realities will survive, even thrive.

Light Sport in Sebring: Bucking the Tide (January 27, 2009)
Sebring's Sport Aircraft Expo continues to show this market segment has legs. Attendance was good and exhibitors sold some airplanes.

Airmanship to Live For: Flight 1549 (January 16, 2009)
USAirways Flight 1549 was a textbook ditching with the best outcome imaginable. Here's why we'll learn plenty from it.

Aviation United? We Can Hope (January 14, 2009)
Virtually all aviation industry groups are in on a lobbying effort to get the government to allocate money for aviation projects. Why isn't it like this all the time?

Cultural Collision: Why Brazil Blew The Legacy Probe (December 23, 2008)
Brazil stumped the rest of the world with its wrong-headed conclusion about the Legacy/GOL accident. Here's why.

Diamond: Doing the Right Thing? (December 17, 2008)
For some Twin Star owners, the Diamond/Thielert front has been a little too quiet this fall. But Diamond now has solutions for beached DA42 owners, or soon will have.

Numbskulls in Detroit: Part Deux (December 9, 2008)
Let the games begin: Bailout money, yes; corporate aircraft, no.

Do You Buy a Position or Assume It? (December 2, 2008)
A reader recently wrote AVweb complaining that Eclipse hasn't refunded his EA400 deposit. Are you guys paying attention out there?

Reasons to Love a Parade (December 1, 2008)
Dances with airplanes. (Yes, there are pictures.)

Should Pieper Retain Eclipse? (November 25, 2008)
As Eclipse Aviation's biggest investor, CEO Roel Pieper has the most to lose in the company's collapse. Does that mean he's the right person to try and save it?

GA Isn't Always the Right Answer, But These Days It Looks Wrong Even When It's Right (November 23, 2008)
We like to point out how great it is to travel by light aircraft. But IFR editor Jeff Van West says we're just doing all of GA a disservice when we stretch this point too far.

How Not to Win Friends for Biz Aviation (November 20, 2008)
Wouldn't you think at least someone at Ford would see the folly of flying to Washington in a corporate jet to ask for the government for money? You'd think that. But, you'd be wrong.

Want an Airplane Partner? Here's Help Finding One (November 19, 2008)
Building an airplane partnership has always been hit or miss--mostly miss. The newly formed Aircraft Partnership Association wants to use the Web to change that. Here's how it works.

Recessionary Paradox: GA Innovates As It Shrinks (November 18, 2008)
Arguing that GA is dying is like saying a fat man on a diet is committing suicide.

I'll Miss Jerry Smith (November 13, 2008)
Garmin's Jerry Smith was recently killed in the crash of his Cardinal. He knew everyone in the GA business and everyone knew him. We'll miss him.

Hard (But Friendly) Times For Aviation (November 7, 2008)
As the economic problems trickle into aviation, the atmosphere couldn't be friendlier at AOPA Expo 2008.

TSA's Dangerous New Proposal (November 4, 2008)
Slowly but surely, the TSA is chipping away at the freedom of movement general aviation flying represents. And that's why you need to comment on its latest proposal. Jeb Burnside explains.

Viral Video Is Just What The Creators Ordered (October 30, 2008)
You've probably already seen it by now and made up your own mind but is the YouTube video of a Red Bull-type race plane losing a wing and then miraculously landing the real deal? Our Editor-in-Chief doesn't think so.

Recession? What Recession? Airplane Sales Tell the Tale (October 29, 2008)
Aircraft sales are the canary in the mineshaft when it comes to leading economic indicators. Thus far, brokers say they haven't seen a major downturn.

Unbundling: The Sensible Way to Price Airline Fares? (October 25, 2008)
Air Canada unbundled its airfare structure in 2004. Could the same solution keep U.S. passengers from getting steamed when charged to check a bag?

Fresh Blood for Aviation, One Waiter at a Time (October 21, 2008)
A chance meeting in a chain restaurant may have launched a career in aviation for a young Orlando man, but it should be easier than this.

If Oil Is Cheaper, Why Isn't Avgas Cheaper, Too? (October 14, 2008)
If oil prices are falling, why isn't avgas cheaper? It may be. You just haven't seen it yet.

Higher Horsepower Engines for Older Airframes (October 13, 2008)
You don't have to break the bank to install a higher horsepower engine in an older airframe.

Why Falling Oil Prices Aren't Good News (October 10, 2008)
In the current economic gloom, oil prices are in retreat. That's a good thing, right? No, it's not. And here's why.

BizBlog: Making Believers of Light Jet Buyers (October 8, 2008)
AAI Acquisitions showed up at NBAA to flog the A700. But is just showing up enough?

BizBlog: A Collective Holding of Breath (October 6, 2008)
At NBAA, the gathering credit crisis is topic number one. Gloomy is the wrong word, but spooked comes to mind.

There Are Affordable Airplanes: The Katana Is One (October 3, 2008)
In a market swooning over new models costing well north of a half million bucks, Diamond's Katana bought used stands out as an affordable way to stay in the air for a little more than pocket change's worth of fuel.

FSS Under Lockmart: Stop Whining and Lobby For Some Better Tools (September 22, 2008)
Don't like the brave new world of Lockheed-Martin's Flight Service? Too bad. It's here to stay and after three years of working at it they've clawed their way back up to the level of adequate. Some of what we once had with locally knowledgeable briefers is gone forever, but at least one gem of bygone days could be brought back with the right software and some willing users.

Fresh Hell for Eclipse: A Poster Child for FAA Mismanagement (September 19, 2008)
In 2006, the FAA wasn't moving quickly enough to certify Eclipse's EA500, so the company pressured the agency from the top to move faster. Here's why that will ultimately slow certification projects for everyone.

Why Don't You Have an Engine Monitor? (September 19, 2008)
Why Don't You Have an Engine Monitor: In the era of $6 and higher gas, there's no reason not to have one of these devices. It will help with leaning and provide all-important engine maintenance cues. Read all about monitors in this article from Light Plane Maintenance.

Thielert's Recovery: Call Us Skeptical (September 16, 2008)
Thielert's insolvency master says it has found investors for the troubled diesel engine maker. We just don't see how they find value in the company.

Eclipse's Difficult Future: Why Success May Be Elusive (September 9, 2008)
As Eclipse seeks its next round of funding, the challenges it faces or more difficult than ever. In this blog, Paul Bertorelli offers penetrating analysis of the company's chances.

Piper Matrix: A Surprise Top Seller (September 2, 2008)
When Piper announced the Matrix--a stripped down version of its Mirage--Aviation Consumer thought the thing would be a sales loser. Here's why the reverse has been true.

Florida, Hurricanes and Airplanes: A Second Look (August 27, 2008)
Flying an airplane out of the path of an approaching hurricane involves some tricky decisionmaking.

Florida, Airplanes and Hurricanes (August 22, 2008)
Why don't more owners move their airplanes out of a hurricane's path? One reason is that insurance companies don't expect them to. Paul Bertorelli argues that this is short sighted because it encourages victimhood and costs us all money.

It's Not Business As Usual In Russia (August 18, 2008)
All of a sudden Russia and the U.S. are toe-to-toe again, and it's probably not going to be the last time. What does that mean for GA?

Don't Count on the Industry to Invent Cheap Flying; It's Not Gonna Happen (August 6, 2008)
Flying and cheap shouldn't be used in the same sentence. Why can't we learn that lesson?

What Does Affordable Flying Mean to You? (August 2, 2008)
At AirVenture Oshkosh, EAA has made a laudable effort during these financially challenging times to demonstrate that the point of entry for purchasing and building an airplane can be as low as buying a car — but the organization seems to be missing the point that the first check, the one to buy the aircraft, is probably the smallest check they'll ever write for an aviation purchase. It is the cost of maintaining and actually flying their craft that adds up.

Show Attendance: Up, Down or No Change? (July 31, 2008)
If there are fewer people at OSH this year, it's not obvious. Airplane people are a resilient lot, it seems.

Vern Raburn: Never Saw It Coming? (July 28, 2008)
Vern Raburn was shown the door at the company he created. Why did things go so horribly wrong?

Avidyne's Not to Be Outdone (July 27, 2008)
GA's next big thing is synthetic vision. Now that we have that out of the way, how about an HUD?

The New Kitbuilt Rules: Endangering the Freedom of the Many for the Excesses of the Few (July 26, 2008)
The FAA tried to clarify confusion over the oft-discussed 51 percent rule in the kitbuilt community. Here's why they made things worse.

GA Has Its Own Version of the Airline Mess… (July 21, 2008)
Paul Bertorelli opines on why GA is asleep at the switch when it comes to doing something about the escalating price of oil.

Raise the #@!$% Fares: Part II (July 13, 2008)
The airlines want you become a junior lobbyist and urge Congress to crack down on oil speculators. What they should be doing is asking you to demand a consistent, practical national energy policy.

A Codeshare Agreement To Watch (July 9, 2008)
In what may be the first codeshare agreement of its kind, low-cost carriers Southwest and Canada's Westjet have given each other access to their networks. The legacy carriers should be worried, especially if this kind of thinking spreads.

Hal Shevers Told the FAA to Rent Airplanes Somewhere Else: Here's Why (July 2, 2008)
It's hard enough for a flightschool to make money without the FAA coming along to muck things up by causing chaos on the ramp and tearing up the airplanes.

Earth to Airlines: Raise the #@!$% Fares (June 29, 2008)
Passengers have figured out that airfares must rise. Why can't the airlines do the same?

ICON: A Jetski With Wings (Can You Tow It With A Prius?) (June 26, 2008)
Can glamor and a "can-do" attitude create a practical, saleable and functional aircraft for under $140,000? Marc Cook, the editor of our sister publication Kitplanes, says he'll believe it when he sees the much-vaunted ICON fly.

Aviation Regulators Need To Embrace Technology (June 19, 2008)
Live-saving aviation technologies are available--if only the road from tech to flight deck wasn't so long and slow.

Forget Gas Prices, Stupidity Is Killing GA (June 15, 2008)
Asinine GA airport security procedures are enough to make anyone go on a holy tear. Here's our swing at that ball.

Will Apple Kill Garmin? (June 11, 2008)
Garmin gets serious competition from Apple with the new iPhone. But will customers really flock to a navigation-capable cellphone?

Recalling the Big One: Not WW II, The Great Leaning War (June 4, 2008)
Here's an amazing number: Merely by operating engines lean of peak, aircraft owners are saving themselves more than $30 million a year. That's a big number. Will Lycoming ever embrace the idea?

Thielert's Flawed Economics (And Why the Company Knows It) (May 29, 2008)
Our analysis of Thielert's new diesel engine pricing shows that the diesels now cost more than twice as much as a turbine engine to maintain. We don't see how this can work.

Thielert: How To Kill A Company (Maybe Two) (May 23, 2008)
If Thielert thinks it will dig itself out from bankruptcy with its stratospheric new parts prices and no warranties, it's likely in for a rude shock.

Cirrus Goes With Garmin…But This Time, It’s Different (May 20, 2008)
It was probably inevitable that Cirrus would eventually offer the SR22 with the Garmin G1000. But they've designed a version of it that offers exceptional integration and ease of use.

EBACE Notes, Gripes and Accolades (May 19, 2008)
After three tries, I have the power converter that works with my computer, I've figured out the shower and the lights in the hotel room (let me know your experiences with that) and have been utterly smitten with the beauty of the surroundings and the puzzled and bemused helpfulness of the people. And in one day I've seen graphically the imperative of following the global shift in this industry. Now, if I could only get my cell phone to work ... .

Wanted: Aerodiesel from Honda (May 8, 2008)
If the Germans have had their chance with aerodiesels in the Thielert Centurion engines, maybe it's time for Honda to take a swing at it.

Maybe It's Not About the Airplane (May 7, 2008)
Maybe the VLJ is not the critical asset to make air taxi services work. Take a modern turboprop like a Caravan or a TBM or Pilatus, and park it next to the last-century light twins that used to form the bulk of the air-taxi fleet, and there's no comparison. The leap from these modern turboprops to the new VLJs is a much smaller one -- in overall performance, point-to-point, some of them are virtually even.

There Are Glimmers Of Hope In This Air Taxi Thing (May 7, 2008)
I can't ever remember DayJet saying they were going to set the aviation world on its ear. All I remember is them saying they thought this air taxi thing with a cheap little jet might work. And it still might.

Thielert: How Big a Mess and Can Anyone Fix It? (April 28, 2008)
Thielert is now insolvent. But can anyone fix its underlying problems? What if the engines themselves just aren't economically viable?

Class Warfare in the Skies (April 27, 2008)
Something that's always struck me as odd about this whole user fee thing is that it's one of those rare political issues where the proletariats have come to the rescue of the bourgeoisie.

Thielert's Board is Steamed, and Here's Why That's Not Good (April 24, 2008)
It's quite possible that Thielert could find itself in receivership. If it does, this will complicate life for owners of Thielert diesels, for Diamond Aircraft and for Cessna. It's hard to imagine how a bankruptcy won't momentarily interrupt deliveries of new engines and parts—which haven't been all that great to begin with, say Diamond and owners we have interviewed. There's obviously a large enough installed base to constitute a business worth reviving but it's hardly a lead pipe cinch toward profitability.

When AVweb's There, We're Right There (April 16, 2008)
AVweb Video Editor Glenn Pew wanted to capture what it's like to fly the inverted ribbon cut, a signature element of Patty's popular airshow. After strapping the camera in place, Glenn helped set up the ribbon alongside the runway and he stood by as Patty made the low altitude pass.

Volunteer-Built Zenith 701 Headed for Missions ... (April 12, 2008)
When I saw the request posted by Jim Hoak on the Matronics Zenith email list, calling for builders to assist volunteers in an unusual and worthy project, the metal bug bit again. The volunteers planned to build a Zenith 701 during the six days of Sun 'n Fun, built from a kit purchased by one of the workshop members. When the aircraft is completed (and dubbed Angel 1), it will be donated to a missionary organization.

Celier Aviation Xenon Shines in Chopper Town (April 10, 2008)
It’s taxicab yellow and bulbous on the bottom, but when Mike Bantum fires up the turbocharged intercooled Rotax 912 on the Celier Xenon gyroplane, heads turn to watch the twin-tailed gyroplane pre-rotate its extruded rotorblades and then roll just a hundred feet or so as it seems to hop into the air.

LightSPEED Aviation Announces Improvements to Zulu ANR Headset (April 11, 2008)
A lot of buzz has surrounded LightSPEED Aviation's newest ANR headset, the Zulu, introduced at AirVenture 2007, with the first sets shipping in September 2007. Featuring Bluetooth connectivity between the headset and your cellphone, MP3 player or other compatible devices, LightSPEED has integrated current (and convenient) technology with the headset's aviation-specific features.

New Insight Engine Monitor and So Much More (April 10, 2008)
A buddy intercepted me on the flight line, and said there was this new engine monitor on display that you could use to balance your prop. After I got my brain to accept this concept, I went to find out myself, and ended up at the Insight Instrument Corporation booth.

New EFISes Star at Sun 'n Fun (April 8, 2008)
Several new EFIS models and upgrades have been introduced at the Sun 'n Fun Fly-In.

Andair Announces New Throttle Quadrant (April 9, 2008)
Following on an impressive line of fuel system components manufactured from high quality materials and methods, Andy Phillips of Andair is proudly displaying his new throttle quadrant system at this year's Sun 'n Fun.

E-Mag Adds Evolved Magnetos to Lineup (April 9, 2008)
E-Mag Electronic Ignition of Azle, Texas, had plenty of new goodies at their Sun 'n Fun booth this year. The prototype of the new six-cylinder electronic magneto was on display, along with software that allows the pilot to precisely set the E-Mag ignition timing parameters while in flight.

Trio Avionics’ EZ Pilot: Built for Safety (April 9, 2008)
It is not that other autopilots are unsafe, but the EZ Pilot products, an autopilot and an altitude select/hold servo (two independent units) are both designed with key safety features that are not typically seen on autopilots.

Kitplanes Mag Reports from Sun 'n Fun (April 10, 2008)
Tuesday's weather and mood were considerably better, with good foot traffic on the grounds and plenty of activity in the four big hangars housing the indoor exhibits. The overall mood is that homebuilts are far from endangered.

Aspen's Evolution EFIS: So Simple a Caveman Could Operate It (April 10, 2008)
On the surface, the Evolution might look like just another glass display, but the potential game changer for the market is the price/capability ratio.

If You Can't Handle Migs, Don't Fly in Mig Alley (Applies Also to F-16s) (April 1, 2008)
I'm trying to be sympathetic here, but as a former F-16 and now airline pilot friend of mine says, if you play in the sandbox, expect to get sand in your shoes. The rules of operating inside active MOAs are clearly stated in the Aeronautical Information Manual. I won't quote it chapter and verse here, but the upshot is you're permitted to use the airspace, but you do so at your own risk, unless you're under IFR.

Our Wasteful Training Habits (March 26, 2008)
We're wasting fuel in the name of safety and it's time we started sharpening our flying habits to save money and the environment.

A Bad Rap for GA? (March 25, 2008)
On March 15 at Aspen-Pitkin County Airport, frustrated airline passengers were told via the PA system that the reason they were delayed was that there were too many private aircraft getting in the way of airliners. Of course it was much more complicated than that but the message was heard by hundreds of people just looking for someone to blame for their inconvenience.

Are Diesels Really More Economical? (March 13, 2008)
As avgas approaches a $5 average, will the economy of diesels sway the market? To answer this question, I spent the last couple of weeks exhaustively researching the diesel vs. gas economy question. The final report will appear in the April issue of The Aviation Consumer.

The Courts and Aircraft Certification (March 13, 2008)
A Seattle lawyer says his goal in a suit concerning the crash of a Cessna Grand Caravan is to have the aircraft decertified for flight into known icing. AVweb's Editor-in-Chief says it's none of the court's business and urges the aviation community to keep an eye on the case.

Collier Irrelevance? (March 9, 2008)
The Collier is for people and technologies that have been proven as game changers in aviation. That's not to say there shouldn't be an award for the hopeful and optimistic projects out there that might just make it. But the Collier shouldn't be it.

Experimental "51%" Solutions — Is Primary Category the Answer? (March 3, 2008)
Could, as the Aviation Rulemaking Committee suggests, Primary Category be the bridge between super-fast-build Experimentals and the turnkey (but noncertified) aircraft the market seems to demand? Is the so-far good record of LSA enough to make it viable?

The Bio-Fuel Delusion (February 27, 2008)
I'd wager that no reasonable man (or woman) believes that planting and mowing hectares of palm trees will yield enough bio-fuel to make a measurable dent in the Jet A market ... .

Lost in Space (February 25, 2008)
In 1969, we flung three guys into space and two of them landed on the moon and came back home with a suitcase full of moon rocks. With the exception of subsequent Apollo missions, no one has done it since. And 39 years later, no one's even close.

Adam Aircraft: If Only They'd Listened... (February 12, 2008)
With a crashing thunderstorm as a backdrop and the National Geographic light that rainbows and sun slanting through the deluge creates, the A700 tracked smartly through Aeroshell Square on its way to the Adam exhibit. Not only was it the first VLJ to fly to Oshkosh, it was great to look at and had features (like a potty) that the others didn't. Sure, it was just a shell at that time but you could see it was going places. From the time it arrived, the Adam exhibit was always the most crowded and the buzz from an otherwise lackluster show was all about the A700. In sports and politics, they call that momentum.