In this video, veteran Reno Racer Thom Richard tells what it's like to wail around the pylons at Reno in a Formula 1 race aircraft. It's powered by a 100hp O-200, but Invictus — which was on display at AOPA Summit in Tampa this week — is still capable of nearly 250 MPH. It's hot, high-G work, but it's also six minutes of one of the biggest shots of adrenaline in aviation.
So what if new aircraft sales are in the tank? You can still fix up an older airframe to near new standards. Two companies at AOPA Summit were offering such upgrades, and a third, Premier Aircraft, is offering a premium upgrade to new Diamond DA40s that can include air conditioning, plus a second alternator and comfy upgraded leather seats. Nexair Avionics saw an opportunity in Avidyne's sophisticated Release 9 EFIS and is selling legacy Saratogas with this big glass upgrade. Sierra Industries is taking a similar tack, but they're using Garmin's G500 in their Super Centurion upgrade. This video offers a quick glimpse at products from all three companies.
Aspen is now shipping its new EFD 1000 companion MFD to the popular PFD. AVweb's Paul Bertorelli got a checkout with Aspen's Scott Smith prior to the AOPA Summit.
Lockheed 12 owner Joe Shepherd got the rarest of opportunities: His fully restored airplane was used in the film Amelia, now playing in cinemas across the country. Shepherd tells what it was like to play a small but important part in a major film.
Cessna moves ever closer to opening the spigot on LSA production. The company arrived at AOPA Summit with a confirming version of the 162 Skycatcher, and AVweb took a spin.
It burns 10 gallons an hour of auto gas and can do 150 knots. But is there a market for a Rotax-powered twin in the U.S.? AVweb's Jeff Van West takes a closer look at Tecnam's unique piston twin.
Exclusive Video: Diamond's DA20 with Aspen and Garmin By Paul Bertorelli
Diamond Aircraft has always stepped right out there with innovation, and even in its modest DA20 trainer, the company is offering two glass panel choices. AVweb recently took a look at the Aspen EFD1000 and Garmin G500, both offered as options in the DA20.
The Dornier 328 is a perfectly fine 32-seat airliner, but can it also be a decent bizjet. Livejet thinks so and they're converting the former airliners into a 12-seat, large-cabin business aircraft. At NBAA 2009, Russ Niles took a tour of the first conversion.
Would any air force actually buy a turboprop attack aircraft in an age of jets? Hawker Beechcraft thinks so and is pitching the T-6 trainer as a candidate.
To be truly useful, a business airplane needs to have ready and reliable access to broadband internet. As explained in this video, there are a number of sources to pick from.
Where others have tread and failed, Stratos now goes boldly with a new very light jet. Can they pull it off? Here's Alex Craig to explain why the company thinks it can succeed.
Exclusive Video: Flying the Zeppelin NT with Airship Ventures By Mary Grady
Pilots who signed up for sightseeing flights over San Francisco in the new Zeppelin NT kept asking the crew if they could take a turn in the front seat. Tired of having to say no, the company created a special day-long program just for pilots. AVweb's Mary Grady tried it out during a session in Long Beach last month, and here is her report.
Exclusive Video: Garmin's New Traffic Products By Paul Bertorelli
At Oshkosh this year, Garmin announced the new GT-series traffic awareness and collision avoidance products. These devices are priced according to capability and aircraft mission. In this video, we take a quick look at all three systems.
Exclusive Video: On "Non-God-Fearing Aircraft" By Glenn Pew
Stability is a good thing ... except when it isn't. Nearly all general aviation aircraft are inherently stable, which makes them, in the words of military experimental test pilot Desmond "Deuce" Brophy, "God-fearing aircraft." But the fighter jets Brophy flies and tests are a little different. During our visit to the flight test center at Edwards Air Force Base, Brophy explained the fundamental aerodynamic differences between the aircraft we fly and what he calls "non-God-fearing aircraft."
Exclusive Video: Aviation Consumer's DA42 NG Flight Trial By Paul Bertorelli
With its new Austro engines, the new DA42 NG is a strong performer and a bit more economical than the previous version of this aircraft. AVweb editorial director Paul Bertorelli took a spin in one last month, and here's his report.
Exclusive Video: Why Did This Landing Go Wrong? By Paul Bertorelli
Another YouTube star is born. This time, it's a runway overshoot on St. Barthélemy's notoriously short runway 10/28. Several readers drew our attention to this video, and we've done an analysis on what went wrong. St. Bart's is short, all right, but really not that different from a hundred other runways cluttered up with trees, towers, and close-in terrain. This is a stark, metal-bending lesson in airspeed control.
Exclusive Video: Victor Bomber Take-Off — Hero or Hoax? By Paul Bertorelli
At an air show, an old Handley Page Victor bomber was supposed to do a taxiby photo op. Instead, it took off. The explanation? The co-pilot accidentally firewalled the throttles. Really? You be the judge.
Exclusive Video: Avro Lancaster Bomber Tour By Glenn Pew
With only two left flying, the Avro Lancaster is among the rarest of the rare of World War II aircraft. AVweb recently toured one when it appeared at EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh.
Exclusive Video: Loss of Control in an F-16 Fighter, Test Pilot on Yaw Departure By Glenn Pew
At Edwards Air Force Base, they still test F-16 fighters, because each software upgrade and each new weapons package introduces new parameters. Experimental test pilots need to identify the aircraft's performance limits, and they need to know how it will perform before their brothers- and sisters-in-arms take upgraded Vipers into combat. This is one of those tests, and Air Force pilot Desmond Brophy walks us through it step-by-step.
Hudson River Collision Moment-of-Impact Footage from NBC News By Glenn Pew
Obtained by NBC news, this video shot by an Italian tourist shows the moment of impact between a Piper Saratoga and a Eurocopter over the Hudson River. The accident killed all nine aboard the two aircraft.
Once again, we visit the LSA Mall and vendor booths at EAA AirVenture to see what don't-miss products we can find among the displays. This time, we uncovered: VAL Avionics' super-slim COM 2000 radio; a keen Bluetooth receiver/remote control from ComLinkPro; and one of the handiest flight bags we've seen, at the Brightline Bags booth.
Ever wanted to fly a classic warbird? AVweb's Paul Bertorelli can tell you there are more switches, cranks, and levers that you may be used to in the cockpit of the P-40N. Vintage Wings of Canada's Dave Hadfield walks you through all those mechanisms.
Thielert AG's financial struggles gave diesel aircraft owners some sleepness nights last year, but now Centurion seems poised to take over the top spot in diesel engine production. Centurion's Jasper Wolfson took a moment to talk with us about the state of the industry at EAA Airventure 2009.
There are lots of new products at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2009. Here's AVweb's look at some of the more interesting ones: Garmin G500 in Diamond's popular Eclipse trainer, the Austro diesel-powered DA42 NG, and the Vampire LSA.
Jessica Cox, the first person with no arms to be granted a light sport pilot license by the FAA, met with AVweb at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2009. As you watch the video, be prepared to never complain about anything ever again. (For more on Jessica, visit her web site, RightFooted.com.
"If it used to fly, if it does fly, or if it's possibly gonna fly, you'll find it here," says Randy Babbitt of his first AirVenture as FAA Administrator (though it's hardly his first time at the show). AVweb caught up with the new Administrator at the KidVenture section of the show.
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