March 2005
Piper Aztec
Subscribers Only Although not cheap to operate, the Aztec is exceptionally affordable to buy. Some models boast a ton of useful load.
PAC 750XL
Subscribers Only This New Zealand import aims to take on Cessna’s Caravan. Its performance is impressive but the company needs a service and support network to succeed.
Sniffing Out Water
Subscribers Only That’s the lowly fuel sampler’s job. With some states levying fines for dumping gas on the ramp, we think the GATS jar is worth the higher cost.
Jepp's Skybound Datawriter
Subscribers Only After teething pains with the first try, Jepp’s USB-based datawriter makes GPS revisions easy but hardly cheap.
Garmin U
Subscribers Only Need a little help learning Garmin gear? Interactive computer programs can help. Our top pick: VFLITE Interactive Guide from Pegasus.
Welcome to EuroSport
Subscribers Only If the light sport aircraft segment promises to explode with choices, most of them may come from Europe. U.S. builders are waiting on the sidelines.
Maintenance Insurance
Subscribers Only Think of Fast Fix as AAA for airplanes, sans the free towing and TripTiks. But is on-call phone advice and help worth $600 to $1200 a year?
AirMap 2000C
Subscribers Only Lowrance’s latest portable has a vibrant, crisp color screen and a miles-deep featureset. At $1000, it’s a bargain value.
Letters: 03/05
Lycoming Core Charge The article in your January issue warning of Lycoming’s new core policy came 90 days late for our fully restored 1969 Cherokee 180. Unfortunately, my partner and I have become fully familiar with the $3000 case charge and the $3500 crankshaft price. Our engine, unbeknownst to us, contained an ECI aftermarket crankshaft and the case bore a stamp from a field overhaul. Lycoming rejected both and charged us full price. In the interest of full disclosure, they did, in fact, ship us a factory reman, rather than the factory overhaul we ordered. And it does contain all new parts, so we did get a pretty good deal. However, because Lycoming failed to prop...
First Word: 03/05
Engine Shops: Which is Your Favorite? I sometimes think aircraft ownership is like a pleasant walk in the woods on a summer evening. One moment, life is good, you’re taking in the honeysuckle and lilac and the next moment, you’re flat on your back with a fallen oak across your chest. The airplane owner equivalent of the windowmaker is a call from your shop with the bad news that the compression in number 4 is down to 39 pounds and the other jugs aren’t looking too good, either. We got that call last month and we’ll be doing what so many owners have to do from time to time: shopping for a new engine. Will it be a field overhaul? A reman? Which shop will we use? Quite coincid...