July 2005
Piper/Ted Smith Aerostar
Subscribers Only Got speed? The Aerostar certainly does, in abundance. Although its too-hot-to-handle reputation is probably undeserved, it is by no means a cheap ride.
GATS Jar Grief
Subscribers Only [IMGCAP(1)] Our recommendation of the GATS Jar fuel tester in the March issue drew a couple of reader brickbats. “There are some problems that you didn’t mention,” writes Allen Inks, of Toledo, Ohio, whose flying club uses the GATS for its aircraft. “The gasket is, in my view, a poor design. It’s difficult to reseat properly when screwing on the jar…I have seen several torn gaskets.” The lack of an inner lip on the gasket seating surface aggravates this, causing gas to leak around the lid when it’s poured back into the tank. “Also, I find the reversible actuating tube on the GATS jar to be a little too wobbly for my taste when operating pin or bayonet-style drains. And since the pin is at...
Air/Oil Separators: Must Haves? We Say No
Subscribers Only If you have a wet vacuum pump, you’ll need one but otherwise, tune up the breather system first. Of the two major brands, our pick is the Airwolf.
Sim Training Flyoff: Flight Safety Edges SimCom
Subscribers Only Yes, FS is more expensive but we like its structured syllabus and more polished take-away training materials.
In-the-Ear Headsets: Don’t Buy Yet
Subscribers Only The market is in utter flux with at least three new products poised for introduction. Quiet Technologies and Lightspeed are the ones to watch.
WSI Datalink: XM Still Wins on Value
Subscribers Only Although we like WSI’s unique data, its pricing is too complex. XM-based data from WxWorx is readily available on more portable platforms than WSI.
Electric De-Icing
Subscribers Only Later this year, Lancair will deliver a first: electrically de-iced airplanes to compete directly with TKS. The system can be easily retrofitted to older aircraft.
Columbia 400: Tops Cirrus in Speed
Subscribers Only It’s fast enough that owners will need sharp skills to stay with it in the flight levels. An efficient TSIO-550 gives it a range edge over Mooney’s Bravo.
Letters: 07/05
Spam Cans vs. Homebuilts I had to laugh reading the opening paragraph of your article on used Experimentals in the May 2005 issue. It described the day I opted out of spam cans almost exactly. But instead of doing the semi-sensible thing and buying one already built, I bought a nearly done project that someone needed to get out of. If my mission were less than 1000 miles and I knew what I know now, I would just buy a turbonormalized Tornado Alley Bonanza with TKS and be very happy. But my mission is longer so I’m still in the Experimental game. I think you captured most of the issues. I would like to add a few more: While some of the kit companies engineer the origina...
First Word: 07/05
Lessons from Submarine Commanders A lot of us like to think that “the face of general aviation” is embodied by those well-scrubbed wannabes you see in the Be-A-Pilot ads on cable TV. Alternatively, you might find “the face of general aviation” in the Wings seminars at AOPA Expo, or on the flight line at Sun ‘n Fun or Oshkosh. But you’d be wrong. Unfortunately, the face of general aviation now belongs to Hayden “Jim” Sheaffer, the hapless PIC of the Cessna 150 that breached the Washington ADIZ in May, sending federal institutions scurrying for cover. Shortly afterward, Mr. Sheaffer appeared with his attorney on the Today Show to answer FAA charges that could result in certific...