Aviation Consumer - December, 2006

December, 2006

Paint Shop Survey: Plenty of Good Picks
There aren’t many certainties in the realm of aircraft maintenance, but we can think of at least one: Not every pilot knows a good paint job when he sees it, but anyone can spot a 100-footer that looks nice from across the ramp but is a speckled, orange-peeled mess when viewed at close range.

Diesel Skyhawk: Conversions Hit the U.S.
From a distance, N73FR looks like any other 20-something-year-old Skyhawk. Upon closer inspection, the differences loom large. What’s a constant-speed, three-blade prop doing on a 172?

Radar’s Big Comeback: Display Options are Key
In the avionics business, we seldom see renewed demand for old technology. Avionics capability remains status quo for long periods, suddenly advances in great strides, then plateaus again. But just a few years ago, we assumed the demand for airborne or ship’s weather radar was history, gone the way of ADF and 360-channel comms. Datalink weather radar is cheaper, works better and even offers the option of entertainment channels for a few bucks a month…

Seatbelt Upgrades: Y-Belts Are a Top Choice
Nothing is more basic to aircraft and automotive safety than seatbelts. But it took the FAA awhile to figure that out. It wasn’t until 1978 that the FAA required all pilot and co-pilot seats to have lap belts and shoulder harnesses. After 1988, all cabin seats were required to have shoulder restraints.

G1000 Training: King Schools’ is Tops
Like the old saw about getting to Carnegie Hall, the only way to master the Garmin G1000 is practice, practice, practice. If you’re a sometime user of this system or new to it entirely, you’re wasting good money if you show up for your G1000 flights unprepared.

Glass for the aftermarket: Avidyne and S-Tec’s Alliant
If avionics manufacturers really listen to their customers and we have no reason to believe they don’t they’ve been hearing a not-so-subtle thrumming sound of impatient fingers tapping glareshields, anxiously awaiting the arrival of real glass for aftermarket installations.

Socata TB-10
It may not be fast, or carry a lot and although it hasn’t been a stellar seller in the U.S., say this about the SOCATA TB-10 Tobago: It’s a good looking airplane, perhaps one of the best looking ever built.