Insuring Experimentals: Fleet Size Matters
Let’s go to the dark side. You sell the family Bonanza for a used Lancair, and within the first year of ownership get it into some ice, lose control and join the NTSB reports as a double fatal. The wreck shocked and rattled our...
Mooney 201/M20J:
There’s a reason why Mooney’s entry-level speedster has such a loyal following. And you don’t have to be a loyalist to appreciate the 201/M20J’s high points. It has a familiar Lycoming IO-360 engine mated...
Stratus Insight: EFB Nouveau
Enjoying huge success with the Stratus portable ADS-B receivers, Appareo joins the crowded app market with Insight EFB for Apple iOS. While Insight provides a lot of the flight management functionality pilots expect from...
Landing Gear Alerters: Few Standalone Choices
With insurance premiums skyrocketing—especially for pilots of complex, retractable-gear airplanes—the last thing you need is a gear-up landing because you were distracted. Aftermarket audio and visual alert systems can help, while some can even...
Back To The Cockpit In A Hard Insurance Market
We’ve heard our share of horror stories from readers regarding their experiences in the “hard” insurance market that developed in the last two years. We’ve been tracking the market and reported on it in...
Getting Back at It: Efficiently, Safely
No matter how many times we hit the delete key, 2020 is still here. With Abby Normal the new normal, a lot of pilots have been flying infrequently at best, with many unable to...
Is a 406 ELT Worth it? Reduce Expectations
Every other summer, I torture myself with the $1500 biennial ELT switch flip. I install the required 24-month battery, wait for the minute hand to sweep past the top of the hour and press...
First Word: What is Realistic Downtime?
Other than having to write big checks, one of the toughest things about aircraft upgrades, including avionics retrofits and paint work, is dealing with the downtime. Shops tend to be optimistic in estimating completion...
Garmin aera 760: Not an iPad Killer
Garmin’s launch of the new aera 760 portable navigator couldn’t have come at a worse time. Historically, Sun ‘n Fun and AirVenture have been the ideal backdrop for new Garmin gadget intros, but with...