In a market dominated by big-screen primary flight displays it’s easy to see why high-priced HUD technology hasn’t gained traction in large numbers for small airplanes. But smartphones have grown larger screens that may be useful for displaying nav data and don’t take much space in the cabin. And that’s why Sporty’s has been marketing […]
A year ago I opted for the wingtip-mounted uAvionix skyBeacon to meet the ADS-B Out mandate on my 1966 Cessna 182. The price was right and the installation, including paperwork, took only 2.5 hours. Following the post-maintenance flight to make sure the system worked and qualified for the FAA $500 rebate, I ordered an FAA […]
Over the past year or so uAvionix made a name for itself with the innovative skyBeacon and tailBeacon ADS-B Out solutions. These 978 MHz UAT devices, intended to replace a wingtip strobe and tail light, respectively, proved popular for owners wanting a cost-effective way to get ADS-B compliance without having to invest in a new […]
Cirrus and Daher, builder of the TBM turboprop, have different aircraft design philosophies, but they share one thing in common: Both build and sell airplanes to a select, moneyed clientele who seem perfectly happy to trade in a relatively new airplane on the latest new model. Call it community-style marketing. The sales guys know their […]
The ILS approach hardware at Houston Hobby International pictured below is likely planted in the turf for the long term. Still, there’s a definite trend that points to an airspace based primarily on space-based navigation. As the avionics retrofit market booms along there has been lots of speculation about the future of ground-based navigation, including […]
If you fly a G1 or G2 Cirrus you might have considered upgrading the OEM mechanical fuel quantity gauge with the Aerospace Logic FL202G digital “smart gauge” control head, along with the CiES digital magnetoresistive fuel senders. That’s just what we did back in 2014 for an Aviation Consumer field report. But as we described […]
In the Innovations building at last year’s AirVenture, Idaho-based Aithre was showing what we think are the most innovative pilot-focused biometric devices we’ve seen. Aithre is an attention getter because surprisingly, there’s been a slow progression of gadgets for minding pilot and passenger health in the cabin. For measuring blood-oxygen saturation, or SpO2, some finger […]
It’s unrealistic to think every non-pilot flying companion can master the autopilot, especially under the stress of dealing with a slumped-over pilot. But it sure is worth a try. Whether your autopilot is highly integrated (Garmin’s GFC 700 comes to mind) or is a simple wing leveler with heading hold, show them how to use […]
Face it, transponders live tough lives. Their high power out generates lots of heat in the radio stack and ultimately that takes a toll on internal components. So when searching the used market for a sweet deal on a transponder, choose wisely. One slam-dunk winner could be the discontinued Garmin GTX 327. This is an […]
Now that you’ve equipped for the ADS-B mandate, you’ll need to make sure the transponder remains in good working order. Ones that aren’t are on the FAA’s enforcement list. There are plenty of aircraft for sale that need transponder (and ADS-B) upgrades, and as we’ve advised for years, the age and health of the existing […]
Nevada-based Faro Aviation has come on strong the past few years in the competitive headset market with a diverse model lineup. The latest Stealth 2, which is sold exclusively through Sporty’s, comes in two price points. There’s the $249.95 passive version and also the $449.95 ANR model with wireless Bluetooth, which is what we tried […]
Phase 1 of the FAA’s plan to decommission over one-third of the nation’s VORs will be complete later this year, by the end of September. Then, Phase 2 begins immediately to continue scrapping VORs at the rate of almost one a week. While the chances are good (but not 100 percent) that your navigator’s data […]
