If you put the brakes on a big avionics upgrade because of the eye-watering price and lead time, you likely considered used equipment. In normal times that might not be a bad plan, but the market isn’t exactly what I consider normal. Have prices of pre-owned electronics skyrocketed as they have for aircraft? You bet […]
We see plenty of fuel exhaustion events in the NTSB wreck reports, and we suspect some might have been avoided with fuel totalizers. These are valuable devices, especially when interfaced with panel GPS navigators, because you’ll always know how much fuel you’ll have to a given waypoint in the flight plan. Better yet, if your […]
In a connected world with everyone wearing earbuds, it’s logical to consider an in-ear headset for the cockpit. Although they aren’t for everyone, if you haven’t tried them, you should. While flagship ANR models from Bose and Lightspeed deliver big on comfort and performance, we’ve long appreciated the freedom and decent audio quality from a […]
Engines, exhaust systems, propellers, cabin vents and aging door and window seals are just a handful of sources that can make the typical aircraft cabin a miserable place to spend hours on end. It’s also a path to irreversible hearing damage. How do you know if your cabin is too noisy? Fly in a comparably […]
You wrote an eye-watering check to the avionics shop for the latest and greatest gear, but that doesn’t mean the new suite is invincible. An electrical failure in a single-alternator, single-battery aircraft will make the unprepared wish the vacuum system wasn’t in the rubbish bin on the shop floor. Herewith is our plan for affordable […]
As we’ve reported, thanks to space-saving, small-supply oxygen systems from Aerox and Aithre, more pilots and their passengers may be using O2 in the cabin who otherwise wouldn’t. But we’re also hearing about the challenges of getting these little cylinders filled. Some FBOs and maintenance shops unfamiliar with these new bottles (some as small as […]
Keep a straight face. Couldn’t do it, could you? This subject is proof positive that every pilot’s idea of humor effectively stopped developing as a four-year-old making potty jokes. We’ll go further than making fun of discomfort and express our concern that the pressing need for a bathroom may we’ll be a safety of flight […]
If you think those features are a recipe for building the ultimate futuristic flight deck, you have it right. And even in a world where everything is connected over the internet, you might not expect to be able to remotely connect to the cockpit anytime, anyplace. But you can. That’s exactly what Honeywell has […]
There’s a new lightweight headset in town, one developed by pilots for pilots—specifically, experimental pilots. The CQ1 is an evolutionary step in the development of the ultra-lightweight, in-ear headset that has become popular in the experimental world because of the freedom you get without big bunny ears—and in bubble canopies, it makes it easier to […]
Whether it’s your first headset to get the flight training off the ground or a spare set for the back seat of the family airplane, it’s tempting to shop the used headset market for bargains on high-end models. But don’t expect much savings on desirable, current-production models from Bose and Lightspeed. For older sets, flat-rate […]
When we evaluated the first version of the MiraCheck Copilot checklist app a few years ago, we were somewhat impressed that it could speak checklist items, as if someone was in the right seat. But we really wanted it to be verbally interactive. In other words, to mimic the challenge/response method of professional flight crews. […]
In our long-term trials of new small-bottle oxygen tanks from Aithre and Aerox, we’re confirming what we suspected early on: You can suck a tank dry pretty quickly. Sure, these compact bottles (as small as 47 liters) aren’t really intended for feeding an entire cabin for hours in the flight levels, but it sure makes […]
