Engines

The panel will come on with the master avionics power, but the small rotary knob serves double duty as a power control (its a push-in-and-hold switch to eliminate inadvertent power cycles) and pilot/copilot intercom volume. The larger knob is for passenger volume. Green LED bars to the left of the knobs illuminate when you turn the knobs, showing relative volume. The volume controls are linear throughout the range and there was more than enough gain through our Bose A20 headset.

I saw your editorial and video coverage on Aspens new E5 low-cost EFIS. While I was initially excited, Im struck at how familiar this seems. The new Aspen Evolution E5 is basically Aspens 1000 VFR model with an approved TruTrak autopilot interface and also an updated processor so that it runs faster. It might be cheaper than the old entry-level display (I don’t recall the price) but I don’t see the VFR model on Aspens website anymore.

When I made my products-to-see checklist before launching for Sun n Fun last month, Icons A5 never made it on and it should have. But in my world it was an easy chore to drop because Icon went silent. There had been no press releases in my inbox and little if any industry chatter since the high-profile fatal crash of Roy Halladay last year. So when it dawned upon me while cruising home that Icon wasnt even at Sun n Fun, I thought about all of the delivery positions that Icon was to begin filling, and also some of our readers who slapped down deposit money to get on the list for an A5. Whats going on at Icon?

• SIMULATOR ROUNDUP
• FLIGHT DESIGN CTLSi GT
• LEVIL BOM
• LANDING DAMAGE
• BAD ELF WOMBAT
• BELLANCA VIKING

You don’t have to look far into any aviation retailers catalogue to find sunglasses that cater to pilots. Yes, we know there are plenty of cheaper brands you can find at Sunglass Hut and other non-aviation retailers, and we also know that selecting glasses is as personal as selecting clothing. A cheap pair of drugstore shades may suit you just fine.

The new devices are completely redesigned and all three portable models (GDL50/51/52) share the same chassis. They stand 4.9 by 1.3 by 3.4 inches, weigh .75 pounds and have built-in antennas, but have inputs for external antennas. The receivers have an anti-skid base to keep them from sliding around when on the glareshield and Garmin has a securing base mounting bracket and a suction cup mount for the cable.

The Cessna 206 Stationair is one of those airplanes that you can dress up with a classy paint scheme and a stylish leather interior to fly business associates in style. Or, put one on floats and jump in with a wet swimsuit. Got stuff to haul? Load as much as you can fit through the big cargo door. Indeed, any vintage of the Stationair can wear a lot of hats.

Aviation writers love to heap undiluted praise on the sheer fun of flying seaplanes. OK, I get it already. Float and boat flying is a ton of fun and you havent lived until youve done it. The question is, how to do it without spending a fortune and what to do with it after youve got it.

There’s nothing quite like fetching your bird from the shop after a high-quality engine overhaul. Done right, it should perform like it did when the aircraft came off the factory floor. In the world of aircraft ownership, thats a beautiful thing. But done wrong, you could be in for the time-consuming hassles of dealing with warranty work-or worse should the engine fail, despite it running great before handing it over to an overhaul shop. After all, engine overhauls are supposed to increase your confidence, not kill it or you in the process.

Buying a new airplane is both an act of passion and an act of faith. The very idea of sinking so much wealth into an asset used but 100 hours a year has to be driven by blind love for flight. The faith part has to do with the company remaining solvent to support such an investment.

The headline groups the Aztec and Apache as one, and sure, while the Aztec could never have been born without the Apache, they are quite different. From an appearance standpoint, the original potato-like shaped Piper PA-23 Apache is easily distinguishable from the sleeker Aztec.

Whether youve earned the A&P rating to wrench your own aircraft or plan to tackle the FAA-approved light maintenance items you can accomplish as an owner, you need the right tools and workspace for the job.