Industry News

There are only some 200,000 aircraft in the U.S.-there are more cars than that in a large town-so why any profit-oriented insurer would enter such a restricted market seems to defy logic. Yet, in the last decade, the number of aviation insurance underwriters has gone from the old, hard core of nine to 14, an increase of more than 50 percent. The result is predictable-with a relatively large number of companies competing in a limited market, insurance premiums are low and owners have little trouble getting coverage.

After reading the fire extinguisher article in the June 2015 issue of Aviation Consumer, I have some confusion about extinguisher size, partially because one photo example was apparently omitted from the article. I assume that a fire extinguisher with a 2BC nomenclature in its model identification is two pounds of fire suppressant, and the 5 prefix indicates five pounds.

Our editors choice awards are all about innovation and value. As we look back at the last 12 issues of Aviation Consumer, we find no shortage of credible products, especially in the ADS-B and aircraft consumable markets. But no single product or company stood out for being the most innovative.So to keep our high standards in check, we wont hand out an award for product or company of the year. Instead, we’ll present a combination of a dozen products and companies that we believe deserve equal recognition for being the best of the best.

There might be, but only if you fly an airliner. I wouldnt count on an extension of the 2020 ADS-B equipage mandate for the rest of us. The airlines (through the organization Airlines for America, A4A) have proposed a five-year transition period for complying with the mandate because it says there arent enough retrofit equipment options to equip its airplanes by 2020. Specifically, these are ADS-B-compatible transponders and the WAAS GPS receivers required to interface with them.

Overall, editor Larry Anglisano did a great job of explaining the Skyvision Salus-3 portable ADS-B Out/In solution and the Xtreme Vision software (June 2015 Aviation Consumer.) We were impressed with the articles accuracy and his ability to review it without personal bias. However, there are a few finer points related to certification.

At Lycoming, executives roll their eyes when they hear Lycosaurus used to describe the lack of innovation in aircraft power plants. That suggests that the market hungers for engine innovation, but the reality is something different, as Rotax discovered in 2006.

While companies are defined by what they make, what they decide not to make can be just as distinguishing as the product catalog. And that would be the case with Rotax, the Austrian engine giant that all but owns the light-sport engine market. But a decade ago, flush with success, Rotax drew back from an expensive project to take on Lycoming and Continental with its own six-cylinder engine.

Thats what Mooney is looking for with its proof of concept M10T, which was on display for the first time at Sun n Fun in Lakeland, Florida, this past April. If youre a hard-core Mooney enthusiast, you get it. Mooniacs are a manically enthusiastic bunch and if it werent for the demand to support the speedsters they fly, the company might not be here today. Mooney was established in 1929 and cranked out over 11,000 M-series aircraft.

I read the HID article in your May 2015 issue and thought your readers might be interested in my real-world experience with HID lamps. I wanted to purchase HID landing lights back in 2006 for my Mooney M20K, but there wasnt an available STC. The lights

That was proven at this years National Training Aircraft Symposium held at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Florida. The annual event gathered alphabet group leaders, aircraft and avionics manufacturers, and educators from many major aviation colleges and universities. The major focus at this years NTAS event was addressing the challenges of equipping the training fleet for the 2020 ADS-B mandate. But it was also an opportunity for a sales pitch.

I read Stephen Phoenixs letter in the April 2015 issue of Aviation Consumer, where he effectively states that the Piper J-3 Cubs fuel tank location is not an issue, and that your article is irresponsible because you said it is unsafe. His assertion is wholly unfounded. I was flying my fully restored and meticulously maintained 1937 J-3 Cub at Danbury Airport in Connecticut. While departing a short runway, the engine sputtered. I started a right turn to a long runway and as the nose lowered, the engine sprang back to life. Wishing not to make a forced landing, I made the mistake of turning back to the original heading. The engine quit. Facing a forest and a swamp, I committed the forbidden sin and did a 180-degree turn.

Amid all of the buzz surrounding the announcement of L-3 Aviations low-cost NGT-1000 ADS-B solution, Ive been talking with avionics shops to see just how realistic its estimated $3000 installed price will be. You can read all about the entire L-3 Lynx ADS-B product line-which has plenty of options at multiple price points-on page 11 of this issue. But based on my discussions with experienced installers, L-3s entry-level NGT-1000 ADS-B Out system isn’t exactly the cure-all for mass, mandate compliance, and that has as much to do with the real costs of installation as it does tightening competition. Good shops consider this, and so should you. An ADS-B project can be the perfect setup for sizable cost overruns and buyer remorse.