Thanks for the helpful article on the cost of navigation data subscriptions in the September 2015 issue of Aviation Consumer. One point you did not mention was the cost of data for a portable GPS.For example, Garmins pricing for the Americas database bundle is $499.99 per year for its aera 796. This is almost as much as data for a panel-mounted unit, and much more than $149.99 for the same data for the Garmin Pilot tablet app.
We generally don’t know what to expect going into AirVenture at Oshkosh, and with several ho-hum years of late, we don’t expect a lot. But with near-perfect weather, 550,000 attendees, 10,000-plus local-area arrivals, over 800 vendors (up 140 from last year) and only one major non-fatal wreck, this years AirVenture impressed. Plus, there was no shortage of new product announcements.
If you fly one of the vast majority of general aviation aircraft, you can legally operate over any of the waters in and around the U.S. without any sort of flotation device aboard. The requirement to carry survival equipment for operations over water more than 50 miles from land set out in FAR 91.509 only applies to airplanes weighing over 12,500 pounds and turbojets. We bugsmasher operators don’t have to carry so much as a set of water wings.
Lets face it, compared to a Piper Cherokee or Cessna 152, many LSAs have complex systems and specialized parts. Imported models are often tainted by concerns of less-than-acceptable field support when they break.
Remember the days of sprawling a VFR aeronautical sectional chart across the flight planning table-whiz wheel in hand-mapping your low-and-slow route around the TCA? I do.Thats why buying a venerable paper VFR sectional chart always seems worth the nine bucks, even if it gets tossed in the flight bag or map pocket in case the iPad quits. Havent gone digital yet? You could print your own paper charts, but for lay-it-on-the-seat reference as you motor along in a rental Tomahawk or vintage Cub, the traditional sectional lives on, perhaps given a new lease on life by Washington, DC-based DuraCharts.
With the stock market in record territory, the economy still hesitant and fuel prices lower than in convenient memory, we decided to take a look at the state of the aircraft finance world. The Federal Reserve has kept the interest rates at historic lows-has that been reflected in available loan rates for aircraft purchases? Is this a good time to finance an airplane?
One of the bugaboos of operating most seaplanes is that once the engine is running, the seaplane is moving forward. To stop moving, you have to either shut the engine off or hit something-neither of which may be desirable. Maneuvering a seaplane in tight quarters, especially when there is a wind blowing or current flowing, can be challenging at the least and expensive if things get out of hand.
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
For the September 2015 issue of Aviation Consumer, our Used Aircraft Guide will be on the Cessna 337 Skymaster. We want to know what its like to own these planes, how much they cost to operate, maintain and insure and what theyre like to fly. If youd like your airplane to appear in the magazine, send us any photographs (full-size, high-resolution) youd like to share to the email below. We welcome information on mods, support organizations or any other comments. Send correspondence on the Skymaster by July 1, 2015, to:
As we researched this article, we heard about a turboprop owner who was renting a single-pilot jet. When asked how he was insuring the jet, he said that he paid a lot of money for insurance on his turboprop and it had better cover him in the jet. He then got concerned and called his broker. Fortunately, his particular policy covered him when he was flying other airplanes-but thats not always the case. If youre going to rent a jet, making sure that appropriate insurance coverage is in place is a huge part of the deal.
No airplane is perfect for 100 percent of its owners missions. Its long been common for, say, a pilot who owns a Cessna 150 to rent an Archer when more capability is needed. Weve also seen owners trade up into the class of airplane theyve been renting-the rental process having allowed them to get to know the more capable airplane and the experience theyd gained helped in buying insurance.
My airplane partner and I are upgrading the radios in our piston single to bring them into the present century and to comply with the ADS-B mandate. After much thought and discussion, we decided on Avidynes IFD540 box you reviewed in the March issue. Avidynes AeroPlan extended warranty plan offers a free warranty extension for three years. However, to get the extension, we have to sign a Waiver, Release and Indemnification document that could bankrupt us.
