Check out reader feedback from last month’s Aviation Consumer. Subscribers discuss the modernity of aircraft vacuum systems vs. electronic attitude gyros, technical issues with Lycoming fuel pumps, and a crucial feature the Garmin Pilot app still lacks.
Buying aircraft, financing aircraft, or even leasing aircraft are processes dense enough to almost make you give up. Appraisal reports make it easier, but it is crucial to know your appraiser is NAAA-certified and working through an established aircraft valuation database. Why? Because aircraft price publications are the default resource for aircraft valuation, and they don’t always account for refurbishment, avionics upgrades or aging airframes.
While both Diamond and Tecnam have introduced light twins during the past decade, the market hasnt seen a new large-displacement, piston cabin-class twin since the early 1970s. But demand for such a thing isn’t quite dead, apparently.
If imitation really is the sincerest form of flattery, the Skyhawk should be flattered indeed by the likes of the Italian manufacturer, Tecnam. Last summer, Tecnam began marketing its P2010 Lycoming-powered single in the U.S., having gained a sales foothold in Europe. Its not quite accurate to call the P2010 a Skyhawk knockoff because its a substantially different airplane. But it follows the same idea: 180-HP four-banger; four seats; modest payload, albeit with a slightly faster cruise speed.
For most of the past decade, we had all but given up on serious competition for Garmin in the full-panel upgrade market. Once-dominant BendixKing faded and Garmin dealt with UPS-AT by simply buying it. But now, somewhat quietly, comes Avidyne with a full line of products to make a head-to-head run at Garmin.
Great report on used Beech Barons in your October 2015 issue. I recently met up with a friend to fly some old Baron 58s (which were used as freight dogs) to a salvage yard to be parted out. The 58 Baron my friend flew had 20,899 hours on the airframe, a current annual inspection and it flew great. The one I flew was young-with 14,390 hours on the airframe. This is proof of just how durable these airframes are. Compared to a model 55 baby Baron, the 58 Baron handles more like a bomber.
If you use Safe Flights SCc as its intended-which is really a speed control computer-our flight trials proved that it can lead to more consistent on-speed approaches. This, of course, can lead to a better landing flare and hopefully, a smoother touchdown. This saves wear and tear on the tires, brakes, airframe and best of all, avoids an unintended trip into the weeds-or worse. You should be able to get the same positive results from referencing a properly calibrated airspeed indicator, but Safe Flights speed control system is simply more intuitive for dialing in the correct speed for the conditions. This also includes takeoff and climb.
For some, the ADS-B buying decision rides on the system being compatible with a favorite tablet app. While shops weve spoken with report that Garmins GDL84 and GDL88 transceivers have been dominant sellers, some buyers are reluctant to make the investment because the system was only compatible with Garmins Pilot app, and not the popular ForeFlight Mobile program for iPad. Not any more.ForeFlight recently announced two-way compatibility with Garmin panel avionics, including the ability to interface Garmins GDL-series ADS-B transceiver on its Mobile iPad app. But there has been some misinformation and confusion about what this interface will and will not do. Heres a clarification.
Long FAA certification delays enabled Safe Flight Instrument Corporation to improve its first-generation leading-edge speed control/AoA system. For one, it ditched the remote computer in favor of a simpler and lighter two-piece system (sensor and display), while redesigning the cockpit display for better readability and easier operation. The result is the third-generation model SCc leading edge sensor system, which is currently certified under the FAAs ASTM policy standards for AoA systems. We recently flew with the $1895 SCc system in Safe Flights Cessna 172 for a closer look and liked what we saw.
Twelve years after Continental issued service bulletin SB03-3 directing maintenance technicians to use a borescope to inspect each cylinder every time a compression test is performed, its instructions are being routinely ignored-at a high cost to aircraft owners.
When I review accident reports for the Used Aircraft Guide, Im struck by how often pilots mismanage the fuel system. Usually its running one tank dry and not figuring out how to get fuel flowing to the engine from a tank that has fuel. From time to time a pilot pumps fuel overboard because he doesnt understand that on a fuel-injected engine, fuel and fuel vapor is returned from the engine-driven fuel pump to one of the fuel tanks.
Thats not surprising since avionics repairs and exchanges for both brands are sourced domestically-Garmin is in Olathe, Kansas, and Dynon is in Woodinville, Washington. Only one LSA operator we talked with dinged Garmin for its support performance, which is unusual, based on our experience. It had to do with a failed portable navigator being used as the primary display in the panel of an older Flight Design CT. Since it was in reality a portable unit, the failed device wasnt given priority replacement status because Garmin doesnt consider portable units primary gear. But that was before Garmin assembled its Team X dedicated LSA avionics engineering and support division-a dominent commitment to the LSA market-that hasnt gone unnoticed by any LSA maker we talked with.
