Aviation ConsumerThe Consumer Resource for Pilots and Aircraft Owners

When I started flying more than a dozen years ago and started to talk about buying an airplane someday, my father-in-law asked me to...

You probably have heard what they say about fools rushing in. The expression applies in spades when shopping for an airplane. Still, sheer excitement at...

In the long run, we plan to be a regular destination for pilots, as well as those pursuing flight training or anyone with even the slightest interest in learning to fly.

Larry Anglisano reflects on Aviation Consumer's legacy and why solid buying advice is still critical.

Just because you spent big on the latest digital comm transceiver doesn’t mean it will perform any better than the one it replaced. Antennas matter—a lot.

A lien on an airplane means a third party has an ownership interest in it. Never buy an airplane without proof there are no outstanding liens.

A professionally applied ceramic coating protects and preserves a high-end finish, but stressing areas of body filler can make the finish come off in sheets.

With a sharp eye you can save money on pre-owned gear, but buy from reputable sources and consult with your installer, first.

Emotions aside, the aircraft you thought you wanted might be the one you can’t wait to get rid of.

California-based Nighthawk Flight Systems has been quietly developing a modular cockpit avionics system called Guardian. It has a high-res display available in 11.6-inch and...

Avidyne has been working on FAA certification for its Vantage 12 retrofit flight display suite for early-gen Cirrus models equipped with the Avidyne Entegra....

Buy the best one you can find.

A Cessna Cardinal radio stack makes for a good example of how you might get modern IFR capability for a rock-bottom investment.

Pick the wrong flight school and you can lose your entire training budget with nothing to show for it.

The market for flagship aviation headsets has a new model with the $1099 Lightspeed Zulu 4 announced ahead of AirVenture 2025. It picks up...

Operating out of unimproved runways takes a toll on a Cessna nosewheel, but upgrading the shimmy damper can help over the long term.

Fastest of the single-engine turboprops, with the highest useful load and new Garmin avionics, the newest Epic targets the owner-flown market.

The landscape is shifting when it comes to choosing either one of these worthy apps. We summarize major differences to help the buying decision.

Cirrus and smart pitot heat I read the Cirrus SR G7+ flight trial in the June 2025 issue of Aviation Consumer and see that the...

We have kept a close eye on the safety record of the Cirrus SR series since the beginning. Things weren’t so good at first—excellent training has paid off.