You’ve probably heard about the ARC’s (Aviation Rule Making Committee) proposal to the FAA that could relax the stringent certification process for small aircraft. I think we can all agree that it’s time to change the certification standards that exist in FAR 23 regulations, particularly when it comes to avionics. This was obvious as I looked at two new integrated avionics suites that were introduced at the annual Sun ‘n Fun show this past April.
As an emergency physician with a background in epidemiology and public health, I would like to thank Rick Durden and Aviation Consumer for the article on Safety Refurbs in the March 2014 issue. Although it was very we’ll done and quite helpful, I’d like to add two caveats.
The way we see it, portable and affordable ADS-B receivers are threatening—if not putting a sizable dent—in the once-dominant satellite broadcast weather market.
Although the design is more than four decades old, the Cessna 177 Cardinal—with its racy sloped windshield, wide doors and strutless wings—looks more modern than the newest Skyhawks coming out of Cessna’s Independence, Kansas, plant. Yet, sadly, the Cardinal is a poster child for why innovation and audacity in general aviation development has often met dismal results in the market. Despite high expectations for a design that would usher in new thinking in light aircraft, the Cardinal had a rocky start and was gone from Cessna’s inventory a decade after it emerged.
That’s precisely what I was looking for as I walked the static displays at the 2014 U.S. Sport Aviation Expo in Sebring, Florida. The January event is a growing venue that unofficially kicks off a fresh flying season. I look forward to the show because I use it to gauge the health of the LSA market and to sample the mood of buyers in the lower end of the market. The Sun ‘n Fun international fly-in, which follows in early April, is more revealing.
In the March 2014 issue of Aviation Consumer, you covered the latest version of Garmin’s Pilot tablet app along with the new GDL39 3D attitude indicator display. While the article reported on the more modern appearance and other new features within the app, you didn’t note that the colors on the trip planning and flight planning screens changed to a much darker gray from the previous lighter color. The text labels for each field are nearly impossible to read when set against the new darker screen, especially when viewed in a bright cockpit.
I just received my February 2014 issue of Aviation Consumer and read with interest the article on turbochargers, since I’ve been flying my Mooney 231 converted to a 252 for the past 6500 hours and 27 years. I was surprised at the estimated turbo “surcharge” of $25 per hour, with “most of it being for a $2200 overhaul at 1200 hours.” If you were to put aside $25 per hour for 1200 hours (to cover a $2200 overhaul), that would be $30,000. Let’s say the engine made it to 1500 hours. The turbo allowance would have amounted to $37,500, which for me would more than cover both the engine and turbo overhaul.
Ask a Grumman Tiger owner what they like about the airplane and you’ll likely get an earful of energetic praise. Most owners gush over the Tiger’s snappy handling, healthy climb performance and slide-back canopy that allows for open-air flight. There’s arguably lots of appeal to these little cruisers. Non-Grumman enthusiasts (and even some mechanics) just won’t understand. Some call them silly little airplanes.
Until the advent of the Pitts Special, aerobatics was a horizontal affair, even in the hairy-chested, fuel-sucking, 450-HP Boeings and Wacos. Practitioners pirouetted under the stern God of Energy Management—gravity and drag meant vertical maneuvers were brief events.
Regarding the life insurance for pilots article (January 2014 Aviation Consumer), I think you should know that The Pilot Insurance Center (PIC) is not all rosy. I was coming up on retirement and wanted to use life insurance as a financial tool. My bankrupt airline no longer allowed me to take a lump sum, and the annuity that I was given was taken at 100 percent, leaving my wife with nothing if I died. The insurance would fill in the gap.
Whether a part on your aircraft is damaged or worn, it’s logical to look to the aftermarket for a replacement. While the buying decision might be based on the high price of OEM replacements, there are many benefits to aftermarket replacements. For one, the part could be made from more serviceable material, including fiberglass. This could also yield a weight-saving advantage.
New airplane owners lament to me that they were taught nothing about the process of buying, owning and maintaining an aircraft when they learned to fly. Accordingly, their aircraft ownership education came through the back alleys, as it were. The quality and thoroughness of that tuition made for some expensive mistakes—now they are constantly looking for good information to keep from making bad purchases. They want to know the rules.
