Safety

Call them ramp fees, facility charges or handling fees. When you pull up to many FBOs there’s a good chance you’ll be billed a flat-rate charge just for taking space on the ramp. In general, the larger the aircraft, the more you’ll pay. Most facilities that collect facility fees will waive them if you oblige by buying a specific amount of fuel, which of course always works out to be more than the fee. No matter what, my mentality is that I never expect anything for free and thats especially true when aviating.

Thinking rating, toughest rating, necessary rating, unnecessary rating-all descriptions weve heard of the instrument rating. No matter what you call it, the instrument ticket is virtually essential if you wish to fly professionally or, in our opinion, get the most out of ownership of a GA airplane designed for traveling.

The headline groups the Aztec and Apache as one, and sure, while the Aztec could never have been born without the Apache, they are quite different. From an appearance standpoint, the original potato-like shaped Piper PA-23 Apache is easily distinguishable from the sleeker Aztec.

The laws of physics and aerodynamics don’t magically change when a general aviation airplane flies from the flatlands into the mountains, yet every year there are accidents in the high country where pilots tried to get more performance from an airplane than was installed.

Whether youve earned the A&P rating to wrench your own aircraft or plan to tackle the FAA-approved light maintenance items you can accomplish as an owner, you need the right tools and workspace for the job.

The charging system on the typical GA aircraft isn’t exactly what we would call ultra-modern. But its complex enough that an unexpected failure can leave you stuck far from home, while failures in flight can be full-up emergencies. Even if you don’t have the credentials and knowledge to tackle repairs on your own, there is some basic troubleshooting you can do to catch a failure early, while potentially saving some shop labor so your mechanic doesnt have to start from scratch. Heres a primer.

I have no vested interest in this area, but I do feel that the statement is insulting to field mechanics everywhere. I have owned a number of planes from different manufacturers and they have been serviced by both service centers and field mechanics. Personally, I have experienced some of the worst service from authorized service centers. I have found under my cowling rags and plastic cups. How about watching a mechanic come at your windshield with brown paper towels from the mens room to clean it for you?

Aft of the firewall, a new Cirrus SR22 is the epitome of the technologically advanced aircraft. But the front end of the thing is pretty much frozen in the mid-20th century: old-school mechanical fuel injection, World War II magnetos, manual mixture control. This is so because buyers have wanted it this way; a Star Trek flight deck propelled by a 59 Buick engine room.

One of the questions we get from readers is whether they can cut their aircraft ownership costs by entering into a lease agreement with their local Part 135 operator. Theyd like their airplanes to generate income by being flown on charters by the operators pilots while the owners sit comfortably at home in front of the TV. Our response: It sounds good if you say it fast, but the downside can be terribly expensive for the owner. Anyone considering leasing her or his airplane to a Part 135 operator should go in with eyes wide open and a full understanding of the procedures and costs involved in putting an airplane onto a 135 operating certificate and keeping it there.

Have you noticed that carbureted engines behave differently in varying temperatures? We have, and its a pretty good argument for the simplicity of fuel injection.

The first of Cessna models to be built in volume was the diminutive Cessna 140, followed a month later by a stripped-down version called the 120. At the time, the Cessna 120/140s were perfectly serviceable and practical two-place airplanes. They were reasonably priced to buy and economical to own. There was a reason for that.

Its routine: We get in, strap in without thinking about it and beginning running the checklist. Putting on and tightening up the restraint system is probably the most basic of automatic tasks any of us do as pilots-without the reassuring pressure of the belt and shoulder harness attaching our torso to the airplane, most of us wouldnt hit the starter.