Piper Comanche - search results

The raw performance numbers of a Meyers 200 might resemble what you’d expect from the most modern single-engine piston speedster, even though the airplane...

If you have a need for speed and want retractable landing gear, your used market search of four-placers will likely include a Mooney, Piper...

All the way down to the basic Musketeer, Beech just took pains to get its airplanes' flying manners a cut above everything else, and that applies in spades to the Baron series. Fly most any Beechcraft model and you will likely come away impressed with its sturdy feel, solid build and, especially, its satisfying handling. Even so, every aircraft company has to make compromises. In the 55 Baron, for instance, what many find to be pleasant handling characteristics can prove to be a handful in poor weather, or when the air turns green with turbulence. We shouldn't have to reiterate that nothing comes for free, particularly in a higher-end Beech.

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There's something about the Meyers 200 that is hauntingly familiar. It doesnt look like a 40-year-old factory airplane; rather, its more like a current homebuilt with that sleek bubble cabin... kind of like a Lancair IV. Thats not surprising, given the following bit of aviation trivia that one of our readers sent in: Lance Neibauer, designer of the Lancairs, is evidently the nephew of the late Ray Betzold, who along with Al Meyers and Pard Diver brought the Meyers 200 into existence. Neibauer was exposed to that sleek shape early on.

While it may resemble a modern composite homebuilt in its looks, the Meyers is definitely a product of the late 1950s. Construction consist...

At EAA Airventure in 2006, a mysterious airplane made a low flyby, arriving unannounced. It turned out to be the Cessna NGP, the now-tabled high-performance follow-on to the popular 210 that Cessna dropped from the line in 1986. But at a glance, it was easy to mistake the airplane for something else: the Cessna 177 Cardinal RG. And many observers did. Although introduced 40 years ago, in 1971, the Cardinal RG remains one of the sleekest and most attractive highwing airplanes ever marketed. Despite its age, it retains a loyal following. It’s easy to see why. The RG is one of the best compromises for its class in terms of speed, payload, cost of ownership and economy.

MORE TECH THEORY ON USED COMPOSITES The April 2020 issue of Aviation Consumer had an excellent article about purchasing used composite aircraft. I believe that...

Pilots have been looking for ways to make their airplanes faster and more efficient since there has been airplane ownership. One of the long-targeted spots for aerodynamic clean up has been the gap between the trailing edge of the wing and the ailerons and flaps.

Acquiring a multi-engine rating is a rite of passage for any pilot who dreams of flying for a living. There's no denying the feeling of power you get on first grabbing a fistful of throttles and shoving them up to the stop. There's also no denying that, unless you pay for a type rating yourself, its the most costly rating you'll get on a per-hour basis. With the market offering three production twins being regularly used as trainers, we were curious as to how they stacked up. We flew each one, spoke to several instructors at flight schools that did a significant amount of multi-engine instruction and used an out-of-production twin thats still used for training for comparison. After all the Vmc demos and engine-out simulations, we came away of the opinion that all of the airplanes have some weaknesses, but none that are crippling-although someone who learns in a Twin Star will need significant additional training to fly anything other than a jet-and that the Tecnam P2006T has the potential to take over the multi-engine training market.

Speed claims of 7 to 13 MPH are in line with reality. But add up the prices for all the parts and pieces before buying.

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.

The combination of insurers watching accidents and resulting claims go down as the amount of recurrent training taken by pilots goes up has slowly...

Engine
Crystal Ball
I have a suggestion for a future topic and a question. Actually, several questions. How about some more coverage on diesel engines and how all this relates to the continuing availability of 100LL.

My question relates to that topic: Should we, as aircraft owners, be planning for the eventual transition to diesel engines? For an aircraft owner facing engine replacement one, three and five years from now, what is your best informed guess on what we should plan for?

Should an owner stretch out his remaining engine time to position himself for one of the new engine designs? If so, which ones? Or should he simply go for the conventional engine replacem...