Fatigue, noise fatigue in particular, is a special enemy of general aviation pilots, specifically because we’re our own worst enemies. It seems noise suppression, like weight reduction, is one of the industry’s most impossible missions. Engineers simply didn’t know how to build a quiet aircraft cockpit.
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Despite 65-plus years of attrition, there were enough Cessna 140 aircraft built that there is still a ready supply on the market. Most owners of Cessna’s first, real, entry-level, trainer are justifiably proud of their arrogant, little, fun, tailwheel machines.
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Senior contributor Bill Cox made his first international trip in 1977, flying a new Piper...
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Post-World War II war surplus aircraft may have looked attractive based on purchase price, but operating costs were well out of reach of the average retiring military fighter pi¬lot, lieutenant, or captain returning from the war. Of course, the established general aviation manufacturers and dozens of upstart companies jumped into the light-plane business with enthusiasm. For its part, Cessna introduced a new model known as the 190/195. The new airplane was probably a much better machine than its sales record suggested.
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They’re the words every instrument pilot dreads: “Cleared for the back-course approach.” Yes, I...
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P-51 Thunder Mustang. Photo by Chris Leipelt The sound is unmistakable. Today, I’d recognize that...
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Lightspeed Zulu aviation headset. Photo courtesy of Lightspeed Aviation I was tired. No, beyond...
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Formation flight needn’t be terrifying or dangerous, provided you stay loose Spitfires in...
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P-38 Glacier Girl on display at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2012. Photo courtesy of EAA Famed airplane...
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Later this year, JP Media LLC will publish a book by longtime pilot and writer Bill Cox entitled “My Sky: The Flights & Times of Bill Cox.” It will detail his lifelong travels as a pilot, in the beautifully scripted way in which only Bill can write. This is Chapter 1.
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The usual question is which used, pressurized twin makes the most sense for a pilot looking to transition to the imaginary safety of two engines? My vote usually goes to the Cessna 340. Today, the early 340s represent an impressive buy for the pilot looking for twin engine redundancy at a reasonable price. The earliest examples, 1972-1974 models, sell for about $120,000 and the last production 340s, 1982-1984 vintage, bring about double that.
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This 1979 pressurized Cessna 210 owned by John Wingfield was our June 2019 cover plane. Photo by...
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By today’s standards, the first Cessna Citation (originally named the Fanjet 500 and later rebranded as the Citation 1 and finally the Citation 500) was perhaps the ultimate entry-level business jet. In 1972, it was one of the first corporate jets to be authorized for single pilot operation and the first in what was to become the world’s most popular line of business jets. Cessna’s 500 series Citations brought on-demand jet travel to folks who otherwise would have been relegated to the airline’s timeline.
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Owners seem to consider the Cessna 180 Skywagon the quint¬essential Cessna and often wouldn’t even consider trading for any other airplane especially (horror of horrors) one that mounts the third wheel under the nose. Fact is, by any measure, the 180 truly is one of the most talented Cessnas ever built.
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One of the consistent positive reviews always goes to the Cessna 140. Like so many Cessnas that followed it, the diminutive 140 is almost universally regarded as one of the best airplanes of its type and vintage. The 140 wins rave reviews not because it does any one thing better than any other model but because it does everything well. In short, its among the best at being average or better.
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The hard reality of twin-engine accidents is that the vast majority are a function of loss of...
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VFR flying can be more difficult than you might imagine. Investigators study accident statistics...
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Night flying can be profitable. Back in the day when I was young and stupid, long before I...
Read MoreKeeping track of the time/speed/distance equation is only part of fuel management. It was the Christmas holiday, and I was on my way back from the Bahamas to Venice, Florida. Joe Ponte, public relations director of Piper, had...
Read MoreI have a friend who owns a 36 Bonanza, and though his airplane has always been a dozen or so knots faster than mine, he’s consistently envied my bird’s lower fuel burn. At max cruise settings, Bob’s A36 will truck along at a...
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