Tabla de contenidos para November/December 2024 en Plane & Pilot

I describe the drive from Jackson Hole, Wyoming, to Denver as consecutive alternating doglegs, each 100-plus-miles long. Initially drive south, then east, finally south again for 530 miles—the crow only endures 390 or so miles. I could either zigzag on summer lava-hot or winter snow-covered, icy highways for eight hours or literally leap over them for three or so hours in a small plane. That difference between groundpounding on a highway versus traveling GA was one of the reasons I learned to fly decades ago. Flying to Denver was usually fast, pushed by prevailing northwest winds. Returning to Jackson Hole was typically much slower. I recall one trip when my ground speed was no greater than the traffic under me on Interstate 80. Heading back to Jackson one day, I…

At 00:52 on June 6, 1944, the first phase of Operation Overlord began. On the ground, occupied France awaited the Allied airborne pathfinders preparing to jump. The transport aircraft, down low and vulnerable, were tasked with flying in unescorted and returning to England to repeat the mission. This operation was critical, years in the making, and it could not fail. The airplane for the job: the Douglas C-47 Skytrain. Also known as a Dakota to the British, the C-47 was the militarized version of a DC-3 credited by Dwight Eisenhower as one of the four weapons that won the war. This airframe carried men and equipment, towed gliders, and became America’s go-to workhorse. In June 2024, some of those same aircraft that crossed the beaches that fateful morning returned to…

The FAA in September issued a supplemental type certificate (STC) for Swift Fuels’ 100R unleaded avgas to be used in Cessna 172R/S Skyhawks with Lycoming IO-360-L2A engines. Those are the only aircraft configurations covered by the STC, but Swift said that’s only the beginning. The breakthrough was first reported by Aviation Week. Swift Fuels is managing a comprehensive program targeting the global replacement for 100LL within three to five years, said Swift CEO Chris D’Acosta. “Our 100R unleaded avgas product will be the preferred fuel to eliminate toxic lead from avgas,” D’Acosta said. “We are actively working with industry and OEMs on FAA certifications and ASTM International specifications. Yes, the FAA recently approved a critical part of our engine and airframe (STC) certification program. This follows a similar FAA/ASTM approval…

Success can be measured in many ways. Sometimes it’s influence—does the model change the course of the industry or, maybe, uncover a heretofore unseen market niche? Sometimes it’s emotional—the Beech Starship, what few of them are still in the wild, inevitably wow viewers of both the pilot and nonpilot persuasion. But successful? Not at all. Once you get past the aesthetic and emotional, success becomes a game of numbers. How did any given airplane sell? Was it profitable for the company? Did it become popular enough to create ripples of supporting industry around it, for both modification and repair? There are so many ways to slice this cake. Looking at the light sport market, it’s hard not to give the Van’s RV-12 its due. According to registration statistics gathered by…

When you’re starting to feel human again after major surgery, what’s a good plan for getting safely back into the cockpit? I had a total knee replacement. Generally, it is regarded as the most brutal surgery out there, and here’s what I did. (Note: Your mileage will almost certainly vary, so make your decisions in concert with appropriate medical personnel.) During those first two months of recovery, much of my energy and attention was focused on physical therapy (PT), pain levels, taking all the right pills, and trying to eat. I lost 18 pounds, or 10 percent of my body weight. I discovered the Society of Aviation and Flight Educators CFI study group, and although I already have a CFI certificate, it helped get my head back in the flying…

ACROSS 1 Internal combustion engine pioneer, Charlie _____ 4 Historic 1900 "plane" 9 Site of the Wright brothers historic flight, 2 words 10 Rain affected 11 German aviation pioneer who made important contributions to aerodynamics, ____ Lilienthal 13 Pilots love a clear one 14 Topmost point 17 Turned over 18 Beneficial, 2 words 21 Notorious WWI fighter pilot, The ___ Baron 22 Lockheed SR-71 _____ 27 Is situated 28 Slovenia-based company that makes the Panthera 33 Engine 35 Act of adjusting variable pitch propellers so that the blades are in line with airflow and don't create air resistance DOWN 1 Rise from the runway, 1 word 2 Up to this point 3 Banded agate  5 Tahoe or Erie 6 Sudden heavy rainfall 7 One of the most revolutionary engines in light…

One of the greatest quan daries facing flight school operators is the acquisition of replacement aircraft. The aging fleet flown by many operators is steadily racking up hours, imposing more and more maintenance burdens on 50-year-old airframes while production of new airplanes has slowed to a trickle, and the cost of the few available is high. Kilo Charlie Aviation, a 5-year-old aviation training center at New Century AirCenter (KIXD) near Kansas City, Kansas, has a 20-plane fleet of vintage trainers, primarily Piper PA-28s, and when owners Robert Renfro and Drew Konicek were ready to upgrade, they ran into challenges. When they started looking at available options in 2022, narrowing down the candidates proved difficult. Most training aircraft were based on designs from the 1960s, largely overpowered and upsized for the…

I recently had the opportunity to take my four boys ages 17-25 with me to Alaska for a big-time adventure/vacation that we had planned for a while. Unbeknownst to myself at the time, Alaska would provide a perfect backdrop for combining the realism of Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 (MSFS2020) and actual reality. With nearly photographic detail worldwide, there was no doubt this area of the sim wouldn’t disappoint. I have always enjoyed flight simming to Alaska, exploring most of the state, especially the scenic and challenging coastal airports along the way. For as long as I can recall, I have flown jetliners and bushplanes in all the sims to and from Alaska. The long journey from home on the East Coast was a long one indeed—almost nine hours of airliner…