Plane & Pilot

The tragic death of a popular backcountry flyer at an impromptu STOL competition in gusty-wind conditions in May has prompted a good deal of soul-searching among many in aviation. It sometimes happens in the wake of a particularly emotionally jarring crash, and this one was bad. Tom Dafoe, a 45-year-old aviation sales professional, died in a mishap at a Nebraska STOL event. The fatal crash was witnessed by dozens of people, and it was captured on video. The traditional STOL contest, which grades contestants on the total length of their takeoff and landing rolls—the shorter, the better—was being flown after high winds scrubbed the planned STOL/Drag event, in which planes race at very low altitude in a straight line and back again to a short landing. The more traditional STOL event…

Aviation member organizations are lobbying for support from the federal government on creating a sustainable and affordable supply of non-petroleum-based jet fuel, often referred to as Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF). Members of the National Business Aviation Association and the General Aviation Manufacturers Association say that development of SAF is key to long-term sustainability of general aviation with a greatly reduced carbon footprint. Crews raised a Cirrus SR22 and recovered the body of the plane’s pilot a week after the plane crashed into the Atlantic. The crash, which happened near Savannah, Georgia, remains unexplained. It occurred after the pilot and sole occupant stopped responding to the controller’s radio calls. At the request of the controller, another, unrelated Cirrus intercepted the track of the non-responsive aircraft and witnessed its crash into the Atlantic.…

At the European business aviation show in Geneva, Canadian bizjet maker Bombardier launched the Global 8000, derived from its popular Global 7500, a plane that was already very fast and had a very long range. The 8000 takes both of those things a step further while, do we have to say it, piling on the luxury trappings. Bombardier isn’t naming the retail price yet, but we’re guessing it must be well north of $70 million. (We’ll take two!) The speed race in the bizjet world is hardly new. Every few years, a manufacturer introduces a private jet that goes a little faster than the previous fastest set of wings. Legendary names like the Lockheed JetStar, the Learjet, the North American Sabreliner and the Dassault Falcon took turns as “fastest.” In more…

Cessna 180 Skywagon Clemson, South Carolina/Injuries: 1 According to the pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane, prior to the takeoff roll he applied one notch of flaps and added power. He reported that just before rotation the airplane veered to the left and he could not keep the airplane on the runway. He reported that he aborted the takeoff, applied the brakes and the airplane exited the runway to the left and impacted a drainage culvert. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing spar and ribs. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or anomalies with any portion of the airplane during the preflight that would have prevented the normal flight operations. The meteorological aerodrome report at the accident airport reported that the wind was out of 100 degrees…

Arctic Air Portable AC When filled with ice, Arctic Air blows ambient air across a coil cooled by ice water. It’s able to be powered by the 12 volts that run from a plane’s cigarette lighter (POH must be consulted to confirm your aircraft’s voltage) with a power cord that’s 7.5 feet long. It has two settings, high and low, and it can cool a plane’s interior for three hours on the low setting with flexible tubing. An included drainage tube can pump the water out when on the ground. Measuring 17x17x10 inches, it weighs 14 pounds empty and about 34 pounds full weight. No STCs are required. Price: $815. Available at: www.sportys.com. uAvionix tailBeaconX The tailBeaconX is a Mode S Extended Squitter ADS-B transponder and WAAS GPS integrated into an LED rear-position light. It…

Across 1 Makers of the world’s largest cargo aircraft, the AN-225 5 8-track tape inventor 7 Raw metal 10 Mass times acceleration 11 Some FADEC planes have just one 12 No fly ___ 13 Iron symbol 14 Kind of cockpit David Clark aims to fix 16 NAA trophy honoring the top achievements in aerospace over the past year 18 Word before jets and after cargo 19 Avoid’s other half 20 Hyundai’s air taxi company now in partnership with Miami 23 Often said to be “the thing” 25 Brand that’s part of Textron Aviation 28 Escape ___ 29 Device that converts chemical energy into mechanical energy 31 Air missions or airmen? 32 According to Gemini astronauts, what spam goes in 33 What the laser did to the cockpit 34 Modernized with the latest features Down 1 Aircraft radio navigation system that senses and indicates the direction of a ground transmitter, abbr. 2 Jet engine,…