Plane & Pilot March 2017

With the FAA’s adoption of Part 23 reform, a whole new era in general aviation development begins. What does it mean to us as consumers and to the industry? HOW DOES IT WORK? The new system will work like a more regulated form of what the Light Sport Aircraft regs introduced a decade ago. The regs are just for small planes, which the rewrite classifies using the accepted cutoff of 12,500 pounds. That’s the somewhat arbitrary but long-accepted weight divide between light aircraft, which are covered under Part 23 and Part 25 Transport Category aircraft (there’s a middle ground, too, the hybrid Commuter Category for planes heavier than 12,500 pounds, but with 19 seats or fewer). Most of the planes we think of as owner-flown (or potentially so) aircraft fit…

First electric-powered flight, Tissandier Dirigible ‘Number 6’: 1883 Flight’s origin: Auteuil, Paris, France Average speed: 7 kts Cruising altitude: 1,600 ft. Duration of Flight: about 1 hr. Distance travelled: 6 nm Manufacturer of dirigible powerplant: Siemens Horsepower: 1.5 Powerplant weight, France: 1,552 lbs. Power to engine weight: 1:100 First manned, electric, fixed-wing flight: OCTOBER 21, 1973 Aircraft: Militky Brditschka MB-E1 Adapted from: Brditschka HB-3 single-seat sailplane Wingspan: 39 ft. 4 in. Flight’s origin: Wels, Austria Cruising altitude: 1,200 ft. Duration of the flight: 7 min. Powerplant manufacturer: Bosch Battery weight: 300 lbs. Horsepower: 13 Engine weight, Diamond DA20 Continental IO-240: 246 LBS. Horsepower: 125 Full fuel weight: 144 lbs. Maximum takeoff weight: 1,764 lbs. Fuel source: 100/100LL Seats: 2 Wingspan: 35 ft. 8 in. Payload: 440 lbs. Stall speed: 45…

Garmin VIRB Ultra 30 The next action cam in Garmin’s lineup is Garmin VIRB Ultra 30 HD, which comes in an aviation-specific edition ($499.99). This camera shoots high definition footage at 4K/30fps with 3-axis image stabilization to keep the video steady in all flight attitudes. Voice control lets the pilot tell the camera to start, stop, and the “remember that” feature allows for tagging specific moments for later ease of access. Other features include LCD color touchscreen, one-touch live streaming, and G-Metrix data capture. The in-cockpit bundle comes with a stereo headset audio cable to capture and embed radio communications in the video footage, a filter for eliminating propeller distortion, and a cage mount for cockpit attachment. The unit is capable of connecting with and receiving flight data from the…

RAINBOW SKY REACH BUSHCAT 2 Uninjured The pilot reported that he took off in meteorological conditions after being weathered in for two days. He further reported that while en route to the destination he encountered deteriorating weather conditions and opted to land at a nearby field to allow the weather to pass. The pilot reported that the terrain looked “manageable and smooth enough to land on.” He landed using a soft field landing technique, but during the landing roll the nosewheel dug into the grassy terrain, which resulted in a nose over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot reported that there were no pre-impact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. A review of the recorded data…

“When all is said and done, flying well is itself a form of mindful meditation, in that it forces us to stay focused and attentive in the present moment.” It is impossible to get from the bedroom to the bathroom in my house without stumbling across the word “mindfulness” on some book or magazine cover, which is an extraordinary feat because the bedroom and bathroom are connected. It seems as though you can do anything from making your bed to flying an airplane with this mindfulness thing, which, I guess, is the whole point. In the plainest English, mindfulness refers to the idea of being in the present moment, the “here and now” as we said there and then, with some kindness and compassion thrown in, to boot. Sounds simple,…

“I surveyed my surroundings in the pitch-black. The odds were favorable that I wouldn’t hit anyone if forced to make an emergency off-airport landing in the desert. However, the last time a flying object had crashed here, it was never discovered….” The Navy had issued orders for my transfer to Japan, an exotic land that I had wanted to explore since first studying the martial arts as a child. My household goods were packed, and I was beaming with excitement, until I learned that not all my belongings could go with me. The Yokota flight training director on the international call made it very clear when I inquired about shipping my Cessna Cardinal: “Sir, the Japanese do NOT want your airplane here.” I wasn’t ready to sell, nor would I…