After starting up, calming my nerves, keying the mic, and receiving my taxi clearance, I joined the slow parade of aircraft taxiing up to the departure point of Runway 27. This looked startlingly familiar to the long lines of aircraft I’ve seen for years on the taxiways at KOSH during the real AirVenture.

Fond memories returned to me of short breaks taken beside the taxiway watching aircraft, a northerly breeze keeping the summer heat in check, puffy white cumulus clouds rolling softly over the field as innumerable one-of-a-kind, rare, and well-loved GA, warbirds, antique, and homebuilt aircraft slowly roll by on their way to go flying.

Although I’m in my home flight simulator, I am excited to be trying this bucket list flight simulator activity, knowing that landing at KOSH this afternoon will be a test of concentration and flying skill as I join my fellow sim pilots in attempting to traverse the famous Fisk arrival. 

Snapping out of this momentary reverie, I receive my clearance from the tower to line up and wait on Runway 27, and then: 

“November 3-8-3-Romeo-Sierra, cleared for takeoff, Runway 2-7.”

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Then, with as much calm in my voice as I can muster: “Roger, 383RS, cleared for take-off, runway 2-7.” 

Ahead of me, another Cessna 172 is on the upwind, a safe distance ahead. On either side I can see many more GA aircraft waiting their turn to launch, propellers all spinning in anticipation. We are 12 miles due south of KOSH, but my heart rate is up, left hand on the yoke, push the throttle forward, and the takeoff roll begins. A quick glance at the oil pressure, it is in the green, and my airspeed is alive: 30, 40, 50 knots, but no faster—something’s wrong. 

I can hear something is not right with the engine. But this is near impossible as I thought I had turned off major failure modes for the event. Another check of oil pressure—still green. A bit exasperated and running out of runway, I contemplate what it will feel like to botch this takeoff in front of 30 other sim pilots who are probably watching and listening on the radio.

If I don’t figure this out, I will need to abort the takeoff. I have only a few seconds to make the decision when I look across my sim cockpit and spot the culprit of the engine trouble. I leaned the mixture on the long taxi to the takeoff point, and it was still at roughly 50 percent. I jammed the mixture full forward, the engine responded, and the 172 returned to normal acceleration, up through 70 knots. I pulled back on the yoke and cleared the end of the runway to my upwind climb. Certainly an inauspicious start to the most exciting live flight sim event in which I have participated.

Having failed to double-check the mixture, I made a silent promise to myself—no more big mistakes. After all, this is the big live event of the summer for sim pilots. 

With my heart rate settling back to normal and Fond Du Lac fading into the distance behind me, it was time to get ahead and stay ahead of the aircraft. One of my goals for the flight was to hand fly it, which was made easier by the calm weather programmed into the flight simulator. 

I turned the heading bug on my Real Sim Gear G1000 PFD CDI and steered my 172 in a south-westerly direction over the small town of Waupun, Wisconsin. I set my altitude bug for 1,800 feet, per the arrival instructions, and trimmed to maintain the altitude.

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Just like in the real world, twins and faster aircraft could opt for the 2,300-foot altitude arrival, but I purposefully chose the slower single-engine piston Cessna 172 Skyhawk, knowing that it would still provide plenty of challenge. Once I reached Waupun, I would turn the aircraft in a north-westerly direction toward the Fisk arrival Transition starting point. This would be revealed as soon as I checked the ATIS, which functioned in this SimVenture event exactly as it does in real-world flying. 

There were a few important differences between the real-world EAA AirVenture Oshkosh arrival and the SimVenture version. To coordinate the same flight sim environment for all participants, pilots were asked to set their simulator weather to CAVU skies, calm winds, and standard pressure altitude of 29.92 on the barometer. This assured that all pilots were flying at the same altitude and that there were no major crosswinds, given the high density of live aircraft in the simulation.  

The most interesting and compelling similarity to the real-world AirVenture experience was the fact that real Oshkosh ATC were controlling all pilots participating in SimVenture. Some of the participating controllers were even using SimVenture to warm up for the real AirVenture environment just like some pilots use simulators to fly routes in advance.

Having some of the real-life KOSH air traffic controllers join the flight simulation community to provide the ultimate full-immersion experience made it a can’t-miss event. Working from their own homes, the controllers were provided with software and access so they could see the activity on their screens and control the sim participants effectively. As soon as I tuned into the ATIS to learn which Fisk arrival transition was in use, I recognized the familiar voice, having watched numerous real-world arrivals on YouTube as part of my preparation.

PilotEdge delivers the integration of the live ATC service with participating sim pilots connecting to the event through their software client. For SimVenture, PilotEdge designated one of the four runways at KOSH for each day, providing incentive for sim pilots to fly the Fisk arrival all four days of the event. For those pilots wishing to be surprised, the runway information can be picked up when listening to ATIS or from the announcements of the approach controllers. Trying to preserve that element of surprise and realism, I briefed all four runways as part of my prep work and felt reasonably prepared for each. 

I experienced some trepidation about how much of the critical scenery I would be able to see out my left window, even at 1,800 feet. Spotting the railroad tracks at Ripon, for example, and picking up Fisk Avenue over the town of Fisk were both critical details. So, a few days before SimVenture, I took a practice flight on my sim from Ripon to Fisk, trying the Fisk Avenue transition first, and then looping back to try the railroad track transition over the gravel pit second.

• READ MORE: Here Are 2 Quick VFR Flights to Try on Your Home Flight Simulator

My justification for this practice flight was simply that I would use my home simulator to do the same thing if I was flying the arrival in real life, so why not get a quick familiarization ahead of the big event? Also, I knew how task-saturated I would feel on the day of SimVenture, and I wanted to ease that a bit. 

I was 10 miles south of the start of the Fisk arrival now and dialed in the SimVenture ATIS, confirming that Puckaway Lake was the selected transition starting point and that Runway 27 was the active arrival runway for the day at KOSH. I then tuned to the Fisk Approach frequency and started to listen to the controller providing a series of directions to aircraft far ahead at the RIPON checkpoint. For now, I turned my attention to the aircraft forming up over the lake. Whatever aircraft I could form up with would become the loose formation that would make the run up the railroad tracks to the town of Fisk, and then on to landing at KOSH. 

When I arrived over Puckaway Lake, the informal formation of aircraft had the organizational qualities of what I remember my middle school dances looking like— a few parts of chaos and a lot of improvisational choreography as we danced with two left feet—trying to find an aircraft of similar size and speed to fly with. It was a group assembly en masse, like a murmuration of starlings but with much more function and a lot less beauty. 

Aircraft of all varieties were moving generally eastward but at a wide range of altitudes and speeds. I counted no fewer than 30 aircraft and did my best to join a small group near the southern edge of the lake. There was a concerted effort among us to order ourselves, with some jockeying for position. I slowed down to 82 knots momentarily to set myself in the back of the flying-V formation that was beginning to take shape. It wasn’t pretty, but we were Oshkosh-bound.  

The next transition point ahead of us was Green Lake. Per the notice, we had until the town of Ripon to form a single file line, and this had to be completed without talking to each other on the radio. All of us were doing our best to balance the many simultaneous tasks of navigating visually, watching out for nearby traffic, holding altitude and airspeed, and listening to the controllers. The leg from Green Lake to RIPON isn’t more than 10 miles, so there wasn’t much time to make it all work. It was odd to be so close to other aircraft but with no direct way to communicate with them. The flying-V shape was holding on the right side, but there was a bevy of aircraft that still needed to sort themselves into order off to my left. 

Farther ahead, the radio was alive with the Fisk Approach controller turning around a group of sim pilots that couldn’t get themselves into a single file. They were receiving the “turn back” instructions, which meant the whole group had to enter a left turn counterclockwise and fly over the northern shore of Green Lake, then fly nearly 20 miles back to the transition point on Puckaway Lake and try the entire process again. In my group, we had 6 miles to go until RIPON and we still had some work to do.  

I used the hat switch on my yoke to move the camera view to my left and right so that I could read our position and progress towards single-file-ness. Satisfied with my relative position to the other aircraft, I clicked the button to return my camera view to straight ahead out my windscreen, and without warning, another single-engine piston aircraft flew directly in front of me from the left, giving me cause to wonder if I would feel the prop wash in sim.

If it had been real life, it would have been a nerve-wracking close call, and I suspect that I could have seen the other pilot’s eye color. I immediately corrected more to the right and tried to slow down by a few knots, wanting to avoid the accordion effect of stacking up the sim pilots behind me. Not an ideal situation, but one I probably should have been expecting given all of the traffic. By now, the frequency was alive with activity from the Fisk Approach controllers, who were exercising equal parts patience and directness. 

Soon we were on the doorstep of the RIPON transition, and I began looking for the railroad tracks that would lead us to Fisk. I was confident that I could see the tracks from 1,800 feet, having run the practice flight a few days before. I was glad I had done so since Route 44 runs closely alongside and can be visually mistaken in the sim environment if glanced at casually.

Our informal gaggle of aircraft formed a decent single-file line of four, and we made it to RIPON without getting sent back to the end of the line. The others in our group had pressed ahead, probably at faster than 90 knots. No matter. I double-checked my altitude, airspeed, engine instruments, fuel remaining, and that I was still tracking correctly over the railroad just out of my left window.

This feature first appeared in the July/August Issue 949 of the FLYING print edition.

The post SimVenture Adventure Doesn’t Disappoint appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

My dad and grandpa’s Cessna 172 Skyhawk XP, with its delightfully itchy sheepskin seats and the “Please step outside to smoke” sign on the dash, introduced me to aviation as a 7-year-old. I would practice ELT searches with my dad, organize Jeppesen charts, and try to read the instruments just like he would.

And being a kid in the ’80s, buzzing soccer games and friends’ houses only helped cement a love of aviation—and, as it turned out, adrenaline. I assumed that my dad’s skillful IFR landings and the rigor applied to his Civil Air Patrol work were the norm for pilots.

With grandpa’s passing, the C-172 went away. We didn’t have much extra money, so Saturday morning flights became a thing of the past. I grew up and eventually started a company and had some kids and raced some cars. I knew enough about being a pilot that I would not have the time to fly consistently and, therefore, I would not learn to fly well. As the company did better, I would dry lease or fly on fractionals to meetings and races. I wouldn’t think about the pilot we hired, the maintenance record of the airplane, or how young the pilot in command was. I was just excited to be in a small airplane again.

• READ MORE: Finding a Deer in the Headlights

The first lesson to pay attention came in the form of an early delivery Eclipse 500. I often dry leased a Malibu and hired a pilot (its owner). I enjoyed the steep approaches to Truckee, California (KTRK), and talking shop as I flew in the right seat with him. Each flight was an informal lesson. Soon, his Malibu went away, and a brand-new fast and high Eclipse 500 took its place. The idea of a very light jet (VLJ) was intoxicating. So much so that I never once questioned his ability to step up from the Malibu, nor did I question the sea of yellow “INOP” stickers that littered the panel of this dubiously certified little jet.

He and I were flying a short hop from McClellan Airfield (KMCC) in Sacramento, California, to the 3,300-foot strip at Gnoss Field (KDVO) in Marin County. Prior to takeoff, reports of fog made Gnoss a no-go, so we planned to fly an even shorter hop to Napa County (KAPC), which, it turns out, was also in the fog.

I sat in the right seat, and we talked about the new little jet’s systems. I admired the cockpit layout and the elegant sidestick jutting out from my right armrest. As we came in for the approach to Napa, there was thick fog for miles. I assumed it was a high layer and we’d punch right through just like dad used to. The pilot descended into the fog, and I did my job being a quiet passenger. In a slightly stressed tone, he asked if I could see the runway. Runway? We’re still way deep in the thick of the fog. And then there it was, still shrouded in fog, maybe 400 feet below and well to the right of us. I pointed it out as the numbers passed by us, and the airplane aggressively turned to line up with the still-shrouded runway. There was no way we were going to try to land, right?

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Thankfully, the pilot chose to go around. We went around on a steep climb to the right. And that’s when I heard the stern voice of the ATC—who I would soon find out was sitting in the tower…to our right—tell us that the go-around was to the left, and it’s critical to know and follow go-around procedures. We climbed back out of the clouds, he lined it back up, and we tried it again. Nope. Then again.

The third time, it went worse. The runway was nowhere in sight. The pilot muttered something about how we need to be careful as there are antennas nearby. We finally see the ground, which I think was somewhere between Runways 18L and 6. He went around again…to the right. The controller was now aggressively chastising him on the radio when I realized that we were still low and still turning and now in a banked descent somewhere near the tower and Runway 6. I looked up (yes, up) through the windshield and saw an access road and grass at a very odd angle to the panel. We weren’t level nor straight. And there is a tower somewhere to our left.

I knew enough about flying that this is a view that not many see from the windscreen of a jet a couple of hundred feet off the ground and can talk about later. My confidence that the pilot was in control was near zero. I knew that we needed to level the wings and pull back ASAP. I had the clarity of mind (thanks be to evolution for situations such as these) to know that grabbing that elegant little sidestick would probably kill us. Or then again, maybe it would save us.

The cliches of time slowing down and life flashing before my eyes proved to be true. My fingers opened inches from the stick, and I looked left to the pilot’s hands to see if he was going to level us first. I would give him exactly one second before I’d yell, “My plane!” I know, this is a supremely dumb idea. My brain was very much in “don’t-die” mode. Thankfully, he didn’t freeze up. He flew the airplane out of the situation that he got us into.

We climbed out as the controller gathered himself and offered a different type of IFR approach. I didn’t understand this exchange. What are we using? To this day I have no idea how he was navigating. Whatever was offered by the concerned controller was declined.

We rose above the clouds and were silent. Neither of us wanted to talk about what had just happened, so I asked him to go back to McClellan.

“Can’t. Not enough fuel,” the pilot responded.

I asked if we could declare an emergency and land at Travis Air Force Base (KSUU). That runway has to be a mile wide and 3 miles long.

“No,” he said.

What? Why would we depart Sacramento and into Napa’s fog with a thimble full of jet fuel?

We had to go back in for another try. I was not excited about this, so I just shut my mouth and did my best to spot the runway. Due to the stress of the situation, I have little recollection of that landing other than the controller talking him through it and, in a wise act of self-preservation, reminding him that the go-around procedure is to the left.

I learned about flying from that. Know your pilot. That was the last day I ever flew with or talked to him. And I never received an invoice.

The next lesson about flying regarded the airplane, not the pilot. The pilot was new to me, and lessons learned, I asked many questions about him and those who knew and recommended him. He was an instructor, A&P mechanic, military, commercial, with tens of thousands of hours over the decades. This was no hobby; this was his career. However, the airplane he was going to fly was a recent JetProp-converted Malibu. All the pilots talked about how fast and fun it was to fly. The giant exhaust sticking out of the cowling and expansive glass cockpit won me over.

He flew me from Truckee to Bakersfield, California (KBFL), so I could test a race car at the track in nearby Buttonwillow. The flight down was fast and comfortable for a solo passenger. When the day at the track was done, I made my way back to Bakersfield and climbed into the JetProp. The pilot did his walk-arounds, safety checks, and used checklists. I like this guy. We took off into the moonless black night over central California and left the lights of Bakersfield behind. I was tired, so I sat in the rear-facing seat and kicked my legs up. I was looking at the scattered lights of a few farmhouses far below. It was dark. It seemed too dark. I then noticed that there were no lights on the wingtip.

That’s odd.

I looked over my shoulder to the pilot and saw no lights on the panel either. He was digging through his duffle, so I used my phone to light the cockpit. He grabbed a flashlight and a hand-held radio and visually swept the panel. A lone old-school artificial horizon was installed to the far right of the new glass panel. It was in the worst possible position for a single pilot in the left seat, flying on a moonless night over dark farmland.

The pilot calmly radioed an emergency and climbed higher to give us the best possible chances if the engine stopped turning. Unfortunately, the radio was low on batteries, so he could only make a short call before it died. He would leave it off for a bit and then turn it back on for a short transmission.

He continued to fly the airplane, scan the instruments with his flashlight, and try to restart the electrical system to no avail. He kept calm despite some (actually, a lot of) sweat. The emergency gear extension knob was used, and two clunks were heard—but not three. He turned the radio back on and requested a flyby to see if the nose gear was actually down. As he approached the tower, the emergency lights on the runway lit up the night as fire trucks and ambulances staged themselves along the taxiways.

The tower controllers apparently didn’t know where we were, and we flew right by in the dark and didn’t get a gear-down affirmation signal. I assumed radar would tell them where we were, but it didn’t seem like they were able to see us. The pilot kept scanning the panel, flying the airplane, and checking altitude to ensure that we were still within glide distance of the airport. As he flew the pattern it was eerily dark, so I stared at my phone and contemplated texting my wife.

He flew a perfect approach. As we descended over the sea of emergency lights, he held the airplane a few feet off the runway and landed long in order to bleed speed then gently set down on the mains. He then held the nosewheel up until he could gently set it down. Like butter. The gear held. I clearly had the right pilot for the situation. We taxied off the runway, and he shut down the engine on the taxiway—and it got very dark around us once again.

The downside to landing long is that no one saw us. The controllers would later share that they assumed we were down out in the dark desert. The runway was so long and wide, this tiny unlit airplane was easy to miss as it landed long right down the center while they were scanning the skies.

Someone radioed to the emergency crews that they thought they saw someone. All the emergency trucks started racing down the taxiways. The pilot yelled for the first time. “Get out of the airplane! They don’t see us!”

After all this, we were about to be run over by one or more well-meaning, 70,000-pound fire trucks. We ran from the airplane into the grass as their lights finally spotted our darkened plane, and they slammed on their brakes.

I rented a Nissan Sentra and drove the six hours home.

I had vetted the pilot but did not vet the airplane beyond admiring the panel and that sexy exhaust. A short had killed its generator, inverter, and battery. I should not have chosen to fly on a recently converted airplane until hundreds of flight hours had passed.

Passengers should educate themselves to vet both plane and pilot. The admiration and trust we have for both is well earned but should not be universally applied.

This column first appeared in the May 2024/Issue 948 of FLYING’s print edition.

The post Everyone Should Pay Close Attention in the Cockpit appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

The wide world of aircraft is now open to you, but what can you actually fly? Part of being a good pilot is recognizing that sometimes our eyes are bigger than our skill set. While hopping into a high-performance World War II warbird is a great goal, it is probably not the thing to do while waiting for the ink to dry on that new certificate.

That said, there will be a learning curve with any new-to-you model—and the possibilities are nearly limitless. Here are a few options to get you started that you can either step into right away or require just a few hours of further training.

Ultra-Modern: Cirrus SR22

If what turns your head is a sophisticated aircraft with advanced avionics, comfortable cockpit, and safety features such as a whole-airframe parachute, consider the Cirrus SR22 series. It may not be an entirely new model for everyone, given that it does see use in the training environment. However, between the depth of available features and its capabilities, there’s plenty of room for even more advanced pilots to expand their skill sets to take better advantage of all the model has to offer.

The latest version of the nonturbocharged SR22, the recently unveiled G7, boasts a top cruise speed of 181 knots, 1,169 nm range, and useful load of 1,326 pounds. Capable of seating up to five, it comes equipped with the G3000-esque Perspective Touch+ by Garmin avionics suite and offers an array of advanced features, including crew alerting system (CAS) linked checklists and taxiway routing. The SR22 is also a capable IFR machine, so becoming familiar with the model could be a particularly good option if you’re looking toward your next rating.

• READ MORE: This 2017 Cirrus SR22T Is a High-Performance, Parachute-Protected ‘AircraftForSale’ Top Pick

Keep in mind that there can be a lot of variation within a model type. If you’ve flown an early generation SR22 in training, you could find yourself in for a few surprises when you get into the cockpit of a newer version like the G7—or vice versa. This holds true for any model that has seen updates over multiple production cycles, so check that you are familiar with the specific configuration of the version you’re getting ready to fly well before takeoff.

In general, the SR22 is faster than many trainers and a bit less forgiving than something like a Cessna 172, particularly when it comes to approach and landing speeds. If you’re stepping up from a slower airplane, beware of falling behind the aircraft.

To act as PIC, you will need a high-performance endorsement: typically five to 10 hours of additional training with the instructor signing you off once they feel you are competent. Insurance requirements will likely dictate the final amount.

As a side note, if you’re going all-in and buying a used Cirrus rather than renting, the company offers up to three days of instruction with one of its authorized training partners free of charge via the Cirrus Embark program. Free transition training with the experts is hard to come by and extraordinarily valuable, so don’t miss out.

Vintage: Piper J-3 Cub

Is there anything more iconic in general aviation than a little yellow Piper J-3 Cub? If you’re looking to get places quickly, overcoming all inclement weather, and staying aloft for as long as biology allows, move along. This isn’t the one for you.

But if what you want is a nostalgic meander through beautiful VFR days, honing your stick-and-rudder skills while feeling the wind in your hair, the Cub can be a great model to turn to. Introduced in 1937, the two-seat J-3 is among the most recognizable models around with nearly 20,000 produced and a stock paint job so identifiable that the color came to be called “Cub Yellow.”

• READ MORE: This 1947 Piper J-3 Cub Is a Historic, Beloved ‘AircraftForSale’ Top Pick

Turning to the practicalities, if you don’t already have one, you will need a tailwheel endorsement to fly a J-3. It takes a rough average of 10 hours to complete but will put an array of interesting aircraft within your scope. Be warned: It will not be like flying a tricycle-gear trainer. Tailwheel aircraft have their own traps waiting for the unwary pilot—a much stronger predilection for ground loops, for example—so find a good instructor and pay close attention to the differences in handling characteristics. That said, with solid instruction flying a Cub is well within reach for a newer private pilot.

Pay attention to loading once you’re cleared to go up on your own. The Cub is little and light—two good-sized people can overload it, and it’s just not built for carrying much cargo. The stock 1947 version is powered by a 65 hp Continental engine (the earliest model had just 40 hp), offering a cruise speed of around 65 knots, 191 nm range, and useful load of 455 pounds.

To be fair, the J-3 is also not going to win any awards for cabin comfort. What it has, though, is style and history. The Cub is also a reasonable place to start if you’re looking to fly more complicated vintage aircraft in the future.

Solid Performance: Cessna 172 Skyhawk

Sometimes it just isn’t worth messing with a good thing. The Cessna 172 Skyhawk is a reliable, stable performer with a long history of taking pilots where they need to go. It is easy to fly, easy to land, and capable of a little bit of everything. That’s why it remains such a popular all-around trainer.

Alongside its general cabin comfort, those same characteristics make it a great option for new private pilots. In addition to being familiar to many, it requires no further endorsements or ratings and keeps to speeds common to other ab initio training aircraft—meaning timing in the cockpit will likely be similar even if you learned in something else. Furthermore, if you’re going to be renting, they’re easy to find pretty much anywhere.

• READ MORE: This 1968 Cessna 172 Skyhawk Is an All-Around Capable ‘AircraftForSale’ Top Pick

Like many of the other aircraft discussed, there is a lot of variation in 172 models even when only considering stock versions. Get to know the specific model you’ll be flying. Among other examples—and it probably goes without saying at this point—if you trained on one type of avionics (i.e. glass vs. analog gauges or Garmin flight deck vs. Avidyne), plopping yourself down in front of another without someone to teach you best practices and pitfalls is, quite frankly, a terrible idea. If what’s available to you is different in any significant way than what you trained on, grab a qualified instructor and log some learning time before heading out on your own.

The latest Skyhawk model has a top cruise speed of 124 knots, range of 640 nm, and useful load of 878 pounds. It comes equipped with Garmin G1000 NXi avionics and can seat the pilot plus three passengers. While it may seem too plain for some—it isn’t the fastest, leggiest, or tech-iest for sure—there’s no reason not to love a jack-of-all trades aircraft like the 172.

On the Water: ICON A5

If you are looking to head toward the water with your new certificate, it is worth taking a look at the ICON A5 amphibious light sport aircraft (LSA). Designed with recreational aviation in mind, it aims to provide a simple, fun flying experience even for pilots new to seaplanes. It comes with many safety features, including a whole-airframe parachute.

As of December when the FAA granted it type certification in the primary category, the two-seat ICON A5 is available in certified and special light sport aircraft (S-LSA) versions. Both have a top speed of 95 knots, a 427 nm range, and a useful load of 430 pounds. Certified and S-LSA A5s are powered by the fuel-injected Rotax 912iS engine and come equipped with the Garmin aera 796.

• READ MORE: This 2017 ICON A5 Is a Fun-Loving Amphibian ‘AircraftForSale’ Top Pick

When acting as PIC, the primary difference between the two versions is what you are required to have to fly one. To operate the certified edition in the U.S., you will need a private pilot certificate and seaplane rating. However, the S-LSA model, which ICON began delivering to customers in 2017, will continue to require a sport pilot certificate with a seaplane endorsement. Make sure you know what you need to legally fly the model in front of you.

If a seaplane rating or endorsement is all that stands in your way, the time frame for getting one tends to be about the same as the tailwheel endorsement: typically five to 10 hours of dedicated instruction, with the bar being when the instructor feels you are demonstrating proficiency.

Like most seaplane models, it can be quite difficult to find an A5 to rent. However, if you’re in the market for your own aircraft or one is available to you, it makes for a good launch into the world of amphibious aircraft.

Jet-A Traveler: Diamond DA40 NG

The four-seat Diamond DA40 NG has made a name for itself as a sleek, efficient, and easy-to-fly option for everyone from students to experienced IFR pilots. Its Austro AE 300 engine burns jet-A, making it a great entry-level choice for pilots looking to fly cross-country and/or in areas where avgas isn’t readily available. It is worth noting that the NG’s counterpart, the avgas-burning DA40 XLT, is a significantly different airplane, though worthy of consideration in its own right.

Along with offering great visibility through the bubble canopy, the DA40 NG is a comfortable cross-country machine with good range and reasonable speed for its type. As with the 172, no additional ratings or endorsements are needed to fly one. Once introductory flights are complete and you are comfortable with the aircraft, you’re good to go.

• READ MORE: The Diamond Aircraft Story Continues to Evolve

The newest version of the DA40 NG sports a top cruise speed of 154 knots, 934 nm range, and useful load of 897 pounds. Notably, its fuel consumption comes in at just 5.1 gallons per hour. On the avionics side, it is equipped with the Garmin G1000 NXi flight deck.

In addition to its range, the fuel burn in particular makes the DA40 NG an attractive choice for a new private pilot looking to go places. It can travel a long way on much less than many of its competitors. Another point in the model’s favor is the cockpit noise…or lack thereof. The diesel engine runs on the quieter side.

The DA40 NG is a well-behaved flyer, so transitioning to one shouldn’t be too complicated for most—assuming you didn’t learn to fly in one in the first place.

Fair Winds, Clear Skies

There are a nearly endless number of aircraft models out there, with pathways available straight to the left seats of a great many. While it may take step-ups, additional ratings, or endorsements, make a plan, get the training, and go for your dream airplane.

Who knows? You may even fall in love with a few others along the way.

This feature first appeared in the March 2024/Issue 946 of FLYING’s print edition.

The post Dream Aircraft: What Can You Fly? appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

No, these upgrades don’t come with steamy towelettes and tons of legroom. The upgrade on the docket is a little more involved as we go about removing legacy components that have been in place for decades—ah, the stories they could tell—and replacing them with repurposed avionics from a once hangar mate. Out with the old and in with the new!

When last we left Corey, he had received the pull-off avionics parts from Stephen’s Saratoga and was prepping to install them in his 1966 Cessna 172H Skyhawk. All set up in his T-hangar, it was time to get down to business. You heard me correctly, ladies and gentlemen. After months of planning and a can-do attitude, Corey got busy pulling apart his panel.

• READ MORE: Part 1: Cessna 172 Skyhawk Avionics

Careful, Diligent Removal

Disassembly is easier than it sounds though one does not simply go ripping and snatching on aircraft components. While it is true these are pull-off units, they do have value. Corey could pass them along to another, as Saratoga Stephen did for him, sell them as cores, or keep them as souvenirs. The first order of business was to map what was to be accomplished before laying wrenches on it.

As the pieces come out, it is important to take time to tag them with relevant information. Part number, serial number, condition “AR” for as removed, the date, and N-number of the aircraft. This is helpful if you need to identify the item later, especially if Corey passes them on to someone else.

Once removed and tagged, Corey placed them out of harm’s way and began the task of preparing the panel for installation.

Installation Prep 

Step one for the installation is to inventory everything. Steve and the crew from Oasis Aviation manufactured and delivered the wiring harness, and it looks fantastic. The team even created and provided a wiring diagram. This will assist Corey with the installation of his replacement equipment, and it will become part of the aircraft technical documents to be retained for future reference during maintenance events. Once inspecting it, Corey loosely installed the new wiring harness. Also, the avionics trays are installed loosely. Once the harness is cleaned up, he will secure them in place.

• READ MORE: Oasis Aviation Sponsoring Aviation Avionics Apprenticeship

Next, it’s time to wire in the circuit breakers and fasten the routing. This is accomplished with zip ties and a stand, making everything nice and tidy. This will ensure everything stays in place when the new components are installed. It takes more time on the front end but will pay dividends in the long run. Oftentimes, mechanics will race through removals and not take proper pictures or notes. This is a mistake. While in the area, go ahead and do an impromptu inspection. Look for frayed, chafed, or broken wire. Check for visual discrepancies like cracks or corrosion. Use this time to get to know things behind the panel—you are not here all that often.

There is a fair amount of dust and debris that collects behind instrument panels. Give everything a thorough cleaning and use a high-powered light and inspection mirror to see those hard-to-reach places. Another good exercise is to replace any loose or damaged hardware. Stripped screws, broken lock plates, and cracked brackets are common occurrences. Again, use this time to correct any and all issues you find. As a mechanic, one cannot “unsee” problems once they arise. Now that everything is prepped, we will move forward.

What Comes Next

Alright, sports fans, we have come to a stopping point. Yes, I know you want to keep going, but Corey is doing this after hours, and he has a family and a full-time gig to attend to. Trust me when I say you don’t want to rush aircraft maintenance. Even so, it is important to make steady progress. Just like anything in life, your repetition creates your reputation. Don’t rush or skip steps, and always stick to the maintenance plan.

I asked Corey to share his next steps. Here are some maintenance actions that are forthcoming in the refurbishment:

• Install the new avionics panel.
• While I had the interior out, Corey pulled all the old fiberglass insulation and discarded it. He is planning on upgrading to a better and newer soundproofing insulation. While the airplane is down for maintenance in one area, you can always use that time to  perform additional upgrades.
• Next, Corey will need to install GPS antennas and wire them up. We will follow this process with him as well.
• We removed the old automatic direction finding (ADF) system. After removing the old antenna, we will have to patch the hole made from it.
• Lastly, we still need to remove the vacuum system.

That’s it for now, folks. Stay tuned as we keep working on Corey’s Cessna 172 project. Don’t forget we are also tracking Stephen and his Saratoga. There is still so much to do. Take care and stay safe!

The post Part 2: Cessna 172 Skyhawk Avionics appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

In the manufacturing boom of the Industrial Revolution, inexpensive goods flooded the market, and advertisers beckoned us to drop the old and replace it with the new. This seemed to work well until the 1970s when certain people despaired over the landfills filling up, and a new age of convenient curbside recycling emerged.

A subset of the population kept the old frontier spirit alive in America, and that would be the general aviation airplane owner. Reduce, reuse, and recycle is not just a slogan for these men and women: It is a mantra. I have personally witnessed the repair of a $45 flight bag handle using CherryMAX blind rivets (I may or may not have had a hand in that, depending on who’s asking).

Out with the Old

When researching this article, I wished to find the origin of the phrase “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure.” As it turns out, the inter-webs attribute it to no less than seven individuals on the first page of search results alone. Given that, it is most likely that no one is exactly sure who initially said it. For all we know, Fred G. Sanford said it at some point on the 1970s sitcom Sanford and Son. Oh, and the G stands for “Get up to the hangar and get this stuff.”

Do you remember Corey Sampson and his project airplane, a 1966 Cessna 172H? Well, Sampson and I are back at it again. 2024 is a new year with a fresh set of maintenance evolutions. In October, we spoke with Sampson about his maintenance plan, and one of the projects highlighted was an instrument panel upgrade.

Sampson’s current setup is a throwback to days gone by. His audio panel is a King KMA 24, with Narco MK12D comm radios, King KN 64 DME, and Arc RT-359A transponder. As an A&P mechanic, I leave the avionics stuff to the experts, but I recall seeing these components throughout my 35-year career. Functionally, everything works fine, but Corey is ready to upgrade.

Used Serviceable Material (USM)

According to aerospace powerhouse Oliver Wyman, there is a tsunami of used serviceable material (USM) coming with regard to aircraft parts. Estimates show that the current USM “represents 11 percent of total aftermarket materials spending versus 9 percent in 2019.” While airline fleets command a majority of the USM headlines, GA operators have utilized these repurposed parts for years.

Enter Stephen Mercer and his 1982 Piper PA-32R-301T Saratoga. We are tracking Mercer’s installation, which is in the works at Gardner Lowe Aviation Services in Peachtree City, Georgia, outside of Atlanta. Stephen and Corey, until recently, were hangar mates and often helped each other whenever necessary. GA owners are a tribe that relies on each other for advice, support, and friendship.

Corey worked a deal to obtain the avionics panel from Stephen after Gardner Lowe removed it from his Saratoga. The details have yet to be completely ironed out, but to date, the components included are:

• Garmin GMA 340 audio panel
• Garmin GNS 530W GPS
• Garmin GNS 430 GPS
• Garmin GTX 330 Transponder 
• JPI 700 engine monitor 
• Garmin GI 106A VOR/ILS/GPS Indicator

Next on the schedule for removal are the antennas. The Saratoga is also undergoing its annual inspection, and the avionics installation remains active. I intend to document these maintenance evolutions in real time. Given that, everyone knows that plans are fluid, especially in aircraft maintenance. More on that later.

Preparing for Installation

I feel I’m invoking my inner Charles Dickens, but we have “A Tale of Two Airplanes” instead of A Tale of Two Cities. While Stephen is going full flat panel with a factory-new install, Corey is repurposing USM but also upgrading his Cessna’s panel.

Yes, much of Corey’s installation will come from Stephen. There is also an element that is brand new. As part of the conversion, Corey procured two Garmin G5 electronic flight instruments for certificated aircraft and picked them up this week. According to the product’s website, this “replaces traditional electromechanical instruments; can be configured in attitude, DG/HI/HSI, and turn coordinator positions.” Approval to install comes from a supplemental type certificate (STC), and this model is applicable to 560 aircraft.

Another late-breaking development in the avionics swap plan emerged this week. Garmin recently released service advisory No. 23018 Rev B, stating in part that “effective immediately, display repairs for the WAAS and non-WAAS GPS 400, GNC 420, and GNS 430 are no longer available and have been discontinued.” How does this affect the decision to continue flying the GNS 430 Corey is getting from the Saratoga?

That’s how it goes with aircraft maintenance. You have a maintenance plan in place, obtain material, and schedule downtime when Murphy’s law checks in and says, “Not so fast.” We are still unpacking what this means for the continued airworthiness of the GNS 430. An OEM like Garmin withdrawing support for products is a key driver in the parts manufacturing approval (PMA) and designated airworthiness representative (DER) repair world. At press time, it is too soon to tell how this ball will bounce, but rest assured, the industry will find a solution.

Just like an airplane trims the controls to meet the wind, so shall we adjust to the changing winds of the aviation aftermarket. Thanks for reading, and stay tuned to see what happens next!

The post Part 1: Cessna 172 Skyhawk Avionics appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

The new additions, which were handed over at Textron Aviation’s location in Independence, Kansas, included four new Cessna Skyhawks, one Cessna Skylane, and one Cessna Turbo Stationair HD. The aircraft join a fleet of 540 Cessnas currently owned and operated by CAP.  The organization also has a contract for an additional 14 172S Skyhawks and one 182T Skylane, which it awarded to Textron in September.

“Civil Air Patrol is thrilled to welcome these new Cessna aircraft to the world’s largest fleet of single-engine piston aircraft,” said CAP national commander and CEO Major General Edward D. Phelka. “CAP is proud to continue to partner with Textron Aviation as we utilize their outstanding products in executing complex and varied missions for America.”

• READ MORE: Civil Air Patrol Responds to Wildfires on Maui

Founded on December 1, 1941, as the official civilian auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force, CAP now counts its membership at more than 60,000 volunteers organized into 1,414 squadrons across the U.S. According to its annual report, the organization flew more than 95,000 hours and is credited with saving 151 lives last year. CAP’s missions include joint training and other military operations, assisting federal, state, and local agencies, search and rescue, disaster response, and emergency services.

“From search and rescue to disaster relief and homeland security, the missions CAP undertakes daily are as broad as their footprint across the U.S.,” said Bob Gibbs, Textron Aviation’s vice president for special missions sales. “We are honored that Cessna aircraft continue to be the organization’s platform of choice for these crucial operations.”

The post Civil Air Patrol Expands Fleet appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Today’s Top Pick is a 1975 Cessna 172M Skyhawk.

Cessna’s 172 Skyhawk first flew in 1955 and was based on the company’s earlier 170, a four-seat taildragger. Adding a nosewheel made the aircraft easier to handle on the ground and removed some of the anxiety pilots often felt about potentially ground-looping a tailwheel aircraft during landing. Cessna also squared off the airplane’s vertical fin and followed with additional tweaks that instantly made the 172 appear more modern than the 170.

This 1975 172M has particular appeal to me because it is the same model as Six-Zero-Romeo, the airplane in which I took my first solo flights. I do not think anyone forgets going aloft, alone, for the first time. The experience might have been even more memorable in this Skyhawk, which received a Penn Yan SuperHawk conversion to a 180 hp Lycoming O-360. My trainer had the stock 150 hp O-320. 

This 1975 Skyhawk has 3,909 hours on the airframe, 1,970 hours on its 180 hp Lycoming 0-360 engine since new. The panel includes a Garmin GMA 340 audio panel with intercom and markers, Garmin GNS 430W, panel-mounted Garmin 396, KX155 nav/com, GTX327 transponder with ADS-B Out, dual glideslopes, KN 64 DME, and S-Tec 30 autopilot.

Skyhawks have long appealed to a large, diverse audience because of their versatility, economy, and reliability. Pilots looking for an aircraft that is well suited for training and personal travel should consider this 1975 Cessna 172M Skyhawk, which is available for $102,000 on AircraftForSale.

You can arrange financing of the aircraft through FLYING Finance. For more information, email info@flyingfinance.com.

• FLYING Magazine: BAA Training Agrees to Buy 48 Cessna Skyhawks from Textron Aviation
• FLYING Magazine: ATP Orders 100 Cessna Skyhawks
• FLYING Magazine: The Evolution of the Cessna Skyhawk in Photos
• Plane & Pilot: Cessna Skyhawk: Four-Seat Trainer?
• Plane & Pilot: Titan Engine STC For Cessna Skyhawks
• The Aviation Consumer: Used Aircraft Guide: Cessna 172
• AVweb: Buying A Used Aircraft: Cessna 172

The post This 1975 Cessna 172M Skyhawk Is a Multimission ‘AircraftForSale’ Top Pick appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

“Most recently in 2014 (after living many places inside of and outside the U.S.), my wife and I were living just outside of London,” Martin said. “But we had both fallen in love with the Pacific Northwest and we decided that Bellingham, Washington, would be a great place to settle. It is just this beautiful city and we moved here in 2015. I came for my profession. I’ve been a registered respiratory therapist for more than 30 years, with both clinical and medical device industry experience.

“We became aware of the airport probably six months after we started living here. I was a part of a flying club at another airport and, while it wasn’t discouraged to fly to Lynden Airport, the airport is kind of unique with a short, narrow runway with houses on either side. So, my first introduction coming here was flying VFR with my instructor to get a sign-off for the flying club. I have to say that I’ve probably landed here more times than I can remember because I knew that I wanted to live here someday and wanted to be ready for that. I had fallen in love with the airport and the community of pilots here. I wanted to be a part of it.”

Martin made his vision a reality a little over a year ago, he explains in a video on his YouTube channel, “Ginger The Plane.” The video, which has tallied more than 100,000 views, highlights the aviator’s passion for flying, as well as what led him to becoming an airpark resident.  

“Aviation has been a passion in my life from my earliest memories to the present day,” he said. “I grew up near an active U.S. Air Force base during the height of the Vietnam War and saw all types of aircraft in the skies above every day. I had hoped to pursue a career in aviation as a pilot in the military, but nearsightedness found me first. I decided to pursue a private pilot’s [certificate] and have been a general aviation pilot since 1990. 

“My wife, Kerstin, and I purchased our Cessna 172M Skyhawk in 2020 and bought a hangar at Bellingham International Airport (KBLI) soon thereafter. After buying an airplane and a hangar, we thought we had ‘made it’ until we found our airport home in Lynden in August 2022. Living close to a runway and your airplane is truly ‘next-level’ special.”

The economics of hangar homes in the area made the idea of living at the airport more of a dream than a reality, Martin explained. Luck was in his favor, though, as a home within the couple’s price range unexpectedly became available. But they had to act fast. 

“We were not looking to buy a house; our little condo was a great place to live,” Martin said. “A good friend let me know a house was for sale at Lynden Airport. I mentioned my friend’s text to my wife the following morning, and she responded pretty positively that we should at least look at it. We viewed the house later that day, and we had an accepted offer within 24 hours of my friend’s text. Wow, now we have to sell the condo and move!”

The change was an agreeable one, and the couple quickly felt at home in their new neighborhood, surrounded by aircraft and other aviation enthusiasts. The airport was immediately welcoming to them and their desire to give back. 

“Lynden Municipal/Jansen Field is a rare and precious jewel in our community’s crown,” Martin said. “It’s the only hard surface runway in Whatcom County besides BLI. In a natural disaster, such as the recent Nooksack River flooding, or much-anticipated Cascadia Subduction Zone earthquake, Lynden Airport will provide a vital staging point for air evacuation, delivery of medical supplies, and serve all northern Whatcom County area communities. This airport also attracts pilots from across western Washington who buy fuel and visit local businesses (for meals and gift shopping). My interest in serving the city as an airport advisory board member stems from a sincere desire to give back to my community. In addition, the airport community is friendly, warm, and welcoming. It’s the closest thing to pilot heaven that I’ve ever found/ We’re very happy here!”

As evidenced through Martin’s YouTube channel, he’s been putting in work in the air. He routinely explores parts of the Pacific Northwest within striking distance of his new home.

“Northern Washington is amazing,” he said. “And Washington as a whole has incredible things for pilots to see. I’m particularly partial to the northwest corner of the state, where we have the San Juan Island chain that we can fly to. There are all kinds of airports on most of the islands, and there are good restaurants out there. You can get from Lynden to any of the islands in 15 or 20 minutes. Also, we have Mount Baker, our local volcano. It has a 10,000-foot peak and is still an active volcano, actually. If you fly around the summit, you can sometimes see the caldera and get a whiff of sulfur, so you know it’s still alive in there.

“Something to keep in mind when you come here is that Canada is also nearby, so you can cross the border and easily get to Vancouver [British Columbia]. Seattle is also not too far away. In two hours, you can be down to the middle of Oregon, and in three hours you can be to the border of California. It’s really not that difficult to find things to do around here.”

Martin also mentioned that his one of his favorite things to do with his 1973 Skyhawk.

“I’ll tell you what blows my mind the most about living here is something as simple as a sunset flight.” he said. “You take off an hour before sunset, get to the western edge of the San Juan Islands, and the only thing left between you and the Pacific Ocean is Vancouver Island. You then watch the sunset. It’s just incredible and it humbles you. And when you turn back to the east to head home, you see the sun setting on the summit of Mount Baker. It is indescribable.”

The post ‘Ginger The Plane’ YouTube Channel Allows Pilot to Share Airpark Experience appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

To Dorn, morphing into Worf each day was a lengthy process because of the amount of makeup and prosthetics required to bring the character to life. But when the cameras stopped rolling, it wasn’t the starship Enterprise that drew Dorn’s attention, it was a Cessna 172 Skyhawk. But there was a problem.

You see, Michael Dorn likes airplanes that go fast. Really fast. After moving through a few general aviation airplanes, he began buying and flying a long list of former U.S. military fighter jets. This desire to go fast also explains why he drives a Tesla Model X P100D today. “It has ‘Ludicrous’ mode,” Dorn says. “I live for on-ramps!”

In an interview with FLYING, Dorn discusses his love of fast airplanes and describes how he developed Worf into such a popular Star Trek character

FLYING Magazine (FM): You’ve owned a Cessna 172, 310, and 340A, and a Citation 501SP, plus a SOCATA Trinidad TB-20, and a Beechcraft Baron 55. What have you owned that satisfies your need for speed?

Michael Dorn (MD): I have been lucky to have owned a number of military jets, including the Casa Saeta HA200, Lockheed T-33, North American F-86C, and North American Sabreliner 40A. But the one jet I have always wanted is the Lockheed F-104 Starfighter. The 104 will be my final airplane, because it really goes fast.

FM: Since the military cannot sell their used airplanes directly to the public, how are civilians able to buy these decommissioned military jets?

MD: In the old days, the publications that list used airplanes had a section for fighter jets. You always saw quite a few T-33s, F-86s, MiG-21s, and L-39s. Now, the operations that do dissimilar aerial training with the military need fast airplanes for U.S. pilots to train against, so they fly great stuff. When they are done with these jets, civilians can pick them up to be flown as experimental exhibition airplanes.

FM: Tell me about the exhilaration that you feel flying your fighter jets.

MD: I’ve always wanted to be a fighter pilot since I was very young because I love aerobatics and speed. The jet airplanes I fly can do Mach 1 or Mach 2 and that kind of speed is exhilarating. If you are low to the ground or going through clouds, you get that sensation of speed. But if you’re just blasting through a bright blue sky, it does not feel fast until you look down at your air speed indicator and you see 0.96 Mach and realize that OK, now that’s fast!

FM: Do you use flying as an escape from your work as an actor?

MD: Yes, all the time. When I was working on the show, I was flying at the same time on the weekends because it was a total release. I equate it to meditation because you’re not thinking about anything else but keeping the airplane in the sky. And with a bubble canopy, you have a different perspective looking down on really beautiful country. I get a little ethereal and find myself asking what is the problem here, what are we fighting about?

FM: How was the character of Worf developed? Did you have any input on what we saw on screen?

MD: The cast had already been working together when they decided to add the character of Worf. I went in to read for the part and was in makeup within the hour. They gave me no guidance on what the character is or what they wanted him to be. I asked the show’s creator, Gene Roddenberry, what his vision for Worf was, and he told me to just make the character my own. To an actor, that’s like Christmas.

FM: What influenced how you developed the character?

MD: The rest of the cast were all just really nice people on and off screen, laughing a lot, happy to be going into space together. It struck me to make Worf the opposite of that because he was a professional soldier, didn’t joke around, didn’t smile, and was kind of gruff and surly. Luckily, the writers took off on that and wrote some fantastic stuff with that in mind.

FM: What is the one attribute a young person needs if they want to break into acting as a career?

MD: They need to have thick skin and be resilient because it’s a tough business. When I started, there were only three television networks, that was it. Now there is so much out there with all the cable and streaming work that if someone knows their craft, the chances of working and making a living as an actor are pretty good. To rise to the top and become a star, you have to be very good at your craft. Even if you are not a star, you can still be a character actor and work all the time.

FM: A lot has been said about Worf’s makeup on the show. What was it like putting all that on and taking it off at the end of shooting each day?

MD: When we started, it was three hours to do the makeup and glue on the prosthetics. By the end of my run as Worf, it was down to one hour and 45 minutes. It was very challenging because they are literally putting glue on your face, and you have to wear it for as long as 15 hours. When I was made up as Worf, I couldn’t go and have lunch in the commissary, because when I would come back, they would have to reglue. That part of the role made my skin crawl.

FM: Once you were made up as Worf, did you stay in character on the set?

MD: No, I am not one of those actors who needs to be in character to do the job. They would say, “action,” and I’d do my lines as Worf; and when they said, “cut,” I would just say, “thanks,” and go about my business. People onset would see me as Worf and assumed I, too, was gruff and surly because I had the makeup for that. But that was not at all the case. I am nothing like Worf in that regard.

FM: Now that Capt. Kirk has gone to space, is that a ride you want to take?

MD: No, because it is dangerous, even if they’re not going into orbit. It’s one of those things where you’re not in control. They put you into a rocket and just shoot you up. For the money they want to go up, I’d much rather use that to buy an F-104.

Quick 6

Name one person you’d like to fly with, living or dead.

Bob Hoover

If you could fly any airplane or helicopter, what would that be?

The Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird

What one airport would you most want to fly into someday?

The airport in Lukla, Nepal [VNLK]. Yikes!

What has been aviation’s biggest innovation?

There are two: the jet engine, and advancements in technology including GPS.

Would Worf have made a good fighter pilot?

He would’ve been an incredible fighter pilot because, like real fighter pilots, he did not have any fear.

When you’re not flying, what would you rather be doing?

Playing tennis. Wherever I lived, I made sure there was a court within 2 or 3 miles.

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