I recently encountered a uniquely modified aircraft in Hawaii that got me thinking about how business jets serve millions of people who never get to ride in them and are probably not even aware of their existence. Even in the GA community, I’d imagine plenty of folks would be surprised how many of these customized airplanes are out there and what they do for us on a daily basis. Read more →
Whether you’re flying a Cherokee or a Challenger, the ADS-B equipment mandate is looming larger with every passing month. The question aircraft owners are starting to ask is: should I bite the bullet now, or wait until closer to 2020? I make the case for waiting. Read more →
It’s Christmas for airplane geeks: the wrapping has finally come off the shiny new multi-million dollar toys from those aerodynamic elves at Gulfstream! Here are my thoughts about today’s big reveal of the G500 and G600 business jets. Read more →
Something new is brewing on the eastern shore of Georgia, and it’s going to make a big splash in the aerospace industry soon. Thousands of people on the inside know what it is, but for years the vault door has remained firmly — and admirably — closed. It’s known only by the code name “P42”. Read more →
Drones are the big thing in aviation right now, the growth sector of our industry if ever there was one. But despite the many practical uses for these miniature aircraft, I find it difficult to get excited about them. Am I the only one who feels that way? Read more →
While supersonic airliners were all the rage in the 1960s, they never panned out economically because commercial airliners have to turn a profit. But business aircraft do not. They’re simply tools for allowing business to be conducted. In addition, recent technological developments are bringing us closer to mitigating the sonic boom’s impact. It’s clear we’re headed back to that supersonic future to pick up where we left off half a century ago. Read more →
The first Gulfstream jet ever manufactured made it’s first flight in 1966. It was recently retired after 44 years of continuous service with a single owner. Here’s a look at the history and future of this one-of-a-kind aircraft. Read more →
A guy intentionally fires multiple shotgun blasts at a landing biplane and gets a year of probation for it. I can’t help but wonder what the penalty would be if it was a car instead of an aircraft. Could it be that we have a double standard here? Read more →
Some aircraft sell quickly, others seem to languish for years on the market. Here’s why. Read more →
Tires are probably the least sexy part of an aircraft: a ball of hot, stinky, greasy rubber. it’s also the airframe component which absorbs the most punishment, so they deserve a little attention every now and then. Read more →