Table of contents for May 2022 in Plane & Pilot

Sales figures for general aviation aircraft were robust in 2021, according to the General Aviation Manufacturers Association. The strong showing dispelled fears that the pandemic would wreak havoc on GA. Plane makers delivered $25.2 billion worth of new planes last year, a number that is, “…converging on figures that were seen before the outset of the pandemic,” said GAMA President/CEO Pete Bunce. Deliveries were up across the board and were especially good. Deliveries, that is, the number of aircraft handed over to customers during the year, and billings, which is just what it sounds like, were equally strong. Plane makers in 2021 delivered 2,630 airplanes, and helicopter makers handed over 826 rotor-wing aircraft. Worldwide, sales of piston airplanes were strong, as well, with 1,393 deliveries, a 5.5% increase over a…

Equipped with two turbosuper-charged engines, enabling it to reach speeds greater than 400 mph and operate at altitudes exceeding 30,000 feet, the Lockheed P-38 Lightning was destined to be a game-changer in combat against Japanese fighters. Not just a dominant fighter, it would serve in multiple roles: a combination fighter-bomber, a night fighter, a long-range escort for heavy bombers and an important reconnaissance platform. Despite its streamlined, all-aluminum structure and two 1,150-brake horsepower, water-cooled Allison V-1710 engines, the plane would suddenly become uncontrollable midflight for some strange reason. Upon entering a high-speed dive, the P-38’s tail would begin to shake violently, and then the nose would abruptly tuck under. The flight controls would lock up, and the pilot could not control the aircraft as it plummeted toward the earth. Many…

There are plenty of great articles and videos on how to fly for a living, but I don’t know of too many that give you a look into what to expect once you get there. I’ve compiled a short list here, with some help from Romeo Hotel of the “Opposing Bases” podcast. DON’T BE AFRAID TO ASK QUESTIONS “It’s better to be silent and thought a fool than to speak and remove all doubt.” That quote has been attributed to everyone from Abraham Lincoln to Mark Twain to Franz Kafka. No matter its origin, it’s terrible advice for anyone in the aviation field. I think it should be rearranged for those of us who love aviation, as well as the continuous learning that it requires. “It’s better to speak up…

Joby Aviation’s stock prices took a hit after it revealed that one of its two as-yet-unnamed remotely piloted multicopter craft crashed during what appears to have been Vne testing near Joby’s remote testing facility in California. The craft was reportedly traveling at 240 knots, well over its advertised top speed. No one on the ground was injured, and Joby says that it’s cooperating with the FAA on the probe into the mishap. The FAA and NTSB are investigating the crash of a Pilatus PC-12 off the coast of Beaufort, North Carolina, in February that killed all eight occupants, six of them young men. The pilot, a local businessman, was flying the group back home after a weekend of duck hunting. A Marine Corps Air Base controller reported that the plane…

Across 1 DA50 RG makers 5 Confusing pilot moniker 8 The UK’s mainline carrier, abbr. 9 First two letters for the 328 10 Popular material for use in aircraft bodies, 2 words 12 Dangerous build-up on a plane’s exterior surfaces 13 Designation of an area for military traffic only, abbr. 14 It measures atmospheric pressure 16 Fuel holders 18 Hurried escape 19 Fairings around an aircraft engine 21 Additive that’s bad for aircraft engines, abbr. 22 Quantity of heat, abbr. 24 Home to Pima, Yuma and Flagstaff 25 Unlike in a mystery, in airplanes this doesn’t ruin anything 29 Word before Gun and of Climb 30 _____-Wing: mid-wing monoplane with its wing mounted directly to the top of the fuselage 33 Beginning of an innovation 34 Pilots’ areas Down 1…

As is often the case, many of the best ideas are just waiting for the right combination of circumstances and resources to converge. The V-173 “Flying Pancake” is a perfect example. In the late 1930s, with war drums beating louder, the U.S. Navy was looking for an airplane that many thought was impossible. A single design that could take off on the abbreviated deck of a ship, demonstrate fighter plane speed and maneuverability, and then land back on that same short deck. Enter aerodynamic engineer Charles Zimmerman and his “Zimmer Skimmer.” In 1935, Zimmerman won a grant from the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) to develop a compact short takeoff and landing (STOL) aircraft. His unique design featured a 7-foot wingspan, blended wing body design and large, slow-turning propellers.…

Question: How do you convince a wife who is prone to motion sickness to join you on a cross-country flight in a single-engine airplane in the middle of the summer? Answer: You tell her you will fly her to her nephew’s wedding and assure her that you will try to avoid turbulent air conditions and stop en route at any time. The June wedding was set to take place at the Brasada Ranch in Bend, Oregon. We had talked about flying commercial, but with the ability to take time off from work and leave at our convenience, it seemed more cost effective and efficient to just fly ourselves. I was excited to fly this trip as it was going to be a long-awaited vacation and my first trip to Oregon…

“I think I need some dual on night flying.” Forty-five years ago, the voice on the phone belonged to Lester, owner of a 1946 Cessna 140, who I occasionally encountered in the airport lounge. I was a fearless greenhorn flight instructor, ever eager to indulge in anything resembling an act of aviation. We agreed to meet the following evening. Bear in mind that, in the halcyon days of 50 years back, a private license could be earned without any required training in night flying. It was presumed to be an advanced skill, something to be acquired on your own after proper seasoning as a daylight pilot. It was perfectly legal to nibble around the edges of night flight by flying later and later into the twilight (without passengers) until one…

Textron Aviation has announced that the turbocharged Cessna Turbo Skylane, or T182T, will re-enter production early next year, ending a decade-long absence from the marketplace. The full 235-horsepower will be available to 20,000 feet, and the base price will be $653,000, or about $53,000 more than the normally aspirated model. This brings the number of Cessna piston singles to four, including the Skyhawk, Skylane and Turbo Stationair. “The Turbo Skylane represents our commitment to offering new and innovative solutions to our piston owners and operators,” said Ron Draper, president & CEO, Textron Aviation. “We’re pleased to bring expanded capabilities to this segment of the market. And with all of the latest attributes, the Turbo Skylane truly is better than ever.” While “new” and “innovative” might not be the first words…

While most people have heard of the remarkable exploits and sacrifices of World War II pilots, including the legendary Tuskegee Airmen fighter escorts and the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP), many people are unaware of the program that prepared so many of these pilots to jump into their wartime roles. Operating from 1939 to 1946, the Civilian Pilot Training Program (CPTP) was conceived partly as a New Deal program to resuscitate the Depression-battered aviation industry and partly as a military program to prepare young men to become combat pilots. In the late 1930s, despite growing conflict in Europe, the U.S. was still hoping to maintain neutrality. Even so, the awesome power and technology of the Luftwaffe combined with the skill and number of pilots made it clear that the British…

Life experiences give us an opportunity to learn lessons. Sometimes, assuming things don’t go too badly and we tell the stories, others get to learn from our mistakes or questionable decisions. I have no problem sharing those questionable decisions that I have made in the hopes that others can learn from them. This is one of those stories. I was flying back from Washington, D.C., from some meetings, connecting in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and then continuing on to Grand Rapids, Michigan, on an airline that shall remain nameless but certainly still resides on my personal do not fly at all costs list for this and a few other infractions that left me with less-than-desirable service memories. Just before pushback at KDCA, I got the notification on my phone indicating that my…

WE ROLLED OUT of a shallow turn onto short final for Tampa Bay as its gray waters filled the windscreen. I veered left—an adjustment for a flock of ducks who’d opted to swim over flying on this chilly January day, but unlike other times flying low over water, we had the power back. The instructor’s voice came through the headsets with the third confirmation of the aircraft’s configuration: Flaps down, gear up for water landing, water rudder retracted. After 9,000 hours of various landing checklists and callouts, including phrases like “gear down, gear checked down” or “down and verified,” ensuring the gear was up seemed counterintuitive—but then again, so is throttling down when just above the water. It all canceled out in one glorious bit of settling into the surface.…