Innehållsförteckning för July 2025 från Plane & Pilot

Last month I celebrated a decade of dedicating my life to general aviation. Although it’s crazy to think about how quickly the last 10 years have flown by, the anniversary coincides pretty closely with one event that no pilot can forget—EAA AirVenture Oshkosh. Although a lot has changed since that summer back in 2015, one thing has stayed the same—that last full week at the end of July. Over the course of eight, almost consecutive AirVentures (only missing one due to the cancellation of the show in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic), my Oshkosh memories span far and wide. From being 16 and sneaking out of our designated youth program camping area in Camp Scholler to see what all the hubbub was about at the beer tent, to flying…

AT SUN ’N FUN 2025 many attendees were drawn to an aircraft that appears to be both genuinely affordable and a speedy performer. I refer to Saberwing from Azalea Aviation. This composite kitplane stands out for its modest cost, achieved with simple fiberglass and wood elements and because Azalea offers its own engine. Yes, you have to build a Saberwing, but the job has been made easier and swifter and, as the kit runs at the price of a new pickup truck, the design represents a bargain. Let’s dive into what makes this aircraft a compelling option for general aviation pilots. Based in Quitman, Georgia, Azalea Aviation’s Saberwing is a two-seat, low-wing experimental amateur-built (EAB) aircraft tailored for pilots who want speed, simplicity, and value. Designer and Azalea CEO Bill…

Piper PA-12 Myrtle Beach, South Carolina/Injuries: 1 Minor NTSB Report: ERA23LA356 The aircraft was being used to tow banners. The pilot said he refueled the airplane the day before the accident and checked the fuel level during his preflight inspection the following morning. During the second banner tow of the day over the coastline, about 2 hours and 30 minutes into the flight the engine suddenly stopped producing power. The pilot made a forced landing in the ocean just offshore of the beach, resulting in substantial damage to the fuselage. The postaccident examination of the airplane was compromised by the saltwater damage to the engine. The pilot reported departing with 33 usable gallons of fuel, however, there was no evidence of fuel leaks and both fuel tanks were intact and…

When making a purchase of any sort, there are many things to consider. One of which we must first decide is whether to buy new or used. Some things are simply better purchased new. But for some items, especially those depreciating dramatically upon initial acquisition, buying used could be your ticket to significant savings and affordability. You may already have a history of purchasing used automobiles, boats, motorcycles, etc. If you have, then you have likely saved thousands of dollars on your purchase. As you sit comfortably in your home or office, contemplating the acquisition of that shiny, new dream airplane, you realize that the sevendigit price point for a brand-spankin-gnew aircraft did not include a decimal place. The reality sets in. While your dream deflates as fast as the…

BIG BEAR, CALIFORNIA, is a resort town 6,700 feet up in the San Bernardino Mountains, known for recreation on its large alpine lake and in the surrounding pine forests. On May 1, 2023, a pilot flying his 1979 Beechcraft A36 Bonanza, with two friends on board, was headed to the Big Bear City Airport (L35) to check out a Cessna 150 for sale on the field. It was early afternoon on a bright, sunny day. The sky was clear, save for some high cirrus. It was a pleasant 55 degrees, although it felt cooler due to some gusty winds. Inbound from the south, the single-engine, retractable-gear Beechcraft entered an uneventful downwind leg for Runway 26. Moments later, the airplane crashed. The Bonanza lay crumpled up in an empty lot just…

When selecting topics for this column, I try to stay true to the spirit of Plane & Pilot and focus on single-and-multi-engine propellerdriven aircraft that have a great story to tell. We have covered everything from the first X-plane, the 1909 Wright Model R, also known as “Baby Grand,” to the exotic Pond Racer, and more recently, the extraordinary 400 mph Nemesis NXT. However, one single engine propeller-driven aircraft stands head and shoulders above the rest for the imagination it took to develop—and the courage it took to fly it—the Republic XF-84H “Thunderscreech.” The Thunderscreech was a product of the fertile creativity of aircraft development present between the end of World War II and the swinging ’60s. Unlike today, when a new jet fighter may take a decade or more…

It’s almost here: The big event, the giant airshow, the humongous fly-in, and the aviation trade show for pilots. EAA AirVenture Oshkosh is just around the corner (July 21-27), and folks are already itching to be there. I see folks posting online, seeking out the daily schedule of performers and trying to find places to sleep that aren’t highway robbery (Hint: tent). It’ll be someone’s gazillionth time going, and it could well be your first time there. Let me share something with you about AirVenture: Don’t sweat the small stuff. Read the NOTAM carefully, if you’re flying in. Park your plane, tie it down, and start roaming the grounds. It’ll be hard to find a stranger at Wittman Regional Airport (KOSH). Pilots love to talk about flying, and you’ll learn…

It was a warm summer afternoon in Prescott, Arizona. A pilot friend and I decided to fly my 1976 Cardinal over to Sedona Airport (KZEZ) for a late lunch. The Cardinal and I were fairly new to the area, but I respected its performance limitations and was careful to account for the elevation and temperature and the density altitude it would surely bring. Since the 7,600-foot main runway was unavailable, I ran the numbers for the lightly-loaded Cardinal for takeoff on the 4,400-foot cross runway. Two on board, three-quarters fuel, no baggage, no sweat. The first half of the takeoff was on a slight downgrade, acceleration seemed OK, and we broke ground about the same time as we crossed the longer Runway 21 Left/3 Right. However, after rotation, two things…

It was just a sunny afternoon flight in a yellow Piper Cub. For pilot Charles Alfred “Chief” Anderson, the flight itself was ordinary. His passenger in the backseat, though, was anything but. Anderson, a Black man, was taking first lady Eleanor Roosevelt for an airplane ride. In 1940s America, it was unthinkable. That 40-minute hop would become known as “The Flight That Changed History.” Born in 1907 in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, Anderson was captivated by airplanes from a young age. Yet aviation in the 1920s was not exactly welcoming to Black Americans. For example, aspiring pilot Bessie Coleman had been forced to move to France in order to have a chance to learn how to fly. In Anderson’s case, he was able to join aviation ground schools, but finding someone…