Aircraft & Ownership
Aircraft & Ownership News and Resources
NASA takes synthetic vision to the next level
Engineers at the NASA Langley Research Center who developed synthetic vision technology are now working to put it right before your eyes. A head-worn display that tracks your gaze and is mounted on an ordinary eyeglass frame promises to project critical information, including traffic and terrain, in zero visibility.
Additional Resources
Answers for Pilots: Preventive Maintenance
Are you a "do-it-yourself" type of pilot? Like to tinker with your airplane? Want to save some money? You may be surprised at the maintenance tasks you can perform on your own aircraft. FAR Part 43, Appendix A, Paragraph C gives a detailed list of the maintenance tasks a pilot can perform.
Aging Aircraft
This course will help you recognize the symptoms of aircraft aging, understand its impact, and mitigate the risks (approx. 45-60 minutes). (Read the disclaimer.)
Take the minicourse >>
AOPA Forums
Nearly 10,000 pilots share their insight and experiences in our fun, informative AOPA Forums. Join in the discussion with pilots from around the world or use the more than 500,000 posts to research a wide variety of flying topics. It’s another benefit of AOPA membership! Read More >>
Skytrain of D-Day drop honors troops, evokes memories
Sitting on the Frederick Municipal Airport ramp in Frederick, Md., painted with the Normandy invasion stripes, a C-47 that dropped American paratroopers on D-Day paid quiet tribute recently to the men who risked - and gave - their lives in the decisive Allied invasion during World War II.
UFO a flying mistress
It's big and slow. The familiar green, red, and white navigation lights indicative of an airplane aren't visible. One bystander on the ground watches the craft fly low in the Ohio night sky, focusing on the oddly positioned white lights for clues.
Airshow rules: Safety first, show business second
Low ceilings and a parade of passing showers doused the Great Tennessee Air Show, and many people stayed away May 13, likely assuming the show was off. Not so, though the team of aviation professionals had to work hard behind the scenes to make sure the show went on without compromising safety.
Eclipse to be built by Sikorsky subsidiary
Eclipse Aerospace has signed an agreement with PZL Mielec, the Polish company purchased by Sikorsky in March 2007, to produce the wings, empennage, fuselage, and related systems such as fuel probes for the Eclipse 550 personal jet. First deliveries are promised for 2013.
Bombardier, Cessna announce new jets
Analyst Richard Aboulafia described the jet market as "an absence of pessimism," and that, given the past four years, is seen as an improvement. In this environment, two manufacturers have launched three new models.
Cub summer: Maryland couple to fly J-3 to Lower 48
Meredith Tcherniavsky and Dana Holladay of Rockville, Md., plan to launch July 4 on a two-month adventure that will take them 8,000 miles in their J-3 Cub.
Strong launch sustains pilot club 50 years later
One instructor, one Piper J-3 Cub, 27 solos, and more than 100 students in the first 12 months. The Elkins Pilots Club started with a bang 50 years ago and has continued ever since.
FAA revises flight-data blocking rules
After a mandate from Congress last year, the FAA had to reverse a policy of publicly disseminating private aircraft flight data; now it is going a step further by publishing new procedures that would give owners and operators broader control over their flight information's disclosure. The agency will accept comments on its notice of proposed process until June 8.
'Naked' airplane plies West Virginia skies
The lore goes that the Breezy became known as the "naked airplane" after the pilot unknowingly made an unscheduled landing in a nudist camp. The aircraft drew quite a crowd among the nudists who noted that the homebuilt "...looks like us. It’s got nothing on."
