A new focus on a changing general aviation
The red and yellow icon with the turbine fan blades on it in the upper right corner of this page is familiar to some AOPA Pilot readers. To others, though, it is something new.
Since the May 1991 issue of AOPA Pilot, we have been publishing a demographic edition of the magazine on a quarterly, and more recently, a bimonthly basis for AOPA members with advanced ratings and certificates. In these "Turbine Pilot" editions, the AOPA editorial staff has written dozens of articles about high-performance aircraft and systems, with a special emphasis on information important to pilots transitioning from piston-powered aircraft to light turbine aircraft.
This demographic edition worked well in an era when there was a distinct difference between turbine and piston operations and when advances in general aviation were mostly confined to the turbine arena. That distinction is no longer so clear, and advances are certainly no longer confined to the jet set.
With the advent of a new generation of very light turbofan engines and the increasingly widespread acceptance of sophisticated avionics in lighter aircraft, AOPA has made the decision to provide a greater editorial emphasis on these subjects in all copies of AOPA Pilot, eliminating the need for separate "Turbine Pilot" editions. The decision reflects changes in the marketplace that are blurring the once-distinct line between high-end piston aircraft and turbine aircraft. The acceptance of such simple-to-operate single-engine turboprops as the Socata TBM 700 and Pilatus PC–12, and the brand-new Piper Malibu Meridian shows that personally flown turbine aircraft represent a viable market. In addition, Cessna now offers an entire line of light jets certified for single-pilot operations, including the CJ2, which is profiled beginning on page 76. Raytheon is working to certify the Premier I light jet, which also will be certified for single-pilot operations. Both Safire Aircraft and Eclipse Aviation represent brand-new aircraft that promise to create brand-new markets. As Eclipse President and CEO Vern Raburn notes, "The fact is, that when the right new technologies come along, especially when multiple new technologies converge, they can usurp the status quo and create major new markets. Aviation is at just such a juncture."
Exciting aerodynamic, manufacturing, materials, and engine advances from Safire, Eclipse, and Williams, among others, combined with impressive new displays from Avrotec, Avidyne, UPS Aviation Technologies, Garmin, Honeywell, Rockwell Collins, Sandel, Sierra Flight Systems, BFGoodrich, and others promise to transcend the general aviation market.
The "Turbine Pilot" articles will focus on these and other subjects and concepts important to pilots transitioning to more sophisticated aircraft. However, regardless of a member's aviation aspirations, we believe that all pilots in the future will benefit from a knowledge of evolving technologies and that the articles will be of interest to virtually all AOPA members. The "Turbine Pilot" articles will be in addition to the usual breadth of coverage that AOPA Pilot, the world's largest aviation magazine, is known for providing. We will not be eliminating other types of coverage to accommodate these articles.
As always, we're anxious to hear your feedback on these and other editorial ideas as we move into what promises to be an exciting new decade for general aviation.
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