Sporty's Pilot Shop recently introduced a full line of new flight bags, from a small backpack to a large bag that will carry enough gear for overnight trips. The five bags are redesigned and updated for today's equipment needs.
Staff members who tried out the bags returned with positive assessments on their durability, a key consideration for a flight bag. But while durable, the bags aren't exactly light. The second-biggest bag, the Original Flight Gear Bag, and the Cross Country Backpack each weigh close to four pounds. The backpack is the most intriguing of the styles that were tried. With tons of small pockets and large padded sections, it could double as a laptop case and flight bag, making it suitable for all types of traveling. One staff member commented that the bag hasn't reached the level of the high-end backpacking gear. Finally, although the styling is sufficiently interesting without being flashy, the Flight Gear line begs for some color. We're not asking for hot pink, but a little red or blue would be nice.
Sporty's has done a nice job redesigning the Flight Gear collection and pilots should be happy with the upgrades. For good quality and innovative design, Sporty's has a very competitive product.
Price: $49.95 to $99.95
Contact: www.sportys.com; 800-SPORTYS (776-7897)
'Rod Machado's Private Pilot Handbook,' Second Edition
Also newly updated is Rod Machado's Private Pilot Handbook. Machado's new second edition is full color and hardbound. There are 50 new pages of material that bring the book to a hefty 624 pages. The second edition brings the handbook into the twenty-first century with new sections on advanced avionics, including glass cockpits; cross-country flight planning software, such as AOPA's Real-Time Flight Planner; and Internet weather resources. Fans of Machado's monthly column in both AOPA Flight Training and AOPA Pilot magazines will appreciate the handbook for highly detailed information that's presented in a fun, effective way.
Price: $64.95
Contact: www.rodmachado.com
For flight schools...
According to crosswind landing training company XWind, roughly 25 percent of all weather-related aircraft accidents are attributable to crosswind landing mishaps. That's why the company has developed the XWind 200, a crosswind landing simulator for flight schools. Instead of using computer-simulated visual cues, the trainer seeks to teach students to effectively handle crosswinds through muscle memory. The simulator tilts and moves laterally on a track to simulate a cross-controlled landing. An instructor's control panel allows the introduction of various scenarios to add to the training.
Price: $29,900. Lease options are available
Contact: http://xwindsim.com; 317-501-0733
Flight schools looking to integrate aircraft and instructor scheduling and eligibility, maintenance tracking, and customer invoicing now have the option with GenAv's Flight Office Scheduling. Flight Office Scheduling is one of several GenAv offerings, and includes features that seek to ease the burden of bookkeeping and scheduling at flight schools. In addition to the office-based system, the program also includes an online component that allows clients and instructors to schedule from anywhere they have Internet access. A variety of user license packages are available that create flexibility based on school size.
Price: $1,695 for one license with Internet scheduling
Contact: www.genavsystems.com; 866-GENAV1
Hot Seat Chassis recently introduced a new version that adds to its unique line of flight simulator platforms. The Ultimate Flight Sim includes FAA-approved flight controls, three 22-inch computer monitors, and a custom computer loaded with Microsoft Flight Simulator X. As with the company's other offerings, the seat and frame are complemented by 5.1 Digital Dolby Surround Sound.
Price: $17,250
Contact: www.hotseatinc.com; 877-426-3879
Garmin Blog
Tropic Aero, a distributor of Garmin Aviation products and other types of pilot supplies, has created a blog on Garmin's popular line of GPS navigators. Each post is meant to be a brief lesson on how to properly operate the units, and is written from a pilot's point of view. Current entries include a tutorial on how to receive traffic reports on the Garmin 396 and 496 handheld units, a breakdown of the differences between those two models, and some tips on using the Trip and Waypoint Manager software that's included with most GPSMap units. In keeping with the interactive nature of blogs, Tropic Aero invites pilots to submit ideas for future articles, which are expected to be posted twice a month.
Price: free
Contact: www.garmingpsblog.com
Max Trescott's 'G1000 Glass Cockpit Handbook'
As cockpit technology rapidly improves, so too must the training materials that aim to educate pilots on the various pieces of equipment. Even though the Garmin G1000 integrated electronic flight display system has only been on the market for four years, Max Trescott is already on his third edition of Max Trescott's G1000 Glass Cockpit Handbook. New for this edition are details of new display features, functions found on very light jets such as the Cessna Mustang, and flying WAAS approaches. Trescott also rewrote the autopilot chapter to include new material on the Honeywell Bendix/King KAP 140 and all three versions of Garmin's GFC700 autopilot.
Price: $34.95
Contact: www.glasscockpitbooks.com; 800-247-6553
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