AOPA Pilot Online

Cowboy Cadillac

We launch our series “GA Serves America: America’s Pilots” with one of the more unusual yet picturesque uses of general aviation aircraft in these United States—a Montana rancher who tends to his cows by flying his Aeronca Champ across his expansive land. Senior Editor Al Marsh and photographer Mike Fizer traveled deep into the heart of Montana to Glasgow (population 3,253) to the 100-year-old Nelson ranch to meet Travis Nelson and his family. Pull up a hay bale and enjoy this online video that illustrates how important GA is to America. www.aopa.org/pilot (keyword: GASA Rancher)

New magic

Editor in Chief Thomas B. Haines discovers that the introduction of the Garmin G1000 upgrade to the Piper Meridian cockpit transforms the airplane, putting the Meridian at the “pinnacle of cockpit technology,” he says. Haines’ test flights took place in scuzzy weather in Maryland and Pennsylvania, but the GFC 700 handled the descents and approaches perfectly. See the system at work in this online video and join Haines as he flies multiple approaches and en route phases in actual weather. www.aopa.org/pilot (keyword: New magic)

Honeywell’s PFD pride

Toss out your old six-pack of round gauges—the Apex Edge KFD 840 replaces them with daylight-readable displays, which provide a broad range of flight and navigation information. Watch as Editor at Large Tom Horne experiences this new technology, which also does your weight-and-balance calculations, in this online video. www.aopa.org/pilot (keyword: KFD 840)

Airbags in the SR22

In this online video, watch as AmSafe’s airbag technology is installed in the Let’s Go Flying Sweepstakes SR22 and—even more amazing—see the airbag system deploy and save the life of a test dummy. www.aopa.org/pilot (keyword: SR22 airbags)