Category Archives: Aircraft

Two Single-Engine Jets Funded Again

Posted on January 9, 2012 by Mac

The Cirrus SF50 Vision single-engine jet development program had been on hold since last fall while the company’s new Chinese based owner, CAIGA, analyzed and reviewed the program. But the new owners are apparently satisfied with the prospects for the … Continue reading →

Posted in Aircraft, Industry & Government | 16 Comments

The International Politics of NDB Approaches

Posted on January 4, 2012 by Mac

How old is the non-directional beacon (NDB) as an aeronautical navigation aid? Eighty years? 90 years? Or maybe more. I’m not sure. The NDB was certainly around before even the fancy four-course range with its dit-dah left-right guidance along a … Continue reading →

Posted in Aircraft, Industry & Government, Technology | 40 Comments

The Good, and the Bad in 2011

Posted on December 30, 2011 by Mac

I’ve been writing this Left Seat blog for EAA with the generous sponsorship of Aspen Avionics for a year. I don’t think it’s my fault, but 2011 has not been the most memorable year in aviation, but there was some … Continue reading →

Posted in Aircraft, Airmanship, Flying for Fun, Industry & Government, Safety, Technology | 11 Comments

When Dual Can Equal Disaster

Posted on December 8, 2011 by Mac

Every well-trained crew, or any competent instructor, always makes it absolutely clear who has the controls. Even pilots who have flown together for hundreds or thousands of hours always announce aloud, “You have the controls,” and the other pilot responds, … Continue reading →

Posted in Aircraft, Airmanship, Technology | 6 Comments

The Ultimate Homebuilder – Frank Robinson

Posted on November 16, 2011 by Mac

People build their own aircraft for all sorts of reasons, but high on the list is a desire for a machine you just can’t buy from a factory. And that’s exactly why Frank Robinson built his own helicopter. And that … Continue reading →

Posted in Aircraft, Industry & Government | 9 Comments

Are Composite Structures Too Tough?

Posted on November 9, 2011 by Mac

Using composite materials to build an airplane has many advantages. Composites – particularly advanced materials such as carbon fiber – can weigh significantly less than aluminum. Composites can be shaped to meet any designer’s whim, and the finished surface can … Continue reading →

Posted in Aircraft, Technology | 45 Comments

GPWS – Innovation That Has Saved Lives

Posted on November 3, 2011 by Mac

Instrument flying was pretty crude in the late 1960s when Don Bateman began developing what would become the ground proximity warning system (GPWS). If pilots followed all procedures correctly every time, there was no danger of hitting the ground. But … Continue reading →

Posted in Aircraft, Safety, Technology | 8 Comments

Tougher Than the Weather

Posted on October 13, 2011 by Mac

A forecast that has proven tougher to make, and certainly less accurate than the weather, is how new airplane sales will go in the future. But that doesn’t stop some companies from trying to see over the edge into the … Continue reading →

Posted in Aircraft, Industry & Government | 25 Comments

Pilots Buy Dreams, but Not Airplanes

Posted on September 28, 2011 by Mac

Human economic behavior is perverse. We buy expensive items such as houses and stocks when prices are high, but sell them, or don’t buy, when prices go down. And we spend millions on dream airplanes, but when an airplane becomes … Continue reading →

Posted in Aircraft, Industry & Government, Mac Clellan's Left Seat Blog | 49 Comments

Why the Trim Tab on a Racer Matters So Much

Posted on September 20, 2011 by Mac

Video and still photos clearly show the trim tab on Jimmy Leeward’s modified P-51 air racer Galloping Ghost breaking off before the tragic crash sequence began at the Reno Air Races last week. Reliable eyewitnesses also saw the trim tab … Continue reading →

Posted in Aircraft, Mac Clellan's Left Seat Blog, Safety | 82 Comments