From The Editor: It‘s Better In The Bahamas

With 700 islands, turquoise waters, postcard-perfect beaches, and 55 general aviation airports, The Bahamas is undoubtedly a pilot's paradise. Recently, Plane & Pilot joined the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism and Aviation on a flying trip to three beautiful islands, for a taste of The Bahamas. In this issue, contributor Marc Lee tells of our flying adventure with Guillaume Fabry of Air Journey, in the company's Beechcraft Baron, detailing what you need to know, from paperwork and customs to equipment requirements and flying procedures. The entire process was much easier than we had thought it would be; and as Neil Glazer, part of the Flying Ambassadors program created to assist unfamiliar pilots, puts it: "Flying the islands is more a state of mind than anything else."

If you're headed north instead of south, we've got you covered there, as well. Winter's arrival shouldn't put your flying on hold; in fact, some of the best flying is done in cooler weather. Contributor Mike Vivion, an experienced winter pilot who flies his Cessna 170B in Minnesota's backcountry, offers tips on preparing for the challenges of winter flying. He covers winterization kits, what to wear, night operations and much more.

James Lawrence reports on the Green Flight Challenge, an electric aircraft competition sponsored by the CAFE Foundation, NASA and Google. Aircraft were challenged to fly a distance of 200 miles at an average speed of at least 100 mph, while burning no more than one gallon of fuel per passenger. Out of 13 initial entrants, five aircraft ended up competing for the available prize money of $1.65 million, with one winner emerging at the end of the historic event. James also takes a look at other ongoing electric aviation projects, and a peek at what's in store for the future.

When it comes to picking a favorite airplane, we know that everyone has different tastes; after all, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. In this issue, Budd Davisson shares his top 10 picks for sexiest aircraft. He also shares the results of our online polls and Facebook queries; your picks ran the gamut, from the P-38 Lightning and the Alpha Jet to the de Havilland Beaver and the Vought F-8 Crusader. Do you have another favorite that we should consider? Let us know what it is and why at editor@planeandpilotmag.com.

This month's guest speaker, famed country musician and pilot Aaron Tippin, shares his once-in-a-lifetime experience copiloting Fifi, the only flying Boeing B-29 Superfortress in the world. He joins the Commemorative Air Force crew in the World War II heavy bomber, flying low passes and making touch-and-goes at Alliance, Texas. What's your most memorable flight? Submit your story and photos to editor@planeandpilotmag.com for a chance to be published.

Join us on Facebook and check out all our exclusive video content! Visit www.facebook.com/planeandpilot to see additional photos and video, and to connect with pilots around the world.

Jessica AmbatsWriter

None