The Latest

Of all the challenging tasks confronting newcomers to aviation, perhaps the least-appreciated and most difficult to overcome is learning to speak the language of aviation. Our lingua aerial is full of strange new terms unrelated to those of other activities that may have been encountered heretofore. “What’s a ‘pitot tube’ or ‘VOR?’” beginners will ask. […]

Flying into Wittman Regional Airport in Oshkosh (KOSH) for EAA AirVenture is not for the faint of heart. As this becomes the busiest airspace during the convention week, ensuring a successful sortie requires more than a cursory look at the procedures and policies needed for a safe journey. Before wheels up en route to OSH, […]

Becoming a pilot can be a daunting dream. How do I start? Where do they teach this stuff? Who is Hobbs?  Still, the U.S. is one of the friendliest countries for learning to fly. Knowing which questions to ask is half the battle, and among a long list of decisions you’ll be faced with as […]

When Zenith Aircraft CEO Sebastien Heintz invited me to attend the company’s annual homecoming event at its Missouri headquarters at the Mexico Memorial Airport (KMYJ) in September, he didn’t know I’d been eyeing the company’s designs covetously for over two years—long before I found an editorial home at Plane & Pilot. I eagerly agreed to […]

Of all the gadgetry in airplane cockpits, the magnetic compass is probably the least regarded, least used, and least understood. And yet, it deserves understanding and respect, because it is often the most steadily reliable navigational reference we have. Often referred to as the “whiskey compass,” “wet compass,” or “standby compass,” the magnetic compass is […]

For today’s bargain, we travel north to Ontario, Canada, where a well-sorted 1964 Piper PA-28-140 Cherokee Cruiser awaits. Despite the 140 in the model name, this Cherokee features a Lycoming O-320-E3D that provides an additional 10-20 horsepower for more spritely performance and is available for CAD $95,000 on AircraftForSale. Among the most popular general aviation […]

Like a reliable headset, a dependable kneeboard is an essential tool for the cockpit.

Building an aviation library is a fantastic endeavor for a pilot of any level. In fact, the one thing that all pilots quickly learn is that the education process never really ends in the world of aviation. Therefore, a solid reference library allows each pilot to remain sharp and safe well beyond their training. However, […]

Today’s bargain is a type that often goes unnoticed, combining much of the capability of a 182 with the lower price point of a 172. Known as the Cessna 175 Skylark, this is essentially an older 172 with a more powerful geared engine, and is available for $77,000 on AircraftForSale. Built between 1958 and 1962, […]

A new era of aviation is upon us. With innovations in sustainable fuels, airframe design, and safety, we may not recognize the machines that take us into the skies 20 years from now. Incredible resources are being poured into development of new technology at a rate not seen in 80 years—at least in the private […]