by Brandon Ray | Nov 19, 2016 | All News, Cessna Articles, General News, Product Reviews
The Cessna Caravan is an iconic airplane, easily recognizable by its high-wing design, PT6 turboprop engine and suburban-of-the-sky demeanor. This summer I was fortunate to fly the Cessna Caravan on a demo flight in Conroe, Texas (KCXO). First, I rode along as a passenger to get a feel from the passenger’s perspective, and later, I flew the airplane from the front seat and experienced the handling characteristics for myself. The Caravan provides power, utility, versatility, and fun, while operating more cost-effectively than turboprop twins. Caravan operators appreciate the consistent reliability provided by this proven time-tested airplane.
by Brandon Ray | Jun 1, 2016 | All News, General News, Product Reviews
I first saw the HondaJet in person at EAA AirVenture last year. Honda hosted a huge crowd and hundreds of people gathered under the Honda tent just to catch a glimpse of the revolutionary jet. With the composite fuselage and over-the-wing engine design, this sleek airplane has exceptional ramp appeal. The wings are designed with a smooth surface allowing for laminar flow over the wings, which increases the efficiency and improves the aerodynamics of the aircraft.
by HPA | Apr 10, 2016 | All News, General News, Product Reviews
It was time to fire up the engines. As I was mentally preparing for the demo pilot to open the checklist, he had me turn on the master engine switch. Then he directed me to push a button in front of me for a few seconds. Next thing I knew the engine was running. Wait, what? Yes, that was it. One switch and one push of a button and the engine was running smoothly.
by HPA | Feb 22, 2016 | All News, Garmin Articles, Product Reviews
With all of the technological advancement in aviation, it is interesting to see how well flight simulators have kept up with the times. In this article, I will compare two popular flight simulators, Microsoft Flight Simulator X (FSX) and X-Plane 10 (XP 10), focusing on how each simulator handles recent advancements in aviation. If you’re a pilot of a technically advanced aircraft (TAA), a pilot who uses ForeFlight, or if you want to see what flying is like with today’s tech, this FSX vs. XP 10 comparison is tailored for you.
by Brandon Ray | Feb 8, 2016 | All News, Cessna Articles, Cirrus Articles, Product Reviews
I often get asked the question, “Which plane is your favorite: the TTx or the Cirrus?” My answer would be similar to your response if I asked you which of your kids is your favorite. There are unique aspects to each airplane. Although they might fulfill similar missions, they each have their own benefits which will draw people to one or the other depending on their preferences.
by Brandon Ray | Jul 21, 2015 | All News, Product Reviews
I recently wrote a new review of the Bose A20 vs. Lightspeed Zulu.2 vs. Lightspeed Zulu PFX as a follow-up to my detailed review when the Bose A20 debuted. This week at EAA Airventure in Oshkosh, I was pleasantly surprised when I learned that Bose added a few hidden enhancements to their A20 aviation headsets.
by Brandon Ray | Jun 27, 2015 | All News, Product Reviews
Long time readers may remember my review of the Bose A20 Aviation Headset in August of 2010. In it, I lauded the progress the company had made since releasing the Aviation X. The A20 brought numerous improvements to the Aviation X and became my headset of choice to replace my Sennheiser HMEC 400 headset when I compared it to Lightspeed’s offering of the then-current Zulu model.
by Brandon Ray | Oct 8, 2014 | All News, Cessna Articles, Garmin Articles, Product Reviews
In April 2014, I had the opportunity to fly the new Cessna TTx for the first time. A derivative of the previous Cessna 400 “Corvalis TT”, the TTx is Cessna’s latest offering of a high performance aircraft with a sleek and sexy airframe.
by Brandon Ray | Jan 28, 2014 | All News, Garmin Articles, Product Reviews, Training / Education
In the age of rapidly changing technology it is nearly impossible to keep up with the latest computer, tablet, or smart phone. Aviation is beginning to see similar technological innovation at a pace unmatched in any previous period of history.
by HPA | Sep 25, 2013 | All News, Garmin Articles, Product Reviews
Sometimes the best things in life are the simplest. I present to you the Garmin GPSMap 496.
by HPA | Sep 9, 2013 | All News, Product Reviews
Antique. I couldn’t think of a better word to describe what I was staring at more aptly. A plane more than twice my age. Not surprisingly enough, it was probably a lot better-looking than me.
by HPA | May 22, 2013 | All News, Cirrus Articles, Product Reviews
The Cirrus SR22 G5 is quite a flying machine. I got the chance to fly in one for about 9 days during the month of May. I was able to put it through it’s paces, see how it reacted, and overall got a good sense of the airplane.
by HPA | May 14, 2013 | All News, Cessna Articles, Garmin Articles, Product Reviews
Back in December, I had the chance to go to the Cessna Factory in Independence, KS to receive my Cessna FITS Accepted Instructor training. Now, the city of Independence isn’t much to write home about, but the experience I had at the factory sure was top notch. I encourage Cessna owners everywhere to fly over to Independence and take a tour of the factory. You won’t regret it. Here’s a little bit about my experience.
by HPA | Mar 13, 2013 | All News, Product Reviews, Training / Education
Electronic logbooks have been around for years. I tried several times to put all my flight time into a spread sheet, but I started well into my flying career, so I had no desire to put all the hours in to document all my flights. I have a lot of friends who did start the spreadsheet approach when they started flying, so they have a complete electronic record.
by HPA | Mar 6, 2013 | All News, General News, Product Reviews
The iPad brought pilots convenience and functionality in the cockpit. The iPad Mini has taken what the iPad did for aviation and made it even better. I started using the iPad Mini in December and have loved it in the cockpit. Below is a breakdown of why you should go with it over the regular sized iPad for aviation uses.
by HPA | Sep 7, 2012 | All News, Cessna Articles, Cirrus Articles, Garmin Articles, Product Reviews
I was taking a peek into a Cirrus a few weeks back, probably a 2002 or 2003 SR22. A quick glance at the panel and the GPS’s showed me everything was as it should be: 2 Avidyne screens, 2 Garmin 430s, the S-TEC 55x autopilot. The pilot offered to take me for a demo flight to show off his new GPS. I thought, well, I’m pretty good with a 430, maybe he wants some tips or something.
