The 2020 Texas Top Aviation Santa Fe Golf Fly In has been re-scheduled due to the COVID-19 pandemic and quarantine. The new date is September 3rd-5th at the Santa Fe Buffalo Thunder Resort and Towa Golf Club.
For more information on the event and to register, please click here.
There was a bill introduced in Congress recently to take control of Air Traffic Control away from the FAA and give it to a private, for profit, corporation. The initial reaction of pilots is “Ahhh! User fees!” which we are all adamantly opposed to. There are a myriad of reasons why this is a bad idea (the “Flying” article makes a comparison to giving NASA to Richard Branson and Jeff Bezos) and we as pilots should be against it.
Read the “Flying” Magazine full article here.
There was a bill introduced in Congress recently to take control of Air Traffic Control away from the FAA and give it to a private, for profit, corporation. The initial reaction of pilots is “Ahhh! User fees!” which we are all adamantly opposed to. There are a myriad of reasons why this is a bad…
A brand-new event for Lancair owners, the 2018 Great American Lancair Rally will be a multi-stage “grand tour” of the Western US. Starting and ending in Central Texas, the Rally will take place September 24th through October 5th 2018.
The Rally will begin in Uvalde, TX (KUVA) on September 24th at the Lancair headquarters. There will be 6 legs, with stops at:
At each stop, there will be food, drinks, and fun for everyone.
Lancair plans on making instructors available to pilots who would like any kind of training along the way. Hank Gibson from Texas Top Aviation will be one of the instructors available.
Lancair plan to make the Great American Lancair Rally an annual event, with the 2019 Rally spanning the eastern half of the country.
The Great American Lancair Rally is open to all Lancair owners, potential owners and interested aviators. Fly a different airplane? All makes and models are welcome!
For more information & to register, check out the 2018 Great American Lancair Rally’s website.
A brand-new event for Lancair owners, the 2018 Great American Lancair Rally will be a multi-stage “grand tour” of the Western US. Starting and ending in Central Texas, the Rally will take place September 24th through October 5th 2018. The Rally will begin in Uvalde, TX (KUVA) on September 24th at the Lancair headquarters. There…
In my 3,000+ hours of flight training, I have developed some tips and tricks to help people fly better. With teaching landings, I have 3 specific tips that will make smoother landings every time, guaranteed.
A wise flight instructor whom I would love to give credit to (but don’t know who it is!) once said that a good landing starts off with a good traffic pattern. So true! A good landing all begins with the setup. This is true for a VFR rectangular traffic pattern or an IFR instrument approach. Flying the proper speeds and being at the proper AGL altitudes helps immensely in making a good landing. Being at 600 feet AGL on a 1/2 mile final (or the alternative of 60 feet off the ground on a mile final!) makes it hard to make a good landing.
Once flaps are used in the pattern, the plane is now on the back side of the power curve (or in the region of reverse command). Power is now being used to control the plane’s rate of descent while pitch is being used to control airspeed. The key is, both pitch and power work together, so if the pilot changes the power, he’ll also need to change the pitch and vice versa.
The common mistake I see here is when the airplane gets low on final, the pilot tends to (quite naturally) pitch up. All this does is bleed off airspeed and cause the airplane to sink faster. The proper input would be to add power, then adjust the pitch for airspeed.
Now that we have gotten to the point of the round-out and touchdown, it’s the most important part. The best thing the pilot can do to make the best landing possible, is to look at the trees at the end of the runway. When I worked with college students, I told them to find the owl in the trees at the end of the runway.
The tendency is to stare at the pavement (or concrete) the whole way down to the landing. When a pilot’s eyes are fixated on the ground, this destroys his depth perception and causes a level off too low to the runway, resulting in a 3 point landing and/or a bounce.
By looking at the trees at the end of the runway, this gives the pilot much better depth perception and allows him to properly judge where to level off the airplane.
The question now is when should the pilot start looking at the trees? My recommendation is crossing the threshold of the runway. For some, it works better to start looking at the trees when turning final. Others, right before the level off. Regardless, find that owl!
In my 3,000+ hours of flight training, I have developed some tips and tricks to help people fly better. With teaching landings, I have 3 specific tips that will make smoother landings every time, guaranteed. A Good Pattern A wise flight instructor whom I would love to give credit to (but don’t know who it…
Where were you on April 26th?
Texas Top Aviation was at the AOPA Regional Fly-In at the San Marcos Regional Airport (KHYI). If you weren’t there, you certainly missed out spending time with 2,500 other airplane and flying enthusiasts!
The day began somewhat gloomy and windy with the threat of rain. Organizers feared that weather would keep a lot of people from coming. Boy, were they wrong!
There were many classic airplanes, many modern and pretty nicely equipped airplanes, and everything in between. There were aviation celebrities, Rod Machado and the Kings of King Schools fame, to name a few. Not to mention the fabulous BBQ!
Texas Top Aviation had several drawings for free training and 3 lucky winners. We also had a Lancair Super ES for sale, N132BB (which made the San Marcos Record newspaper!). It definitely stood out with it’s unique paint job. The flames on the tail drew many oohs and aahs.
Departing the San Marcos Airport after the fly in was like battling traffic in Austin at rush hour (though, Austin doesn’t have any air traffic controllers). The San Marcos controllers probably hadn’t seen that much traffic since the airport was an Army Air Base back during WWII. It was quite a sight to see all the exhibitor’s airplanes lined up ready to head skyward.
Thanks to all of you who stopped by the Texas Top Aviation booth! It was a pleasure meeting all of you and we look forward to working with you in the future!
Where were you on April 26th? Texas Top Aviation was at the AOPA Regional Fly-In at the San Marcos Regional Airport (KHYI). If you weren’t there, you certainly missed out spending time with 2,500 other airplane and flying enthusiasts! The day began somewhat gloomy and windy with the threat of rain. Organizers feared that weather…
Are oxygen cannulas rubbing your nostrils raw?
Is turbulence giving you back problems?
Would you like to be above the bumps, breathing without tubes stuck up your nose or a mask on? Would you like a quiet ride?
Sounds like you need pressurization. Need more convincing?
What’s that you say? You don’t have a multi-engine rating? You don’t want to spend the money on a turbo prop?
Have no fear, there are options galore for you to choose from in the single engine piston marketplace, both certified aircraft and experimental.
A word of caution, though; once you go pressurized, you don’t go back….
Here is my review of the certified, pressurized single engine piston options.
In 1983, Piper shocked the world with an amazing airplane. The pressurized, Continental TSIO-520 (310 HP) powered PA46 Malibu hit the market in the fall of that year taking the piston world by storm. A six seat, cabin class, pressurized single engine piston that easily cruised at 190-200 knots while only burning 16-17 GPH. It was awesome. It even had an air stair door that felt like getting on a private jet.
I love the original Continental powered Malibu, specifically the ’86-’88 models. Piper initially had hydraulic flaps, which were clunky and had several issues (most notably, the hydraulic system would randomly kick offline while the flaps were in motion at very in-opportune moments). Piper switched to the electric flaps in ’86, making the ’86-’88 year models very desirable.
Unfortunately for Piper, the Continental TSIO-520 was not the engine manufacturer’s best product. There were several Malibu crankshaft problems and engine failures, so much so that Piper decided to go with the Lycoming TIO-540 engine in 1989, creating the Malibu Mirage (all the current Malibu’s operating the -520 engine have been overhauled many times over, so there are no safety concerns with the -520 engine). The Lycoming powered Mirage (350 HP), cruises a little bit faster than the Continental powered Malibu, but burns about 5 more GPH. Piper still makes the Mirage, now dubbed the M350, complete with the Garmin G1000 NXi panel.
The 4 seat, cabin class back seat is very roomy (unlike a Bonanza or Saratoga). There is plenty of rooms for bags, both behind the back seat and in the handy nose compartment, which is wide enough to fit golf clubs, minus the driver. The 1600 pound useful load (880 pound payload with full fuel), allows for a lot of people and gear to be loaded on board. The airplane is a little stingy on CG, though. You do not want to have a CG that is out of the rear limits.
The airplane is fun to fly. It has a heavy elevator, similar to a Bonanza, which requires a lot of trim on landing. It’s very long wings cause it to float a bit on landing if the pilot comes in too fast. It’s very docile in stalls and extremely comfortable for cross country flying. The air conditioning system works very well, though it is still hot on the front seats when sitting on the ramp on a Texas July afternoon.
Many of the airplanes have upgraded to glass panels. Most are still equipped with the King KFC 150 autopilot, some with a Yaw Damper, some not. The KFC 150 is a good autopilot, but when Garmin certifies their GFC 600 for the PA46, that will be a popular retrofit.
If I had my pick, I would buy an ’86-’88 Malibu with an upgraded Continental TSIO-550 engine. Climbs a bit better and does a bit better in cruise than the original -520 engine. See why here.
I would rate the PA46 line as the best pressurized single engine piston option out there.
The P210 was introduced by Cessna in 1978. It also came with the Continental TSIO-520 engine that the Malibu was certified with. Climbing at about 700-800 fpm (equal to the Malibu), the P210 cruises at around 190 KTAS as well, burning around 17-18 GPH. Like the Malibu, the P210 had a Continental TSIO-520 power plant, but, unlike the Malibu, the P210 makes the pilot work to keep the CHTs cool. With smaller cowl openings and a tighter cowl, cooling isn’t as good as the Malibu.
Even though the P210 has six seats, the forward facing, Cessna style 3 rows aren’t quite as comfortable as the Malibu. The single door on the pilot’s side makes loading and unloading a bit of a chore (especially compared to the air stair door in the Malibu). The third row of seats isn’t extremely useful, as the ceiling is lower and the proximity of the second row of seats decreases the amount of leg room, making it uncomfortable for a full size adult. Most operators remove the pilot’s side second row seat to add an aisle to get to the back row for people and bags. It also has a smaller cabin then the Malibu.
There is less baggage in the P210, with the singular baggage compartment accessed through a baggage door behind the cabin. The Air conditioning system is also not as good as the Malibu.
It’s hard to get the P210 out of CG and overloaded. A useful load of 1500 pounds (with 90 gallons of fuel, it drops to only 960 pounds) allows the airplane to be loaded to the gills without being overweight.
There are some engine upgrades out there for the P210 (the Silver Eagle conversion puts a Rolls Royce turboprop on it). The best piston conversion is the Vitatoe Conversion that swaps the engine out for a Continental Turbo-Normalized IO-550, which is a much better engine than the -520. You still have to monitor the CHTs, but cooling is less of an issue. These are much higher priced on the market, though.
Because of the size of the cabin and the true reputation the P210 has of being a maintenance hog, I would rate it below the PA46 line.
There are 3 pressurized, single engine piston airplanes out there today: the Piper PA46, the Cessna P210, and the Extra EA-400. Extra is the famous German aerobatic aircraft manufacturer that created the Extra 300 and 330. In the early 2000s, Extra tried it’s hand at the pressurized single market with the EA-400 (Extra also tried to get into the single engine turbo-prop market with the EA-500, but the project fizzled before much progress was made). Sadly, only 27 EA-400s were built before the company ran into financial trouble.
The concept sounds cool. A fully composite, pressurized, liquid cooled, cabin class piston. The engine was the Continental TSIOL-550, liquid cooled power plant. Liquid cooling means no concern about hot CHTs while you are climbing. The problem with the engine is that there are so few liquid cooled Continental engines out there, finding a mechanic familiar with one could be an issue.
I have never flown an Extra 400, but there are several floating around out there. Most have steam gauges and the STEC-55x autopilot. The price on the only one on Controller right now is comparable to the P210N but above the Continental powered Malibu.
If you are in the market, an Extra 400 might be fun to test fly and who knows, you might fall in love with it!
There are a handful of experimental pressurized singles out there. I have not flown any of them, so I can’t be a good resource on recommending them. Here is the list, however.
Lancair Evolution Piston
Lancair IV-P
Lancair ES-P
As far as availability on the market goes, there are 8 Malibus on Controller (1 1986 model) ranging from $315,000 and down, 24 Mirages ranging from $705,000 (equipped with the Garmin G1000) and down, 25 P210s ranging from $405,000 and down, and 2 Extra EA 400s, priced at $369,000 and down. Check out the available Experimental Lancair options here.
Have you decided to upgrade, but don’t know what to buy or how to buy it? Check out Texas Top Aviation’s Acquisition Services. We’ll get you the best airplane for you, your mission, and your budget. Contact Us today to find out more information.
Are oxygen cannulas rubbing your nostrils raw? Is turbulence giving you back problems? Would you like to be above the bumps, breathing without tubes stuck up your nose or a mask on? Would you like a quiet ride? Sounds like you need pressurization. Need more convincing? What’s that you say? You don’t have a multi-engine…
Your about to make your dream aircraft purchase. The plane has low time on the engine, is reasonably priced, and, according to the seller, has no damage history. You are overjoyed! Your dream of making an aircraft purchase is finally coming true. You prepare your offer for the seller, set up the escrow account, and start all the paperwork.
Two weeks later, the airplane is yours! You start flying it, though, and the engine starts to have some strange vibrations. After several flights, it starts to get worse. You take it to your mechanic to get it looked at and you find out the airplane needs three new cylinders along with some other engine work that is going to total a lot of money. Plus, your airplane is now going to be in the shop for several weeks.
All that excitement you just had? It just went out the window.
Could this have been prevented? Probably so, with a logbook inspection and a pre-purchase inspection.
Inspecting a logbook can be very daunting when making an aircraft purchase, especially for older airplanes. This is, however, one of the most vital steps in making a new aircraft purchase. You can find out many things from looking at the maintenance logs of an airplane. First, you can check the compression levels of the engine. Typically, you want compression levels in the 70’s, with it still being okay in the high 60’s. Anything below 65 and there could be potential problems.
Second, you can find out if there has been any odd maintenance done pointing to possible unreported damage history. This is rare, as most aircraft owners are honest and up front when talking about damage history. But, if there is an entry detailing a prop overhaul after only 50 hours on that prop, you may start to ask some questions.
Third, you can find out how well the airplane has been maintained. If a lot of maintenance was completed at each annual, even if it was a lot of small things, then the airplane has been maintained by a good mechanic who is very thorough. This also involves a check of the ADs, Mandatory SBs, SBs, and SLs that have been issued for the airplane. If all that has been kept up with, it’s a well maintained airplane.
Finally, it gives you a good idea of how much the airplane has been flown. Sure, the ad online will have the total time and time since overhaul, but you can look at the year by year breakdown of how much the airplane has been flown. It may have been flown a lot earlier in it’s life, but not quite as much recently. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but airplanes like to be flown.
Before making an aircraft purchase, it is extremely vital that whenever you are buying an airplane that you get a pre-purchase inspection done on the airplane. Even better is getting one done by a mechanic who specializes in that type of airplane (eg. Piper Service Center for Pipers, Cirrus Service Centers for Cirrus, Kevin Mead for PA-46s). A pre-purchase inspection can save you a lot of money in the end.
There is always going to be some kind of maintenance issue with an airplane being purchased, whether it is big or small. Once a pre-purchase inspection is completed, you can take the findings to the seller and negotiate for a lower price based on those findings, or just have the seller fix the items before the sale is completed.
I would recommend having the seller fix the problems before the sale is completed. Even though it may take a little longer for the sale to be completed this way, you’ll get to enjoy your airplane right away instead of it being in the shop the next several weeks after you complete the purchase.
There is the circumstance where the pre-purchase inspection reveals some serious airworthiness issues which would cause the deal to be voided. Always put this clause in a purchase agreement, giving you, the buyer, an out if there are serious airworthiness issues.
When it comes to making an aircraft purchase, it is not a process to be rushed. Slow and steady usually gets the best airplane for the money, giving you years of enjoyment in the future.
Looking to make an aircraft purchase? Daunted by all the work that’s involved to find a good, quality airplane? Let Texas Top Aviation do your aircraft search for you! To learn more, visit Texas Top Aviation’s Aircraft Purchase Consultations page.
Your about to make your dream aircraft purchase. The plane has low time on the engine, is reasonably priced, and, according to the seller, has no damage history. You are overjoyed! Your dream of making an aircraft purchase is finally coming true. You prepare your offer for the seller, set up the escrow account, and…
