EAA Airventure at Osh Kosh always draws great innovators every year, leading the aviation consumer to discover something new and different. Flying cars have always been a dream for the everyday pilot. Why not fly to work? Why not park the plane in the parking lot? Why not drive from the runway onto the freeway? All excellent questions!
Well, Samson Motorworks is trying to make those dreams a reality. Samson’s Switchblade flying car is in the (hopefully) finally stages of development this summer. The company expects to be able to conduct test flights early next year, then begin selling the experimental kit.
The Samson Switchblade will be in the Experimental category, but Samson has a builder assist program that only adds $20,000 to the final cost of the kit. The total price of the kit, which comes 49% completed and only takes 3 weeks to complete with the builder assist program, comes in at $140,000. That includes the engine, avionics (it’s equipped with Dynon’s 7″ Skyview glass panel display, a Dynon radio and transponder, a Dynon intercom, a Dynon AOA, an iPad mini, and an ADS-B GPS), and the builder assist program. Similar to a Cirrus, it is also equipped with a Ballistic Parachute Recovery system.
The Samson Switchblade has several different engine options, including a supercharged, liquid cooled, V-4 similar to a Corvette engine that will produce 190 HP. Max cruise in the air should be around 170 knots. The Switchblade will hold 30 gallons of mogas, burn 9 GPH in the air, and get 35 mpg on the ground. The gross weight will be 1,750 pounds.
How does the car to plane transition happen? Samson has developed a fly by wire system to retract the rudder down while the car is in drive mode. The wings use a mechanical linkage to fold up into the belly.
There are several different packages for the Samson Switchblade: the Snowbird, the Aurora, and the Trek options. Details can be found on Samson’s website.
I, for one, will be keeping an eye on the freeways next summer to keep an eye out for cars sprouting wings. No more traffic jams!
The closer we get to 2020, the more innovative companies are getting with ADS-B out solutions. There are a myriad of transponders out there that have been released in to meet the ADS-B out requirement and to offer ADS-B in options. L3 has the Lynx transponder line (and hardware to upgrade an already installed GTX 327 or GTX 330), Garmin has the GTX 345 and offers upgrades to the GTX 330, Appareo has it’s Stratus ESGi ADS-B out transponder, and Avidyne offers it’s AXP340 transponder, among others.
Most of the ADS-B solutions require some kind of panel work, whether it’s pulling out the Garmin GTX 330 to send off, or making panel modifications to fit the L3 Lynx in. Very few are actual slide in replacements, so there is some labor involved in swapping transponders.
Want a simpler and more innovative solution? uAvionix, a Montana based company that makes the recently released Scout portable ADS-B In solution, has a product for you. Meet the SkyBeacon.
What is it? The uAvionix SkyBeacon is simply a navigation light replacement that bolts on your wing with a fin that hangs down. All the ADS-B out transmitting equipment is placed behind the nav light on the device. It has an integrated WAAS GPS unit, can work with any Mode C or Mode S transponder wirelessly, and it mounts directly in to where the original nav light was, same screws and everything. No additional hardware needed. uAvionix claims installation should take 10 minutes.
Configuration is super easy too, as it is all done on a smart phone on the uAvionix app.
Right now, the uAvionix SkyBeacon is only approved for experimental aircraft, but, according to their website, uAvionix expects FAA certification in early spring. With a price tag of only $1,500 and a strobe light to be added as well, this is your simplest and easiest ADS-B compliance solution.
Back in the old days, when flying an approach in an early Cirrus SR22 (circa 2004; yes, in airplane technology, those were the old days), performing a missed approach procedure was a lot of work. You were low to the ground and weren’t able to see the runway. Then, you had to start climbing so you don’t hit the ground, then push a lot of buttons in order to get the GPS and autopilot set fly the missed approach procedure. It was very easy to get distracted with button pushing, then forget to fly the airplane, putting yourself and passengers in very unsafe circumstances. The go around button has changed all that.
Going Missed the Old Fashioned Way
Let’s stick with our example of the 2004 Cirrus. The SR22 in 2004 was equipped with the Avidyne Entegra system, complete with dual Garmin 430 GPS units, and an STEC 55x Autopilot. A very capable IFR flying machine (we could use the same example of a 2004 or 2005 Lancair Columbia 350 or 400 that was equipped the same way, except the screens were vertical instead of horizontal).
We’ll use the ILS 15 at the Temple airport, KTPL, for our example. You pass TPL, the outer marker at 1,683 with the glide slope already centered. Everything is going well so far. The number 1 Garmin 430 is set to VLOC and the autopilot is showing NAV and APR for the lateral guidance and GS on the vertical, tracking the glide slope. The last weather report stated the clouds were Broken at 500 feet, so it appears like you’ll be able to get in on the approach.
As you get closer to the Decision Altitude, the clouds aren’t letting up at all. You hit 1,000 feet on your altimeter, 120 feet above the minimums, and you still can’t see a thing. Another 100 feet lower doesn’t change anything, so you elect to proceed with the missed approach. This means things are about to get busy.
Here’s the process:
Fly the airplane first, meaning shut off the autopilot, pitch the nose up to about 7 degrees, TRIM, add full power, retract the flaps, and step on the right rudder
The Garmin 430 is now in SUSP mode, meaning the missed approach point is locked in as the active waypoint. So, you have to press the OBS button to cause the GPS to cycle over to the missed approach procedure
You have to press the VLOC button on the Garmin 430 in order to change the CDI back to GPS
You have to re-engage the autopilot by pressing NAV twice (which engages GPS Steering mode)
You have to reset your altitude bug (if you hadn’t set it for the missed approach altitude previously)
You have to press VS and ALT on your autopilot to have the STEC continue the climb
That’s a lot of work, isn’t it? Plus, that’s an extensive amount of head down time in the cockpit, with your eyes looking elsewhere other than the instruments while hand flying. All very low to the ground, I might add. Can you see how this can be dangerous? (Note: The Avidyne IFD 550 has made this a little easier with automatically switching from VLOC to GPS and automatically engaging the missed approach procedure in the flight plan)
The advent of the Go Around Button has streamlined the process, leading to safer operations where it matters most. The functions of the Go Around Button vary based on the airplane, but here are three examples, the Garmin G1000 Cessna Corvalis TT, the Garmin G1000 Piper Mirage, and the Garmin Perspective Cirrus SR22.
Cessna Corvalis TT
We’ll take the above situation and swap out the airplanes. Gone is the 2004 Cirrus SR22. Insert a 2008 Cessna Corvalis TT, equipped with the Garmin G1000 suite and the GFC 700 autopilot. The go around button is positioned directly above the twist in throttle.
When you push the Go Around Button, here’s what the system does:
Disconnects the Autopilot
Sets the Flight Director for 7.5 degrees pitch up (which is about your normal climb angle) and wings level
Switches the CDI back to GPS
Takes the GPS out of SUSP mode and cycles the flight plan to the first waypoint on the missed approach procedure
Here’s what you have to do:
Follow the flight director by pitching the nose up and TRIM
Add full mixture, prop and throttle (prop & throttle should be full already)
Retract the flaps
Step on the right rudder
Re-engage the autopilot, then press NAV and VS (or FLC) and set your altitude bug if it isn’t already set
Not too bad, eh? Makes the whole situation streamlined and safer.
Piper PA46-350P Mirage
Same situation, different airplane. You’ll notice the procedure for the Piper Mirage is almost exactly the same as the Corvalis procedure. The difference between the two airplanes is where the autopilot controller is. In the Corvalis, the autopilot controller is positioned on the left side of the MFD, making it easy to scan back and forth while pushing buttons on the autopilot.
The Piper Mirage autopilot controller is positioned below both screens and in front of the power quadrant. With this positioning, the pilot’s eyes have to go a lot further to see which autopilot button he is pushing. In this case, it becomes very important to get the airplane climbing and trimmed before going down to engage the autopilot.
As in the Corvalis, here is what the Go Around button does:
Disconnects the Autopilot
Sets the Flight Director for 7.5 degrees pitch up (which is about your normal climb angle) and wings level
Switches the CDI back to GPS
Takes the GPS out of SUSP mode and cycles the flight plan to the first waypoint on the missed approach procedure
And here’s what you have to do:
Follow the flight director by pitching the nose up, then TRIM
Add full mixture, prop and throttle (prop & throttle should be full already)
Retract the flaps
Step on the right rudder
Re-engage the autopilot, then press NAV and VS (or FLC) and set your altitude bug if it isn’t already set
Cirrus SR22
This time, we’ll use the 2010 Cirrus SR22T with the Garmin Perspective and GFC 700 Autopilot. One thing I really like about how Cirrus configured their system is where the Go Around button is. It’s actually on the throttle itself, making it much more intuitive. This way, you can press the Go Around button while adding full throttle.
There is one major difference between the Garmin Perspective in the Cirrus and the G1000 in the Corvalis. When you press the Go Around button in the Cirrus, the autopilot actually stays on.
Here’s what happens when you press the Go Around button in the Cirrus:
Flight Director pitches to 7.5 degrees pitch up and wings level
AP Mode switches to Go Around mode, following the flight director
GPS comes out of SUSP mode
CDI switches back to GPS
All the pilot really has to do is add power, take the flaps up, then press NAV on the GFC 700 to get the autopilot following the missed approach procedure.
If you aren’t familiar with the Go Around button or haven’t used the one in your plane lately, it’s good to go up with a knowledgeable instructor and fly a couple of approaches where you perform the published missed approach afterward. That way, he or she can assist you through the first missed approach, then give you pointers until you get comfortable with the Go Around button.
The Malibu & M-Class Owner’s and Pilot’s Association recently released their MMOPA Vision Video. It is a great video detailing the history of the Piper PA46 & the history of MMOPA. The PA46 would have ceased to exist without the founding of the original Malibu Coalition.
Checkout the video above (and Texas Top Aviation’s Hank Gibson even gets a cameo!).
If you’ve ever been to Nantucket Airport during the summer, you’ll understand when I say that it is a crazy place. During the summer months, especially on weekends, the airport is visited by an endless parade of airplanes ranging from the smallest GA airplanes to the biggest private jets.
One sunny Sunday afternoon I was standing in line at the front desk of the Nantucket FBO when the ramp door opened and a very grumpy and entitled man walked in. The man marched right up to the front desk and barked a fuel order at the girl working there, which she mistakenly read back wrong. After yelling at her for her wrongdoing, he announced that he had flown in to go to the restaurant and stormed off to drown his sorrows in fish and chips. Although he was a jerk, his attitude got me thinking about FBO’s and everything that the people who work at them do for us pilots.
For anyone who may not know, FBO stands for Fixed Base Operator. FBO’s can be found at airports everywhere and their business is to provide services such as fuel, hangar space, and tie downs. Bigger FBO’s can offer more services including rental cars, food, maintenance, flight instruction, etc. FBO workers have the ability to make life really good or really miserable for pilots, and, it seems to me, we pilots have the same power over them. Based on my personal experiences and the experiences of some friends who have worked at airports around the country, here are some things to think about next time you taxi onto an FBO ramp.
Landmark Aviation has the best pens
I’ve divided this article into two sections:
FBO Etiquette: What can we as pilots do to make life easier for the workers at the FBOs
FBO Pilot Perks: Ways that FBOs can help make a pilot’s life better (besides basic services like fueling)
FBO Etiquette
Be Polite
Everyone I talked to about their time working at an FBO said that simply by being friendly and polite is one of the biggest ways we can help. Most of the people that work at the FBOs love aviation and likely are working there to be around the industry in hopes of eventually being more involved. The girl working the desk at Nantucket didn’t deserve to be yelled at just for reading a tail number back wrong; don’t forget that “please” and “thank you” are still magic words.
Call Ahead
Whether you are flying to the airport, or you left your airplane at the FBO and you need them to pull it out or fuel it, calling ahead is greatly appreciated. Most FBO’s have a radio at the front desk and have their frequency listed online and in foreflight. Call ahead and tell them that you’re coming, when you’ll be arriving, and what you’ll need when you get there (gas, rental car, taxi..etc). That way they wont feel rushed and you may get what you’re looking for more expediently upon arrival.
Fuel orders
If your fuel order is difficult or confusing (example: 6.54 gallons in the right side and 4.32 in the left) you may be better off just to do it yourself at the self serve. One of the guys I talked to said that he would have pilots ask for extremely specific numbers and then stand there watching, ready to pounce when it wasn’t fueled exactly right. Its also worth noting that fuelers do make mistakes. Its highly recommended to watch and make sure that the correct truck (Jet A or 100LL) is the one pulling up to dispense your gas. Make sure you check that the fuel caps are properly installed before departing.
Look outside
A lineman motions for the pilot to stop.
Taxiing onto the ramp is not the right time to be doing your after landing and shutdown checklists. Wait until the airplane is stopped before taking your eyes off the person marshaling you to your parking spot. I’ve been told that it isn’t uncommon for a pilot to be looking inside while taxiing and it makes the linemen very nervous as they are motioning to the pilot to stop (For those unfamiliar, with lineman hand signals, here’s a helpful link).
Brakes
Unless you have talked to them and get the okay, don’t leave the parking brake on when leaving your airplane at an FBO. Often the lineman will direct you to park upfront to make loading and unloading easy, but if you’re going to stay for a long period, the airplane will need to be towed and parked out of the way. Leaving the parking brake on can make serious headaches for the people trying to organize the ramp after you leave.
Lights
Don’t blind the poor guy parking you by leaving all your landing, taxi, and recognition lights on as you’re pulling into your spot at night. Likewise, when you are ready to leave your parking space, its courteous to signal the person waiting in front of your airplane by flashing one of your lights at them so they know you are ready to be directed off of the ramp.
FBO Pilot Perks
Good parking
This one is pretty basic. I’ve heard through the grapevine that you may get parked in the boondocks as punishment for being rude to the FBO staff. However, if asked, much of the time they can pull your airplane right up front and may even let you pull a vehicle onto the ramp to load people and bags more easily.
Cheaper hotel rooms/ rental cars
Some FBO’s have special rates with hotel and rental car companies around in the area. Although it varies from place to place, you may be surprised with the amount you can save on these travel essentials. I had a flight last week where I called and was given a quote of 185 dollars for a rental car…after telling them that I was parking at the local FBO, I got the special price of 125. Check with the FBO you will be stopping at for any of their current offerings.
Fuel discounts
Sometimes the price of fuel or the minimum uptake to waive the fees can be negotiated. Sometimes, the fees may be forgotten entirely. If you are unable to take the minimum amount of fuel to waive the landing or ramp charges, tell them what you can take and you may be pleasantly surprised with the response. Its not uncommon with our Bonanza that even though the “minimum” may be 20, I can waive the fees by up-taking 10 or 12 gallons instead.
Points/ Rewards cards
Some FBO’s offer incentives to pilots for buying gas. Many of the rewards programs are free to sign up for and will pay the fuel purchaser cash based on how much fuel they buy over a specified time period. I am a member of the Avtrip program which rewards fuel purchases at Avfuel airports with points that are redeemable for money. Avtrip is just one example of an FBO fuel rewards program; if you fly regularly, it may be worth looking into whether or not there is a fuel rewards program you can take advantage of.
Crew Cars
Most FBO’s have cars designated for use by the pilots. They are extremely nice for going to get lunch or taking care of whatever short errands you may need to run around town. Most crew cars are limited to about 1-2 hours of use, but they can often be loaned out longer based on the discretion of the people working the desk. On a few occasions, I’ve had the cars loaned to me for longer, even over night, by the nice people at the FBO (They always appreciate pilots splashing a few gallons of auto gas into the cars while they are out, too).
FBOs and the services that they provide are invaluable to pilots, both commercial and private. If we as pilots are willing to work with the linemen and service reps we can make both our lives and their lives easier. Remember to be polite and don’t be afraid to ask if you need something….that’s what they’re there for!
Andrew Robinson is a 135 Charter Pilot and flight instructor who lives with his wife and 2 daughters in Pennsylvania. He flies Pilatus PC-12s and instructs in Beechcraft Bonanzas.
There are many different ways to upgrade an instrument panel. Putting in a 696 here, a JPI engine monitoring system there, even an Electronic HSI. But, if you want to swing for the fences and get a serious upgrade, you have to go for a complete glass instrument panel. For good measure, you might as well throw in a touch screen GPS while you are at it.
The Garmin G500
The Aspen EFD 2500
Which panel to go with? There are two mainstream options (Garmin and Aspen) and a handful of other companies that make glass panel replacements (Avidyne being one, King for a short period of time at the end of the last decade being another with the KFD 840). Around 2010, there were a lot of companies trying to get into the glass panel retrofit game, but many of the products didn’t gain a whole lot of popularity, leaving Garmin and Aspen at the top of the heap.
What about the touch screen GPS market? Garmin has this pretty much cornered as well, with Avidyne and King just getting into the game. The gap between Garmin’s GTN series and Avidyne and King is pretty wide.
The answer is pretty easy when it comes to the GPS (go with Garmin!), but not so easy when it comes to the panel. The G500 and the Aspen Evolution series are both excellent interfaces with strong reliability, so which one do you go with? Feature-wise, both have a lot of the same features: traffic, weather, terrain, synthetic vision, to name a few. The presentation for each feature is a little different between the two interfaces. It just depends on what you like better.
The nice thing about the Aspen system is you can go glass, but you have options on how much glass you want: 1 screen, 2 screens, or 3 screens? With the single screen PFD, you have all your instrumentation, traffic, weather, and optional synthetic vision. You don’t need the synthetic vision for the traffic and weather, as it shows up behind your HSI. It is an honest to goodness glass panel retrofit.
When you decide to upgrade to 2 screens, this is where Aspen has a leg up. The second screen is a completely redundant PFD and, if you get the 2 hour emergency backup battery installed, acts as the backup instrumentation to the main PFD. This means you can take out the old steam gauge standby instruments. This helps clean the panel up.
I personally don’t see the need for 3 screens, but maybe there is someone out there who needs it.
One selling point that Aspen has over Garmin is the wide variety of autopilots and GPS units that Aspen units are compatible with. The G500 is only compatible with King autopilots, it’s own GFC 700 autopilot (which would be a retrofit), some Collins autopilots, and the Century 21, 31, 41, and 2000. This does cover a wide array of autopilots, but it keeps some on the outside. Aspen, on the other hand, is compatible with most autopilots on the market.
Finally, let’s talk price. Going with an Aspen EFD 1000 PFD (this is the single screen Aspen) will run you somewhere in the area of $12,000. The price will vary based on the shop and the airplane. When you want to add a screen, it’s an additional $6,000. This is for the base, so if you want to add weather or synthetic vision, it’ll run you a little more.
The Garmin G500 comes in around $20,000, again depending on the shop and the airplane. The screens are bigger on the G500, which is kind of nice, and you are buying a Garmin product, which has a fabulous track record in the aviation industry.
Decisions, decisions. There really is no wrong answer here. Both are excellent products with very good track records. Both have really nice features and don’t hardly fail. Really, the choice comes down to what you want.
Need training on your upgraded GPS or glass panel retrofit? Contact Texas Top Aviation for thorough training on your new avionics today.
In the Pre-Takeoff Checklist for any Cirrus aircraft, it calls for pilots to perform a Cirrus Autopilot Check. It is prudent to check the autopilot before your flight to ensure that all aspects of the autopilot are working properly. The only problem is, the checklist doesn’t spell out how to perform the Cirrus Autopilot Check. You would have to go to the POH for the airplane, which is usually in the back seat or a bag somewhere and therefore hard to get to, in order to find the procedure.
The procedure for checking the autopilot is slightly different depending on what autopilot is in your airplane. The procedures for all three are below.
S-TEC 55x
Sync the heading bug to your current heading
Activate heading mode on the autopilot
Twist the heading bug left and right to ensure the ailerons move left and right
Sync the heading bug to your current heading
Activate vertical speed mode on the autopilot
Move the vertical speed bug (or the vertical speed on the altitude pre-selector if you have a steam gauge Cirrus) up and down to ensure the elevator moves accordingly
Ensure you can overpower the autopilot
Press the autopilot disconnect switch to ensure the autopilot shuts off
Avidyne DFC 90
Press the AP button to activate the autopilot
Ensure AP, ROLL, and PITCH Annunciations are depicted in green on the top of the PFD
Set the heading bug 90 degrees from the current heading
Press the HDG button on the autopilot
Ensure the ailerons are moving in the proper direction and HDG is annunciated on the top of the PFD
Ensure you can overpower the autopilot
Press the autopilot disconnect switch on the stick and ensure the autopilot has disconnected
Garmin GFC 700
Press the AP button to activate the autopilot
Ensure you can overpower the autopilot
Press the autopilot disconnect switch on the stick to ensure the autopilot has disconnected
