Author: Hank Gibson

  • Flying the Piper Malibu

    Looking for an airplane with more seats, more useful load, and good speed?  Look no further than the PA-46-310P Piper Malibu.  It feels like a corporate airplane, but this turbo charged piston single is good owner/pilot airplane for taking the family on vacation or using on business trips. The original Piper Malibu, which was manufactured…

  • Mooney Enters the Training Market with the Mooney M10

    Earlier this week, Mooney announced they would be following competitors Piper (with their Archer DX) and Redbird (with their retrofitted 172 known as the Redhawk) into the training market with the Mooney M10 T and Mooney M10 J.  Mooney, which hasn’t manufactured a primary trainer since the Mooney M10 Cadet in 1970, is planning on…

  • Have You Got Your FAA WINGS?

    The FAA started their Pilot Proficiency Award Program (commonly known as FAA WINGS) in 1996.  It is run by the FAA Safety Team, or the FAASTeam.  The intent of the program was, and is, to “improve the nation’s accident rate by conveying safety principles and practices through training, outreach, and education” (taken from faasafety.gov).  The FAA…

  • Weather Avoidance

    I began flying a Piper Malibu earlier this year.  For those of you not familiar with the original PA-46, a Malibu has a Continental TSIO-320 engine, with 310 HP.  It’s pressurized and cruises at about 185-200 KTAS. A few things are introduced to the equation when pilots start flying higher, faster, and farther.  When you…

  • HondaJet Nears Production

    We have all been hearing about the HondaJet for quite a while now.  It’s been in testing for a number of years, but it sounds like certification and deliveries will commence early in 2015.  Honda says they expect FAA certification in the first part of 2015 and deliveries will commence soon thereafter. For those of…