It’s hard to believe that the first successful engine-powered airplane flight is only 120 years old. After four years of research and development, Wilbur and Orville Wright – better known as simply “The Wright Brothers” – piloted the first engined airplane in the skies over Kitty Hawk, North Carolina in 1903. Since then, there’s been a constant cycle of improvement in aircraft, with various innovations and technologies helping spearhead airplane development to the state that it is now. Planes have read more

Every aspiring pilot has to start somewhere. And just like how there’s something romantic about a young driver and their first car, the same can be said about a pilot and their first airplane. To put it lightly, it’s an important moment – especially when you consider that an airplane is a “nice to have” purchase and not necessarily a “need to have.” Call flying a labor of love, if you will.

In this post, we’ll cover some of the features that make for an ideal starter plane, discuss some of the aircraft purchased by first-timers, and touch on the pros and cons of buying versus renting. Here’s a closer look at everything you n... read more

What comes up must come down.

And when you’re piloting or flying as a passenger in any type of aircraft, you don’t want to come down without the right type of landing gear. And while the landing gear is perhaps best associated with, well, landing, it also helps with aircraft takeoff and with taxiing on runways. It’s also imperative for supporting the aircraft when it is parked in the hangar. The bottom line is that landing gear doesn’t just play an important role, but perhaps a bigger and more significant role than what you might initially think.

In this post, we’ll cover the four main types of landing gear, the pros and cons of each type... read more

Whether you’re a new aircraft owner or you own a fleet of aircraft and have long had your pilot’s license, it’s no secret that planes are going to need their fair share of maintenance over time. And while planes are required to go through maintenance checklists each year to maintain certain certifications, there are various other upgrades that owners may elect to explore carrying out on their planes as well. One such upgrade is that of the avionics panel.

Avionics are the electronic systems used on aircraft. They encompass communications and navigation systems, display panels, and... read more

Whether it’s for safety, navigation, or communication purposes, today’s aircraft are loaded with a variety of features to help pilots take off, fly, and land planes while keeping every passenger on board safe. These electronic features on aircraft to help them do this are known as avionics. In this post, we’ll discuss the various types of avionics on aircraft:

Avionics Definition

Avionics is defined as a category of electronics and equipment that’s specific t... read more