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Yes, replacing the battery is preventative maintenance. However, you need to be able to follow the manufacturers maintenance manual, which can be more difficult than it sounds. The 406 MHz ELTs can be especially difficult. The instructions for the Kannad 406 MHz ELT in my bosses 182 was...

I have XM data and audio in the cockpit and wouldn't want to give up either. The audio is great for long flights and the weather works on ground, which is an issue with ADS-B. Compared to the cost of operating the airplane, the XM subscription is minimal. I recently bought a Stratus 2S, but...

Most of the WAI scholarships are open to men. I won a week long PT6 mx course last year. It was weird explaining that WAI was paying for my course, but free training is free training. Going from memory, about 30% of the WAI scholarships are only open to Women. Ryan

You will like going from a piston to a turbine, as long as you understand the costs will be higher. I went from flying a piston powered Navajo to a turbine powered Cheyenne and it changes everything. Pressurization, speed, better systems for dealing with weather, the ability to climb on a...

It is not a landing fee (which is normally charged by the airport authority). It is an overflight fee for the use of ATC services and is charged by the federal government. The international flights are a small percentage of the total, but this shows the infrastructure is already in place to...

The FAA charges for ATC services when you don't land or takeoff at a U.S. airport. You pay either $56.86 or $21.63 per 100 mm and can even pay online at pay.gov. You can see the payment schedule at http://www.faa.gov/air_traffic/international_aviation/overflight_fees/ If the FAA is set...

The fuel tax is proportional to how much fuel you purchase, not your use of ATC resources. Consider a flight school aircraft performing multiple practice instrument approaches while receiving ATC services versus a crop duster not receiving any ATC services. The flight school airplane burns a...

I could have worded that better. My point was that you can be a safety pilot without a current BFR.

The safety pilot is only required to have a BFR if they are also PIC.

In my area of the country (KJYO), a 162 rents for $110 and a 172 rents for $130-170, so there is at least a $20 per hour price advantage. Ryan

An insurance policy from a Mexican insurance company may not be technically required, but it sure does make things easier. When I went to Cancun, I was asked for my proof of insurance and they were clearly expecting a policy from a Mexican company. Having a policy from a Mexican company that...

For me, I like step downs to GS intercept like it shows on the chart. Those who like the high GS intercept method will correctly point out that eliminating the step downs reduces the workload. Ryan

That is really interesting. I knew there was a 12 month recency of experience requirement, but I didn't realize obtaining the rating doesn't reset the clock. Also, it looks like you can use either a ground instructor or a flight instructor for the signoff. Ryan

Why would you need that?

This is an old thread, but I figure this might be useful to anyone searching for how to convert N numbers to ICAO addresses. I am working on an ADS-B related project and needed to be able to verify your N number can be converted to your FAA assigned ICAO (Mode-S) address via an algorithm. Like...

I agree with everything except the standard buckles. Even though I am not using it for acro, I prefer the acro style harnesses (I think that is what Softie calls it). These have criss crossing leg straps that connect high on the harness with B-12 snaps and no chest strap. See the attached...

The Softie I use has a square in it (a PD reserve).

It is mostly a hold over from when parachutes were made out of less durable material. With modern parachute materials, you can safely go much longer than 180 days. I wear a parachute when I fly skydivers and I would be comfortable with it being repacked every year or two. If I remember...

Doesn't have to be a master rigger. A senior rigger can also do the repack. Ryan

You are not throwing away the $150 bucks. You are paying for flexibility and reduced financial risk. When renting, you have the flexibility of adjusting how much money you spend on the airplane each month. If you own, the hangar bill needs to be payed each month no matter how much you fly...