I recently had the opportunity to be a part of the sale (and training) of a BE60T Royal Turbine, or “Royal Duke” (what we called it). The experience allowed me to gain significant flight time in the Royal Duke, so I thought it would be beneficial to give a “PIREP”. The piston Duke was considered by many to…
One of the really cool aspects of my work is the ability to work alongside the super-neat people that own/operate a PA46. Those that own PA46’s tend to be interesting and successful people with a special business niche in the American marketplace. Recently I got to train someone that I found particularly interesting…MMOPA past president…
As most know, I love the Continental-Powered Malibu, but today I had my first true engine failure in a Malibu (the other was in a Lycoming-powered Mirage about a decade ago). Bottom line (to ease the drama of the unknown)…all is well…the airplane is fine…I’m fine…and no insurance company will be contacted. It was a…
Of all the aviation maneuvers I see during Refresher Training, the one that is butchered the most is the Go-Around (or Missed Approach). This is disappointing because the Go-Around is so critical. Everything changes at the Go-Around…the airplane goes from dirty to clean, low-power to high-power, descent to climb, and (often) flight with the autopilot…
I get lots of questions about the differences in the two hydraulic systems on the early Continental-powered Malibu’s, so it seems logical for me to leap into the gap and provide my thoughts in writing. I fly both versions regularly and believe I’ve got a good understanding of the benefits and detriments of both. The…
I’ve found a very Yuneec way of getting around an airport! Brint is a PA46 pilot that I recently trained and he showed me his Yuneec Skateboard. I instantly fell in love with the board and bought one myself. Here’s a quick video that tells more: Interested? I bought mine through Don Barthlow, and he…
I’ve studied SLD (Super-cooled Large Droplet) Icing on aircraft, but the study always left me with more questions than answers. I simply understood that SLD meant that there could be “big drops of water” that stick to the airplane and create a more dastardly result. But, exactly how does it work? I had a breakthrough in my…
Let there be no doubt about it…the greatest danger that faces your PT6 engine (and consequently, your wallet size) is the potential of a hot start. So, knowing exactly how to start your PT6 is critical. Here’s the noteworthy points of an engine start that I recommend you consider when starting your PT6-powered PA-46: 1.) Check battery…
After recently delivering a Mirage to be converted, I toured the Jetprop factory at Rocket Engineering in Spokane, WA. It’s a really cool place where a lot of aviation magic occurs, so take the tour if you are ever close to the area. As Jetprop owners can testify, on those cold wintry days, or when…
I’ve got a Pilot Bunk Room that I allow PA-46 pilots to use when they come to train. Here’s a video of the room so you can decide if you want to use the room or if you want the spacious comfort of a hotel room.