I departed Brainard Field (KHFD) at about 9:30 am on Sunday, September 1, 2019 to return to my home field at Danielson, Connecticut (KLZD). The weather was clear VFR with light winds from the North. At approximately 9:45 I entered the Danielson pattern on the 45 to runway 31 as usual, set up for the… Continue reading The Long Slide Home
Author: Les Thomas
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Pimp My Plane
The Vegas Viper – An airplane gone wild Really, it’s our fault. David Lessnick of Las Vegas was perfectly happy with his 1964 Piper Comanche 250—until he saw AOPA’s 2008 sweepstakes airplane. He paid $80,000 for the Comanche in 2005 and was quite happy with it. It was in perfect condition with a mid-time Lycoming… Continue reading Pimp My Plane
Surefly – EIS-61000-5C Lycoming 6cyl – Group Buy
EIS-61000-5C Lycoming 6cyl Electronic Ignition Kit $4,350.00Single Magneto Replacement – CSTW The EIS-61000 Electronic Ignition Kit is a fully STC’d kit for Lycoming 540/541/580 series, engines, installed on both single engine and twin engine aircraft. Replacing one magneto with the EIS-61000 will typically improve fuel economy on average by 10-15% (operators have reported consistent fuel… Continue reading Surefly – EIS-61000-5C Lycoming 6cyl – Group Buy
Surefly – EIS-41000IC Lycoming 4cyl – Group Buy
EIS-41000IC Lycoming and Continental 4cyl Electronic Ignition Kit $2,950.00 Impulse Coupled Magneto Replacement The EIS-41000IC Electronic Ignition Kit is a fully STC’d kit for most Lycoming and Continental 4cyl engines. Replacing one impulse coupled magneto with the EIS-41000IC will typically improve fuel economy on average by 10-15% (many operators have reported consistent fuel savings of… Continue reading Surefly – EIS-41000IC Lycoming 4cyl – Group Buy
SureFly – Electronic Ignition
SureFly SIM Ignition: Maintenance Free SureFlys drop-in electronic ignition may not offer more power, but it has an engine-matching TBO, is easy to install and promises maintenance-free reliability. After years of hemming and hawing, the piston aircraft engine industry could be finally coming to its senses by embracing electronic ignition. Electroair has been selling electronic… Continue reading SureFly – Electronic Ignition
Expensive Engine replacement? – Hang-on, not so fast
A member just avoided an expensive engine replacement after it appeared, she had metal in the engine oil, and an (incorrect) assumption of low oil pressure by the A&P. Kudos to the owner for keeping her cool, and to the Northeast support team (Zach Grant and Eric Kenyon). The low oil pressure was checked with… Continue reading Expensive Engine replacement? – Hang-on, not so fast
Bird Strike
One clear December Morning in 2000 I was flying at 500 AGL south of JFK over the ocean when I encountered a flock of seagulls. When I turned on my landing lights, which I’m told is to help the birds see the plane, all but one missed me. Apparently, no one told him why my… Continue reading Bird Strike
Lobsters in the Cockpit, a tail
Dark. Turbulent. Rain. In the clouds. Changes in my route clearance from La Guardia Approach Control as fast as I could write them down and faster than I could execute them. This was single pilot instrument flying at its busy-as-a-one-arm-paper-hanger worst. There was only the dim red glow of the cockpit lights to give me… Continue reading Lobsters in the Cockpit, a tail
Comanche 250 Review
The Comanche was conceived in the late ’50s when Piper and the rest of the industry was playing catch-up with the premier four-seat retractable, the Beech Bonanza. Piper’s Comanche was introduced as both a 180-hp and a 250-hp model, sporting four- and six-cylinder versions of the same engine. The former was planned to compete with… Continue reading Comanche 250 Review
AOPA Fly-in
The AOPA fly-in was a success! Special huge thanks to Ray Burton, and his family (this was their 15th anniversary and they supported ICS!), Pete Morse, Bernie Stumpf, and the many ICS people who stopped by to say hello and stayed to talk. We even had a surprise visit from a very supportive FSDO official… Continue reading AOPA Fly-in