The 16th Annual Gathering at Waupaca - July 18-19, 2020 ​Fun, food and friendship are again planned for our 16th annual Gathering in Waupaca, Wis. July 18 - 19, 2020. Piper Flyer and Cessna ...

A report on the 2018 Gathering at Waupaca, a recap of Oshkosh—and tips to help you plan your next trip. Based on what I saw (and a lot of the things I didn’t have the energy or time to see this ...

When it comes to PA-22 rebuilds, there are good Tri-Pacers and there are great Tri-Pacers. This is the story of an exceptional “truly better than the day it was built” Tri-Pacer. The one thing I ...

Q: Hi Steve, Couple of questions for you. I own a 1975 Piper PA-34-200T Seneca II Turbo. I have air leaks through the pilot entrance door. We’ve put in a new seal and adjusted it, but it still ...

“King Salmon Tower, Cherokee N32785 is a Cherokee Six, 8 miles east of the field; inbound for landing Runway 18; got Echo.” “Good morning, Lydia; King Salmon Tower. Traffic is Justin in the Katmai ...

Piper PA-24 Comanches are subject to AD 2012-17-06, which requires inspection of the stabilator horn for cracks and corrosion. A&P/IA Steve Ells describes proper procedures for removal, inspection ...

Q: Hi Steve, I just bought a 1968 PA-28-180 Cherokee 180 B. So far, it’s been wonderful, but there’s one thing that I haven’t yet gotten used to. I trained in a newer Cherokee and it had toe brakes. ...

Safely traversing the U.S. and crossing the Rocky Mountains in a single-engine aircraft requires a pilot to manage an ever-changing slate of risks. This is a first-person account of a ferry pilot who ...

There are thousands of used airplanes on the market, and no two are exactly alike. The range of choices available to a buyer is both a blessing and a curse. Defining your mission, purchase goals and ...

A sincere reflection about a lifetime’s worth of aviation friends and mentors. January is the time of year is when we all look forward, not back, but I hope you’ll indulge me for few moments here as ...

Photos by Mike Maez Ever since I was a kid I’ve always been obsessed with anything fast. Anytime a plane would fly overhead, I was—and still am—the boy that would stop everything to look up and ...

    Upsizing your vintage Piper wheels and tires.  A cub is a young bear as well as the mascot for early Piper airplanes. Today, up to 79 years from their birth, many of these once-youthful Cubs ...

Fabric-covered planes in good condition are available, but you need to know what to look for. Aircraft have been covered in cloth since the Wright Brothers took flight, and the material had to be as ...

The pros and cons of using decals and stencils to apply aircraft graphics. You’ve just repainted your airplane and it’s beautiful. There’s just one detail keeping you grounded: applying the required ...

Remembering why we fly. “I’ve owned 41 airplanes. A few of them would talk with me. This little seaplane, though, we’ve had long conversations in flight. There’s a spirit in anything, I think, into ...

“It’s impossible to find a hangar anywhere,” was the refrain every pilot around me sang, but within a month my new plane had a roof over its wings. Was it just luck? No matter how I acquired my ...

Florida is filled with fun, bright, beachy places—but there is nowhere quite like Sanibel Island on the state’s Gulf Coast. Sanibel Island might be small, but it packs a lot into its 17 square ...

  Fall is the best time of the year on the coast, and you have plenty of airports to pick from.  Welcome to the (Oregon) coast.  First things first: if you want to try to blend in, even as a ...

  With the help of Lassie, a faithful Piper Saratoga, Matt Kiener and FlyPups, Inc. transport at-risk dogs to animal shelters where they can be adopted into permanent homes.    How many dogs can ...

While instructing an apprehensive student pilot, a Master CFI rediscovers the magic of the J-3.   It's been nearly 20 years since I sold my last Piper Cub.  I loved that old plane. I would take ...

A “new-from-the-wheels-up” Premier Edition Dakota from Premier Aircraft Sales is a leading example of Piper’s legendary PA-28 series.  Like many of you, I learned to fly in what is now described in ...

  Wise owners (and mechanics) know that a successful overhaul starts with careful engine removal. The overhaul process isn’t finished until after the engine has been reinstalled and the break-in ...

Michael Leighton compares two popular portable units that can receive in-flight weather and more.  Perhaps the most significant safety improvement in aviation in the last 20 years is the ...

After a 30-year gap, the author gets a chance to fly another Twin Comanche and realizes he rather likes it. Its name rather gives the game away with this iconic light twin. The Piper PA-30 Twin ...

  KSMO will soon join the ever-lengthening list of excellent airports that were killed by obliviousness, lack of imagination and greed. Santa Monica Municipal Airport (KSMO) is most likely toast. ...

Picks vary based on mission and budget, yet almost every Piper has a niche. By Kristin Winter With photos by Jim Lawrence Almost all airplanes are good for traveling, when compared to cars. In the ...

September 2015 With a little (okay, a lot!) of help from his friends, Tom Grove’s Piper PA-28 Cherokee 235 was deemed Outstanding in Type at EAA AirVenture in 2014. “I think I caught him in a weak ...

Garmin D2 Pilot Watch-Move over, Dick Tracy: a new era in nifty watches has arrived. The new Garmin D2 Pilot does everything but catch the bad guys. GPS enabled with direct-to and nearest function ...

May 2013 Several months ago (“Heading Bug,” June 2012) columnist David Hipschman weighed in with his ideas about what to carry in your Piper for emergencies, and he shared what he carries: “Here’s ...