Can one plane "do it all?"

Probably not, however you can own a plane that will accomplish most of what you'd like it to do. First you must ask yourself the following questions:

1. How will I be using this airplane?

Business

Flying myself from point "A" to point "B"
Flying myself and a couple of employees
Flying customers

Personal

Flying to a 2nd home, either up north or in the south
Vacationing with my airplane
Visiting family, friends or children
I'm a Sunday afternoon flyer
Aerobatic flying
Flying a floatplane around the lakes

2. Where will I be flying my airplane?

Pretty much within the state
Regional travel, within a couple of states
Flying more than a tank of fuel away regularly

3. How many passengers will I normally have?

4. What is my flying experience level?

5. How much can I comfortably afford each month?

The "ideal" airplane will do it all for you, but realistically, if you can purchase a plane that will accomplish 90% of your missions, you're doing great! On that rare occasion that you want to take that extra person, or land on water, or do a couple of barrel rolls. . . RENT a plane for the afternoon!

If you plan to fly your plane for more than the time it takes to find a good airport restaurant, comfort and ease of flying will become important considerations. Look for seats that adjust in several directions and with back support. Head room and shoulder room won't seem to be an issue on a "demo" flight, but try to anticipate your needs when you've been in a seat for 4-5 hours. Can you stretch a bit or are you cramped and irritable?

Does the airplane's range meet your needs? A fuel stop will cost you an hour so the few knots you gained with the faster plane may not get you to your destination first if you had to make a stop.

What about the airplane's flying demands. Can you relax a bit or does the plane require your absolute attention. Is the plane forgiving when you're fatigued? Do you have sufficient avionics to provide the information you need in the cockpit? Demanding airplanes are a thrill and a challenge to fly, but when your typical trip is several hours long, the challenge gets old. . . FAST!

Your choice of airplane is a critical one and too often we buy with our emotions and then later regret our decisions. Take the time to envision yourself and your family/business associates in the airplane, and making the usual trip. Are you relaxed? Is everyone comfortable? If the answer is not YES, your business/family flights will probably be short-lived.

Once you've determined your needs, it's time to look at your finances. Yes, you read that correctly! Determine the right airplane FIRST and then decide how you're going to pay for it. That comment doesn't sound like one that would come from the daughter of a conservative accountant. . .

However, if you purchase the wrong airplane for the right money, you're sure to:

1. Not fully utilize your airplane
2. Spend too much money trying to make it what you wanted in the first place
3. Get hurt!

(Dad would agree with that!)

Instead, choose the right airplane and learn about different options available to help you pay for it. You can learn about some of these options by downloading the teleclass:

"Secrets of the Aircraft Finance Companies"

at: http://www.airplanenoise.com/eleclass_schedule.htm

Choosing the right airplane is SUCH an important decision! Do your homework and buy a plane that will be easily integrated into your lifestyle: business AND personal .

You can compare the features of several aircraft by downloading the Spec sheets at:

http://www.airplanenoise.com/answers_to_why.htm

PhotoCredit: http://www.clipartheaven.com

Sponsored by: http://www.balootisme.com

Author: Pat Redmond helps business owners who are tired of long lines and baggage claims, fly their way to freedom! Enjoy dinner with your family tonight! To learn more about the General Aviation Business, sign up for FREE aircraft purchase tips and tools, visit her site at http://www.airplanenoise.com

Can one plane "do it all?"

"How safe is it?" Along with "How much does it cost?" this is a question we often hear when someone is considering flight training as an option for depleting his or her discretionary income. Our industry has experienced a marked reduction in overall accidents and statistically, a 27.8% reduction in the most recent 7 years! During this same time period General Aviation fatal accidents dropped 32.6% to just over 1 fatality for every 100,000-flight hours.

Of these accidents, 80% are either partially or completely pilot induced, with weather related accidents and controlled flight into terrain (CFIT) accounting for the majority of fatalities.

So what is the industry doing to address the issue of pilot errors?

Bendix/King has taken the bull by the horns and addressed this challenge with several new avionics products, and Cessna has taken the next step by including the Bendix/King advanced avionics package in their aircraft.

Situational Awareness: With its moving map and IFR approach capability, the KLN94 GPS provides added safety through increased situational awareness. This GPS with its full color screen is as easy to operate, as it is to view.

Weather: Bendix/King Data Link Weather features a state-of-the-art data link system to bring textual and graphical weather to your cockpit with a high speed, high bandwidth system. With the KDR 510, weather information (including METARs, TAFs, and PIREPs) is automatically updated and displayed on your KMD 550 (multi-function display) in your cockpit. For a small monthly fee, you can also receive NEXRAD radar and additional weather products that promote additional weather avoidance capability.

Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT): The KMH 880 Multi-Hazard Awareness System combines traffic and terrain avoidance features in one unit. Combined with the KDR 510 and displayed on the KMD 550, you can have all the situational awareness available to ensure an up-to-the-second picture of your flight situation.

Workload Reduction: The KMD 550 Multi-Function Display (MFD) lets you spend less time looking at your instruments and more time flying your aircraft. The system gives you the information you need without added clutter, all while reducing the time required to manage each safety system. Along with its capability to display traffic, weather, terrain and moving map information, the KMD 550 also provides a wealth of reference information to the pilot including airports, NDBs, intersections, VORs, special-use airspace, victor airways, rivers, roads, lakes, cities and towers. When interfaced to the KLN 94, the KMD 550 can also display holding patterns, procedure turns and DME arcs for even greater situational awareness. Most importantly, this MFD is simple to use and sports a bright, razor-sharp display!

So, how much safer can General Aviation become? It seems to me that the sky's the limit! Who would have guessed that today's General Aviation aircraft would have these capabilities? And I suppose the question follows . . . “What else is possible?” Link: http://bendixking.com

PhotoCredit: http://www.mea.com.lb

Author: Pat Redmond, helps business owners who are tired of long lines and baggage claims, fly their way to freedom! Enjoy dinner with your family tonight! To learn more about the General Aviation Business, sign up for more FREE tips like these, visit her site at http://www.airplanenoise.com

ADDRESSING SAFETY WITH NEW AVIONICS