Beechcraft By Textron Aviation Although Beechcraft is part of Textron Aviation today, it initially established itself in 1932 in Wichita, Kansas. Husband and wife, Walter and Olive Beech, and the vice president of engineering, Ted Wells, started Beechcraft in a small factory. They produced their first aircraft, the Beechcraft Model 17 Staggerwing, in 1932. Eventually, Beechcraft created 750 Staggerwing models. Following the Staggerwing, the ever-famous Beechcraft Bonanza entered the aviation industry in 1947. The Beechcraft Bonanza has the [...]

Engine maintenance programs or Power by The Hour were invented due to the low dispatch reliability of classic turbine fan jet engines. The Rolls Royce Viper, Lycoming ALF-502, Garrett 731 series of engines had massive catastrophic losses and low dispatch reliability. These programs were the manufacturer's way of offering a quasi-warranty. While not truly a warranty that most consumers are accustomed to but probably closer in relationship to a term life insurance policy. The reason being the programs [...]

The Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTA) reports that 51.7 million U.S. domestic travelers took to the skies in May 2021. This is less than the over 70 million domestic travelers that flew in May 2019. However, major airlines like American Airlines continue to see higher than estimated amounts of travelers. And with the holidays right around the corner, there is no sign that commercial flights will slow down anytime soon. All of this information is great news for [...]

Mooney The Mooney International Corporation took root in 1929 through Albert Mooney and his brother Arthur. Together they established the company in Wichita, Kansas. However, they faced the perils of a crashing economy. When the Great Depression struck in 1930, Mooney went bankrupt. While the brothers worked other jobs, Al continued to feed into Mooney Aircraft Incorporated, eventually bringing in financial bankers Charles Yankey and W. L. McMahon. Mooney’s first aircraft was the Mooney Mite M-18, a single-seater [...]

Cessna By Textron Aviation The Cessna Aircraft Company is headquartered in Wichita, Kansas. Clyde Cessna and Victor Roos partnered to create a company with expertly designed aircraft available for purchase. However, Roos dropped out of the partnership early on, leaving the business in the hands of Cessna. It was then known as Cessna Aircraft Corporation. In 1932, Cessna briefly closed due to hardships caused by the Great Depression. Despite the downturn of aircraft sales and the economy, Cessna’s [...]

Cirrus Aircraft Similar to other aircraft companies, Cirrus comes from humble beginnings. The company began inside an old barn in Wisconsin, Michigan, in 1984 by brothers Dale and Alan Klapmeier. After the brothers took over their old family farm, they began their first project – the VK-30. This model is better known as the Kit plane and took off for the first time in 1988. After retiring the VK-30 in the mid-1990s, Cirrus designed the SR series to [...]

Piper Aircraft The Piper Cherokee PA-28-180 Archer is one of several single-engine aircraft that is a member of the PA-28 family still in production today. All models within this family have signature features: All-metal Unpressurized Piston-powered aircraft Tricycle landing gear Low-set wings At one point, all Cherokee models (including the Archer) were known for having a “Hershey bar wing”. This is because the rectangular platform wings of earlier models resembled the popular candy bar. Later models feature a [...]