The COVID-19 pandemic has touched virtually every industry on the face of the planet in one way or another. A few industries benefitted, such as delivery services and medical supply companies, but most suffered. The aviation industry is firmly in the latter category. Of course, the aviation industry today is a complicated beast that encompasses airlines, business aircraft, general aviation, manufacturing, and charter services. So, even if the industry suffers as a whole, it doesn't mean all [...]

By Jason Zilberbrand, ASA, CAA, ISA AM, AOA AM, MRAeS and Ken DuFour, ASA, MAM, ATP, CFI. Back in the good old days of Corporate Aviation, when there were only a handful of manufacturers, and each one produced one model, power by the hour was created. In the late 1970s through the mid-1980s, the first business jet salesman, and dozens of corporations, entertainers, and a handful of prominent people began their operations of what is known today [...]

By Ken Dufour, ASA, MAM, ATP, CFI and Jason Zilberbrand, ASA, CAA, ISA AM, AOA AM, MRAeS Aircraft records that have been lost or destroyed are a highly debated subject with regards to the continued operation and the overall value of the aircraft. Some say that 30% to 50% of the value of an aircraft resides with the maintenance records. Whether this is accurate or not, they represent value and should be treated with care and respect [...]

By Ken Dufour, ASA, MAM, ATP, CFI and Jason Zilberbrand, ASA, CAA, ISA AM, AOA AM, MRAeS The purchase of an aircraft represents a significant commitment that should be approached carefully and cautiously, especially when buying a used aircraft. For many aircraft owners, it means the most extensive single lifetime investment next to purchasing a home. Quite often, the purchase price of an airplane approximates or exceeds the price of a new home. While not every aircraft [...]

Corrosion can be a devastating enemy of aircraft engines, particularly those in planes that are flown infrequently or placed in storage for an extended period. New engines or those with new or freshly honed cylinders after a top or major overhaul are of particular concern. In areas of high humidity, these have been instances where corrosion has been found in such cylinders after an inactive period of only a few days. Once these cylinders have been operated [...]

An Airworthiness Directive (AD) is an important tool used by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to communicate unsafe operating conditions relating to aircraft and aircraft equipment to aircraft owners. A primary safety function of the FAA is to require the correction of unsafe conditions found in an aircraft, aircraft engine, propeller, rotor, or appliance when such conditions exist or are likely to exist or develop in other products of the same design. These unsafe conditions can exist [...]

Maintenance means the preservation, inspection, overhaul, and repair of aircraft, including the replacement of parts. The purpose of maintenance is to ensure that the aircraft remains airworthy throughout its operational life. A properly maintained aircraft is a safe aircraft. Although maintenance requirements vary for different types of aircraft, experience shows that most aircraft need some sort of preventive maintenance every 25 hours or less of flying time, and minor maintenance at least every 100 hours. This is [...]