Speed! Style! Fixed Gear! And did we mention speed? Those are the hallmarks of Columbia Aircraft -- whose 350 and 400 single engine planes live up to their billing of "higher, faster, farther."

Perennial favorites with the Aero-News staff... especially the Columbia 400, which was voted Best Piston Aircraft of 2005 by ANN... both Columbia models offer the choice of either Avidyne's Entegra, or Garmin G1000 glass panels -- allowing customers to personalize their aircraft in a way unavailable among its competitors. This company is moving fast, like it's planes... not even a little hail can slow them down!

The folks at ANN move around fast -- that's how we get all those stories long before anyone else. But... when it comes to getting around fast, even we have to admit that we take a back seat to those speed-demons from Bend, Oregon... the Columbia Aircraft gang.

These guys are shaking up the aero-world big-time... I mean, do you realize that that the fastest certified piston powered aircraft in production actually has fixed gear?

Asked to name today's fastest certified piston-powered aircraft, most pilots would probably think toward a twin with retractable gear. They would be well off the mark.

With its certification in April '04, the Columbia 400 has risen to the throne as world's fastest, complete with its single engine and fixed gear. Two-hundred thirty-five (235) knots at 25,000 feet - that's nearly as fast as some turboprops.

Perhaps even more impressive than its speed are the Columbia 400's slow-flight manners. The 400's aerodynamic designs, including wing and enhanced control surfaces, impart very docile handling characteristics that one wouldn't normally associate with such a fast aircraft. The Columbia 400 is certified to the FAA's more stringent Utility category, and maintains the spin resistant characteristics of the normally aspirated Columbias while adding a spin recoverable rating to its certification. Never before has such high performance been so easy to handle.

Learn More About Columbia Aircraft by clicking here or by visiting www.flycolumbia.com