From 2017: Bringing Back The Round Cowl…

There is just something about a radial engine. They harken back to what many call aviation's "Golden Age" of classic airplanes and barnstorming. Now, the radial engine is making something of a resurgence, thanks to Rotec Aerosport, which had several engines and airplanes on display at Sun 'n Fun in April, including a Vans RV-8 with a round cowl. Paul Chernikeeff, Founder and Director of Rotec Aerosport, told ANN new editor Tom Patton that the company didn't start with much of a business plan. "We thought radial engines are cool, and if we build one small and compact enough, people will use it." And that h

The Canopy Was About 1.5 Miles From The Main Wreckage

On October 31, 2021, about 1320 eastern daylight time, an experimental, amateur-built Vans RV-4, N479JJ, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Chattahoochee, Florida. The pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The pilot departed the Tallahassee International Airport (TLH), about 1303 destined for Monroe County Aeroplex Airport (MVC), Monroeville, Alabama. After departure, the air traffic controller terminated radar services and approved the pilot to change radio frequencies. According to preliminary radar data provided by the Federal Aviation Administration, the airplane continued westbound for abo