The Rain Did Not Diminish The Enthusiasm of the 3000 Who Braved 'The Flood'

To those of us who braved the puddles and mini-rivers that covered the Frederick Airport his past weekend, there was a surprising amount to see and do. The dedication of the staff and membership of the AOPA proved themselves well during an event that managed to to survive hours of pouring rain without dampening the enthusiasm of the thousands who made their way to the 2003 AOPA Fly-In.

Repeat after me... stroke, stroke, stroke....

Not Another Cessna! No, It's A Luscombe 11E!

The Luscombe Aircraft Corporation made the trip out to Maryland to showcase a decidedly different high-wing offering. The 11E is an upgraded and modernized Luscombe Model 11A. The result is a a 4-place, single engine, high wing aircraft with tricycle landing gear, a more powerful fuel injected engine, and state of the art avionics. The cockpit appears quite spacious and the interior layout quite roomy. We're looking forward to flying the latest generation of Luscombe shortly... FMI: http://www.luscombeaircraft.com

The Tiger Is Coming Back Strong

The Tiger, once the product of a number of different manufacturers (most notably, Grumman), seems to be making a solid comeback. While chatting with factory reps, we learned that that very day saw the delivery of the 20th Tiger... with more to follow. The 143 kt Tiger boasts a 4.7 hour range, solid four seat capability, the kind of exquisite visibility that can only be had with an aircraft with an aircraft THAT much glass, and the simplicity and cost-effectiveness that comes with a fixed-gear, fixed pitch airplane. The Yankee/Tiger community is nearly fanatical in their devotion to these airplanes and it appears that the long awaited return to production of the Tiger line is solidly back in place, after a number of heart-breaking false starts. FMI: www.tigeraircraft.com

Diamond Aircraft Building Steam

It's hard to remember when a single company has changed its fortunes as dramatically and as radically as Diamond Aircraft. Once known as a solid little company that built trainers and the occasional motor-glider, Diamond has penetrated the four place market with a solid offering in the surprisingly affordable DA-40, and will soon follow it with a new Diesel powered twin that is generating a LOT of buzz.  If that isn't enough, Diamond has committed itself  to being the first GA manufacturer in recent memory to building a sizzling single engine jet for the upscale GA market. There is some inspired thinking going on at Diamond and airplane buyers appear to be taking notice--with their checkbooks. FMI: www.diamondaircraft.com

It's All About Your Attitude

An ETC USA GAT II full motion flight sim was pressed into duty at the 2003 AOPA Fly-In. A number of folks got some pretty valuable stick time in that amazing sim, while outside, soggy-looking birds were seen walking to their destination... AOPA's Air Safety Foundation hosted a spatial disorientation seminar during the event, and also arranged for Environmental Tectonics Corporation to set up the GAT-II for those who made a prior appointment. The mission of this effort was to demonstrate, firsthand, the hazards of spatial disorientation (and to provide a potent wake-up call concerning this topic). Pilots attending the ASF spatial disorientation seminar said the information presented was a real wake-up call about a potentially deadly hazard.

Useful Accessorizing

Walking thorough the exhibit area, I noticed a novel offering from SAIRCORP. These folks are building a series of customizable "organizer consoles," that can be outfitted to fit your own needs and requirements. Saircorp's Organizer Consoles are designed to fit between the Pilot's and Co-Pilot's seat and while they currently support mostly Cessnas, custom systems are available on request. FMI: www.saircorp.com