Australian Flying March-April 2016 explores some of general aviation's most diverse topics, from the new Cirrus Australis and state-of-the-art Redbird sim to taking a couple of old stagers and pitting them in a competition to see who's the charter king. We also open a can of worms with the debate over noise-canceling headsets, look at flight separation rules and show you how to minimise weather damage if your aircraft lives outside. All of this is behind a magnificent Rob Fox image of the Australis high over Cape Schank, Victoria. Here's the feature line-up.
Shelley Ross presents the first part of her safari around the south-east of WA, where she finds a working Dutch windmill and a Douglas DC3 side-by-side at the end of a long trek across the Nullarbor.
In early 2015, Cirrus presented Australia with its very own version of the SR22. Steve Hitchen and Cirrus exponent Ryan Campbell put the Australis through an energetic test flight.
Every pilot knows the obvious need to avoid a mid-air collision, but once a conflict is identified, what now? Philip Smart investigates the give-way regulations shows how the pilots' next steps can affect the outcome.
Two die-hard supporters put their aeroplanes where their mouths are in the Great Charter Challenge: Cessna P210 verses A36 Bonanza. Which aeroplane comes out the king of the charter category? This report by Steve Hitchen.
The benefits of active noise canceling (ANC) are well known, but is it always the best choice when it comes to selecting a new aviation headset? Steve Hitchen lays out the arguments in this guide to the best and the worst of the active verses passive debate.
Jim Davis tackles the basics of navigation in a Masterclass edition that shows how more information in not necessarily better when it comes to keeping yourself on track.
Bunbury Flying School in WA invited A330 skipper John Absolon to try out their Redbird MCX flight simulator. Our man put the Redbird into the crucible to see how it stacks up against the sophisticated systems of the airlines.
A life outside is never ideal for an aeroplane, but with a lack of economic hangar space inflicting most of Australia's GA airports, many planes are at the mercy of the weather. Philip Smart examines the best ways to limit damage to your aircraft once the bad-tempered weather moves in.