As one might intuitively guess, maintaining floatplanes and amphibians – particularly those which routinely operate commercial charters or scheduled services and need to provide very high levels of operational reliability – is a rather more specialized and MRO-intensive business than is maintaining aircraft which fly only from runways on land.
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Vultee BT-13 aircraft profile
The Vultee Aircraft Corp. BT-13 “Valiant” was a single-engine, tandem-seat trainer produced for the U.S. Army Air Corps, U.S. Navy and foreign allies prior to and during World War II. The aircraft was selected and produced as a primary and follow-on intermediary trainer due to its ruggedness, forgiving flight characteristics and stability. Most of the pilots produced in the early years of World War II conducted initial training, or Basic Training, hence the BT name, on the BT-13.
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A Longer Look at the PT6A-34 Powered Viking 400
An airplane that can go virtually anywhere, do anything, and operate in the most extreme weather—and that could sell for twice what you paid for it after 30 years—might sound like a fantasy. But the iconic DHC-6 Twin Otter, which de Havilland Canada produced, fits that description. It helped launch the commuter and regional airline industry in North America, remains the backbone of maritime coastal patrols for many navies, and serves the mining and oil industries worldwide. It lands on wheels, big tundra tires, straight floats, amphibious floats, and skis. Runways are optional. Nice flat surfaces of any kind are kid stuff. When it’s 60 below in Antarctica and some scientist needs to be medevaced, this is the airplane they send.
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A Thrush is “Reborn” with Upgrades & a PT6A-41
It was in 2010 that Thrush Aircraft introduced a new engine mount design for the 510 series Thrush, specifically the then newly certified H80 GE turboprop engine. The extension was approximately 18 inches forward of the hopper, creating a mini-storage area and eliminating the lead-shot ballast ring. Not only did this improve flight characteristics by moving the CG, but removed nearly 300 pounds of “dead” weight.
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The T-6 Texan: Then and Now
Since it was first produced in 1937, the T-6 Texan and its offshoots have filled many roles for many different institutions in dozens of countries. It proved to be one of the more enduring, durable, and useful aircraft ever designed, and that’s further evidenced by the evolution in the 1990’s of the Beechcraft T-6 Texan II, which is a modern version of the original WWII trainer.
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Jet Speed with Turboprop Efficiency: The Epic E1000
The Epic E1000 is drawing attention for its sleek carbon-fiber design and intelligent engineering, producing the fastest turboprop available. Emerging from roughly a decade of perfecting its kit-plane predecessor (The Epic LT Dynasty), the E1000 promises to build on the devoted following growing around Epic Aircraft with exhilarating speed, fuel efficiency, and plenty of space.
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A Brief History & Look at the Grumman G-164 Ag-Cat
The Ag-Cat is a standout amongst the best reason composed horticultural airship yet assembled and has been in practically constant creation since 1959.
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Flying the PT6A-42A Powered Piper M600
A clean-sheet wing, more power, touchscreen avionics and stylish interior enhancements lift Piper’s latest incarnation of the classic PA-46 to new heights.
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The History of the P&W R-1340 Powered T-6 Texan
The North American Aviation T-6 Texan two-place advanced trainer was the classroom for most of the Allied pilots who flew in World War II. Called the SNJ by the Navy and the Harvard by the British Royal Air Force, the advanced trainer AT-6 was designed as a transition trainer between basic trainers and first-line tactical aircraft. It was redesignated T-6 in 1948.
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The R-985 Powered de Havilland Beaver: Arguably the Best Bush Plane Ever Built
With a big, nine-cylinder Pratt & Whitney strapped to the front, this 5,100-pound workhorse boasts a useful load of around 2,000 pounds, and it’s built to operate out of short and rough airstrips.
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