Niki Britton

6 days ago | aopa.org | Niki Britton

Chino Airport (CNO) in San Bernadino County, California, has everything visitors could want in a public-use airport. From three lengthy runways, flight schools, plenty of transient parking, a star-studded aviation museum, and warbirds galore, pilots have their pick of things to see and do. But when it’s time to break for lunch, pilots and visitors agree, Flo’s is the place to go. Flo’s Café is unapologetically no-frills.

6 days ago | aopa.org | Niki Britton

The Cessna 182 is a great platform straight out of the factory. It does everything it was built to do very well, and most aircraft enthusiasts agree that 182s are the perfect cross-country flier and workhorse. So, what is there to do that Cessna didn’t already get right in the late 1950s? We look to the now! The Continental O-470 is already a fantastic powerplant, but by adding just a couple of upgrades, we can give this Skylane a small power bump, better fuel efficiency, and a beefier sound.

1 month ago | aopa.org | Niki Britton

The four-seat Draco aircraft is based on the Polish PZL-104 Wilga, and was modified by engineer and pilot Mike Patey and introduced at EAA AirVenture in 2018 as Draco. Now six years later, Draco Aircraft has acquired all the designs and intellectual property rights as well as the original type certificate from Airbus Poland to give the out-of-production Wilga a new lease of life. Patey has also given the company the green light to utilize his design concepts.

1 month ago | aopa.org | Niki Britton

Aside from the gentle hum of the electrical system, it’s quiet in the cockpit of this OV–10 Bronco. A member of the ground crew, Isaiah Sanchez, stands on the apron before us and raises his hands in a practiced gesture. In an instant, the left 1,040-horsepower Garrett turboprop engine roars to life. From my vantage point in the back seat, I watch Sanchez complete the same dance on my right; both engines now humming a symphony of warbird fanfare.

1 month ago | aopa.org | Niki Britton

So, what is there to do that Cessna didn’t already get right in the late 1950s? We look to the now! The Continental O-470 is already a fantastic powerplant, but by adding just a couple of upgrades, we can give this Skylane a small power bump, better fuel efficiency, and a beefier sound. Hopefully these improvements have given you, the reader and hopeful AOPA Sweepstakes winner, an idea of where this is headed.