Aviation and Aircraft Background
Aircraft2018-02-19T21:38:20+08:00

Welcome to FunkyPilot Aircraft Page

On this page I will briefly introduce each aircraft that I have had the privilege to fly. 

These are the aircraft I have flown as a pilot:

Bombardier Challenger 605

Cessna 150 and 152

Cessna 172, 172R, 172RG, 172SP

Piper Warrior PA-28-161

Piper Arrow PA-28R-201

Cirrus SR20

Piper Seminole PA-44

Piper Seneca PA-34-200

Beech Baron BE-58

Grumman Cheetah AA-5A

Grumman Tiger AA-5B

Maule M7-235B Super Rocket

Grumman Cougar GA-7

Diamond Katana DA20

Diamond Star DA40 and DA40-D

Diamond Twin Star DA42

Liberty XL2

GoPro Karma Drone

This is the current aircraft I fly for living and it is also the first (and only) jet aircraft I have flown. Here is just a few technical details and a picture of the aircraft before I have time to write more about my experiences with the aircraft.

Bombardier Challenger 605

Quick Facts: 

  • Crew: Two pilots 
  • Capacity: Up to 12 passnegers
  • Payload 2,200 kg (4,850 lb)
  • Empty Weight: 12,315 kg (27,150 lb)
  • Max takeoff weight: 21,863 kg (48,200 lb)
  • Fuel capacity: 9,072 kg (20,000 lb)
  • Powerplant: 2 × General Electric CF34-3B turbofans, 41 kN (9,220 lbf) each
  • Maximum speed: Mach 0.85 (490 kn; 908 km/h)
  • Cruise speed: Mach 0.80 (461 kn; 854 km/h)
  • Range: 7,408 km (4,000 nm)

If my Challenger 605 video doesn’t work in China you can see it from my YouKu Channel.

Cessna 152

The Cessna 152 was the first aircraft I learned to fly when I started my initial flight training in March of 2000.. It is a two seat, single engine, aircraft that has been very popular flight training aircraft for many years. The aircraft as a single Lycoming engine is capable of producing 110 horsepower and cruise speed of around 100 miles per hour. It has 26 gallon fuel capacity and a range of approximately 350 miles. It has been regarded as one of the best trainers ever built. More pilots have been trained in the Cessna 150/152 than any other airplane. Many pilots think the Cessna 152 is very easy to fly, very forgiving, and able to withstand those less than perfect landings that student pilots occasionally do.

If the video doesn’t work you can watch it in YouKu by clicking the following link: Hudson Tour in Cessna 152

Liberty XL2 Aircraft

My Experience with Liberty XL2

I flew the aircraft for about 82 hours between January and March of 2007. It was a fun plane to fly and had a modern feeling compared to the older planes I was used to. As a two seat aircraft it was a good trainer but probably not so useful for private ownership.

FADEC

The Liberty XL2 was the first aircraft I flew with a “FADEC” engine. FADEC stands for Full Authority Digital Engine Control meaning that there is a digital computer that controls the engine settings. The pilot only has the throttle to control the thrust of the engine and the computer automatically adjusts the fuel and air mixture entering the pistons. All the other aircraft I flew until then had a fuel mixture control that the pilot had to use to adjust the fuel and air mixture based on the aircraft altitude.

Liberty XL2

Quick Facts:

  • Manufactured by Liberty Aerospace of Melbourne, Florida
  • Used for personal transportation, touring, and flight training
  • Crew: 1
  • Capacity: 1 passenger
  • Powerplant: 1 × Continental IOF-240-B four cylinder horizontally opposed four-stroke aircraft engine with FADEC control, 125 hp (93 kW)
  • Cruise speed: 125 kn (144 mph; 232 km/h)
  • Stall speed: 44 kn (51 mph; 81 km/h) flaps down
  • Never exceed speed: 162 kn (186 mph; 300 km/h)
  • Range: 500 nmi (575 mi; 926 km)
  • Service ceiling: 12,500 ft (3,800 m)
  • Rate of climb: 682 ft/min (3.46 m/s)
  • Wing loading: 14.76 lb/sq ft (72.1 kg/m2)
Cessna 172 model SP

My Experience with the Cessna 172

I flew the Cessna 172 in the United States for about 250 hours. I first used it during my instrument and commercial pilot training. Later I used it for teaching my own students instrument flying. In 2005 I also did a tour from Florida to different islands in the Bahamas with this particular aircraft that is seen in the picture. A student of mine and I rented an aircraft from Orlando and toured Key West, Florida, and then the Bahamas for about a week.

Cessna 172

The Cessna 172 is a four-seat, single-engine fixed-wing aircraft. It is manufactured by the Cessna Aircraft Company. It was first flown in 1955 and it is still in production. Over 44000 of the aircraft has been produced making it the most successful aircraft ever. In comparison the Boeing 737 and Airbus 320, which are the most successful airliners, have been produced less than 10,000 units each.

There are many variants of the Cessna 172. Over time the avionics and engines have changed but the basic airframe design has remained the same.

The high wing design has made it a popular chose among flight schools and aerial photographers due to the good ground visibility. The design has also allowed to the aircraft to be fitted with floats for different types of operations.

Diamond Katana DA20 Aircraft

My Experience With the Diamond DA20

I flew the aircraft first in Florida in 2001. There I used it to teach private pilot students. Later in 2011 I used it for spin training in a Chinese flight school. I had lots of fun flying the plane and hopefully get to fly it again someday!

Diamond DA20

This a small two-seat single engine aircraft manufactured by Diamond Aircraft company from Austria, but the aircraft itself is built in Canada. It is popular trained because of low cost maintenance and low fuel burn. The DA20 has a higher glide ratio than many other light aircraft and it looks similar to gliders.

Maule M7-235B Super Rocket 

The aircraft is manufactured my Maule Air of Georgia, United States. There are many variations of the Maule M7 plane, and the one I flew had floats installed in it.

Quick Facts:

  • Crew: One pilot
  • Passengers: 4
  • Powerplant: 1 x Lycoming 235 hp
  • Cruise Speed: 164 mph (265 km/h) varies with equipment
  • Range: 1001 miles (1610 km) varies with equipment
Maule M7-235B Super Rocket Amphibian

My Experience with the Maule M7-235B

I only flew the seaplane for about six hours total. I received my single-engine seaplane rating in the aircraft. Although I am not an experienced seaplane pilot I hope to have a chance to fly more of them in the future.

Please standby for more content.

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