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Flying the Light Retractables

A guided tour through the most popular complex single-engine airplanes

LeRoy Cook

9781560276074
160 pages
Aviation Supplies & Acad Inc
Overview

Follow author LeRoy Cook on a tour of the retractable-gear airplanes you’ve always wanted to learn more about. Flying the Light Retractables is an informative journey through the development history of each plane with plentiful insight into design considerations, evolutionary changes, advantages and disadvantages of the different models, and background on maintenance issues. Pilots or potential owners will really get a sense of the subtle or not-so-subtle differences; this is like going flying with the author and having the advantage of his eye for detail and sense of observation.

Cook gives a unique perspective on ergonomics, control feel and other features that work or don’t work for the pilot and/or passengers...?it becomes obvious that he has spent many hours in different makes of aircraft. As a potential buyer, you’re most interested in performance and economic trade-offs, and Cook excels in such details. His balanced discussion stacks the technical detail (speeds, loads, etc.) against economic factors. You’re not swamped with numbers, but you come out with a good sense of what you need and want to know about flying these light retractable-gear airplanes.

Beautiful photographs (some in color) accompany each airplane discussion, covering these aircraft:
Mooney M20C
M20J 201/MSE
Beech Bonanza 35
Beech Sierra
Cessna Cardinal RG
Cessna Cutlass RG
Lake Buccaneer
Piper Comanche 180
Piper Arrow
Rockwell Commander 112TC

Author Bio
LeRoy Cook chose to become a lifelong student of aviation in his early years, catching the fever during the celebration of the 50th Anniversary of powered flight in 1953. He determined to learn and share as much of aviation as he could, and is still exploring flight 50-plus years later. His career as an aviation writer began in 1970; he had been a flight instructor since 1965 and wanted to reach a wider audience, through aviation publications. With over 1,350 magazine articles published, Cook was a monthly columnist at Private Pilot Magazine for 34 years, where he was a senior editor. He holds ATP ratings for single and multi-engine airplanes, with commercial glider and seaplane ratings and his Gold Seal flight instructor’s certificate carries single and multi-engine airplane, instrument and glider privileges. A lifelong resident of western Missouri, Cook is married with three children and continues teaching others about flying on a daily basis.