From virtual reality over the Grand Canyon to the quiet grind of rising costs, the September/October edition of Australian Flying covers the full spread of what's shaping general aviation right now.
We open with something genuinely new. In Cleared for virtual departure, Kreisha Ballantyne straps on an Apple Vision Pro at Bankstown's Cirrus Centre and discovers that virtual flight over the Grand Canyon is closer to the real thing than she anticipated.
Queensland's Horizon Airlines has just become the first Australian operator to bring in the P2012 STOL Traveller. In Strait to the point, Steve Hitchen investigates why the charter operator chose the big Tecnam, and how it's expected to perform.
European manufacturers love to use Aero Friedrichshafen to unveil new designs, and 2026 was no exception. In Inside Bavaria's New ClassiX Helicopter, Paul Southwick travels to Germany to take a look at the Evocopter ClassiX, revealed by proud company founder Paul Ressle.
Misunderstood and too often ignored, the slip is a legitimate manoeuvre many pilots were never properly taught. In Caught in the Slips, Steve Hitchen delves into the science, and the mystery, behind sideslips and forward slips.
Turbine power is coming to the backcountry. In Cub class: turbine edition, Kreisha Ballantyne speaks to CubCrafters Vice President Brad Damm about the Carbon Cub ULT, the turbine-powered evolution of the beloved backcountry platform.
After being strip-searched, swabbed for explosives and forced to sign away his privacy, Brian Bigg went looking for an alternative. In The allure of flying private, he discovers it's entirely possible. Just not cheap.
And in The evolution of an operator, Microflite CEO Rodney Higgins talks to Benn Marks about the company's journey from premium tours to emergency services support, and why finding the right people remains the rotary industry's biggest challenge.
As always, these features are supported by our regular columns including Editorial, News, Rotors, Fly-ins, Lessons from a Logbook, Reports from the Regions, Safety Matters, For the Love of Flying, Up to Speed and What Can We Learn?
From cutting-edge simulation to the everyday cost pressures facing operators and pilots alike, this issue is a reminder that general aviation is as much about where the industry is heading as it is about the flying itself. Get it here!