Chuck Berthe
Chuck Berthe is a retired Naval Aviator, civilian Test Pilot, and Aeronautical Engineer with ATP, CIFI, Helo, A&P ratings, and two Repairman Certificates. He has logged 16,600 pilot hours, and is an Associate Fellow in the Society of Experimental Test Pilots.
Bearhawk LSA
Its the wing that gives Bob Barrows latest design a faster cruise and slower stall speed than similar LSAs. By Chuck Berthe.
Flight Review: Revival of the Fittest
Part Husky, part Cub, the Bearhawk Patrol evokes 1940s-era shapes but with the benefit of today’s advanced manufacturing. By Chuck Berthe.
Flight Review: Four to Tango
Chuck Berthe puts Team Tango’s Foxtrot 4 through its paces, and finds it to be a capable aircraft with the potential to be even better as the design is refined.
Comp Air 9
Chuck Berthe flies the turbine-powered Comp Air CA9, an impressive work in progress. With a combination of a massive airframe and a Honeywell turbine, the CA9 is a heavy hauler that will really scoot.
Arion Lightning
Test pilot Chuck Berthe flew the Arion Lightning not once but twice, in two different factory demonstrators.
In Case You Missed It
Wind Tunnel
The aerodynamics of an airplane sometimes don't cooperate with the pilots desire to roll, and instead produce both yaw and roll. Contributing factors are aileron parasite drag, induced drag between the wings and changes in the roll rate itself;
Down to Earth
Amy Laboda discovers that a newly installed EFIS, six-weeks away from her RV-10 and an acute caffeine deficiency challenge her inner student.
North to Alaska
When faced with the choice of going commercial or flying his RV-6 to Alaska, author Ken Scott opted to be pilot in command. Having never flown his plane on trips long enough to require an en-route fuel stop, he figured it was time. What ensued was the trip of a lifetime, with scenery only Alaska can offer, glimpses of aviation history, and flying challenges tempered by friendly encounters with the natives.
