Yellowbird

Every aircraft is required by federal regulations to carry certain documents on board at all times. These include the airworthiness certificate, the aircraft registration, the operating handbook, and the aircraft's weight and balance specifications. A prudent aircraft owner will also obtain copies of the service manual and parts catalog to help in evaluating plans for ongoing maintenance. But the true airplane geek will go to great lengths to find original copies of the sales brochure and price list. These can be found on eBay for a reasonable price, and for those of us who fly older aircraft, they can be an interesting trip down memory lane as well as a revealing look at advertising practices of years gone by. In Yellowbird's case, we go all the way back to 1974. Fortunately, the general aviation market seems to have been spared some of the worst stylistic offenses of the 1970's, but there's still enough to make us thankful for the passing of years and fashions, even as we lament the all too short production run of our favorite Cessna.