by Bill Knight

High-performance single-engine airplanes are amazing little speedsters. One can cover half a continent in less than half a day. On trips of 500 nautical miles or less, a personal airliner like a Bonanza or Cessna 210 makes a lot of sense. Considering door-to-door times on those trips, one can often beat the airlines, especially if the airline flight is a two-leg, through-the-hub affair.

But if you’re flying a piston airplane in the terminal area and heading for the airport at the same time as a large jet, let the airliner win the race to the airport. …