Features

A spectacular four-hour flight that was tracked on television to the bitter end culminated in a near vertical dive to a farmers field near Mina, S.D., in late October. Aboard the Lear 35A were four passengers – including golf great Payne Stewart – and two pilots. Even while the plane was cruising at altitude, it was apparent that the light jet had depressurized, from as yet unknown reasons.

The jet was flying from Orlando, Fla., to Dallas on an IFR flight plan when ATC lost communication with the airplane as it climbed on autopilot through FL370 toward an assigned FL390. It busted the assigned altitude and reached altitudes in the low to mid-forties.

The aircraft did not turn toward t…

Every pilot in the known universe has heard the term flying by the seat of your pants. And until I interviewed the late Captain Elrey B. Jeppesen a few years ago, I thought I understood its meaning.

But Captain Jepp set me straight. During the early years of airmail flying, of which he was a part, instrument flight wasnt even on the drawing board. Jepp explained that the early mail pilots, tooling along cross continent in open cockpit biplanes, were on their own when they encountered weather. Maps by Rand McNally, no IFR rules or clearances, no radios and, critically, no gyros.

Yet even through horrific winter weather, pilots managed to get the mail delivered. Thus it was thought at…

Tucked away in the bowels of many airplanes is a piece of equipment the pilot may count on for survival. But many pilots dont take the time to learn about their autopilots, nor do they check them before flight.

The best place to spot a problem is on the ramp rather than at altitude. Even though many pilots consider the autopilot a luxury, its good to know that it works correctly in cases where the success of a flight depends on turning control of the airplane over to a computer.

Ask any pilot, Whens the last time you preflighted your autopilot? and youre likely to be met with a blank stare. Under pressure, many will admit that they dont even know how to check it or where to loo…

Pilots are a self-sufficient lot. The pilot in command has ultimate authority for the safety of the flight, and there are few pilots who can resist the slight smirk that comes with ultimate authority.

A skilled pilot has confidence in his or her ability to fly the airplane, certainly, but also to make the judgment calls that ensure the flight ends safely. But as experience increases, sometimes the judgment gets harder.

An interesting thing happens with a lot of pilots. As their skill improves, so does their equipment. A young pilot may think a set of wings, an engine and a fuselage just dandy. But as the logbook grows, so does the desire for more capability. For a pilot who likes to…

Most people would agree that flying costs a lot of money and, if youre like most general aviation pilots, that cash drains right out of your pocket. Most pilots are willing to pay the price for the rewards of flying, but few want to throw money away on their aerial pursuits.

It only makes sense to try to get the most for your money – and that means maximizing the amount of time you do the kind of flying you like and minimizing the amount of time you spend droning through the maneuvers essential to maintaining your proficiency.

With the right attitude, its easy to do. You can make money while you fly by simply not wasting it. That takes study, preparation, forethought and practice.

Its a terrible feeling to be in an aircraft when something goes wrong and all you can see are your options narrowing. Although aviation psychologists have suggested a number of techniques for decision making, some seem too complicated for the cockpit.

When forced to make multiple decisions, navigate, communicate, and control the aircraft in a stressful environment, the KISS method – keep it simple, stupid – is probably best. There is a simple concept pilots should employ in their decision making, and it boils down to five words: Keep a safe way out.

This begins with flight planning. Most people would agree that a good flight begins with a good plan, and keeping a safe way out shoul…

Night flight can be deadly, but its also a great experience. Not many small aircraft are in the sky. The air is often smooth and clear. The lights below, of cities and towns are fascinating. Part of the reason you learned to fly in the first place (remember?) was this sensation of being part of a different experience.

Night flying is a part of the whole set of flying skills. If you plan to use the airplane to its maximum potential, youll need to be able to fly it at night. As your skill level progresses, with suitably equipped aircraft to fly, you can venture into safe night IFR flight.

You will need to stay current at night flight if you set your sights on being a competent pilot. I…

With all too chilling regularity, pilots who fly close to the ground wind up on the losing side of the battle against wires, towers and other obstructions.

There are many reasons pilots fly too close to obstructions, and some of them are legitimate. Forced landings are what they are. Approaches to and takeoffs from small airports carry risks that may be unavoidable. Buzzing, enjoying the scenery down low and pressing on into lowering ceilings, however, open the aircraft to extraordinary risk from stationary objects.

Agricultural pilots, by the very nature of their jobs, operate in an airspace filled with obstacles of every description. Avoiding electric transmission cables, towers of v…

The sputtering sound of your airplanes power plant, followed by a sudden silence, and the realization that you are now the pilot of a heavy glider, can certainly get your immediate attention.

Cold weather brings with it the potential for ice – and not just ice of the airframe variety. Induction system icing brings down more than a few unsuspecting pilots every year. Even those who valiantly give wide berth to known icing conditions can be struck by the power loss that comes from ice in the engine compartment.

Induction System Icing
Induction system icing takes several forms – including impact ice, throttle ice and fuel vaporization ice. Any or all of these can play troubl…

Last month we looked at the philosophy of being your own CFI and emphasized how you could maintain your knowledge, skills and bankroll by approaching your flying as though you were both instructor and student.

This part continues the explanation of by using the tips, techniques and fundamentals from FAAs Advisory Circular 60-14, the Aviation Instructors Handbook. Application of these time-tested tips will help your flying to be more cost-efficient and much more enjoyable.

Learning has a few rules of the road. Learning is change in behavior, improvement in expertise or capability – getting better at what you do. But sometimes you hit learning plateaus or you cant seem to get somet…