Aviation Safety

If you’ve paid much attention to general aviation industry news, you’ve probably heard of the recently announced EAGLE initiative involving the FAA and some industry groups. The initiative’s purpose derives from its acronym: Eliminate Aviation Gasoline Lead Emissions. Outgoing FAA Administrator Steve Dickson and the industry groups identified in the graphic below announced the effort […]

Cessna 172M Skyhawk Leaking Tailpipe While carrying out the pressure test in AD CF90-03-R2, large leaks were found in the area surrounding the muffler tailpipe area under the heat muff shroud support structure. No defects in this area were visible. Without the pressure test, this defect would not have been found. It is assumed the […]

Every military pilot who has flown in combat has experienced frightening and stressful situations. It happened to me one night in 1969, over Vietnam, but it was of my own creation. During the Firefly Missions, my unit provided two UH-1 gunships and a Huey with a bright spotlight array every night to patrol the river […]

December 2, 2021, Cleveland, Texas Beechcraft A36 Bonanza At about 1415 Central time, the airplane was substantially damaged during an emergency landing to a highway after powerplant failure. There were no injuries. Visual conditions prevailed under an overcast. While en route at 6000 feet msl on an IFR flight plan, the engine suddenly lost power. […]

We’ve long maintained that weather poses the greatest risk on any given day to a proficient pilot flying a well-maintained aircraft. Presuming there’s adequate fuel aboard and the pilot knows how to ensure that it gets to the engine(s), it’s more likely than not that the flight will be completed pretty much as planned. Everything […]

A functional carbon monoxide (CO) detector to alert a pilot through visual and auditory means to the presence of CO before the pilot’s judgment is impaired is necessary to the continued safe operation of the aircraft.” So said the NTSB in a December 2021 Aviation Investigation Report, AIR-22-01, “Require Carbon Monoxide Detectors in Certain General Aviation […]

A common FAA knowledge test question goes like, “Which of these speeds is not found on the airspeed indicator?” The answer is usually design maneuvering speed, also known as VA. Many students might then wonder why it is not found on the airspeed indicator along with other important V speeds such as VNE and VFE. Perhaps […]

It was snowing hard in Elko, Nevada, and getting dark, too. The temperature was about freezing, of course. The FBO put the airplane into a hangar, where the snow melted quickly, and some time with squeegees and towels and a large movable stair got the moisture off the airplane. Our policy is that a clean […]

One of my favorite aspects of winter is the peaceful calm after fresh snowfall. The snow softens all sound, and the undisturbed scene looks beautiful. Coincidentally, this is one of my least favorite things to encounter as a pilot. When I am flying, I much prefer the sight of snow removal equipment and clear blacktop. […]

In late December 2021, I was giving upset recovery training to a student. We were done with our work in the practice area and were returning to base at Montgomery-Gibbs Executive Airport in San Diego. Weather included unlimited visibility and scattered clouds. We picked up the ATIS and were heading toward the airport. A few […]