Aviation Safety

Most airplane owners whove been in the game awhile have a history. Even those with money to burn rarely start out with a high-performance single or a twin as a first airplane. Somewhere in the past, they probably owned a modest four-place, fixed-gear single, what well call an SE cruiser.

You know the species: Something with a bit more panache – and power – than an entry level model that doubles as a trainer but something less than a 300 HP retractable.

Specifically, we have in mind this list: Cessnas 177 Cardinal, 182 Skylane, Pipers Archer and Dakota, the Grumman Tiger and, as a lesser player, the Aerospatiale TB10 Tobago. Sure, the list could be expanded but lets be reasonable….

Just for fun, ask an instrument student to describe the single most confusing part of learning to fly instruments. Then ask a veteran instrument pilot to describe the single most confusing maneuver involved with instrument flight. Odds are youll get the same answer: holding pattern entries.

Holding patterns just dont get any respect, which isnt surprising considering theyre a last-ditch effort to salvage a route thats in jeopardy because of traffic or weather. Controllers dont like stacking up airplanes, and pilots certainly dont like droning around in circles for $100 an hour.

Sometimes holding is a necessary evil, but many instrument pilots secretly quake at the thought of t…

Some tailwheel pilots believe there are two kinds of landings: wheel and three-point (also called full-stall landing, even though most pilots make them above stalling speed). But just as you dont see airshow pilots wheeling their high-performance mounts onto the runway, you dont see Ford Trimotors touching down on all three simultaneously.

For some taildraggers, theres only one kind of landing. Unfortunately, which kind of landing that is depends on both the pilot and the airplane, but more on the airplane.

The key to understanding tailwheel dynamics is to recall that the center of the airplanes gravity resides behind the main landing gear. This means that when the aircraft is dece…

Getting rushed or falling into situations where a time shortage rears its head is one of the leading causes of inducing errors. If you are rushed for time, you are eleven times more likely to commit an error.

You are more likely to skip critical items, overlook important details or jump at the first idea that enters your mind without fully looking at other options. Youll ignore important warning signs and generally get that deer in the headlights look. Its prevalent in all segments of aviation. During my recent research into EMS helicopter accidents, I found that time pressure was one of the leading error-causing conditions.

Some time shortages are self-induced. Others are created…

Nearly every pilot has stuck his head in the lions mouth.

You realize its happened only after the crisis has passed. You have the metallic taste of fear in your mouth and the pounding of your pulse to remind you of the fleetingness of your mortality. Its not much fun, but at least you have seen the enemy and will have a better shot at recognizing him next time.

If there is a next time.

Busy airspace is one place where constant vigilance is the order of the day. During good weather, that vigilance depends on scanning outside the airplane and being alert to the dynamics of the airspace as well as the possibility of traffic.

Some pilots, particularly those who routinely fly IF…