Unicom

Thanks for J.R. Warmkessel’s March article, “What Now, Captain?” I’d guess most brand-new private pilots have a good idea of what they want to do with their new ticket. If they don’t, one has to ask why they spent all that time and money to earn it. Hopefully, they’ll go on to add the instrument […]

Thanks for following up on the traffic pattern entry debate spurred by the FAA’s guidance in its Airplane Flying Handbook (“Traffic Pattern Entries,” February 2024). Special thanks to Jerrold Seckler for following up with the FAA and nailing down their position. It seems to me that the FAA’s recommended procedure is the best answer to […]

In the December 2023 issue, the figure on page 5 is not a Koch chart, but rather a chart for computing pressure altitude. A Koch chart normally has a pressure altitude scale on the right and temperature on the left. In the center are scales for correcting takeoff distance and climb rate relative to sea […]

I just finished reading the October 2023 issue. Thanks for the opportunity to share “The Overconfidence Beast” as a Learning Experience for your readers. Aviation Safety is a most valuable conduit for a mutual sharing of experience and expertise leading to a safer industry. Thank goodness we can learn from others. “No Pressure” takes me […]

Thank you for publishing my recent note about traffic pattern entry in your November issue, which originated with October’s article “Parallel Runway Traps.” You gave me an answer, but sorry to say, I’m not satisfied with it. While I think the overflight followed by a right 270-degree turn to enter left traffic is an excellent […]

I’m writing to ask if Aviation Safety has ever done an article on the dangers of rolling Gs? During a recent DPE/CFI video conference, one CFI queried why do we still teach Lazy 8s and Chandelles and why are they still a requirement in the Commercial-Airplane Aircraft Certification Standards? I popped in and said because […]

This email is in response to Matt Johnson’s article, “Playing Defense At Non-Towered Airports,” in the September 2023 issue. I am the airport manager for the Winchester Regional Airport (KOKV) referenced in the article. We share Mr. Johnson’s concerns and fears regarding wildlife strikes. Managing ground-based threats is a role that airports fulfill in the […]

Mr. Warmkessel is incorrect when he states that the FAA will not issue a First Class medical certificate after the age of 65. There is no age limit for any class of medical. I quote from the FAA’s website: “There is no age restriction or aviation experience requirement for medical certification. Any applicant who qualifies […]

Tom Turner’s “Trapped Into VFR” article (May 2023) was excellent.  Now many years ago, flying a Cessna 172 on an IFR flight plan in VMC over North Dakota, South Dakota and into Nebraska, with three family members as passengers, I saw that the far horizon was obscured in haze, not unusual for summertime in the […]

I take issue with Mr. Sigmon’s argument that a history of failed checkrides doesn’t necessarily indicate a substandard airman (Unicom, June 2023). As a pilot of nearly 63 years (and still flying), 37 of which were with airlines, 34 with a major U.S. carrier, plus eight transport category type ratings and nine years as a check […]