Unicom

I enjoy reading your journal. I just read your article, “Steep Turns,” in the September issue. Although it is well-written, I have an issue about the description that the horizontal lift component “actually” turns an airplane on page 9.  As written in “Emergency Maneuver Training” by Rich Stowell, the primary turn control is done by elevator. […]

I thoroughly enjoyed reading the article “Fixing Your Float” in the September 2020 issue. As you accurately point out, the “desired airspeed” over the numbers is not always in keeping with the numbers published by the airplane manufacturers. As is mentioned, the optimal approach airspeed varies with airplane design and weight. Yet another variable affecting stall […]

Following up on Robert Wright’s excellent article in September’s issue (“Are The ACS Working?”), yes, I agree that they are working except for one thing, something that I found out about by accident. But first, some background. During the summer, the Civil Air Patrol (CAP) offers National Flight Academies for CAP Cadets where they go […]

Thank you for an informative and (in my opinion) long overdue article on VMC and its associated hazards in light twin-engine aircraft (“Is VMC Fixed Or Variable?” August 2020). The closest I have come to my demise in my 47 years of flying occurred many years ago in a light twin (Beech Baron). As a […]

In June’s article, “Restoring Performance,” Mike Hart writes, “There is no practical difference between aviator’s breathing oxygen and oxygen used for medicine or welding.” While he does explain the difference now in regards to medical oxygen as compared to the 1950s, I’ve read that industrial oxygen, should not be used due to the impurities in […]

The actual velocity over the top of an airfoil is much faster than predicted….” For those who have not seen this with their own eyes, watch Dr. Alexander Lippisch and his smoke-particle wind-tunnel in ‘The Secrets of Flight,” available on YouTube. Fascinating! Thanks for the article (“Theories Of Lift,” April 2020). It takes us a […]

I’d like to add one more suggestion to Thomas Turner’s article on “Handling In-Close Approach Changes” (January 2020). Using ForeFlight on a tablet, I have found the pilot can switch from one approach plate to another in literally a couple of seconds rather than the several minutes it takes to thumb through a booklet looking […]

Rereading Robert Wright’s article in the July 2019 issue (“North To Alaska”), in which he was following the British Columbia and Alaska coast, he writes that the latter part of the trip was “mostly on top” from Skagway to Cordova. For someone who is frequently advocating risk management, it is hard to understand his reasoning […]

After overflying the destination runway, the crew made a steeper-than-normal approach to the 3880-foot-long runway due to terrain. According to the captain, a bump was felt near the threshold during the landing but it was not extreme. As the propellers were reversed, the airplane veered to the right. The crew corrected and the airplane tracked straight for about 2000 feet before veering sharply right, exiting the runway and spinning 180 degrees. Inspection of the runway threshold revealed several four-foot-tall piles of rocks and dirt.

Full disclosure: I suck at holds. I can find the fix and figure out the recommended entry method without too much trouble. And I usually turn the correct direction upon crossing the holding fix. Usually. After that, things start to become loosely held, and it might take me a couple of laps to nail the wind correction angles. Throw in a descent while in the hold and my cockpit gets busy. I guess thats why the FAA a few years ago added holding patterns to the maneuvers required to accomplish an instrument proficiency check. Its all my fault.