Dont Be Upset

David Jack Kennys article on upset training (Undoing An Upset, November) was excellent. A year or so ago, my son and I spent a day with Patty Wagstaff in St. Augustine, Fla. We took ground school and two flights each. Not inexpensive, but not outrageous either. We got unbelievable training and spent much of the day in spins and inverted. Back at the hotel that night, we just looked at each other and said, Wow! Were both much better pilots following the experience.

Editorial Staff

Wednesday, January 02, 2019 at 12:00 AM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

The article features a strong endorsement for upset training based on a personal positive experience and a critique emphasizing the critical need for precise scientific terminology (e.g., "momentum") in aviation publications.
Pilot professionalism is debated in the context of IFR flight plan filing, radio phraseology, and potential ATC system challenges, with the editor providing additional context and insights.
A reader highlights the FAA's preflight requirement for pilots to consider "alternatives" (FAR 91.103) for all flights, distinguishing this from the specific IFR alternate airport selection rules.

See a mistake? Contact us.

David Jack Kenny’s article on upset training (“Undoing An Upset,” November) was excellent. A year or so ago, my son and I spent a day with Patty Wagstaff in St. Augustine, Fla. We took ground school and two flights each. Not inexpensive, but not outrageous either. We got unbelievable training and spent much of the day in spins and inverted. Back at the hotel that night, we just looked at each other and said, “Wow!” We’re both much better pilots following the experience.

Jim West