Pilot Proficiency

It was a lousy day for a VFR trip — not unusual in coastal Southern California in the spring. We get stratus clouds that come in from the ocean and create low ceilings that last for days. On this particular day we needed to get a package up to Corona Airport, and I did not […]

It was a clear but chilly January morning when I arrived at Madison County Executive (MDQ) in Huntsville, Alabama, to return home after my first “real” cross-country flight. Three days earlier I had made the 462 nm journey from my home airport in Liberty, Missouri, to Huntsville. At this point I had roughly 95 hours […]

Certification for flight into known icing is expensive. Since most GA airplanes are Sunday drivers the benefit doesnt justify the cost. Instead, airplane manufactures and aftermarket providers may offer pieces of a full system. This piecemeal application of anti-icing or de-icing equipment circumvents the testing requirements while providing a pilot with some additional-if not certified-options. Four methods of anti/de-icing exist: hot air, electrical resistance, liquid and boots.

Growing up in the land of conquistadors and cowboys, my opportunities for IMC involved attacking thunderstorms or slipping into shallow ponds of fog. Neither was good for gaining instrument time or icing experience. My instructors and peers shared the same background.

Understanding the four different intensities of icing allows for better decision making and better PIREPS.

From a weather perspective, what makes a flight a no-go? Sometimes its a simple glance at a stormy sky, an icing SIGMET, or winter weather warnings on the TV. But more often its the TAF that calls the shots. Whether its freezing rain, low ceilings, or a gusty crosswind, the buck stops with the TAF. That report comes straight from a highly qualified aviation forecaster at a local National Weather Service office and represents the best available predictions.

Don’t miss an issue of our biweekly eNewsletters and get exclusive online content delivered straight to your inbox. In our newsletters, Flying covers not only the latest aviation news but cool and interesting stories about a wide variety of issues, trends and products. You will also find cutting edge opinion, tips, FBO reviews, product reviews, […]

I read with interest and obvious necessity for possible future application, your article on hypoxia, Get Your Mask On, in December, 2014.I fly a Malibu Mirage PA 46. Ive had several decompressions in the low 20s that were attributed to squat switch/pressure switch failures. Ive now added another immediate action to pressurization problems:

You may be one of many people who allow their dogs to roam freely as they drive in the car. While it is not a good idea to have your dog run around while you are driving, allowing a canine to be loose the cockpit can be a huge safety issue. Here are some tips […]

Many new pilots are apprehensive about very long trips — those of much farther distances than the run-of-the-mill two- to three-hour cross-countries. But really, these longer trips are no more difficult to plan and fly than shorter hops, and the time goes by more quickly than you might think. When planning your route, it’s a […]