Pilot Proficiency

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 […]

The Piper Super Cub is essentially a J-3 Cub airframe equipped with a few space-age refinements like flaps and an electrical system, and powered by a 150 hp Lycoming — in some cases a 160 or 180 — in place of the original’s 40 hp Continental. Piper produced nearly 3,000 of them, many of which […]

I had to land within 200 feet of the white mark to pass the last phase of the checkride. Easy, I thought, as I turned the Schweizer 2-33 sailplane onto final. I’ll show this guy how good I am. I’ve got to hold 45 knots, 300 feet — that’s a little fast; let’s apply more […]

We all know that having the incorrect altimeter setting can have a devastating outcome if you are shooting an instrument approach. A small deviation in the Kollsman window can make a difference of a few hundred feet, which can mean the difference between life and death in some situations. In addition to the pressure we […]

The chief advantage of being instrument-rated is being able to travel in less-than-ideal weather. But, in winter, the triumph of a well-flown ILS to minimums in moderate snow can quickly turn to sheer terror after your smooth touchdown if you find yourself slipping off the side of an icy runway.Handling the aircraft is one thing; but, we must first understand what information is available about runway conditions, and how we can use that information to enhance our decision making and influence our technique.