Pilot Proficiency

On this January morning in Ohio, I pulled on the “heat” knob in the J-3, which is as effective as pulling “cabin air” in a Piper Warrior in July. … You can hope but you know nothing’s going to happen. We were holding short of the grass runway and my Sport Pilot applicant in the […]

There are lots of ­reasons you might consider joining a flying club. The most often cited centers on the economics: A flying club with lots of members can offer many of the benefits of aircraft ownership without the hassles or expense of being totally responsible for the upkeep of one. At the same time, the […]

In our FBO Spotlight series, we’re highlighting FBOs around the country that have received rave reviews from our readers. This latest Spotlight is brought to you by Rex de Foor, who recently flew into Jack Edwards National Airport in a Beechcraft Baron. Here’s what he has to say about the airport’s FBO, Southwestern Aviation. Gulf […]

Couldn’t make it to AirVenture last year? No problem. Flying‘s editors were on site, bringing the show to you with photos, videos and breaking news galore. Among the highlights, AirVenture 2012 featured a tribute to Experimental Aircraft Association founders Paul and Audrey Poberezny, celebrations of the 40th anniversary of the Van’s RV and 75th anniversary […]

These days, with all kinds of traffic avoidance systems available for airplanes, big and small, there is a lot of help for us pilots to find targets in the sky. But that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t look outside. “See and avoid” is required by FAR 91.113 and there is no guarantee that all airplanes […]

The most important human factor in aviation is the pilot, and there has been considerable discussion in the aviation media about the decrease in the number of student pilots and the general lack of interest in aviation, especially among young people. Various factors have been discussed, including the increase in the cost of flying, the […]

Living in Southern California has many benefits. The weather is near perfect any day of the year with clear skies and temperatures in the 70s and 80s. It can be summed up in one of many aviation acronyms – CAVU. So on most days, I can jump in an airplane without having to worry about […]

One of the stressful things that can happen to you as a pilot is when an air traffic controller tells you to call a facility on the telephone after you land. A tower controller issued me a phone number once, and I have to admit the request made my heart skip a beat. Fortunately, I […]

I flew out of Fairhope, Alabama, the other night in a CJ and was witness to one of the most spectacular displays of cloud and storm I’ve ever seen. If you’re averse to sunset pictures, however dramatic, skip right on by. But if you’re interested in seeing some pretty pictures of some amazing scenery as […]

We all know that a very small temperature/dewpoint spread creates the perfect conditions for low visibility. But did you also know that a very high temperature/dewpoint spread associated with convective activity can be an indication of an imminent danger to light airplanes? When the spread between the air temperature and dewpoint is between 15 and […]