Pilot Proficiency

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 Fred Clark, who has rented both a Cessna 172 and 152 from Aero Maintenance Flight Center at Pearson Air Field. Here’s what he has to say about the […]

Nexrad radar is a wonderful tool for picking through areas of precipitation or diverting around thunderstorms. But like anything related to flying, good judgment is key. The information on the screen, whether you’re displaying it on panel-mounted avionics or a handheld unit, is not necessarily updated enough to be trusted to navigate through or skirt […]

A question I’ve been hearing lately is whether China will scoop up the assets of Hawker Beechcraft, which has filed for bankruptcy and is known to be for sale. Already, several potential bidders have come forward with hopes of buying the entire company or select pieces. I would bet China has at least joined the […]

“Whiskey Whiskey, cleared to Jamma Intersection. Hold as published. … ” I hear this as we’re climbing out of Lebanon, New Hampshire, heading to Tampa, Florida, with my 91-year-old mother in the back and at least two low-pressure areas in front of us on the route down the East Coast. The widespread rain and low […]

Airplane tires are durable things that will last for many years if taken care of properly. But just one bad landing can burn off a thick layer of rubber in one small area of the tire. Many flight schools and flying clubs have it as a policy that pilots who damage tires pay for their […]

As soon as you started practicing the flight maneuvers for the private pilot practical test, you learned about clearing turns. Usually, a clearing turn involves a 90-degree turn to the left followed by a 90-degree turn to the right so that you roll out on the same heading on which you started — at least […]

Last week, three small airplanes were intercepted by F-16s in the Los Angeles area as a result of busting temporary flight restrictions (TFRs) during President Obama’s visit to the area. These types of incidents remind me of why it’s so important to get the latest information available for each flight. I always call flight service […]

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 Ken Henze, who recently flew into Newton Municipal Airport in a Cessna 172. Here’s what he has to say about the airport’s FBO, Johnson Aviation: Johnson Aviation (KTNU) […]

We’ve heard a lot lately about biofuel breakthroughs, batteries and solar power as potential replacements for avgas at some point in the not-so-distant future, but what about liquid hydrogen? The maiden flight of Boeing’s Phantom Eye UAV last week proved that hydrogen could indeed serve as a replacement for traditional fuels in piston-powered airplanes. Phantom […]

One maneuver that has been added to the practical test standards since I earned my commercial and instructor certificates at the beginning of the millennium is the power-off 180-degree accuracy approach and landing. While this maneuver is not a part of the private or sport pilot curricula, it is a maneuver that is worthwhile for […]