Pilot Proficiency

One of my short local flights last week reminded me that the time of year has a lot to do with what I can expect from wind conditions. It’s winter in the Northeast, and the season brings some pretty reliable presumptions. It’ll be colder, and the days are shorter. In clouds, icing assumes center stage […]

It you are one of the pilots who has not yet traded in your old paper certificate for an updated, tamperproof version, you have until March 31 to make the change. After that date, you will be ineligible to exercise your privileges with a paper certificate. When you do make the change, you can also […]

Fly-in communities, where homeowners have access to a runway from hangars on their property, now face a threat from the FAA. Such communities depend on so called “through the fence” (TTF) access, and new security concerns have the FAA challenging airports that already have the practice well established, including clauses written into property deeds and […]

Winter operations involve a lot of adjustments. Just getting to and from the runway becomes more of a factor in our planning, and requires some attention. Taxiways might be icy, leading to reduced steering and braking effectiveness. And just when we have less control where the rubber meets the road, winter winds are often stronger, […]

Humorist (and pilot) Jean Shepherd, of “The Christmas Story” fame, wrote that his family history revolved around which used car “the Old Man” was driving at the time — as in: Aunt Gertie had her gall bladder removed just after we got the Hupmobile. Flying Editor Emeritus Richard Collins similarly records family history in his […]

BLOGBOOK ENTRY 4: To supplement my training during my off weeks, I’m working through the Sporty’s Complete Pilot Course: Private Pilot interactive DVD course, which is part of Sporty’s What You Should Know series. The notebook includes 7 DVDs the first 4 are enough to get you through your recreational pilot training, while the rest […]

Mission: a vacation flight to visit relatives halfway across the country. You’ve updated your navigator’s database; checked weather for winds aloft; carefully planned your fuel stops; double-checked that the FBOs are open; completed a detailed weight-and-balance calculation; etc. ‘Twas the night before flying, and you’re nestled snug in your bed knowing you have all the […]

On a mission over southern Germany during World War II, undisciplined P-51 Mustang ace Ralph Hofer earned his commander’s ire by blurting out over his combat frequency, “Gee! Ain’t the Alps pretty!” The group wasn’t under attack at the time, but the breach of strict radio discipline elicited an immediate rebuke. Unnecessary chatting on the […]

I was really surprised. I was looking at a chart that depicted the number of fatal accidents that occurred in the commercial jet fleet throughout the world between 1999 and 2008 (available at boeing.com/news/techissues/pdf/statsum.pdf). It showed that Loss of Control In-flight (LOC-I), with 22 accidents, easily beat the nearest contender, Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT), […]

Who needs the hassle of shoehorning bags of holiday gifts into the tight luggage compartments found in most general aviation aircraft? And for extended holiday stays with Grandma, the amount of luggage piled up on the ramp can cut into your useful load as well as your cabin space. Why not consider shipping most of […]