Pilot Proficiency

There is nothing in any aircraft manual on how to correct for humidity when calculating density altitude. The formulas all assume 0% humidity. We know that humidity is almost always much higher than that, and that it decreases the density of the air. And therefore, it increases density altitude — but by how much, and […]

I have been flying the backcountry airstrips of Montana and Idaho for 17 years, yet at the beginning of each season I practice my mountain flying skills. I recommend you do the same if you’re planning a visit to mountain country. Start by reviewing your aircraft performance charts, including the effects of density altitude. Write […]

My wife, Leslie, sometimes teases me for remembering where all the cheapest gas stations are around our home town. I catch myself saying, “You paid 12 cents more per gallon where you went! Why, for 11 gallons that’s…” That’s when I shut up. If I’m driving by anyway, I’m happy to save a buck or […]

One of the best things about recurrent training or a mandatory flight review is that you get the chance to have a critical set of eyeballs look over your flying habits. There are probably things you are doing wrong that you don’t even realize you’re doing at all. Margo Kay, one of the instructors at […]

(Image: AOPA) I spent much of last week on a short vacation. My wife, twin 7-year-old sons and I hiked from museum to museum under the veil of sterile airspace that hovers over our nation’s capital. It was a little depressing to visit my friend Mary Miller at Signature DCA only to compare the abandoned […]

It seems like one of the simplest flights possible. Grab your flight bag and head off to the airport to practice some touch-and-goes. There is obviously no need for flight planning. The weather is beautiful and forecast to stay that way, so there is no need to check the weather. You are not planning to […]

YouTube is chock full of videos featuring airplanes landing with landing gear retracted or partially extended. One reason is that there is often plenty of time for news crews to arrive by helicopter as the pilot of the stricken airplane kills time to burn off fuel. If you are unlucky enough to experience a ‘gear […]

Back in 1989, businessman Wally David made an interesting observation: Computer graphics technology was improving so dramatically that a whole new realm of simulator training was about to become possible. With the new graphics technology, a non-moving Flight Training Device (FTD) might be able to provide a realistic sensation of movement simply by incorporating high-quality, […]

Whether it involves a national TV news reporter or simply a friend looking for fast answers, all of us pilots become designated experts when a high profile accident occurs. And we need to recognize some priorities. Today’s news “industry” is extremely competitive, and there is a strong motivation to seek out headlines and quotes that […]

My bags are packed. The venerable V-tail is perky and ready. Even the weather looks like it ought to cooperate for my trip to aviation’s equivalent of the Promised Land — Oshkosh, Wisconsin, and the annual EAA AirVenture. If you’re looking forward to the same pilgrimage next week, there might be a few checklist items […]