Pilot Proficiency

It was a routine flight in every way. A University of North Dakota flight instructor took off from Grand Forks, North Dakota, at 5:45 p.m. with a private pilot who was in the university’s commercial/instrument flight program, for a three-leg, cross-country night flight in a twin-engine Piper PA-44-180 Seminole. It was a clear night with […]

Chances are, much of your winter flying involved relatively short flights. For many pilots, winter missions are kept on a short leash in deference to ice, earlier sunsets and just plain comfort during pre- and post-flight chores. That makes spring a good time to plan longer trips — and reminds us of the greater joys […]

According to news reports, the widely known and well-respected pilot stopped by an outdoor party last weekend and asked several guests if they’d like to go for a ride. Later that day, his Beech BE95 Travel Air twin buzzed low over the party several times, initiated a steep turn and then crashed into a nearby […]

“Measure twice, cut once,” was my small contribution to Steve Parker as he took a utility knife to a pair of ceiling panels. Steve is one of the family members who operate Somerset Airport in New Jersey, where I keep my airplane. His grandfather founded the airfield in 1946, and it’s been managed by three […]

A few days ago, a tiny wren built an elaborate nest inside my hockey equipment bag. She worked fast, completing construction within a time frame of about an hour and a half. The bag was hanging on our garage wall, and the nest consisted of a collection of leaves and twigs interwoven with one of […]

With the coming of GPS, my home base, Somerset Airport (SMQ) in New Jersey, now has three instrument approaches. Not bad for a field with one paved 2,700-foot runway and a pair of grass strips. The legacy approach is a VOR non-precision procedure using the Solberg VOR, 4.2 nautical miles away. It’s a bit unusual […]

I worked as the graduate placement officer at an A&P school many years ago. The students would perform the annual inspections on my little Grumman Yankee; under the supervision of their properly licensed instructors, of course. Like now, general aviation was in a down cycle, and I remember nervously addressing the graduating class, explaining how […]

As the February 1 deadline for satellite surveillance of 121.5 MHz came and went, I admit I was relieved that I was not required to switch to a new 406 MHz ELT. But after reading John Collins’ “Avionics” column in the April issue of the American Bonanza Society magazine, I’m tempted to spring for one […]

There’s great temptation during your aircraft’s annual inspection to take a long vacation and leave the cell phone turned off. What you don’t know won’t hurt you — until you get the bill. Another way is to embrace the maintenance process. Not that you need to actually dip into the elbow grease (though some do), […]

The importance of careful flight planning is drummed into our heads from our first flight. The very first regulation in FAR 91, Subpart B, on Flight Rules (91.103) states that “each pilot in command shall, before beginning a flight, become familiar with all available information concerning that flight.” It then continues with a list of […]