Pilot Proficiency

When stories about hurricanes damaging airports appear, one of the first questions asked is, “Why didn’t the pilots move their aircraft?” The answer is often they did—but the storm changed direction. Such was the case in 2004 when Hurricane Charley bore down on Florida.

Who said flaps don’t increase lift? Flaps do increase lift. Reference Chapter 6 of the Pilot’s Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, which states, “Flaps are the most common high-lift devices used on aircraft. These surfaces, which are attached to the trailing edge of the wing, increase both lift and induced drag for any given angle of attack (AOA).”

I have logged in excess of 3,000 hours in a Redbird FMX Advanced Aviation Training Device. These are the devices that are mounted on cradles that provide the unit with pitch, yaw, and roll. One of the biggest surprises for the trainees who have been “flying” using the Microsoft Flight Simulator program and then try […]

Regardless of your experience, training or occupation, if you fly airplanes, you need to show the FAA that you are medically safe to fly. For sport pilots, that is your driver’s license. Basic Med is an option for many. However, new pilots, professionals, and those who want more than BasicMed can offer, will need an […]

It’s important to set a target and establish a stabilized approach when making a short-field landing.

Big piston radial engines from the 1940s, ‘50s—and through today—require careful
attention during startup.

Without a doubt, the western United States offers the best VFR flying in the nation. This is partly why the military has its air combat training centers in Arizona, Nevada, and California. Most likely you’ve also done some cross-country trips in those areas and had no problems. But this area is not without its hazards […]

The approach to KCHA holds a few less common things to watch out for.

Q: Is it possible to identify the typical sequence during which snow will fall in the Midwest versus an area prone to receiving lake effect snow? It seems snow pellets or sleet/ice pellets appear before flakes in some circumstances. A: Outside of large hailstones, the precipitation type that gets reported at the surface depends entirely […]

After a long pause, the author resumes work on tailwheel technique.