Readback: March 2017

Jeff Van West is one of my favorite modern-day aviation writers. His article, Seeing Double in the November issue is a fine example of Jeff taking us by the hand through important, but oft overlooked and esoteric aspects of our IFR life. But his use of the word declination instead of the correct word, variation, is a fingernail on the blackboard kind of irritant, if you remember blackboards. I have these old yellowed books that I studied in the 50s: AF Manual 51-40, Air Navigation Vol 1, by the Department of the Air Force (1959), page viii, and The American Flight Navigator by John Dohm (1958) page 324.

Editorial Staff

Wednesday, February 08, 2017 at 12:00 AM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

Readers provided corrections on aviation terminology (e.g., "variation" vs. "declination") and airport definitions, which were acknowledged by the authors.
The article addresses pilot queries regarding ATC procedures, explaining reasons for unexpected routings around airspace and clarifying updated instrument approach naming conventions and minimums.
Discussions also cover pilot proficiency methods used by IFR staff and readers, alongside feedback on a previous editorial concerning the "Sully" incident.

See a mistake? Contact us.

Sullying Sully

“Sully-A Hero?” Why did you feel the need print this November 2016 editorial designed to minimize and invalidate? Okay, we’re all trained to do what he did. And we all hope we will. But he is the one who did it, and did it well. Please celebrate his success with the rest of us.