If it were true that “Flying is inherently safe; it’s just very unforgiving of mistakes,” it would follow that the best way to improve our flying is to eliminate mistakes. To do that I’d like to suggest that pilots adopt the phrase “Every day, in every way, I’m getting better and better” as their mantra, […]
December 2010 — It starts out as a typical flight. You complete your preflight planning and load the airplane. The engine starts quickly and everything is normal during the run-up, so you taxi onto the runway, add full power and then smoothly lift off for another enjoyable flight. Then, just as you are thinking ahead […]
It’s not that I was so unlike the typical teenager—counting down the days until I took my driver’s test at 17—but there was no denying I looked forward to an earlier birthday even more eagerly: my 15th, when finally I was allowed to start taking flying lessons. I first began pestering my parents to let […]
Flying has been said to involve hours and hours of boredom populated with moments of sheer terror. Of course, if were doing it right, there might be a number of times when were very busy, but avoiding the moments of sheer terror is what its all about. Indeed, one of the things separating seasoned pilots from those with less experience involves how we respond when things dont go as we planned.
It seems as though our most vivid memories come from some of our worst experiences in life. While many pilots don’t remember their first exposure to structural icing, they probably will never forget their worst. For many, it remains etched in their brain forever. But, we can avoid making painful lasting memories if we do […]
Responding to the challenges of the current economy for general aviation, Hawker Beechcraft Corp. (HBC) this week delivered 350 pink slips to salaried staff. In a letter to employees, CEO Bill Boisture also outlined the schedule and details of 800 job losses for union-represented hourly workers that had been announced in September. In the Oct. […]
November 12345, youre cleared from the Backwoods Airport to the Backwoods NDB, then hold as published. Climb and maintain 3000 feet, squawk 2012. Report airborne on frequency 125.1. Clearance void if not off by two-zero past the hour; time now zero-five past the hour. Expect further clearance at two-five past the hour.” Fly IFR from non-towered, out-of-the-way airport, and youll eventually get a short-range clearance like the one above. Its a clearance to a nearby fix with a time window (until the “void time”) allowing you to enter controlled airspace without conflicting with other IFR airplanes. Since ATC cant see you on radar yet and wont know exactly when youll enter controlled airspace from that non-towered field, theyll keep a small area clear for you until the void time
Where you are, smoking into your destination airport. Winds are calm, traffic is sparse, the ceiling is 1500 broken with good VFR underneath, youve got plenty of gas. But a close look at the approach plate creates confusion: Youre being vectored to a nearby fix, but its not at all clear how-or even whether-some kind of course reversal will be necessary. You certainly can slow down enough to easily nail the turn onto final, along with the approach, but something in the back of your mind says it wont be that simple. Suddenly, it dawns on you: Youre going to need to execute a procedure turn.
Sometimes the only answer to a situation is, “No, not this time.” Maybe it applies during a to-minima instrument approach where the ground never appears; maybe while attempting VFR flight toward weather deteriorating into IMC. Often, it should be the first part of the answer to a questionable landing-with the second part of the answer being, “Yes, Im going around.” The high-profile landing accident involving a Hawker Beechcraft Premier IA at EAA AirVenture 2010 in Oshkosh, Wis., served to elevate the topic. But venue aside, normal application of the requisite skills and judgment can work there, just as they do elsewhere.
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