Search Results for: general aviation inc

While most of us probably feel fortunate to be able to fly any kind of general aviation aircraft, most of us also have fantasies about owning and flying more expensive machines, including jets. A small number of us achieve that goal and obtain certification to operate small jets single-pilot. But the safety record of these operations is mixed. Some recent accidents point to gaps in the training and checking associated with single-pilot type ratings.

It seems to be an arbitrary cutoff, 18,000 feet. However that height was originally chosen, its the altitude that defines, at least in U.S. airspace, what we call the flight levels. There are a number of rules that apply to all airplanes flying at and above FL180 but less obvious are some of the real-world considerations protecting you and your passengers as you climb above 18,000 feet-considerations that relate to very real hazards.

Fifteen years ago, Graham Mountford woke up one day and thought, “All I ever do is work.” Even when he wasn’t working he was still thinking about work, and so he realized that he needed a new hobby or interest to break up the monotony. As fate would have it, a friend had recently learned […]

Remember those executive orders President Donald Trump issued early this year aimed at simplifying and cutting costs in government? My favorite was the one requiring agencies to repeal two existing regulations before creating a new one. Close on the heels of that came “Enforcing the Regulatory Reform Agenda,” which directed agencies to evaluate existing regulations […]

Ah, summer, the season of the good life. The season of verdant, rolling hills speckled with lazily grazing cattle, of smoky backyard burgers and grilled corn on the cob, of golden beaches replete with giggling children, bronzed skin and the tangy bouquet of salt air and sunscreen. I hope you enjoyed the summer just passed […]

Riding high on the success of its final test flight in August, the Gulfstream G600 arrived in Las Vegas this week for a formal unveiling. The fully-outfitted G600 offered customers and general onlookers an idea of just how luxurious the aircraft can be, as it was built with a “high level of customization” in mind. […]

Chances are youve looked at that table of precipitation types in aviation meteorology books and been fascinated by all the different possibilities. We see all these different types of codes in METAR and TAF reports every day, so why do ground schools just give us the decoding tables and not much else? Each kind of code tells its own little story about what the air mass is doing, whats going on at that airfield, and how the weather will affect flight operations.

Relevant Discussion: AIM 5-4-5, 7-1-11, 7-2-1 through 7-2-5, P/C Glossary, FAA-H-8083-16, AC 00-45, AC 91-70, AC 120-28D, Order 7110.65T Q codes are basic three-letter tele­communications codes designated in the early 1930s, back when Morse code was still the most popular form of long-distance information exchange, to facilitate the transmission and reception of common questions and […]

Over the weekend, the air traffic flow at San Juan’s Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport returned to normal thanks to the partnership between the FAA and Puerto Rico Air National Guard. In the days following Maria’s devastating impact on the island, the lack of access to airports and airfields made it near-impossible for people to […]

Most pilots and aviation journalists think BasicMed is a win. For many it is. But, if you dig beneath the covers you might conclude its not a win for you. Behind closed doors Ive been equivocal about BasicMed, but weve been generally favorable in print. I personally like the ever-cautious wait-and-see approach. Waiting and seeing, combined with a letter from James Shepard (see Readback), lead me to conclude that perhaps BasicMed isnt the big win most of us hoped and thought it would be.