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FAA Administrator Michael Huerta and Sally French, “the Drone Girl,” led a panel discussion about the future of small unmanned aircraft at South by Southwest (SXSW) in Austin on Monday. In his opening remarks, Huerta outlined recent progress on the FAA’s UAS registration program that is expected to pass 400,000 registrations this week, as well […]

The FAA recently announced the new ACS guidance was ready for prime time and will be implemented this June for the private pilot-airplane and instrument rating-airplane practical tests. According to AOPA, the new ACS is designed to make the certification and testing process more relevant and meaningful to modern pilots.

It seems to me that power pilots seeking best endurance should avoid using an autopilot. I understand that autopilots operate elevators rather than the throttle. I’ve often wondered why one might slow their plane in sink, using up elevator, and spend more time there.

I always try to ask myself before each takeoff, Whats going to try to kill me on this flight? Its a fair question to ask, and one that deserves a considered response, at least to yourself. The trick is theres usually more than one answer.

Post-accident investigation indicated the warm front started moving faster and the weather deteriorated sooner than forecast. The airplanes radar target went directly toward the destination for about 110 miles, and descended to only about 800 feet agl. The track then turned into the afternoon sun and haze toward an airport only seven miles away. About two minutes later, the airplane turned left and descended below radar coverage.

The Senate has introduced a bill that scraps a House plan to privatize ATC but includes lots of other provisions, including third-class medical reform, new aircraft certification rules and a requirement that UAV pilots pass a written exam covering aviation regulations. The bill’s third-class medical reform language is being championed by AOPA and the Experimental […]

After years of what has appeared to be a lot of talk and little action, the FAA has released a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) for new certification rules to replace the current Part 23 regulations. If adopted, the new rules would apply to aircraft with a max seating capacity of 19 passengers and a […]

Iliamna is a great fly-in fishing destination in southwestern Alaska. In early summer, however, it often has rain, with low ceilings and visibilities. The day of this flight was no exception. As we prepared for our IFR departure, the mountains all around were in the clouds. There is no radar at the airport, and missing […]

Entrepreneur Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, said in February he was close to starting work on a vertical-takeoff-and-landing electric jet as a practical alternative to conventional aircraft. In January, the U.S. Sport Aviation Expo hosted its 12th annual event in Sebring, Florida, and ran into some weather problems. Mooney unveiled the M20V Acclaim Ultra, a significant redesign of the companys best-selling Acclaim, at its Texas headquarters in February. General aviation sales declined 4.6 percent worldwide in 2015 compared to the year before, the General Aviation Manufacturers Association reported in February. The Singapore Airshow, held in February, featured the debut of the 400S Seaplane, by Viking, a Canadian company that has been building Twin Otters for several years.

The national news seldom trains its eye on the FAA. So it was unusual when FAA Administrator Michael Huerta made the news with a speech he gave to the Flight Safety Foundation last October. His speech centered on a newly effective Compliance Philosophy which could represent a sea change for better relations between pilots and the FAA.