Search Results for: general aviation inc

In March, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) released a brief statement stating the results of a study it conducted into the relative safety of general aviation airplanes equipped with glass-panel technologies. As we reported in our April issue, the NTSB concluded the last decades glass-cockpit revolution has not resulted in enhanced safety for the period and aircraft it studied. It came to such a conclusion, in part, because it found single-engine airplanes manufactured between 2002 and 2006 and equipped with glass cockpits had a higher fatal accident rate than similar aircraft with conventional instruments. At that time, very little else was known about the study, including the specific aircraft models involved, its methodology and other metrics, raising many questions. Since our April issue was finalized, the NTSB has released the full 91-page study results, including a separate seven-page letter detailing a series of recommendations to the FAA. These documents may be retrieved from the NTSB Web site using links published in the box in the upper right corner of the opposite page.

One of my personal goals this year is to follow one of the directives issued at the recent Women in Aviation International Conference and promote general aviation in my local community. Lo and behold, as often happens when you put goals out into the universe, opportunities seem to appear. Last night I attended my first […]

Flight Design president and chief operating officer Matthias Betsch arrived at Sun ‘n Fun direct from the Aero general aviation show in Friedrichshafen, Germany. He reported that the event included a meeting of several national aviation regulatory bodies including the FAA, Europe’s EASA, and governmental aviation regulatory agencies from China, Brazil, India and others. Betsch […]

The unofficial kickoff for GA events kicks off next week at Lakeland Linder Regional Airport (KLAL) in Florida. The 36th annual Sun ‘n Fun International Fly-in & Expo opens Tuesday, April 13, and runs through Sunday, April 18. As many as 170,000 visitors are expected from more than 80 countries. More than 475 exhibitors will […]

By now I should know to expect anything and everything to fail while training in a flight simulator, but experienced instructors like FlightSafety’s Fred Pfeiffer can concoct scenarios that I never thought of before. The purpose is to make you think about the airplane and its systems, but also to reinforce that complacency is the […]

There are many indicators of how the North American general aviation market is doing — and we’ve certainly had enough up and down cycles to hone our view. Over the years, sales of used aircraft have been one of the surest measures of the industry’s overall health. So a snapshot of one month’s sales, year […]

The title of a short Associated Press article in a USA Today dated Nov. 30, 2009, said, “Pilots flying on empty baffle NTSB.” Tom Haueter, director of the NTSB’s Office of Aviation Safety, was quoted as saying, “It’s surprising to me that there’s a group of pilots who will knowingly push it, thinking, ‘I can […]

A year-long study by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) concludes the last decades glass-cockpit revolution has not resulted in enhanced safety. In making its March 9, 2010, announcement, the Board said its results found single-engine airplanes manufactured between 2002 and 2006 and equipped with glass cockpits had a higher fatal accident rate than similar aircraft with conventional instruments. The NTSB blamed complexity and lack of standardization among different aircraft and their glass panels, which has resulted in pilots failing to “understand the unique operational and functional details of the primary flight instruments in their airplanes.”

The latest “were all gonna die” coverage of aviation occurred in early March as the general media uncovered an audio recording of a youngster appearing to issue takeoff clearances to airliners at John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK). On the February 16 recording, JFK tower controller Glenn Duffys nine-year-old son relays takeoff clearances to departing traffic. (Use this link to listen to the recording: http://bit.ly/ccblJD.)

They seem to come in as many varieties as hotdogs-and with about as many interesting names. You know what I mean: Chicago Style, New York Style, Half-Smoke, Coneys, Hot Links and so forth. Ordering without confessing unfamiliarity with variations in flavors, spices and condiments can prove painful. Its the same with flaps, though the consequences of inadequate knowledge are different. For example, you need to know what kind of flaps youre flying and how theyre used. This knowledge, in turn, enables their management for takeoffs, landings and other operations. Knowledge of your flaps and their peculiarities can be particularly powerful should you find yourself in unusual circumstances, and need to maximize their benefits. Lets take a look.