Pilot Proficiency

I’m not proud to say it, but last winter got the best of this northern aviator. The face-numbing cold and monochromatic gloom wore at me until I just couldn’t take it anymore. The breaking point came on a brutally raw January morning as I attempted to preheat and start my Piper Pacer after it sat […]

As we make our resolutions for the new year, vowing to shed bad habits and start fresh, one of the things we will want to continue to carry with us is the knowledge we have gained and lessons learned over the year to remind us of how to be the best and safest pilots possible. […]

The drone industry is booming and small unmanned aircraft systems (sUAS) may become one of the most popular Christmas presents this year. Yesterday the FAA’s new drone registration rules kicked in, requiring all people flying an sUAS between 0.55 lbs and 55 lbs to register their aircraft. If you are flying a heavier drone or […]

A sad accident happened at the Chatrapati Shivaji International Airport in Mumbai, India, that should remind us all about the dangers of getting too close to an operating aircraft engine. An Air India employee was sucked into the engine of an Airbus A319 and died from the injuries sustained from the spinning jet-engine blades. According […]

When Germanwings Flight 9525 slammed into the French Alps in March, killing all on board, many aviation experts spoke out about improving the psychological and medical testing of airline pilots. In response, the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) is in the process of finalizing new regulations for increased airline safety. “We need to act quickly […]

I endured two years in this man’s army during the Vietnam era (sometimes interesting, sometimes heartbreaking, mostly just mindless), had my neck broken (beaten up by a deranged young surgical patient), caught hepatitis (from a needle stick in the operating room — almost died), had prostate cancer (not amusing) and tolerated a surgical internship (in […]

Whether your airplane is approved for flight in known icing conditions or not, there are a number of common-sense strategies you can put into practice to minimize your risks of ice-related hazards. First, never take off with any amount of ice, snow or frost on your airplane. If you do, you’re a test pilot flying […]

The couriers’ taillights faded in the distance as I pulled the Piper Navajo’s rear cabin door closed and silence fell anew over the darkened North Las Vegas Airport. I clambered over the cargo net restraining nearly a hundred stacked bank bags, slid into the front left seat, and quickly went through the preflight checklist and starting flows. “Master switch on, magnetos on, mixtures rich, left fuel […]

In a move that could put some pilot logbook app makers out of business, ForeFlight has added its own integration into its popular flight planning app, allowing users to automatically log flights, track hours, review currency and receive electronic flight instructor endorsements. The new feature includes a web-based import tool that lets you pull in […]

Hair-raising footage of a business jet making an emergency belly landing at the Palm Springs International Airport in California has spread across the Web since the incident on Friday, Dec. 4. After the aircraft’s landing gear failed, the pilot made a skillful belly landing, sliding in with minimal sparks and smoke and skidding safely to […]