Pilot Proficiency

Divers searching the wreckage area of a sunken I-400 World War II Japanese submarine off the coast of O’ahu recently came upon an interesting find: the massive submarine’s missing aircraft hangar. The hangar and other key features of the mega-submarine were separated from the main wreckage, discovered by University of Hawaii and U.S. National Oceanic […]

Landing on a beach or on a beautiful remote backcountry airstrip in an airplane equipped with fat tires. Flying in formation with some of the top airshow performers in the world doing loops and rolls in a sleek single-engine jet or a roaring round-engine T-6. Testing out the capabilities of some of the coolest new […]

An accident in Austin, Texas, this week served as a tragic reminder of how rescue crews at times risk their own lives to save others. A medevac nurse working for STAR Flight, an aerial emergency response service in Austin, fell to her death while attempting to rescue a hiker who had fallen in the Barton […]

When taxiing or idling on the ground for long periods of time, it’s possible to experience spark plug fouling, even with modern, fuel-injected aircraft engines running low lead fuel. The way to prevent fouling during taxi is to aggressively lean your engine while on the ground by following the specific procedure in your POH or, […]

The National Transportation Safety Board has closed the case on the crash of a Piper Turbo Arrow in Colorado in January, saying the pilot committed suicide. Investigators said the 41-year-old pilot who was killed in the crash on January 11 in Brighton, Colorado, intentionally flew his airplane into the ground after his wife told him […]

At Sun ‘n Fun Textron Aviation and an impressive list of university partners launched the Top Hawk program to pair up universities with quality flight training programs with new Skyhawks. Under Top Hawk, Textron will team with Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Kansas State University, Liberty University and the University of North Dakota. Through the end of […]

If you are looking for a new aviation challenge and are considering an add-on rating, you can start out by watching one of Sporty’s new video programs to learn more about the transition process before spending a stack of Benjamin Franklins on actual flight training. The company’s online pilot shop has added four new video […]

A new Mooney Acclaim Type S crashed yesterday afternoon outside a Pipkin Creek Road home in Lakeland, Florida, adjacent to the Lakeland Linder Airport where the Sun ‘n Fun airshow is underway. The airplane was engulfed in flames following the crash and is a total loss. However, multiple media reports indicate that the pilot was […]

When something unexpected happens in flight, the last thing you need is to have to search for equipment that could help ease the problem. Keeping any gear that you could potentially find a need for in flight within reach or even attached to your body could prove invaluable. Let’s just say that you are flying […]

It was a beautiful day for flying. The takeoff from Waco Regional Airport in Waco, Texas, was routine and uneventful as I turned onto a northwest heading as indicated by the GPS. I had reduced from takeoff power to about 2,450 rpm and about 24 inches of manifold pressure. As I was leaving 1,500 feet […]