Pilot Proficiency

As Rockwell Collins integrates its Ascend flight information services program with newly acquired flight support giant Arinc, new flight planning tools have been added to simplify flight operations. With its new identity, Arinc Direct will focus on four pillars of service for flight department customer: international trip support, cabin connectivity, flight deck connection and flight […]

A Dassault Falcon 50 carrying the CEO of French oil company Total crashed into a snowplow on a Moscow runway as the airplane accelerated for takeoff late Monday night, killing the executive, 63-year-old Christophe de Margerie, along with the two pilots and a flight attendant. The crash happened at Vnukovo International Airport a few minutes […]

Generally I steer way clear of temporary flight restrictions, which means that I’m grounded any time the president is in town. And generally when the president is in town, I am aware of it days in advance. But recently, when President Obama was visiting the Los Angeles area, I had no idea until I was […]

Pilots looking to get comfortable using the iPad in the cockpit as well as seasoned tech geeks seeking to put their iPad prowess to the test can do just that at the Flying Aviation Expo later this month, thanks to two seminars that will be held by pilot supplies company MyGoFlight. During the company’s “IPad […]

A Hawker 800 made an emergency gear up landing at Denver International Airport on Wednesday after circling for hours to troubleshoot the problem and burn off fuel. Video of the touchdown shown by Fox 31 Denver gives a good indication of just what the crew was dealing with as the belly of the business jet […]

If you are one of many pilots who enjoy flying as well as driving fast cars, this simulator game may be something to add to your Christmas list. CXC Simulations’ Motion Pro II provides the versatility of experiencing fast vehicles on the ground and in the air. Best of all, the company says the simulator […]

When I was a little girl growing up on the west side of Cincinnati in the ’50s, I was obsessed with airplanes, but the closest I came to any were the distinctive V-tails that flew regularly over our house. And I remember my father saying, “There go the Hogans,” referring to four brothers who operated […]

For you instrument-rated pilots, and even you VFR-only fliers, how often do you look up the published departure procedure for a given airport before taking off into clear blue skies — or maybe not-so-clear skies? The answer should be every single time. Over the years a number of fatal accidents have been attributed to controlled […]

“Let’s get one thing straight. There is a big difference between a pilot and an aviator. A pilot is a technician. An aviator is an artist in love with flight.” So said Elrey Borge Jeppesen. As I try to migrate from pilot to aviator, I’ve discovered, or I should say rediscovered, an important truth. It […]

It was a setup for loss of control. Martha and I were brand-new VFR-only pilots and, while returning from California to Indiana, had decided to scud–run through Tennessee to hurry our way home. The ceilings had pressed us down below the tops of tall antennas, and we were circling tightly over a small town while […]