Pilot Proficiency

A public relations war of words between UPS and the cargo airline’s pilots union has gotten both kicked off the investigation team working to determine what caused the crash of UPS Flight 1354 in Birmingham, Alabama, on Aug. 14, 2013. The National Transportation Safety Board announced yesterday it has revoked the party status of UPS […]

How my confreres come up with ideas for their columns I have no idea, but the process is probably more studied and logical than mine. This may seem oblique, but I’ve been thinking about propellers since recently deciding it was time to quit talking and take action. So I presented myself at ­”Mother’s,” a tattoo […]

As a result of the speculative theories regarding the disappearance of Malaysia Flight 370, the subject of cameras and streaming data from the cockpit has been re-energized. But why? And for what purpose? The obvious answer is to monitor cockpit activities in the event a situation arises. But what kind of situation? A terrorist event? […]

Sunshine! It feels so foreign, so exotic, and so wonderful! I know that you are comfortably ensconced in the warm embrace of summer, but back here in late April, the upper Midwest is just now escaping the clutches of a memorably brutal winter. My home airport, Airlake, is bursting to life from its sleepy state […]

If you are ready to deal with the answer, here’s something you can try the next time you are in a room full of pilots. Ask them to hold up their hands if the answer to this question for them is “yes.” “How many here knew someone personally who was killed in an aircraft accident?” […]

The IFR Proficiency Center that was a popular draw at EAA AirVenture in July will be making a repeat appearance this fall at Flying Aviation Expo in Palm Springs, California. An offshoot of the IMC Club and sponsored by Jeppesen, Hartzell, Redbird Flight Simulation, EAA and Flying, the Proficiency Center at Aviation Expo will feature […]

A Beechcraft Bonanza that was lost in Marin County, California, on Monday evening sparked a 40-acre wildfire in a remote area of farmland and open grass fields. Lieutenant Douglas Pittman from the Marin County sheriff’s department told a local CBS station that dense fog in the area delayed the search and the wreckage wasn’t located […]

The Commemorative Air Force is putting on the inaugural CAF World War II Air Expo with an impressive lineup of World War II airplanes October 3 to 5 at its new headquarters at the Dallas Executive Airport in Texas. In addition to the static display of airplanes, the non-profit organization will provide rides in several […]

CNN owned the coverage of the disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 this past spring with its wall-to-wall commentary from experts like our own Contributing Editor Les Abend, a highly experienced Boeing 777 captain, and Editor-in-Chief Robert Goyer, but rival cable channel Fox News has a potent new weapon in its arsenal for covering aviation […]

The FAA’s decision to ban Internet ride-sharing websites like AirPooler and Flytenow is hardly surprising given the Department of Transportation’s tight restrictions on “holding out” for air transportation services. As a private pilot you can accept money to fly your friends to Spokane for a wedding you’re all attending, but if you advertise that same […]