Pilot Proficiency

There’s been a lot of nervous hand wringing over the idea of letting more recreational pilots self-certify that they are fit for flight by forgoing the formal FAA medical process. Christopher Hart, the acting head of the National Transportation Safety Board, told lawmakers recently he is “very concerned about pilots flying without adequate medical standards,” […]

Here’s a story with an interesting twist. Flying reader Maurice Cabirac shares his run-in with an unexpected aircraft in the sky. For a midair collision, the incident had a rather unexpected ending. My student, a 70-year-old friend, and I were shooting touch-and-gos when on one of our takeoffs our airspeed indicator went completely to zero. […]

The “good ol’ days” of aviation often weren’t all that good. When I learned to fly instruments in 1970 in our Cherokee 140, we had a single navcom and no DME. Trying to determine my position by using cross-radials from nearby VORs often left my head, as well as the OBS, spinning. And in the […]

From my peripheral vision, I caught a glimpse of our flight engineer using his thumb repeatedly to push on an amber press-to-test light. I turned in my seat and looked directly at the engineer panel, taking note of the area causing concern. The area was the hydraulic system. One of the ­B-pumps appeared to be […]

This year’s Oshkosh Airshow will rank as one of the best of all time based on attendance figures, the number of airplanes that flew in for AirVenture and the mood of visitors and exhibitors, EAA chairman Jack Pelton proclaimed on Sunday as the big Wisconsin aviation extravaganza wrapped up. “Overall attendance was up,” he said. […]

You’re lined up on the runway, the pre-departure checklists complete, ready to blast off on another fun flying adventure. You’ve confirmed the runway is long enough, that you’ve got sufficient fuel, the weather is within your personal limits and all notams and TFRs have been checked. Is there anything you missed? What about the engine […]

Greg Anderson, the former EAA staffer who came up with the idea for the Young Eagles program, received the 2014 Phillips 66 Aviation Leadership Award last week during AirVenture Oshkosh 2014. Anderson has dedicated much of his life to inspiring young people to get involved in aviation, personally flying more than 600 youths on Young […]

Volunteers in Wichita, Kansas, who are working to restore a B-29 Superfortress named Doc have brought the massive airplane close to completion and are getting ready to return the bomber to the skies before the new year. The non-profit volunteer organization Doc’s Friends is now raising money for a permanent museum to provide protection and […]

A Hawker Sea Fury that was flying as part of the Royal Navy Culdrose Air Day in Cornwall, in the southwestern corner of England, crash-landed last week in front a large crowd. Video shows smoke coming out of the engine cowl as the 1940s-era fighter approached the runway. The landing gear was extended just before […]

Two people were transported to a local hospital after crashing in a Breezy Experimental category airplane east of Wittman Regional Airport’s Runway 36R on Thursday morning during AirVenture Oshkosh. The 9 a.m. incident closed the airport for more than an hour as rescue crews worked to put out a fire. Video of the scene shot […]