Pilot Proficiency

A student and instructor flying a Jabiru J170 LSA near Brisbane, Australia, got a rude surprise when the engine of the training airplane quit in flight. ABC News reported the flight was the first for student Josh Matica, who quickly surrendered the controls to his instructor, Doug Field. With only about 1,000 feet between the […]

United Airlines announced yesterday it will recall all of its furloughed pilots — nearly 600. The announcement bodes well for those who predict a pilot shortage, though experts stress that this does not necessarily signal growth for the troubled airline industry. The recalls will fill expected staffing needs caused by retirements and new duty-time rules, […]

The facts surrounding this Illinois accident just might paint a different picture.

My name is Jack — I am 82 years old. My friend Gary is 83 years old, and my 1947 Aeronca Super Chief (N3900E) is 65 years old. In 1960, I went to work for Alaska Airlines for 25 years. Before and during that time, I worked on a lot of different airplanes, and for […]

A Mooney M20 nearly clipped several cars as it crashed into trees right next to Route 50 in Bowie, Maryland, according to witnesses. The accident occurred around 3:45 p.m. on Labor Day afternoon, typically one of the busiest traffic days of the year. A number of drivers pulled over to assist those aboard the downed […]

While you need to enlist a certified flight instructor once every couple of years for your biennial flight review, you don’t need to pay a CFI to learn new things about flying. If you connect with other pilots at your flight school or at neighboring hangars, you are likely to learn new things and find […]

In the latest “record” attempt involving very young pilots, a five-year-old boy from China has become the youngest person to fly an aircraft, according to reports from Chinese media this week. Many hundreds of parents of three-year-olds who have briefly let their child take the controls might differ on this point, though. He Yide, who […]

A heart surgeon flying out of the Danville Regional Airport (KDAN) in Danville, Virginia, crashed last week while reportedly approaching to land at one of the runways during a student solo flight. Local news outlets reported that the airplane, a Piper Warrior, hit a tower before crashing. The NTSB is investigating the cause of the […]

A British Airways poll conducted last month shows that at least British kids still aspire to fly. The independent research involved 650 U.K. youngsters from ages six to 12. Most boys chose careers as football (soccer) players, followed by pilots and then “superheroes.” (Nice to know pilots came out ahead of caped crusaders.) Girls favored […]

The date was Dec. 23, 1943 — I was 21 years old. I was in the rear cockpit of a Fairchild PT-19 primary trainer with a total dual time to date of 10 hours. My instructor was in the front cockpit. The wide-open grass landing strip of Cimarron Field Primary Flight School in Oklahoma was […]