Pilot Proficiency

The current issue of FAA Safety Briefing targets aviation citizenship among general aviation pilots. It urges us to show our responsibilities toward fellow pilots by sharing values, customs and culture with the rest of the aviation community. Feature articles in the September/October 2013 issue include primers on developing intervention strategies for fellow pilots who may […]

Yves Rossy, aka Jetman, took to the skies at the National Championship Air Races and Air Show, which took place this past weekend in Reno, Nevada. This, the second show during Jetman’s U.S. visit after AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, presented some new challenges for the man who straps a jet-powered carbon-Kevlar wing to his body, […]

The FAA announced changes that would exempt some pilots from having to complete a biennial flight review. Open for public comment through October 16, the proposal posted in the Federal Register this week seeks to address what the FAA says it now views as an error in the list of exceptions to meet the 24-month […]

A two-man team from Oklahoma City was in town last month with the “live” portion of the FAA’s designated pilot examiner renewal seminar. Half of the mandatory training happens online, but we still get eight hours in one of those hotel meeting rooms; if the air conditioning is cold enough and the coffee strong and […]

This year the 2013 Reno Air Races kicked off for its 50th anniversary in Reno/Stead Airport outside Reno, Nevada. Here is a look at our coverage from the event. No More Unlimited Class at Reno Air Races Strega to Participate in Reno Air Races 50th Anniversary Reno Air Races Kick Off Exciting Week at Reno […]

You already know that it is important to do a weight and balance calculation prior to any flight to make sure you don’t put too much weight in the airplane and that the center of gravity is within the published limits. But you may not realize that you should do at least two weight and […]

As aviation legend Bob Hoover announced the customary command for the Unlimited pilots, “Gentlemen, start your engines,” the final Gold Heat at the National Championship Air Races in Reno, Nevada, was on. First to take off was the T-33 pace plane flown by Steve Hinton, a legend in his own right as a long time […]

Illustrations by Barry Ross| Climbing through 15,000 feet, I breathe a sigh of relief, slide my seat back and take a look around. Orange County, California, has one of the busier departure procedures in the country, and it’s a bit of a workout even when you’re familiar with it. But now that we’re high above […]

A few months back I wrote about flying a Citation Mustang, comparing its attributes to those of the 777. After the initial flight, thanks to my friend and Mustang owner Tom Torti, I became more familiar with the airplane, via a smattering of other trips. On those trips, informal instruction and a few doses of […]

You may recall at the start of the summer flying season FAA Administrator Michael Huerta implored general aviation pilots to fly safely in June, July and August. In an open letter to the GA community delivered just before the Memorial Day weekend, Huerta begged us, “Make sure you’re ready – really ready – to fly.” […]