Pilot Proficiency

Three longtime Civil Air Patrol members were killed on Tuesday after their Piper Cherokee Six crashed in a residential neighborhood shortly after taking off from Hawkins Field Airport (HKS) in Jackson, Mississippi. The CAP Mississippi Wing members killed in the crash included Col. John E. Tilton Jr., former member of the Civil Air Patrol’s board […]

Amateur video shot over the weekend captured the dramatic overrun of a Cessna CJ3 trying to land on Runway 35R at Sao Paulo-Congonhas Airport in Brazil. As shown in the footage, the Citation bounced upon reaching the end of the runway before coming to a crashing halt on the perimeter wall that encircles the airport. […]

PC flight simulators are excellent for sharpening our skills, but with one glaring exception: The artificial ATC communications included with the software just isn’t up to the task of providing a realistic flight experience. I didn’t really understand how important this was until I recently had the chance to fly X-Plane 10 using something remarkably […]

The NTSB has released its final report on a tragic 2010 helicopter accident in Cave Creek, Arizona, about 30 miles north of Phoenix, in which five people died. The NTSB’s investigation found that the helicopter owner’s five-year-old daughter might have contributed to the cause of the crash by accidentally stepping on the collective. The investigation […]

We all strive for accurate, smooth landings that we can produce predictably each time we fly. One step that will help you to standardize your landings is getting yourself into the best position in the pilot’s seat. You need to be able to comfortably reach the controls, and make sure that the forward picture is […]

Before I walked through the doors of the museum at Boeing Field in Seattle, I scanned the sharp lines of the B-47 perched just outside. The 1947 vintage bomber had really been the catalyst that heralded the beginning of the U.S. commercial jet age. The concept of swept wings was in its infancy, an engineering […]

In our FBO Spotlight series, we’re highlighting FBOs around the country that have received rave reviews from our readers. This latest Spotlight is brought to you by Dennis Moyes, who recently flew into Long Island MacArthur Airport in a Beech Sierra. Here’s what he has to say about the experience. Sheltair (KISP) Islip, New York […]

Proficiency is a key aspect of aviation safety for all pilots. We all realize that flying once every two years doesn’t maintain proficiency or skills, but many pilots who don’t fly regularly for work or other reasons may need a little tap on the back to study and fly enough to keep their skills alive. […]

Frasca International is taking a big step forward by entering the level-D simulator market. The Urbana, Illinois, company has produced FAA-approved level-B and -C simulators for the past decade, primarily for Beech King Airs, Embraer Phenoms and the Cessna Citation Mustang. Now the sim maker is moving up market with its first level-D project based […]

We’ve written extensively of late about the dangers inherent in the second leg of a long cross-country flight. Taking that concept one step further, another danger zone can be identified with the trip back home, even if that’s a few days down the road. Many of the same factors enter into the risk equation: Problem: […]