Pilot Proficiency

As I get ready to sit down for my Thanksgiving dinner, I’m reflecting on the things that I’m thankful for. While family and friends top that list, the freedom of flight is a close second. I still marvel at the fact that, at any time of the day or night, I can jump in an […]

As pilots flying general aviation airplanes, there can be times when we have a lot on our plates — sometimes more than it seems like we can handle. And unlike many corporate pilots and all airline crews, we usually have to do everything ourselves, without a helping hand from a second crewmember. That can lead […]

Three men were killed Friday night in a Cessna 172 when the airplane hit a truck on takeoff from Knox County Regional Airport in Maine. After the collision, the airplane reportedly climbed to about 150 feet before banking east and nose-diving into a wooded area, killing 22-year-old David Cheney, 24-year-old Marcelo Rugini and 24-year-old William […]

Volunteers at the Connecticut Air & Space Center museum in Bridgeport have started the process of cleaning and restoring the historic Curtiss Hangar at Sikorsky Memorial Airport. Visited over the years by aviation pioneers including Charles Lindbergh, Amelia Earhart, Howard Hughes and Igor Sikorsky, the Curtiss Hangar will become a focal point for the museum, […]

Different airplanes have different charms, but seldom do you get to experience two on the same day. As a Cheyenne turboprop owner and a part-time Learjet pilot, I got to experience these two airplanes with my Learjet captain, Jason Hepner, on a weekend that featured flying at 45,000 feet at 600 mph in the Lear; […]

A 727 was approaching Ketchikan, Alaska, high and fast. Despite several warnings from the copilot, the captain elected to continue the visual approach. The airplane landed long and fast on the slush-covered runway, and the captain quickly deployed the spoilers and thrust reversers and applied maximum braking. Then, when it appeared they would not be […]

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 Marc Lattoni, who recently flew into W.K. Kellogg Airport in a Diamond DA-40. Here’s what he has to say about the airport’s FBO, Duncan Aviation. Duncan Aviation (KHUT)_ […]

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 […]