Pilot Proficiency

This week, I had an opportunity to learn more about upset recovery training at APS Emergency Maneuvers Training at the Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport in the southeastern edge of Mesa, Arizona. With temperatures above 100 degrees Fahrenheit outside, it was nice to step into the air-conditioned CAE full motion Level D ERJ 145 simulator at the […]

An Italian man inspired by the film Catch Me if You Can was arrested over the weekend for impersonating an airline pilot in a ruse that allowed him to catch the jumpseat on at least one European flight. The unidentified 32-year-old man allegedly created a mock persona as Lufthansa pilot Andrea Sirlo using fake IDs […]

We often preach about how important it is to have enough fuel to get to your destination — odd that running out of gas should stubbornly continue to be a cause of accidents — but there’s a flip side to having enough fuel to get where you’re going: having too much fuel too soon. For […]

I spent the last couple of days in Queretaro, Mexico, the flashpoint for the Mexican rebellion against Spain in 1810 and, more recently, the site of a brand new Bombardier factory where composite structural components including fuselages and wings for the Learjet 85 are being manufactured. The biggest surprises on my visit weren’t inside the […]

The FAA has closed what it saw as a loophole in the regs that for many years allowed pilots of single-pilot jets to continue to fly without having to get the same annual recurrent checks as pilots of crewed airplanes, including jets. The newly constituted FAR, 61.85, was originally slated to go into effect last […]

When we talk about risk management, there is a lot of focus on the preflight and making sure you’re fit to fly. But it is equally as important to make sure your focus is on safety of flight while in the air. Flying requires a combination of many complex tasks and you need to have […]

EAA founder and chairman emeritus Paul H. Poberezny turned 91 on Sept. 14, celebrating nearly six decades with the organization that has helped introduce millions of people to the wonders of aviation. Dozens of fans have posted well wishes on EAA’s Facebook page over the last few days, many of them keying in on Poberezny’s […]

To the cliché that there are pilots who have landed gear up and those who will, one might add a third category: those who have, and will again. I made my first and, so far, only gear-up landing in a Fournier RF-4 motor glider, N7723, on Jan. 23, 1969, at Yucca Valley, California. The RF-4 […]

****There are a number of different products on the market that can help pilots of all skill levels refine and maintain their skills. Here are a few of the best options out there. Redbird TD If your goal is to maintain instrument proficiency, you can legally do so at home with Redbird’s TD desktop simulator, […]

With the economic downturn and unemployment and underemployment that ensued, many Americans are enjoying less disposable income. As a result, your flying budget may not be what it was a few years ago. And meanwhile, the cost of flying has risen. We all know that staying proficient is equivalent to reducing the risks associated with […]