Pilot Proficiency

For many licensed and student pilots, a checkride is a nerve-wracking event even if everything goes as planned. Last weekend an unfortunate pilot had his Private Pilot checkride turn into an actual emergency when two propeller blades separated from his Sting Sport LSA. Fortunately the pilot made a successful emergency landing and walked away uninjured […]

The morning of June 25, 1994, was exceptionally clear and pleasant in central Arkansas and found me sitting at the end of a very scarce asphalt runway in my robust, aerodynamic Ag Cat. It was 85 degrees F and the winds were calm. I was ready to roll with half a tank of gas and […]

During his Private Pilot checkride over the weekend, Brian Garrett of Westminster, Colorado, had to deal with a real in-flight emergency on top of all the other required practical test maneuvers after one of the blades on his Sting Sport LSA separated midflight. According to the Longmont Times-Call, at some point during the flight exam […]

When you’re at an unfamiliar airport and you get taxi instructions as you’re sitting among a maze of taxiways, it’s easy to be lost and a bit confused even as you’re sitting still. So here are a couple of tips to help you feel found and confident instead. Have a chart handy. I use one […]

“Hello, bonjour. This Is CANPASS.” It was the day before I intended to fly four of us to ­Halifax, Nova Scotia, from New England. The phone call to the Canadian Passenger Accelerated Service System (888-CANPASS or 888-226-7277 for those of us with telephone keypad dyslexia) provided a stark contrast to my just-completed wrestling match with […]

Flying a light jet hadn’t been on my radar. But when Tom Torti offered me a spin in his Citation Mustang, I couldn’t refuse. With a couple of exceptions, I had never really flown a smaller jet, the 727 being my first jet. The opportunity to compare notes with the 777 seemed like a great […]

In our FBO Spotlight series, we’re highlighting FBOs around the country that have received rave reviews. This latest Spotlight is brought to you by Jonathan Spoer, who recently flew into Santa Paula Airport in a Citabria. Here’s what he has to say about the airport’s FBO, CP Aviation. FBO Spotlight: CP Aviation (KSZP) Santa Paula, […]

As the FAA prepares to fully integrate drones into American airspace over the next few years, a growing number of schools are also prepping for the change that influx will bring to the country’s pilot training landscape. Several universities have already staked their claim in the drone arena, with dozens approved as authorized UAV launch […]

Earlier this year we reported on the possible closure of the Cincinnatti-Blue Ash Airport (KISZ) in Blue Ash, Ohio, six miles northeast of downtown Cincinnati. Sadly, on Aug. 29th at 8 a.m. local time, the 91-year-old airport closed permanently. According to now former Blue Ash Airport manager Fred Anderton, who also manages Cincinnati Lunken Airport, […]

It seems like in many areas people are divided into two camps, with each side strongly supporting its way of thinking while disparaging any other approach. Sometimes the pendulum of opinion swings from one side to the other, never pausing to stop in the middle. A balanced approach is usually more reasonable, applying the appropriate […]