Pilot Proficiency

Airplane tires are durable things that will last for many years if taken care of properly. But just one bad landing can burn off a thick layer of rubber in one small area of the tire. Many flight schools and flying clubs have it as a policy that pilots who damage tires pay for their […]

This week, pilots and business owners gathered to celebrate the beginning of a new chapter at Van Nuys Airport (VNY), one of the busiest general aviation airports in the world. A 32-acre section of the airport is being specifically dedicated to propeller airplanes in an area called Propeller Park. The area will house flight schools, […]

What’s the biggest hurdle to getting young people involved in aviation? Some might say that it’s the money; others might offer that it’s the lack of exposure to aviation or the lack of active involvement in the activity. In any of these cases, a new endeavor, the Lakeland Aero Club, starting up in Central Florida […]

As soon as you started practicing the flight maneuvers for the private pilot practical test, you learned about clearing turns. Usually, a clearing turn involves a 90-degree turn to the left followed by a 90-degree turn to the right so that you roll out on the same heading on which you started — at least […]

Last week, three small airplanes were intercepted by F-16s in the Los Angeles area as a result of busting temporary flight restrictions (TFRs) during President Obama’s visit to the area. These types of incidents remind me of why it’s so important to get the latest information available for each flight. I always call flight service […]

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 Ken Henze, who recently flew into Newton Municipal Airport in a Cessna 172. Here’s what he has to say about the airport’s FBO, Johnson Aviation: Johnson Aviation (KTNU) […]

We’ve heard a lot lately about biofuel breakthroughs, batteries and solar power as potential replacements for avgas at some point in the not-so-distant future, but what about liquid hydrogen? The maiden flight of Boeing’s Phantom Eye UAV last week proved that hydrogen could indeed serve as a replacement for traditional fuels in piston-powered airplanes. Phantom […]

One maneuver that has been added to the practical test standards since I earned my commercial and instructor certificates at the beginning of the millennium is the power-off 180-degree accuracy approach and landing. While this maneuver is not a part of the private or sport pilot curricula, it is a maneuver that is worthwhile for […]

You will never understand lift. Forget it. You haven’t got a chance. So I muttered to myself as I closed a fascinating book called The Enigma of the Aerofoil. The author, David Bloor, is an emeritus professor of the University of Edinburgh whose field is the sociology of science: how cultural and personal factors shape […]

Think you can tell a Pilatus PC-12 cockpit from the cockpit of a TBM 850? How about a Grumman F8F Bearcat from a Vought F4U Corsair? Whether you’re a new aviation enthusiast or a veteran airplane fanatic, take our Name that Airplane quiz and see if your aircraft knowledge is up to snuff. Launch the […]