Pilot Proficiency

I have always thought it was extremely unfortunate when a professional pilot or crew carefully plans a flight, expertly follows the flight plan, and then suddenly makes a snap decision that undoes all their careful planning and execution. An accident at the Ellen Church Field Airport (CJJ) in Cresco, Iowa, in July 2006 illustrates how […]

When taxiing or braking on an icy ramp or runway, tapping or pumping the brakes will usually increase stopping effectiveness. It’s the way ABS braking systems work on automobiles, gripping and releasing the brakes in short, staccato intervals. Our toes cannot work as fast as the sensors and computers that control anti-lock brakes, but the […]

I wish everyone could have their own Don Krog, one of the A&P technicians who work at the shop at my airport. Don is an airline pilot who also enjoys spinning wrenches on airplanes, so he spends a lot of his “off” time with his hands dirty. One of the big advantages for me is […]

Last August I was flying home from Quebec City, passing through the tops of some clouds at 8,000 feet when some sparkling crystals on my OAT probe caught my eye. That’s the first place I look when I suspect ice; but on this summer day it caught me a bit by surprise. The tops of […]

A Pilatus PC-12 crashed late Monday night four miles short of its destination of Santa Fe, New Mexico. The 54-year-old pilot — the sole occupant — was killed in the fiery crash. There were no distress calls, and communications were apparently normal for the IFR flight. Of course, the NTSB investigation is just beginning, so […]

I’ve never been a big fan of touch-and-goes; and since my home runway is only 2,700 feet long — with a displaced threshold, to boot — it’s really a moot point. For those who train or do their recurrent work on long runways, I suppose I see value in saving the time it would take […]

As the days slowly get shorter, it’s worth considering that statistics prove flying after dark increases risk. While hazy, marginal weather may still provide a visible horizon during daylight hours, after dark, distinguishing the blend between sky and landscape becomes even more difficult. Even on a clear night, ground lighting can blend dangerously with starlight […]

Aircraft owners in Wisconsin, where I lived for a while, almost all keep their airplanes in hangars. But inside storage space in the high-rent Northeast is not only more expensive, but sometimes unavailable at any price. The ultimate in luxury, a heated hangar, is the best answer to winter aircraft care. But for those of […]

I thought I had covered the whole subject of the controller/pilot interface pretty thoroughly. In the January 2008 issue (“The Controller Failed to Inform…”), I used two accidents to illustrate the perils of depending on the controller to keep out of weather and away from high terrain. In the July issue (“Saved by the Controller”) […]

“Noting my hands gripping the control wheel as if it were a lifeline, Bob would say, ‘Loosen up. Use your fingertips. Remember, flying is a lot like playing the flute: if you try too hard, it doesn’t come out right.’” So reminisced author Frank Kingston Smith in his 1982 book, Weekend Wings. Smith learned to […]