Pilot Proficiency

Pilots like to fly low, so what can we learn from this 2017 Cessna 172 accident?

Redbird Flight Simulations launched a couple of unique simulator products on display at the EAA AirVenture show grounds for the week. The company introduced a seaplane trainer, specifically designed for Tropic Ocean Airways, which operates Cessna 208 Grand Caravans in the Bahamas, the Caribbean, Florida, and the northeastern United States. The simulator is a modified […]

An acquaintance named Mark Burton recently sent me a copy of his book about an airport owned and operated by his family called Brownie’s. A few days later, I met a guy at a party who regaled me (unsolicited) with wild and woolly tales about flying out of a now defunct airport called Brownie’s with […]

If there’s one continuous strand that winds through the motley tapestry of my life, one single word that sums up who I am and what makes me tick, it’s wanderlust. My family, youth, career, marriage and passions for motorcycling, sailing and flying are all tied together by a constant, inveterate urge to head over the […]

When John came to in the hospital a number of years ago after a lapse of consciousness, you will appreciate that the very first concern he expressed was for his aviation medical certificate. Perhaps the most significant and deeply personal touchpoint with the FAA for every pilot is the medical certification process. To a pilot, […]

In the early days of airborne communications, earphones were created to make deciphering radio conversations for pilots easier above the roar of the engines and wind. Some of the first earphones crafted from hard Bakelite used no padding and were extremely uncomfortable to wear for long periods of time. Advances in acoustical research improved the wearing […]

During a recent recurrent training period in our human factors class, the check airman instructor asked for a show of hands for those who had experienced an engine failure during their careers at the airline. The classroom consisted of about 30 well-seasoned pilots. Barely a quarter of the class raised their hands. The same question […]

OK, I’ve whined enough about the new jet. I’ve moaned about the speedbrake-spoiler failure that occurs every time I get above Flight Level 300; about the fact that I will have to pay Williams for 150 hours per year on the engine program even though I won’t fly that much; about the ridiculous wait to […]

Relevant Discussion: 91.215, 91.217, 91.135, 91.411, 91.413, 99.13, 121.345, 135.143, AIM 3-2-3, 3-2-4, 4-1-20, 5-6-4, 6-2-2, 6-4-2, FAA-H-8083-16, 8083-25 • Required for all aircraft in Class A, B and C airspace. • Required for all aircraft in all airspace within 30 nm of an airport listed in appendix D, section 1 of Part 91 (Class […]

The gospel on turn-backs after a power loss just after takeoff is to continue straight ahead, no matter how uninviting the terrain looks.