Safety

As the Federal Communications Commission nears a planned expansion of radio frequencies available to 5G cellular networks, U.S. aviation industry leaders are expressing concerns about potential safety issues linked to radio (radar) altimeter performance. Beginning December 5, cellular carriers in 46 U.S. markets are expected to repurpose portions of the C-band frequency spectrum near the […]

The University of North Dakota plans to resume dual-only flight training Thursday following a tragic incident that killed an aviation student Monday night. The school paused flight training on Tuesday and Wednesday. Students were not being pressured to fly Thursday and are being encouraged to take their time returning to the airplanes, if needed. The […]

Alaska’s pilots need access to better weather reporting and forecasting, improved navigation charting, and expanded satellite-based air-traffic control coverage, the FAA said this week. The safety recommendations made by federal aviation officials acknowledge Alaska’s unique weather and geographic challenges. Alaska is twice the size of Texas and has 14 mountain ranges, which leaves about 82 […]

The number of aviation accidents fell for the second year in a row, according to the latest issuance of the Nall Report. The report, compiled biennially by the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) Air Safety Institute, studies accident data looking for trends, with the idea that once these trends are identified they can be […]

Garmin International has received two supplemental type certificates (STCs) aimed at enhancing safety. One is for the GFC 600 autopilot, the other certifies Smart Rudder Bias2 for Cessna 414A aircraft equipped with the GFC 600 autopilot. The Autopilot The GFC 600 is designed to work with both piston-powered and turbine aircraft. The interface of the […]

“Any other traffic, please advise.” Probably few radio communications that pilots make incur such wrath as that request, which many pilots still make at the conclusion of an initial call to a unicom frequency when approaching a nontowered airport. And it was just one of the topics covered by a panel of experienced GA pilots, […]

On a Sunday morning in April 2004, an air-ambulance helicopter approaching to land in VFR conditions found a blanket of fog forming over the Ukiah Municipal Airport (KUKI) in California. The automatic surface-observation system reported a 100-foot overcast and visibility between 1 and 1¾ miles. The ATP-rated pilot obtained a clearance for the localizer approach […]

Most pilots have at one time or another read an NTSB accident report created by the independent US agency responsible for investigating mishaps in all forms of transportation. And most of us have thought: “Wow. I’d never do anything as crazy as that pilot.” Yet pilots of all categories continue to make mind-numbing mistakes in […]

“What’s it doing now?” If you haven’t said or thought it in the cockpit, you’ve almost certainly heard it from someone else. The question often has to do with new technology in the cockpit or automation not doing what you think it should. With more and more advanced systems—particularly with regards to navigation—expectation bias is […]

ZeroAvia’s Piper M-class demonstrator—developed to test flight on hydrogen power—suffered an off-airport landing on April 29, 2021, just outside of the perimeter of the Cranfield airport in the UK. The aircraft was conducting a routine flight within the latter stages of its six-seat HyFlyer testing regime—which was expected to conclude in the next few weeks—recorded […]