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The U.S. pilot population doesnt have a good track record with weather safety. Inadvertent VFR into IMC was responsible for over half of 2010s 55 weather-related accidents, of which 83 percent proved fatal. Projections are for that to get worse. Do we just not see the weather coming, causing us to innocently fly where we shouldnt? …

ATC has myriad restrictions and rules, all of which are designed to maximize safety and, believe it or not, also maximize overall efficiency. But, sometimes that overall view of things just doesnt work out for you. Youve got three choices: 1) Comply with the instruction, 2) Tell em youre unable, and 3) Work out an alternative to meet your needs and the controllers.

Given the many things to anxiously anticipate in life, the twice-yearly AIM updates do not likely make the list. Grinding through all that turgid prose behind the update is probably even less popular than updating your Jepp charts, if youve ever done that.

At about 0948 Pacific time, the airplane collided with a 760-foot-tall radio transmission tower while in the traffic pattern at the Fullerton (Calif.) Municipal Airport. The Private pilot and passenger sustained fatal injuries; the airplane was substantially damaged. Visual conditions prevailed. Subsequently, a witness stated he observed the airplane flying low, in a westerly direction. He noted that the airplane was in a wings-level attitude and that the propeller appeared to be turning. The airplane continued towards two parallel towers, both of which had numerous guy wires attached. He observed the inboard section of the airplanes left wing collide with the taller tower, impacting about…