Unicom—April 2024

Monday, April 22, 2024 at 06:09 PM ET

Verified

Dallas Mavericks point guard used his team's plane to deliver 40,000 pounds of supplies to his native Puerto Rico in the wake of Maria. Dallas Mavericks

Key Takeaways:

Military flight training, particularly carrier landing experience, can instill valuable habits like on-speed landings and enhance a pilot's effectiveness as a civilian CFI.
Aircraft owners often bear the financial burden of recurring manufacturing defects in engines (e.g., worn camshafts), with manufacturers reportedly not offering recalls or covering costs in the same way auto companies would.
While acknowledging the need for prompt action in emergencies, a methodical and practiced approach to cockpit procedures, rather than rushing, is advocated for maintaining control and ensuring safety, especially during critical maneuvers like go-arounds.

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Military Training vs. GA

Good article by Matt Johnson in the April 2024 issue, “Military vs. GA.” The picture of the A-4 Navy Skyhawk is from my old squadron, VA-172 Bluebolts. I also became a civilian CFI after five years of active duty and three of reserve flying, and 30 years without flying.

In 2001, I took a flight review in a Cessna 150, my first time piloting a civilian aircraft. Three hours of dual and I was signed off. I believe the carrier landing experience ingrained on-speed landings firmly in my mind. The military experience also made me a better CFI.