Seriously, aircraft engines should be hard to start. Personally, I find the start—quick and easy, or filled with frustration—is an indicator of how the flight is going to go. It’s also a visceral experience of animating what had been, only moments before, a lifeless hunk of metal. Think about it. You’re walking out to the […]

Every student pilot (and no, I am not going to call you a “learner”) is familiar with the forced landing exercise. The airplane is out in the practice area and the instructor pulls the throttle to idle and tells you the engine just failed. You then frantically look around for a field to land in, […]