Search Results for: vfr

Homebuilts: The New GA Market Homebuilt Litigation Growing Are Homebuilts Covered By GARA? Creation of a Homebuilt Aircraft Who Has  Liability Exposure? Defense #1: Modification Defense #2: Pilot Error Common Homebuilt Myths Exculpatory Agreements “Boilerplate” Disclaimers Conclusion Do you have a dream? Do you: If you pursue this dream, you will probably do so as […]

Pitch to Altitudeand Power to Airspeed?… or Power to Altitude and Pitch to Airspeed? Several years ago, a pilot examiner of my acquaintance would askhis private applicants one question and one question only during the oral portion of aflight test. The question was, “Which control makes the airplane go up?” If theapplicant answered, “The throttle […]

It had been a very good winter day. About adozen of us stuck around here in the pilot’s lounge after the sun went down, even thoughsnow was falling and a blizzard was forecast. We were getting warm after dealing with thechallenges of working with little airplanes in cold weather and talking about our daysand, of […]

This column was promptedby a recent enote from AVweb reader Marc Sabransky, who wrote me to ask about theapparent trend throughout the aviation community (and particularly the FAA) towardencouraging every certificated airplane pilot to get an IRA (Instrument Rating-Airplane).He posed the question: “Should every pilot be instrument-rated?” My answer isn’t just “No” but “Oh, Hell […]

Warbird Crews Wanted! Would you like to fly or work on one of these grand old machines? Its not thathard to do, and its really not that hard to get an opportunity. Like anything inthis business, you need to be at the right place at the right time, and have an idea howto act. As […]

NOTE: Air Chart Systems atlases, NOS IFR charts and plates, NOS Sectionals, WACs, Terminal Area Charts and other chart products may be purchased online. I‘ve got a confession to make. I’ve flown at least a hundred transcontinental trips during the past thirty years and, more often than not, I’ve flown them with outdated charts. There…I […]

Even when it’s working correctly, the FAA’s notam dissemination is seriously deficientwhen it comes to FDC or flight data center notams. These relate to regulatory and airspacenotifications and, most important, approach procedures and airways. You may have the patience of a Talmudic scholar and Bill Clinton’s eye for twisteddetail but you’ll still miss many FDC […]

Can’t do it? Rubbish! Yeah, I know, the handheld is notFAA-Approved, or TSO-129 compliant. Well, neither is a #2 pencil,but that doesn’t mean you need an FAA-approved pencil (yet) towrite down a clearance, and you don’t need an IFR-approved GPSto use one while IFR, either. I wouldn’t be so hot on this subject,except for the […]

After you’ve looked at the weather maps and read the observationsand forecasts for a flight, a quick glance at the latest satellite images can help bringeven the cloudiest weather picture into focus. Knowing how to interpret the images canalso help keep you away from dangerous weather.

This is a great time for NASA. It’s our 40th anniversary. Yesterday morning, we launched Deep Space One, our first electric propulsion probe; we will turn on that electric engine in about two weeks. In about a month, the first piece of the International Space Station will be launched. And in just five days now […]