Features

This story originally appeared in KITPLANES. An August afternoon at Big Bear Lake in Southern California. Field elevation—6750 feet. Density altitude—8970 feet. Four seats—all full. Fuel tanks—full as well. I looked down the 7000-foot runway at the meadow that is often part of the lake. Many pilots have ended up there under just these conditions: […]

uAvionix made a name for itself with the innovative skyBeacon and tailBeacon ADS-B Out solutions‭. ‬These 978‭ ‬MHz UAT devices‭, ‬intended to replace a wingtip strobe and taillight‭, ‬respectively‭, ‬proved popular for owners wanting a cost-effective way to get ADS-B compliance without having to‭ ‬invest in a new transponder or install other equipment inside the […]

Check out the PIREP in the image above. Ken Fullett Naperville, IL

AVweb’s General Aviation Accident Bulletin is taken from the pages of our sister publication, Aviation Safety magazine. All the reports listed here are preliminary and include only initial factual findings about crashes. You can learn more about the final probable cause on the NTSB’s website at www.ntsb.gov. Final reports appear about a year after the […]

Altitude Changes Cut Contrail Effects This article riles me up! Based upon six weeks of study in Japan, a UK civil engineer is pontificating to the aviation industry (sic). I dug through my files and reminded myself of an interesting book, “Lukewarming: The New Climate Science that Changes Everything.” “When it comes to global warming, […]

Most of my articles for Aviation Safety focus on managing the risk of flying piston-powered general aviation aircraft, with examples of good and poor risk management. But risk management is at least equally critical in the world of operating airliners and turbine-powered transport category aircraft. Recent air carrier accidents provide illustration and lessons relevant to […]

By Ron Wanttaja This story originally appeared in our sister publication KITPLANES. There’s only one thing wrong with “homebuilt” (Experimental/Amateur-Built) aircraft: They take so gosh-darn long to build. But a lot of people have found the ultimate “quickbuild” alternative: They buy homebuilts that are already flying. No rivets to pound, no burned clothing from welding […]

Air Traffic Controllers can be very diplomatic in nudging us toward use of proper phraseology. I overheard this recently transiting NorCal airspace: Controller: “Coast Guard 123, traffic 11 o’clock, westbound, altitude indicates 3500 feet.” Coast Guard 123: “NorCal, Coast Guard 123, we have eyeballs on traffic.” (Pause) Controller: “Sorry, Coast Guard 123, I missed that. […]

AVweb’s General Aviation Accident Bulletin is taken from the pages of our sister publication, Aviation Safety magazine. All the reports listed here are preliminary and include only initial factual findings about crashes. You can learn more about the final probable cause on the NTSB’s website at www.ntsb.gov. Final reports appear about a year after the […]

Of Mice And Men Who Hate Them My solution to the rodent problem: 1. Own taildraggers only for personal airplanes, 2. Store the airplane with the tailwheel on top of a 2-foot-tall overturned plastic bucket, 3. Fly the airplane regularly. If 1 and 2 don’t keep mice away, 1 will at least give you a […]