Features

Many years ago, I was on a midsummer drive in the country when I spotted a few Cubs, Champs and other vintage light airplanes in the distance flying in circles at low altitude. It looked like they were dropping something. Sensing something fun going on, I headed in that direction and was able to locate […]

Most Grumman American AA1s had similar tail numbers, many ending in Lima, like mine. I was making a short hop in my little blue two-seater from Nashua, New Hampshire (KASH), southbound to Hanscom Field in Bedford, Massachusetts (KBED). Having once been based at KBED, the routine was well set in my muscle memory. I called […]

As the legend goes, a long conga line of airliners stretched down the taxiway at (pick your big-city airport of choice). The weather was getting steamier, and so was the tone of voice between the pilots and the harried controller. Scheduled arrival times—and some duty limits—were hanging in the balance, and so was the controller’s […]

Back in the late 1970s, I worked in the admissions office for the A&P training program at East Coast Aero Technical School in Lexington, Massachusetts (some of you may have heard of that town). The pilots and aircraft owners on the staff would often take new members of the office staff up for an airplane […]

From IFR Magazine reader Ashok Joshi: Taxiing to depart for our home in New Hampshire after picking my wife up at New York JFK Airport in my Bonanza, I was in line between a pair of Southwest Boeing 737s. As we waited for clearance to cross Runway 13/31, the ground controller said, “Southwest 123 cleared […]

From AVweb reader Adam Broun: I was flying in the Northeast a few days ago, monitoring 121.5. I heard seven clicks on guard, then a couple of comments from anonymous pilots… “I don’t think that’s going to work.”“I think the sun is already switched on.”

During my primary flight training, I hung out a lot at the local airport, getting to know the pilots and their airplanes. One guy in particular, we’ll call him “Tom,” stood out; he was a family friend and employed by a local company to fly his boss around in a Piper Twin Comanche. One day I […]

From an AVweb reader: I conduct airfield vehicle driver training at a large-hub Part 139 airport with a very complex layout. The training for each driver ends with a practical evaluation where the driver has to call ATC to get directions to navigate the field safely and efficiently, so a major part of the evaluation […]

One morning on departure from Peoria International Airport: Peoria Approach: “I bet you didn’t think you were going to get this type of workout when you asked for the clearance into the Class Charlie, did you?” Cessna: “Peoria approach, student pilot here. I enjoy the workout.” Peoria Approach: “Roger that.” Unknown aircraft: “If he’s a […]

I was inbound for landing at Reid‐Hillview airport and had a traffic alert off to my left, 300 feet higher and faster. About a minute after the traffic alert the tower told me I had traffic above and to the left of me. I replied that I did not have traffic in sight. Tower said, […]