Features

The Weekender hopes to catch up with Santa Claus before his big cross-country flight next week, but he’s already on the move, according to SocialFlight. For starters, he’ll drop in via parachute at Bennington, Vermont’s Christmas fly-in Saturday. Stay for the holiday festivities with hot cocoa and a potluck lunch. Bring a dish to share […]

No matter how much automation we fly behind, no matter how many air-data computers are installed and no matter how simple it is, it’s likely a pitot-static system—pretty much like the one Lindbergh flew across the Atlantic—is what generates airspeed and some other basic flight information aboard the aircraft we fly. These systems are relatively […]

GCA Approach:“NXXXX, turn right one degree.” NXXXX:“No can do.” CGA Approach:“Well, then — turn left two degrees, then right three degrees.” Jack Dennehey

After features on tailwheel flying here in AVweb in July and November, it’s time to step up to the graduate-level issue for the topic. It’s tailwheel flying’s hot button question—whether three-point or wheel landings are “better” or safer. If you want to stir things up some evening when a bunch of tailwheel pilots are at […]

The Cirrus SR20 wasn’t the first “plastic” airplane, but the composite Cirrus was far enough along the cutting edge to stir up the pilot community. Of course, some loudly asserted that no “real” pilot would want one of those things—it’s got a parachute, for crying out loud. Yet the Cirrus SR20 and its offspring the […]

The Weekender will fly coast to coast on toy-delivery missions while enjoying plenty of Christmas celebrations found on SocialFlight.Casa Grande Municipal in Arizona welcomes all to its first holiday party on Saturday afternoon. Along with food and live music, there will be a toy and food donation drive for the local community.In Lompoc, California, Barnstormers […]

On a particularly stormy day in the Green Mountains of Vermont, I heard the following exchange between a flight on approach to BTV (Burlington, Vermont) and approach control. BTV approach:“NXXXAJ, how was the ride down?” NXXXAJ:“Rougher than a stucco bathtub.” Andrew Walker

The pilot wasn’t having much luck on his flight review. As he and his instructor were about to depart, the airport weather went from a manageable SCT006 to BKN006, requiring an IFR clearance. Since they had planned to depart VFR, they didn’t file an IFR flight plan. To top it off, the part-time tower was […]

Only a small percentage of the controller work force in the system today—or for that matter, in the past—are or have been pilots. Controllers are taught to perform the duties and provide the services that are outlined in the controller’s bible, the FAA Order 7110.65, Air Traffic Control Manual. While they have been made aware […]

Winter has already landed in some states, which means brushing up on cold-weather flying — unless you head west or south. The Weekender found destinations in four different regions onSocialFlight.Join fellow pilots for a fly-in breakfast followed by a free winter flying seminar Saturday in Lititz, Pennsylvania. Airframe icing will be the topic, covering avoidance […]