Features

Most instrument rated pilots log about 10 percent of their flight time in IMC. That same percentage holds true for night operations. When you combine the two, encountering IMC at night is a rare occurrence for many. Most of us recognize that night IMC presents a high risk environment (statistically five-times more so than day […]

The Weekender’s SocialFlight calendar is already packed for the next two weekends at AirVenture in Oshkosh, and there’s plenty more to do if you’re flying to Wisconsin or looking for other destinations to check out over the next few days. If you’re heading to Oshkosh from the east, the Twin County Airport in Virginia is […]

Of all the major components of a conventional airplane, the tail—empennage, if you prefer—may be the least understood. Yes, we generally know it’s there to help balance and stabilize the airplane’s attitude in flight, and to help control yaw and pitch, but that’s often the extent to which we paid attention in ground school. If […]

It’s funny how a rendezvous with old friends can inspire acts of either derring-do or works of complete insanity. Sometimes you just can’t help yourself. I attended the Dawn Patrol Rendezvous in 2005, flying a Dennis Wiley-designed Jenny and came away with a terrible resolve after talking with Robert Baslee during the dedication dinner. We […]

The Weekender will put money down for the chance at some freebies – a tandem skydive in Michigan and a flight lesson in Vermont, all while enjoying vintage aircraft and live music at several events found on SocialFlight. Gould Peterson Memorial Airport in Tarkio, Missouri, will host EAA Chapter 1405’s 12th annual WingNuts Flying Circus […]

At San Carlos Airport, there is a lot of pilot training that occurs, so it is common to hear interesting radio calls. One day, a helicopter pilot reported to the tower:“We’re with you at 700 feet.”… but did not provide a location. The tower controller responded:“If I were in the airplane with you, where would […]

Airshow season is at its height and hundreds of thousands of people are flocking to watch some of the coolest airplanes on the planet being flown by some of the finest pilots around. At the same time, summer weather means the backcountry airstrips are open and pilots with a certain lust for adventure are taking […]

It’s been over a decade since we last looked at aviation life rafts. While there have been noteworthy changes in the industry, numerous evolutionary improvements and some new offerings, it’s also a case of the more things change, the more they stay the same. Winslow still, in our opinion, offers the best rafts—you pay a […]

The Weekender’s Fourth of July will be packed with stuff to fly to and enjoy, as seen on the SocialFlight calendar. For Independence Day fun with grassroots flying, there’s the Ogle County Airport’s summer Best in the Midwest breakfast in Illinois. The fixings include pancakes, Eichmans ham and sausage, hash browns, eggs, blueberry topping, applesauce, […]

Flying from Boeing Field in Seattle to the San Juan Islands, I was monitoring the departure frequency when I heard a pilot report that he’d seen an eagle near the inbound course to 12 right at BFI. An unknown pilot asked:“What was he squawking?” Ed Griswold (Griz)