Features

We were approaching ORD from the east years ago in a B-727, which was famous for being able to descend very steeply, as long as it was not speed-restricted. ORD approach was changing from an east landing configuration to west, meaning that the airplanes over Lake Michigan were all going to end up high because […]

Scott Ernest was named Cessna’s new CEO this week after replacing the well-respected and occasionally outspoken Jack Pelton. What’s your advice for Ernest? (click to answer) Last Week’s Question: Results Want to see the current breakdown of responses? Take a moment to answer the question yourself, and then you can view real-time results. What’s On […]

Each week, we run a sampling of the letters received to our editorial inbox here in AVmail. One letter that’s particularly relevant, informative, or otherwise compelling will headline this section as our “Letter of the Week,” and we’ll send the author an official AVweb baseball cap as a “thank you” for interacting with us (and […]

I think it was one of my sons on his solo cross-country from Whiteman, CA (WHP). Bakersfield was one of his stops. He had tuned into Bakersfield BFL ground control. Before he called, he heard another pilot call ground control: Cessna 1234:“Bakersfield ground, Cessna 1234 ready for taxi to Los Angeles.” Ground Control:“Cessna 1234, that […]

According to the Wall Street Journal, the crew of Air France 447 got so wrapped up in the management of systems they forgot to “fly the airplane” as so many of us had drummed into us. Has automation made us safer – or more vulnerable? (click to answer) Last Week’s Question: Results Want to see […]

Each week, we run a sampling of the letters received to our editorial inbox here in AVmail. One letter that’s particularly relevant, informative, or otherwise compelling will headline this section as our “Letter of the Week,” and we’ll send the author an official AVweb baseball cap as a “thank you” for interacting with us (and […]

Here’s one I heard just a week or so ago from the non-fed tower at my home base, Johnson County Executive Airport (KOJC) in Olathe, Kansas (a suburb of Kansas City): Tower:“Cessna 1234, you are clear to land runway 18.” Cessna:“Clear to land 18 – and thanks for the help today.” Tower:“You bet. We do […]

Canada just turned down Diamond Aircraft’s request for a $35 million repayable loan. Was it the right decision? How much help should aviation companies get from government? (click to answer) Last Week’s Question: Results Want to see the current breakdown of responses? Take a moment to answer the question yourself, and then you can view […]

Each week, we run a sampling of the letters received to our editorial inbox here in AVmail. One letter that’s particularly relevant, informative, or otherwise compelling will headline this section as our “Letter of the Week,” and we’ll send the author an official AVweb baseball cap as a “thank you” for interacting with us (and […]

Cape Approach:“Skyhawk 12345, you have traffic at 2:00, five miles headed southeast.” Skyhawk 12345:“Looking for traffic.” Skyhawk 12345:“Is that 2:00 Eastern Time or Zulu?” Cape Approach:[silence] Dan Stoppevia e-mail