Features

The airplane may not know it’s dark, but the pilot does, and the accident record shows it. AVweb‘s Thomas P. Turner helps reduce the risk of night flight. Added Risk Countering the argument that “The airplane doesn’t know if it’s light or dark,” the record clearly shows a greater number of aircraft accidents at night. […]

[AVweb’s reprint of A Pilot’s History began with Chapter 1.] Today, I look back on the years of stimulating growth in aviation during World War II. As a pilot, I saw great nations competing against one another to design and build aircraft in huge numbers, upon which their very survival would depend. The best brains […]

[AVweb’s reprint of A Pilot’s History began with Chapter 1.] Jeanne and I did some boating and relaxed as a family. I wrote a letter to Arthur Vining Davis letting him know I was free from any contracts and, if he cared to speak to me regarding employment, I was readily available. I soon received […]

Overheard in IFR Magazine‘s “On the Air” While cruising at flight level, we heard the following between an American Airlines airliner and Miami Center: Airliner:“Center, American XXXX looking for higher.” Miami Center (female voice):“Didn’t hear you check in.” Airliner:“First time I’ve heard your voice. I must’ve forgotten.” Miami Center“That happens when you’re over twenty-six or […]

This Week’s Question |Previous Week’s Answers PREVIOUS RESULTS *** Last week, on the seventh anniversary of the World Trade Center terrorist attack, we asked AVweb readers to give us their opinion on air security today. 34% of those who took time to answer our informal poll agreed with the assessment that security is improved greatly, […]

Sikorsky Fly by Wire UH60 The first fly-by-wire helicopter was a UH60 (AVwebFlash, Aug. 31), but it was developed by Boeing back in 1985. I know because I was the Flight Test Engineer.The system was called ADOCS and it contained not only a fly-by-light, fiber-optic control system, but also a fly-by-wire backup system as well.Here […]

Overheard in IFR Magazine‘s “On the Air” Corporate Jet Captain:“San Jose Clearance Delivery, clearance on request for [airport name deleted to protect the guilty].” San Jose Clearance:“Didn’t I just give you that clearance?” [pause] Corporate Jet Captain:“My first officer is nodding yes. Sorry about that, but otherwise our airborne cockpit resource management is outstanding.” Michael […]

This Week’s Question |Previous Week’s Answers PREVIOUS RESULTS *** Last week, we asked what AVweb readers think of the Martin Jetpack – specifically when it comes to the question of whether or not they’d like to own one. The biggest segment of our readers, 39% of you told us the much-hyped jetpack looks like a […]

We had our “Hey, Let’s Have a Barbeque” barbeque at the virtual airport recently. Of course it rained. I had retreated indoors to the Pilot’s Lounge, where pilots were blasting the TSA for its most recent screw-up. They were wondering how an organization that hired morons who climbed on TAT probes marked “No Step” while […]

Overheard in IFR Magazine‘s “On the Air” Into Tampa, Florida at night, I overheard the controller misspeak to the airliner ahead of me in the line-up for landing: Tower:“Airline 123, you’re number three of two – wait, that’s number two of three. Sorry.” Airliner:“That’s okay, five out of three pilots have dyslexia, anvway.” Travis Eddlemanvia […]