Features

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 […]

This Week’s Question |Previous Week’s Answers PREVIOUS RESULTS *** Last week, we asked whether certain types of aircraft (e.g. experimentals, homebuilts) be restricted at airports in densely populated areas. Despite a few well-deserved chidings for not clarifying the difference between an “experimental” and a “homebuilt” aircraft (see this week’s AVmail), we received quite a few […]

406 MHz ELTs in Canada What has not been said (AVwebFlash, Aug. 19) is that when the new rule goes into effect, all aircraft operating in Canadian airspace, with a few minor exceptions, will require a 406 MHz ELT. This will include the hundreds of American-registered aircraft that transit Canada. The trip to Alaska will […]

Overheard on a scanner recently at St. John’s International Airport (CYYT): An inbound commercial flight was getting the bad news from the tower that conditions for the active runway were 200 feet and 1/4 mile in heavy fog. Controller and aircraft discussed alternatives for a few minutes before the pilot, knowing his passengers were going […]

This Week’s Question |Previous Week’s Answers PREVIOUS RESULTS *** Last week, we asked whether electronic emergency locator transmitters (ELTs) should be required equipment in the cockpit. The largest segment of respondents to our unscientific poll said it should be up to the pilot, accounting for 42% of readers who answered. The rest of your responses […]

In many ways, the Pitts Special is responsible for the current state of amateur and professional aerobatics. First flown in 1944 (or 1945-sources vary) as a single-seat homebuilt with only a 55-HP engine, the type has developed into todays highly refined and FAA-certified, two-seat, 300-HP aerial hot rod used for advanced training and-at least in […]

There is no cockpit seat in our airline more uncomfortable and embarrassing than the jumpseat on the MD-88.First, it isn’t really a seat so much as a giant, Chiclet-shaped, folded cushion that is hung in the cockpit by the most secure and opening-proof, metallic click-lock ever invented in this or any other universe. To release […]

Here’s a story from above the Polar Circle: I am involved in a voluntary home defense pilot group in the northern part of Sweden. We only fly Cessnas and Pipers on a regular basis, and our pilots are mainly bush pilots, not accustomed to using the radio often. During a training weekend at a controlled […]

[AVweb’s reprint of A Pilot’s History began with Chapter 1.] Jenks had done a very good job on the executive aircraft (see Chap. 10, Part 1), proving he was a very talented man. A few days later, he had a meeting with Al and Ray and thereafter did not appear at work. Thomas, the individual […]