Features

Lockheed FSS Needs Help! Re: the article in the June 29 AVweb, “Lockheed wants your feedback” …I’ve been trying to register/logon for several days without success. “Registration is never activated, no email confirmation sent, etc.”I’ve noticed a significant decline in FSS service since Lockheed took over. In almost 50 years of flying I can count […]

Like the changing of seasons, I imagine this scene happens at regular intervals through the year: The managing editor of some large technology magazine catches a story on the net about some crazy aviation idea that could revolutionize the industry, make flying possible for every man, woman and (quite possibly) child on the planet with […]

You know me. I’m the “To TBO and Beyond” guy. I believe in running engines as long as they’re demonstrably healthy, even if that means going beyond the manufacturer’s recommended TBO. Nothing disturbs me more than when I hear about owners who are talked into tearing down an engine that’s running just fine (or talk […]

Whooping Cranes Whooping cranes born in the wild is a first (On The Fly, Jun. 29)? Chicks being “born” at all seems pretty amazing!Ed Wischmeyer Stay Away From Nuclear Plants Regarding your story about departure routes over a nuclear power plant (NewsWire, Jun. 29): “… the FAA’s proposed new departure routes from Westchester County Airport […]

Flying high… Delta: Center, Delta 123 request higher. Center: Delta 123, climb and maintain Flight Level 500. (long pause) Center: Delta 123, how much higher did you want? Delta: Center, Flight Level 390 would be fine. (pause) Thanks for asking.

You don’t land a Champ or a Luscombe in the same manner as you land a B767 or an MD-88, but the principles are the same. Both kinds of airplanes require your full attention until you have them parked, chocked and shut down.Landing a tail-dragger only begins with the touchdown. Once the tires kiss the […]

This Week’s Question |Last Week’s Question PREVIOUS RESULTS *** LSA has officially been with us for more than a year now – and lastweek AVweb asked if the Sport Pilot Rule is really bringing new pilotsinto the fold. The greater part of you who took time to answer last week’s question(46%, to be exact) thought […]

Power Lines Threaten Private Strip I live in Ontario and own a small strip with a hanger. Five years ago a cell phone company tried to force a tower into my circuit area. I forced them to move outside my private zone. We have a rule laid out by the Canadian government that states you […]

With age comes wisdom…Overheard while flying the Philly Class B: PHL Tower: US Air 123 cleared to land Runway 27R. US Air 123: Cleared to land runway 26R. PHL Tower: I wish we had a 26R. But you are cleared to land runway 27R. US Air 123: Apologies, sir. Realized the mistake as it left […]

This article originally appeared in IFR Refresher, January 2005. When should the pilot-in-command of a flight decide that he is not going to fly a particular approach, or perhaps a particular flight, due to marginal or below-minimums weather?We all know that under Part 91 we can fly an approach even when the weather is reported […]