Features

On April 19, at approximately 11:10 am EDT, a Cessna 210A, N6579X, rapidly descended into remote mountainous terrain near Ludville, Georgia, after entering an area of thunderstorms. The pilot, well-known test pilot A. Scott Crossfield, the sole occupant, was fatally injured. Instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) prevailed at the time of the accident. The accident flight […]

F-22 Airshow Debut You state that this is the first time the F-22 has traveled to a civilian airshow (NewsWire, Apr. 10). In fact, the F-22 did a flyby at the Centennial of Flight celebration in 2003 at Kitty Hawk, N.C. Specifically, the flyby occurred on Dec. 16, one day before the actual anniversary. I […]

Proudlyflyingmy new Lancair Columbia 350intoTucson International, having been cleared for the visual to 11L, I heard this interchange with a regional jet: Tower:RJ1234 you’re cleared for the visual following the Columbia on a one mile final. (pause) RJ1234: …I’m following the Space Shuttle?!!

This article originally appeared in Aviation Safety, January 2004. Currency, endorsements, certificates and “all available information” notwithstanding, the safety of flight depends on the pilot not exceeding his or her capabilities — except for that small minority of accidents caused by calamitous mechanical failure. That’s easy to say, but somewhat more difficult to live by.What […]

Airliner Anti-Missile System In regards to Ed Connely’s assertions that an explosive bullet fired into a full tank of fuel would cause an explosion (AVmail, Apr. 3), I was once present at an incident where a pencil flare was accidentally fired through the deck of a helicopter and into a fuel tank full of JP-5. […]

“Ive overheard this at the tower frequency at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport (EHAM) in The Netherlands…” Tower: KL123 you are cleared to land on runway 24 KL123: (with a loud background noise) Thank you sir, KL123 cleared to land runway 24 Tower: KL123, what is that high noise on the background? KL123: It’s just normal cockpit […]

It had been a while since I’d had an FAA inspector in my jump seat and I was grateful that it was for a short leg from New York to Detroit. You usually don’t see FAA guys on the seat on a transcontinental leg unless they really want to get to LAX for some non-fuzz […]

Vintage Aircraft Category It may be worthwhile for EAA & AOPA to take a look at the French system for “orphaned” aircraft (NewsWire, Mar. 27). They are able to keep aircraft flying where the manufacturer has folded, and thus parts are no longer available. Basically, maintenance becomes owner responsibility, and is managed similar to kit […]

Overheard while being vectored to the ILS 10 at KMSY the other day: Approach: Jet 123, maintain 9,000. Jet 123: Um, ok, we’re gonna go through it. Approach: That’s ok, climb and maintain 10,000. Jet 123: Uh, we’re on our way back down to 9,000, now. Approach: Well, 10 is available, you’re welcome to climb […]