Reader Mail

Can We Finally Prove The Impossible Turn Isn’t Impossible? For 30 years I’ve taught–based on numerous exercises and flight with experts, and by putting hundreds of pilots through the exercise in a type-specific Beech Bonanza simulator–that the decision isn’t between “straight ahead” and “land on the reciprocal runway.” Instead, it is a range of possibilities […]

EAA Launches Turn-Back Study Many variables. Only way to tell it to go up and practice it yourself in your plane and see what happens in different situations. Lower weight, stronger takeoff headwind, DA and many other things matter. My Maule can make it back under some circumstances but only if conditions are right and […]

Why Diamond’s Electric DA40 Could Be A Corner Turner Going the STC route is certainly an interesting approach. It’s inevitable that in the not-too-distant future (20, 50 years?) we will see a majority of new vehicles and light GA aircraft powered by something other than just an internal combustion engine, whether we like it or […]

Glider Rating Add-On: Upping Your Game As a glider instructor and tow pilot—DURDEN NAILED not only the essence of flying gliders (pure fun—no pretense of business related aeronautical travel) but HOW to learn! Yes, “racing glider” pilots can get caught up in aeronautical esoterica—but for most of us—it’s just FUN FLYING! You’ll be a better […]

Bad For Aviation One More Time Interesting article, Paul. It pretty well sums up the current status of aviation and where it is going in the future. Modern kids are as used to flashy electronics as my generation was to spinning wrenches and fiddling with carburetors. Their eyes glaze over looking at twitchy round gauge […]

Good Gravy, There’s Another Paul? It was great to read your story, Paul, and learn about that voice. I have been flying through Paul N.’s sector frequently the past few years and got to know the voice and appreciate his expertise. I was flying there the other week and heard many other pilots express their […]

AOPA Weather Survey Shows Rising App Use I often find myself wondering how we did it before Foreflight. Lots of time with the calculator, chart, rulers and red pencil. Phone calls to 1-800-BRIEF and frantic note taking, all with superimposed uncertainty and old information. In general, I’m against technology for technology’s sake, but this does […]

Go Get Lost Where were you Paul when I needed your humor the most? That would have been during the pre GPS era of the 1970s searching for that elusive first strip 6 degrees south of the Equator in central Africa. The end of dry season in those climes is characterized by clear, visibility 1 […]

Is There Room For Two Aviation Fuels? […]The market is responding to a very confused end user. Just look at the responses on this thread plus the recent unleaded avgas poll. Some pilots, aircraft owners, and many mechanics swear they can determine “engine damage” in aircraft engines that use non-ethanol auto-gas or mogas. That “engine […]

Stick A STEM On It I am a solo circumnavigator. In 2017 I followed Amelia Earhart’s route on the 80th anniversary of her flight. The reason most people don’t know who I am is because my flight ended differently. Regardless, I mention this because I have the experience both of preparing and of flying the […]