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Radar Argentina is not the only place where the radar is not working (AVwebFlash, May 20). I spent three months flying helicopters offshore in Trinidad in close proximity to Piarco, the international airport. Lots of helicopters and airliners with everyone making position reports in various forms of English with varying degrees of accuracy. A disaster […]

Want to practice a single maneuver that can teach volumes about safely flying airplanes? Consider the steep turn — perhaps the perfect training and proficiency maneuver.Steeps turns are a required Task for all airplane pilot certificates — Recreational, Sport, Private, Commercial and Airline Transport Pilot. The Practical Test Standards (PTS) for each certificate tell the […]

What with costs, price hikes and user fees, you have to thank God for AOPA fighting our corner on high. Its international arm, IAOPA, performs sterling work in keeping GA alive if not kicking in Europe. Presently headed by Regional Vice President Dr. Ruedi Gerber, the organization consists of several national AOPAs that are in […]

AFSS Consolidation Just got back from flying this afternoon and I’m convinced that Lockheed-Martin (LM) has screwed up the FSS consolidation (Question of the Week, May 3).My [airplane] just got out of annual so I left work a little early to do my own test flight out of Manassas, Va., (in the ADIZ). I called […]

This article originally appeared in Aviation Consumer, May 2005. We like to think we remain instantly abreast of every important development in general aviation and now we’re in possession of a scientific discovery only we can reveal to the world: If you want your phone to ring off the hook, your fax machine to choke […]

Last week we had a little celebration in the Pilot’s Lounge at the virtual airport. One of the students passed his Private Pilot checkride, so the flight school put out soft drinks and snacks. It’s something the flight school does when someone completes a rating. I like it. I think it goes a long way […]

This article originally appeared in Aviation Safety, Mar. 2005. On March 27, 2003, at 0113 Eastern time, a Rockwell 690B broke up in flight and was destroyed in the vicinity of Homerville, Ga. Instrument conditions prevailed at the airplane’s cruising altitude; an IFR flight plan was filed. The flight originated from Mount Pleasant, Tenn., and […]

On one of the mail lists I frequent, a newcomer wondered why people bothered to look outside on takeoff, and stated that he was deliberately “eyes inside,” focused on the instruments from liftoff to 1,000 AGL.Well!He got well and truly (but nicely) roasted, and a very lively discussion followed. In trying to quantify things, the […]

Recently, I heard from an aircraft owner who had just discovered something worrisome during an owner-assisted annual: Great questions!Let me start by saying that this owner was wise to ask for a second opinion at this point. That’s always a smart move any time you have a question or concern about the advice you’re getting, […]