Flight Planning

Six aviation associations released a document detailing a series of communications best practices for FBOs on Wednesday. “Know Before You Go” (PDF) calls on FBOs to provide clear, complete and easily accessible online descriptions of available services, along with all associated prices and fees. The organizations, which include the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA), […]

Thanks to the contents of the FAA’s new airman certification standards (ACS), which are replacing the practical test standards (PTS), most applicants for pilot certificates and ratings must now demonstrate that they can identify, assess and mitigate risk. Although the FAA and industry organizations have developed flight risk assessment tools (FRATs) to help pilots identify […]

As the oft-paraphrased aphorism goes, all is well when the ties that bind us are stronger than the stresses that can separate us. The same goes for parking an aircraft. When we properly secure it after a flight, it’s reasonable to expect it’ll be there when we return. Once we release the ties that bind […]

The Government Accountability Office has bitten on AOPA’s two-year-long campaign to end what it says is gouging by FBOs at some airports. At the request of House Transportation Chairman Bill Shuster and aviation subcommittee chairman Frank LoBiondo the GAO is specifically looking at whether the FAA is doing its job ensuring airports that receive federal […]

I heard the following somewhere over Kentucky: Approach: “Cirrus 123, contact Center on 124.125.” Cirrus: “Cirrus 123 uhhh, switching to 124.2.” Approach: “Cirrus 123 the frequency is 124.125, twenty‑four, twelve, five.” Cirrus: “Uhhh, was that 122.12?” Approach: “No, 124‑decimal‑125.” Cirrus: “Roger, ahh 124.25” Approach: “Cirrus, the frequency is One. Two. Four. Point. One. Two. Fife.” […]

Aircraft Performance Group (APG) caters to the jet market with, among other services, the iPreflight iPad app for iOS. The draw is the app’s ability to crunch precise runway performance data based on a variety of customizable variables, including aircraft loading. Moreover, APG says its app meets regulatory requirements for engine-out performance calculations. But the […]

I recently heard this at Detroit Metropolitan Airport: Tower: “Airliner 123, left turn to heading 185. Cleared for takeoff 21R.” Pilot: “Right turn 185, cleared for takeoff 21R.” Tower: “That’s a left turn, 185.” Pilot: “Left turn 185 … that would’ve been a really long right turn.” Tower (completely deadpan): “It’s been done.” Chris Iriarte […]

ForeFlight’s Angela Anderson demonstrated the company’s new Trip Assistant for AVweb at the NBAA convention this year. In addition to time in the air, the door-to-door trip planning tool can include drive times, fuel stops and prices, passenger pick-up and more. view on YouTube