Flight Planning

It was one of those days where the winds were very gusty, and the pattern was just a mess at ILG (Wilmington, DE). It’s a training site for controllers and downwinds were being extended by miles, clearances were changing, and everything was just a bit messy. Combined with the gusts, it wasn’t a fun day. […]

We flew a group of customers from North Carolina to Canada for a factory visit. This was a part 91 corporate trip, in a King Air 200.When we returned several days later, our Canadian airport had turned into the ice planet of Hoth: not just snow but ice everywhere. We got clearance to taxi from […]

I had just departed a famous airport and proceeded on course. Tower: Cessna XYZ, what is your heading? Cessna XYZ: XYZ heading Southwest. Tower: Cessna XYZ, what is your heading? Cessna XYZ: XYZ heading Southwest. Tower (agitated): Cessna XYZ, I need to know your heading Cessna XYZ: XYZ heading Southwest. Tower (very agitated): Cessna XYZ, […]

Every year around this time, when the days are short and nights are long and cold, we can’t help spending some time thinking about the future. A new calendar provides the illusion of a fresh start, though in reality the Earth continues its elliptical orbit, as it has for millions of years, oblivious to our […]

Heard at ILG (Wilmington, DE) on a Sunday. ILG is a training site for ATC, and also has very, very patient controllers. Tower: Cherokee XYZ, let me explain how we do things. When I give you a clearance, you need to read it back so I know you understood. Cherokee XYZ: OK, I understand. Tower: […]

I was that stage of my instrument training where I was struggling to keep the shiny side up while monitoring radios, tuning navaids, and looking at approach charts. My instructor and I were shooting a Localizer approach to 17R at David Wayne Hooks airport in Houston. It was during the winter and already dark. Thankfully, […]

If you’re setting up a personal hangar for light DIY wrenching, it’s worth following the lead of maintenance shops that know what’s good. Walk through a real maintenance hangar and you won’t have to look hard to spot the Snap-On tool logo. Whether it’s a gigantic rolling tool cabinet or a pair of cutters, there’s […]

Ed. Note: Each Friday we will be offering glimpses from the training world. CFIs are welcome to add their stories to the never-ending lexicon of student miscues. Send to newsteam@avweb.com. Mismanaging fuel—as in managing to miss fueling—is a perennial favorite as pilots try to go the extra mile without the extra juice. Consider a California […]

The FAA has responded to recent complaints from AOPA and others about rising costs and limited access at some FBOs at public-use airports, issuing a document that aims to clarify the issues. The six-page Q&A (PDF) spells out the various obligations of the FAA, the airport sponsors, the FBO and aeronautical users. “This is an […]

We were in a long holding pattern at STL on a typical bad day there. Approach Control gave a direct clearance to another aircraft and canceled his hold. Pilot: “Roger, cleared direct; you read my mind.” Anonymous voice: “It was a short book.” Tom Wilson