Flight Planning

Imagine a Piper J-3 Cub parked beside a mighty double-decker Airbus A380. The two airplanes couldn’t be more different, yet both function on the same four principles: thrust, drag, lift, and weight. The 1.2 million pound Airbus just scales them up a thousand times over the 1,200-pound Piper. Each aircraft is designed for its purpose. […]

Years ago, we were approaching Cleveland on a clear Sunday afternoon. Accompanied by nearly unbearable static, we heard an obviously nervous light plane pilot trying to tell Hopkins tower where he was, how high he was, and what he wanted to do. When he finally (and mercifully) finished, the tower calmly replied with a clearance […]

Heard this exchange on the radio a few (many) years ago. Cessna 123:“Center, Cessna 123 with you at angels eight five.” ATC:“Cessna 123, traffic 2 o’clock, four miles, eastbound. Say altitude.” Cessna 123:“No joy. Angels eight five. Looking.” ATC:“Cessna 123, say altitude.” Cessna 123:“Angels eight five.” ATC:“Cessna 123, we’re not making a war movie here. […]

I love GPS. It’s absolutely great the way you can program the most complex route from anywhere to anywhere else. With a little help from your friends at the other end of the radio, you can often even just make a straight (great-circle) line to your destination, or at least to some intermediate point. GPS […]

A little late, perhaps, but we couldn’t pass this one up. After the National Conference playoff game between Green Bay and Seattle in Seattle Sunday night, the Boeing Field ATIS went through the normal weather, approach, and NOTAMS, and at the end the controller said: “On initial contact inform ATC you have information ‘Russell Wilson.’” […]

After last week’s Short Final, we had quite a few tongue-twisters in our submission box. If you have one – by all means, scroll down and click on the link to tell us! Back in the early 1960s, I was a USAF F-101B Voodoo interceptor pilot flying out of the San Francisco Bay area. Every […]

Those dreaming of flying to Cuba in their own aircraft will have to wait for now. Even though the U.S. has liberalized travel restrictions to the island nation and some airlines are gearing up for scheduled service, the virtual ban on flying a private aircraft from the U.S. to Cuba remains in effect. “The rules […]

Years ago, I was a 727 first officer and was flying with Captain Chester Hector. We were eventually going to cross an intersection called Hector. I couldn’t resist. I got on the radio and asked: “This is United 123. Captain Chester Hector requests a vector direct to Hector.” Of course, the controller came right back […]

Saturday, December 6, approximately 18:00 local time, I am sitting on the ramp at KTMB waiting on an IFR clearance. Here is the conversation I hear: N1234:“Tamiami Ground, N1234 at T hangar, ready for taxi.” KTMB Ground:“N1234, I don’t see you. Taxi up to and hold short of taxiway E.” [pause] KTMB Ground:“N1234, I see […]

On New Year’s Day 2014, my friends and I were flying to the CA-AZ RV fly-in at Lake Havasu. While crossing a “cold” MOA that was normally used for air refueling tracks, my RV-10 encountered a RV-6 that continued in the 8 o’clock low position; it was obviously going to the fly-in, but I felt […]