Flight Safety

A final rule affecting howairlinepilots are trained went into effect on Tuesday, the FAA announced. The rule, which stems mainly from investigations following the Colgan Air crash in 2009, has long been in the works, and recently was delayed by the federal government’s shutdown over funding disputes. The rule, which the FAA said will cost […]

When two airplanes carrying skydivers collidedabove Wisconsin on Saturday, many of the jumpers were equipped with video cameras, and some of that film is now turning up online. The nine skydivers all jumped safely, along with one of the pilots; the second pilot was able to safely land his damaged Cessna 185. The other airplane, […]

Pilots decide to buy their own airplane for a variety of reasons. It could be a business decision, helping ensure cover-age of a relatively wide sales area, or perhaps an aerial photography business. Specialized flight training-like acro, or a quicky instrument rating-also can be a reason. Recreation or personal transportation is yet another. One of […]

While flying in the “northwest practice area” about 10 miles northwest of Columbus, Georgia listening to Atlanta Approach, I heard this exchange: ATL:“Piper 123, we have you as a PA-28, but your airspeed suggests otherwise.” Piper 123:“No, we are a PA-34.” ATL:“O.K. I’ll update your plan to show you have an extra engine today.” Chris […]

Some days it just doesn’t pay to go to the airport. Canada’s Transportation Safety Board is reporting that a Beech 1900D operated by Wasaya Airways was heavily damaged by a baggage cart in October at the northern Ontario village of Muskrat Dam. The aircraft was on the ramp with its engines running when Murphy took […]

A total of 11 people in two skydive aircraft escaped relatively unscathed after a midair collision near Superior in northwestern Wisconsin on Saturday. There were four skydivers and a pilot in one aircraft and five jumpers and a pilot in the second plane when the second plane contacted the first. “We were just a few […]

Letter of the Week:Undetected Crashes Noting the incident at Nashville Airport, I, too, once had an undetected crash on what is now Runway 20C — it was runway 20L at the time — in the early 1970s. I was the non-flying pilot in a Cessna 195 during the attempted landing. During the rollout, the FP […]

A nine-foot statue of Korean War ace and Vietnam veteran Brig. Gen. James Robinson Robbie Risner still stands at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, but the man himself was lost to the world with his passing at his home, Oct. 22. Throughout his career, Risner earned three Distinguished Flying Crosses, two Silver Stars, […]

At last weeks Redbird training conference, I wouldnt say the attitude toward using LSAs in training was exactly hostile, but it wasnt warm and fuzzy, either. During his talk on the Redhawk diesel, Redbirds Roger Sharp said that LSA resale values are a relative unknown and, at least in Redbirds view, LSAs havent yet demonstrated […]

The TSA says it’s unlikely security processes at U.S. airports will change much following the shooting at LAX on Friday. The agency said in a statement that“passengers may see an increased presence of local law enforcement officers throughout the country” but there are no immediate plans to arm security staff or change procedures. Meanwhile, 23-year-old […]