Flight Safety

Nominate an FBO |Rules |Tips |Questions |Winning FBOs Not all great “FBO of the Week” recommendations start with a mechanical problem, but sometimes it’s just such a problem that makes an AVweb reader realize how important good support can be when something goes awry during a trip. Case in point: Jim Dunn recently found himself […]

The Real Deal click for a larger image Having an instrument rating doesn’t mean that you have to fly in the clouds-it just means that you can, legally. In fact, the FAA doesn’t require a pilot to have any experience whatsoever flying in actual IMC in order to qualify for, or maintain, an instrument rating. […]

Nominate an FBO |Rules |Tips |Questions |Winning FBOs AVweb‘s “FBO of the Week” ribbon goes to Tunica Air Center at UTA in Tunica, Mississippi. AVweb reader Steve Spinney did his research before a 600-mile flight and learned about the FBO online: I started by checking out their web site and also called and asked a […]

The airplane may not know it’s dark, but the pilot does, and the accident record shows it. AVweb‘s Thomas P. Turner helps reduce the risk of night flight. Added Risk Countering the argument that “The airplane doesn’t know if it’s light or dark,” the record clearly shows a greater number of aircraft accidents at night. […]

Nominate an FBO |Rules |Tips |Questions |Winning FBOs AVweb‘s “FBO of the Week” ribbon goes to an FBO at Warrensburg, Missouri’s Skyhaven Airport (KRCM) run by the Department of Aviation at the University of Central Missouri. AVweb reader Ryan Sanders gave the location his hearty recommendation: I cannot say enough about this FBO. I get […]

This article appeared in Light Plane Maintenance, Oct. 2008. The most important reason to have a multi-probe engine-diagnostic system is the in-flight diagnostic capability that such a system brings. If the pilot knows and understands the system, a multi-probe cylinder head temperature/exhaust gas temperature (CHT/EGT) system can serve as an unparalleled “early warning” device, pinpointing […]

Nominate an FBO |Rules |Tips |Questions |Winning FBOs AVweb‘s “FBO of the Week” ribbon goes to Galaxy Aviation at KSUA in Stuart, Florida. AVweb reader Adam Green recommended the FBO: Enroute VFR and had to divert to Stuart due to weather. Galaxy’s line guys were ready to greet us, and promptly helped us out of […]

This article originally appeared in Aviation Safety, July 2006. If asked, the FAA would probably say that the most-violated FARs involve serving as a pilot-in-command without the required recent experience for the operation, or the ubiquitous “careless and reckless” offense. After all, they might reason, the system is designed to prevent accidents or incidents, so […]

This article originally appeared in IFR magazine, Mar. 2006. Bill’s CFII was a 767 captain who wanted him to get as much real experience as possible. They hunted low-pressure systems from the West Coast to the Great Lakes during a wet February, sniffing out whatever light icing they could find. For those thinking, “Can you […]

We had our “Hey, Let’s Have a Barbeque” barbeque at the virtual airport recently. Of course it rained. I had retreated indoors to the Pilot’s Lounge, where pilots were blasting the TSA for its most recent screw-up. They were wondering how an organization that hired morons who climbed on TAT probes marked “No Step” while […]