Flight Safety

Everyone I told about my upcoming checkride wished me “Good Luck.” Why did I need luck? Luck is for the incompetent. I only needed their blessing for good weather, because I was trained to fly “good.” Maybe if I keep telling myself that, I will start to believe it. In trying to remain confident, my […]

Several years ago here on AVweb I wrote an Eye of Experience column entitled “Eye of Experience #17: I Can’t Believe They Did That,” dealing with unusual events I witnessed over a 17-year career as a Designated Pilot Examiner (DPE). At that time, I promised more of these reflections of a DPE. Now it is […]

Hello again, class. This series of 300-level classes will be dealing with the structure of airspace. This particular article will be about airspace stratums. While most everyone is comfortable thinking in terms of lateral boundaries depicted by almost any chart, air traffic control must be thought of in three dimensions. Unfortunately, we are not all […]

WARNING: The techniques and procedures described in this column can definitely be hazardous to your health and life. I do not encourage anyone to fly at these altitudes unless they have experience in an altitude chamber, have AT LEAST the equipment described, and know the subject and their limitations thoroughly. Mountaineers call altitudes above 25,000 […]

Ordinarily, as summer winds down here at the virtual airport, the Pilot’s Lounge regulars are engrossed in planning their hundred-dollar-hamburger trips in directions that will give them the best scenery as the fall colors start to show. But this year, discussion of the continued high level of incompetence at the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), and […]

Jim Slade was born December 4,1936, in Morgantown, W.Va. As a kid he washed airplanes for flight time, earning his pilot’s certificate 15 minutes at a time. His deep voice and ability to think on his feet pointed him to a career in radio journalism, and during his 40 years in the business he covered […]

I just finished a partial-panel approach, with one engine feathered and a load of ice, to 200 and 1/2, and I can’t wait to try it again! No, I’m not crazy. I flew the approach on the PC-based flight simulator that I have set up in my home office. (click images for larger version) I […]

Please forgive me if I rant and rave here, but I simply can’t help it when I see what’s happening to that which I love dearly – aviation. Although I am solely responsible for the opinions expressed here, I am sure that thousands of GA pilots share these opinions. And although the subject of this […]

Do you know the most common mistake a solo student can make to cause an accident during takeoff and landing? Do you practice to avoid it, or spend lots of time with your students on it? Before you send a student up again, you may want to read Brett Justus’ article. Ask any flight instructor […]

Welcome back class. Now that we have you up in the air, we have to figure out a way to get you back down. As you have no doubt been told by your CFII, this part is not optional. Failure to successfully complete this section of the course will result in your termination. Permanently. For […]