Flight Safety

Recently, I flew a practice ILS approach, hooded, and partial panel (with the AI and DG covered up). It was surprisingly easy – much easier than usual – because I used my VFR GPS to substitute for the DG, and to assist with keeping on the localizer during the ILS final approach. Here are the […]

I was with a woman who wasn’t my wife. I had my shoes off, my belt off, and my pants undone, and she was rubbing my tummy just above my “daddy parts.” Was I flirting with divorce court? Hell no … I was simply going through security at Columbus Ohio International. Friendly enough as security […]

The media is filled with stories on how today’s youth has gone bad. However, in our aviation industry there are thousands of young people fulfilling their dreams of learning to fly. In the process of learning how to build a wing, or earning a pilot’s certificate, they have acquired self-esteem and an introduction into the […]

Nearly half the households in the United States include one or more animals, and many of these households also include a general aviation aircraft owner or pilot. Arrangements must be made for the care of their pets before the human members of the household can take a trip of more than one day’s duration. Do […]

The subject of this column was suggested by a reader, a former gofer at the flight school I operated. (We always had an ambitious young person who did “grunt work” on a trade deal in exchange for flight instruction.) Larry was one such, and now he is a graduate electrical engineer and part-time flight instructor. […]

I know it will come as no surprise to you that the recent midair collision on the Swiss-German border has been dominating my thoughts this week. It’s the ultimate nightmare in ATC, for pilots, passengers, and controllers alike. We will have to wait months before we know precisely what went wrong. The waiting will be […]

Folks, I love being positive and cheerful. I’d much rather write about pleasant things, good memories, good products, good people, and fun things. I didn’t enjoy doing the Whyalla column, and I’m not going to enjoy this one. But Flying (July 2002, page 73, “Can your engine run too lean?“) missed the boat so badly, […]

I just finished giving my favorite curmudgeon here at the virtual airport, Old Hack, his flight review. He had the windows of his Super Cruiser open, so the pleasant breeze was a nice bonus to a flight that went well. After we flew, we went back to the big chairs in the pilot’s lounge to […]

Noel Merrill Wien was born April4, 1930, in Virginia, Minn. His father, Noel Wien, was born in Lake Nebagamon,Wisc., went to Alaska in 1924, was the first to fly the 350-mile route fromAnchorage to Fairbanks, the first pilot of a passenger flight from Seattle toFairbanks, and the first pilot to fly over and beyond the […]

The year was 1992 and my flying life was about to change forever — for the better. It could just as easily have ended. I took my first flying lesson in the fall of 1978. It was a happy diversion from the life of a first-year law student. I was so enthralled that I bought […]