Flight Safety

Doctor Warren Silberman took on a big job last year when he assumed the reins of the Civil Aeromedical Institute (CAMI), which is responsible for all FAA Airman Medical Certification. The place was a mess of paperwork with over 50,000 medical certificate applications caught up in the quagmire. Silberman quickly reduced that backlog to 10,000 […]

Like manifold pressure (see my previous column, “Manifold Pressure Sucks!“), propeller systems are often not well understood by those who depend on them. But there is no part of the airplane more critical, or that endures more stress and abuse. We really ought to know more about our props in order to get the best […]

History of Flight On January 13, 1998, about 0810 central standard time, a Gates Learjet 25B, N627WS,impacted terrain approximately 2 nautical miles (nm) east of the runway 26 threshold atGeorge Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH), Houston, Texas, during an instrument landingsystem (ILS) approach. (All times in this report are central standard time, based on a24-hour clock.) […]

As pilots we all “know” that oxygen is important to aviation safety and comfort.Our FAA written exams contain questions on the subject: the physiologic effects ofinadequate oxygen; the regulations pertaining to oxygen use. But how does oxygen really”work?” How does the oxygen we breathe get to where it’s going, what does it doon arrival, and […]

Whenthe FAA first experimented with the Accident Prevention Program, an Aviation SafetyInspector in each of two district offices was assigned the duty of establishing a programto prevent accidents. After a one-year trial period in those two offices, the program wasdeemed a success and it went national. Apparently, the FAA is in love with words. Why […]

It was one of those goodevenings in the Pilot’s Lounge. Lots of flying during the day, the weather let us knowspring was truly coming and quite a few folks stuck around for coffee as the day wounddown. The conversation worked its way around to volunteer flying as we have a few pilotswho volunteer their time […]

Recognition F light schools and flight instructors are doing itall wrong. We are teaching our students how to make a stall and recover from it when whatwe should be teaching is stall recognition. Ask 100 pilots what makes an airplane stalland at least 70 of them will tell you it got too slow. The majority […]

I was working as a disk jockey for a small radio station inWashington, Ind., where I grew up. And since my program schedule didn’t start until 6:00PM I had most of the day off. Now you have to remember that a small town has shall we saya limited menu of things to keep a 22-year-old […]

The manifold pressure (MP) gauge is a very simple instrument, but what it does is a mystery to many pilots. Simply put, if you do not fully understand what that instrument is telling you, you cannot possibly understand the engine, engine management, power settings, or troubleshooting. Quiz Time First, allow me to pose a few […]

Well start this month’s activities at the virtual airport with a classic jet trivia question: Boeing Aircraft Company numbered all of its jetliners with the figure “7” at the beginning and end of a three-digit number. With the purchase of McDonnell Douglas, Boeing is now reusing its designator “717” for what historically was the DC-9/MD-8X […]