Probable Cause

This article originally appeared in Aviation Safety, June 2006. There’s something about the typical experienced-pilot’s personality that is antithetical to safety. I’m not an expert in analyzing personalities — though I know what I like — but it seems the very traits that make someone a “good stick” also make that same skilled pilot a […]

This article originally appeared in IFR Refresher, Sept. 2007. Another pilot once told me he had been caught on top of cloud layers several times during his flying career but always escaped safely by simply calling ATC for an IFR clearance to get below the cloud decks and fly on VFR to his destinations. What […]

This article originally appeared in Aviation Safety, May 2006. One of the few drawbacks to getting and using the Instrument rating is the regulatory and practical need to maintain currency. If you fly a lot and in all kinds of weather, you may be lucky enough to accumulate the required experience in the allotted time. […]

This article originally appeared in IFR Refresher, July 2007. A turbocharged engine provides sea-level power to a higher altitude than a normally aspirated powerplant and is the main difference between the two. However, if a pilot is not totally familiar with the operation of turbocharged engines, it is entirely possible to misdiagnose a problem.Could that […]

This article originally appeared in Aviation Safety, Apr. 2006. It’s rare to find even a brand-new airplane without at least one “squawk” — a mechanical deficiency. Of course, the FAA would say that all equipment and components of an aircraft must be working properly or placarded as inoperative, else the airplane isn’t legally airworthy. The […]

This article originally appeared in IFR Refresher, June 2007. Professional pilots have been hounding the FAA for years to increase their maximum retirement age past 60 for a number of reasons. [And the increase finally happened, although after this article was originally written.] One reason is financial: More time on the job translates into larger […]

This article originally appeared in Aviation Safety, Mar. 2006. Some of my most memorable flights involve night flying, both for good and bad reasons. On the good side, I recall breathtaking sunsets, full, orange moons on the horizon, distant lightning and flying down New York City’s East River after departing the now-closed Flushing Airport. On […]

This article originally appeared in IFR Refresher, May 2007. The VOR/DME-A approach into Weatherford, Texas, contains a specific missed-approach procedure, as do all instrument approaches. The concept is simple: When you get to the missed-approach point (MAP), the plane should be at the minimum descent altitude (MDA) and — if the airport is not visible […]

This article originally appeared in Aviation Safety, Feb. 2006. It’s often easy to forego obtaining a full weather briefing before a flight. Looking at the weather as we drive to the airport, we assess the local conditions, noting the cloud cover and bases, check visibility by seeking out distant landmarks and note if any other […]

This article originally appeared in IFR Refresher, Apr. 2007. Distractions that occur during periods of high workload can create problems for pilots, especially if the event pulling the pilot’s focus away from flying the airplane appears to be a major system component failure. With a two-pilot crew, this danger is greatly reduced, since one pilot […]