Risk Management

“Kick the tires, light the fires.” So goes a popular, flippant saying about preflight inspections. Most of the time, that’s what we and various accident reports would label an “inadequate preflight inspection.” Sometimes-immediately after stopping long enough to drop off or load a passenger, for example-it might be adequate. After all, we just flew it […]

Congress has mandated a 1,500 hour minimum flight time requirement for scheduled air carriers next summer, and unless FAA regulations come along to supersede it the “impending pilot shortage” that even the general media has latched on to could become a reality sooner than later. When regulation outpaces thinking, and policy is made without concern […]

Aviation entrepreneur Rod Rakic’s idea for OpenAirplane has earned the support of some big names in the aviation industry who believe it could simplify access to aircraft, improve pilot safety, increase profits for flight schools and FBOs, and generally boost the aviation industry — all by changing how we rent airplanes. OpenAirplane is nearing its […]

Mapmaker DeLorme’s inReach messenger/tracker uses the Iridium satellite network to send position reports and text messages from almost anywhere on earth. The handheld device can send pre-determined text messages with an up-to-date position included. Pairing it via Bluetooth with an iPhone or Android device allows for custom text messages or short emails. It can also […]

ExtremeO2 Aviator has developed an aviation-focused conditioning process that trains the body to maintain oxygen blood saturation at altitude. The ExtremeO2 altitude contrast conditioning is said to help protect pilots from hypoxia and its effects on night vision while restoring brain function, increasing reflex speed, improving G-force recovery and enhancing tolerance to higher altitudes. It […]

An FAA program for non-punitive reporting of safety concerns among air traffic controllers needs “significant improvements” before it can become effective, according to a report issued last Thursday by the Transportation Department Office of Inspector General. “Failure to address potential deficiencies in transparency and accountability may lead to the perception that the Air Traffic Safety […]

This article originally appeared in Aviation Safety, Sep. 2007. You are a skilled, proficient and responsible pilot. You do everything in your power to avoid dangerous situations, but there are a few unavoidable moments during each flight where, if the unthinkable happened, you’d be left with few options. Flying is, after all, an exercise in […]

This article originally appeared in Aviation Consumer magazine, Nov. 2006. It’s never a good time for an inflight fire. Stoked by fuel or an electrical short, this nasty brand of emergency is near the top of most pilots’ list of nightmares. But a cabin fire’s consequences can be mitigated by using a smoke hood, which […]

This article originally appeared in Aviation Safety, Sep. 2005. A small plane crashes in a remote area, with no hope of rescue for several days. The survivors know basic survival techniques but have only rudimentary first-aid skills. How does the pilot-in-command sort, assess and treat injuries when the first-aid kit just went up in smoke? […]

This article originally appeared in Aviation Safety, Mar. 2005. A little anxiety is perfectly normal when an airplane begins rotating toward the ground in a 60-degree nose-down attitude. But the thought of spin training need not cause you to break out in a cold sweat. In fact, many pilots find that the actual spin experience, […]