Technique

At the risk of getting the metaphorical “hook” for expressing the thought, we are about to engage in herding CATs. Most instrument pilots are lucky and only have to deal with one category of ILS approach during their lives. The Category I, or “CAT I”is usually the only kind of instrument landing system approach minima […]

The aircraft involved was a 1973 Cessna T210L. It had a current annual inspection, was ADS-B compliant, had a GPS approved for IFR operations and the database for the avionics was found to be current. The aircraft was not approved for flight into known icing conditions, a concern for the planned October flight into the […]

AVweb’s weekly submersion into what’s new in general aviation uncovered news of everything from a new Colorado Aviation Hall of Fame inductee through a Canadian flight safety contest, an SMS program for EMS transport to a new line of high performance brakes that can be retrofitted onto Cirrus Aircraft. Charlie Johnson, President and COO of […]

The Canadian Transportation Safety Board yesterday released its findingon a 2013 multiple-fatality midair collision between a Cessna 150 and a motor glider with an analysis that said the 150 pilot was probably wearing a baseball cap that affected his ability to see the glider. While only one of several factors mentioned regarding visibility, including relative […]

Seemingly for generations pilots have argued over which controls speed and which controls altitude: power or pitch. At varying times the FAA contributed support to both sides with publications outlining flying techniques and training information. The very existence of the arguably adolescent-level debates ignores the hard reality: In powered aircraft neither one works alone. To […]

In its weekly perusal of developments in aviation, AVweb’s staff turned up news of an expansion of SocialFlight, insurance benefits for customers of Crosswind Concepts, the annual convention of the Silver Wings Fraternity and certification of Piper’s M-Class airplanes in China. SocialFlight, a web and mobile app for finding events and interesting places to fly, […]

Sure, we know what maneuvering speed is, we learned it in private pilot ground school. You know, Va-Design Maneuvering Speed. “This is the maximum speed at which the limit load can be imposed (either by gusts or full deflection of the control surfaces) without causing structural damage.” That’s the definition straight out of the old […]

It’s happened to every pilot at some time or another-suddenly the airplane isn’t doing what the pilot intends. Causes vary-his or her attention is diverted while hand flying, or spatial disorientation does its insidious thing or maybe its an upset due to turbulence. The deviation from the desired attitude can range from “Aw, nuts, I […]

Britain’s Paul Bonhomme and Nigel Lamb will try to narrow the gap with Red Bull Air Race World Championship leader Hannes Arch of Austria at the first race in Britain since 2008. What is generally accepted as the world’s third-fastest motorsport (after the U.S. National Air Races and top fuel drag racing) makes its returnto […]

Sure it’s a cliche, but examiners still occasionally offer the comment as they hand over the temporary IFR certificate to the newly minted instrument pilot: “Here’s your ticket to learn.” The implication is that while the applicant has passed the FAA requirements, there is much more to mastering this new environment. The first year following […]