Aviation Safety: Just Fly the Plane
Welcome back to the fourth installment of one of my ‘lessons learned’ stories from personal flying experiences over the years that highlight aviation safety. This story reinforces that age-old aviation adage: “Just Fly the Plane!” Shawn Arena A Breakfast Trip to Northern Arizona This story occurs circa 1996-97. I was working as the Noise Abatement […]
What Are the Aircraft Annual Inspection Requirements?
Dr. Mary Ann O’Grady The aircraft annual inspection that is required by the Federal Aviation Administration is a straightforward process that is not difficult to conduct. However, difficulties can arise when the mechanic that is hired to perform the aircraft annual inspection is neither familiar with the process nor capable of keeping track of the […]
5 General Aviation Aircraft Facts You Probably Didn’t Know
Anders Clark There are a vast amount of different types and models of general aviation aircraft from a variety of manufacturers. And there are a lot of interesting facts and information about these different aircraft. Here are five lesser known facts from the world of general aviation aircraft that you will hopefully find as interesting […]
The Reasons Behind Male and Female Pilot Error
Despite the different reasons for male and female pilot error, cockpit resource management can make single-pilot flying almost as safe as in a two-pilot environment. Vern Weiss In the 1970s there was a rash of airline accidents. This was particularly startling because the accidents did not involve inexperienced flight crews but, instead, professional and highly […]
How Not To Impress a Friend With Carburetor Icing
Shawn Arena Welcome back for another installment of one of my ‘lessons learned’ stories from my personal flying experiences over the years. This particular story, about carburetor icing, could have just as well been sub-titled: “How do you un-declare an emergency?” A Beautiful Flying Day with a Beautiful Friend Our story this time takes place in the […]
Protecting Your Health Is Key To a Career In Aviation
Wilson Gilliam Jr. I stood in front of a Marine Corps recruiting office in 1988. I wanted to take the aviator’s aptitude test and join the Marines as a helicopter pilot. But, after a few minutes with the Sergeant, I realized that wouldn’t happen. Between thirteen years old and eighteen, my visual acuity had decreased […]
Do You Know How To Give PIREPs?
John Peltier Pilot reports (PIREPs) are an integral part of the aviation meteorological network. They’re used to assess the accuracy of weather reported by automated stations and instrumentation. Other pilots use them to make important decisions on the ground and in the air. FSS uses them to brief pilots. ATC uses PIREPs to sequence traffic […]
