I Was a New Private Pilot, Flying Small Aircraft In Busy Airspace
The Night I Flew a “Heavy” … Make that a “Cessna Heavy” Shawn Arena This article is similar in nature to the previous flight experiences that I have documented for you. As a newly minted private pilot, this experience taught me how to successfully navigate the fast-paced ground and air portions of flying small aircraft into one […]
Commercial Flight Training for Jet Aircraft: Details Matter
Modern jet airliners come equipped with a multitude of indicators and switches. Strict attention to detail during commercial flight training facilitates the safe carriage of passengers. Noah Timmins Becoming a commercial pilot, or an airline transport pilot, according to the FAA, requires 1500 hours of flight time. In the context of working, this would take […]
When Did You Know You Wanted To Be a Pilot?
My personal aviation lineage and the first time I knew I wanted to be a pilot trace back to my grandfather. Shawn Arena Those of us who have been fortunate to have received the gift of flight or just the enjoyment of aviation can usually trace back to where that flame to be a pilot was first […]
Aircraft Insurance: What Type Should Pilots Carry?
Dr. Mary Ann O’Grady Your aircraft and flying skills represent wonderful business and personal capabilities, but they may also constitute one of the largest exposures to catastrophes that you can imagine. So, the following summary details a list of the most critical aircraft insurance coverage types and [potential] losses: Aircraft Hull Insurance Aircraft hull insurance […]
Why Pilots Need To Know About The Mesoscale Convective Complex
Beware. The Mesoscale Convective Complex feeds on itself and grows like rapidly-spreading cancer. Vern Weiss It is called the Mesoscale Convective Complex and pilots should be keenly aware of the term when it appears in a weather briefing. Of course, all thunderstorms require caution but what makes the MCC so nasty is that it becomes […]
Pilot Salary: What Is The Pay Like In Different Careers?
A pilot’s salary can vary just as they do with any other job. Experience plays a big role as far as what a pilot makes, mainly because the different companies and positions available depend on the experience of a pilot. First, if we look at what the different types of jobs there are for pilots, then we […]
The Most Effective Diet For Pilots
Amber Berlin Every year at Thanksgiving we gather around the table and consume massive amounts of turkey. Then we spend the afternoon napping on the couch in a turkey coma. We know from experience that turkey is a food that promotes a state of sleepiness, and we also know that you wouldn’t want to eat […]
The Dangers of a Falsified Pilot Logbook
Avoid rattlesnakes and falsified flight log books. Each has a nasty disposition and sharp fangs that bite. Vern Weiss In August 2012, a Federal Court in Des Moines, Iowa sentenced a pilot to 4 years probation and fined him for falsifying his pilot logbook hours when going for an FAA instrument rating.1 Federal court! We’re not […]
Do Drones Pose a Threat to Pilots and Aircraft?
Dr. Mary Ann O’Grady The allowance of widespread drone ownership and operation in the United States through the clearance of approximately 60 organizations by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has raised the level of concern for military, commercial, and private pilots alike. As concerns escalated, there were plans to construct six test ranges for these […]
Exploring Avgas Alternatives For General Aviation
Amber Berlin For Part 1 of this discussion, click here. The health hazards, loss of IQ points, and associated costs of lead (Pb) fuel emissions leaves only one option for the General Aviation (GA) fleet: stop using leaded fuel. In order to accomplish this task, GA has several options to consider, including Avgas alternatives such […]
Why General Aviation Needs To Stop Using Leaded Avgas
Amber Berlin The Clean Air Act, last amended in 1990, established a higher standard of environmental responsibility in the United States. In order to meet this standard, several initiatives were undertaken to reduce air emissions deemed harmful to human health. One such initiative was a close examination of the hazards presented by lead (Pb) fuel […]
Rules of Thumb That Make Flying Planes Easier
You can make flying planes a little easier by applying a few different rules of thumb provided below. Vern Weiss There’s a lot of minutia and head work involved in flying planes and sometimes a pilot can get bogged down with the calculations and mental gymnastics required. “East is least and West is best” and […]
