As I sat down to write this column, I had just returned from an amazing trip to EAA AirVenture. It was 19.7 hours of single-pilot IFR spread over three days, most of it between 8,000 and 10,000 feet, dodging cumulus buildups....
Those who fly in the beautiful snow-covered North know that the winter brings spectacular views and welcomed gains in performance. The airplane’s engine, propeller, and wings, which have struggled all summer against the ravages of high temperatures and density altitude, are...
With a tip of the hat to Stephen Covey, just what are some of the habits and characteristics that define the highly effective pilot? We often call these folks professionals, or for short, “pros.” However, professionals don’t need stripes on their...
The instructor-student relationship is one of the most interesting and complex in all of aviation. Although the most recent edition of the FAA’s Aviation Instructor’s Handbook suggests “learner” is a more appropriate term for persons outside of traditional school age learning...
Back in the early days of jet airliners, pilots long experienced in more forgiving two- and four-engine, piston-powered prop planes found themselves running out of airspeed, altitude, and ideas on the final approach to landing. The result was either an overshoot...
January 1, 2020, was a red-letter day in the transition to automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast (ADS-B). ADS-B Out was required in Class A, B (including the Mode C veil), and C airspace in the United States, as well as generally above 10,000...
Etiquette is defined as a “customary code of polite behavior among members of a particular profession or group.” Pilots understand that adherence to professional standards is nowhere more critical than during approach to the airport and landing. Fighter pilots instinctively understand...
By my reckoning, there have been two golden ages of general aviation in my lifetime. The first peaked around 1976, coincidentally a year when so many of the airplanes we mere mortals can afford to own and fly today were constructed....
“Organization is what you do before you do something, so that when you do it, it’s not all mixed up.” These words from A.A. Milne, the author of the “Winnie-the-Pooh” series, turned out to be great advice for aviators. Flying is...
