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...
Now that you’ve got your wings, you can enter the aviation world as a pilot and realize your dreams of flight—almost. Every pilot will need some essential items to be equipped for tasks in the air and to prepare for contingencies....
Every now and again, the concept of “energy management” comes up. But is that something a pilot would actually think about in flight? Does this concept allow the pilot to fly more precisely or more safely? To make better decisions? Does...
Leonardo da Vinci said it best: “Once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward…” We have all felt a sense of accomplishment and pride as we slip that freshly printed private pilot certificate...
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...
Stalls are feared in general aviation for being a significant factor in a large proportion of accidents. To help pilots avoid stalls, the FAA, in concert with all the king’s horses and men, rewrote the requirements for private pilot training, including...
The FAA’s IMSAFE checklist specifically lists “stress” as a factor that pilots identify and mitigate when determining their readiness for flight. Most of us evaluate stress level as a part of our preflight considerations. It might even be a critical go/no-go...
Over the weekend, the Michigan Aviation Safety Forum (MASF) gathered pilots and mechanics to provide proficiency and safety seminars. The MASF is a yearly collaboration between industry stakeholders, aviators, mechanics, and FAA staff to provide safety forums and mechanic (IA) recurrency...
Forty years ago, we would have never thought about the day when a desktop computer flight simulator would be used in a serious manner to train, maintain, and foster enthusiasm for being a pilot. Now we have so much to be...
