Slam Dunks and ‘Hair on Fire’ Descents (for Fun or Emergency) by Hank Canterbury   Last month I talked about techniques and procedures for descending at various rates in our Bonanzas and Barons without harming either the plane or the engine.  Those techniques offer a range of settings that will develop very high descent rates … Continued

Not Just Your Average Mechanic Aviation Maintenance Technicians Have the Most Important Job In Aviation By Jennifer Caron   What comes to mind when you think of an aviation mechanic? Do you picture a grease-stained guy in grimy overalls, cleaning his hands with a rag, as he critically walks around your aircraft looking for any … Continued

The Pilots’ New Panel by Michael J. “Mick” Kaufman As pilots continue to show – and tell – me about the new avionics suite they have in their airplanes, I am reminded of the childhood story called “The Emperor’s New Clothes.” This short folk tale, written by Hans Christian Andersen and published in 1837, is … Continued

Robert H. “Bob” Kinnie Airplane single-engine land & sea Airplane multi-engine land Instrument airplane CFI, CFII Total time: 15,621 hours   BPT TAKEOFF: Bob, what first attracted you to aviation? RK: My mother told me that the very first word out of my mouth was “Plane!” When I was fifteen, a friend of my dad’s … Continued

Spatial Disorientation National Transportation Safety Board [NTSB] accident data suggests that spatial disorientation may be a precursor to many general aviation accidents — particularly in night or limited visibility weather conditions. Instrument and VFR pilots are subject to spatial disorientation and optical illusions that may cause loss of aircraft control.   What Is It? Sight, … Continued

Bonanza and Baron Descents without Harm or Alarm By Hank Canterbury Seems a lot of pilots have concerns about how to descend and not harm their engines.  There are lots of questions and misinformation floating around.  Descent time becomes like the old movie drama, “The Perils of Paulene.”  “How should I handle power reductions?  I’ve … Continued

  1. What are the requirements to log an ILS approach in VMC conditions for instrument currency?  a.  The flight must remain on an IFR flight plan throughout the approach and landing. b. The ILS approach can be credited only if you use a view-limiting device to minimums and log the name of the safety pilot. c. The … Continued

When Is the Last Time You flew An ILS Approach? By Michael J. “Mick” Kaufman With the advent of GPS just several decades ago, many of us have not flown an ILS approach in quite some time. As our avionics continue to improve, many pilots have panel updates scheduled or in progress, and in some … Continued

Edward V. Pasquale B COMM, ATPL   I have always been fascinated by machinery – and an airplane is a really neat machine. As a teenager I was fortunate to work on my grandfather’s farm where I learned to drive a tractor, a combine harvester and other associated machinery. Whenever the wind was blowing from … Continued

Once A Bush Pilot By Michael J. “Mick” Kaufman   The following is a true story about an Alaskan bush pilot – and it concludes one of the biggest unsolved mysteries in Southwest Wisconsin’s aviation history. In June 1971, I moved to Richland Center, Wisconsin for a summer job directly out of college in order … Continued