Keeping the Cabin Warm and Safe By Rebekah Waters FAA Safety Briefing Magazine In the early days of flying, pilots only had a few options for staying warm while flying in winter weather. Initially, flight suits were the only option. By WWII, the Air Force equipped its planes with a Type F-1A utility heater: a … Continued
Game On! Make That Field Without Power By Hank Canterbury During training for simulated forced landings, either on or off an airport, I often see pilots overshoot the touchdown zone at a high rate of speed and rebound back into the air after forcing the plane to touchdown before it’s ready. Unfortunately, this also happens … Continued
1. What feature is normally associated with the cumulus stage of a thunderstorm? A. Roll cloud B. Frequent lightning C. Continuous updraft D. Turbulence 2. One purpose of the dual ignition system on an aircraft engine is to provide for: A. Improved engine performance B. Reduction in detonation C. Uniform heat … Continued
Don’t Get Caught by the Cold By Jason Blair, FAA Designated Pilot Examiner, ATP, CFII, MEII, AGI Winter is here so it’s time to change our summer flying habits. Most pilots have read numerous articles about how to deal with icing or how to start their aircraft when it is cold … Continued
What Happens to Your Passengers if Something Happens to You? The luckiest pilot on the planet is the one whose spouse or partner likes flying together. That opens up a world of places your plane can take you and reasons to fly there. But many of those frequent flyer passengers have … Continued
Eyes in the Sky Enhancing ADS-B Services with the Pilot Reporting Tool By Elizabeth Keenan, FAA Surveillance and Broadcast Services As a pilot, you are a trusted, collaborative steward of the National Airspace System (NAS) and safety is at the forefront. However, even the most diligent pilot can only see so much. Fortunately, … Continued
Beware of Avionics Differences By Michael J. “Mick” Kaufman It has been a busy summer with flight training and three new instrument pilots. Congratulations to Andrew Marso of Franklin WI; Eli Judge of Whitefish, MT; and Kevin Ermis of Conover, WI and two more to finish this year. Along with the instrument … Continued
To Balk or Not to Balk, that is the Question. (Hamlet) And if so, how to do it better. By Hank Canterbury Why do so many Loss of Control [LOC] incidents / accidents happen on takeoff or during a go-around? The Airplane Owners & Pilots Association [AOPA] conducted a study of LOC accidents in … Continued
1. When may hazardous wind shear be expected? A. When stable air crosses a mountain barrier where it tends to flow in layers forming lenticular clouds B. Following frontal passage when stratocumulus clouds form indicating mechanical mixing. C. In areas of low-level temperature inversion, frontal zones, and clear air turbulence. D. In a tailing … Continued
What About Tailwind Takeoffs and Landings? By Jason Blair ATP, CF-I, MEI-I, AGI, FAA Designated Pilot Examiner Many CFIs and fellow pilots will extol the hard point, “you shall never take off or land with tailwind condition.” But, is it that hard and fast? Yes, and no. Some risks come with operating … Continued