The Latest Disease for General Aviation By Gene Benson, Pilot & Aviation Educator Much like certain infectious diseases that ebb and flow over time, Loss of Directional Control, (LODC), has experienced a large outbreak in our pilot community. There have been efforts to contain it, reduce its spread or eradicate it, but there is no … Continued
The Birth of Button-ology By Michael J. “Mick” Kaufman In thinking back to the days of rotating a knob to change a frequency and rotating the azimuth on a VOR indicator, it really was simple. All VORs were the same regardless of the manufacturer, whether it was King, Narco, Collins or Bendix. Button-ology came upon … Continued
“Every time I come here, I learn things.” Tom Tubbs Baron N3715C “I’ve enjoyed the relationships with other pilots and particularly, the instructors They’re just ‘top shelf’ – and they have the experience. I don’t have to worry about trying to shop around to try and find some other type of training. I would … Continued
Mind Your Meds! By Dr. Susan Northrup, FAA Federal Air Surgeon Pilots often ask which medications are permissible for flight and where they can find this information. Let’s check out some of the top prescription medications in the United States (according to GoodRx.com) and review how we consider them for medical certification. Here’s a link to … Continued
Taming the Big Bad Wolf (Crosswind Takeoffs and Landings) By Hank Canterbury Spring is here and that usually means a change in wind patterns and speeds. Are you ready to handle them? Like all flying skills, crosswind skills – and confidence in dealing with them –deteriorate from infrequent use. This month, let’s take a review … Continued
1. Arrange the choices on the right in order of priority with regard to right–of–way over other aircraft. a. Glider b. Airship c. Aircraft in distress d. Airplane or helicopter e. Balloon 2. Aerobatic flight is not allowed: a. Within 5 miles of any airport b. Within 2,000 feet of the surface c. … Continued
Fighting Fatigue By Dr. Leo Hattrup, FAA Medical Officer Over the years, I have talked to numerous pilots who have flown past a fix, missed calls from ATC, or felt startled to wake up after being asleep for seconds to minutes. A colleague relayed an experience as a military co-pilot. He was on a low-level … Continued
It’s All in Your Approach Top Tips to Fine Tune a Final Approach and Landing By Tom Hoffmann, FAA Safety Briefing Magazine Managing Editor You’re almost there. On your culinary quest for the perfect midday meal, you successfully navigated a non-routine taxi clearance, nailed a perfect takeoff, and enjoyed an exciting and happily uneventful cruise … Continued
Frankenstein’s Airplane The Sometimes Tricky Business of Modifying Aircraft By James Williams FAA Safety Briefing Magazine The “Frankenplane” is a concept FAA Safety Briefing first explored in the 2014 article “Beware the Frankenplane!” (See our May/Jun 2014 edition at in our archive.) It alludes to Mary Shelley’s 1818 novel Frankenstein or The Modern Prometheus. Shelley’s work tells the story of … Continued
1. Unless ATC authorizes you otherwise, when you’re operating under IFR in controlled airspace, you are required to report all of the following as soon as possible except: a. Confirmation of forecasted weather b. Unforecast weather conditions encountered c. Safety information about the flight 2. You’re enroute to your destination, you listen to … Continued