Pilot Training: The Controllability Check
Archives for » Page 56Pilot training that includes the controllability check can help ready pilots for mid air incidents Have you ever considered what you would do if you suddenly became a test pilot in the aircraft you have been flying for years? It can happen in the blink of an eye and it’s in […]
Aviation Weather: Flying With Stratus
Archives for » Page 56Aviation weather reports made easier with Stratus ADS-B The Stratus ADS-B receiver has become the most popular aviation weather receiver for the iPad, and for good reason: it is incredibly simple to use. Just turn it on and within minutes you will see subscription free weather, ADS-B traffic, backup attitude, and […]
Aviation Airspace Corrupted by Holiday Laser-Light Displays
Archives for » Page 56 FAA warns pilots of increased laser strikes from holiday displays infecting aviation airspace I love driving around in my car during the holidays, looking at the beautiful laser light displays in the neighborhoods near my house. Unfortunately, the FAA just issued a new warning about these beautiful displays concerning aviation […]
Pilot Training: When to Reject Reject Reject!
Archives for » Page 56What do you do when not all pilot training is the same for something like aborted takeoffs? Ask 100 pilots the question, “Who has the authority to call for an abort?” and you may get 100 different answers. Well, not 100 different answers, but heated opinions are all over the place […]
FAA First Class Medical – The Effects of Cosmic Radiation
Archives for » Page 56Your FAA First Class Medical can save your life from the effects of cosmic radiation Several years ago, I was in the middle of a routine FAA First Class Medical exam when all of a sudden it stopped being routine. The Doctor asked me to swallow while he felt my neck, […]
Garmin’s New Emergency Autoland System
Archives for » Page 56New Garmin emergency autoland system could save lives and aircraft My home town suffered a huge loss when a local philanthropist and his wife were killed in a tragic airplane crash a few years ago. The couple owned a TBM-700 and departed for their vacation home in Florida at 8:45 in […]
Pilot Training: Don’t forget the All Mighty Checklist
Archives for » Page 56Pilot training taught us never to skip a checklist item – so why do we? We recently flew the boss between two cities in Tennessee. The flight wasn’t long and we didn’t go very high, but we did learn a valuable lesson that apparently didn’t sink in during all of our […]
Part 91 Takeoff Minimums for Charitably Donated Flights
Archives for » Page 56Part 91 takeoff minimums are still required, but not more stringent when accepting charitable passenger flights As a 10 year pilot for an air ambulance company, I understand the transportation needs of the sick and injured. The flights are carefully orchestrated and involve the coordination of multiple agencies and medical personnel […]
Single Pilot Resource Management: “BFAT” for Safety
Archives for » Page 56“BFAT” When it Comes to Single Pilot Resource Management It’s tricky transitioning from being a part of a 2-pilot crew to being all alone up there. Most of my career was spent as an airline pilot “crew member” with 2 (or 3) of us flying the plane or working the systems. […]
Aircraft Performance: Deadline looming to have your ADS-B updated
Archives for » Page 56Aircraft Performance: Check on your ADS-B before the end of the year January 1, 2020 marks the deadline for pilots to get their aircraft outfitted with the FAA’s mandate for ADS-B Out updates. Between 2012 and 2014 the standard for ADS-B was changed from DO-260A to DO-260B by the FAA and […]