Physical failure of a prop blade or hub in flight is far more likely to kill you than an engine failure. So why do many pilots ignore the relatively infrequent maintenance needed by their constant-speed propeller? Read more →
Category: Safety
FAA Tower Closures
The FAA’s proposed tower closure list hits Southern California airports particularly hard. Let’s look at some numbers and see if this makes sense. Read more →
Big Brother is Watching
As pilots, it’s worth remembering that virtually all aircraft contain computerized devices, even if they’re just portable ones. They’re everywhere, and they record things that can come back to haunt us later. Read more →
Gulfstream G650 Accident Report
The Gulfstream G650 accident report has been published by the NTSB. While they strongly point the finger at Gulfstream, after reading the full accident docket, the takeaway for me is that given the kind of testing required by the FAA, it’s a wonder accidents don’t happen more often. Read more →
Visual Descent Point Hazards
Visual Descent Points were designed to increase flight safety, but despite being “visual” when using them, there may be some nasty things out there that you can’t see. Read more →
How Low Can You Go?
SoCal airports are seeing huge declines in activity. Is there any hope for the future of general aviation? Perhaps, but it might have to come from a place you might not expect: your neighbor’s garage. Read more →
Should GA Be More Like the Airlines?
Are airline standards a laudable goal for general aviation? Is there such a thing as “too safe?” The NTSB wouldn’t think so. But then, they’re not necessarily concerned with the time, money, or effort required to comply with their own recommendations. Read more →
Aircraft Tire Pressure
Tires are probably the least sexy part of an aircraft: a ball of hot, stinky, greasy rubber. it’s also the airframe component which absorbs the most punishment, so they deserve a little attention every now and then. Read more →
Human Factors
The captain of JetBlue flight 191 may be getting all the headlines, but it seems to me that the real story — not to mention the positive outcome — centers around the first officer. Read more →
Aviation Myths, Part 3
The three-part series on aviation myths concludes with: stall/spins, flying difficulty, bank angle in the pattern, and are aerobatics dangerous? Read more →