There aren’t many second chances in life — and there are even fewer in aviation. One error and you’re out of a job! I’ve seen several examples of this recently, and it leaves me wondering if we might be missing out on an opportunity make aviation safer. Read more →
Each flying job requires a unique set of skills. Failure to heed the small differences can lead to big accidents, and sometimes that failure goes back to the pilot’s training — or lack thereof. Read more →
Automation and high-tech equipment can certainly make flying safer. But it can also allow our manual flying skills to deteriorate, and –even worse — mask the deficiency altogether until the day those skills are suddenly needed. Read more →
“Who’s the best pilot you ever saw?” That famous line from The Right Stuff inspired me to ask what constitutes a great pilot in the real world. Read more →
Angle-of-bank limitations have been suggested by flight instructors, alphabet groups, pundits, and most recently by Richard Collins of all people. I’ve touched on this subject before (see Aviation Myth #14), but for some reason the idea keeps rearing it’s ugly head that arbitrary bank limits make flying safer. They don’t. What they WILL do is make a stall/spin more likely. Here’s why. Read more →
You’ll hear all sorts of advice on emergent situations. Some say never rush into anything, others will tell you immediate, decisive action is invaluable. It would be lovely if there was a single “best strategy” for every situation, but like many things in the world of aviation, there are times when one of those responses can save your bacon… and just as many when it might get you killed. The real key is knowing which is which. Read more →
The most common landing procedure used by IFR airplanes is the visual approach. It’s fast, efficient, and simple. So why did the crew of Asiana 214 have such a hard time with it on a good clear day? Because quality IFR flying starts with a solid VFR background — and VFR flying is something ab initio pilots see very little of. Read more →
The stick-and-rudder skill deficiencies in today’s pilots didn’t start today. It began years ago when they were learning how to fly. Fixing it will require a journey into the past. It’s time to get back to basics, and you won’t cover all the bases unless spin training is a central part of the mix. Read more →
Collision avoidance is a deadly serious topic. The FAA considers “see and avoid” an adequate level of safety for most of us. I disagree, and here’s why. Read more →
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 →