The Santa Monica city council has set a new low with their recent shellacking of the airport. It’s time to stop playing nice and start communicating with them in a language they can clearly understand. Read more →
Tag: Aviation
The Good Life
To me, flying is The Good Life, even when you’re not in the air. Here’s a video that says it better than I ever could. Read more →
Judgment: Knowing When to Say When
Flying is less about physical aircraft control than it is about good judgment. Unfortunately, many of the situations we face as aviators are not cut-and-dried. We’ll all get along a lot better if we can remember that. Read more →
Getting Better: Simulators for General Aviation
Most of the big technological advances in flying have been in the instrument panel. But now they’re starting to make serious strides in the area of flight simulation, and GA stands to reap a huge benefit. Read more →
Speed-to-Fly
Speed-to-fly is a concept traditionally limited to the glider pilots. But the physics apply to all aircraft, and with the advent of computer technology in the cockpit, it’s possible to augment the traditional “best glide” speed and truly maximize our engine-out performance. Read more →
Constant Speed Propeller Maintenance
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 →
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 →
Low and Slow
Flying’s always an adventure — especially when it’s a coast-to-coast trip in a light aircraft! Read more →
TSA Follies
The Monty Python-esque TSA strike again! In this episode, they confiscate my security badge, lose it, and then fine me for not having it available for renewal. 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 →