The mid-century era was a wonderful time for design, architecture, and even aviation. Unfortunately, it was also the top of a slippery slope in pilot proficiency which just happens to have coincided with a proliferation of nosewheel designs… and a maddening late 50’s advertising campaign by Cessna based on the concept that flying = driving. Every time I see this ad, all I can think is “no, No, NO!” I don’t care how many flying cars or roadable airplanes they build, flying will never be anything like driving. Read more →
Tag: training
Stick & Rudder Skills Are Important
A highly experienced airline captain and ERAU aviation professor has opined that automation management skills should be receiving more focus than basic stick-and-rudder aptitude. Wanna guess what I think of that idea? Read more →
Reducing the Cost of Flight Training
It’s not exactly a news flash to say that flight training is expensive. But there are ways to economize without cutting corners on the quality of your training. Here are ten ways to get the most bang for your aviation buck and avoid joining the 80% of students who never complete their training. Read more →
The Lusty Horn
Operating the landing gear is pretty simple. There are only two choices: up or down. Why, then, do so many folks seem to have it in the wrong place when coming back to earth? I have a theory about that… Read more →
G-IV Type Rating, Day 21
Twenty two days after arriving in Dallas, the Big Day is here! Did I squeak through… or go down in a blaze of glory? I give the answer, and some final thoughts about the Gulfstream IV PIC initial type rating course. Read more →
G-IV Type Rating, Day 20
The final push — day two of the dress rehearsal. We work on abormals and single engine approaches, and I discover something worse than failing: causing my sim partner to fail. Read more →
G-IV Type Rating, Day 19
As we get closer to the end of the program, the teaching stops and the testing begins today with the first half of a dress rehearsal for the checkride. Read more →
G-IV Type Rating, Day 18
The heat is on in the sim — it’s “hot weather” day, and we’ve got just the right instructor to help keep us cool. Read more →
G-IV Type Rating, Day 16-17
After the fiasco yesterday, things improve dramatically despite the rapid pace of approaches and malfunctions. We experience cold weather flying, and I made a key discovery from observing how my sim partner operates. Read more →
G-IV Type Rating, Day 15
They say the simulator can humble even the best of pilots. Now I know what they’re talking about. The schedule called for ‘abnormal procedures’ today, but sadly, the most abnormal thing about the whole day ended up being my flying. Read more →