A look at the CVR and FDR data from the Air France flight 447 accident shows that the airplane was stalled and held in that stall all the way to the ground. Were the pilots unaware, or had their training simply taught them that the venerable A330 could not be stalled? Read more →
The NHTSA reports that the highways are safer than ever, so it seems like an opportune time to see how the relative fatal accident rate between cars and general aviation aircraft compare. Read more →
Forget the rent being too damn high. What really twerks me is when the checklist is too damn long! It’s enough to make at least one professional pilot question whether we should use them at all. Read more →
A select few among us still have the opportunity to hop a miserable flight in the aluminum tube and take delivery of a brand new airplane just as it rolls off the final assembly line. I made just such a trip recently, and that “new airplane” smell really is intoxicating. Read more →
Hold short, short approach, short runway. The word “short” can mean many things. The FAA has recognized this and made a much-needed change to the way they tell pilots about runway construction at an airport. Read more →
Experience shows that the emergency you get isn’t always the one you’ve trained for. It’s worth thinking about no matter what you fly. Read more →
Pilots are human and everyone understand we make mistakes. But I encountered one recently who seems content to use the same poor airmanship that almost killed him before and expect a different result. Isn’t that the definition of “insanity”? Read more →
Some guys insist on flying IFR everywhere, regardless of destination or weather. I’ve always preferred VFR flying when it helps expedite things. That’s never failed to pay off… until today, when I found myself locked out of my favorite Las Vegas airport. Read more →
It’s odd when politicians don’t seem to understand how government works. The latest example involves the L.A. County Board of Supervisors and their vote urging the FAA to do exactly what it already does every day. Perhaps the politicos should pay more attention to their own job and leave airspace management to the pros. Read more →
Business aviation has been the scapegoat long enough. The facts are more than sufficient to turn the tables on politicians and talking heads who challenge the use of corporate jets to maintain a competitive edge. Read more →