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Jerry Lawler

Articles by Capt. Jerry Lawler

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Air Facts was first published in 1938 by Leighton Collins, dedicated to “the development of private air transportation.” It’s a different world now, and it’s a different Air Facts. Relaunched in 2011 as an online journal, Air Facts still champions, educates, informs and entertains pilots worldwide with real-world flying experiences. More…

backcountry

Friday Photo: Backcountry Airstrip

Precision flying in the backcountry can be important. Thankfully, Byrds provides plenty of room for practicing precision. The runway is long, the go around is forgiving, and the scenery is spectacular. Just check the DA before you go in heavy. There was plenty of runway, but I was spending the day trying not to waste any under my tires as I was working on spot landings.

Ice, Cookies and a Blinking Light

Navigation for small aircraft in those days relied on a few methods. There were no digital computers or GPS systems, and radar coverage—especially in Canada and Alaska—was sparse. Pilots navigated primarily by following things on the ground (pilotage) or by plotting a course on a map and compensating for wind drift and magnetic variation. This method was called dead reckoning—a lousy term.

A Tale of Three Airports

The forecast called for a thin but stubborn cloud deck, low enough that I doubted we’d make it into Stockerau. With that in mind, I lined up Plan B: Bad Vöslau (LOAV). Unlike Stockerau, Bad Vöslau offers an RNAV (GNSS) approach to RWY 31—a reliable “cloud breaker” that could give us a fighting chance to get underneath the layer. I called ahead before departure, and they reassured me: “Shouldn’t be a problem” (or “Passt,” as they said in Austrian-German).

Remembering Yesterday—Reflections of Joseph Connell

I flashed back to late January of 1961. I was an Aviation Cadet at Vance AFB in Oklahoma, nearly five months away from receiving my commission and pilot’s wings. Our group, Class 61-G2, was the final class of the Aviation Cadet Program. That still, windless morning, I donned my oxygen mask and prepared to fly.

From the Archives: Bringing ‘Em in at Idlewild

Air Facts Archives

A classic from the Air Facts archives: Wolfgang Langewiesche, author of Stick and Rudder, takes readers inside the fog-shrouded operations at New York’s Idlewild Airport—today’s JFK—in 1954. With vivid detail, he explains how radar, radio, and skilled controllers brought transatlantic airliners safely to the runway in any weather.

The Power of Mentorship: How One Pilot Rekindled My Passion for Flying

One afternoon, while my wife took a break, I went on a solo exploration. It was during this time that a chance encounter would change everything. I walked by a Lancair covered in sponsor logos, with large numbers on the tail. I noticed several other airplanes with similar numbers. I had stumbled into parking for the AirVenture Cup Race.

John’s Blog

Guard frequency in the age of social media

Yes, this is an “old man yells at cloud” article. Yes, I can already hear the jokes about the “guard police.” I don’t care. It needs to be said: Guard frequency (121.5) has become a national embarrassment, a sign that our self-absorbed social media culture has spread to the once-boring world of aviation. We need to do better.

Why are spatial disorientation accidents on the rise?

Researchers from the FAA show that SD accidents have not declined since 2003—in fact, quite the opposite. You might assume the widespread adoption of tools like datalink weather, modern autopilots, reliable AHRS, and electronic flight bag apps would make VFR-into-IMC (the classic SD accident scenario) much less common. It’s a great theory, but the numbers don’t support it.

The aviation community is alive and well

Before the expletive could even leave my mouth, one of the FBO employees offered to lend me the crew car. I assumed the crew car option would be impossible, or at least impossibly bad manners, since the round trip would be nearly two hours and the FBO was closing soon. But he wouldn’t hear it: “take all the time you need and just drop the keys off with the night security guard. We appreciate your business.”

View John’s Blog

I Can’t Believe I Did That

Spatial Disorientation: I Thought It Couldn’t Happen to Me

I Can't Believe I Did That

I began climbing to get between layers, intending to stabilize and then request IFR. But as I entered the clouds, what I thought could never happen did. I was in an unusual attitude: 45 degrees banked and nose down. For a moment, I considered pulling the CAPS parachute. I had often wondered if I’d have the presence of mind to use it in a real emergency. After this, I know the answer is yes. But I also realized I could recover.

I Made Every Flight Training Mistake Humanly Possible

I Can't Believe I Did That

Flight training is rarely a straight line, but for Nick Smith it turned into a winding, four–year journey full of delays, false starts, and unexpected costs. In this brutally honest account, he shares the mistakes he made—so future pilots don’t have to repeat them. His story is both a cautionary tale and a reminder that perseverance can still lead to the certificate.

A Quarter Tank and a Prayer

I Can't Believe I Did That

I was watching the fuel gauges drop before my eyes. I elected to continue to ECG rather than turn back. I was on a direct course. The Norfolk controller wished me luck—not the most reassuring sign—and handed me off to ECG Tower, who had already been briefed.

Opinion

Me and IFR

During another smooth cloudy day, a relative—who shall remain unnamed—asked if I wanted to fly. Weather was marginal VFR; he had his IFR rating. At 3,000 feet, we entered clouds. I panicked briefly, deer-in-headlights style. Calmly, he asked me to hand him his foggles from the seat pocket. Did that give me confidence? Not really. But the flight remained calm and uneventful. He wore view limiters in clouds for comfort—something I couldn’t quite fathom at the time.

Yes, I Still Take Flying Lessons

I approach every flight with an instructor with a plan of my own. I don’t just show up because the calendar says it’s time. I bring specific goals, real-world questions, and skills I want to sharpen. My annual IPC isn’t about checking FAA boxes; it’s about tackling challenges I’ve faced over the year and flying approaches that have pushed me.

Generally Affordable? The Truth About Flying Costs

The economics of flying is not for the faint of heart. In fact, the average cost of just getting your “license to learn” is now hovering around the $20,000 mark. And if that number doesn’t faze you, then let me sprinkle in some rampant inflation, a tight insurance market, and just the high opportunity cost of staying current—let alone proficient—into the mix.

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