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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…


Don’t damage the pilot brand
OpinionAll of us pilots are functioning as brand ambassadors of the general aviation (GA) business to the public. We need to strive to make sure everyone sees our brand in a positive light. Straight up accidents are going to be a consistent part of living life and there is probably nothing we can do about some of those, but the avoidable things are what we really can change.

Surviving my solo cross-country flight in South Korea
I Can't Believe I Did ThatWhen I arrived at the Sea of Japan coastline, was I supposed to turn south, or was it north? Which way had the winds been blowing me? I did not recognize any landmarks on the chart. So, I turned south, flew for 10 or 15 minutes, and still did not find the expected landmarks.

The U.S. Forest Service Beaver Program in Ely, Minnesota
UncategorizedThe program’s primary area of responsibility is the 3 million-acre Superior National Forest in northeast Minnesota. Included entirely within the forest is the 1 million-acre Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW). Three separate Prohibited Areas (P-204, P-205 and P-206) overly the BWCAW and prohibit aircraft from flying below 4,000 feet MSL.

Cirrus and Bonanzas dominated their eras
OpinionNo two other airplanes dominated their time as the premier personal piston single. And each succeeded by being different in very fundamental ways.

Friday photo: The Las Vegas Strip
Friday PhotoThis trip was my first flight into North Las Vegas, and it was busy even after the tower had closed. I was very focused on flying the departure procedure so I hadn't given any thought to where the procedure would take us relative to the city.
John’s Blog

The truth about learning to fly
John's blogAs a community, pilots do a pretty good job of getting kids interested in flying. But I think we do ourselves a great disservice when we tell prospective pilots that learning to fly is all fun and excitement. It’s not, and we know it’s not.

What it means to fly like a pro: 12 habits
John's blogFlying like a professional doesn’t mean you get paid to fly, it doesn’t mean you wear epaulets, and it doesn’t mean you burn Jet A. More than anything, it means you understand the responsibility you have as a pilot and you take pride in how you conduct every flight. Here's how to approach flying with a pro's mindset, and 12 habits for safer flying.

Autopilots are underrated
John's blogIt’s time to add the much-maligned autopilot to this list of life-saving technologies—and retire some old myths in the process. The latest generation of digital autopilots are nothing like the “mechanical brain” of 1947 or even the analog systems of the 1970s and 80s. They are the first models to truly live up to the grand title they are often given: “automatic flight control system.”
I Can’t Believe I Did That

Surviving my solo cross-country flight in South Korea
I Can't Believe I Did ThatWhen I arrived at the Sea of Japan coastline, was I supposed to turn south, or was it north? Which way had the winds been blowing me? I did not recognize any landmarks on the chart. So, I turned south, flew for 10 or 15 minutes, and still did not find the expected landmarks.

Multiple mistakes were too much to overcome
I Can't Believe I Did ThatThe airplane suddenly was blown to the right of centerline by a strong gust. I immediately put in left aileron and worked the rudder to get back to centerline. Just as abruptly the gust was gone, and I felt a sensation that I had not felt before in an aircraft. The left wing simply stopped flying – as if there was no lift at all. This did not develop like any stall I had ever experienced.

Sleeping on the job – a lesson in staying alert
I Can't Believe I Did ThatWAIT! I’m supposed to be flying, not sleeping! Where am I? Where am I going? I checked the instruments and saw I was now heading west at 10,500 feet. I glanced around and knew exactly where I was, so I turned back to a northerly heading.
Opinion

Reflections from a backseat glider pilot
OpinionMost powered aircraft do not need a lot of rudder these days. Gliders generate a lot of adverse aileron yaw, and you have to fly with your feet as much as you do the stick.

Don’t damage the pilot brand
OpinionAll of us pilots are functioning as brand ambassadors of the general aviation (GA) business to the public. We need to strive to make sure everyone sees our brand in a positive light. Straight up accidents are going to be a consistent part of living life and there is probably nothing we can do about some of those, but the avoidable things are what we really can change.

Cirrus and Bonanzas dominated their eras
OpinionNo two other airplanes dominated their time as the premier personal piston single. And each succeeded by being different in very fundamental ways.
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Did you know that most of the articles at Air Facts are written by readers like you? You do not have to be Richard Collins or Ernest Gann – simply a GA pilot with a story you’d share with friends sitting in the hangar.