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Articles by John Zimmerman

Articles by John Zimmerman

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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…

The Wizardry of OZ—Flying the Ozarks

The privilege of flying Alaska's Denali, Idaho's Frank Church, and Utah's red rock country had made me somewhat jaded. However, the amazing vista at the John Harris (AR06) strip was a completely unforeseen bonus. The landscape dropping away under us lifting off runway 28 at Trigger Gap (17A) was another unforgettable view.

airventure cup

Friday Photo: AirVenture Cup Race Fly-Over

My wife and I participated in our second AirVenture Cup. The Wisconsin mornings proved to strong of a pull to avoid a morning flight. The event draws many people, and an occasional fly-over for the local fans is encouraged. So, with an empty pattern and a beautiful sunrise for the backdrop, I was able to grab a quick snapshot of our host airport, Wausau Downtown.

A Love Affair with Aviation from CAP to Piper Cubs

For the first time in my life, I experienced a feeling and sensation that I had never felt. I wasn't nervous anymore, my knees stopped knocking, my heart calmed down, and a powerful feeling of security, well-being and confidence took over me. This confirmed my boyhood love affair with aviation.

Visual Angle of Attack Indicators and Systems Engineering Theory

What I Know About...

If VAOAI is primary, then failure mode remedies must be determined, published, and trained. Pretty soon, the solution will come to pitch and power to determine approximate airspeed. Back when I gave primary instruction, I wouldn’t solo a student till they had an hour of pattern work with the airspeed indicator covered. They were terrified on the first approach, apprehensive on the second, and by the end of the hour, bored stiff. They were ready to handle an airspeed failure.

Know Thy EFB

Your EFB is only as good as the data it uses. Consequently, it’s absolutely imperative that before you jump into the cockpit with your trusty mount, fully set up your EFB. And that’s more than just waiting for it to automatically download the latest weather and charts.

The Starlink era is here—will we regret it?

This promises to be a major advancement in cockpit technology, with benefits for pilots and passengers alike. But before diving headfirst into the Starlink pool, it would be wise to pause for just a moment and contemplate what we might lose. Don’t worry, I’m no Luddite and I’m not here to scare anyone away from an exciting new gadget. I am, however, an observer with enough experience to have seen technological breakthroughs bring unintended consequences. I fear that may happen here.

John’s Blog

The Starlink era is here—will we regret it?

This promises to be a major advancement in cockpit technology, with benefits for pilots and passengers alike. But before diving headfirst into the Starlink pool, it would be wise to pause for just a moment and contemplate what we might lose. Don’t worry, I’m no Luddite and I’m not here to scare anyone away from an exciting new gadget. I am, however, an observer with enough experience to have seen technological breakthroughs bring unintended consequences. I fear that may happen here.

Pilot’s Bucket List: 11 Must-Do Adventures After Earning Your License

Everyone's dream list will vary, but let me suggest 11 things that every pilot should do with their license. Call it a bucket list if you want, but I consider it a flight plan for a fulfilling life in the cockpit.

Who is the pilot in command of your aircraft?

FAR 91.3 is one of the simplest and best known federal aviation regulations, and it clearly defines the most essential job as a pilot: to be the boss for the entire flight. But as obvious as this sounds, it’s surprisingly hard to do in the real world. Little by little, your authority as PIC can be eroded until no one is actually in command.

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I Can’t Believe I Did That

I Am UNSAFE Checklist—Lessons Learned on a Fateful Night

I Can't Believe I Did That

Very soon I was on the approach and thought I could still make 06C. The ATIS called out the overcast at 800’ AGL, the minimum I needed (mistake #5—not mine, but it counted anyway.) I held at 800’, assuming I’d see the runway lights below me and then I could continue to 06C. As I crossed the runway threshold, it was solid IMC and I had to go missed. I asked the Tower what the current ceiling was, and the response was that the ATIS was old and the ceiling was actually 400’ and you’ll have to go around.

The Arrogant Pilot

I Can't Believe I Did That

On one early Monday morning, I took things for granted. I cut corners. I made certain assumptions about a departing fuel truck and an obscured fuel gauge—no substitute for pilot responsibility. Thirty minutes later, barely clearing the redwood ridge tops of the Santa Cruz mountains, I would dive for the first straight section of road I could find in the Silicon Valley.

How I failed my IFR Practical Test Twice

I Can't Believe I Did That

I decided after two attempts to not take the Instrument practical again. The examiner was gracious and realized that, being over 55, I did not have plans for commercial flying and certainly not airlines (ATP). He reminded me it is not easy to stay current with an Instrument Rating and flying IFR by yourself can be challenging even for the most proficient pilot, especially if you do not have an autopilot.

Opinion

Know Thy EFB

Your EFB is only as good as the data it uses. Consequently, it’s absolutely imperative that before you jump into the cockpit with your trusty mount, fully set up your EFB. And that’s more than just waiting for it to automatically download the latest weather and charts.

In Defense of the Paper Nav Log

The typical mid-lifers are accomplished overachievers. The way they see it, they could easily learn the Rubik's cube of a paper nav log if they were made to do it. But why require them to spend hours mastering a process that in the real world of EFBs, they'll never have to use again? For a mid-life pilot, this seems like a criminal waste of time.

Why Crash Videos and Social Media Don’t Mix

I get that we all speculate in private on crashes since we have a natural tendency to try to understand tragedy after it unfolds. But when we speak publicly on social media or even to our friends and family at home, we become ambassadors for aviation. And as ambassadors, I firmly believe we need to steer these conversations toward supporting our fellow pilots who were involved in the incident as well as understanding how we can prevent it from happening again. And any online content that goes against these tenets should be strictly avoided or even better, unsubscribed.

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I Can’t Believe I Did That

Learn from the mistakes of others

Technique

Improve your flying skills

Go Or No Go

Test your weather decision-making

Young Pilots

The next generation writes

Friday Photo

Unforgettable cockpit views

I Was There

Sharing pilot stories