I Can’t Believe I Did That

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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…

salt lake

Friday Photo: The Color of Salt

Cruising toward Ogden on a smooth afternoon, I noticed the Great Salt Lake take on an unexpected shade of purple beneath me. The sun, the salt, and the sky seemed to blend together in a way I’d never seen before.

Asserting a Captain’s Authority

There was a flurry of activity all over the airplane—into which strode Mr. Federal Aviation Inspector Extraordinaire. He proceeded to come into the cockpit and inform me, in no uncertain terms, that this was going to be a “line check” to East Midlands. I asked if he was qualified on the 737, to which he huffily replied, “I certainly am. I am type-rated on the 737.”

The Day Everyone Crashed a Glider

One of my first customers, a kid I’ll call Joey, was my youngest so far but also the most troubling. Maybe ten years old, he acted more like thirty-five, with a sneering confidence and an air of having already seen it all. In my cynical imagination, I figured I’d be hearing about Joey again—maybe later that month—when he’d make headlines for stealing the family car and driving it to Taco Bell propped up on sofa cushions.

Understanding the 70-50 Rule for Takeoff Performance

What I Know About...

The so-called 70-50 rule has popped up a few times recently on the internet. I thought it would be useful to look at this rule, explain how to interpret it properly, point out some less-helpful interpretations, and share a bit of history behind it. I use the rule frequently myself—though not rigidly.

From Sim to Reality: How a Piper PA-28 Changed Everything

We started talking about airplanes, and I told him I liked flying but had never really flown. He mentioned that he had a YouTube channel—Josh’s Aviation Adventures—and had one of his videos playing on a laptop. Then he said something that changed my life. He put his hands on my shoulders and said, “I’m bored. You want to go fly?”

Lucky to Fly

For Serrhel Adams, flying has always been a passion. But when his mother’s health declined, it became a lifeline — a way to be present for the moments that mattered most.

John’s Blog

Go-arounds don’t have to be hard

I was grumpy with my friend because I hate the obsession with instant analysis, and he made me participate in this ugly trend. I was grumpy because this accident hit a little close to home, killing a father who was flying his wife and daughter in a Cirrus SR22 (something I do often). But I was mostly grumpy because go-around accidents happen far too often—and they are eminently preventable. This is one problem we should be able to solve.

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.

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I Can’t Believe I Did That

Out of Options—Pinned in the Pass

I Can't Believe I Did That

Weather closing in. Terrain rising ahead. No room to turn back. In a narrow New Zealand valley, one pilot learns just how unforgiving a single wrong decision can be — and what it taught him about judgment and humility.

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.

Opinion

Is GA Getting Safer?

The AOPA Air Safety Institute (ASI) recently released their 35th annual accident report. And the good news is that GA has never been safer. However, even though most of the press coverage has been mainly focused on the report’s positive high-level trends, the devil is as they say, in the details.

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.

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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