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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…

Time Capsule: Leighton Collins flies an early 707 to Europe

Air Facts Archives

From time to time, we revisit an original Air Facts article that we think would make enjoyable and worthwhile reading today. So it is with Leighton’s “Flight 700,” his story of flying with iconic Captain Robert Buck in a 707 at the beginning of the Jet Age. This is a detailed description of a flight, and like us, you will no doubt marvel at how much has changed.

Go or no go: heading north

Go or No Go

Talk about "get-home-itis." Your trip today is the final leg of a marathon freight dog run, with over 1 billion legs in the logbook so far. The flight has gone flawlessly, but you're dead tired and would really like to get home to the Mrs. (Claus, that is). But just because you're the big red man doesn't mean you can skip the weather briefing, so you take one last glance at your iPad before takeoff.

Check rides: I have known and loved

Dick's blog

Most of us remember notable things about our flying, check rides for example. When I was starting out and collecting certificates and ratings, it seemed like I was constantly either preparing for, or taking check rides. Some were more fun than others and I can honestly say that none made me nervous.

I held three jobs on one flight

I was there

It was a day like any other day. I was the flight test engineer/observer on the Cessna M310 prototype and we were taking off on a routine test flight, the purpose of which I’ve forgotten, but it was to be a long one. Right after lift off, a loud metal popping noise was heard at the nose of the airplane.

Washington Report: changes in stall training

Washington report

Stall training has been a hot topic for many years, but it's taken on even more importance in the wake of some high profile airline crashes in recent years. The FAA has now responded, with Advisory Circular 120-109, covering training for stalls and stick pusher activation.

John’s Blog

TAFs are so last century—here are four new tools to try

John's blog

If your preflight weather briefing habits don’t change every few years, you probably aren’t curious enough. Occasionally there are major shifts, like the one from Flight Service phone calls to iPad app self-briefings, but more often we slowly integrate new weather resources and let others fade away. That’s exactly what I’ve done with the Terminal Aerodrome Forecast (TAF), the gold standard of aviation forecasts. I still read them, but it plays a much less central role in my decision-making process than it did five years ago.

Five changes the new MOSAIC rule could bring to aviation

John's blog

The word mosaic can be a noun, meaning a beautiful arrangement of glass, or an adjective, as in the tablets that Charlton Heston brought down from the mountain. Whether you view the FAA’s recently released Modernization of Special Airworthiness Certification (MOSAIC) proposal as a work of art or a restrictive set of commandments from on high, this 300-page document will definitely change general aviation.

What pilots can teach the world about AI

John's blog

In 2023, Covid has rapidly receded from the headlines, but now artificial intelligence (AI) is here to kill us. That’s according to many prominent voices in the computer science community, and more than a few traffic-chasing news outlets too. Once again, I believe pilots have relevant experience to share on this topic. In fact, how to manage technology has been the defining aviation debate of the last 50 years.

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I Can’t Believe I Did That

Expectation bias and distractions lead to near disaster

I Can't Believe I Did That

what was causing our 400,000 lbs. abode to creep forward at an alarmingly increasing rate? What was earlier yards or even feet of separation now seemed like mere inches. Those vehicles, those people, they had no way to move, no way to extricate themselves from the approaching doom.

Never again – too much trust in the weather forecast

I Can't Believe I Did That

All of a sudden, a giant water tower appeared in front of me. I was now at 200 ft. AGL and quickly turned around the water tower to find my position. Woodville, Mississippi was written on the side of the water tower. Yes, at least now I knew where I was. I got out my VFR paper map and hunted for Woodville on that map, but I could not find it.

A night flight I’ll never forget

I Can't Believe I Did That

My unfamiliarity with the airplane, its engine, and perhaps the fact that Goff was red-lining his airplane which had 30 more horsepower made the gap between us increase more and more until the dot I was following on my wind screen which I believed was Goff turned out to be an insect splatter. Suddenly, I was flying alone and in the dark.

View ICBIDT

Opinion

Is your airplane maintenance legal, safe, or neither?

Opinion

The airplane was rough at best - high time engine, old radios, needed paint. The mechanic asked if the owner had the log books. He produced them, and as the mechanic looked through them, he asked “Who does your annuals?” The reply was “Oh, I do them myself and have (mechanic name) sign them off for me.” Was the airplane legal? The logs book said so, but in reality, it was neither legal or safe.

Better ramp etiquette is needed

Opinion

The Beechcraft King Air pilots spend the next 15 minutes holding the adjacent aircraft captive before finally getting underway. It is the longest fifteen minutes of the day for passengers on both airplanes. Pilots and passengers still in the lobby must also wait until the coast is clear.

How Not to Lose Control: What We Can Learn from Colgan 3407

Opinion

The captain of Colgan 3407, when faced with an impending stall while IFR at night and relatively close to the ground, pulled against the Stick Pusher, another safety system designed to help a pilot lower the nose in a stall. The stick pusher, in this case, activated three times, and at each successive activation the FDR indicates a stronger and stronger pull by the captain.

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A Bad Plan is Better Than No Plan At All

Aviation is the universal language

Bird strikes

The new Helio Courier pilot

Friday photo: fishing from the wing of a Maule

My lake rescue in northern Ontario

I Can’t Believe I Did That

I Was There

Technique

History

NEW ARTICLES

Time Capsule: Leighton Collins flies an early 707 to Europe

Top 12 articles of 2012

Go or no go: heading north

Check rides: I have known and loved

I held three jobs on one flight

Washington Report: changes in stall training

John’s Blog

TAFs are so last century—here are four new tools to try

Five changes the new MOSAIC rule could bring to aviation

What pilots can teach the world about AI

I Can’t Believe I Did That

Expectation bias and distractions lead to near disaster

Never again – too much trust in the weather forecast

A night flight I’ll never forget

Opinion

Is your airplane maintenance legal, safe, or neither?

Better ramp etiquette is needed

How Not to Lose Control: What We Can Learn from Colgan 3407

More Articles

I Can’t Believe I Did That

Technique

Go Or No Go

Young Pilots

Friday Photo

I Was There

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