• Write for us
    • Email Sign-up
    Air Facts Journal
    • Articles
      • Air Facts Archives
      • Friday Photo
      • Go/No Go
      • History
      • I Can’t Believe I Did That
      • International
      • Interview
      • I was there
      • John’s blog
      • Opinion
      • Technique
      • Weather Geek
      • What I Know About…
      • Young Pilots
    • Podcast
    • Popular
    • Videos
    • Newsletter
    • Write for us
    • What is Air Facts?
    • Search
    • Menu Menu
    • A First Time for Everything

    • Friday Photo: Glimpse of Gold

    • Introducing IFR Focus: Real-World IFR Tips from Experienced Pilots

    • AirFacts Podcast—Behind the Cockpit Door: Insights from Joel Turpin

    • I Almost Hit the Trees: A Lesson in IFR Vertigo

    • A Quarter Tank and a Prayer

    PreviousNext
    123456

    I Can’t Believe I Did That

    Learn from the mistakes of others

    I Was There

    Pilot stories from around the world

    Technique

    Improve your flying skills

    Articles by Serrhel Adams

    Articles by Serrhel Adams

    NEW ARTICLES

    OUR MOST RECENT POSTS

    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…

    Why do we still run out of gas?

    John's blog
    We stink at fuel management. The latest evidence? On January 23, a Cirrus SR20 crashed a few miles short of the runway in Danbury, Connecticut and made national headlines for its colorful parachute getting caught in power lines. Surely a plane as advanced as this one couldn't just run out of fuel.
    Read more
    119 Comments
    /
    February 11, 2013
    https://media.airfactsjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/06175334/SR20-fuel-system.jpg 278 519 John Zimmerman https://media.airfactsjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/03140241/AF_Logo_24.png John Zimmerman2013-02-11 16:46:122016-02-27 10:53:59Why do we still run out of gas?
    Tachometer

    I Can’t Believe I Did That #2

    I Can't Believe I Did That
    I lost a cylinder last time up. Here's the story, with all details which I can recall, followed (figuratively, thank goodness) by a post-mortem. The first abnormal sign was a bad mag check. Three guys, first me, then one of Lincoln's most experienced pilots, then an older pilot, all thought plug fouling.
    Read more
    13 Comments
    /
    February 8, 2013
    https://media.airfactsjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/06175338/Tachometer-1800.png 720 1280 Tom Winter https://media.airfactsjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/03140241/AF_Logo_24.png Tom Winter2013-02-08 15:15:072016-02-27 10:53:52I Can’t Believe I Did That #2

    A dream of the 1970s: the Bede-5

    Dick's blog
    To say that Jim Bede was controversial is an understatement. Some called him a visionary, others had descriptions that were not so kind. The undisputed fact, though, is that Jim Bede excited and then disappointed a lot of pilots in the 1970s. He was a hard guy not to like and he exuded infectious enthusiasm even if he didn’t always deliver.
    Read more
    57 Comments
    /
    February 6, 2013
    https://media.airfactsjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/06175342/BD-5J-Bach.jpg 434 640 Richard Collins https://media.airfactsjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/03140241/AF_Logo_24.png Richard Collins2013-02-06 09:45:392016-08-16 17:12:27A dream of the 1970s: the Bede-5
    Fire

    Fire!

    I was there
    Wispy smoke begins streaming around the cowling and quickly thickens. Fire! I’m alone in our Cessna 180. My adrenaline flow redlines. After a few seconds considering my options, I turn the master off, grab a piece of equipment, push the left door open, and jump. No parachute.
    Read more
    13 Comments
    /
    February 4, 2013
    https://media.airfactsjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/06175332/fire.jpg 1018 1600 David Huprich https://media.airfactsjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/03140241/AF_Logo_24.png David Huprich2013-02-04 16:04:212016-02-27 10:53:28Fire!

    Abandoned airfields: history in our midst

    John's blog
    We all know that airports are disappearing at a depressing rate. But they are not forgotten, thanks to the heroic efforts of Paul Freeman and his fascinating website: Abandoned and Little-Known Airfields. This hidden gem offers history and pictures for over 1600 airports that are still among us, but no longer on the sectional.
    Read more
    20 Comments
    /
    January 31, 2013
    https://media.airfactsjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/06175355/bethpage-taxiway.jpg 551 760 John Zimmerman https://media.airfactsjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/03140241/AF_Logo_24.png John Zimmerman2013-01-31 12:15:352019-05-17 09:26:44Abandoned airfields: history in our midst

    Go or No Go: game time

    Go or No Go
    Your friend got you tickets to the Super Bowl to see your beloved Baltimore Ravens play. To make an adventure out of it, you've decided to fly your 1995 A36 Bonanza to New Orleans for the game. But will you be able to make it?
    Read more
    9 Comments
    /
    January 29, 2013
    https://media.airfactsjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/06175359/AF-NEW-featured.jpg 280 520 Air Facts Staff https://media.airfactsjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/03140241/AF_Logo_24.png Air Facts Staff2013-01-29 15:53:152020-11-20 10:51:35Go or No Go: game time
    Page 404 of 438«‹402403404405406›»

    John’s Blog

    The aviation community is alive and well

    John's blog
    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.”
    Read more
    25 Comments
    /
    June 2, 2025
    https://media.airfactsjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/27151312/The-aviation-community-is-alive-and-well.png 1000 1250 John Zimmerman https://media.airfactsjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/03140241/AF_Logo_24.png John Zimmerman2025-06-02 08:54:432025-05-27 16:38:00The aviation community is alive and well

    The Starlink era is here—will we regret it?

    John's blog
    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.
    Read more
    27 Comments
    /
    April 9, 2025
    https://media.airfactsjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/17123837/Copy-of-The-Starlink-era-is-here%E2%80%94will-we-regret-it.png 1000 1300 John Zimmerman https://media.airfactsjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/03140241/AF_Logo_24.png John Zimmerman2025-04-09 08:55:152025-04-17 12:38:45The Starlink era is here—will we regret it?

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

    John's blog
    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.
    Read more
    55 Comments
    /
    March 14, 2025
    https://media.airfactsjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/20101002/11-things-to-do-with-your-license.png 1000 1250 John Zimmerman https://media.airfactsjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/03140241/AF_Logo_24.png John Zimmerman2025-03-14 08:55:252025-03-23 14:20:58Pilot’s Bucket List: 11 Must-Do Adventures After Earning Your License
    View John’s Blog

    I Can’t Believe I Did That

    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.
    Read more
    13 Comments
    /
    June 20, 2025
    https://media.airfactsjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/20175441/QUARTER-TANK-AND-A-PRAYER.png 1000 1250 Jeff Minck https://media.airfactsjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/03140241/AF_Logo_24.png Jeff Minck2025-06-20 08:55:212025-05-27 15:15:11A Quarter Tank and a Prayer

    Trial by Ice

    I Can't Believe I Did That, I was there
    The most valuable lesson I learned from the “School of Hard Knocks” had nothing to do with weather or instrument flying. The “trial by ice” was a lesson in the awesome responsibility that comes from occupying the left seat of an airplane, regardless of its size. It also taught me to recognize those rare and unusual emergency situations when going by the book is not safe, and when deviating from standard operating procedures or the Federal Air Regulations is not only warranted, but imperative.
    Read more
    31 Comments
    /
    May 5, 2025
    https://media.airfactsjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/16113809/trial-by-ice.png 1000 1250 Joel Turpin https://media.airfactsjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/03140241/AF_Logo_24.png Joel Turpin2025-05-05 08:10:022025-05-05 08:11:53Trial by Ice

    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. 
    Read more
    19 Comments
    /
    February 28, 2025
    https://media.airfactsjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/14102325/unsafe-checklist.png 1000 1250 Bob Hamilton https://media.airfactsjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/03140241/AF_Logo_24.png Bob Hamilton2025-02-28 08:55:512025-02-14 10:24:30I Am UNSAFE Checklist—Lessons Learned on a Fateful Night
    View ICBIDT

    Opinion

    ADS-Fee?

    Opinion
    Imagine flying out on a perfect CAVOK day to bathe in all that heavenly glory. Now imagine a few weeks later receiving a bill in the mail for a “landing” fee from an airport you, well, never landed at. Welcome to PLANEPASS!
    Read more
    18 Comments
    /
    June 16, 2025
    https://media.airfactsjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/20091718/ADS-FEE.png 1000 1250 Alexander Sack https://media.airfactsjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/03140241/AF_Logo_24.png Alexander Sack2025-06-16 08:55:252025-05-27 10:58:00ADS-Fee?

    A Different Kind of Pilot Decision—Choosing Not to Fly

    I was there, Opinion
    In my airplane, I am the source of reliability—or unreliability. The flight doesn’t leave without me. If I don’t like the weather, I don’t go. If I need to divert, I can. I choose my departure time. I build in margins. And most importantly, I have the authority—and practice—to say “no.”
    Read more
    14 Comments
    /
    May 28, 2025
    https://media.airfactsjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/12100549/A-Different-Kind-of-Pilot-Decision%E2%80%94Choosing-Not-to-Fly.png 1000 1250 Serrhel Adams https://media.airfactsjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/03140241/AF_Logo_24.png Serrhel Adams2025-05-28 08:55:462025-05-27 15:18:53A Different Kind of Pilot Decision—Choosing Not to Fly

    What the Sky Taught Me

    Opinion
    Small airports hold a peculiar magic—they exist in the present moment while preserving a vision from long ago. For decades, I watched small aircraft come and go from these little strips, until at 49, that pull became a question I couldn't ignore: what was I missing by staying on the ground? What relationships—what dialogue—awaited me in the sky?
    Read more
    14 Comments
    /
    May 19, 2025
    https://media.airfactsjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/05164511/What-the-Sky-Taught-Me.png 1000 1250 Brian Siskind https://media.airfactsjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/03140241/AF_Logo_24.png Brian Siskind2025-05-19 08:55:402025-05-05 16:45:35What the Sky Taught Me
    View Opinion

    More Articles

    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

    Recent Posts

    • A First Time for Everything
    • Friday Photo: Glimpse of Gold
    • Introducing IFR Focus: Real-World IFR Tips from Experienced Pilots
    • AirFacts Podcast—Behind the Cockpit Door: Insights from Joel Turpin
    • I Almost Hit the Trees: A Lesson in IFR Vertigo

    Email newsletter

    Write for us!

    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.

    Here’s how to contribute.

    • Terms of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    ©COPYRIGHT 2011-2025, SPORTSMAN'S MARKET, INC. All Rights Reserved.
    Scroll to top