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

Connect with Us

Explore the Sporty's Media Network

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…

Whose Freedom To Fly Is It Anyway?

If you have been reading the news of late, AOPA has been getting a lot of negative press these days from what appears to be a perceived disconnect between its current Board and the GA community at large. Be that as it may, I think this presents a golden opportunity for all of us to step back and ask what does the word “general” in GA even mean and how should it be represented?

Close Encounters of the Bird Kind

What I Know About...

A night approach into Chicago Midway turned into a close encounter with two geese and a damaged DC-9. Bird strikes are rare—but not rare enough. Here’s a practical look at what reduces the risk and what to do when feathers start flying.

Collins Writing Prize Second Place: Livin’ the Dream

I Can't Believe I Did That, Young Pilots

This article received second place in the 2026 Richard Collins Writing Prize for Young Pilots. Grace Eger, who also placed in the contest in 2023, shares a memorable winter lesson in humility—and a reminder of why flying is still the best job in the world.

Collins Writing Prize Winner: The Day the Sky Went Silent

I was there, Young Pilots

Editor’s note: This article is the first-place winner in the 2026 Richard Collins Writing Prize for Young Pilots. After reviewing dozens of submissions, our panel of judges selected Kathleen S. Thompson’s story of her first solo cross-country…

Friday Photo: Gateway to the Ozarks

The Fly Oz Club hosts a gathering on the upper patio at Bentonville Municipal Airport (KVBT) on the first Thursday of every month. I can drive over an hour in traffic, or take a 15 minute Cub flight. On this evening, winds were calm, clouds were friendly, and the sun was setting. Landing on 17 Grass was never in question. I’m thankful every day for these flying opportunities and the beauty that is so very accessible in Northwest Arkansas.

The Great Court Case

In the booming aviation days of the 1960s, a Sunday morning takeoff without a clearance seemed harmless enough. Two years later, it would land Jim Davis in a Windhoek courtroom—facing five charges, a furious controller, and a flashing white light that changed everything.

John’s Blog

Use it or lose it: the instrument rating is not an insurance policy

One of the saddest things in aviation is a pilot with an instrument rating who’s afraid to use it. They look at a 1500-foot overcast and realize their $15,000 investment has become nothing more than a souvenir. Maybe they used to fly in the soup all the time and simply fell out of the habit; more likely, they can recite the holding pattern entries from the textbook but have never seen the inside of a cloud. Either way, it’s a waste of money and a missed opportunity.

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.

View John’s Blog

I Can’t Believe I Did That

Collins Writing Prize Second Place: Livin’ the Dream

I Can't Believe I Did That, Young Pilots

This article received second place in the 2026 Richard Collins Writing Prize for Young Pilots. Grace Eger, who also placed in the contest in 2023, shares a memorable winter lesson in humility—and a reminder of why flying is still the best job in the world.

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.

Opinion

Whose Freedom To Fly Is It Anyway?

If you have been reading the news of late, AOPA has been getting a lot of negative press these days from what appears to be a perceived disconnect between its current Board and the GA community at large. Be that as it may, I think this presents a golden opportunity for all of us to step back and ask what does the word “general” in GA even mean and how should it be represented?

I’m an Air Racer?!

In terms of piloting skills, you need three things: currency, proficiency, and a willingness to learn the rules to make a safe cross-country “race.” In fact, a newly minted private pilot, within weeks of receiving their initial ticket, has successfully completed the AVC. Again, the AVC is not a close-formation, closed-course race around pylons. It is a cross-country race over the beautiful Wisconsin countryside.

Flying For a Living

Most of us learned to fly because we love learning new concepts and improving skills. And there’s a lot to learn— aerodynamics, engineering, rules and regulations. That stuff is like catnip to a certain kind of person. And then there’s the payoff. There is so much you can do with an airplane. It truly is magical.

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