
Don’t damage the pilot brand
OpinionAll of us pilots are functioning as brand ambassadors of the general aviation (GA) business to the public. We need to strive to make sure everyone sees our brand in a positive light. Straight up accidents are going to be a consistent part of living life and there is probably nothing we can do about some of those, but the avoidable things are what we really can change.

Surviving my solo cross-country flight in South Korea
I Can't Believe I Did ThatWhen I arrived at the Sea of Japan coastline, was I supposed to turn south, or was it north? Which way had the winds been blowing me? I did not recognize any landmarks on the chart. So, I turned south, flew for 10 or 15 minutes, and still did not find the expected landmarks.

The U.S. Forest Service Beaver Program in Ely, Minnesota
UncategorizedThe program’s primary area of responsibility is the 3 million-acre Superior National Forest in northeast Minnesota. Included entirely within the forest is the 1 million-acre Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW). Three separate Prohibited Areas (P-204, P-205 and P-206) overly the BWCAW and prohibit aircraft from flying below 4,000 feet MSL.

Cirrus and Bonanzas dominated their eras
OpinionNo two other airplanes dominated their time as the premier personal piston single. And each succeeded by being different in very fundamental ways.

Friday photo: The Las Vegas Strip
Friday PhotoThis trip was my first flight into North Las Vegas, and it was busy even after the tower had closed. I was very focused on flying the departure procedure so I hadn't given any thought to where the procedure would take us relative to the city.

Pilots are not smarter, they are just better prepared
OpinionAsk any group of pilots to raise their hands if still a student, and you will be surprised at how many hands go up. The pace of progress for aviation instruments requires pilots to be lifelong students, and they know it.

The truth about learning to fly
John's blogAs a community, pilots do a pretty good job of getting kids interested in flying. But I think we do ourselves a great disservice when we tell prospective pilots that learning to fly is all fun and excitement. It’s not, and we know it’s not.

What it means to fly like a pro: 12 habits
John's blogFlying like a professional doesn’t mean you get paid to fly, it doesn’t mean you wear epaulets, and it doesn’t mean you burn Jet A. More than anything, it means you understand the responsibility you have as a pilot and you take pride in how you conduct every flight. Here's how to approach flying with a pro's mindset, and 12 habits for safer flying.

General Aviation Accessible Aviation Museum Directory
History, UncategorizedI eventually compiled a list of 176 on-airport aviation museums in the U.S. and some in Canada – all of which can be accessed without the need to rent a car or pay for a ride. I contacted most of the museums to confirm that a pilot could land at the airport and either park at the museum or walk to the museum.

A mother overcomes her rusty pilot fears to share the joy of flying
I was thereI loved my time in the air. But after having my son, I found I feared flying. I was afraid to leave him without a mother. I would think about flying once in a while as I focused on working and raising him. I was busy, for sure, but I was also afraid. I accepted that bad things might happen when I flew before he was born. In the years after he was born, though, things changed.

Friday photo: Boeing 737 shadow
Friday PhotoWe were beginning a descent into a lower overcast with the late afternoon sun slightly behind and on the right side. I happened to look out the left side window and was amazed to see the airplane’s shadow perfectly silhouetted against the cloud deck.

Multiple mistakes were too much to overcome
I Can't Believe I Did ThatThe airplane suddenly was blown to the right of centerline by a strong gust. I immediately put in left aileron and worked the rudder to get back to centerline. Just as abruptly the gust was gone, and I felt a sensation that I had not felt before in an aircraft. The left wing simply stopped flying – as if there was no lift at all. This did not develop like any stall I had ever experienced.

The hidden benefits of learning to fly
OpinionLearning to fly takes time, dedication and commitment. But the reward can serve you in life far beyond flying an airplane. You probably know the benefits of flight - speed, saving time, maximizing productivity - but have you considered the benefits of learning to fly?

Engine Failure Over Kentucky
I was thereAs I dialed in the tower frequency, the cockpit fell silent. Prop-loafing, heart stopping engine failure. My training kicked in (thank you, Tom Davis). I added carb heat (late, I know), checked the fuel selector (should have an hour's fuel still in the tanks), flipped through the left and right mags, and pushed the mix ture knob into full-rich. No change.

Making a difference – speaking up when it mattered
I was thereI lost sight of them before liftoff as they passed behind the fuel island tanks. They had passed over the dam and were following the river drainage to the south. At this point, they still had not climbed above pattern altitude. After what felt like an agonizingly long time, they finally reached their cruise altitude of 9,500'.

The Chart Supplement and “Deer, coyotes, and birds on and invof arpt”
OpinionThe Chart Supplement can spell out the huge words “waterfowl” or “jack rabbits,” but can’t spell out the word “airport,” but instead uses “arpt?” Or “invof” versus “in the vicinity of?” Why not abbreviate bears, to “brs?” Or “buffalos” to “bfflo?” Reason?—because all the bfflo were sht by bfflo-hntrs in like 1885.

Friday photo: turning on a tail
Friday PhotoMy husband and I discovered flying in Costa Rica last year. We had the pleasure of exploring the land of Pura Vida by renting an airplane based at the Pavas (MRPV) airport, along with a local instructor. Through researching options available for GA opportunities, we found an excellent flight school in San Jose that gave us the direction and training to explore this beautiful country from the air.

A pilot’s views on 360 photography
My AdventureFor me, the most important attribute of these 360 cameras and their capabilities (most of which I haven’t even touched on here) are the game changing effects on my pleasure flying that I mentioned early in this report. I have literally re-opened my backyard (local) flying areas to a new excitement and now see familiar settings with a revived sense of interest and even joy.

Are Your Preflight Inspections Becoming Routine?
TechniqueMaintenance-related problems are one of the most deadly causes of accidents in general aviation. Contributing to this is a pilot’s failure to identify maintenance discrepancies because of a lack of knowledge and improper techniques used during the preflight of the aircraft.

The safety window – Raytheon Premier accident analysis
Accident ReportSynopsis
It is midday on Thursday 12 March 2015. A Premier I business jet is descending to its destination, Blackpool (EGNH), UK. The aircraft experiences intermittent hydraulic pressure fluctuations with associated indications and warnings.…