A First Time for Everything

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I flew my first combat mission in Southeast Asia. I was in the back seat of an OV-10 Bronco on an orientation flight out of Nakhon Phanom (NKP) Air Base in Thailand, flying with an experienced Forward Air Controller (FAC) over Laos. It was an introduction to the combat environment, local procedures, and the terrain I’d soon be navigating on my own.

Friday Photo: Glimpse of Gold

I was doing a walk around when this 737 taxied by. The golden light was quite stunning as the sun nestled into the horizon.  This particular aircraft is painted as "Missouri 1” but the livery that started the airline was called "Desert Gold”.
ifr focus

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

Each week, IFR Focus delivers practical insights through videos, quizzes, interactive scenarios, and feature articles. Topics range from flight director use to ice protection to the real-world application of procedures and regulations. It’s not a rehash of training materials—it’s the kind of content you discuss over coffee with a fellow instrument pilot after a challenging flight.

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

In this episode our guest is Joel Turpin, a veteran pilot whose flying career spans everything from Piper Cubs and DC-3s to Boeing airliners and the Pilatus PC-12. In this episode, Joel shares stories from more than five decades in aviation and discusses his recent article, The Captain is Lying—one of our most-read pieces of the year.

I Almost Hit the Trees: A Lesson in IFR Vertigo

I considered calling a missed approach. But how could I safely fly it? If the controller told me to climb to 8,000 feet and turn to 300°, how was I supposed to comply if I couldn’t read the altimeter or the RMI? I feared that turning aggressively might cause a complete loss of control.

A Quarter Tank and a Prayer

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.

Storms, Strangers, and a Near Miss in Miles City

I slammed on my brakes to avoid hitting them. My tailwheel lifted—I was about to tip onto my back. I released the brakes just long enough for the tail to drop, then had to brake again immediately. The tail came up a second time, but this time I held the brakes and prayed.

ADS-Fee?

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!
new york city skyline

Friday Photo: New York City Skyline

The mission was to fly from Martin State Airport (KMTN) to Monmouth Executive Airport KBLM to refuel and then up to the New York City Skyline Tour. I'll never forget being able to fly at 1500’ altitude along the skyscrapers, seeing the memorial of the twin towers, circle around the Statue of Liberty.

Crash a Day—What It Was Like to Learn Jets at Nellis

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On my third flight, my instructor had to abort, so I went up solo in a clean bird. I climbed to about 35,000 feet over Lake Mead with the ADF tuned to a Vegas music station—and they played The Sabre Dance. I went nuts in the airplane, doing crazy rolls, and with full power, dove straight down through the Mach. (We didn’t have TACAN in those days, just an old WWII-era ADF that tuned from 520 to 1600 kc.)

Preflight Briefing and Postlfight Debriefing Guidance

If briefings are not performed in a logical and standard way, critical items could be overlooked or deferred inappropriately. It can be tempting to forego or short-shrift the brief if crews routinely fly together and perhaps over a familiar route. Assumptions, complacency, and unchecked biases (including outcome and confirmation) have resulted in many close-calls and serious incidents.

A Cardinal Problem

At that point, it became clear John was going to have to land without the nose wheel. That’s when things got interesting. He asked me to call the local fire department to be on standby. This wasn’t a big city airport, so no foamed runway. But the police arrived, along with fire trucks and an ambulance. Before long, they closed off the roads near the airport, and half the town turned up to watch.

The Day I Learned to Trust My Instruments

I tuned the Manila VOR to confirm my position and set up the next waypoint. About halfway to Bohol, I noticed a thin layer of clouds forming ahead. They were scattered at first, wispy and benign. But as I flew closer, they began to thicken. I considered descending beneath them, but the buildup appeared to extend lower than expected.

The aviation community is alive and well

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.”
baltimore harbor

Friday Photo: Baltimore Harbor at Sunset

I typically fly west of the Washington D.C. area but I decided to fly over the Chesapeake Bay this time. The weather was clear, the ride was smooth, and the sunset view of Baltimore Harbor was absolutely spectacular. This might become my new route of choice when transitioning north/south of the D.C. area.

A Different Kind of Pilot Decision—Choosing Not to Fly

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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.”

Bahamas Bucket List: Idyllic Island Hopping

The Out Islands of the Bahamas earned their place on my bucket list, and I encourage you to add them to yours. They’re exotic yet accessible. A different country—but with the same language and currency. Untouched tropical islands—with paved runways, friendly locals, and the kind of serenity that makes you want to stay. Words alone are inadequate. Pictures help, and video comes closest to capturing the experience.

Air Facts Podcast: Alex Sack—Do Crash Videos Really Make Us Safer Pilots?

Alex is known for his sharp insights and willingness to question the status quo, and his article “Do Crash Videos Make Us Safer Pilots?” was no exception. With more than 70 comments, it became one of the most discussed pieces on the site — raising important questions about how we process accidents and what role, if any, social media plays in promoting safety.

From the Archive: Different Worlds

The big jet is hooked to strings running between selected cities. If you are going between two of these and the distance is great then the jet wins hands down. With the small airplane, though, there aren't any strings—just a radius of action in which you fly and land anywhere there is an airport. And, you can do this as simply as you want —and at your own pleasure.

What the Sky Taught Me

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?