Crash course: lessons to be learned

To show that things do happen in threes, there have been two more high-profile accidents on visual approaches since the Asiana crash. These accidents are equally thought-provoking and offer more lessons to learn.

What did you sign up for?

It is very easy as a pilot to become enthralled with becoming a more advanced aviator and completely lose touch with everything that called you to aviation in the first place. It doesn't take very long either. For me it happened in about 120 hours. I had fallen out of love.

President Paul – 1921 to 2013

Paul Poberezny, the legendary founder of EAA and the father of the Oshkosh airshow, died last week at 91. Here, Richard Collins--who knew Paul for over 45 years--reflects on his accomplishments in aviation and the legacy he leaves behind.

Connie flight from Paris to Cairo, 1951

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 Bob Buck's “Flight to Cairo,” the legendary airline pilot's story of flying a TWA Constellation from Paris to Cairo in the days before jet engines and GPS.

I Can’t Believe I Did That #10

It was the end of January, and my well-equipped 1985 Piper Warrior would be out of annual on February 1. I called and made an appointment with my A&P for the annual. The 50 nm trip was to Kenosha, Wisconsin, from West Chicago, Illinois.

My first emergency landing

It wasn’t long after I got my pilot’s license that I encountered my first emergency landing. It was a day I will never forget. My instructor, who is also a great friend of mine, was going to teach me on how to fly a CJ-6 Nanchang, a high performance complex aircraft.

Drones: the good, the bad and the ugly

There's a lot of talk about drones recently, some of it reasoned but most of it not. Which side is right? Probably both. If we look close enough, there may be a silver lining to this cloud--but the forecast is still cloudy.

From the ashes: a flight instructor returns to flying

When I first met Matt Cole I thought that he wasn’t a pilot, and there is some truth in that. He isn’t just a pilot. Matt is the epitome of the spirit that has kept man flying, the love of being aloft so strong that not even a close encounter with death can keep one away from it.

Goodbye PTS, hello ACS?

The Practical Test Standards (PTS) have been the guide for student pilots for decades, spelling out exactly what tasks will be covered on the checkride. But this could be changing soon. An industry group was recently formed to design an enhanced version of the PTS that is more suited to the 21st century.

Nose or tail? Wheel that is

One thing about tailwheels that is not true is that you aren’t a “real” pilot until you have mastered a tailwheel. It’s not what you fly but the care and precision with which you fly that makes you a “real” pilot. It can even be done in an Ercoupe or a Tri-Pacer.

Why you must fly a taildragger

Experienced tailwheel instructor Anandeep Pannu says, "We need something to keep us honest--and I think a tailwheel trainer fits that bill." He offers a number of reasons why tailwheel airplanes make better pilots, and offers some detailed tips for being a better stick and rudder pilot.

Angle of Attack isn’t a miracle cure

Hop on the bandwagon--Angle of Attack (AoA) is the new must-have aviation accessory. This year's Oshkosh fly-in was just the latest evidence, with a number of new product introductions, safety seminars and ad campaigns all proclaiming the life-saving potential of AoA instruments.
Sky Galley

The Hungry Pilot: Sky Galley, Cincinnati

The Sky Galley is an institution in the Midwest, having welcomed pilots and local diners for decades. It's located right inside the beautiful old terminal building at Cincinnati's Lunken Airport, so the location is a strong point. In addition to the history of the art deco building, the Sky Galley features a large outdoor patio that looks right onto the ramp.

Will the real Harold Neff please stand up?

Was Harold Neff a pioneering airmail pilot, a record-setting charter airline pilot, an Air Force Colonel or a regular general aviation pilot? As it turns out, all four. Here's the fascinating story, from a man who knew at least one of them.

The Great Debate: are air shows dying?

Air shows have been slowly fading for the past few decades, mirroring the overall decline in general aviation. This year, the federal government has dealt the final blow, thanks to the budget sequestration. Are air shows a dying species? Join our debate.
Farhad Kashani

I Can’t Believe I Did That #9

Last February, on a weekend, I decided to take a flight from Tehran to Shiraz, in the south of Iran. I asked my instructor pilot and friend to accompany me. We encountered a heavy headwind up to 30 knots and fuel quickly became an issue.

License to Learn, part 3: forty hours and final

In the third and final article in this series, 18-year old pilot Kyle Libby shares the story of his checkride, including some great tips for student pilots. He also explains how earning his license changed his perspective.

Wrecks and recession: is there a connection?

The question I have relates to serious accident activity in general aviation. We all know that the accident rate does not vary by much so the number of fatal accidents tells us a lot about flying activity. What has happened here during the economic collapse and rebound and the general aviation collapse without a rebound?
DC-6, N6103C

Eggs to Caracas, Venezuela

Eggs. Who knew there would be a need to fly eggs from Florida to Venezuela? In this case, it was 28,800 pounds of eggs each flight, every night for weeks. Here is the story as it occurred in the summer of 1977.
Two pilots in the cockit

Split decision

It can be very helpful to have your copilot handle communications on a tough IFR day. And it can keep him/her in the game when you’re cruising in the sunshine at FL240. But I learned the hard way that it may not be such a hot idea in a VFR traffic pattern.