Friday photo: flying over the southern Nevada and California border

Looking south/southeast over the Nevada and California border on a training/repositioning flight in a CE425 at FL230 flying from Carson City, Nevada (KCXP) to Santa Barbara, California (KSBA).

Never a dull moment at a flight school

This guy would aggressively slam the aircraft into a 45-degree bank in the traffic pattern, turning from downwind to base, for example, with a maniacal grin on his face. I suspect he was a successful businessman, used to kind of getting his own way. I tried to convince him that flying like that often led to sudden death, but he smirked.

A Bad Plan is Better Than No Plan At All

The photo of the bridge disappearing into an unknown would tell the story that I was also flying into an unknown. But rather than the whiteness of a marine layer, it was the blackness of oil. Blowing out my cowling. While I flew on unawares, my wife shifted in her seat, looking out into the horizon, as if she knew already that life traded on the thinnest of margins.

Aviation is the universal language

The pilot indicated with hand gestures that I should taxi out. I held the brakes while we ran a pre-takeoff checklist. Checklist completed, the pilot indicated that I should proceed with the takeoff. After checking for traffic I rolled out on the runway centerline and applied full power and soon we were airborne.

Bird strikes

Hearing a loud ‘BOOM!’, my IP said, “Sounds like someone had an afterburner blowout!”  We turned and watched as the two aircraft flew by and noted things were amiss.  The lead aircraft was trailing a longer than normal, bright red/yellow afterburner flame which was not the normal afterburner pattern or color.

The new Helio Courier pilot

In real wind, say 25 to 30 MPH, the pitching up of the nose happens the instant you hit throttle for takeoff. In that moment you look and feel like a praying mantis, tilted all up on long front legs, charging down the runway. A new Helio pilot will find this more than a little strange.

Friday photo: fishing from the wing of a Maule

No better way to pass the time fishing from the wing of a Maule somewhere in the Exuma Cays, Bahamas while on a charter flight.

My lake rescue in northern Ontario

Moments later we started experiencing massive vibrations throughout the aircraft and an extremely rough-running engine. It was apparent that we had a full blown emergency on our hands. Paul made the first of two mayday calls as we continued fighting with the rough engine while weighing our diminishing options. 

Video: flying an instrument approach with synthetic vision on the iPad

Synthetic vision brings situational awareness to a new level especially when connected to an ADS-B receiver. This portable device provides real-time pitch and bank information and for the ultimate backup display.
VNY

From a rusty pilot: it’s not quite like riding a bicycle

Air Facts Journal has published many stories about rusty pilots returning to the cockpit, some after years of not flying as a pilot in command. I last flew in March of this year. Like many readers, the COVID-19 pandemic has put a damper on my flying. The economy is uncertain, there are few $100 hamburger destinations where you can eat on-site, and airplane rental FBOs have imposed previously unheard-of restrictions.
HRRR

TAFs are so last century—here are four new tools to try

If your preflight weather briefing habits don’t change every few years, you probably aren’t curious enough. Occasionally there are major shifts, like the one from Flight Service phone calls to iPad app self-briefings, but more often we slowly integrate new weather resources and let others fade away. That’s exactly what I’ve done with the Terminal Aerodrome Forecast (TAF), the gold standard of aviation forecasts. I still read them, but it plays a much less central role in my decision-making process than it did five years ago.
Cherokee

A rusty pilot takes to the skies again

Fast forward 35+ years and I was once again inspired by my father to get back into aviation, this time as a result of an agonizing four hour road trip to visit my parents (now in their 80s). I wondered if it would be easier to fly instead, so I purchased my first airplane in the fall of 2017, a “new to me” 1966 Piper Cherokee 180! Always a Cessna guy, I’m not sure how I ended up with a Cherokee.

Expectation bias and distractions lead to near disaster

what was causing our 400,000 lbs. abode to creep forward at an alarmingly increasing rate? What was earlier yards or even feet of separation now seemed like mere inches. Those vehicles, those people, they had no way to move, no way to extricate themselves from the approaching doom.

The European “28 Day Holiday License”

If you have not flown in Europe, there are some differences from the US. Airspace, altimetry, transition level, VFR procedures, and airport operations differ. A quick flight with a flight instructor is not enough to get familiar with the differences. You will want to schedule ground and flight training to familiarize yourself with European airspace and regulations.

Friday photo: Middle Lake and Mount Susitna

During one of my first flight lessons, my instructor flew over a heart shaped lake and I thought it was pretty amazing.  I made it a point to mentally mark its location, just west of Goose Bay which is across the Knik River from Anchorage, AK.
Mooney

To abort the takeoff or fly

The M20 accelerated down the runway and I had been told to look for 60-70 kts. for a smooth takeoff and climb out.  The Mooney lifted off (virtually by itself) and I could feel the acceleration.  Glancing at the airspeed indicator (ASI), I was surprised to see only about 35 - 40 kts.  The M20 was good, but surely not that good.  We continued to accelerate and had become definitely airborne but the ASI still showed around 40 kts.

Making peace with a very bad day

Right at dusk, what I believed to be a tornado hit the airport and collapsed six hangars. My airplane was in one of them. What would officially be called a straight-line wind event ended up becoming the worst day of my life. All the dreams and all the hours of hard work gone in an instant. I cried like a baby.

Flying the central coast of California

San Luis Obispo Airport (KSBP) is really a nice stop. There is usually parking by the Spirit restaurant. On final approach in small aircraft, there is sometimes a bit of a sink or ballooning on short final above the roadway just prior to the runway. Tower and Ground Control are sometimes the same person.

Never again – too much trust in the weather forecast

All of a sudden, a giant water tower appeared in front of me. I was now at 200 ft. AGL and quickly turned around the water tower to find my position. Woodville, Mississippi was written on the side of the water tower. Yes, at least now I knew where I was. I got out my VFR paper map and hunted for Woodville on that map, but I could not find it.

The Skipper, the eagle, and the really bad decision

At 65 knots I rotate the nose up and the eagle spreads his wings (at least a 7ft. wingspan) and takes off less than 100ft in front of me.  We are both airborne, centered on the runway, on a heading of 130 degrees, but I’m going about 55 knots faster than he is!  I must avoid hitting him with the propeller.