Angle of attack graphic

Angle of attack for dummies

Angle of attack is really a measure of how hard the pilot is commanding the wing to work with the air flowing past. If the pilot is not asking the wing to work very hard (low angle of attack) the wing will generate some lift. If the pilot is asking the wing to work harder (higher angle of attack) the wing will generate more lift.
Richard L. Collins

Announcing the 2024 Richard Collins Writing Prize for Young Pilots

The Richard Collins family has once again partnered with Sporty’s to offer The Richard Collins Writing Prize for Young Pilots. To qualify, the writer must be a pilot (including student pilot) who is 24 years of age or younger. The article must be original, not previously published, and no longer than 1,500 words. The topic should be "my most memorable flight."

The Flagship Phantom

The backbone of ARN-101 was an integrated LORAN system. This was a big upgrade in navigation accuracy and also brought much better conventional weapons delivery capabilities. Not as good as what the F-16 had, but a big improvement over earlier Phantoms using Dive Toss.

Challenging runway flying the C-123 in Vietnam

As you get closer to the runway, you get a sinking feeling and, in order to keep your decent and approach speeds, you have to start adding power to overcome the downslope winds from the mountain.

Friday photo: Dollywood Theme Park, Pigeon Forge, TN

Dollywood Theme Park, Pigeon Forge, TN while heading home after a $100 (well $200, actually) hamburger over Thanksgiving weekend and a beautiful fall day.

Instructional Inheritance; An Examination of the DNA of Your CFI

We are all a product of our upbringing, and aviation is no exception.  Your lens on learning is created by your CFI from the first time you sit in the airplane.  On that day, they set the tone for the transmission of information.
Cessna with snow

Air Facts video classic: operating in winter conditions

"Not everyone flies when there's snow or ice around, but some of us do." Enjoy these insights and tips on flight planning, preparation and execution in wineter weather conditions in this Air Facts video classic.

A soaring surprise for my birthday

While I searched for a thermal to gain some altitude or else I would be forced to land back at the field. All of a sudden, something white and black caught my eye going by underneath me and I immediately turned to follow it.  Could it be?  YES!  I spotted a large soaring bird turning in a circle just ahead of me now and I latched onto him and got very close.

Flying Functional Check Flights (FCFs)

As the propeller slowed to one to two revolutions per second, I moved the condition lever to the ‘Feather’ position and #1 came to a full stop.  And that’s when it happened - the #2 engine started winding down as well!  I now saw the advantage to raising the guard on that start switch!

Pilot’s Discretion Podcast with John Zimmerman – top 10 episodes of 2023

Join Air Facts Editor-in-Chief, John Zimmerman, as he interviews some of aviation's most interesting people in the popular Pilot's Discretion Podcast. You'll recognize some of the guests as contributing authors at Air Facts. From honest discussions about flight training to fascinating stories from world famous airshow pilots, this podcast is for anyone who loves to fly.

Favorite Friday photos of 2023

Air Facts popular "Friday photo" features some spectacular views and amazing memories to share with the aviation community. Thank you for those photos and we're sure the best is yet to come. Have a photo to share? Send your photo and description to: [email protected]. 
Meigs airport

Air Facts top 10 articles of 2023

Sporty's Air Facts published more than 150 articles in 2023, written by more than 100 different writers. Many of these writers were first time contributors with a compelling story to tell or a lesson learned. Thank you for your many comments and spirited debate. Please enjoy these 10 most popular articles of 2023.

First Time in Real IMC; A Memorable Flight with Lessons Learned

I was then instructed to fly direct to WEVER intersection and join the DVALL 3 arrival. I was not expecting that!  At that moment, I realized that I should have called for clearance from the ramp, and then called back for release when we were number one for departure.  While I was startled for a moment, my training kicked in and I loaded the arrival procedure into the GPS.
Runway

GA Airports Suffer from Costly Mismanagement

Politicians ignore the highly technical needs of the airport and focus on other departments which attract more community interest, such as schools, roads, and parks. This degrades and undermines the ability of the airport to make significant contributions back to their community.

An accident in my Taylorcraft

I had instinctively lowered the nose to prevent a stall. That’s about the time the RPMs smoothly returned to full power. But I was already committed to being on the ground even before the RPMs dropped a second time. While lowering the nose, I made a slight left turn toward the field. My attempt to make some kind of a normal landing really didn’t work out because I never got the nose back up to a good landing attitude.
Weather overview

Go or No Go: ice before snow

After a long weekend visiting family in Syracuse, New York, the weather forecast might cut your stay short. Can you get home from SYR to Leesburg, Virginia (JYO) today, before the rain and snow move in from the west? Read the weather forecast below and tell us what you would do.

Friday photo: Departure from Gastons Airport (3M0), Lakeview, Arkansas

The Ozarks, with the hills, rivers, and lakes, have some of the most beautiful grass strips around.  The long evenings of summer make it a great location for a relaxing flight.
F-4 Phantom

What it’s like not being home for Christmas

I remember sitting on the edge of the bed the night before I left to go off to war in the first place. I wasn't afraid to go. It was my duty and I'm a good soldier.  But I was so afraid for my little girls. A whole year away from them, and just what if I were killed or taken prisoner? Who would take care of them? Who would help their mother see that they arrived at womanhood ready? I collapsed into sobbing.

What it takes to catapult off an aircraft carrier

The flight test pilots and engineers must develop a thorough understanding of many aircraft factors including aerodynamic stall speed, thrust available, angle of attack (AOA), loading, center of gravity (CG) location, and rotational inertia.
Airplane out side window

From the archives: Richard Collins on collision avoidance

The sky really isn’t crowded. Rather it is practically deserted, at least that 38’ X 30’ X6’ piece of it we want to use 2% of the time is practically deserted. With a little attention to the see and be seen concept as a recognized flight skill it can remain that way.