circles

Friday Photo: Circles in the Sky

Despite this being January, beautiful weather still was covering our area. As the skies provided some action with cloud cover, I decided to capture some stills as opposed to video for later analysis of all of my mistakes.  I was fortunate that Mother Nature and the flight path lined up to provide an opportunity to capture some amazing colors and action from the day.

On the Dot

There are certain aviation moments along one's journey that become permanent snapshots in your mind. For me, one of those moments happened in the summer of 2022, descending toward Runway 27 at EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh in our white Beechcraft Travel Air.

TFRs Suck!

If you aren’t familiar with the Bedminster TFR, it’s a Presidential one, well actually, not one but a set of them, well, a set of NOTAMs really, and those NOTAMs consist of several rings of restricted airspace, well actually, there are two rings, well, maybe more, but anyway, there’s one you can fly in and one you can play Top Gun in.

Celebrating the Frontier of Flight

As the 20th century dawned, America’s pioneering aviators discovered another frontier on the sands of Kitty Hawk—one above our heads and more endless than any ocean or continent. And many of us would follow. The frontier of air and space called forth our best.

Distractions, Casualness, and my Final Flight

by the time final flight rolled around, my 76 year old body had been aged considerably by medical misadventures. My monthly flying hours dropped off then, too, and the heart attack meant that I could no longer fly PIC. I didn’t recognize it at the time, but there were enormous adverse psychological factors at work from all the medical misadventures, exacerbated by the second medical rejection from the FAA that gave no specific reasons.

The Bug

An insect in the cockpit should be a minor distraction. Unless you're flying with Piet, a pilot whose war against creepy-crawlies would leave a Comanche full of DDT and two aviators fighting for visibility.
aspens

Friday Photo: Aspens in the Rockies

I finally got the mountain flying course on the schedule.  I booked for the first week of October, and I hit the landscape lottery.  By sheer chance, three days of flying in the heart of the Rockies coincided with the peak of colors in the Aspens.  It was my first experience flying small GA in the Rockies, and I was just stunned.

Wings of Relief: Helene from Above

Forty-six days after earning his private pilot certificate, a young aviator flies into the mountains of western North Carolina with relief supplies for Hurricane Helene victims—and discovers what aviation can truly mean when it’s needed most.

It’s All Relative

Pick any airport in America. Draw circles with 110-, 220-, and 330-mile radii—one, two, and three hours in a Cessna 172. Within those rings are countless parks, beaches, small towns, and memories waiting to be made. For roughly $170, $340, or $510—and half that if you share costs—you can explore a world that's invisible from the ground.

The Deadly Gap Between Vmc and Blue Line

Before the next multi-engine takeoff, brief more than the speeds. Brief the gaps between them. Understanding how much margin exists above Vmc at liftoff and how far remains to blue line may provide a clearer picture of what your airplane is likely to demand from you during the most vulnerable moments of the flight.

My Private Pilot Checkride: My Life Is a Movie

Most pilots show up for a private pilot checkride with a few dozen hours in a trainer. Corkey Fornoff arrived with time in a T-6, a T-33, and stories that left his examiner wondering whether he was hearing the truth—or the tallest tale in aviation.

An Icy Approach into Flagstaff

On a December flight into Flagstaff, a Cessna 421 encounters unexpected icing, rapidly changing weather, and a critical decision at minimums. With the airplane deteriorating in performance on final approach, the crew is forced to weigh training, regulations, and survival in real time. Decades later, the lesson from that icy approach still shapes how the author flies today.
martha's vineyard

Friday Photo: Martha’s Vineyard

Approaching Martha’s Vineyard, nearly 17 miles of the island's southern shoreline perfectly traced the wing's leading edge. The famous all-grass Katama Airfield 1B2 in frame, along with Edgartown to its north, home of many famous scenes for the movie Jaws. A quiet, peaceful moment that reinvigorates your senses, reminding one of the beauty and privilege of flight.

Talking to Yourself

A veteran CFI, Tom Slavonik, reflects on the power of self-talk in aviation training—and why speaking your thoughts aloud is a critical skill for student pilots, instructors, and experienced aviators alike.
logbooks

Podcast: Dad’s Logbooks with Gita Brown

Gita shares how growing up around her father’s sailplane flying eventually led her to flight training later in life—after years of being afraid to fly. We discuss the emotional connection between pilots across generations, the meaning hidden inside old logbooks, and how aviation can shape the way we process grief, identity, and personal growth.

A Lesson on Being the Pilot In Command

Joel Turpin, a former airline captain, recounts a simulator emergency that reinforces a critical truth about being Pilot in Command: in an emergency, the PIC has both the authority and responsibility to act decisively, even when it means deviating from standard procedures.

An Air Force Student’s First Ride in the T-38A Talon

The twin-engine, two-seat, tandem-cockpit, swept-wing, supersonic T-38 Talon has served as the United States Air Force's advanced jet trainer since its introduction in 1961. Over the decades, the aircraft has undergone multiple life-extension programs to keep it flying and its instruments and performance relevant.

New Captain, Dark Runway

It was almost midnight and raining heavily. My first officer and I followed the checklist and thought we had it completed. We were in ground contact and could see some lights on the ground, but NO RUNWAY IN SIGHT as we approached minimums. We were about to initiate a missed approach!
ultralight

Friday Photo: Sunset Flight

Enjoying the annual Holbrook (NSW, Australia) Ultralight Club Easter Fly-In. Camping under-wing with great food cooked in the kitchen next to the hangar which houses Australia's Ultralight Museum. There was good wine, good company, and an excellent after-dinner speaker.

The Hard Yards

Even the Blue Angels make it look easy—but only because they’ve mastered the hard parts. Matt Johnson's routine IFR practice flight turns into a reminder that the real work happens in the moments that challenge you.
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