On top of the clouds in a Citabria

Real emergency management: a friend saves the day

The facts I am about to tell didn’t happen to me. They happened to a very close friend of mine whose determination, clear thinking and excellent airmanship contributed to save the lives of four people on board a Cessna 172 and probably some other lives on the ground.
St. Barts runway final

Surviving one of the “world’s most dangerous airports”

A playground for the world’s rich and famous, the small Caribbean island of St. Barthélemy is known for its beaches, gourmet dining, and high-end designers. But it is also home to Gustaf III/St. Jean Airport, widely regarded as one of the most dangerous and challenging airports on the planet. So naturally when I had the opportunity to explore the Caribbean with a few friends for spring break, I jumped at the chance to land at St. Barts.
Fantasy of Flight Stearman

A real flying machine – logging some Stearman time

The sound of the engine at takeoff power was like music to my ears after the years of flying jets and, after lift off, Waldo said "you have control and climb to 700 feet." In flight, the controls were light and responsive and the roar of the engine described what flying was all about - simple, basic airmanship in a real flying machine.

Friday Photo: threading the needle

Weather transitions from warm to cold fronts often produce fair weather scattered to broken cumulus clouds. These had a ceiling of about 5000 feet and ragged tops up to 9500 ft. Flying VFR through cloud alleys on a sunny day can be very enjoyable, but should only be done if you are also IFR rated just in case.
ADF in airplane

Top 10 activities for a cross country flight

“Flying is boring,” said no pilot. Ever. Although most will agree that on a long VFR cross country flight, there are stretches of time when your mind can wander. Other than doing the usual drill during those lulls, here are some suggestions to put slack time to good use. In classic David Letterman style, here are the top 10 activities for a cross country flight.
Vinton Land with Cessna 150

Mid-air at 1,500 feet

I never knew Bruce David Pollock. I wish I had. More than likely, we crossed paths numerous times in 1973 or 1974, but for some reason we never met. We were close to the same age. He passed his last third class medical on June 26, 1973, just two days after I passed my private pilot checkride in the same Cessna that would claim his life less than two years later.

Air Facts video tip: understanding airframe ice

Fall flying weather is here, with shorter days and cooler temperatures. That means airframe icing will start to become a threat again for many pilots. This month's tip is a great way to knock the rust off and refresh your memory of in-flight icing basics. Where do you find the most ice? What's the difference between clear and rime ice? What are some avoidance strategies?
Baron on ramp

Lucky or good? Flying through Turkey and Iran in 1977

My brother Hugh and I were in the process of flying a Beech Baron from Calgary in Canada to New Zealand the long way. It had been a bad start to the day and the journey into town the previous evening had been hair-raising. Enroute to Ankara, we had encountered a military roadblock and had been forced out of our taxi at bayonet point by some very uptight soldiers.

Friday photo: Cincinnati river view

On a return trip from Georgia, while being vectored by ATC, Ed Loxterkamp took this beautiful picture of downtown Cincinnati, Ohio. Seven bridges and an airport are all visible on a gorgeous day. As he says, "The freedom and perspective that flying provides is extremely unique and memorable!"
Glider

What all pilots can learn from glider flying

I don't mean to suggest the absence of a few self-inflicted off-airport sailplane landings precludes a person from being a fundamentally skilled, aware, and eminently safe power pilot, of course. Far from it. It's just that even the relatively simple act of “collecting a glider rating” can easily have beneficial blow-back; learning how to soar without ever leaving the vicinity of your training airport even more; planting a foot in both the power and soaring worlds still more.
Sectional charts

The end of FAA charts as we know them?

The summer of 2016 may be viewed as the beginning of the end of standard FAA charts. It sounds foolish to make such a bold prediction, but there are some very good reasons to believe a decade-long trend away from traditional sectionals and approach plates has accelerated recently. Technology plays a significant role, but so do changes by the FAA.
Clouds with sun

Let it be

In this beautiful and heartbreaking article, Mark Fay shares the story of an emotional day. It involved plenty of flying, from a night IFR takeoff to a gusty landing. But the real lessons have a lot more to do with family, grief and decision-making under stressful circumstances. It's a reminder of the unique perspective flying can give you on life and loss.

Friday Photo: Grand Canyon from a Cherokee

We flew direct to the Grand Canyon to fly northbound on the "Zuni Point Corridor" (depicted on the Grand Canyon National Park Special Flight Rules Area chart). We then turned back southbound to land at Valle (40G) just south of the Grand Canyon airport (GCN) to stop for fuel and some friendly conversation. The views of the Grand Canyon were spectacular. It's truly one of those awe-inspiring moments that you will never forget.
Vampire jet fighter

The day I learned I’d never be a fighter pilot

AS FIGHTER PILOT. NOT REQUIRED STANDARD. Sixty four years after that assessment was penned into my pilot’s log book by the CFI of No. 2 Operational Training Unit at RAAF Base Williamtown, I still have a twinge of shame and regret.
Oil on windshield

Ice, turbulence and oil – oh my!

It was a rough flight. One of those flights where you think to yourself, I should have taken up boating. It started as a routine mountain departure. Typical go now in the 30-minute window between snow, sunshine, and the rapidly approaching rain clouds. After clearing mountainous terrain, I picked up my instrument clearance and looked at the broken cumulus build ups in front of me. Be a good chance to use my new Avidyne IFD440 in some real IFR I thought. And then the fun began...
Eye exam

Seeing and flying: how good is good enough?

Despite the requirement for a medical, we have been self-certifying all along once leaving the AME’s office. Do I feel well enough to fly? You bet. Have at it. To me, vision was always the toughest question. How you feel is obvious, vision is not, and the slow deterioration in what you see as you age is as insidious as it is certain.

Friday Photo: Pueblo Bonito

Lauren McGavran finally achieved a lifelong dream when she earned her Sport Pilot license. Taking advantage of this, she took an old friend (and fellow new pilot) along for a flight in a Remos GX. The two friends flew over the iconic Pueblo Bonito in the Chaco Culture National Historic Park of New Mexico, where she snapped this photo.
RVs in formation

Learning formation flying – hard work, but worth it

About a year after buying an already-built Van’s RV-6 and spending a very hot July earning a tailwheel endorsement, I thought I knew the airplane well enough to attend a formation flying clinic being hosted by the Ohio Valley RVators at the not-too-distant Parkersburg, West Virginia, airport. As interesting as it sounded, the very idea of it caused me quite a bit of stress.
Platteville airport

My first IFR approach to minimums happened in clear skies

The closer we got to the airport the lower the sun was on the horizon and the longer the shadows became. The haze was really getting thick and hanging close to the ground. It seemed the more we strained, the less we could see. We knew the airport was right out there somewhere.

Introducing the Air Facts Caption Contest

Today we launch a new monthly feature in Air Facts – our Caption Contest. Once a month, we’ll post a photo and call on our very talented readers to provide a caption for that photo. Check out our first one below and if an amusing or clever caption comes to mind, just post it as a comment. We want everyone to be able to enjoy all the entries, not just us.