Risk management: it’s a personal thing

What are you willing to risk? It's a question at the heart of everything we do as pilots. Obviously, we're willing to take a few risks or we wouldn't be flying at all. Fact is that flying is a gazillion times safer than many other activities. It's also a fact that it can be terribly unforgiving of errors or carelessness compared to other hobbies.
Cessna 310

A light of salvation: flying freight in a Cessna 310

In the early 1980s, aviation jobs were not plentiful. Therefore, if one had his sights set on an aviation career, one had to join most any (questionable) outfit promising a lot of flying that came along. The job I had when I took the following flight was with just such a stellar employer.

Friday Photo: fall colors in the UP

It was a perfect day for flying, with light winds and unlimited visibility. We took off from our home base at KSAW and flew north along Lake Superior. The areas of peak color vary dramatically and seeing it from the air is really the best way in this remote area.
Bob Hoover by P-51

Bob Hoover: the one and only

Many words will be written about the legendary Bob Hoover who died on October 25, 2016, at age 94. His flying exploits have made news over the years and his accomplishments and talents have been well celebrated with countless awards and accolades. I spent time with Bob off and on over the years and a couple of things really stood out that set him apart.
VFR on top of clouds

VFR on top… for a long time

Slowly but surely, my outs -- the airports that I intended to be able to land at if need be, began to close up. First was Baton Rouge, as the overcast quickly engulfed the airport to IFR. I also noticed that the TAF had been amended to include IFR conditions for most of the remaining day. Next was New Orleans. Now the gravity of the situation began to take hold in my mind. What if everything closes up?

Video Tip: weather radar 101

We see radar all the time, but how does it really work and what does it show? In this video tip, meteorologist Scott Dimmich dives into the details of NEXRAD, including: the difference between base and composite reflectivity, how to use echo tops, and what signs indicate severe weather.
ALIAS program

What the artificial intelligence boom means for aviation

Artificial intelligence (AI) is the hot technology of 2016, finding its way into research papers and cocktail party conversations alike. As usual, most talk is either hopelessly optimistic or relentlessly negative (you know a trend is mainstream when you start reading headlines like, “Is fashion ready for the AI revolution?”). Cut through all the hype, though, and pilots can find a lot of reasons to be enthusiastic about AI.

Friday Photo: God’s light in East Tennessee

After a long day of waiting for some storms to pass, James Heidbrink was just hoping to get up in the air for a quick flight. Little did he know that he would be rewarded with such a beautiful view out the window of his Cessna 172. This week's Friday Photo is a reminder that even the most simple flights can offer a memorable experience.
Grumman Tiger canopy open

Get me out of here

We had made four takeoffs and landings and were taxiing back for a final circuit of the field. One more landing and we would be finished with the Tiger familiarization work. We were to depart the next day to fly southwest to the Mississippi River and spend the night in St. Louis, Missouri. But we were not satisfied the canopy had closed properly, and we were attempting to open and close it. But we could not.

Famous last words… or thoughts

It wouldn’t take three guesses to come up with the one word most often heard on cockpit voice recorders before a crash. In private piston airplanes we don’t have recorders but that word likely wins hands down when a pilot realizes he has lost the battle. More important than that last word is the thought process that led to it. Some famous last thoughts have stood out over the years.

Caption Contest #2

We recently launched 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 most recent one and add a witty caption. The best one wins an autographed Dick Collins book!
TWA 727 landing

Making babies puke in a 727

I flew the approach to 30R carefully, planning a good landing. After what seemed like an eternity, the 727 smacked the ground with a resounding thud. Immediately my mind pictured an ant struggling to remain afoot on a freshly stuck tuning fork: boooiiiinnnnggg! Miss Piggy had logged another pilot humiliation.

Friday Photo: Grand Teton from a Comanche

There are plenty of stunning mountain ranges in the western US. But for sheer drama and beauty, it's hard to beat Grand Teton National Park. Dale Morris took this week's Friday Photo of Grand Teton from the cockpit of his Piper Comanche 250, on a gorgeous VFR day.
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?