Archive for category: I was there

You are here: / I was there

Author Search

To search authors from all categories, go here.

Airplanes, Alarms, and Albuquerque Center

I received a text message from one of the flight school supervisors asking if I would like to travel to Arizona with one of our instructors and bring an airplane back to Texas. The airplane we would be ferrying was a Tecnam P2008. I quickly agreed to the opportunity, as I'm sure many bright-eyed, bushy-tailed young pilots would have.

Towing Gliders in a Waco UPF-7

I not only loved flying the UPF-7, but also loved sitting in it next to the grass runway between tows, with a cornfield at my back, grasshoppers and crickets singing in the grass, and listening to the exhaust ticking as it cooled, like a slowly diminishing clock. Ahh, memories. I was relaxed and at peace.

I Can Hear You, But You Can’t Hear Me

We were climbing through IMC and unable to establish two-way communication. Shortly after, we broke out on top into VMC—but descending would have required going back into the cloud layer, and we still had no reliable way to transmit.

Look Out Below!

The National Intercollegiate Flying Association brings together collegiate aviation programs from across the country to compete in precision flying, navigation, aircraft recognition, flight planning, and other challenging events. In this firsthand account, a Purdue University pilot shares the excitement of one of the competition's most unique events—message drop—and reflects on the friendships and flying skills that collegiate competition helped build.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Remembering Staff Sergeant Jacob McMillan

From childhood adventures in Cajun country to one unforgettable flight, this tribute reflects on friendship, sacrifice, and the enduring power of shared memories.

No Downside to Declaring an Emergency

A routine Thanksgiving flight turns into a partial-panel emergency above a solid overcast, forcing one pilot to make a quick decision: handle it alone or ask for help. His choice—and the unexpected support from ATC—offers a powerful reminder about using every resource available in the cockpit.

The Da Nang Glider

,
A routine reconnaissance mission over Vietnam turns into a fight for survival when all four engines fail on an EC-121 Super Constellation—leaving one crew to attempt the unthinkable: fly it as a glider to Da Nang.

A Cold Ending to a Good Checkride

A routine check ride turns into an anything-but-routine workout in a Comanche 250—complete with edge-of-the-envelope flying, memorable call signs, and a closing remark the author never forgot.

Across the North Atlantic in a C-47

A young Air Force pilot recounts a memorable C-47 ferry flight from Europe to Miami, featuring a dramatic Greenland approach, an improvised in-flight repair, and a crew dynamic that added its own challenges along the way.

Release the Brakes: What My Flight Instructor Taught Me About Life

A flight instructor’s simple command—“release the brakes”—became a lifelong lesson in judgment, responsibility, and growth, both in the cockpit and beyond. Years later, those words still guide decisions when it matters most.

My Experience with Hypoxia

A routine high-altitude flight in a T-33 turns into a subtle but dangerous encounter with hypoxia. In this firsthand account, Gennaro Avolio shares how quickly judgment can slip away—and why recognizing the signs can make all the difference.

Impromptu Rescue Efforts

In February 1990, a Piper J-3 Cub ditched near Cape Reinga during New Zealand’s Tiger Moth Club vintage air rally. With no radios and low fuel, fellow pilots improvised a daring rescue. John King recounts the tense moments and the ingenuity that saved the day.

Trust, Checks, and Close Calls: Lessons from the BAe HS-748

A routine flight over Nepal turned into a high-stakes lesson on cockpit trust, fuel trim, and GPWS alerts. Capt. Suresh Bista shares what he learned about vigilance and checklists in the cockpit. From near-disaster to hard-earned insight, this story is a reminder that even experienced pilots must never take shortcuts.

A few more minutes isn’t going to kill anyone

I did my normal runup while checking gauges and lost sight of the blue plane. The crown in the runway made it impossible to see a small plane on the other end. Not knowing where he was gave me a few “what ifs.” Holding short of 18, I did the usual call on the CTAF stating my location and intentions, ending with “Any traffic in the area, please advise.” Again, crickets.
© Copyright 2026 - Air Facts Journal. All Rights Reserved.