Entries by Eric Radtke

Avoid impairment from over-the-counter medication and CBD products

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As we enter cold and flu season, it’s important to be cautious of the compromising effects of cold and flu medication. Additionally, given the proliferation of CBD-based products, it’s also important to note that impairment from these products can compromise a pilot’s ability to control the aircraft and adversely affect judgment and decision-making.

Call for Entries: The Fourth Annual Richard Collins Writing Prize for Young Pilots

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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 first time at the controls of an airplane.”

The dangers of automation

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Technological advances in situational awareness have dramatically reduced the number of general aviation controlled flight into terrain (CFIT) accidents. However, the General Aviation Joint Steering Committee (GAJSC) has found that reliance on automation is a precursor to CFIT events.

Ask a CFI – traffic pattern departures

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The Aeronautical Information Manual (AIM) offers two options for departing a non-towered airport traffic pattern – either straight out or a 45 degree ground track in the same direction as the traffic pattern (left if operating in a left-hand traffic pattern or right if operating in a right-hand traffic pattern) after reaching traffic patter altitude (1,000 AGL standard).

Sporty’s launches Tailwheel Checkout Course

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All-new course explores the exciting world of taildraggers and bush flying Backcountry flying is one of the hottest segments of general aviation right now, and Sporty’s latest course offers the perfect way to get started. Tailwheel Checkout, hosted by legendary airshow pilot Patty Wagstaff, includes over two hours of practical tips for mastering these demanding airplanes, […]

CFIT and the overreliance on Automation – from the FAASTeam

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Technological advances in situational awareness have dramatically reduced the number of general aviation controlled flight into terrain (CFIT) accidents. However, the General Aviation Joint Steering Committee (GAJSC) has found that reliance on automation is a precursor to CFIT events. They found that automation use contributed to visual meteorological condition (VMC) and instrument meteorological condition (IMC) accidents in […]

Pilot Minute video: streamline the medical certification process

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In this episode of Pilot Minute, produced by the Civil Aerospace Medical Institute’s Medical Education Division, FAA Federal Air Surgeon Dr. Susan Northrup provides simple tips you can use to streamline the medical certification process. Tips include making sure all pages you submit for a medical are legible and contain a name, date, and any […]