Non-Towered Airport Ops Briefing

The pending closure of 149 contract control towers as a result…

Keep Learning, Keep Current

All too often I see excited pilots after they've earned their…

You Can Fix Stupid

Comedian Ron White has a famous stand-up routine where he explains…

Top off the airplane fuel tanks? Maybe…

During flight training most pilots get accustomed to filling the fuel tanks all the way up before each flight. As you begin to fly larger airplanes you'll soon learn that topping off the tanks is more the exception than the norm.
scared passenger

Safe isn’t enough–focus on smooth flying

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2 Comments
We all want to be safe pilots--that's emphasized from day one of flight training, and for good reason. But after we've completed our first solo and gained some confidence, it's time to raise the standard beyond just safe flying. What your passengers will judge you on is how smooth you are.
two pilots in cockpit

The value of right seat time

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1 Comment
Most of us will jump at any chance for some left seat time and another entry in the logbook. For better or for worse (mostly for worse I think), we judge pilot ability on total time. But not all your aviation experience shows up in the logbook, and not all your learning takes place in the left seat.

Scenario-Based Training

When I was in high school, I did a project which involved interviewing…

Use your iPad to help with weight and balance calculations

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3 Comments
There are many ways to calculate airplane weight & balance…
TAF

How much can you trust TAFs?

TAFs are a valuable pre-flight planning tool, and they are created by experts who carefully consider a variety of different models and weather reports. But don’t be seduced by the precision of these forecasts. As you conduct your pre-flight weather briefing, consider the TAF a single data point, and nothing more.

Night Visual Approaches – Deserving of a Backup

You’re in the third hour of a cross-county flight which will push your landing in to the night hours. Your destination is a first time visit and ATC instructions will require a non-standard pattern to the unfamiliar airport. Or perhaps, arriving at a pilot-controlled airport, the temptation to fly a non-standard arrival is too great due to the lack of activity at this late hour. Sound realistic or something that has happened to you ?