Stupid Pilot Tricks
This maze of hallways is the archives of aviation’s greats—not the Stupid Pilot Tricks Repository. We’re awed by images of the Montgolfier brothers and...
TAF Dissected
The Terminal Aerodrome Forecast, TAF, is a staple of aviation weather, known to almost every pilot. During my own Air Force career, I composed...
It All Adds Up
Three hours in a single, even a roomy one like the sturdy Piper Dakota, seems to be about the maximum sitting time for most...
ATC Versus Pilot Regs
You might have heard the old adage, “The flight cannot be cleared for departure until the gross weight of the paperwork exceeds that of...
Legal? Or Safe?
Recently, a subscriber sent me a note to ask about the legality of departures into bad weather. At first, this seemed like a rather...
Safety Management
Kemper Aviation, a now-defunct flight school in Lantana, FL, was once clogged with over 100 young students. Some showed a lack of selfcontrol extending...
Remarks: How’s That Look?
Sometimes we stretch the regulations, or worse, common sense. Some examples include VFR weather minimums (scud running), night currency, or even logging.
Don’t get me...