Remarks

According to the FAAs body mass index guidelines, Im not obese but, like many Americans, I should lose some weight. Ive long known that I should retrain myself to reach for an apple-or better yet a carrot-when Im hungry, instead of some chocolate or junk food. Yeah, Im workin on it, um, real soon now. Now, the FAA is, too.

Three interesting news items came through my e-mail today. The first was the NTSBs findings that, while there were some contributing factors, the pilots of Asiana 214 simply screwed up, particularly in their use of the automation in their aircraft.

We occasionally get a letter from a reader objecting to the very substance of an article. Im not talking about those notes pointing out a goof or some other little error we may have made. Im talking about an objection to the article topic itself.

When I first switched from a comfortable career in hi-tech to the uncertainty and low pay of a regional airline pilot, I was frequently asked for advice about a career in aviation. Its a common joke among airline pilots to tell those seeking advice about the career to run away. Thats still the flippant advice I initially offer when Im asked, as a reader recently did.