The Hacked Airplane
For better or worse, the relentless march of technology means we’re more connected than ever, in more places than ever. For the most part that’s good. We benefit from improving communication,...
View ArticleTrust Us — We’re Professionals
I’ve seen some ill-conceived policies emanate from the FAA over the course of my professional flying career. Some diktats are just busy work, while others fail to achieve an otherwise admirable end....
View ArticleThe Ab Initio Flaw
Ecclesiastes tells us there’s nothing new under the sun. Where the pilot shortage debate is concerned, that’s definitely true. More than one industry veteran has wryly noted the “impending pilot...
View ArticleTime is Money
One of the first things people discover about flying is that it requires an abundance of two resources: time and money. The money part is pretty obvious. Anyone who inquires about flight instruction at...
View ArticleLiability: The Price We Pay
As large as the aviation industry looks to those on the outside, once you’re on the other side of the fence, it doesn’t take long to realize that it’s a very small world. One of the big challenges...
View ArticleA Self-Evident Solution
Times are tough for general aviation, and we need a solid partner and advocate in Washington now more than ever. Unfortunately, the FAA is proving to be the exact opposite—a lead weight—and it’s...
View ArticleWho’s the Best Pilot?
One of the many iconic scenes (so much so that it recurs several times in the film) from The Right Stuff has astronaut Gordon Cooper asking his wife, “Who’s the best pilot you ever saw?” before...
View ArticleFlying Backward
“Aviation in itself is not inherently dangerous. But to an even greater degree than the sea, it is terribly unforgiving of any carelessness, incapacity or neglect.” Aviation insurance pioneer A. G....
View ArticleThose Lousy Checklists
Ah, the checklist. If Shakespeare was a pilot, he’d have written an ode to it. Once confined to the world of aviation, formal checklist discipline is now common in hospitals, assembly lines, product...
View ArticleSpecial Mission Aircraft
My last flight assignment consisted of four days in Hawaii. It was one of those trips which make me (almost) feel guilty for associating it with the word “work.” Of course, there are plenty of journeys...
View ArticlePerspectives on GA safety
Well, it’s that time of year again: as summertime recedes in the rear-view mirror, I’m packing my computer bag, a few snacks to eat on the (Air)bus, and heading back to school. In case you’re...
View ArticleWhat a country!
“No one realizes how beautiful it is to travel until he comes home and rests his head on his old, familiar pillow.” –Lin Yutang Even before I started flying for a living, traveling internationally...
View ArticleSee & Avoid Doesn’t Work
Contemplate the worst scenario that might confront a pilot during a flight. What comes to mind? Fire? Flight control failure? Engine failure? Perhaps it’s flight crew incapacitation, explosive...
View ArticleThe Normalization of Deviance
Like many pilots, I read accident reports all the time. This may seem morbid to people outside “the biz”, but those of us on the inside know that learning what went wrong is an important step in...
View ArticleManual Flying Skills: Keep ‘Em Sharp
I’ve taught aerobatic and upset recovery courses to many aviators over the years, and almost without exception am told at the conclusion of training that it represented the best investment of time and...
View ArticleBlurred Lines
The advent of smartphones and apps has led to a variety of creative new businesses which are reinventing how we shop, work, and communicate. They’re also changing how we travel by bringing private...
View ArticleLeasebacks: Doing It Right
Before I started flying swept-wing turbojets, it seemed that they were much different than the smaller, mostly light GA, airplanes I had been operating. While they were beautiful, they also seemed...
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