Recency of experience is one of the major safety challenges that we face in general aviation. Although it doesn’t seem to get a lot of direct press, it’s lurking just under the surface in many accidents. It’s one of the less tangible causations which push investigators to dig deep for answers that almost never materialize,…
Disclaimer: the inspiration for this post comes from my minor obsession with coffee. It real doesn’t matter where you are in the spectrum of aviation, sometimes we just need a little jolt to remind us why we have embarked on this journey. Indulge me as I draw parallels between my other vice, Starbucks, and different ways to enliven…
My philosophy is to try to learn from everyone I come in contact with and I highly recommend this approach to life. I had occasion to learn something really cool last weekend. It was a lesson I have experienced before, but I will likely need to relearn it over and over again. The lesson: you are…
Pilots don’t agree on much, but if you were to ask what are the scariest things that could potentially occur in an airplane you will almost universally get this answer: Fire, Structural Failure, and Midair (in no particular order). Not that we sit around trembling in fear of such things, but when the thought wafts…
In this environment of security theatre, many folks are very attune to all of the surveillance we are under, but you might need to consider the equipment you have on the airplane you fly that is also watching you. All of the popular glass cockpit EFIS systems that I’m familiar with keep data on all…
This post may sound like it is targeted at folks in training, but it really applies to all of us. It assumes that we are all “students” in some form or fashion. Let me explain. You see it doesn’t matter if you are a 787 driver with decades of experience and you flew F-15s prior…
When the group was deciding on a theme for this month’s Blogging in Formation series (#blogformation), we agreed to anchor it around July 4th (U.S. Independence Day). We settled on The Future of Aviation in the U.S., but we encouraged each other to explore the edges, good or bad, as we saw fit. We Are The…
Ok, since I like to mix it up on the blog occasionally you’ll see some stories about my personal flying life. Since this is one of those stories, I am giving you permission to move on until you see something of interest. If you are so inclined to give up :10 of your life, continue…
Last week our EAA chapter hosted a monthly meeting – nothing too noteworthy about that. It was at one of the local airports, which was cool because it meant I could fly in vs. taking the dreaded four-wheeled conveyance. The noteworthy part was the guest speakers and the venue itself. You see we were at…
I wrote a recent article for AirFactsJournal.com that highlights what I feel is the larger issue around light aircraft safety. It has very little to do with inadequate training or marginal equipment or antiquated regulations. I think the current training programs are fine (could always be better), the equipment very safe, and our FARs exist…