Crosswind Considerations
Before flying in strong crosswind conditions, it is always a good idea to get some practice in beforehand. Last Friday, I found myself fighting the first stiff crosswind that I had seen in months. As a...
View ArticleNine Reasons to Request a VFR Flight Following
One of the most underutilized air traffic control services is the VFR flight following. Many pilots feel intimidated by air traffic control, while others simply don’t want the perceived hassle of a...
View ArticleStay Sharp: Practice Deadstick Landings
Proficient pilots regularly vary their landings by alternating between normal, soft field, and short field landings. However, there is one important landing that is commonly overlooked: the deadstick...
View ArticleFly the Visual Approach, Backed Up by the ILS
How often do you shoot an instrument approach? Chances are that it is not very often. Most of us have the good sense to stay out of the weather when conditions are marginal. Furthermore, in most parts...
View ArticleMy Experiences With Line-Oriented Flight Training
Last April, I dealt with diversions, windshear, flap failures, and Category-II ILS approaches. All of this in just over four hours of flight time! Well, maybe it wasn’t actual flight time, but after a...
View ArticleDon’t Trim the Airplane
Going through private pilot training, I was taught to trim the airplane for all phases of flight. After fighting the controls for one too many flights, the lesson took. Like most students, I was also...
View ArticleNot Flying Much? Keep Yourself Proficient
At a wedding last week, I spent some time chatting with my buddy’s father — a private pilot and owner/builder of a beautiful Van’s RV-6A. When I asked him about his plane, he confessed that he hasn’t...
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