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The FAA sent a notice to pilots warning them not to disable terrain avoidance and warning systems (TAWS) aural alerts as the tool can be a critical safety feature in avoiding controlled flight into terrain (CFIT) accidents. The FAA’s warning came as part of an Information for Operators (InFO)—a notice designed to help operators meet certain […]

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) published a letter urging the FAA to develop and implement new airspace regulations for Ketchikan, Alaska, a popular air tour area. The proposed framework of regulations would be, according to the NTSB release, “…specific to Ketchikan to require more conservative flight visibility minimums and enhanced weather training for air […]

The flight instructor is the first gatekeeper when it comes to aviation safety. It is incumbent on the CFI to teach and model good habits for mitigating risk—and you can’t do that without understanding where the risk is coming from, and when and where during the flight training process we are at a higher risk […]

The Cessna 172 Skyhawk is a fantastic introduction to the world of aircraft ownership. It is affordable, easy to maintain, and very forgiving in the air. Parts are plentiful—always a key consideration when selecting an airframe—and with over 44,000 produced, you are bound to find someone to provide guidance. In September 2022, FLYING named the 172 one […]

Yesterday, after flying across the Atlantic and starting to run low on energy and affected by the time zone change, a small group of us eagerly took a walk through Aero’s cavernous 12 halls to get a early peek. As I’ve observed many times, the night, mere hours before a show opens it appears to […]

Over the weekend my wife and I experienced the magical power of a light piston airplane to add hours to the day. At least that is how it felt. On Sunday morning our college-age son’s rowing team was competing close to home in New Jersey where it was easy for us to watch and spend […]

FRIEDRICHSTEFAN, GERMANY— You know the expression: “What goes up, must…” What goes up must come down and after it does, something needs to stop it. Here’s where one company has staked its claim. France’s Beringer left the high-speed action of motorcycles for even faster aerial machines …yet slowing them to a gentle stop is a matter the […]

OK, I admit it. I’m a huge fan of Aero Friedrichshafen. This show packs a lot of delight into four days and 12 gymnasium-sized exhibit halls. In 2023, many of the aircraft on display are known to Americans. However, Europe tends to produce more proof-of-concept projects than we see in America. This is partly as European […]

Don’t let someone pressure you into doing something foolish. You probably heard this sentiment (or some form of it) as a child—as a pilot, foolish mistakes can be deadly, and sometimes very public. You may know someone who did something foolish with an airplane and ended up on the local or national news. This isn’t […]

Regular readers know I have closely followed the Merlin developments. I use plural because developer Chip Erwin has steadily built this single seat flying machine into a whole fleet of its own. At Sun ‘n Fun we saw a display of three airplanes in different variations. Let’s begin with a focus on the modest cost of Merlin. […]