pilot proficiency

Do you remember when you first picked up the mic to contact air traffic control? It was undoubtedly a scary time. In fact, the normal process of transmitting information to your brain’s motor cortex to make your mouth move and create logical speech at that moment was as far removed as a drop-top Cadillac in […]

With his parents watching, an F-14A fighter pilot took off from the Air National Guard airfield adjacent to Nashville International Airport (KNBA) in Tennessee. He immediately pitched up more than 50 degrees, climbing up into the clouds in a noisy blaze of afterburners. The pilot became disorientated, lost control, crashed, and died. A Navy inquiry […]

Forty years ago, most new pilots aspired to eventually own a retractable gear airplane. Accordingly, aircraft manufacturers built a plethora of gear-up models, with which transitioning upwardly-mobile buyers could satisfy their urge to go faster, in style. The problem is, those retracted wheels eventually have to be extended, in order to taxi to the ramp […]

“What the —!”  the learner cried out as we rolled out from landing. Ahead of us some 1,000 feet down the runway there was a bald eagle standing on the centerline, scarfing down the carcass of what looked like a large white rabbit. We brought the aircraft to a stop as the bird stopped its […]

Using the brakes that are fitted to our airplanes seems like a simple exercise. Most of us recognize the need to slow down, press on the toe pedals, and get the desired response. If a swerve occurs, we’ll modulate the pressures and keep the pointy end forward. But every so often, an airplane winds up […]

Over the weekend, the Michigan Aviation Safety Forum (MASF) gathered pilots and mechanics to provide proficiency and safety seminars. The MASF is a yearly collaboration between industry stakeholders, aviators, mechanics, and FAA staff to provide safety forums and mechanic (IA) recurrency training seminars that help maintain currency for technicians who keep aircraft legally and safely […]

Redbird Flight, a prominent player in aviation technology, has initiated its fourth annual State of Flight Training survey, accessible via the company’s website. This survey, targeting various stakeholders from flight training organizations to pilots, seeks to provide comprehensive insights into the health of the industry.  Over the years, the collected data has proven invaluable, aiding […]

Forty years ago, we would have never thought about the day when a desktop computer flight simulator would be used in a serious manner to train, maintain, and foster enthusiasm for being a pilot. Now we have so much to be grateful for, as the level of fidelity and graphical realism is mind-boggling. As a […]

When are pilots the most dangerous? This is a topic of discussion at many flight schools and anytime you get a group of seasoned CFIs together. Based on anecdotal evidence, there appear to be a few times in their aviation careers where pilots might get a little too complacent, or too cocky and overconfident, resulting […]

Editor’s note: This article first appeared on FLYING. Skyborne Airline Academy is raising the bar—and pay—for its certificated flight instructors (CFIs), it announced this week during EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. The Vero Beach, Florida-based flight school said it is now offering pay from $37,000 to $43,600 per year, in addition to “premium pay,” which […]