It will be the culmination of everything flying should be. A flight that will be a short hop for my small, simple flying machine, but for me, an hour abounding with images and feelings. The apprehension I feel before each flight is quickly fading away as my craft's engine once again winds up smoothly to … Continue reading Flight across Mid-America : An Aviation Adventure by Gene Seibel
A Stinson in the Sticks by Dennis McGee
Byers, Colorado, a dusty hamlet 40 miles east of Denver, is an unlikely site for a miracle. Hard by Interstate 70 and with only 1,400 souls, the tiny town has no distinguishing features, no historic sites, and is home to no famous person. But Byers, Colorado, was the site of a miracle, or at least … Continue reading A Stinson in the Sticks by Dennis McGee
A Swift Kick in the Pants by David Cohn
"Oh I have slipped the surly bonds of earth and danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings..." Sometimes it just takes a swift kick in the seat of our pants to make us really understand something. I had memorized John Gillespie Magee's words because they began a poem about flight. I fancied myself a poet, and … Continue reading A Swift Kick in the Pants by David Cohn
Caught by an engine problem by Phil Chaddock
Attached my story of a wee adventure enroute to/from Oshkosh '95 The flight to Oshkosh was going well. Late morning found us at Scotts seaplane base on Crane Lake, just south of the US-Canada border in Minnesota and west of the Boundary Waters Wilderness Area. The trusty old PA-12 with its upgraded 150hp engine had … Continue reading Caught by an engine problem by Phil Chaddock
Airport Manners: Courtesy, Common Sense, and Safety by Rich Stowell
(This article was first published in Flight Training magazine in 1995) Given the media's penchant for turning aviation accidents into national emergencies, and given the mounting pressure applied by special interest groups on many local airports, it's about time the general aviation community recognized the heretofore ignored value of good public relations. Politically correct terminology … Continue reading Airport Manners: Courtesy, Common Sense, and Safety by Rich Stowell
Samurai Airmanship by Rod Machado
Miyamoto Musashi, one of the greatest samurai swordsman of feudal Japan, approached his assailant--an enemy of the emperor. Unsheathing his sword, he inched toward his foe, ready for the brief but deadly encounter. Suddenly, the assailant spat in Musashi's face. Composed, yet stunned, Musashi resheathed his sword, calmly turned and walked away. The moment spittle … Continue reading Samurai Airmanship by Rod Machado
A Ride with the Blue Angels by Dennis McGee
It's the G's that get you, they pull and tug and beat on you and eventually wear you down. One second you're flying straight and level at 500 miles-per-hour and the next you're in the climbing side of a loop and pulling three G's -- that is, a 200 pound man now weighs 600 pounds … Continue reading A Ride with the Blue Angels by Dennis McGee
Instrument Checkride Story by David Z
I passed my instrument practical test yesterday, and here's the story. I tell it to assist others in preparation for their checkride. Well, and to brag a bit. 🙂 The oral began with a check of my application form, current pilot certificate, and medical. Then it was straight to the airplane logs. The examiner wanted … Continue reading Instrument Checkride Story by David Z
178 Seconds to Live
How long can a pilot who has little or no instrument training expect to live after he flies into bad weather and loses visual contact? Researchers at the University of Illinois did some tests and came up with some very interesting data. Twenty student "guinea pigs" flew into simulated instrument weather, and all went into … Continue reading 178 Seconds to Live
Helicopter Training
Helicopter training is being done all over the world. There are various schools to choose from. The training is expensive, so it is of great importance to find the right school. I will not make any suggestions of specific schools, but give you an idea of what to look for. There is no such thing … Continue reading Helicopter Training