How do I get myself into these situations? I asked myself. As I made my way up the stairs I was thinking that I had never even been in a 747 before. Nearing the cockpit door I was stopped and told that the flight entire crew has been incapacitated and removed from the cockpit, We … Continue reading Private Pilot Saves 747 by Rick Wagner
Error In The Skies by George D. Mertz
The engine fell silent as all eighty horses busted out of the corral at the same moment. The first few quiet seconds are being eaten up with disbelief. This can't be happening to me! A crowded highway, nine hundred feet below, appears to be my only salvation. Trees cloud the surrounding terrain dictating, what appears … Continue reading Error In The Skies by George D. Mertz
Judgement by John Ousterhout
I flew from Salem OR, to Baker City (in the mountainous area of Northeast Oregon) this week on business. With almost 200 hours I believe that I'm still a student. The weather was poor in Baker City early friday morning, but it was VFR by 9:30 AM so I called flight service for a weather … Continue reading Judgement by John Ousterhout
July Checkride Story by Hal Sandstedt
NASHVILLE, TN: July 9 -- Pouring rain woke me up at about 7:30; only about thirty minutes earlier than I'd planned to wake up anyway. I stumbled to the shower and hoped the weather would clear up. Just before ducking out the door I peaked at the weather channel and the forecast was for intermittent … Continue reading July Checkride Story by Hal Sandstedt
Private Pilot Checkride by Paul Kendall
Today December 6, 2008 was my private pilot checkride, completely by accident. I went up at eight in the morning for a mock checkride with my instructor and all went very well, I felt very good for the ride next weekend. Not too long after arriving home after the mock ride my instructor called me … Continue reading Private Pilot Checkride by Paul Kendall
Crisis Story by Rick Pellicciotti
Sometimes when an instructor or another pilot gives you advice, you might hear yourself saying, "I'll never have that problem" or "That won't happen to me". But I'm here to tell you that sometimes problems do happen. I think that instructors know that we tune them out, but they hope that when the time comes … Continue reading Crisis Story by Rick Pellicciotti
Be afraid, be *very* afraid! by Dane Spearing
The skies over Northern New Mexico are no longer safe because I just passed my checkride!!!! Woo hoo! Given yesterday's (Thurs) weather, I thought for sure I was going to get wx'ed out again today. As soon as I woke up this morning, I poked my head out the window: not a cloud in the … Continue reading Be afraid, be *very* afraid! by Dane Spearing
Erick Johnson’s Check Ride
First let me set this story up with a very important fact. I passed the written exam in October of 1997, but due to family and work responsibilities it has taken me two years to complete my lessons and log in 51.2 hours of flying. It is now October 21, 1999 and the FAA examiner … Continue reading Erick Johnson’s Check Ride
Jim’s Checkride by James Anuth
On July 5, 1999 I took the checkride for my PP-ASEL and passed it. Here's a quick run down on how things went. First, I took my training at Princeton Airport in New Jersey. I started on August 5, 1998 and was going full tilt until the winter hit. The weather was so poor that … Continue reading Jim’s Checkride by James Anuth
I’m Celebrating! by Sandy Reutter
There's hope (and excitement) for ALL of us! About a month ago, when I hit "The Big Five-Ohhhh", I decided that it was time to learn what those pedals on the floor were for and to see what flying was like without the training wheel. I scheduled a lesson, drove over to 3V5, and was … Continue reading I’m Celebrating! by Sandy Reutter