• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
General Aviation News

General Aviation News

Because flying is cool

  • Pictures of the Day
    • Submit Picture of the Day
  • Stories
    • News
    • Features
    • Opinion
    • Products
    • NTSB Accidents
    • ASRS Reports
  • Comments
  • Classifieds
    • Place Classified Ad
  • Events
  • Print Archives
  • Subscribe
  • Show Search
Hide Search

A license to forget

By Janice Wood · November 16, 2009 ·

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

As a mere private pilot, I was horrified to learn the bill recently passed by Congress requires airline pilots to receive training in actual stall recovery. Every pilot knows this is one of the most basic skills which must be demonstrated before first solo and at nearly every encounter between a pilot and instructor.

I have heard many safety experts, as well as normal instructors, say that a pilot’s license is merely a license to learn. Apparently, for a few airline pilots like the ones of the unfortunate Colgan flight that led to the legislation, the Air Transport Pilot rating is just a license to forget.

PAUL MULWITZ, Camas, Wash.

About Janice Wood

Janice Wood is editor of General Aviation News.

Share this story

  • Share on Twitter Share on Twitter
  • Share on Facebook Share on Facebook
  • Share on LinkedIn Share on LinkedIn
  • Share on Reddit Share on Reddit
  • Share via Email Share via Email

Become a better informed pilot.

Join 110,000 readers each month and get the latest news and entertainment from the world of general aviation direct to your inbox, daily.

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Curious to know what fellow pilots think on random stories on the General Aviation News website? Click on our Recent Comments page to find out. Read our Comment Policy here.

© 2026 Flyer Media, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy.

  • About
  • Advertise
  • Comment Policy
  • Submit Press Release
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Writer’s Guidelines
  • Photographer’s Guidelines