The Southwest Aeronautics, Mathematics and Science Academy, known as the SAMS Academy, at Double Eagle II Airport (KAEG) in Albuquerque, New Mexico, immerses kids in aviation starting in sixth grade, eventually allowing them to earn their private pilot certificate — for free — before they graduate from high school.
Questions from the Cockpit: Where’s the other end of the tape measure?
Where is AGL measured from? As with most things in life — and aviation — it depends.
Human Factors: No one in command
It wouldn’t be until after the crash that either one of them would have any clue that no one was flying the plane.
Questions from the Cockpit: Why are pilot watches so big?
Linda, an FBO employee in California, writes: What can you tell me about pilot’s watches? It seems like all the pilots I see — especially the men — wear HUGE watches. Is this something they actually need? Or is it a style thing? And are they as expensive as they look?
Test flight: The game-changing Delta Zulu headset
Lightspeed Aviation’s newest headset includes a CO detector, as well as HearingEQity, which boost sound levels for sound levels you can’t hear well, a possible game-changer for an aging pilot population.
5 in the Sky
The five members of the Porter family are flying around the world in an AirVan on what dad Ian calls an “Edventure.”
Questions from the Cockpit: I reckon so
Phillip, working on his commercial ticket in Florida, writes: “Settle a bet for us here at the flight school: Why is dead reckoning called dead reckoning? Online, there seems to be a lot of difference of opinion about the origin of the term.”
A home for young pilots
Designed for aviation enthusiasts and pilots between the ages of 13 and 25, Young Pilots USA emphasizes the social aspect of flying, with the goal of retaining young pilots during flight training and in the early stages of their careers.
Questions from the Cockpit: In defense of running out of gas
While I agree that it sure seems like a lot of airplanes are running out of gas, to be honest, I’m surprised it doesn’t happen more often. And the reason for that boils down to two issues: First, there’s no way to know how much gas you have in your tanks, and second, there’s no way to know how much gas you’ll need for your flight.