Mack, a student pilot in Florida, writes: I just learned that there are three different definitions of night in the regulations! What’s the deal with all these overlapping definitions? Is the FAA just trying to make it harder on students than it needs to be?
Human Factors: It’s not really a checklist
When something unexpected happens in flight we’ve all been taught to Aviate, Navigate, Communicate. But pilots need to realize that’s not a checklist, but a cycle to be repeated over and over again until the situation is resolved.
Questions From The Cockpit: The top 10 causes of GA accidents
The list of the top 10 causes of GA accidents is shocking in that all of the items are basic pilot skills. Shouldn’t anyone with a pilot certificate have a handle on all of these?
Human Factors: A pilot’s last words
What can we learn from a sightseeing flight that proved fatal for a young pilot and his girlfriend’s brother?
Questions from the Cockpit: Ercoupe claustrophobia
My friend Tom called the other night and startled me with a question: “Hey, have you ever heard of anyone having an attack of claustrophobia in an Ercoupe?”
Human Factors: A tragic celebration
A flight to celebrate a dad earning his private pilot certificate ends tragically. What can we learn from it?
Human Factors: Hidden wear and tear
When a pilot crashes his new plane on the same day he bought it, NTSB investigators discovered the smoking gun for the accident was a part that pilots can’t see during a preflight.
Questions from the Cockpit: When ATC goes dark
David, an airplane owner in Iowa, writes: Given the recent reported radio outage at Newark, I’m sure we could all use a refresher and perspective on lost comms. It’s one thing to have an on-board failure, but seems much different if ATC goes down, especially in busy airspace. It would be great to hear and learn about scenarios that appear more likely than we thought.
Questions from the Cockpit: O2 4 U
Sam, a private pilot in Montana, writes: How do I know how long a supplemental oxygen bottle will last in flight? Or, more correctly, how do I know it has enough for my flight before I takeoff?