Megan, a commercial pilot candidate in Arizona, writes: I’ve just been introduced to accelerated stalls, and it made me wonder if there is such a thing as a decelerated stall. I checked my training books and couldn’t find anything, and when I checked in with Uncle Google, all I got was stuff about car engines stalling when decelerating. I asked my flight instructor and he said, “I don’t know, but I know who would know…”
Opinion
Elite and specialized
Within the ranks of pilots that span a wide spectrum from student to Airline Transport Pilot with so many stops in between, there is an enormous amount of specialization. So much so that the word “pilot” becomes little more than a broad category that suggests an industry more than it explains what a given individual does.
Be a gateway to the future, not a barrier
If your reason for getting into an aviation organization of any type is rooted in the desire to keep others out, I’m pretty sure you’re doing life wrong.
More about winterizing general aviation airplanes
Winter brings special challenges for general aviation aircraft owners, so our oil expert offers more tips on how to winterize your airplane, as well as what guidelines to follow for winter oil changes.
20 years of todays
I believe the definition of “leave it better than you found it” should simply point to the Recreational Aviation Foundation.
The engines that power LSA
While Rotax dominates the LSA engine market, other contenders, such as Jabiru, are making their mark.
Pick your prognosticator
Unlike the news reports and financial predictions on television, the weather reports and forecasts actually matter on a day to day basis. Hourly, even. The fronts, the troughs, the ridges, the high and low pressure systems and, of course, those occasional tropical problems all catch the attention of pilots and dispatchers. As they should.
Mind the learning line
You won’t be check ride ready after reading this book, but it may just jog your memory on a topic you’ve not thought of in many years or it may provide the exact jumping off point to go deep on something of interest.
Human Factors: The second decision
It’s very easy, after making one bad decision, to make another. And following two bad decisions, not only is your reservoir of luck running low, your options have just been significantly narrowed as well. At three bad decisions, you might as well just call the NTSB yourself to save a bystander the trouble.
Life goes on
Each one of us has the opportunity to set out on our own adventure. Whether we win or lose in the long run is anyone’s guess. Whether anyone remembers us or what we accomplish is beside the point. Try. Push on to the next big thing. Your next big thing. Even if nobody else cares.
SPAD for two
While the French SPAD single-seat fighters were ace-makers, disappointing performance and maneuverability in the two-seat derivatives failed to justify their use as a fighter. Instead, the two-seat versions earned a niche in the war as bomber and reconnaissance aircraft.
What are the advantages to a high compression conversion of my aircraft’s engine?
Reader Jeffrey A. Hughes asks our engines expert: What is the advantage to doing a high compression conversion to a Lycoming O-320 (from 150 hp to 160 hp)? I suppose the obvious answer is 10 more horsepower, but my natural inclination, given the name “high compression,” would be improved fuel economy. Are there other advantages?