In 2023, pilots in 50 instances misunderstood “Line Up and Wait” instructions, highlighting a decades-old debate about the clarity of aviation phraseology and its impact on safety.
Opinion
Questions from the Cockpit: Re-branding induced drag
Joseph, a student pilot in Georgia, writes: I’m having a hard time wrapping my head around induced drag. Can you help me out?
Never fly a kid in your airplane
Unless he or she is signed up in a formal program that can give follow-up resources and support.
How am I doing coach?
Imagine the reaction if an NFL player said, “I’m good coach. I don’t need to practice this week.” That attitude wouldn’t fly in the big leagues. It shouldn’t fly at the airport either.
Human Factors: A good airplane in a bad neighborhood
In addition to picking the right airplane for the job, an important pilot skill is bringing the same level of thought to picking the right airport for the airplane.
Lots of leadership changes
Is it just me or is there an abnormal amount of change at multiple aviation organizations?
Unleaded avgas: As I see it
Switching GA to unleaded fuel is something that has been going on for the better part of 50 years, if not longer. I vividly remember being pounded on at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh for many, many years as to why Lycoming wouldn’t approve the use of “car gas” in its engines.
Share the joy when you can
After many years, so many annual inspections, multiple flight reviews, and an untold number of weather delays, it is possible to become slightly jaded about the wonder of aviation. But I suspect you’ll find, as I have, that introducing non-pilots who have a fresh set of eyes to even the most benign aeronautical experience can have great effect.
A toast to the importance of aviation
“Aviation is even more widely interesting than prohibition.”