What can we learn from a pilot who experienced a fire from a battery in his portable ADS-B unit?
Opinion
Looking for Loopholes? Your Engine Doesn’t Care About the Regs
Too often we might be inclined to find the exact term that’s missing. Some of us might interpret that to mean there is no rule that requires us to do the smart thing, the logical thing, the thing any sentient being with the will to survive knows is necessary. But we found a loophole: We don’t have to because the rule doesn’t say so. This is what is known in scientific and technological circles as dumb.
Why Are My Oil Temperatures So Low?
A reader reaches out to our engines expert about very low oil temperatures in his Van’s RV-8.
Nose-Turreted Liberators: The Rigors of War
With Japanese and German fighter pilots making head-on attacks with closing speeds exceeding 500 mph, B-24s were modified with a manned nose turret.
Questions from the Cockpit: Complicated Characteristics
Trey, a student pilot in Colorado, writes: “I’m having a hard time wrapping my head around the difference between maneuverability and controllability, I don’t think I’m stupid, but…”
Social Media’s Gift to Aviation
Social media posts and YouTube videos that capture the art and science of aviation are beneficial for pilots, but also intriguing to non-pilots. And the more people who see aviation in a positive light, the better.
Deep Pockets
A number of issues remain affecting general aviation’s transition to unleaded avgas. Perhaps the most important is the three companies working on the solution lack “deep pockets” in a very litigious society.
50 Hours or Three Years
Should aircraft inspections move to a “50 hours or three years” schedule? Explore the potential benefits, economic impacts, and FAA hurdles of this proposed maintenance shift.
Be Prepared For The Bad Thing
Being prepared to handle the bad thing requires forethought. The only way I know how to do it is to sit down in a quiet place, let the imagination wander, and consider every negative possibility that comes to mind. This isn’t dark work. It’s liberating. The scenarios unfold to provide confidence.