It's highly possible that I'm one of those pilots that actually enjoys flying in the Colorado mountain airports of Aspen, Eagle/Vail, Rifle, Telluride, and Hayden. Each offers its own challenges of surrounding terrain, runway limitations, instrument approaches, unique weather patterns, and arrival/departure paths. And each offers little, if any, room...

Editor’s Note: Advanced Aircrew Academy (AAA) and the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) are collaborating on how best to gather the needs of business aviation, address the pilot shortage, and find innovative ways to provide solutions. Since each category of operations impacts the other, we will analyze the challenges of...

Editor's Note: Advanced Aircrew Academy (AAA) and the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) are collaborating on how best to gather the needs of business aviation, address the pilot shortage, and find innovative ways to provide solutions. Since each category of operations impacts the other, we will analyze the challenges of...

No – your Flight Attendant has not gone to another dimension or life or where ever you believe good flight attendants go at the end of their lives. Our beloved FA (which somehow stands for area forecast) will soon be (mostly) just a fond memory. Soon you'll be telling the...

There are some differences between CPDLC that is used in oceanic airspace and other regions of the world as part of FANS 1/A and the ATN-B1 type of CPDLC being implemented in Europe, which the Europeans have branded Link 2000+. It is possible for an airplane to be equipped with...

Aviation Gods thrive on watching pilots learn. They are proud of us as we muddle our way through our ratings while they throw a variety of weather and mechanical challenges at us. They giggle as we bounce a few landings, panic when we realize we're lost, and they hold their...

The concept that a grooved runway surface, when wet, can be considered "effectively dry" was washed away for me one rainy day at South Bend, IN (KSBN). I had enough experience in my aircraft to know that a certain amount of brake pressure would yield a certain amount of deceleration...

On July 10, 2017, former Anheuser-Busch CEO August Adolphus Busch IV was arrested after police say he tried to fly a helicopter while allegedly intoxicated. Officers reported Busch had "mumbled and slurred" speech to the point "it was difficult to understand" and that he was unable to follow some directions....

During a recent descent, I was faced with a difficult decision about what altitude I was supposed to descend to. I had been cleared to "DESCEND VIA" the ANTHM3 RNAV into KBWI. As you can see from the image, the lowest altitude listed for landing to the east is 4000'...

This past winter, general aviation pilots around the Northeast had the opportunity to purposely land on an icy runway. The snow was plowed to create a 2300' x 100' runway for about a two-week window in February. This provided recreational pilots a destination in Alton Bay, NH to land their...

Something I've been thinking about lately regarding security has nothing to do with the airplane. I'm pretty adventurous on layovers and like to explore different cities. It's one of the perks of the job, right? I often go out alone because it's usually daytime and I'm a fast walker. I'm...

The summer season is a great time to enjoy some refreshing lemonade, get your list of house projects completed, and attend the Takeoff and Landing Performance Assessment (TALPA) Update Meeting hosted by the FAA. On July 11-12, 2017, stakeholders who are involved in the TALPA process will attend a working...

InFO 17006, Use of the Localized Aviation Model-Output-Statistics (MOS) Program (LAMP), Weather Product. The FAA doesn't even keep you in suspense. They give it away in the short title they give to their InFO products. Don't worry, there won't be a quiz at the end and it is not likely...

Regulatory reform. The phrase alone generally tends to make one cringe. Why? Because when we hear it, we expect more regulation, and regulation by its very nature creates limits, prohibitions, and/or requirements on how we conduct ourselves and our businesses in the course of operating aircraft for a living. I'll...

We were in Morristown, NJ (MMU) for a trip to Bedford, MA (BED). It was a relatively short flight and our last leg of the day. We would be at the hotel before dark and would be the end of a great day of flying. The weather at Morristown was...

Mayday, Mayday, Mayday!! You are cruising along at FL410, and you have just crossed 30 West eastbound to Dublin, Ireland. So far, everything has been uneventful and you have about three hours remaining in your flight. You are actually becoming bored and ready to get to your destination, when suddenly...

I was doing some research for a Part 135 Operator regarding dry ice. In the process, I discovered that there have been very few reported incidents involving carbon dioxide incapacitation aboard aircraft resulting from the sublimation of dry ice. In the incidents that have been reported, the aircrew recognized symptoms...

Automatic Dependent Surveillance – Broadcast (ADS-B) is fundamental to the foundation in the Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen). The FAA mandate is to install ADS-B Out equipment for aircraft flying in US airspace by January 1, 2020 (above 10,000 feet or in Class B or C airspace); however, aircraft...

Until January 2008, ICAO's standards and recommended procedures (SARPs) required only that aviation personnel in contact with international flight operations master a set of words and phrases known as "ICAO Radio Telephony Phraseology." As you might imagine, there is a significant difference between a relatively limited set of technical aviation...

In January 2017, new OSHA rules tightened the requirements to help prevent falls from ladders and raised work platforms. The new rules are primarily focused on the construction industry, but also apply to aviation maintenance technicians workers in hangars. Incorporated in the new rule are advances in technology, industry best...

We were enroute from Guadalajara, Mexico (MMGL) to Laredo, TX (KLRD). Laredo was a Customs stop. We only had one short leg after Laredo and we would be done for the day. It was early afternoon; the weather was beautiful. The Big Sky, Little Airplane theory is wide open spaces,...

Remember our initial discussion on the Hawker 700 crash in Akron, OH? If not, review that blog post. Many people wonder "why didn't the Captain take over"? In this situation, I actually agree with the PIC's decision to let the SIC fly the leg. I've come to the conclusion that...

We departed Punta Gorda, FL (KPGD) enroute to Houston Hobby (KHOU) and were cleared to climb to 11,000 feet. The weather was typical for southern Florida in the spring time—2000 Broken and 10 miles. A couple of minutes after takeoff, while climbing above the broken layer, we received a TA...

The NTSB released their factual report of a Hawker 700 crash in Akron, OH (KAKR) a few months ago, and the facts are a little disturbing. As usual, it's never the one event that causes an accident, but a combination of factors. As a CFI-I with 20 years of experience, type...

You are rapidly climbing to FL370. Your requested flight level is 390, but ATC has restricted you to FL370 due to an Airbus 319 flying in the opposite direction and maintaining FL380. You are climbing very well today and your rate of climb is 3000 feet/min. When you pass FL361...