Fear of Landing

MARCH 21, 2025

On the 11th of March, the NTSB released an aviation investigation preliminary report on the mid-air collision between PSA Airlines flight 5342 and a Sikorsky UH60L US Army helicopter. A CRJ700 operating as passenger flight PSA Airlines 5342 from Wichita, Kansas, was inbound to Washington National Airport. Really a tragic event.

Runway

Northstar VFR

MAY 26, 2025

Flaps are movable surfaces on the trailing edge of an airplanes wings that can be extended downward to change the shape of the wing during flight. When deployed, they increase the wings lift and drag, allowing the airplane to fly safely at slower speeds. At the same time, flaps create extra drag, which helps slow the airplane down.

Camber

AV Web

MAY 6, 2025

Lets take a deep dive into what it takes to get an airplane on the ground after a successful instrument approach. At that point you have to see either the red terminating row of lights in the Approach Lighting System or any one of the other nine runway environment items if you want to continue the descent. But how about 1000?

Runway

Air Facts

MAY 5, 2025

Flying a single engine airplane, under IFR, in the clouds, in a non-radar environment and without an autopilot, adds a great deal to the pilots work load. With three airplanes, we departed Springfield for Fairfield, Iowa to compete in an NIFA competition against five other schools. This was the situation on Friday, December 1, 1972.

VOR

Pilot Institute

JULY 4, 2025

In 1956, a United Airlines DC-7 and a TWA Constellation collided over the Grand Canyon, killing all on board. The areas marked red on the VSI show climb or descent rates that can put you on a collision course. Green markings show the climb or safe climb, or descent rates. Foreign airlines flying in U.S. This is by design.

Transponder

One Mile at a Time

APRIL 2, 2025

Whats exciting is that the airline recently started taking delivery of 787s , representing a new era for the carrier. The roughly five-year-old Dreamliner was intended for Chinas Hainan Airlines, then flew for Vietnams Bamboo Airways, and then it was transfered to Austrian. Austrian is one of the few airlines to have inflight chefs.

Approach

WayMan

JUNE 16, 2025

Heading Indicator (Directional Gyro): Indicates the airplane’s magnetic heading and provides a more stable directional indication than an ordinary magnetic compass. Vertical Speed Indicator (VSI): Indicates the aircraft’s rate of climb or descent, making it possible to accurately control the vertical flight path.

Omni-Directional Range

One Mile at a Time

MARCH 6, 2025

Cathay Pacifics Aria Suite is a heavily customized version of the cutting edge Collins Aerospace Elements seat ( Starlux Airlines was the launch customer for this seat), designed in partnership with JPA Design. As is common on many airlines, the door doesnt close all the way, but rather theres still a gap.

Airlines

Flying Magazine

MAY 21, 2025

Approximately 13 minutes into the flight at an altitude of 13,000 feet, the airplanes vertical gyro failed, which subsequently failed the pilots Electric Attitude Director Indicator (EADI), which then also caused the autopilot to disconnect. This resulted in the pilot having to manually fly the airplane using the copilots EADI.

Pilot

Plane and Pilot

NOVEMBER 16, 2024

The long journey from home on the East Coast was a long one indeed—almost nine hours of airliner travel in a nondirect way from Boston via Atlanta on a memorable 757-200 for me. Real: Nancy Lake in Willow, Alaska, was a perfect location to combine our real adventures of swimming and boating at a rental home.

AGL

One Mile at a Time

JANUARY 24, 2025

I dont think theres an airline with better stocked amenity kits than Emirates. Ordinarily, the airline only offers these on flights of over nine hours. However, since this is a fifth freedom flight that continues to Dubai, the airline offers them to all passengers on this sector, which is a nice touch.

Jet

Northstar VFR

JUNE 8, 2025

ATC had vectored an Alaska Airlines to turn base just over my position, 1,000 ft above me. Mechanical Factors Mechanical failures : Airplanes in general are very reliable, and major malfunctions are the minority. The vertical speed indicator indicates a descent. Attitude indicator shows decreasing altitude.

Turbulence

Pilot Institute

FEBRUARY 20, 2025

Or how do modern airplanes reduce dangerous effects like aileron flutter or adverse yaw? From simple mechanical linkages in small aircraft to high-tech fly-by-wire systems in airliners, ailerons have evolved with aviation itself. The resulting loss of lift leads to a rapid descent by the aircraft.

Aileron

One Mile at a Time

MAY 18, 2025

Im a terrible airplane sleeper, so my intent was to just stay up on the flight working on my laptop, and then to nap after getting home, and thats exactly what I did. The chicken just tasted so cheap and rubbery, the type of chicken youd only be served on an airplane. I regretted that I didnt order the vegetarian option.

Runway

Fear of Landing

JUNE 27, 2025

Near Miss at Midway Flight paths for SWA2504 (orange) and ground path for LXJ560 (blue) showing The NTSB has released the preliminary report on the runway incursion which caused Southwest Airlines 2504 to perform a last-minute go-around. The descent profile matches what we saw from the ADSB data. seconds before touchdown.

Descent

Pilot Institute

NOVEMBER 16, 2024

If you dream of flying small airplanes on weekends or piloting commercial airliners with hundreds of passengers, you need certain pilot licenses to reach your aviation goals. If you want to take your friends and family flying or become an airline pilot, start your aviation journey with this license. Minimum Age: 17 years.

Pilot

Inflight Pilot Training

FEBRUARY 13, 2025

This regimented approach can be beneficial for students pursuing aviation as a full-time career, as it is often designed to meet airline and professional pilot training standards. For a deeper understanding of stall behavior and recovery techniques, the FAA Airplane Flying Handbook provides an excellent resource.

Aileron

Pilot Institute

APRIL 23, 2025

Firstly, adopting airline procedures can be beneficial even for general aviation pilots. Having a structured approach to your descent and landing procedures is another helpful strategy. One common practice is to verbally confirm your speed before extending or retracting the landing gear.

Final Approach

Flying Magazine

JULY 8, 2025

Sure, if all the pieces line up, such as an available instructor, a healthy airplane, the weather, your health, your aptitude, finding a place to take the knowledge test, your finances, and an available DPE when you are ready for your check ride. Could it happen? According to cFAR 61.87, it is.

Wind Shear

Pilot Institute

JUNE 2, 2025

Thats why, for a passenger, phugoid motion feels like a series of slow climbs and descents instead of pitching up and down. Airliners may take a couple of minutes for a single oscillation. The Vertical Speed Indicator (VSI) will show a cycle of shallow climbs and descents. This constant exchange creates the oscillation.

Stability

One Mile at a Time

JUNE 11, 2025

That strategy seems to be a success, probably thanks to the great experience, the small cabin, the limited number of planes with first class , and the fact that the airline is based in Paris (a city popular with people who are willing to drop five figures on an airline ticket).

Approach

Pilot Institute

JULY 11, 2025

If conditions get too rough near descent, don’t hesitate to delay or hold off until it’s safe to continue. In December 2022, Hawaiian Airlines Flight 35 was flying at FL400, above a cloud layer between FL370 and FL380. Seconds later, the airplane was rattled by severe turbulence of more than 2 Gs.

Pilot

One Mile at a Time

MAY 12, 2025

ANA takes a unique approach to its A380s, as the airline has three of these, referred to as the Flying Honu. Its not as over-the-top as Japan Airlines new A350 first class , but then again, that wouldnt even be a good option for these routes, which are heavily leisure oriented (where the 1-1-1 configuration isnt ideal).

Tail

One Mile at a Time

JULY 7, 2025

For one, it would be my first flight on the brand new Airbus A321XLR, which is a plane that will become increasingly important for airlines in the coming years. Perhaps the highlight of the flight was the efficient and friendly service, as the lead flight attendant on this flight could teach those at many other airlines a thing or two.

Weather

One Mile at a Time

MARCH 24, 2025

Theres simply not another airline in the world that puts even remotely as much effort into the ground experience, whether at the carriers Charles de Gaulle hub, or an outstation. So the airline is priced at the top of the market, but it seems that strategy is working. Whats different, though, is how the airline handles the process.

Approach

One Mile at a Time

DECEMBER 28, 2024

For the final segment, I flew Japan Airlines Airbus A350-1000 business class on the 11hr40min flight from Tokyo (HND) to New York (JFK). Japan Airlines is the launch customer for the Safran Unity seat, and suffice it to say that were in for a treat, as more airlines introduce this product.

Airlines

Pilot's Life Blog

JUNE 24, 2025

Whether you’re aiming for airline work or just want the thrill of flying more capable aircraft, the multi-engine rating is a smart move. A multi‑engine rating is an FAA‑issued class rating add‑on that lets a certificated pilot legally fly twin-engine airplanes. Overview: What Is a Multi‑Engine Rating? Stay calm and confident.

Checkride

Flight Training Central

MAY 11, 2025

There are numerous jobs in aviation besides just airline pilot. Career opportunities include business aviation pilot, flight instructing, cargo airlines, military flying, law enforcement and many more. You can set your own schedule, use airports that airlines dont serve and leave the hassles of security lines behind.

Pilot

Cranky Flier

JULY 31, 2025

” We pushed off the dock late since they had other airplanes get out first, but we didn’t have to taxi long before lurching forward toward the north and into the sky, making a quick turn left to head out to Puget Sound. Soon enough, two airplanes came in rapid succession. This trip was low and slow and absolutely beautiful.

Runway

Flying Magazine

JULY 11, 2025

For this year’s Ultimate Issue, I wanted to push myself out of my comfort zone into an airplane worthy of the Ultimate title. The DC-6 sits tall on its landing gear to accommodate the three-bladed propellers, but the airplane has a balanced and proportional appearance. One can dream and prepare, right?

Flight Deck

AV Web

APRIL 15, 2025

While hover taxing on the taxiway, NTSB reports, a Cessna airplane taxied onto the same taxiway. Fixed-Wing Foibles Consider the Airbus first officer (FO) who tried to satisfy ATCs request to increase their descent (rate), so he engaged open descent mode. Airlines of all flags have shared woes recently. Thats FA tenacity.

Pilot

Photographic Logbook

JUNE 29, 2025

"Hi.I'm in Delaware." - Wayne Campbell, Wayne's World , 1992 Restless Pilot Syndrome Having resumed acting as pilot in command of my own airplane after a relatively brief setback, I was delighted beyond words to be back at it. Seeing none, I set up for a left downwind to runway 20 and rolled out on the reasonably smooth turf runway.

Runway

Flying Magazine

JULY 31, 2025

Authorities have identified the pilot killed in a plane crash in Greenwood, Indiana, on Wednesday as Anh-Thu Nguyen, the founder of the Asian Women in Aerospace & Aviation organization and the 10th woman and first of Vietnamese descent to fly around the world solo. Nguyen, 44, was alone in the airplane.

Descent

Cranky Flier

JULY 21, 2025

This was the airline’s first 737-8 MAX in a small fleet. Our airplane had come in from Guatemala City on the redeye. I didn’t care for such a short flight, but I was sad to see that this was because of a last minute airplane swap. We walked out to the door for 1A and then got on the airplane up the ramp.

Runway

Cranky Flier

JUNE 19, 2025

I had somehow forgotten my noise-canceling headphones, and man, it is so loud in the back of that airplane on climb. If any of you were on this airplane after me, well, I left it in the seatback pocket.) We had a nice view of Monterey as we started our descent, and it was surprisingly clear around the Bay Area.

Runway

Aerotime

FEBRUARY 13, 2025

A KLM-Royal Dutch Airlines flight from Amsterdam to Costa Rica carrying the Queen of Belgium made a priority landing after the crew reported that a panel of the aircrafts windshield had cracked during the descent into its destination. Flight KL759 departed Amsterdam at 12:13 local time for its approximately 11-hour flight to San Jose.

Descent

Aerotime

SEPTEMBER 23, 2024

Having received clearance to do so, the plane turned south and began its descent back towards Schiphol. As before, the airplane taxied out to the end of runway 36L and began its second take-off run of the afternoon, becoming airborne at 18:02. The aircraft was first delivered in May 2000 to Air Europa of Spain.

Air Traffic Control