AV Web

MAY 6, 2025

Operations below minimums on an instrument approach can be quite simple if the ceilings and visibilities are significantly above minimums. But when the chips are down along with the ceilings and visibilities, things arent quite so simple. I think I have the runway lights in sight, is not good enough. You have to be sure.

Runway

Air Facts

MAY 5, 2025

This particular 172 normally cruised at 120 mph indicated airspeed, but with the ice it would barely do 90 mph and that required full throttle! The hourly sequence report showed Springfield had a ceiling of 100 feet obscured, a visibility of 3/8 mile and fog with a surface temperature of 30 degrees F. What had happened?

VOR

Plane and Pilot

JULY 10, 2025

Since the 7,600-foot main runway was unavailable, I ran the numbers for the lightly-loaded Cardinal for takeoff on the 4,400-foot cross runway. The first half of the takeoff was on a slight downgrade, acceleration seemed OK, and we broke ground about the same time as we crossed the longer Runway 21 Left/3 Right.

Density Altitude

Flying Magazine

JUNE 30, 2025

We found a flaps up, power-off stall speed of 47 mph indicated airspeed, and full-flap stall speed of 42 mph indicated. We did power versus true airspeed checks at 7,500 feet on a standard atmosphere and temperature day. None had trouble keeping the airplane relatively near the runway centerline on rollout.

Gross Weight

Aerotime

MARCH 21, 2025

Around 13 seconds before touchdown as the aircraft was descending through 153 feet above ground level (AGL) the TSB said the CRJ900s indicated airspeed increased to 154 knots whereas the ground speed did not change appreciably, consistent with a performance-increasing wind gust. The bank angle increased to a 4.7right bank.

Indicated Airspeed

Air Facts

MAY 10, 2024

An acceptable meteorological combination of ceiling, visibility, and wind. What is the runway lighting? Only accurate within 10 degrees of runway heading). If you choose to fly a Circle-to Land approach to a runway without a VASI or PAPI, you are greatly increasing your vertical flight error path (possibility/probability).

Approach

Photographic Logbook

JULY 11, 2024

Moments after climbing through the ceiling over Beverly, MA. We made an IFR departure that morning on runway 16 and climbed above the ceiling in short order. Approaching the Green Mountains of Vermont, the ceiling began to close back up. This meant that there would be no getting into Sodus unless the ceiling lifted.

Ceiling