One Mile at a Time

MARCH 21, 2025

Southwest jet accelerates to 70 knots on taxiway This incident happened on Thursday, March 20, 2025, and involves Southwest flight WN3278, scheduled to operate from Orlando (MCO) to Albany (ALB), with a 9:25AM departure. Weve seen a lot of concerning close calls lately, though this is easily one of the most puzzling.

Air Traffic Control

Flying Magazine

JUNE 23, 2025

For example, it shouldn’t be that difficult to maintain 100 knots and 1,200 feet msl, but it is for many. Historically, some newbies apparently can’t tell the difference between 60 knots and 90 knots on their airspeed indicator, but you’re better than that. (If Slow flight, for one.

Runway

Air Facts

MAY 5, 2025

The general prognosis indicated no icing in the clouds, no turbulence and a quartering headwind from the west resulting in a mere five knots of headwind component. I filed my IFR flight plan, received a clearance and took off into the gray winter sky. Phil was a cool head under pressure. A few minutes later came his reply.

VOR

Pilot Institute

JUNE 9, 2025

Holding patterns are a great way to keep your position and ensure clearance from terrain and other aircraft. Hold Altitude Holding procedures, flown correctly, will always allow for sufficient terrain clearance. For tailwind on the outbound leg, subtract 1 second per knot of tailwind component. The wind is 050° at 25 knots.

Airplanes

Plane and Pilot

FEBRUARY 28, 2025

These tools help the pilots deal with this busy section of the flight replete with numerous checklists, changing clearances, and traffic. We have some of the same checklists, clearances, and traffic, and we have one less pilot to get them all done. Back down here is GA land, we have many of the same concerns.

Descent

iPad Pilot News

MARCH 11, 2025

The alert will only sound once every 60 seconds and is automatically disabled if groundspeed is less than 40 knots. The alert is only triggered when groundspeed is above 40 knots or the connected device does not have a GPS fix. There’s also a scratchpad tool to copy clearances as you listen. MSL and 25,000 ft.

AGL

Pilot's Life Blog

JUNE 18, 2025

Set your power and speed for the maneuver, maintaining a steady airspeed typically 10-20 knots above stall speed to allow for a margin of safety. Altitude and Terrain Clearance: Always perform steep turns at a safe altitude well above any obstacles or terrain. What defines a standard steep turn?

Pilot

Air Facts

APRIL 28, 2025

Our old and slow Stearman PT-17 biplanes were racing along at 65 mph as we were fighting a 20-knot headwind, so we were still almost 15 minutes from touchdown! Much to our surprise though, they held a couple of big jets for us and gave us a taxi clearance right to the end of the runway and an almost immediate takeoff clearance.

Clearance

Plane and Pilot

OCTOBER 29, 2024

I filed IFR , mostly so that I could get the altitude I wanted without having to worry about cloud clearances, and so if some little squirt cumulus popped up, I could blast through it or just nick the side of it. The FAA weather said a thunderstorm was forecast, gusts to 6 knots. There was also a link to a bridge for sale.

Weather

Photographic Logbook

MAY 25, 2025

I cancelled the flight to my hometown due to a combination of strong winds aloft, surface winds forecast at 20-something knots gusting to 30-something knots, and potential for IFR conditions and icing to boot. Both were immediately on board, but the weather was not. Too many strikes. Don't think about it too long, guys.

OAT

Pilot Institute

JUNE 12, 2025

By the time the aircraft decelerates below roughly 80 knots, the pilot moves the reverser controls to the idle reverse position. They did need lots of room below the engine to allow the big bucket door to swing backward, but that wasn’t much of a problem, given the small engines and ample clearance under the wing.

Thrust

Aerotime

MARCH 20, 2025

As the aircraft approached Nome, air traffic controllers informed the pilot of flight 445 that Nomes runway was being de-iced and was temporarily closed, and that flight 445 could expect a 10 to 15 minute delay in landing clearance to be given. Indications show that its speed dropped from around 160 knots to 110 knots.

Knot

Pilot Institute

JUNE 27, 2025

Aircraft must operate under ATC clearance. Max speed: 100 mph (87 knots). Max speed: 100 mph (87 knots). Cloud clearance: 500 ft below , 1,000 ft above , 2,000 ft horizontal. Max speed: 100 mph (87 knots). ATC & Communication: No ATC clearance required for VFR. Not commonly shown on sectional charts.

AGL

Flying Magazine

MAY 21, 2025

As the pilot responded, the airplane bank angle increased to 90 degrees and the airspeed exceeded 260 knots, then the aircraft experienced structural failure and hit the water. ATC was in communication with the pilot, as the airplane entered several right- and left-hand banks and rolls and entered a steep descent while in a bank angle.

Pilot

Aerotime

APRIL 3, 2025

The airplane first struck the ground at a speed of 250 knots about four kilometers short of runway 25L, before bouncing for three seconds and then crashing 500 meters further in a rice paddy field. Later on, the aircrafts rear access door detached and also fell into the sea. Only one aileron and one wing spoiler were operating.

Aileron

Pilot Institute

MARCH 6, 2025

In contrast to a control tower, an FSS is not responsible for giving instructions or clearances to aircraft. LLWS Low-Level Wind Shear An LLWS is defined as a wind shear of 10 knots or more per 100 feet in a layer more than 200 feet thick which occurs within 2000 feet of the surface.

Pilot

Flying Magazine

JUNE 20, 2025

The aircraft was at an altitude of 8,000 ft msl and 270 knots ground speed at that time. The pilot acknowledged the clearance. ADS-B data showed the airplane subsequently turned abeam NESTY at about 3,750 ft msl and a ground speed of 200 knots. The aircraft’s ground speed was approximately 120 knots. local time.

Knot

Vintage Aviation News

JULY 8, 2025

Screenshot from Piercarlo Chiacchi’s YouTube Channel From engine checks to stabilizer configuration and final takeoff clearance, the video captures radio communications with ground control, including coordination with Miami Center. Climb out with the Kennedy Space Center in the background. and Mach 2, depending on airspace availability.

Payload

Pilot's Life Blog

JANUARY 5, 2025

Approach speeds typically range from 80 to 90 knots depending on weight and flap settings, while full flaps are often used to provide the necessary lift during landing. Clear communication with air traffic control (ATC) is essential at this stage to receive landing clearance and avoid conflicts with other aircraft.

Descent

Plane and Pilot

MARCH 26, 2025

According to reports from M-20C owners, the airplane can be expected to provide 140-145-knot cruise speeds. A peek in the flight manual reveals impressive takeoff performance, as well, listing a ground roll of 815 feet and a 50-foot obstacle clearance distance of 1,395 feet at maximum takeoff weight and standard conditions.

Clearance

Flight Training Central

JUNE 16, 2025

If the restricted area is not active and has been released to the controlling agency, the ATC facility will allow the aircraft to operate in the restricted airspace without issuing specific clearance. They are generally established below 10,000′ MSL for operations at speeds above 250 knots.

Clearance

Air Facts

APRIL 11, 2025

Keep in mind, you might want to make these numbers extra-conservative if you frequently carry family or friends – just because you can handle a 25-knot direct cross, doesnt mean your significant other can (trust me on this). In todays modern cockpit, you can have charts displayed both on your EFB or on the panel.

Cockpit

AV Web

JUNE 24, 2025

If I’m taking off from RWY 31L, the minimum climb gradient is 386 feet per NM which at 100 knots is 643 FPM—no issue for the Arrow (or even a 172 for that matter) with a field elevation just under 500 FT.

Weather

Photographic Logbook

JUNE 1, 2025

Paula and Gilead requested a pop-up IFR clearance and flew at an intermediate altitude between those of us up high and the others down low. The "400" refers to the eight cylinder, 400 horsepower Lycoming IO-720 powerplant shoehorned into the cowling that gave this beast a 185 knot (213 mph) cruise speed.

Airplanes

Air Facts

JULY 9, 2025

I recently departed without calculating my takeoff distance or obstacle clearance. Do I have to be within ±1 knot and ±10 feet on every approach? Over the last several months, I have committed several aviation sins. I once went on a flight without checking the weather. I’ve flown non-standard traffic patterns.

Pilot

Plane and Pilot

JULY 1, 2025

Probable cause(s): The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from trees after takeoff, during high density altitude weather conditions. After arriving at the destination airstrip the student entered left downwind for Runway 13, resulting in a right quartering tailwind of about 5 knots.

Density Altitude

Flying Magazine

MAY 27, 2025

His IFR clearance, which he had received previously, said to expect a climb to FL 330 10 minutes after departure. About two minutes after takeoff, it was at 2,900 msl with a heading of 090 and a ground speed of 200 knots, but the pilot had yet to check in with Nashville. The pilot acknowledged. An eyewitness said, like a lawn dart.

Pilot

Aerotime

SEPTEMBER 23, 2024

Having received clearance to do so, the plane turned south and began its descent back towards Schiphol. Flightradar24 The aircraft landed safely on runway 06 at about 170 knots around 15 minutes after departure. Once again, the aircraft returned to the apron where engineers awaited its return once again.

Air Traffic Control

Aerotime

DECEMBER 23, 2024

The aircraft can accommodate up to seven occupants including the pilot, and the type can travel up to 1,275 nautical miles (2,361km) at a cruising speed of up to 311 knots (576kph). However, by 2019, the type had received FAA clearance to be operated by air taxi and charter operators.

Jet

Aerotime

NOVEMBER 22, 2024

At this point, the pilots will contact ATC for push and start clearance , allowing the plane to be pushed back from its parking position (if applicable, depending on the airport) and to start its engines in sequence. After reaching 100 knots, the aircraft will continue to accelerate to what is referred to as its V1 speed.

Cabin Crew

AV Web

SEPTEMBER 13, 2024

The NTSB and FAA are investigating a runway incursion at Nashville International Airport on Thursday in which an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 MAX crew rejected its takeoff at about 130 knots when a Southwest 737-700 crossed the far end of the runway it was using. It’s not clear how close the two aircraft got.

Runway

One Mile at a Time

OCTOBER 18, 2024

The issue here is that the tower controller gave a plane clearance for takeoff literally one second after another plane had been given clearance to cross that same runway. Once the controller figures out what’s going on, here’s how the communication goes: San Diego Tower: “Southwest 1478, cancel takeoff clearance.”

Runway

One Mile at a Time

JULY 29, 2024

So the pilot of the first Delta jet advised air traffic control they’d need a minute to crunch the numbers on takeoff performance: Delta 1304 pilot: “Right now, for Delta 1304, we got four knots too much on the tailwind. We’re just running the numbers, so stand by.” Pilots are always supposed to err on the side of caution.

Air Traffic Control

Fear of Landing

SEPTEMBER 20, 2024

The flight crew adjusted the icing bug to 165 knots. The temperature at their cruising altitude was around -9° with westerly winds at 46 knots. The ATR’s airspeed was 191 knots. The crew acknowledged and said that they were at the ideal point of descent and waiting for clearance.

Knot

Flying Magazine

APRIL 25, 2024

While we were sitting in the airplane on the morning of the flight, the pilot received his IFR clearance, which kept us on the eastern route. New York clearance delivery would not give us a southwestern departure because of heavy flow in and out of the congested New York airports. The ice began to melt.

Weather

Plane and Pilot

AUGUST 6, 2024

Also, from when I lived out West, there was the mountaintop clearance guideline—1,000 feet for every 10 knots of wind, with 30 knots meaning no-go. With my risk profile, IFR really means ignoring crappy VFR and VFR cloud clearance requirements. That maxim doesn’t seem as well-known in the East, however.

Airplanes

Pilot Institute

SEPTEMBER 26, 2024

Before entering Class C airspace, pilots must receive clearance from Air Traffic Control (ATC). Class C airports’ speed limits require aircraft within 4 Nautical Miles (NM) of the primary airport and below 2500 feet to maintain an Indicated Airspeed (IAS) of 200 knots or less. Altitude and intentions (e.g.,

Clearance