“Almost half of pilots involved in fuel management accidents hold either a Commercial or Air Transport Pilot certificate.” From an Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) report: The pilot of a Beech Baron 58 aircraft contacted a refueler and requested 400 liters (about 105 U.S. gallons) of fuel be added to the aircraft. The refueller provided 200 liters of fuel, however Read More
Try this technique to maintain precise control when hand-flying an approach. Flying an accurate instrument approach is an exercise in precision. Whether flying an ILS or a nonprecision approach, it takes tight control of aircraft pitch and heading to arrive at the Missed Approach Point (MAP) in a position to land if the runway is Read More
Twin and Turbine’s editor Dianne White posed an intriguing series of questions to me: “When working on our multi-engine rating, we spend most our time practicing engine-out technique, which is critical. But is engine failure what kills pilots and their passengers? Or are they more the result of flying into stuff – weather and terrain? Read More
What effect does a tailwind have on your takeoff performance? More than you might think. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) released an unusually detailed Preliminary Report on the crash of a turbocharged piston airplane: The aircraft impacted terrain shortly after takeoff from Stevensville Airport (32S), Stevensville, Montana. The private pilot and his passenger received Read More
Confirmation bias can lead pilots to act on their belief of what is happening, despite evidence that the opposite is occurring Say you are solo in a very familiar aircraft, approaching a busy but familiar airport. The tower controller clears you to land on Runway 20L at Orange County/John Wayne Airport (KSNA), the shorter and Read More