March 2018
Editor's Briefing
Editor’s Briefing: Saying Goodbye to an Aviation Icon
One of the great pleasures of editing a monthly aviation magazine is that I get to interact with many industry icons, some of which are my personal aviation heroes. Over the past year, I have the honor to work with someone who qualifies in both categories. It was with great sadness that I received Read More
Airmail
Remembering Archie Trammell Aviation safety suffered a devastating setback in early February when Radar legend Archie Trammell passed away. Without exception, Archie was the world’s foremost authority on the employment of airborne weather radar. A relentless safety advocate, he continued to publish safety-related information and to educate pilots to within weeks of his passing. Read More
Jet Journal
The Cessna Citation CJ3 Goes Fusion
A much-needed flight deck upgrade brings the venerable light jet favorite into the future. How do you improve your favorite airplane when that airplane is a Cessna Citation CJ3? Fast, capable, and enjoyed by its owners and pilots, the latest avionics upgrade is to the Rockwell Collins Pro Line Fusion suite promises to make a Read More
Jet Journal
Citation-logy: New iOS App Available for Reviewing Citation Systems & Memory Items
Aeromania has introduced an app to study Citation systems, limitations, and memory items on your iPhone or iPad. Called Citation-ology, the app is available via iTunes on the App Store. The flashcard-type application currently covers all variants of the CE500, 550, 560, CE510, CE525 and CE560XL/XLS. It is easily customizable for the modified versions Read More
Twin Proficiency
“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
Five on the Fly
WHO: Charlie Precourt Colonel, USAF, Ret. NASA Astronaut (former) Four Space Shuttle Missions Shuttle Commander (STS-84 & STS-91) Homebase: Salt Lake City, Utah POSITIONS: VP and GM, Propulsion Systems Orbital ATK Chairman, EAA Safety Committee Chairman, Citation Jet Pilot Safety Committee RATINGS: Instrument Commercial Multi-Engine CFI Various Experimental Authorizations HOURS: 11,000+ 1. Many of your contributions to general aviation center on safety education and improving best Read More
Feature
How the New Law Impacts Business Aviation After years of debate, tax reform has arrived. The late-year 2017 passage and signing of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) has reshaped the business and individual tax landscape. The TCJA provides excellent tax opportunities for businesses of all sizes to invest in general aviation aircraft but Read More
Feature
Once a Doctor, Always a Doctor
Due to the somewhat insecure nature of the business, many pilots who fly airplanes for a living also have a backup career. When those secondary skills are called for while aloft, it can make for some novel deviations from regular pilot duties. In my case, being a doctor with an emergency medicine background has Read More
From the Flight Deck
From the Fight Deck: Vascular Time Bomb
A pilot’s blood pressure, hypertension and the FAA Form 8500-9 Vas•cu•lar [adjective] Latin: Hollow container; a vessel or vessels, especially those that carry blood. Time Bomb: [noun] A potentially detrimental, dangerous or catastrophic delayed reaction. They say many people don’t realize that they have high blood pressure. This isn’t true for us pilots because we Read More
En Route
New Film Details First U.S. Naval Aviators in WWI Filmmakers Darroch Greer and Ron King have created an engaging film that combines history, aviation and inspiration. The Millionaire’s Unit tells the unsung story of a group of Yale college students who took the initiative to learn to fly in preparation for America’s entry into Read More
On Final
In the past twelve months I have completed four 61.58 simulator events. Two in the M2 and two in the Mustang. You would think that would be enough. At least that’s what I thought as I accidently shut down the only running engine during my recent M2 recurrent at FlightSafety in Wichita. It was Read More