Archive for April, 2009

Confounded Clearance Cancellations

By | April 15, 2009 | Flight Training | 4 Comments

Cruising along at altitude, air traffic control clears you to “descend at pilot’s discretion to 10,000 feet, contact Atlanta Center on 125.8.” Being a fuel conscious pilot, you decide to remain at cruise altitude a bit longer when the new controller tells you to descend at maintain 13,000. Here’s the dilemma: are you still cleared down to ten thousand feet, or do you have to stay put at thirteen?  Read more…

Responding to Emergencies by Memory: Immediate Action Items

By | April 3, 2009 | Advanced Flying | 6 Comments

Last week, I stressed the importance of taking your time when faced with emergencies. Although pilots should never rush through any task, there are some emergencies that require an immediate response. These memory-based checklists are known as immediate action items and can make the difference in a time-critical situation. Read more…