All posts tagged Weather

Just Land the Darned Airplane

By | August 3, 2009 | Flight Training | 7 Comments

Pilots have some sort of machismo complex when it comes to making a smooth landing. I know it feels good to grease it right on the money. Not to mention that the landing leaves a lasting impression on each and every passenger. But a smooth landing is secondary to the primary goal of landing the airplane safely. Gusty winds and high crosswind components can quickly turn a beautiful flare into a scary situation. Best to err on the conservative side: just plant it!  Read more…

Thunderstorm Avoidance The Old Fashioned Way

By | July 1, 2009 | Advanced Flying | 3 Comments

Summer is upon us and with it comes the inevitable thunderstorm. This is especially true in the Southeast where the forecast for “vicinity thunderstorms” dominates nearly every TAF. Thunderstorms don’t always have to spell out a cancelled flight, but proper thunderstorm avoidance requires a heightened level of awareness from us as pilots. Read more…

VFR Flight Above the Clouds

By | June 24, 2009 | Flight Training | 6 Comments

A lot of VFR pilots talk about punching through holes in the cloud deck and flying on top. This usually raises a few eyebrows, and brings up a few questions. Is this legal? And more importantly, is it safe? Read more…

Icing Induced Tailplane Stalls: A NASA Study [video]

By | February 19, 2009 | Advanced Flying | 3 Comments

Several years ago, NASA produced a video for pilots detailing their research in tailplane icing and tailplane stalls. Produced by the Imagine Technology Center at NASA’s Lewis Research Center, the video describes signs indicative to the onset of a tailplane stall, aerodynamics and recovery techniques. The video was produced as a result of insights gained from the NASA/FAA Tailplane Icing Program. Read more…

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