New

• 
  Why You Experience Turbulence When Flying Through A Cloud

  You're flying toward a puffy cumulus cloud and out of habit, your natural instinct is to tighten your seatbelt. It may seem like a simple question, but have you ever wondered why clouds can be so bumpy?

  • • Article
  • Swayne Martin
  • 04/15/2021
• 
  Does A 'Climb And Maintain' Clearance Delete Your Crossing Restrictions On A SID?

  You're departing from Houston on the RITAA Six Departure, which has five altitude crossing restrictions. ATC tells you to "climb and maintain 15,000." What now?

  • • Article
  • Swayne Martin
  • 04/08/2021
• 
  The 3 Tallest Obstacles In The USA

  If you fly VFR, there are some seriously tall obstacles out there you should be aware of. Some pilots call towers and their long support cables "plane swatters." Here are three unusually tall obstacles you can find on your section chart.

  • • List
  • Swayne Martin
  • 04/08/2021
• 
  Incorrect Traffic Pattern Entry Leads To Mid-Air Conflict

  Traffic patterns are designed with specific procedures for a reason. Here's what can happen when one pilot doesn't follow them and creates a conflict, risking a mid-air collision.

  • • Article
  • Swayne Martin
  • 04/06/2021

• 
  What Happens If You Go Around After The Missed Approach Point On An Instrument Approach?

  You've been cleared for the ILS and break out of the clouds around 500 feet. As you begin your flare, traffic crosses the runway ahead of you. You initiate a go-around, but now you're beyond the missed approach point (MAP). Now what?

  • • Article
  • Swayne Martin
  • 04/03/2021
• 
  Runway Stripes And Markings, Explained.

  How can runway markings help your everyday flying? Here are some great facts to know about the runways you land on.

  • • Article
  • Swayne Martin
  • 03/27/2021
• 
  Avoid These 5 Mistakes When You Start Your Engine

  How you start your engine can determines how much wear, tear, and maintenance cost you'll face over time. Avoid making these mistakes.

  • • List
  • Swayne Martin
  • 03/27/2021
• 
  How To Go Missed From A Circling Approach

  Landing from a circling approach can be challenging for a few reasons. The ceilings might be low and the visibility can be just as bad. On top of that, it's a maneuver that most of us don't practice very often.

  • • Article
  • Swayne Martin
  • 03/20/2021
• 
  4 Ways To Get Better At Stall Recoveries

  If you want to perfect your stall recoveries, try these 4 things.

  • • List
  • Swayne Martin
  • 03/20/2021

• 
  Pilot Stalls In Icing Conditions And Recovers Below The Minimum IFR Altitude

  When you think of spring, you typically think of warm weather. But it's also a time when you can get some of the worst icing conditions in the middle altitudes. Here's what happened to this pilot.

  • • Article
  • Swayne Martin
  • 03/18/2021
• 
  Preventive Maintenance: Here's What You Can Fix On Your Plane

  As a certificated pilot, you can fix over 31 maintenance items on your airplane. Here's what they are, and how the process works.

  • • Article
  • Swayne Martin
  • 03/13/2021
• 
  Pilot Misses Note 'Circle NA South Of Runway 09', Resulting In Near CFIT Event

  This pilot missed one procedural note on an approach chart that nearly led to a CFIT disaster. Here's what went wrong, and how you can avoid making the same mistake.

  • • Article
  • Swayne Martin
  • 03/11/2021
• 
  Would You Go? VFR Cross-Country With Light Rain And Scattered Storms

  Making go/no-go decisions isn't always easy. And with springtime weather on the way, we all need to start thinking about rain and storms in the not-too-distant future.

  • • Article
  • Swayne Martin
  • 03/06/2021
• 
  How Maximum Demonstrated Crosswind Is Calculated

  Do you know what speed is used to calculate maximum demonstrated crosswind?

  • • Article
  • Swayne Martin
  • 03/02/2021
• 
  Can You Fly A Visual Go-Around On An Instrument Approach Clearance?

  We all make mistakes, and it's important to learn from them. This pilot performed a visual go-around after floating down the runway and re-entered the traffic pattern in visual conditions. The problem? They were on an instrument approach clearance at a non-towered airport. Here's what went wrong.

  • • Article
  • Swayne Martin
  • 02/27/2021