Search my Blog
Subscribe
rss
-
Recent Posts
March 2026 S M T W T F S 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 Archives
Recent Comments
- Marie Palachuk on My Grandfathers
- Ingrid on My Grandfathers
- Joe Clark on The Aeronca Chief
- Lindsay Barra (Knowles) on The Aeronca Chief
- Peter Brown on Gladys Ingle
Category Archives: Aviation
The Art of Climbing
Getting to altitude involves more than crawling into an airplane, starting the engine, and pointing the nose up. Pilots must consider many aspects factoring into the initial climb and the following ascent to cruise altitude. Some of these include the … Continue reading →
Posted in Aviation, Flight Instructing, Flying, Teaching
|
Tagged airplanes, altitude, best angle of climb, best rate of climb, clear an obstacle, cruise altitude, cruise climb, failure to maintain flying speed, Flight instructors, flying, getting to altitude, headwind, initial climb, learning to fly, NTSB accident reports, other climb techniques, private pilot, short field take off, soft field take off, spins, stalls, student pilots, tailwind, The Art of Climbing, Vx, Vy
|
Comments Off on The Art of Climbing
A Very Pleasant Surprise
One wonderful thing about airplanes is that each has a lesson to teach. All a new or old pilot has to do to learn the lessons of an airplane is keep his or her eyes and ears open. The airplane … Continue reading →
Posted in Aviation, Flying, Life in General, Personal
|
Tagged a lot of fun, A Very Pleasant Surprise, airplanes, Cessnas, especially delightful, flying around the patch, lessons to teach, Phantom II ultra-light, phenomenal climb rate, pilots, power loading, regrets, selling airplanes, shockingly short takeoffs, the wind on my face, warping wings, weight shift, what flying is all about, wing loading
|
1 Comment
Flying Right
I read an article published in Flying Magazine almost 20 years ago that was one of the best articles I have ever read. The article started with the observation of a cropduster landing to reload and then took off again. … Continue reading →
TGIF – On an Air Show Weekend
It’s Friday! Not only is it Friday, things are abuzz at the world’s greatest beach down in Florida. This weekend, Embry Riddle Aeronautical University will host the The Embry-Riddle Wings and Waves Air Show in Daytona. The air show will … Continue reading →
Posted in Aviation, Flying, Life in General
|
Tagged 2000 Fountainhead Productions National Writing Contest, Air Show, British Sopwith Camel F.1 biplane, Daytona Beach Fla., Embry Riddle Aeronautical University, F-16 Viper, F/A-18 Hornet, Fokker DR-1 triplane, Greg Poe, Julie Clark, Matt Chapman, Michael Goulian, Michael O’Neal, Mike Whiskus, Snowbirds Demonstration Team, Spruce Creek Airport, TGIF, TGIF – On An Air Show Weekend, The Eighth Day, world’s greatest beach
|
2 Comments
Stretching It
Following on the heels of yesterday’s blog, I need to let you know how to “stretch it.” Now, let me explain: I am not talking about stretching a glide or your gas supply. What I am referring to is getting … Continue reading →
Posted in Aviation, Flight Instructing, Flying, Teaching
|
Tagged airplane flying more efficiently, altitude, college students, cross country planning, glide, headwind, L/Dmax, power settings, skill and intellect, smart pilots, Stretching It, tailwind, thin air, Top Gun, University of Florida, winds aloft, “I feel the need for speed.”
|
Comments Off on Stretching It
The Front Side and the Backside!
One of the more complex concepts for students or inexperienced pilots to grasp involves flying on the “front side” or the “backside” of the power curve. On the front side, everything seems to be working normally while on the backside, … Continue reading →
Posted in Aviation, Flight Instructing, Flying, Teaching
|
Tagged aerodynamic control, flight instructor, flying, helping your students “get it”, inexperienced pilots, maximum endurance speed, motorists, mountains, pilots, region of normal command, region of reversed command, stall speed, steep hills, student pilots, Teaching Speed, the backside of the power curve, the front side of the power curve, the gas pedal, total aircraft control, young flight instructor
|
5 Comments
Teaching Speed – The Basics
Yesterday, I wrote about the extremes – flying high or low, fast or slow. I like the extremes and feel as if the heart of the envelope could be, well, somewhat boring from the standpoint of flying. The main thing … Continue reading →
Posted in Aviation, Flight Instructing, Flying, Teaching
|
Tagged aerodynamic control, flight instructor, flying, helping your students “get it”, inexperienced pilots, motorists, mountains, pilots, stall speed, steep hills, student pilots, Teaching Speed, the gas pedal, total aircraft control, young flight instructor
|
1 Comment
Extremes
I like the extremes, except when it comes to the cold. After the month of September, I cannot go further north than Jacksonville. It is just far too cold that far north. I think my dislike of the cold stems … Continue reading →
Cats, Friends, and Growing Up
My friend, Bill, lost his cat, Mr. Mouse, of 19 1/2 years. That’s a long time for a cat. It is a long time for any kind of an animal. It is especially hard losing a good and faithful companion … Continue reading →
Posted in Aviation, Flying, Life in General, Personal
|
Tagged cats, Cats Friends and Growing Up, EA6-B, friends, Guantanamo, lost friends, Memorial Day, Mr. Mouse, Navy, shipmates, Spike, USS John F. Kennedy, Veteran’s Day
|
1 Comment
The New Airplanista is Here!
Here it is, October 1. This is the launch date of the new electronic magazine Airplanista. If you like airplanes, all kinds of airplanes, from Jenny’s to jets to ultralights to antique Cessnas and Pipers to biplanes and sailplanes and … Continue reading →
Posted in Aviation, Flying, Life in General
|
Tagged Airplanista, Airshow, and Tim Plunkett’s World War I Aviation Collection, Corky Fornof, Daytona Beach, Greg Poe, Jason Newberg, Julie Clark, Matt Chapman, Mike Goulian, Mike Wiskus, October 8 – 10, P-51 Mustang, Rob Holland, The New Airplanista is Here!, the Skytypers, the Snowbirds Demonstration Team, U.S. Navy’s F/A-18 Hornet, United States Air Force’s F-22 Raptor and F-16 Viper, Wings and Waves Air Show
|
1 Comment
