Monthly Archives: February 2011

The Perfect Storm

Posted on February 18, 2011 by Joe Clark

We are facing a situation in the aviation industry, which many may very well describe as an approaching “Perfect Storm.” For years, we have heard people in and out of the industry say there will be a pilot shortage. Current … Continue reading →

Posted in Aviation, Aviation History, Flight Instructing, Flying, Life in General | Tagged aviation industry, discipline, extreme dedication, flight instruction, flight training, flying, inexperienced pilots, instrument flying, judgment, Korean era pilots, learning to fly, perseverance, pilot shortage, pilots, professional pilots, remaining ready, student pilots, the little boy crying wolf, The Perfect Storm, too late, training aircraft, Vietnam vets, World War II pilots, world’s population, young pilots, “Perfect Storm” | Comments Off

The Citabria

Posted on February 17, 2011 by Joe Clark

One of the finest airplanes produced is the Citabria, which, spelled backward, is “Airbatic.” That was one of the things this little two-place airplane specialized in—aerobatics—going upside down, turning loops, and flying Cuban Eights. Champion Aircraft originally designed the plane … Continue reading →

Posted in Aviation, Flight Instructing, Flying | Tagged 7ECA Citabria, 7GCAA Citabria, 7GCBC Citabria, 7KCAB, 8KCAB Decathlon, aerobatics, airplanes, basic acrobatic trainer, Champion Aircraft, Cuban Eights, flight training, flying, inverted fuel and oil systems, learning to fly, Lycoming O-235, Lycoming O-320, Lycoming O-360, pilots, professional pilots, student pilots, taildraggers, the Champ, The Citabria, turning loops, upside down, “Airbatic” | Comments Off

A Near Miss

Posted on February 16, 2011 by Joe Clark

My students look at me with great incredulity. “No way!” one says. “Six inches?” “Yep. At least we think it was six inches. It might have been closer.” “How could you measure a miss that close?” another asks. “Simple. We … Continue reading →

Posted in Aviation, Flying, Life in General, Personal | Tagged A Near Miss, airplanes, Cessna 170, Cessnas, dark night, debriefing, Ercoupe, Florida, flying, flying the airplane by feel, gopher hole, inexperienced pilots, judgment, lucky, manual flaps, moving airplanes in the dark, nav lights, nosewheel, Paul Harvey, pilots, professional pilots, runway incursions, taildraggers, the airspeed indicator, the rest of the story | 3 Comments

The Most Powerful Force …

Posted on February 15, 2011 by Joe Clark

I am working on a book for young people to help them acclimate to life after high school. This is an excerpt from that project. If you have a son, daughter, niece, or nephew in this age group, this may … Continue reading →

Posted in Life in General, Teaching | Tagged a book for young people, a twenty-five cent allowance, Albert Einstein, compound interest, compounded interest, discipline, judgment, life after high school, monthly investment, savings plan, The most powerful force in the universe | Comments Off

Tides

Posted on February 13, 2011 by Joe Clark

My wife has a friend who tells this amazing story. If I was not there and had not heard it with my own ears, I would have doubted the veracity of this tale. But I swear to you, this is how … Continue reading →

Posted in Life in General, Personal | Tagged a pretty serious drought, antique outboard motor for sale, born yesterday, Ebay, high tide mark, Iowa, pilings, the dock, the moon, the rising and falling of the water, Tides, visiting Florida | 4 Comments

Is the End Near? I Hope So!

Posted on February 12, 2011 by Joe Clark

Well, it is almost mid-February, which means spring is right around the corner. For me, it cannot get here fast enough. I am really tired of the cold. I am over feeling as if I am cooped up inside because … Continue reading →

Posted in Aviation, Flying, Life in General, Personal | Tagged airplanes, Cessnas, flight training, Florida, flying, friends, inexperienced pilots, instrument flying, judgment, learning to fly, open cockpit biplanes, pilots, professional pilots, student pilots, taildraggers, training aircraft | 1 Comment

Hail

Posted on February 11, 2011 by Joe Clark

One of the most dangerous weather conditions anyone can encounter beyond tornadoes and hurricanes is hail. According to the National Weather Service, hail causes $1 billion in damages to crops and property each year. Oh, the “b” was not a … Continue reading →

Posted in Aviation, Flight Instructing, Flying, Life in General | Tagged airplanes, Atlanta GA, dangerous weather conditions, DC-9, flying, flying into a hail shaft, Hail, Huntsville AL, hurricanes, inexperienced pilots, instrument flying, instrument flying without radar, judgment, learning to fly, National Weather Service, New Hope GA, pilots, professional pilots, Rome GA, Southern Airways Flight 242, tornadoes | 1 Comment

Taking Pride in Your Writing

Posted on February 10, 2011 by Joe Clark

I am amazed when reading some of the missives written today. Sometimes, I think English teachers have failed all of America, but then again, maybe not. Maybe the electronic devices we use today have warped our brains, keeping us from … Continue reading →

Posted in Personal, Publishing, Reading, Teaching, Writing | Tagged English teachers, essayists, professional writers, Taking Pride in Your Writing, the laziness of writers, those who like words and books, using logic and discipline to write well, warped brains, writing correctly and well | 5 Comments

The Soft Field Landing

Posted on February 9, 2011 by Joe Clark

Yesterday, I gave my insights to the short field landing; today it is time to discuss the soft field landing. Again, as with the short field landing, many pilots today have little or no experience on actual soft fields. It … Continue reading →

Posted in Aviation, Flight Instructing, Flying | Tagged a chance actually to fly off a short or soft runway, a large metropolitan airport, a long forgotten art, anything that is not paved, dirt strips, flight schools, former military bases, grass runways, hard surface runways, local pilots, muddy fields, non-towered country airports, practical experience, reciting the procedures, slow flight, snow covered fields, students, the Practical Test Standards (PTS), The Short Field Landing, The Soft Field Landing | 2 Comments

The Short Field Landing

Posted on February 8, 2011 by Joe Clark

Yesterday, I talked about the Miracle of Lift. Today, I will pass on some of the secrets of the short field landing. We’ll also discuss how the lift equation plays so importantly in “making the point.” One of the most … Continue reading →

Posted in Aviation, Flight Instructing, Flying | Tagged .002377 slugs per cubic foot, A Few Good Men, airspeed, altitude, Anyone Can Fly, arrive at the spot right at stall speed, coefficient of lift, Colonel Nathan R. Jessep, coordination of speed and AoA, Country airports, descent path, L=1/2 r V2 Cl S, landing short of the runway, lift equals speed times angle of attack (L = S x AoA), pitch, Power, rho, short field landings, short grass runways, the lift equation, The Mystery of Lift, the power curve, The Short Field Landing, the truth, velocity squared, where to aim, wing area, writer-editor Jules Bergman, “float”, “making the point” | 2 Comments

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Monthly Archives: February 2011

The Perfect Storm

The Citabria

A Near Miss

The Most Powerful Force …

Tides

Is the End Near? I Hope So!

Hail

Taking Pride in Your Writing

The Soft Field Landing

The Short Field Landing

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