Aviation News Talk Podcast

National Aviation Day has been around for more than 75 years, But it probably doesn’t get as much attention as it deserves. Here are 13 fun ideas for celebrating on national aviation Day, which is August 19. Franklin D. Roosevelt created National Aviation Day in 1939 by presidential proclamation. Originally it was to celebrate the growth and advancements made in aviation. But one can’t help wonder whether it was also a way to start getting more people interested in aviation got a time when Europe was just beginning to enter World War II. Today we face a different challenge, which is how to attract more people to aviation at a time when pilots are in high demand, but new student pilot starts are declining. Here are 13 ways that you can celebrate today, or help get other people more connected to aviation. 1. Get someone else involved in aviation. 2. If you are a rusty pilot, get back into flying! 3. Fly in a new airplane type. 4. Watch an aviation themed movie. 5. Fly a flight simulator! 6. If you are a license

Many pilots think that if a turbocharger fails, it’s no big deal and just represents a slight loss of power, which may be inconvenient, but is in no way an emergency. They are dead wrong! All turbocharger failures must be treated as an emergency requiring an immediate landing. We’ll talk about a pilot who didn’t know this and as a result destroyed an airplane. And we had more feedback on entering the traffic at non-Towered Airports. Not everyone likes the FAA preferred entry for crossing over the field at 500 feet above pattern altitude and then turning to enter on the 45. As one listener writes, “just because ‘it takes longer’ is not an emergency. Short of a true emergency there really is no good reason to deviate from the standard procedure in my book.” Plus listener questions. A listener asks about TAWS, the Terrain Awareness Warning System and how it works. We explain the different TAWS functions, and how they help keep you safe. And an instrument pilots asks about how to activate an instrument approach o

We talk about the benefits of participating in the FAA WINGS program in lieu of doing a Flight Review (formerly called a BFR), which pilots in the U.S. must do every two years. Instead of spending an hour on the ground reviewing Part 91 rules and regulations, the FAA WINGS program lets you can take free online courses instead, which may be a better use of your time, if you choose courses that help keep you safer when you fly. We had lots of feedback on entering the traffic at non-Towered Airports. Not everyone likes the FAA preferred entry for crossing over the field at 500 feet above pattern altitude and then turning to enter on the 45. But we don’t get to pick which rules to follow and not follow, just because we don’t like them! Plus an Air Canada flight 759 near miss update. Oddly, that aircraft was not visible on SFO’s surface radar for 12 seconds, and we explain why. Plus listener questions. An instrument pilots asks about how to activate an instrument approach on his Garmin GPS. Click here for the surv

Cirrus Aircraft announced a ground breaking new program called Cirrus Embark that provides free, yes absolutely free flight training to buyers of pre-owned Cirrus Aircraft. So if you were to buy a ten-year old Cirrus from someone, you can get up to 3 days of free flight training, paid for by Cirrus! It’s called the Cirrus Embark program, and we interview Ivy McIver, SR Product Line Manager at Cirrus Aircraft to talk about the Embark program. If you are thinking about buying a new, or late model Cirrus, please contact me now, so that I can give you some tips to help you with your decision process. You can contact me here. Click here for the survey. Tell us which plane you fly most often. Please visit my new Patreon page and help me with my goal of funding the creation of two apps for my show, one for Apple and one for Google Play, so that non-techie pilots can find the show in the app store. You can Dictate a listener question from your phone and I’ll try to answer it on a future show, or send an email.  

We talk about flying at non-Towered Airports, including how to enter on the 45, when on the opposite side of the airport. The preferred method of entry from the opposite side of the pattern is to announce your intentions and cross over midfield at least 500 feet above pattern altitude; here in Northern California, pilot examiners look for pilots on checkrides to cross at 1,000 feet above the traffic pattern altitude. When well clear of the pattern—approximately 2 miles—scan carefully for traffic, descend to pattern altitude, then turn right to enter at 45° to the downwind leg at midfield. Air Canada flight 759 had a near miss last week, and a retired Air Canada captain told me that their procedures require pilots to back up visual approaches with electronic navigation. But apparently this pilot didn’t follow that procedure, and he nearly landed on top of several airliners on a taxiway. Plus listener questions how to legally exit an airport under a TFR, and an instrument pilots asks about whether to load an in

We talk about flying the traffic pattern, and talk in detail about flying a Cessna 172 in the traffic pattern. For example, many people don’t know the exact meaning of “Make Right Traffic.” It means, fly to a position where you can enter the traffic pattern on the 45, then turn to downwind and fly the traffic pattern. It doesn’t mean to enter on the downwind. And of course you should be at pattern altitude when you’re on the 45. We also talk about doing a forward slip in a Cessna 172 and use of flaps during crosswind landings. Air Canada flight 759 had a near miss last week, when it inadvertently lined up to land on a taxiway instead of on the runway. We talk about how confirmation bias may have contributed to the lack of awareness that the Air Canada pilots had about their situation. We also talk about a recent fatal Cirrus SR22 crash in Sonoma, California, and the importance of never pulling the parachute below 400 feet, as it will most likely make things worse! I give details about a recent flight I took f

When pilots think about stepping up to a high performance aircraft, the Beechcraft Bonanza, is often on their short list. And for most pilots who rent or own a complex aircraft, such as the Bonanza that one of the best ways to remain safe in these aircraft is to become a member of an aircraft type club, like the American Bonanza Society, which is in the news because it’s celebrating its 50th anniversary. We sit down with down with Tom Turner, Executive Director of the American Bonanza Society’s Air Safety Foundation, and ask him to talk in general about the many the services and benefits pilots typically get when they join a Aircraft Type Clubs, of which there are more than 100, and then we drill down and talk about the specifics of the American Bonanza Society and the services they provide for Beechcraft Bonanza owners and pilots. Click here for the listener survey. Tell us which plane you fly most often. Please visit my new Patreon page and help me with my goal of funding the creation of two apps for my sho

Air Canada flight 759 had a near miss last week, when it inadvertently lined up to land on a taxiway instead of on the runway. The FlightAware online tracking service showed the Air Canada Airbus 320 dropping to as low as 175 feet before increasing altitude above Taxiway C, flying over three fully loaded United Airlines and one Philippine Airlines airliners. At 11:55 p.m., the time of the incident, Runway 28L was closed with its lights dark, according to the FAA. It’s possible that shifted the Air Canada pilot’s orientation to the right, leading him to think that Taxiway C was actually runway 28R. We talk about the key reason that a disaster was narrowly averted, and how that applies to pilots flying general aviation aircraft. We also talk about the poorly understood squelch controls on radios and intercoms and how to set them properly. And about how to operate the switches on older audio panels found in 1960s through 1980s Cessnas and Pipers. Plus listener questions: Should you Dive and Drive on an instrumen

Please take the Aviation News Talk podcast July 2017 Listener survey! Click here for the survey. Tell us which plane you fly most often. Please visit my new Patreon page and help me with my goal of funding the creation of two apps for my show, one for Apple and one for Google Play, so that non-techie pilots can find the show in the app store. You can Dictate a listener question from your phone and I’ll try to answer it on a future show, or send an email. In this podcast, I pass along over 20 tips for student pilots and private pilots that CFIs thought would be so obvious that they didn't need to tell their students. Of course they were all obvious in hindsight!  For example, for a first solo, the CFI hops out, the student taxies away, and then flies the around the pattern. You’d think it would be obvious that they need to lock the door after the CFI hops out. But it wasn't obvious to one student, who had the door open in flight….on his first solo. Plus listener email: We talk about how to prevent a jet-fuel a

ATC Privatization On June 22, 2017, the U.S. House of Representatives released H.R. 2997, the AIRR Act, calling for the privatization of Air Traffic Control in the U.S. Later, both EAA, the Experimental Aircraft Association, and NBAA, the National Business Aviation Association, issued an urgent call for members to contact their representatives in Congress to oppose ATC privatization. AOPA, the Aircraft Owner and Pilots Association, also sent a call for their members to contact their representations just before we published this show, which is why we weren't able to mention them in the podcast. Please take action by going to govt.eaa.org to generate a letter to your representatives in Congress. Please support my show by checking out my new Patreon Page. You will ultimately find lots of free posts on the page. To kick things off, I just posted a pdf of the Delta Airlines study on privatization, which you can download and read for free now. I've also posted results of an ATC Privatization survey of US pilots con

Please take the Aviation News Talk podcast 2017 Listener survey! Click here for the survey. In this podcast, I explain the effects of hot weather on the general aviation airplanes and pilots. We talk about how to calculated density altitude, which is altitude compensated for non-standard pressure and temperature. We also talk about how humidity can also affect density altitude by as much as 32%, especially at lower altitudes. We also discuss the effects on human physiology and give tips for what pilots can do to minimize the effects of heat on themselves while preflighting and flying general aviation aircraft. Plus listener email: we also discuss the new rules under which you can use an IFR-certified GPS when flying a VOR instrument approach, and how fuel pumps meters are certified by local counties to assure that you get the exact amount of fuel that you pay for. You can Dictate a listener question from your phone and I’ll try to answer it on a future show, or send an email. News Stories Heat Wave Sweeping

Please take the Aviation News Talk podcast 2017 Listener survey! Click here for the survey. In this podcast, I explain how to properly do a magneto ground check before engine shutdown, to assure you won’t have a hot prop if you move the propeller by hand. This is a followup to a much longer discussion on magneto and hot props in episode 13. You can Dictate a listener question from your phone and I’ll try to answer it on a future show, or send an email. News Stories Diesel Cessna Skyhawk JT-A Awarded FAA Certification Saturday's Beechjet Flameout Marks Fifth in Type Alternative bill to ATC Privatization introduced NTSB Pilot shuts off one engine before fatal plane crash near Haines New cataract-correcting replacement lens approved Paris Airshow Preview Lancair Brings Back Mako Merlin PSA Quick-Build Kit Earns FAA 51% Approval Navajo Strikes Gator In Orlando Plus listener email: We explain static electricity and how static wicks work to dissipate it from an aircraft, a listener asks why flying in IMC

Garmin recently announced that their low-cost, G5 Electronic Flight Instrument will now be available for use in certificated aircraft. It fits directly into a standard 3 1/8 inch hole used for instruments in most aircraft, which reduces installation time and cost. In this Newsmakers episode of the Aviation News Talk podcast, we interview Garmin software engineer Joe Gepner, who helped design the G5. The Garmin G5 is a direct replacement for a round-gauge attitude indicator, and it was originally introduced for experimental and LSA aircraft in July 2016. Pricing of that version starts at $1199. Later, Garmin introduced a second page in the G5 that displays a HSI, so that it can also be used as a direct replacement for a DG, heading indicator, or HSI. If a pilot has two of these instruments in an aircraft and the one displaying the attitude indicator fails, the G5 displaying an HSI can be switched in flight to display the attitude indicator. In May 2017, Garmin announced a version of the G5 Electronic Flight I

Please take the Aviation News Talk podcast 2017 Listener survey! Click here for the survey. In this podcast, we talk about hot props, magnetos, and how moving a propeller can result in your death. I had never seen a video of a propeller starting accidentally, but while researching this episode I found one, and I’ve included a link to it here. You’ll see that pilot was shocked when the engine started and that he barely escaped serious injury. We also talk about magnetos, which are the culprits that can lead to a hot prop. We’ll discuss the mag check that most pilots do during their runup before takeoff, and how to use it to make sure you don’t have a hot prop. I wanted to talk about this because I run into many experienced pilots who are not aware of how to determine whether they have a hot prop, or of safe ways to move a propeller by hand. You can Dictate a listener question from your phone and I’ll try to answer it on a future show, or send an email. News Stories NTSB: Jet made late approach maneuver befo

Please take the Aviation News Talk podcast 2017 Listener survey! Click here for the survey. News Stories Budget details show White House planning to privatize ATC Pilots flocking to BasicMed Helicopter an Ag pilots unhappy with drone ruling New Commercial ACS published; slow flight is changing again Winds severely damage small planes at North Texas airport Stratos 714 single engine personal jet update Remote Control tower tested at London City Airport Cirrus Vision Jet and Piper M600 receive EASA certification First flight for "New" K-Max heavy lift helicopter Monopoly: The Aviation Collector’s Edition Board Game Plus an overview of traffic systems and details on TIS (traffic information service), how it works, and its limitations, and listener email on avoiding unstable approaches by planning your descent. You can also Dictate a listener question from your phone and I’ll try to answer it on a future show, or send an email.

News Stories Arizona flight instructor jailed in Kansas Cessna ending production of Citation Mustang FAA complying with “two-for-one” executive order GA piston sales increased. Cirrus #1 in piston shipments Air Wisconsin offers cash bonuses for pilots Remote ATC tower testing continues in Leesburg, VA New Garmin Heads Up Display (HUD) AOPA Scholarship deadlines coming up FAA Publishes Clearance Delivery Phone numbers Skydiver drops from drone Colorado approves new Aviation license plate Piper Aztec strikes truck and loses landing gear Plus discussion on the limitations of portable ADS-B receivers, and listener questions on BasicMed and reducing the cost of flight training. You can also Dictate a listener question from your phone and I’ll try to answer it on a future show, or send an email.

The Cirrus SF50 Vision Jet is a single-engine jet priced just under $2 million. In this episode, we review the Cirrus jet during a trip to the Cirrus Customer Experience Vision Center in Knoxville, TN. If you are trying to decide between buying a new Cirrus SR20, SR22, or a slightly used one, or if you're considering buying a SF50 Vision Jet, please contact me early in the process so I can help you with that evaluation. I specialize in the Cirrus and work with people around country. If you enjoyed this show, please support it by telling your aviation friends, or leaving a review in the Apple podcast app, or by signing up for my courses at PilotLearning.com. You can also Dictate a listener question from your phone and I'll try to answer it on a future show, or send an email.

Dictate a listener question from your phone, or send an email. News stories Icon A-5 CrashForeFlight and Jeppesen collaboration FAA Spending Bill Signed into Law Pilots flock to BasicMed Decline in number of ATPs issues Court Orders Review of FAA Deal To Close Santa Monica Airport FAA issues warning on using commercial checklists First commercial two-seater solar plane flies General aviation in China could amount to $40 billion Skydiver in Denmark dangles from C182 for an hour  

Dictate a listener question from your phone, or send an email. Max interviewed on the Prebuy Guys podcast. News stories Former pilot headed to jail for 10 months for breaking a FAR Doctor dies in Cirrus SR22 crash 22 days after buying airplane and Max discuss's why pilots often crash soon after buying an airplane. Planes of Fame Air Show will be held in spite of lawsuit. Santa Monica identifies safety problems with shortening runway at KSMO. New GPS approaches implemented for KSMO. Banning, CA city council votes to close airport. Cubcrafters now the most popular LSA aircraft. Glasair Sportsman moving from kits to certificated aircraft. Evolution Aircraft Expands Lineup

Dictate a listener question from your phone, or send an email. Max talks about the planning he's doing now for a cross country trip from Palo Alto California to the Dallas, Texas area in a Diamond DA42NG. He looks at the weather forecast, the route, altitudes, and the many items that he's bring along for the trip. Best of all, you can follow the trip by following N616SA in flightaware.com, if you're listening to this episode on Friday, April 28.