AVWeb Classics

What kind of advertising does General Aviation need to attract new pilots? AVweb's Rick Durden thinks he has at least part of the answer, and it may not be what you think. If you want to discover what motivates non-pilots to begin flying, a good place to start is some recently arrived aviators. Rick does just that and comes to some interesting conclusions about what it is we ought to be promoting and how we ought to be doing it.

Carburetor ice is an insidious killer, a demon which appears without warning, often when least expected. AVweb's Howard Fried provides some insight into why you might be caught out unexpectedly by carb ice, when to make use of carb heat to prevent it, and introduces some products to combat it. He also blows away some preconceived notions you may have about when to use carb heat. It isn't just for part-throttle operations.

But isn't a stabilized approach a "good thing"? AVweb's John Deakin points out that a necessity in the jet transport world is a detriment to those of us flying piston-engined props. Even the FAA distinguishes between the two, though many CFIs and others are too busy trying to imitate the big boys to realize the danger they place themselves in by doing so. A stabilized approach in our GA aircraft is a far different animal than that flown by an airline captain in his jet and you'd best recognize the difference before it bites.

Does the thought of flying a tailwheel aircraft scare the you-know-what out of you? AVweb's Rick Durden says there's way too many myths out there about how difficult a tailwheel plane is to fly. Yes, you have to pay attention, but it's just a different set of skills, and a different attitude is required, but a tailwheel is not a demon ready to bite off your head. Rick provides us some easy to follow guidelines that will keep you out of trouble when you get checked out in your favorite tailwheel airplane.

To spin or not to spin? That is the question AVweb's Howard Fried tries to answer as he reviews the pros and cons of spin training. Dropped from the training syllabus in the late Fifties, there are still many who feel it has value and would like to see all pilots exposed to this maneuver at a time other than when they are killed by it. Howard suggests that reintroducing it may be more difficult than you think, even if everyone agreed it was a good idea.

Anyone who likes checkrides has to be nuts, says AVweb's John Deakin. We don't expect to find many who disagree. As an FAA Designated Examiner who must also take checkrides himself, John gives pointers from both sides of the cockpit. Join John as he wends his way through one of his C-46 checkrides, explaining the ins and outs, and offering some relatively unknown, but important information that could make your next checkride a lot easier.

Should you take your infant flying? AVweb's Rick Durden says "Sure you should." It's the best time to introduce them to aviation. He goes on to suggest ways to make it safe and enjoyable for all involved. Well, he really doesn't have a suggestion for making changing diapers in the air in a typical GA aircraft enjoyable, but the rest of the answers to your questions about flying with infants and kids are all here.

Can you teach good judgement? AVweb's Howard Fried questions how we impart this vital skill to pilots. Poor judgement will kill as quickly as poor flying technique. Combine poor judgement on the part of the instructor and the poor student is in double trouble. What is the best way to teach sound judgement? Howard offers some examples about what doesn't work.

AVweb's John Deakin is asking you to abuse your engine, or so it might seem to many until he sweeps a whole slew of old wives' tales (OWTs) off the cliff. Using digital technology for data collection and simple graphs, John supports his unorthodox engine operating suggestions with data that proves the old ways may actually be worse for your engine. Wrong may well be right! If you've been taught that you must always reduce MP before reducing RPM, you're going to be forced to rethink that notion. If you think you're helping your engine live longer by reducing MP to 25 inches after takeoff, boy are you going to be amazed at how badly you've been abusing your engine. And, that's only for starters.

Columnist Howard Fried has firsthand experience with the FAA violation process and lived to tell about it, despite the best efforts of the FAA to hang him out to dry. He survived in part because he understood how the process works. Now he shares this knowledge with you in hopes that should you ever need it, you will be better equipped to protect your certificate. It also serves to explain why the "Hoover Bill" currently before Congress is so vital to prevent further abuses by the FAA of its emergency revocation powers.