Pelican's Perch

AVweb's John Deakin has acquired quite a few gems in his reference library, and he has made photocopies available to the public. Information on how to purchase them is available here.

AVweb's resident Pelican takes a much-deserved break from his monthly columns.

AVweb's John Deakin did spend time in Southeast Asia as part of Air America, one of the "airlines" run by the CIA in the 1960s. Upon arriving in Asia, there was time for using old Link trainers, relaxing in hot springs, avoiding alcohol-pushers, and learning the reputation of The Compnay as John continues his story.

If your CFI (or mechanic) instructed you never to let the propeller drive the engine, or never to run the engine "oversquare," it's time for a reality check. AVweb's John Deakin addresses a few more of these engine myths that started back in the days of radial-engines.

Even the apparently simple tasks of starting and running up a piston aircraft engine before takeoff should be done with the same concerns for engine life, reliability and safety as any other part of flight. AVweb's John Deakin steps us through the process, dispelling myths as he goes.

Last month, AVweb's John Deakin described some strange events from his airline days that were caused by too-strict reliance on 'The Book.' This month, the pelican gets on his perch to tackle a few GA POHs and finds (gasp!) inconsistencies, errors, and just plain dangerous recommendations.

Everything your POH says is correct, and anything it doesn't say you can do, you can't, right? Did you really think John Deakin -- AVweb's favorite contrarian -- could let that kind of gross generality continue unquestioned?

AVweb's John Deakin concludes his two-part series on the Hawker Hurricane with this report of his first time flying it. As you'll see, it takes a lot of time just to get ready to go, but once it does, it does it in a Hurry!

It still gets less press than its more-famous compatriot, the Spitfire, but the Hawker Hurricane was the mainstay of the British fighter squadrons in the European theater of World War II. AVweb's John Deakin considers it one of his favorites, and his two-part pilot report begins this month.

In this continuation of his checkout in a Japanese Zero, John Deakin does his preflight in the cockpit, fires it up and takes to the air in one of the very few flying examples of this famous WWII fighter.