Back to Basics
Pilots have to keep up with quite a bit of knowledge. There are regulations, procedures, chart symbology, various engineering disciplines, and many others. For...
Just a Little Fog
If you’ve ever faced a go/no-go decision with tantalizing blue sky above a low layer of fog, you know that departing IFR is an...
Tornadic Storms
Whether you’re in meteorology school or ground school, the tornado undoubtedly captures the attention. I’ve often noticed how a room goes silent when a...
When the Wind Blows
There’s no phenomena that shapes the flying experience quite like wind. It’s almost always present in some form. A crosswind makes for tricky landings,...
Take Your Time
Scenic trips over the mountains out west often require creative flight planning. The smaller the aircraft, the more “scenic” the trip. That’s the whole...
Forecast Models
From the 1930s until the 1980s, many pilots got their weather briefings from a meteorologist at a flight service station or airline dispatch counter....
GOES Satellite Imagery
You’ve probably heard someone tossing around the term “GOES satellite” at one time or another. This refers to a NOAA satellite program that has...
The Severe Storm
Strong thunderstorms are one of the places aviation and fear often intersect. And for good reason: severe storms have led to countless disasters, perhaps...
Frontal Weather
Now that we’re staring at the weather picture from the depths of winter, perhaps you've been re-acquainted with how fronts make an impact on...
Changing of the Guard
You’re flying along, listening to a controller issue instructions to many aircraft. From one second to the next, you suddenly start hearing a different...
Ice Is Not Nice
Icing affects flight operations in many ways. Accordingly, we offer some thought-provoking reports from pilots who’ve been there. Little has been said about instrument...
Vertical Air Movement
Heading into another winter season, our thoughts begin shifting to cold-weather flying hazards—fog, icing, and widespread precipitation. Most pilot training considers each of these...