Ready For Takeoff - Turn Your Aviation Passion Into A Career
613 episodes - English - Latest episode: about 1 month ago - ★★★★★ - 136 ratingsThe Ready For Takeoff podcast will help you transform your aviation passion into an aviation career. Every week we bring you instruction and inspiring interviews with top aviators in their field who reveal their flight path to an exciting career in the skies.
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Episodes
RFT 259: LeRoy Homer, Jr. Foundation
January 24, 2019 07:01 - 24 minutes - 34.8 MBFrom the LeRoy Homer, Jr. Foundation Website: LeRoy Homer was a soft spoken man with an ever-present smile; his friends described him as having a heart of gold. He grew up as one of nine children, seven of them girls. LeRoy had dreamed of flying since he was a young boy. As a child he assembled model airplanes, read every book he could find on aviation, and at fifteen began flying lessons. He completed his first solo flight at 16 and by the time he entered the US Air Force Academy, he had a...
RFT 258: Airplane Owner Allyssa VanMeter
January 21, 2019 03:32 - 17 minutes - 24.8 MBAllyssa is a successful salon owner. She was initially not interested in fixed-wing flying - she wanted to fly helicopters. A family friend invited her to go along with him in his Cessna 150, so she went along. What started out as a few trips around the pattern on a Friday turned into a three-hour flight, and Allyssa signed up for flying lessons the next Monday! She scheduled three lessons a week, and received her Private certificate in about six months. Six months ago she purchased half o...
RFT 257: Space-Based ADS-B
January 17, 2019 21:24 - 5 minutes - 8.03 MBFrom CBS News: For the first time, a new network of satellites will soon be able to track all commercial airplanes in real time, anywhere on the planet. Currently, planes are largely tracked by radar on the ground, which doesn’t work over much of the world’s oceans. The final 10 satellites were launched Friday to wrap up the $3 billion effort to replace 66 aging communication satellites, reports CBS News’ Kris Van Cleave, who got an early look at the new technology. On any given day, 4...
RFT 256: Test Pilot Charles Doryland
January 14, 2019 07:01 - 24 minutes - 35.1 MBCharles Doryland was an Eagle scout who attended West Point, intending to be an Infantry officer. During his senior year, while walking to the hospital to take his commissioning physical, he went to the Air Force line, thinking that he could choose either the Army or the Air Force. He passed his physical, and was offered a pilot training slot. He ended up flying F-86s after pilot training, then B-47s. Then he was selected for Test Pilot School, and was subsequently stationed at Wright-Patte...
RFT 255: SLOP
January 10, 2019 07:01 - 5 minutes - 7.88 MBIncreased navigational accuracy can place several aircraft on the same course in the same lateral position Strategic lateral offset procedure (SLOP) is a solution to a byproduct of increased navigation accuracy in aircraft. Because most now use GPS, aircraft track flight routes with extremely high accuracy. As a result, if an error in height occurs, there is a much higher chance of collision. SLOP allows aircraft to offset the centreline of an airway or flight route by a small amount, ...
RFT 254: Natalie "FlyGirl" Kelley
January 08, 2019 18:13 - 25 minutes - 36.3 MBFrom Natalie's website: The flyGIRL mission is to encourage and inspire women and young girls to open their hearts and minds to their potential. We want every girl and woman to dream big, aim high, and fly! Natalie Kelley launched flyGIRL after she earned her pilot’s license. The experience of pushing her own boundaries, challenging herself, and succeeding as a woman in a male-dominated industry completely changed Natalie’s life. She gained confidence and a sense of independence that she ...
RFT 253: EMAS
January 03, 2019 21:19 - 6 minutes - 10.5 MBFrom Wikipedia: An engineered materials arrestor system, engineered materials arresting system (EMAS), or arrester bed is a bed of engineered materials built at the end of a runway to reduce the severity of the consequences of a runway excursion. Engineered materials are defined in FAA Advisory Circular No 150/5220-22B as "high energy absorbing materials of selected strength, which will reliably and predictably crush under the weight of an aircraft". While the current technology involves ...
RFT 252: The Road To Captain
December 31, 2018 21:54 - 11 minutes - 17.3 MBThe road to becoming an airline Captain starts long before you get hired by an airline. You should start planning on earning the left seat in the same way you plan a cross-country flight: SELECT YOUR DESTINATION. This might be the left seat of an airliner, a business jet, crop-duster, whatever. Know where you want to go, and, just like on a cross-country flight, you may have to divert around unexpected weather or even land at an alternate. CHECK THE WEATHER. Be aware of conditions alon...
RFT 251: Visual Illusions
December 27, 2018 07:01 - 6 minutes - 10.5 MBVisual illusions are familiar to most of us. As children, we learned that railroad tracks—contrary to what our eyes showed us—don’t come to a point at the horizon. Aerial Perspective Illusions may make you change (increase or decrease) the slope of your final approach. They are caused by runways with different widths, upsloping ordownsloping runways, and upsloping or downslop ing final approach terrain. Pilots learn to recognize a normal final approach by developing and recalling a menta...
RFT 250: Pilot/Bristol Watch Company Founder Greg Youngs
December 24, 2018 07:01 - 40 minutes - 57.2 MBTaught to fly in high school by his father, a combat-decorated Air Force pilot, Greg has gone on to fly professionally in aircraft ranging from crop dusters to corporate aircraft to airliners and has piloted more than 50 aircraft types (and counting). His immediate family includes pilots for the Air Force, Navy, Army, and airlines, as well as a NASA Space Shuttle Commander. What another company might refer to as a board of aviation experts, the Bristol founder just calls the dinner table.
RFT 249: VFR Cross-Country Planning
December 20, 2018 18:49 - 9 minutes - 13.8 MBThe first step in planning your cross-country VFR flight is to check departure, enroute and destination weather to confirm that you can safely, and legally, conduct the flight. Remember, VFR weather is 1000/3 and you must remain at least 500 feet below, 1000 feet above, and 2000 feet laterally from clouds. Now, mark your departure airport and your destination on your sectional aeronautical chart. Consult the Airport Facility Directory for both airports to determine runways and other airp...
RFT 248: Aviation Photographer/Pilot Jeff Berlin
December 17, 2018 07:01 - 32 minutes - 45.4 MBFrom Jeff's website (http://berlincreative.com/aviation/): Jeff Berlin began his creative career chasing models down the streets of New York City… with a camera. They knew he was there, it was cool. He liked this so much he spent five years shooting in Milan and Paris before moving back to NYC to continue his career. Over the years, he’s collaborated with top fashion magazines and brands like Vogue Italia, L’Oreal, British Elle, Estée Lauder, Esquire, Bloomingdale’s, Miss Vogue, Macy’s, V...
RFT 247: Instrument Approach Briefing
December 13, 2018 16:10 - 10 minutes - 15.4 MBBefore you brief your instrument approach, WAIT! W - obtain the Weather, typically from ATIS, and confirm that it is suitable for your approach. A - perform your Approach Checklist I - set up your Instruments for the approach, and load it into the FMS T - now Talk about the approach Confirm you are on the correct approach page. Confirm the proper localizer frequency and approach course are entered into the FMS/navigation system. Confirm the airport elevation and runway elevatio...
RFT 246: Aerosearcher Founders
December 10, 2018 07:01 - 20 minutes - 29.1 MBAeroSearcher is the perfect example of a startup conceived to solve a founder’s frustrations with “the way things are.” The aviation community has always been one of the most passionate, sophisticated and adventurous communities in the world. The average person simply doesn’t hop into a metal can and fly it to 25,000 feet. Despite the typical flyer being a go-getter, make-it-happen, we’ll-figure-it-out-when-we-get-there personality, finding online info as an aviator has always been a spagh...
RFT 245: Aviator George H.W. Bush
December 06, 2018 23:09 - 5 minutes - 8.2 MBThe United States formally entered World War II in December 1941, following Japan's surprise attack on Pearl Harbor in Hawaii. Six months later, Bush enlisted into the U.S. Navy immediately after he graduated from Phillips Academy on his eighteenth birthday. He became a naval aviator, taking training for aircraft carrier operations aboard USS Sable. After completing the 10-month course, he was commissioned as an ensign in the United States Naval Reserve at Naval Air Station Corpus Christi on...
RFT 244: Navy Fighter Pilot/Author Dave Dequeljoe
December 03, 2018 07:01 - 40 minutes - 57.1 MBFrom Dave Dequeljoe's website: Dave Dequeljoe is a former Navy fighter pilot with two combat tours to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. He was awarded the Navy Commendation with Combat “V” device for valor and an Air Medal with Individual star device for the heroic low altitude rescue of U.S. Special Operations Forces from an overwhelming advancing armor column. Dave also was awarded two Strike Flight Air Medals, and his squadron won the Battle “E” for excellence in sustained com...
RFT 243: VFR Approach Briefing
November 29, 2018 04:03 - 6 minutes - 9.69 MBThe briefing for a VFR approach is not as comprehensive as the briefing for an IFR approach, but nevertheless should prepare the pilot for all anticipated contingencies. FAR 91.103 requires the pilot in command to become familiar with all information concerning that flight. That would include all runway and NOTAM information for your departure and destination fields, departure, enroute and destination weather, NOTAMS, and airfield information for your departure and destination. You can c...
RFT 242: Seaplane Examiner Jon Brown
November 26, 2018 07:01 - 22 minutes - 31.9 MBFrom the Brown's Seaplane Base website: Brown’s Seaplane Base was started in 1963 by Jack Brown. His fondness for seaplanes began at an early age, flying an Aeronca C-3 Floatplane on the Kanawha River in West Virginia. This continued during WWII when he flew the Grumman “Flying Boats” and PBYs. Following the war Jack was a civilian instructor and test pilot for the U.S. Air Force stationed in central Florida. He put down roots here and became the fixed base operator at the Winter Haven air...
RFT 241: Q&A With Tuskegee Airman Frank Macon
November 22, 2018 02:39 - 40 minutes - 57.1 MBFrom Franklin Macon's website: Franklin J. Macon (Frank) is a Documented Tuskegee Airman and dyslexic. He grew up and still resides in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Frank belongs to Tuskegee Airmen, Inc., Hubert L. "Hooks" Jones Chapter, a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to honoring the accomplishments and perpetuating the history of African-Americans who participated in air crew, ground crew and operations support training in the Army Air Corps during WWII; introducing young ...
RFT 240: Shades of Blue President Captain Willie Daniels
November 19, 2018 07:01 - 1 hour - 86.2 MBWillie Daniels became fascinated with aviation from an early age, and enrolled in Mount san Antonio College, majoring in Aviation, and then completed his degree at Metropolitan State College of Denver (now Metropolitan State University of Denver) in the Aviation Department. His first airline job was as a flight attendant with United Airlines. In the meantime, he built his flying time and finally landed a position as a pilot with United. He advanced through the ranks and spent 19 years on t...
RFT 239: Windshear Escape
November 16, 2018 00:25 - 8 minutes - 12.6 MBWe discussed what windshear is in Ready For Takeoff Podcast Episode 94. Now we'll discuss pilot procedures to escape windshear encounters. Windshear predictive equipment is discussed in AC 20-182A. A recent landing accident at Sochi, Russia highlights the importance of adhering to crew procedures during windshear encounters. As you can read here, the crew made several attempts at landing, and finally landed during windshear and departed the runway, resulting in a hull loss. The importa...
RFT 238: Armistice Day With Pilot/Historian Andy Parks
November 11, 2018 18:00 - 35 minutes - 49.2 MBAndy Parks hails from a long line of aviation enthusiasts. His grandfather fought in World War I, and after the war he became friends with many of the aces of that war from all sides. Andy's dad met them as a kid and listened with rapt attention as they told their stories. Andy's dad became a physician and university medical school professor, and remained in contact with many of the aces. Andy's dad started a project that has evolved into the Vintage Aero Flying Museum. He built and collec...
RFT 237: Veteran's Day
November 08, 2018 07:01 - 8 minutes - 13.3 MBThe Vietnam Veterans Memorial – The Wall – has panels that list the KIA (Killed In Action) casualties in chronological order of their loss. Panel W1, the last panel, encompasses the date July 30, 1972. My name is not on that panel, because my military Brothers, J.D. Allen and the crew of Purple 28, saved my life. On July 30, 1972, I was Number Four in Walnut Flight, four F-4s on a strike deep into enemy territory north of Hanoi. The flight was being led by a new flight lead on his first mi...
RFT 236: Heath Owens Returns!
November 05, 2018 19:01 - 29 minutes - 42 MBWe met Heath Owens in Ready for Takeoff Podcast episode 174, where he was getting a lot of free flights, although he was not logging any student time. Now Heath is actively pursuing his Private Pilot certificate, and is closing in on his check ride. He STILL has not paid for any flying, and he has amassed experience in even more airplanes! Heath also has been extremely successful in the Aviation Insurance business, and his website is www.heltonins.com. Today is the anniversary of a tr...
RFT 235: Teamwork
November 01, 2018 06:01 - 5 minutes - 9.5 MBTeamwork is the secret sauce to leadership, and both leadership and teamwork are essential to being a successful career as an airline pilot. One way to establish effective teamwork skills is to participate in team sports as opposed to individual sports. Alternatively, you can develop teamwork skills by club activities and other organizational efforts.
RFT 234: Aviation Safety Expert Captain John Cox
October 29, 2018 06:01 - 21 minutes - 30.7 MBFrom the Safety Operating systems website: A veteran major airline, corporate and general aviation pilot, Captain John Cox has flown over 14,000 hours with over 10,000 in command of jet airliners. Additionally, he has flown as an instructor, check pilot, and test pilot in addition to his extensive involvement in global air safety. Awards and Recognition Sir James Martin Award More Information Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society, London, England Member of the International Socie...
RFT 233: Flight Recorders
October 25, 2018 17:27 - 8 minutes - 12.2 MBFrom Wikipedia: A flight data recorder (FDR; also ADR, for accident data recorder) is an electronic device employed to record instructions sent to any electronic systems on an aircraft. The data recorded by the FDR are used for accident and incident investigation. Due to their importance in investigating accidents, these ICAO-regulated devices are carefully engineered and constructed to withstand the force of a high speed impact and the heat of an intense fire. Contrary to the popular te...
RFT 232: C-130/MC-12 Pilot Michelle Ruehl
October 22, 2018 06:01 - 28 minutes - 39.7 MBMichelle “Sonic” Ruehl is an Air Force Instructor Pilot with over fifteen years of service. She flew four different aircraft and amassed over 2000 hours, including 807 combat hours in Afghanistan, providing real-time airborne targeting data to Special Operations forces. While in Afghanistan, she also volunteered to teach English to local school girls as well as a group of young Afghan men studying Business. For her service, she earned seven Air Medals, two Aerial Achievement Medals and a spe...
RFT 231: Road Warrior Survival Tips
October 18, 2018 23:19 - 17 minutes - 25.4 MBWhether you're a professional pilot or someone who flies as a passenger, there's a good chance you're going to fly in an airliner and layover in a hotel at some point in the near future. Here are some tips to make your trip easier and safer: If you plan to park your car at the airport, make sure your car registration and insurance card do NOT show your address. Snap a photo of your parking spot. Make your luggage look distinctive. Only put your first initial and last name, and your em...
RFT 230: T-37 IP/T-38 IP/A-10 Pilot/MQ-1 Pilot Tammy Barlette
October 15, 2018 06:01 - 29 minutes - 41.4 MBTammy Barlette got her introduction to aviation when she received 40 hours of flight instruction from the ROTC Program at the University of Minnesota. After graduation and commissioning, she attended Undergraduate Pilot Training at Laughlin Air Force Base in Del Rio, Texas. When she received her wings, she qualified to remain at Del Rio as a T-37 Instructor Pilot as a FAIP (First Assignment Instructor Pilot). After serving as an IP for three years, she qualified in the A-10, and went overs...
RFT 229: The UAL Flight Training Campus
October 11, 2018 06:01 - 6 minutes - 10.1 MBI first attended the 23-acre United Airlines Flight Training Center in 1978. At the time, it was still a fairly-new facility, with the initial four buildings constructed in 1968. After completing my Initial Flight Officer training, I was invited to remain on campus as a B-727 instructor for a year before assuming my duties as a B-727 Second Officer (flight engineer) in San Francisco. Throughout my employment at United, I spent half my career - 13 years out of 26 - as an instructor at t...
RFT 228: Airline Pilot/Author Eric Auxier
October 08, 2018 06:01 - 46 minutes - 65 MBFrom Captain Aux's website: Born in Phoenix, Arizona, Eric Auxier is an airline pilot by day, writer by night, and kid by choice. Never one to believe in working for a living, Mr. Auxier’s past list of occupations include: Alaska bush pilot, freelance writer, mural artist, and Captain for a Caribbean seaplane operation. With over 20,000 flight hours, he is now an A320 captain for a major U.S. airline. Eric started out in aviation with a hang glider he bought at age 14, then flew gliders ...
RFT 227: Prepare the Cabin!
October 04, 2018 21:57 - 8 minutes - 12.5 MBIn airline operations, flight crews and cabin crews are thoroughly trained on what to expect in the event of an emergency landing. There are several acronyms that are used to convey this information. NTSB: N - Nature of emergency T - Time until landing S - Signal B - Brace TEST : T - Type of Emergency E - Exits to be used in the event of evacuation S - Signal to be given by the flight deck crew to brace customers T - Time to prepare cabin NITS: N -nature of the emerge...
RFT 226: TV Weatherman/Pilot Chris Dunn
October 01, 2018 06:01 - 33 minutes - 47 MBChris Dunn started flying - in the right seat of his father's airplane - when he was an infant. Chris's dad had several airplanes while Chris was growing up, so he was steeped in aviation throughout his childhood. Chris didn't actually start his own flight training until he was thirty years old, when he had "the time and the money" to take lessons. He flew 2-3 days a week, and earned his Private Pilot certificate quickly. He immediately earned his Instrument rating shortly afterwards, and ...
RFT 225: The Commuting Life
September 28, 2018 05:10 - 13 minutes - 19.1 MBIf you become an airline pilot, there's a good chance you will at some point become a commuter. Commuting is probably more prevalent among pilots than in the general population, since they can travel from their homes to their bases on their company's planes as pass-riding passengers on in the cockpit on jump seats. Reciprocal jump seat agreements make it fairly easy to obtain a jump seat on another carrier. There are several scenarios of commuting situations. If you reside in a city where ...
RFT 224: General Michael Hostage
September 24, 2018 06:01 - 33 minutes - 47.5 MBGilmary Michael "Mike" Hostage III is a retired United States Air Force four-star general who last served as the commander, Air Combat Command from September 13, 2011 to October 2014. He previously served as commander, United States Air Forces Central, Southwest Asia. He retired from the Air Force after over 37 years of service. As the commander of Air Combat Command, he is responsible for organizing, training, equipping and maintaining combat-ready forces for rapid deployment and employme...
RFT 223: National POW/MIA Recognition Day
September 21, 2018 06:01 - 3 minutes - 6.29 MBNational POW/MIA Recognition Day is an observance that honors whose who were prisoners of war (POW) as well as those who are still missing in action (MIA). It is observed in the United States on the third Friday in September. National POW/MIA Recognition Day was proclaimed by the United States Congress in 1998. It is one of the six national observances when the POW/MIA Flag can be flown. The other five observances are Armed Forces Day, Memorial Day, Flag Day, Independence Day, and Veterans D...
RFT 222 Extra
September 18, 2018 06:01 - 3 minutes - 6.4 MBThe U.S. War Department created the first antecedent of the U.S. Air Force, as a part of the U.S. Army, on 1 August 1907, which through a succession of changes of organization, titles, and missions advanced toward eventual independence 40 years later. In World War II, almost 68,000 U.S. airmen died helping to win the war, with only the infantry suffering more casualties. In practice, the U.S. Army Air Forces (USAAF) was virtually independent of the Army during World War II, and in virtually ...
RFT 222: Pilot/Aviation Historian Chuck Stout
September 17, 2018 06:01 - 30 minutes - 42.2 MBFrom the Wings Over The Rockies website: Chuck enjoys working as an aviation writer and as a museum exhibit designer. He gets to do both in his current career as director of the Colorado Aerospace History Project. Before this, he spent many years writing the books and online courses that help teach pilots to fly. He has volunteered at Wings Over the Rockies for more than 20 years. Chuck learned to fly in 1972, and has been an active general aviation pilot ever since. He’s passionate about ...
RFT 221: RAT On A Plane
September 13, 2018 06:01 - 5 minutes - 8.12 MBNow we'll talk about a RAT on a plane. A ram air turbine (RAT) is a small wind turbine that is connected to a hydraulic pump, or electrical generator, installed in an aircraft and used as a power source. The RAT generates power from the airstream by ram pressure due to the speed of the aircraft. Modern aircraft generally use RATs only in an emergency. In case of the loss of both primary and auxiliary power sources the RAT will power vital systems (flight controls, linked hydraulics and als...
RFT 220: The Jason Dahl Scholarship Fund
September 11, 2018 06:01 - 43 minutes - 60.3 MBFrom the DahlFund website: This fund is created in memory of Captain Jason Dahl with respect toward all victims of the events of 9/11/2001. It supports future generations of pilots, young people yearning to fly, through the award of Aviation Scholarships annually. Jason never accepted less than the best. We remain dedicated to ensure that the Captain Jason Dahl Scholarship Board and the growing community of Scholarship Winners reflect this expectation of excellence. The Captain Jason D...
RFT 119: Runway Information
September 06, 2018 06:01 - 9 minutes - 13.9 MBFrom Wikipedia: Runways are named by a number between 01 and 36, which is generally the magnetic azimuth of the runway's heading in decadegrees. This heading differs from true north by the local magnetic declination. A runway numbered 09 points east (90°), runway 18 is south (180°), runway 27 points west (270°) and runway 36 points to the north (360° rather than 0°). When taking off from or landing on runway 09, a plane would be heading 90° (east). A runway can normally be used in both d...
RFT 218: Vietnam Ace Bill Driscoll
September 03, 2018 06:01 - 1 hour - 113 MBFrom Wikipedia: In 1968, Driscoll graduated from Aviation Officer Candidate School and received his commission as an Ensign (ENS) in the Naval Reserve. After initial flight training at Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida, he completed advanced flight training at Naval Air Station Glynco, Georgia, and received his Naval Flight Officer wings in 1970. He was selected to be in the F-4 Phantom II as a Radar Intercept Officer (RIO). He was assigned to Fighter Squadron 121 (VF-121) at NAS Mirama...
RFT 217: Fire Extinguisher Symbols
September 01, 2018 22:16 - 7 minutes - 11.5 MBFrom Wikipedia: Ordinary combustibles Class A fires consist of ordinary combustibles such as wood, paper, fabric, and most kinds of trash. Flammable liquid and gas A carbon dioxide fire extinguisher rated for flammable liquids and gasses These are fires whose fuel is flammable or combustible liquid or gas. The US system designates all such fires "Class B". In the European/Australian system, flammable liquids are designated "Class B" having flash point less than 100 °C, while burn...
RFT 216: President/CEO Wings Over The Rockies Air & Space Museum M/Gen. John Barry
August 27, 2018 06:01 - 35 minutes - 49.3 MBFrom the Wings Over The Rockies Air & Space Museum website: John L. Barry, current President & CEO of Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum, was a member of the Columbia Accident Investigation Board that was created to examine the disaster. In his presentation “When the Right Stuff Goes Wrong”, he will speak first-hand about the accident and share lessons that can be learned from this mishap. The accident was a major event that was essentially caused by technological, cultural, mecha...
RFT 215: Common Carrier Duty of Care
August 23, 2018 06:01 - 5 minutes - 8.93 MBCommon carriers are required to exercise the highest degree of care in safety: 49 U.S. Code § 44701 - General requirements (d)Considerations and Classification of Regulations and Standards.—When prescribing a regulation or standard under subsection (a) or (b) of this section or any of sections 44702–44716 of this title, the Administrator shall— (1)consider— (A) the duty of an air carrier to provide service with the highest possible degree of safety in the public interest; From Wik...
RFT 214: F-4 WSO Jim Badger
August 20, 2018 06:01 - 40 minutes - 56.5 MBJim Badger became an Air Force officer after graduating from college, and attended navigator training. After earning his wings, he was assigned to (at the time) Military Air Transport Service (later to become MAC - Military Airlift Command) flying as navigator on the C-124. He flew missions in support of Europe and the expanding war in Vietnam. The C-124 flew low and slow, and was not well suited to supplying the needs of the war. Jim transitioned into the new C-141, which flew much faster...
RFT 213: Stolen Airliner!
August 15, 2018 06:01 - 9 minutes - 14.5 MBThis past week there was a dramatic, and tragic, event at Sea-Tac airport in Seattle, Washington. An airport worker stole an empty Horizon Air Q400 aircraft and flew it erratically for over an hour before crashing and killing himself. Rather than the NTSB, the FBI is taking the lead in the investigation into this event, which is rightly being called a crime. Even for an experienced pilot, stealing an airliner is no small feat. If the airplane is parked at a gate, it must be pushed back wit...
RFT 212: Fighter Pilots Cynthia and Mike Lisa
August 13, 2018 06:01 - 32 minutes - 46 MBCynthia and Mike Lisa met while midshipmen at the Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD. Mike graduated a year ahead of Cynthia, and attended graduate school to receive his Master of Science Degree in Physics, then attended Navy pilot training at the same time as Cynthia. Once they were married, they received joint-spouse assignments to Whidby Island Naval Air Station, each flying the EA-6B. During their careers, Mike attended Navy Test Pilot School in Patuxent River, MD, and Cynthia continued fl...
RFT 211: Weight and Balance
August 11, 2018 01:29 - 10 minutes - 15.7 MBFrom Wikipedia: Center-of-Gravity Limits Center of gravity (CG) limits are specified longitudinal (forward and aft) and/or lateral (left and right) limits within which the aircraft's center of gravity must be located during flight. The CG limits are indicated in the airplane flight manual. The area between the limits is called the CG range of the aircraft. Weight and Balance When the weight of the aircraft is at or below the allowable limit(s) for its configuration (parked, ground move...