By Vic Syracuse, EAA Lifetime 180848 This piece originally ran in Vic’s Checkpoints column in the September 2024 issue of EAA Sport Aviation magazine. I know there’ve been a few ... Read more
By Steve Krog, EAA 173799 This piece originally ran in Steve’s Classic Instructor column in the September 2024 issue of EAA Sport Aviation magazine. Sitting at the picnic table and ... Read more
By Robert N. Rossier, EAA 472091 This piece originally ran in Robert’s Stick and Rudder column in the September 2024 issue of EAA Sport Aviation magazine. A long time ago, ... Read more
By Lisa Turner, EAA Lifetime 509911 This piece originally ran in Lisa’s Airworthy column in the August 2024 issue of EAA Sport Aviation magazine. An unexpressed thought sometimes hides like ... Read more
In a recent column for EAA Sport Aviation, contributor Steve Krog discusses how to regain your confidence in performing crosswind takeoffs and landings.
In a recent column for EAA Sport Aviation, contributor Robert N. Rossier discusses the importance of scanning for traffic in the pattern prior to lining up for takeoff.
In a recent column for EAA Sport Aviation, contributor Robert N. Rossier discusses the importance of examining the airplane as a whole during the preflight.
In a recent column for EAA Sport Aviation, contributor Steve Krog discusses the concept of bringing experienced commercial pilots back into the general aviation flight training world.
In a recent column for EAA Sport Aviation, contributor Steve Krog discusses complacency and distractions — two components that can contribute to a poor landing.
In a recent column for EAA Sport Aviation, contributor Robert N. Rossier discusses some of the common reasons pilots lose control of their aircraft and strategies for avoiding those incidents. ... Read more
In a recent column for EAA Sport Aviation, contributor Robert N. Rossier discusses a number of common scenarios in which good pilots can make poor decisions.
In a recent column for EAA Sport Aviation, contributor Steve Krog discusses the dangers associated with “the normalization of deviance” and how to stay sharp as a pilot.
In a recent column for EAA Sport Aviation, contributor Robert N. Rossier discusses tips for survival in the event of an aircraft emergency or off-field landing.
In a recent column for EAA Sport Aviation, contributor Steve Krog discusses downwind takeoffs and landings and the factors that need to be considered before executing the maneuver.
In a recent column for EAA Sport Aviation, contributor Steve Krog discusses different methods for entering the traffic pattern and when each is appropriate.
In a recent column for EAA Sport Aviation, contributor Steve Krog discusses aspects of flight training that aren’t generally being taught to student pilots today.
In a recent column for EAA Sport Aviation, contributor Steve Krog discusses aspects of flight training that aren’t generally being taught to student pilots today.
Are straight-in approaches to land acceptable? The answer is sometimes yes and sometimes no. EAA Sport Aviation contributor Steve Krog discusses in a recent column.
EAA Sport Aviation contributor Robert N. Rossier gives some tips for performing preflight inspections on your aircraft during the winter in his latest column.
EAA Sport Aviation contributor Steve Krog discusses some of the subtle, but important techniques that can help pilots improve their skills in the cockpit.
Flying, especially general aviation flying, should always be safe, fun, and challenging. Otherwise, why do it? There are days, though, when we are a bit lax. We need a challenge ... Read more
There are times when pilots experience those gray areas where VFR and IFR flight operations can overlap. Regardless of how we might interpret such a situation — who was right ... Read more
A summer thunderstorm in Tennessee quickly turned a very nice sunset flight into a landing nightmare. Crazy wind gusts on final approach with very poor visibility through the windshield made ... Read more
By Steve Krog, EAA 173799 This piece originally ran in Steve’s Classic Instructor column in the May 2021 issue of EAA Sport Aviation magazine. During the past several months, I ... Read more
In a recent issue of EAA Sport Aviation, we discussed a situation where an acquaintance asked a pilot friend to make a flight to an unimproved airport. We reviewed a ... Read more
Flying can be unduly complicated when we consider the infinite number of variables that can come into play. To keep aircraft management simple, we can narrow the parameters down to ... Read more
As a flight instructor, it always seemed like a challenge to help new students understand the pitot-static system. I often wondered if it was the way I was explaining it ... Read more
There are many things that must be taken into consideration when planning a safe flight to or from an unimproved airport that you may not have familiarity with. Many of ... Read more
As a longtime flight instructor, I try to cover all required subject areas and share many more subjects that I have learned through personal experience. That being said, I observed ... Read more
Over the past months, we’ve all learned to deal with one form of turbulence or another. If there is one thing that makes flying uncomfortable, it’s turbulence.
Many owners assume that when an aircraft completes its annual inspection, it has been thoroughly scrutinized by well-trained eyes and can be depended upon to be in condition for safe ... Read more
What are the most common landing errors, and how can you fix them? In this presentation, which originally aired during Spirit of Aviation Week, we’ll discuss three of the most ... Read more
Adverse yaw is the tendency for the nose of an airplane to yaw in the opposite direction when an airplane banks its wings for a turn. The increased lift of ... Read more
We learn the proper phraseology and terminology to communicate effectively and efficiently with air traffic control and other aircraft. However, even with the standard phraseology and terminology, we can easily ... Read more
We like to think that at a nontowered airport, choosing the best runway for departure or landing is a simple matter of determining the wind direction and picking the runway ... Read more
I was over a swamp when the engine started to burble. That’s a scientific word for “make a strange extra noise that strikes unease into a pilot’s heart.” I’m making ... Read more
The lesson learned is a simple one: Keep flying the airplane until it and the prop comes to a stop. Then and only then does one adjust the carb heat, ... Read more
Respect for your airplane doesn’t just mean giving it a love tap on the engine cowling. It means that you truly care for your aircraft by carefully looking it over ... Read more
As the warmer spring breezes begin to blow, many of the local airport folks will begin to come out of hibernation. The itch to get back in the air and ... Read more
The FAA preaches “know your minimums.” It does a relatively good job in trying to get pilots to understand the importance of this phrase as it applies to the individual’s ... Read more
Soft-field takeoff and landing techniques are a mandatory training segment for all sport, private, and commercial pilots. However, very few students ever experience true soft-field conditions.
There are as many tail wheel assembly designs as there are experimental airplanes, or at least it seems that way. Most tail wheels share the same problems, so I’ll talk ... Read more
The top three nose wheel issues are shimmy, shimmy, and shimmy. Ok, kidding. Other problems besides shimmy, such as tracking and hardware assembly issues, can cause you to take out ... Read more
Safely flying a tailwheel requires much more attention from the pilot than a tricycle-gear airplane, especially during taxi, takeoff, and landing. However, once in the air, a tailwheel airplane is ... Read more
Years ago, every young pilot wannabe had to learn and perform the180-degree power-off approach and landing to pass the private pilot checkride. It took a bit of practice, but most ... Read more
We all wish we could fly as often as possible, but other responsibilities get in the way. When aviation is our recreation and not our work, we can find long ... Read more
Preflight, cruise, pre-landing, shut down, emergency — to name a few. Aviation is full of checklists. So if you’re interested in learning to fly, what better way to plan for ... Read more