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As I type these words, I am looking out the window across the ramp of the Brisbane, Australia airport.  I have spent the last 16 hours flying on American Airlines over the Pacific Ocean enroute to my final destination of Papua New Guinea.  For those of you who are the curious type, I’m headed to […]

Control Wheel Steering (CWS) is a helpful feature in many general aviation aircraft, offering a practical way to combine hand flying skills with the convenience of autopilot systems. For private pilots flying single-engine airplanes, understanding and using CWS can improve safety and reduce workload. What is Control Wheel Steering (CWS)? Control Wheel Steering allows pilots

We all have our standard routines when it comes to flying an instrument approach.  These vary from airplane to airplane in regards to power settings, speeds, when to gear and flaps down, and when the pilot expects the glide path to go active on the Final Approach Course (FAC).  Typically, on an RNAV approach, once

ForeFlight completely revolutionized the way pilots operate.  Many of you reading this have been pilots for more than 17 years (ForeFlight was founded in 2007) and remember flight planning with paper charts, plotters and E6Bs.  Many of you who have recently gotten your pilot’s license probably haven’t even touched a paper chart, though depending on

Okay, so maybe that’s a little harsh. Missed approaches don’t inspire terror. Stress? Absolutely. But, they don’t have to. Have you heard the phrase “Expect the Unexpected”? That certainly applies to any type of flying, but especially to instrument approaches when the ceilings are low. How low? I have a personal rule of thumb that

In the world of modern aviation, the transition from steam gauge cockpits to glass panel avionics has revolutionized the way pilots navigate the skies. With its sleek displays and intuitive interface, glass panel avionics offer unparalleled situational awareness and precision. However, mastering these sophisticated systems requires comprehensive training and understanding. No need to fear those

You have just pulled the trigger and upgraded your legacy Garmin GTN 750 and Garmin G500 to a brand spanking new Garmin GTN750Xi, Garmin G500TXi, and the Garmin GFC 600 Autopilot. You are amazed at the processing speeds, the bigger font, the better pixelation. All Garmin promised has come true in your airplane. The chapters

The M600 SLS debuted in 2020 and was the first of it’s kind. A single engine turbine with AutoThrottle and the Halo autoland system. It was a new level of safety, engineering and just plain coolness (yes, coolness is a word). However, flying the AutoThrottle in the M600 SLS is not a simple hop in

I recently gave a presentation at the Piper M-Class Owner’s and Pilot’s Association (PMOPA) East Coast Regional Seminar at the beautiful Greenbrier Resort in White Sulpher Springs, West Virginia on Icing. It’s that time of year in the US where Icing becomes a much more relevant topic for pilots, especially pretty much anywhere outside Texas

A lot of general aviation pilots don’t know what a flight director is, let alone how to use it. Most of us received our instrument training on either steam gauges without a flight director, or a glass panel with not autopilot (hence no flight director). Or, your CFII didn’t know how to utilize the flight