When GA pilots are finishing training, they often look around and say “what now?”. The structured environment is gone, the goal achieved. A friend recently published a book that provides some suggestions for that situation. Read more →
Author: Ron Rapp
He’s One of Us Now
To run an organization effectively, it must be understand it inside and out by those at the top. Unfortunately, few if any of the executives at the FAA are pilots. But that changed recently and it’s a good thing for general aviation. Read more →
Who’s the Best Pilot?
“Who’s the best pilot you ever saw?” That famous line from The Right Stuff inspired me to ask what constitutes a great pilot in the real world. Read more →
The Real Problem with LAX
A Los Angeles-based news outlet asked for my thoughts on how to “fix LAX”. Many Angelinos are probably wondering how to do that, too. Unfortunately, the real problem with the airport isn’t the airport at all. It’s much larger and has been half a century in the making. Read more →
A Self-Evident Solution
While the FAA employs many quality individuals, as a whole, the agency seems to be falling apart on us. Here are several examples of how FAA policies are hurting GA and how the trend can be reversed. Read more →
Teaching a Homeless Man to Fly
A fellow pilot recently wrote about teaching a homeless man to fly. His post reminded me that I once did the same thing, and in the process learned a valuable lesson about how we can be our own worst enemy when it comes to achieving long-held goals. Read more →
Upset Recovery Training: Not Just a Fad
Upset recovery training is a big industry buzzword. Is it really a worthwhile investment of a pilot’s time and money, or is this just the latest safety fad? And what’s the difference between “upset recovery” and “aerobatics” anyway? Read more →
A Ball of Blue
NATS, the British ATC entity, recently published a video modeling a day’s air traffic over southern England. It’s an impressive technical achievement, but it left me feeling sad about what’s missing from the skies over there. Read more →
Who’s the Best?
You probably remember that scene from Top Gun where Tom Cruise scans a briefing room full of hot-shot pilots during his first day at the famous Naval Fighter Weapons School and wonders “who the best is”. Top Gun was a fictional tale, of course… but I know the real-life answer to Maverick’s question. I’ve met the best aviation has to offer, and their names most certainly do not occupy a plaque in the ladies room. Read more →
ADS-B: Now or Later?
Whether you’re flying a Cherokee or a Challenger, the ADS-B equipment mandate is looming larger with every passing month. The question aircraft owners are starting to ask is: should I bite the bullet now, or wait until closer to 2020? I make the case for waiting. Read more →