Air Facts

JULY 1, 2024

He was in his forties when we flew together in his V-tail Bonanza. But he had the habit of jamming power at the approach end of the runway and with a shove on the throttle, and a quick pull on the yoke, he would take off. I could tell he was a good pilot. His skills were excellent, and his anticipation was admirable.

Knot 97

Knot Approach Pilot Runway 97

Northstar VFR

JULY 21, 2024

As air flows over it, a force like lift results, and the tail is pulled in the opposite direction of the deflection. But instead of an upward force of lift on a wing, it’s a horizontal force pushing the tail of the plane causing the nose of the plane to move left and right. Now we’ve rotated and in the air.

Rudder 52

Rudder Airplanes Pilot Stability 52

Plane and Pilot

AUGUST 18, 2024

We would launch from the paved runway, retract the gear, and head out to one of the nearby waterways to practice takeoffs and landings. He had to drag out his tent and spend the night waiting for the next high tide to release him from his predicament. In short order, we loaded our gear and beat a hasty retreat back to Ketchikan.

Airplanes 81

Airplanes Torque Tail Pilot 81

Fear of Landing

MARCH 22, 2024

Gradually used to replace metals on parts of aircraft tails, wings, engines, cowlings, and parts of the fuselage, composites reduce overall aircraft weight and improve operational efficiency. Runway Grooves During the 1960s, NASA conceived and developed a process for cutting transverse grooves into runways to channel away standing water.

Wind Shear 52

Wind Shear Airfoil Drag Airline 52

Plane and Pilot

AUGUST 18, 2024

We would launch from the paved runway, retract the gear, and head out to one of the nearby waterways to practice takeoffs and landings. He had to drag out his tent and spend the night waiting for the next high tide to release him from his predicament. In short order, we loaded our gear and beat a hasty retreat back to Ketchikan.

Airplanes 79

Airplanes Torque Tail Pilot 79

Plane and Pilot

JANUARY 7, 2025

Imagine rolling down the runway, feeling like youre in a rocket ship, only to feel a metaphorical afterburner kick in that catapults you towards the sky. But my recommendation is to find a very early Bonanza for your first V-tail experience. The Cessna 195 is known for its round tail and flashy looks.

Airplanes 98

Airplanes Tail Pilot Jet 98

Pilot Institute

APRIL 5, 2024

When the wind is blowing across the runway instead of along it, things get more challenging. However, the wind rarely aligns perfectly with the runway. Touching down with the aircraft’s longitudinal axis aligned with the runway. If the pilot makes no corrections, the aircraft gets blown off the runway centerline.

Crosswind 52

Crosswind Longitudinal Axis Aileron Rudder 52

Pilot Institute

NOVEMBER 1, 2024

And ice doesn’t just make things slippery, it messes with the airflow over the wings, cuts down on lift, and ramps up drag. Remember that wings, propeller blades, and tail surfaces are airfoil-shaped. This leads to a serious loss of lift and an increase in drag. If you don’t act quickly, you’ll soon feel its effects.

Pitot Tube 52

Pitot Tube Drag Lift Airfoil 52

Pilot Institute

MARCH 26, 2024

Unlike paved runways, every soft landing surface is different. However, the increased drag might make it impossible to take off again. Obstructions: Ensure the runway is clear of obstacles, from stones to animals. You can walk down the length of the runway. If the runway is too wet, it might be temporarily closed.

NOTAMs 52

NOTAMs Runway Approach Descent 52

Chess In the Air

JULY 24, 2022

Staying in ground effect protects the glider from a stall because of lower induced drag. This plan only works if there is enough runway left for landing straight ahead. It also reduces the consequences of a possible drop to the ground because of the very low altitude. In Boulder we definitely have enough space available.

Knot 52

Knot Ground Effect Tail Pilot 52

Chess In the Air

JULY 4, 2022

Sometimes the wind socks at both ends of the runway point in opposite directions! Once Shmulik was in the pattern the key thing that possibly could have helped him (besides a greater altitude) is a very high airspeed to get out of the sink and safeguard against the sudden tail wind. This is not possible with an extended engine.

Wind Shear 52

Wind Shear AGL Lift Runway 52

Pilot Institute

FEBRUARY 15, 2025

The jet slammed into the ground six thousand feet short of the runway, taking the lives of 134 people. If you dont act immediately, you could be forced into an uncontrollable descent before you even reach the runway. Unable to recover, the jet struck approach lights short of the runway and then towers 8 and 9.

Wind Shear 66

Wind Shear Weather Descent Approach 66

Vintage Aviation News

AUGUST 22, 2024

We strapped into the cockpit, completed routine checks and procedures, started the engines, and taxied to the end of the runway. Load’s” relatively safe haven high in the tail section left him hanging upside down on steel-wire control cables, emulating a tree sloth. I was dragging tail. This is Saigon.

Weight-Shift-Control 52

Weight-Shift-Control Tail Cargo Airplanes 52

Photographic Logbook

AUGUST 5, 2023

A large aluminum plant is sited west of runway 04-22 and boasts a substantial stack that must be avoided while flying a left downwind for runway 4. We landed in calm air, rolled to the end of the runway, and parked at the fuel pump. The approach end of runway 34 is on a high bluff towering over an apartment complex.

Weather 52

Weather Runway Approach Clearance 52

AeroSavvy

SEPTEMBER 1, 2023

Atlas Air 747-400 & UPS MD-11 departing Anchorage runway 15 Anchorage Weather Geographically, Anchorage is the perfect location for a trans-Pacific pit stop. Warmly dressed crews in four deicing trucks apply Type-4 fluid to the wings and tail surfaces of a UPS Boeing 747-8F. But the weather is all over the map.

Cargo 52

Cargo Weather Runway Drag 52

Photographic Logbook

SEPTEMBER 22, 2024

Though renowned for its maneuverability, the Triplane struggled to pull away from the Camel, fighting against the fundamental drag of its triple tiered wings. Naming it Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome (ORA), Palen built a turf runway and got those old airplanes flying again. Over time, he built an extensive flying menagerie. A Bristol F.2B

Airplanes 56

Airplanes Runway Pilot Aileron 56

Vintage Aviation News

AUGUST 26, 2024

B-24D 41-23908 Hill AFB 19Mar2024 Veronico with restored Martin 250CE turret and tail turret as recovered from Alaska. Of these, the first B-24 made a normal landing, but the second one skidded off the runway and smashed into a line of parked P-38s. USAAF photo via Chloe, John Hale, (1984), Top Cover for America.

Weather 124

Weather Tail Drag Ceiling 124

Plane and Pilot

DECEMBER 16, 2024

Planespotters note the F2’s separate ailerons and flaps, conventional tail. Out back, theres an entirely new tail. Theres an unusual duck tail between the two elevator halves that provides a measure of anti-stall behavior. You’ll note a change in drag with final flaps accompanied by a mild pitch change.

Airplanes 98

Airplanes Rudder Aileron Crosswind 98

Vintage Aviation News

JUNE 24, 2024

The runway at Patrick was close but with the aircraft quickly losing speed and altitude, the pilot, who was the only occupant of the craft, feared he might not clear Highway A1A, which stood between him and Patrick. During the demonstration, however, 91188 suffered an engine failure while off the coast of Cocoa Beach.

Drag 111

Drag Lift Tail Pilot 111