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Today in Aviation History: Loss of USS Macon

Vintage Aviation News

Though the German Zeppelins were inflated with hydrogen, which was a more readily available and lighter lifting gas, it was flammable when mixed with oxygen, which doomed many a Zeppelin to a fiery end. While flying high over West Texas, the sun heated and expanded the helium lifting gas, forcing the Macon to rise up.

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Airline Pilots Are the Most Scrutinized Profession

Air Facts

These maneuvers include an engine failure on takeoff, loss of lift on the wing during departure, en route, and approach, crosswind landings, wind shear scenarios, engine inoperative landings, low visibility landings, crash landings and evacuation.

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Visual Angle of Attack Indicators and Systems Engineering Theory

Air Facts

When such information is lacking, many pilots will increase approach speeds based on wind conditions. Related to gust compensation is compensating for reported wind shear. Its easy enough to add speed on final to compensate for reported wind shear but not possible to do that with VAOAI.

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Turbulence

Air Facts

The eddies mixing with the vertical motion of the heat generating lift of the heated air makes for discomfort. The up motion of the lift vector from the surface temperatures, and the perpendicular wind vectors pushing the heated air along, make for a dynamism in space. As we turned back, the wind shear hit.

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Recognising NASA Technology on Modern Airliners

Fear of Landing

Airborne Wind Shear Detection During the 1980s and 1990s, NASA led a comprehensive research program to identify the characteristics of dangerous wind shear and validated technologies that can predict its severity while in flight.

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Are Dry Microbursts Really An Invisible Trap? – Responding to Reactions

Chess In the Air

Most western pilots have patiently worked such lift for an hour or more while waiting for conditions to improve near their destination airport. Considering the delay in the AWOS reporting, it may also be helpful to proactively use the radio to ask anyone on the ground for the current winds (e.g. the local FBO).

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What Is a SPECI and When Is It Issued?

Pilot Institute

Thunderstorms can also bring wind shear and lightning. You should monitor the temperature closely during winter or in colder regions since icing can impact both lift and control. It stands for thunderstorms with rain, which is a tricky thing to fly through. If severe weather is reported, do you have a plan B?