The Importance of NOTAMs
When you plan a flight, do you check the relevant NOTAMs? How do you know if they are important to you and your flight? Did you know that if you cause a danger, incident,...
Category: Ground School
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Approach Slope Indicator Systems
I remember one time, during my training with an instructor, that I was landing at an airport. The instructor told me to ignore the VASI indicators as it was calibrated for the larger airplanes....
VOR Time Check
I was perusing the Transport Canada Instrument Procedures Manual today and noticed a rather interesting exercise: It’s called the VOR Time Check and allows you to estimate the amount of time required to cross...
XKCD: Airfoil
Are you able to answer this students question? Why *can* airplanes fly upside down if this is how an airfoil works. Or better yet: Why does the air above the airfoil have to meet...
90 Years ago, the ADF is “born”
On this day in 1920, the first ever flight using a “radio compass” was performed in Virginia. It’s destination? A ship 100 miles off shore. Using only an AM radio station on the ship...
Personal Operating Procedures (Draft)
So I have my first crack at setting up my own personal operating procedures (POPs). The document is far from complete, but I’m looking for some early feedback from you, my beloved readers, as...
Incipient Spin Caused By Engine Failure
“…If the engine fails on take-off with insufficient runway remaining, I will trim the aircraft for best glide and try to land withing 30° of the runway centreline.” Ahh, the take-off briefing! This particular...
VFR Flight Itineraries
A recent comment about flight plans by a reader has prompted me to write this post about flight itineraries. Pilots have the option of filing a flight plan or a flight itinerary. There are...
The CRFI, Part 2
Let’s take a look at an example METAR with CRFI data in it: CYFB CRFI 17/35 -22 .34 0201190630 In order, the block of data contains: Airport/Station Ident CRFI Indicator Runway Temperature CRFI value...
The CRFI
Back in January of 2007, I breifly talked about the Canadian Runway Friction Index (CRFI). With the recent winter-like weather in Southern Ontario I figured this would be a good time to go into...
