If you are dreading your morning and evening rush hour commute, take a look at this short video segment with the Wall Street Journal’s Adam Thompson about Harbor Air – a sea plane commuter service between Victoria and Vancouver in British Columbia. According to Harbor Air’s website, the trip only takes about half an hour – shorter than many other commutes nowadays. Not only that, commuters actually save money as one commuter commented in the video segment that it costs her about C$6,000 a year to commute via the seaplane service – considerably less than having to own a second car or a house in Vancouver itself. And then there are the stunning views outside the window to look at! No mention in the segment what happens in the event of bad weather though.
Amazing near midair collision video
Here is segment from CNN that includes an amazing video taken by a German Pilot who was flying a small two-seater 1,000 feet above the French countryside when he had a near miss with another airplane. Unfortunately, his propeller got caught in the cable used by the other plane to tow a glider and the pilot was forced to turn off his engine, pull the plane’s parachute and land in an orchard – walking away without a scratch.
CNN then quoted Ballistic Recovery Systems in St Paul Minnesota as saying that their parachute devices for aircraft have saved at least 199 lives since their development. They also noted how parachutes for aircraft have evolved from being accessories for hang gliders, then ultralights, then light sport aircraft and now increasingly standard pieces of equipment for new general aviation aircraft. In fact, they are now standard for new Cirrus aircraft models
As for that German pilot, he credits the parachute for saving his life. He also rebuilt his own aircraft and of course – got a new parachute for it.
Cool video and photos of flight traffic over the USA
The AirlineReporter website has recently posted this really cool high definition vide of FAA flight traffic data for a 24 hour period over the United States. And if you think this video is cool, check out the website of its creator (Aaron Koblin) who has also posted additional pictures where manufacturer, altitude and model data are visualized in both form and in different colors.
How do I choose a flight school?
If you are planning to learn how to fly, choosing the right flight is critical. After all, learning how to fly is a huge investment in both time and money. Hence, both a video along with recent post (What do you mean by Part 61 or Part 141?) created by Jason Schappert of MzeroA.com are well worth reviewing.
In fact, the video created by Jason, which was intended for the AOPA’s Let’s Go Flying Blog, lasts for 10 minutes – in other words, its very comprehensive and well worth watching. On the other hand, the blog post focuses on the rules and requirements associated with Part 61 and Part 141.
According to Jason, the key things to think about when choosing a flight school are:
- Do I want to train Part 61 or 141?
- How much am I willing to spend?
- How much time can I actually invest?
In addition, the key questions to remember to ask a flight school are:
- What is the average total cost?
- Is ground school provided?
- What is you maintenance policy?
Keeping the above advice in mind along with watching Jason’s video and reading his post about Part 61 and Part 141 will go a long way towards helping you choose the flight school that best suits your needs.
What instruments do I need for a VFR flight?
Jason Schappert has recently created a short video with a great acronym to remember what instruments are required for VFR flights. His acronym for day flights: A-TOMATO-FLAMES. Here is what it stands for:
- A – Altimeter
- T – Tachometer
- O – Oil Temperature Gauge
- M – Manifold Pressure Gauge (If applicable)
- A – Airspeed Indicator
- T – Temperature Gauge (For each liquid cooled engine)
- O – Oil Pressure Gauge
- F – Fuel Gauges
- L – Landing Gear Position Indicator (If applicable)
- A – Anti Collision Lights (For aircraft manufactured after March 11, 1996)
- M – Magnetic Compass
- E – ELT
- S – Seat Belts
And if you happen to be flying at night, just add FLAPS:
- F – Fuses
- L – Landing Light
- A – Anti Collision Lights
- P – Position Lights
- S – Source of Power
Hence and on your next checkride, just remember: A-TOMATO-FLAMES-FLAPS
Bizarre turkey vulture strikes helicopter video
Here is a really bizarre story and video that was first mentioned on the Cirrus Owners & Pilots Association (COPA) blog and involved a turkey vulture striking a helicopter in Miami just before the Superbowl. According to the pilot, he saw the turkey vulture outside the helicopter and next thing he knew, the bird was sitting on his lap after leaving a big hole in the windshield! Luckily, the pilot had kept his hands on the controls and safely landed the helicopter – despite the 80 mile an hour winds blowing through the windshield hole. However, the most amazing and perhaps bizarre part of the story was the fact that the turkey vulture was merely dazed and still managed to fly off after the helicopter landed. Now that is one lucky pilot and an even more lucky (and perhaps hard headed) bird!