Aviation News Talk Podcast

Max talks with John Fiscus discuss about strategies for flight instructors when teaching in the traffic pattern. These tips are also useful for pilots flying by themselves. John highlights a common issue among new CFIs: teaching based on qualitative feelings rather than quantitative data. He emphasizes the importance of providing concrete numerical guidance to students. John introduces the concept that "energy equals time," stressing that the amount of energy (airspeed, power, altitude) affects reaction time, especially as the aircraft gets closer to the ground. He also talks about the need for CFIs to balance allowing student mistakes with ensuring safety. John describes the different roles of an instructor: teacher, coach, and evaluator, and the importance of setting specific error tolerances at various traffic pattern stages. They also discuss practical techniques for being ready to take over controls without alarming students. John also talks about the ever tightening tolerances he permits around the

Max talks with Mark Kolber, an aviation lawyer and CFI, about the FAA's compliance program. Mark explains that the program, launched in 2015, shifted from a punitive approach to a more rehabilitative one, encouraging pilots to report mistakes and undergo retraining rather than facing severe penalties. He highlights the benefits of being proactive and transparent with the FAA to resolve issues through remedial training. Mark discusses the importance of filing a NASA form for protections if a case goes to formal enforcement and advises seeking professional guidance when contacted by the FAA. He clarifies that while the compliance program handles minor infractions, serious violations like fraud or repeated offenses still lead to formal enforcement actions. The conversation includes practical advice for pilots who receive a Brasher warning, suggesting they contact the tower with brief, factual information without making admissions. Mark emphasizes that modern technology like ADS-B makes evading detection imp

Max interviews Jason Blair about the FAA reauthorization bill and its implications for flight training and pilot certification. And Max reads listener stories and emails. Jason highlights a significant change allowing non-collegiate programs to qualify for restricted ATP certificates through enhanced qualification programs developed by airlines or FAA-approved training centers. This opens new pathways for aspiring pilots outside traditional collegiate programs. He also discusses the bill's focus on workforce development, including a GAO study on the pilot shortage and provisions to streamline the process for pilots training in experimental or limited category aircraft. Notably, the bill includes measures to improve the deployment and standardization of Designated Pilot Examiners (DPEs), such as creating a national oversight office and developing tools to better manage examiner availability and scheduling. Additionally, Jason mentions the upcoming removal of expiration dates from flight instructor certific

Max and Jason Blair discuss recent changes in the FAA's aviation testing standards, notably the transition from PTS to ACS. Key updates include the conversion of the CFI test to ACS, introducing scenario-driven evaluations. New maneuvers, such as demonstrating flight characteristics under various conditions, have been added for CFIs. Instructors can now use pre-developed lesson plans, easing the preparation burden. Instrument rating changes allow using approaches with decision altitudes like LNAV/VNAV and mandate partial panel approaches to reflect real emergency scenarios. GPS databases must remain current. For commercial pilots, precision in power-off 180-degree landings is emphasized, and understanding ballistic parachute systems is required. These updates aim to modernize testing, aligning it with current industry practices and technology without drastically altering training content. The use of electronic flight bags (EFB) for planning and in-flight operations is now permitted, enhancing practicalit

Max reads a number of listeners stories and emails from listeners. Several of the stories are in response to #328, in which we talked about a tragic aviation accident involving a CFI who purchased his dream airplane, N8924Y, a Piper Twin Comanche, and crashed it on the way home. Listeners share their experience with landing gear problems, Garmin G3000 question, and IFR questions. Support the Show by buying a Lightspeed ANR Headsets Max has been using only Lightspeed headsets for nearly 25 years! I love their tradeup program that let's you trade in an older Lightspeed headset for a newer model. Start with one of the links below, and Lightspeed will pay a referral fee to support Aviation News Talk. Lightspeed Delta Zulu Headset $1199 Lightspeed Zulu 3 Headset $899Lightspeed Sierra Headset $699 My Review on the Lightspeed Delta Zulu Send us your feedback or comments via email If you have a question you’d like answered on the show, let listeners hear you ask the question, by recording your listener que

In this episode, Max discusses the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024 and the dozens of provisions that may impact GA pilots. Here's are a few of the many points covered: Pilots using BasicMed can fly larger and more capable aircraft, and DPEs can fly under BasicMed. CFI certificates will no longer expire, though CFIs will have to meet recent experience requirements. The FAA has to reduce the aircraft registration backlog and shorten the time to respond to Part 135 carrier applications. The FAA must accelerate remote tower implementation at three airports by December 2024.  If you're getting value from this show, please support the show via PayPal, Venmo, Zelle or Patreon. Support the Show by buying a Lightspeed ANR Headsets Max has been using only Lightspeed headsets for nearly 25 years! I love their tradeup program that let's you trade in an older Lightspeed headset for a newer model. Start with one of the links below, and Lightspeed will pay a referral fee to support Aviation News Talk. Lightspeed Delta

Max explores a tragic aviation accident involving the crash of a N8924Y, a Piper Twin Comanche shortly after its new owner purchased it. The pilot was flying the aircraft home when he encountered various challenges, including fatigue, pressure to return home quickly, and low experience in the specific aircraft model. The episode delves into the circumstances surrounding the crash, highlighting common factors seen in similar accidents. The pilot attempted to troubleshoot the landing gear problem while hand-flying the aircraft in dark night conditions. Ultimately, the crash was attributed to the pilot exceeding the aircraft's critical angle of attack while troubleshooting the landing gear indication, resulting in an aerodynamic stall at low altitude. The episode serves as a sobering reminder of the importance of safety, decision-making, and preparedness in aviation. It honors the memory of Rob Prestininzi and underscores the need for pilots to prioritize safety over external pressures. If you're getting va

Max discusses a tragic accident involved a 55-year-old physician who crashed his Beech A36 aircraft, N84R, at Tucker Guthrie Memorial Airport in Harlan, Kentucky, on November 3, 2022. The pilot departed from Knoxville at around 9:32 a.m. with the purpose of attending scheduled appointments at a medical office near the destination airport. Despite low instrument flight conditions at the time of arrival, the pilot did not file a flight plan, communicate with ATC, or receive a weather briefing before departure. Upon arrival in the airport area, he announced over the CTAF his intention to circle for landing. However, subsequent flight track data revealed that the airplane completed a total of three approaches to the runway, none of which were consistent with the published instrument approach procedure, and all were conducted in low instrument flight conditions. If you're getting value from this show, please support the show via PayPal, Venmo, Zelle or Patreon. Support the Show by buying a Lightspeed ANR He

Max talks with Arizona Soaring President and Chief Flight Instructor Jason Stephens and eight time Nation glider aerobatic champion about what it takes to become a glider towplane pilot. Surprisingly, you can tow gliders with just a Private certificate, though most operators will probably want their prospective tow pilots to have a commercial rating. Most new tow pilots will  probably be required to have at least a couple hundred hours of total experience. And since most tow planes are taildraggers, they’ll also need a taildragger endorsement. If you're getting value from this show, please support the show via PayPal, Venmo, Zelle or Patreon. Support the Show by buying a Lightspeed ANR Headsets Max has been using only Lightspeed headsets for nearly 25 years! I love their tradeup program that let's you trade in an older Lightspeed headset for a newer model. Start with one of the links below, and Lightspeed will pay a referral fee to support Aviation News Talk. Lightspeed Delta Zulu Headset $1199 Lightsp

Max talks about the accident of N51FM, a Cirrus SR22T at Paso Robles, CA, and emphasizes the importance of understanding approach procedures, particularly when starting an approach from an IF/IAF fix with a racetrack. The accident involved a pilot who failed to follow correct procedures, leading to a crash, though fortunately, all occupants survived. Max breaks down the mistakes made by the pilot and discusses the implications for instrument pilots. If you're getting value from this show, please support the show via PayPal, Venmo, Zelle or Patreon. Support the Show by buying a Lightspeed ANR Headsets Max has been using only Lightspeed headsets for nearly 25 years! I love their tradeup program that let's you trade in an older Lightspeed headset for a newer model. Start with one of the links below, and Lightspeed will pay a referral fee to support Aviation News Talk. Lightspeed Delta Zulu Headset $1199 Lightspeed Zulu 3 Headset $899Lightspeed Sierra Headset $699 My Review on the Lightspeed Delta Zulu Se

Max talks with Rob Mark about thirteen different ways a pilot can build flight time. These jobs may be attractive to weekend pilots who are looking for a fun flying activity, or for pilots who are looking to reach the 1500 hours required for an ATP and an airline job. This is Part 2 of a two episode series. In Part 2, we discuss Part 91 and Corporate flying, Air tours, Banner towing, time building programs, glider towing, working as a CFI, and flying a personal airplane. We also discuss the illegal P-51time, which has nothing to do with warbirds. And I want to mention one other resource for pilots who are looking for low time pilot jobs.  I mentioned the Road to 1500 website where you can learn about a lot of these jobs. And just a couple of weeks ago, Ivan Rabarison, who runs that website, began offering what he calls the Ultimate Low Time Pilot Jobs Database, which sells for  $29.99. I haven’t seen it, but apparently it includes minimum hour requirements to apply, location, website, contact information

Max talks with Rob Mark about thirteen different ways a pilot can build flight time. These jobs may be attractive to weekend pilots who are looking for a fun flying activity, or for pilots who are looking to reach the 1500 hours required for an ATP and an airline job. This is Part 1 of a two episode series. In Part 1, we discuss Part 135 Charter flying, Part 135 Cargo flying, flying skydivers, Pipeline Patrol, working as a Ferry Pilot and working as an Aerial Survey Pilot. We also talked briefly about aerial photography. In Part 2, we discuss seven additional ways that pilots can build flight time. If you're getting value from this show, please support the show via PayPal, Venmo, Zelle or Patreon. Support the Show by buying a Lightspeed ANR Headsets Max has been using only Lightspeed headsets for nearly 25 years! I love their tradeup program that let's you trade in an older Lightspeed headset for a newer model. Start with one of the links below, and Lightspeed will pay a referral fee to support Aviation N

Max talks about the details of the crash of a TBM 960, N960LP, at Truckee, California last weekend. He also talks in detail about his factory tour last week of Robinson Helicopter. Weather at the time the pilot flew the approach was ½ mile visibility and snow with clouds scattered at 300 feet and overcast at 700 feet. However the approach minimums were 1 mile visibility and the MDA is 582 feet AGL. The pilot flew the instrument approach more or less successfully, though he descended more than 200 feet below the minimums, and he started his turn for the missed approach 1.3 miles beyond the missed approach point. While he flew the approach with the autopilot, he flew the missed approach by hand, and lost control. If you're getting value from this show, please support the show via PayPal, Venmo, the Cash app, Zelle or Patreon. Support the Show by buying a Lightspeed ANR Headsets Max has been using only Lightspeed headsets for nearly 25 years! I love their tradeup program that let's you trade in an older

Max talks about two critical factors, sleep inertia and false glide slopes, which played significant roles in an Air India Express accident. Despite being unrelated phenomena, they converged to contribute to the crash of Flight 812 in 2010. Air India Express, a low-cost airline operating in India, experienced its first fatal crash during this flight. The aircraft, a Boeing 737, was returning from Dubai to Mangalore, India. However, the cockpit voice recorder revealed that the captain had been asleep for a significant portion of the flight, awakening only shortly before the crash. Compounded by issues such as inadequate descent planning and reliance on visual cues due to radar unavailability, the crew found themselves on an unstabilized approach, ignoring multiple warnings and calls for a go-around from the first officer. The aircraft ultimately overshot the runway. If you're getting value from this show, please support the show via PayPal, Venmo, the Cash app, Zelle or Patreon. Support the Show by buy

There are three secrets to making great landings. Unfortunately, nobody knows what they are. That’s an old joke but fortunately, there is a proven way to make better landings, and that’s by collecting data on your landings. Host Max Trescott talks with Chuck Cali about how you can collect data for your landings and compare it with other pilots. The techniques apply to anyone flying a modern glass cockpit, such as the G1000. Chuck has analyzed 40,000 Cirrus landings and concluded that pilots could be doing a better job, especially during the flare and touchdown. If you're getting value from this show, please support the show via PayPal, Venmo, the Cash app, Zelle or Patreon. Support the Show by buying a Lightspeed ANR Headsets Max has been using only Lightspeed headsets for nearly 25 years! I love their tradeup program that let's you trade in an older Lightspeed headset for a newer model. Start with one of the links below, and Lightspeed will pay a referral fee to support Aviation News Talk. Lightspeed D

In this episode, Max discusses the crash of N1125A, a 1991 ASTRA/GULFSTREAM 1125 SP business jet at Ingalls Field Airport in Hot Springs, Virgina. It was the third fatal business jet crash in the U.S. in just five weeks. Five people on board were killed.  Several airline pilots send feedback about the United flight 2477 taxiway overrun at Houston. Max also reads listener emails related to the ten fuel-related accidents discussed last week. If you're getting value from this show, please support the show via PayPal, Venmo, the Cash app, Zelle or Patreon. Support the Show by buying a Lightspeed ANR Headsets Max has been using only Lightspeed headsets for nearly 25 years! I love their tradeup program that let's you trade in an older Lightspeed headset for a newer model. Start with one of the links below, and Lightspeed will pay a referral fee to support Aviation News Talk. Lightspeed Delta Zulu Headset $1199 Lightspeed Zulu 3 Headset $899Lightspeed Sierra Headset $699 My Review on the Lightspeed Delta Z

In this episode, Max discusses the critical issue of fuel-related accidents in aviation, highlighting various incidents and discussing preventive measures. He summarizes ten recent NTSB reports, showing that fuel starvation and exhaustion accidents are more likely in older aircraft. Despite advancements in modern aircraft with low fuel warning systems, older models lack these safety features, making them more susceptible to such accidents. If you're getting value from this show, please support the show via PayPal, Venmo, the Cash app, Zelle or Patreon. Support the Show by buying a Lightspeed ANR Headsets Max has been using only Lightspeed headsets for nearly 25 years! I love their tradeup program that let's you trade in an older Lightspeed headset for a newer model. Start with one of the links below, and Lightspeed will pay a referral fee to support Aviation News Talk. Lightspeed Delta Zulu Headset $1199 Lightspeed Zulu 3 Headset $899Lightspeed Sierra Headset $699 My Review on the Lightspeed Delta Zul

In this episode, Max discusses two Challenger jet crashes involving dual engine failures: one in Naples, FL, in February 2024 and another in Nebraska in 1994. The incidents share some similarities. In the Naples crash, both engines experienced oil pressure warnings within seconds of each other before failing simultaneously. The preliminary report indicates the left landing gear touched down first, followed by the right, before the plane skidded into a concrete barrier. The cabin attendant facilitated passengers' safe evacuation through the tail compartment. The pilots, highly experienced, had a combined flight time of over 35,000 hours. The aircraft, with GE CF34 Series turbofan engines, underwent recent airworthiness inspections and was fuel-soaked post-crash, ruling out fuel exhaustion. Further examination revealed thermal damage to engine components but no clear cause for the simultaneous engine failures. Discussion with an Challenger jet pilot who listens to the show recalled a similar incident invol

Host Max Trescott recounts his recent trip in the Vision Jet, a G1 version, with a Patreon supporter who is working towards his type rating. He also talks about the VNAV Direct vertical navigation feature that he rarely uses, but found helpful during the trip. The journey involved flying from Oakland, California to Ann Arbor, Michigan and back, with several considerations such as runway lengths, weather patterns, and fuel efficiency. The decision to fly into Ypsilanti Airport instead of Ann Arbor Municipal Airport is made due to runway length and width concerns, as well as the desire for safer and more comfortable landing conditions. The route planning involves optimizing for tailwinds and minimizing refueling stops. By analyzing weather patterns and selecting appropriate altitudes, they manage to reduce the trip to just two refueling stops instead of three, despite the longer route. They depart Oakland and encounter some weather challenges, including icing, which they manage safely. Utilizing various to

Host Max Trescott delves into arrival procedures for instrument pilots, focusing on common issues and best practices. The host begins by emphasizing the importance of understanding and properly executing arrival procedures, which are often overlooked, especially for pilots not regularly flying into larger airports. Arrival procedures, also known as Standard Terminal Arrival Routes (STARs), facilitate the transition from enroute structure to the terminal area, streamlining air traffic flow and reducing congestion. These procedures guide pilots to specific fixes or navigational aids, ensuring a seamless lateral and vertical transition. While some STARs are requested via flight plans, controllers may assign them as needed. The episode provides a detailed analysis of the Fernando 7 arrival at Van Nuys Airport, highlighting its unique characteristics and naming conventions. It explains how STARs typically consist of multiple parts, including branches, common waypoints, and splits leading to different runways.