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Archive for the ‘Aviation History’ Category

ALPA RUnway Safety Newsletter #2

Here’s newsletter #2 on the ALPA site. There are lots of valuable lessons to be learned here, ones that others have learned for you and are now sharing.

Fly (and Taxi) Smart

Kent

Written by Clark

March 4, 2008 at 6:27 pm

Posted in Aviation History, Runway Safety, Threat and Error Management

Runway Safety Handbook for Pilots and Controllers

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From the FAA:

Here is a Runway Safety Human Factors Handbook for Pilots and Controllers. It has some excellent examples and tips to operate safely on and around the protected area.

http://www.faa.gov/runwaysafety/handbook.cfm

Fly Smart

Clark

Written by Clark

February 6, 2008 at 2:32 pm

Posted in Aviation History, Flying Safety for Dummies, Human Factors, Runway Safety, Threat and Error Management

Flight Thru Instruments

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“Published as a pilot-training manual by the US Navy in 1945, “Flight
thru Instruments” teaches proper aeronautical navigation techniques
through the use of elaborate illustrations — the kind of stuff that
today might be called “info-graphics.”

Produced entirely by hand, the illustrations in “Flight thru Instruments” possess a richness and accuracy of detail that — if we may say so — puts the majority of
today’s graphic artists to shame.”
http://telstarlogistics.typepad.com/telstarlogistics/2007/11/flight-t…
http://www.flickr.com/photos/telstar/sets/72157603240365315/

Fly Smart

Clark

Written by Clark

January 9, 2008 at 7:26 pm

Posted in Aviation History

Blackbird Rising

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Great picture of an SR-71 by Gary Jones of Clovis, New Mexico. I found this photo on avweb, a great independent website for the aviation community. Avweb also has an e-newsletter

Fly Smart

Clark

Written by Clark

December 27, 2007 at 9:22 am

Posted in Aviation History

Air Force Museum

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XB-70 Just visited the Air Force Museum in Dayton, OH, it is a fantastic facility. The have added many more aircraft to the third hangar since I was there about 4 years ago. My favorite area is still the Presidential aircraft hangar, and the test aircraft that are on display.

National Museum of the US Air Force

Fly Smart

Clark

Written by Clark

July 5, 2007 at 7:22 pm

Posted in Aviation History

National Air and Space Udvar-Hazy Center

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I Visited the Udvar-Hazy Center (UHS) at Dulles today, and it was phenomenal. My favorites today were the Bell 47, and Betty Skelton’s Pitts Special.

“The Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center near Washington Dulles International Airport is the companion facility to the Museum on the National Mall. The building opened in December, 2003, and provides enough space for the Smithsonian to display the thousands of aviation and space artifacts that cannot be exhibited on the National Mall. The two sites together showcase the largest collection of aviation and space artifacts in the world. ”

It’s well worth the trip.

Fly Smart,

Kent B. Lewis

Written by Clark

May 25, 2007 at 6:32 pm

Posted in Aviation History

Dr Funk’s Words of Wisdom

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I had a chance to talk to Dr Wally Funk on Wednesday and she took me through a crash investigation slide presentation that she delivers at safety seminars. I am working on a preservation project to digitize her slides. What struck me was the similarity of her comments to those of Herb Webber, another local safety rep who I talked to last year. (Herb’s wisdom is posted below).
It is amazing the number of crashes that could be prevented if people would use a checklist properly. Check for fuel. Check for contaminated fuel. Check your prop. Check your electrical system. Check that the CONTROL LOCK is REMOVED before attempting any junior birdman/birdwoman activities! Stay out of box canyons. You get the idea. The system tries to trip you up enough without helping it out.
Be professional, be smart. And as Wally says, “don’t wreck your airplane and yourself.”

Read Dr Funk’s Bio. Hold on to your jaw, because it will drop as you read it!

Fly Smart

Clark

Written by Clark

May 9, 2007 at 9:56 pm

Posted in Aviation History, Aviation Leadership, Flying Safety for Dummies, Threat and Error Management

Vintage Flying Museum

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Chuckie Chuckie is the Vintage Flying Museum B-17, and her namesake is a fantastic aviation safety advocate. Chuckie could not fly without teamwork, one of the hallmarks of system safety.