I’ve been flying the Garmin G1000 platform since my first flight in 2006 and it seems that every time I fly, I discover some new feature or function.
In this post, I will attempt to summarize some tips/tricks. This is in no way a substitute for a checkout on the G1000 platform with a CFI. There are lots of great G1000 training courses out there which will help you learn much more about the system, but here are a few of my quick tips. [Read the rest of this entry...]
If you were near Kansas City yesterday, it was a perfect day to get some “actual” IMC (Instrument Meteorological Conditions) time logged. We had a cold front slide Southeast in the morning leaving us with temperatures in the 50s and 60s F (10-15 C). The front left a low level cloud deck from about 1000 feet AGL (Above Ground Level) to 3500 feet AGL (several broken layers above) and there was light rain/mist. Below the overcast, the visibility was 7-10 SM (Statute Miles). A great IMC day for doing some approaches.
Late this afternoon, I was listening to the KOJC feed over at LiveATC.net, and I overheard a pilot struggling with an approach into Johnson County Executive Airport (KOJC). As I listened and thought about it, there were several things (good and bad) that could be shared from his experience.
I feel very fortunate to work for a company that allows dads to take a month off to spend time with their new kids. After my wife spent 12 weeks at home, it was my turn as primary care giver for a month with my baby daughter. Between feeding and playing, I’ve had much more time this past month to compose blog posts and get to know some other pilots on the web.
Today, via Twitter, I was introduced to the Girls With Wings organization (Follow them @GirlsWithWings). This organization seeks to introduce girls to aviation at a young age and encourages them to follow their dreams.
“Instead of encouraging our girls to wait for their knights in shining armor, how about encouraging them to explore the night in their shiny airplane?”
To learn more about Girls with Wings, visit their web site or their parent organization site, Very Important Pilots, LLC
For over a year, I’ve hosted the KOJC feed over at LiveATC.net. I know there are several people who listen regularly as I have seen the feed appear several times in the Top 50 stream list. I would like to get your feedback on some proposed changes based on my monitoring of the feed over the past month.
In a nutshell here is what I’m proposing: 1, removing the High Altitude ARTCC frequencies and 2, adding some of the area Low Altitude ARTCC frequencies.
I have a confession to make — I love to listen to Air Traffic Control (ATC), even if I’m not in the cockpit. Sometimes driving to work, I will visualize/audibilize communications to ATC as if I were in the air. (It’s also a big hit with my 3 year old). Enough of my personal issues — now with the release of BlackBerry OS 4.3/4.5 and higher, it is now possible to listen to live ATC on your BlackBerry as long as you have some type of data service/coverage (EDGE/WiFi/3G).
I have a BlackBerry Curve (8320) running BlackBerry OS v4.5 with T-Mobile so my instructions will be specific for T-Mobile users, however, I’m sure it will work with other carriers and newer BlackBerry OS releases as well, however, the procedure might need to be tweaked slightly. Let me know if you find something that differs on your model. [Read the rest of this entry...]
In early March, I was excited to learn about a new course from Sporty’s that focuses on modern autopilots. I finally got a chance to watch the video and share some of my thoughts.
The new Sporty’s video short course titled Pilot’s Guide to Modern Autopilots highlights some of the differences, and similarities, of both the Garmin GFC-700 and the S-Tec 55X; two of the most popular autopilots in airplanes today. [Read the rest of this entry...]
