Safety…always!

Lots of people are traveling this holiday season. So, please, take a moment to consider safety of all kinds. As you can see here, I checked out the safety briefing card during a recent flight.

Safety briefing card.

Pay attention to crew instructions. You never know, a little tip from them might just save your life. Happy travels!

Fall Foliage Final, photo

Here’s a fall foliage final approach photo from my flight this morning. This was heading in to Runway 29 at Chester County Airport (KMQS).

Final approach to 29 at KMQS.

It was a great morning to go flying. Smooth air, no traffic, friendly controllers, and the Diamond DA-40 was flying well. Then the weather came in from the northwest and I had to head back. Still, the leaves were spectacular and great to view from up in the air.

Learning to Fly, video

Earning a pilot’s license is one of the most rewarding things you can do. I learned to fly at TAS, Inc., located at the Brandywine Airport in West Chester, PA, USA. Here’s a video showing some great footage both in the air and on the ground.

As you saw in the video, TAS has been teaching people to fly for more than 20 years. Not only were my instructors great pilots, they were friendly people who enjoyed the process of teaching a rookie how to fly. The right instructor will help you along the way, and if you have a good attitude, you’ll be flying solo in no time. Remember, always do your checklist!

Lil’ Buster

Lil’ Buster showed up at my home airport yesterday. Quite a nice example of a classic aircraft, in this case a Luscombe. Take a look.

Lil’ Buster, Luscombe Aircraft

It featured that fancy paint job, complete with the name.

Cowling of the Luscombe, Lil’ Buster.

The instrument panel contains only the necessities, those instruments required by law, for safe operation.

Luscombe instrument panel.

A plane like this requires real stick and rudder skills. It’s all you, all the time, and I would venture to say, that’s what makes it fun and interesting. You’re flying under visual flight rules, using a chart and dead reckoning, and what you can see below to find your way. This is my kind of flying.