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15 Years since ValuJet Flight 592

It’s been 15 years since the famous ValuJet crashed into the Everglades, a tragic accident that did much to focus our views on cost-savings and in-flight safety. There’s been a lot of discussion of the flight, including a National Geographic Seconds From Disaster episode. On the 11th of May in 1996, ValuJet Flight 592 disappeared.…

Read more… 13 May 11

Interesting and Intriguing

This week, I’ve had a terrible cold and have spent an inordinate amount of time clicking random webpages. As a result, I spent more time reading (and listening) than writing about aviation. In an attempt to redeem myself, I am sharing with you the best of the pieces I found online. Enjoy! On-board a Cessna…

Read more… 6 May 11

Fatal Accident: Vintage Yak in Essex

A vintage aerobatic plane, apparently a Yak 52, crashed into a fishing lake in Essex (the village of Langford) yesterday. The plane was seen flying in formation with two other aerobatic planes shortly before the accident. All three took off from North Weald airfield, of which I am a member, although the downed plane was…

Read more… 29 Apr 11

From the Archives: Travel Snob

I am trading in my single-engine aircraft obsession for space ships this weekend at the Illustrious Eastercon 2011. Unfortunately, I don’t have a new post for you; however, I found this piece in my archives discussing “authentic” travel and expectations of foreign resorts. I still feel the same as when I wrote it two years…

Read more… 22 Apr 11

A Close Encounter with an Emu

A few weeks ago, I posted a video of a near-miss “bird strike” when a frightened emu ran onto the landing strip as the aircraft touched down. Warning: Entirely Justified Coarse Language is Used in this Video When I found out the pilot had posted to the Professional Pilots’ Rumour Network, I couldn’t resist getting…

Read more… 15 Apr 11

Nothing is so Beautiful as Spring

I have in the past complained about the snow in the UK and that my flying was unnecessarily curtailed as a result of the weather. UK Snow Day on Webcams Snow on the Runway, Ice on the Wings So on a glorious day like today, it seemed only fair to show the other side of…

Read more… 8 Apr 11

Accident Reports

Farewell Flight Turns Fatal in Cairns

On the 12th of August in 2024, a pilot fatally crashed a Robinson R44 into the top of a hotel building in Cairns, Australia. The pilot held a commercial helicopter…

No Masks, No Oxygen, No Chance

On the 4th of June 2023, a Cessna Citation 560 aircraft crashed in Montebello, Virginia, killing the pilot and three passengers. The NTSB released their report on the 14th of…

Demystifying

How to tell a Russian Su-27 from a British Typhoon

This is not an article that I ever thought I would feel compelled to write! However, given the confusion over a photograph chosen in a regional English paper, apparently it’s…

How to tell an F-16 Fighting Falcon from a Eurofighter Typhoon

There are a number of reasons why you might need to quickly point out the differences between a General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon and a Eurofighter EF2000 Typhoon. You might…

History

Gladys Ingle Inflight Wheel Change: Emergency Action or Stunt?

This video of a mid-air wheel exchange goes viral once a year or so, but I never get tired of watching it. Last week, it showed up on Reddit and…

The Disappearance of the Hawaii Clipper May Not Be as Mysterious as Was Thought

This week, we have a guest post by J.B. Rivard who wrote an article for the American Aviation Historical Society (AAHS) and used one of my articles as a reference.…

Fun Stuff

Friday Lightness: A Short Respite from Crash Reports

It seems a good time for something a bit more lighthearted. After weeks of analyzing serious incidents and technical failures, I thought I could a moment to appreciate aviation humuor…

Flights of Fantasy: Aviation April Fools Worth Celebrating

I’m going to admit that I’m not a great fan of April Fools’ pranks, especially not attempts to trick people into believing something and then pulling the rug out from…