I started flying for Pilots for Patients, based in Monroe, Louisiana, two and a half years ago, and it has been a wonderful experience. I get a lot of flying time, and the great majority of my passengers are very appreciative of what we do for them. I recommend it to anyone who, like me, found himself not flying enough and looking for a good reason to fly more.

(Written on 07/08/2012)(Permalink)

It can happen. Several Continental Express pilots over the years have landed at Southland Field, mistaking it for Lake Charles Regional (LCH) at night, and I thought they were awfully careless. My attitude changed when,a few months ago, I almost landed at LaPorte Airport in Houston rather than Ellington Field, in daylight. ATC gave me vectors that took me off the usual approach path to EFD, and then told me to look for other traffic that was on the approach to Ellington. The distraction of watching for other traffic to follow, and then suddenly seeing a runway appear where I expected it to be, led me to call the airport in sight and to be cleared for a visual approach. Fortunately a vigilant controller at Ellington noticed that I appeared to be descending toward LaPorte, not Ellington. I thanked her profusely after landing for saving me from an embarrassing mistake. Her response was "Hey, airline pilots have made the same mistake."

(Written on 22/07/2012)(Permalink)

For the first time in my life, I agree with the Russians.

(Written on 10/06/2012)(Permalink)

This looks very suspicious. If the propeller left the airplane, the engine would rapidly overspeed and likely suffer a catastrophic failure, but in this video engine noise remained steady till after landing. The pilots look awfully calm, also unlikely if they indeed suffered such an emergency. Maybe I am too skeptical, but if I had just lost a propeller and made an emergency landing, celebration for the video would be the last thing on my mind.

(Written on 04/02/2012)(Permalink)

According to the Lake Charles newspsper, Pinnacle Airlines, Colgan's parent, says the same pilots had flown the same route the previous night. I am based at LCH and I have flown from Houston to Lake Carles a number of times at night. The rotating beacon at Southland appears to be brighter than the beacon at LCH and it can lure you into approaching the wrong airport if you are flying strictly by visual reference. That's why I'm careful to use GPS or DME to verify I am approaching the correct airport if there is any doubt. I generally arrive before 10:00 PM, when Lake Charles Approach closes, so I have less chance for error, but I still tend to back up my visual approach with whatever else I have available.

(Written on 09/09/2011)(Permalink)

It was a clear night, no clouds and great visibility. They almost certainly flew a visual approach. The mistake they made was in not using their navigational equipment to verify this was the right airport. Lake Charles Regional is 6 miles from the LCH VOR, Sothland Field is 14 miles from the VOR. A look at DME could have told them they were on final approach to the wrong airport.

(Written on 09/09/2011)(Permalink)

Colgan's Saab 340's do not have GPS. Still no excuse for not checking DME distance from the LCH VOR, or tuning the LCH ILS and verifying both localizer intercept and DME distances on final, particularly since the KLCH ATIS has warned for years that LCH may be mistaken for Southland Field.

(Written on 08/09/2011)(Permalink)

I fly a simple Piper Arrow with autopilot but no altitude hold. I understand that if pitch and power are left as is, and the wings are level, the airplane is very unlikely to stall. The airplane may climb or descend with updrafts or downdrafts, but if you leave pitch and power alone you'll be OK. You've got an attitude indicator or similar instrument to let you keep track of aircraft attitude, independent of any systems which rely on the pitot static system. If I haven't changed pitch or power and the airspeed indicator suddenly gives a crazy reading, I should suspect it is in error unless I see a corresponding change on the attitude reference system. I have a hard time understanding how these professional pilots lost control of this airplane.

(Written on 27/05/2011)(Permalink)