Author Archives: David Megginson
"…not supposed to be used for commercial flights…"
Today saw the worse air accident in the U.S. since 2001: Comair Flight 191 — a Canadair Regional Jet (CRJ) — crashed in Lexington, Kentucky. According to an NTSB official quoted in a CBC news story, the jet took off … Continue reading
Tagged news
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Physical limitations
Update: Aviatrix is not a quitter — see below. Update #2: I think the comments are better than my posting, so you might want to skip ahead and read them first (especially the third one). Update #3: She got back … Continue reading
Tagged aviating, web
6 Comments
Disjointed notes on my Gaspé trip
I flew my family of four to Gaspé last Monday 24 July, and flew back yesterday (Sunday 30 July). Here are some disjointed notes, since I’m too far buried in work-related e-mail and demands to construct a continuous narrative. Flying … Continue reading
Easier phone access to U.S. flight services
Update: Alas, no longer — by August 2006, my cell phone was not working with U.S. flight services again, and a reader left a comment to the same effect. It was nice while it lasted. A bit over a year … Continue reading
Tagged canada-us
4 Comments
Big flap: the ornithopter finally flies
This happened two days ago, but I only just saw the news on Wikipedia: the venerable ornithopter at the University of Toronto Institute for Aerospace Studies sustained flight for 14 seconds (2 seconds longer than the Wright brothers) after taking … Continue reading
Tagged news
Comments Off on Big flap: the ornithopter finally flies
Wikipedia on surviving summer storms
If you fly much in the summer, thunderstorms are a huge concern. You might want to take a look at the new Lightning detector article on Wikipedia — I started the article, but then “Pierre cb” (a meterologist from Environment … Continue reading
Another contact approach
I’m writing this posting from the courtesy computer at the Esso FBO in Toronto City Centre airport (CYTZ). I just finished a Hope Air flight from Sault Ste. Marie (CYAM), my fourth consecutive day of flying. Fortunately, I was able … Continue reading
Excess of thrust
A big engine can cause problems: it burns lots more gas, resulting in higher operating costs and a shorter range (relative to a smaller engine on the same plane); it weighs more, reducing your useful load and complicating weight and … Continue reading
Crosswind landings
Aviatrix’s latest post on flying up north talks about crosswind landings. When I was a student pilot, and for a while after I got my PPL, I found crosswind landings fairly difficult. Then, one day, I suddenly realized that I’d … Continue reading
Tagged aviating, tips
4 Comments
Land and Hold Short 