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Published: 15 August 2021

    Well, here we are, in the middle of the monsoon season with its rain. There was about a week that the flying weather really wasn’t very good. Highly unusual for Arizona, where unlimited visibility is usually the rule. The other weekend, when a group of us would normally fly somewhere to have breakfast, it was drizzling rain, and the discussion was that we may

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Published: 16 July 2021

  Greetings, It seems that every year vast swaths of our precious forests catch on fire. A variety of causes are always to blame: lightning, car fires, errant sparks, campfires... Arizona's extreme heat and near constant drought conditions result in perfect conditions for these fires to propagate. You may ask what this has to do with flying. Lots. The recent fires

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Published: 15 July 2021

    Summer sure is here! It seems like you can’t get up early enough to beat the heat. The bugs must have got it figured out though, as I noticed that on the last few flights that I hardly pick up any bugs, and it didn’t take much to clean the windshield. I think the airplane may be handling the hot weather better than I, because the last time I flew out for

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Published: 16 June 2021

  Greetings, Another first in APA history has occurred; APA members voted for Board of Directors terms via an electronic ballot! Thank you for participating and making your voice heard. I also thank you for placing your confidence in the current board members, as each up for election was retained. Since APA’s founding, these elections have been in person at annual

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Published: 15 June 2021

  Summer may be rapidly approaching, but in actuality, the flying weather hasn’t been bad at all. It’s been a bit windy at times, that can be particularly challenging for us taildragger pilots, but really not too bad temp-wise in the mornings. I’m bracing myself for what’s to come. I sure hope we don’t have a hot one like last year. I think I’m getting too old for that

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Published: 16 May 2021

  Greetings, I’m writing this column after a particularly tragic weekend of Arizona flying. Two separate fatal accidents and several incidents across the state bring attention to the risks associated with flying. While the causes of these accidents are still under investigation, now is a good time to reflect on your options to reduce your risk. Fuel starvation

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Published: 15 May 2021

  The month of April really flew by faster than I wanted, but the nice cool spring mornings did produce some good flying weather. I fear the hot summer is going to be on us sooner than we want, and with the onset of warmer weather, I’ve noticed the bug count has also been increasing. On my last flight I think I might have killed a significant portion of the bug

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Published: 16 April 2021

  Greetings, Reflecting on a recent rash of accidents involving our GA craft got me thinking again on how best to prevent more. Checklists are a basic staple of aviation, but for aircraft owners or folks who rent the same aircraft time after time, checklists tend to get ignored. Processes become routine and we become so familiar with them that we don't even need to

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Published: 15 April 2021

  March came and went pretty fast, and it seemed like I was on a treadmill in trying to get things done. We did have a little unsettling weather on a weekend or two to add to the flying challenges, but all seemed to work out ok. I have become aware that the days are getting longer and I have to get up earlier to take advantage of the smoother cool morning air. It won’t

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Published: 16 March 2021

  Arizona is flush with spectacular desert wilderness, craggy mountains, canyons, vast open areas, and very little population outside of the metro areas. It makes for some incredibly scenic flights where you may not see another aircraft for your entire flight, even with ADS-B In. This unpopulated and diverse terrain also makes it very attractive to our military. This