Pilot Insights –

CalPilots

Pilot Insights – What’s Harder? Flying in Class B Airspace or Taxiing at a Complex Airport?

For many of us, landing at an airport in Class C or Class B airspace can be a challenge. For some pilots, talking to radar controllers seems intimidating. But, most pilots who fly into towered airports and who use flight-following on a regular basis find that the talking part does not seem so bad. In fact, most of the students that I take into Class B airspace find that it’s no big deal. It does require being attentive to the radio and listening for instructions regarding headings and altitudes, but these are not much different than calls we receive when in Class D airspace, talking to Tower.

Read More

FAA Issues Alert for Transponder Use

CalPilots

On May 19, the FAA issued a Safety Alert for Operators (SAFO) that advises all operators and pilots of the need to ensure that transponders are in the altitude reporting mode whenever their aircraft is on an airport movement area at all airports. Runway safety systems, such as Airport Surface Detection Equipment-Model X (ASDE-X), use…

Read More