Category Archives: Technology

The International Politics of NDB Approaches

Posted on January 4, 2012 by Mac

How old is the non-directional beacon (NDB) as an aeronautical navigation aid? Eighty years? 90 years? Or maybe more. I’m not sure. The NDB was certainly around before even the fancy four-course range with its dit-dah left-right guidance along a … Continue reading →

Posted in Aircraft, Industry & Government, Technology | 40 Comments

The Good, and the Bad in 2011

Posted on December 30, 2011 by Mac

I’ve been writing this Left Seat blog for EAA with the generous sponsorship of Aspen Avionics for a year. I don’t think it’s my fault, but 2011 has not been the most memorable year in aviation, but there was some … Continue reading →

Posted in Aircraft, Airmanship, Flying for Fun, Industry & Government, Safety, Technology | 11 Comments

When Dual Can Equal Disaster

Posted on December 8, 2011 by Mac

Every well-trained crew, or any competent instructor, always makes it absolutely clear who has the controls. Even pilots who have flown together for hundreds or thousands of hours always announce aloud, “You have the controls,” and the other pilot responds, … Continue reading →

Posted in Aircraft, Airmanship, Technology | 6 Comments

Are Composite Structures Too Tough?

Posted on November 9, 2011 by Mac

Using composite materials to build an airplane has many advantages. Composites – particularly advanced materials such as carbon fiber – can weigh significantly less than aluminum. Composites can be shaped to meet any designer’s whim, and the finished surface can … Continue reading →

Posted in Aircraft, Technology | 44 Comments

GPWS – Innovation That Has Saved Lives

Posted on November 3, 2011 by Mac

Instrument flying was pretty crude in the late 1960s when Don Bateman began developing what would become the ground proximity warning system (GPWS). If pilots followed all procedures correctly every time, there was no danger of hitting the ground. But … Continue reading →

Posted in Aircraft, Safety, Technology | 8 Comments

The Over-Banking Tendency

Posted on October 20, 2011 by Mac

Several Sport Aviation magazine readers commented on the “What Went Wrong” article in the October issue. The article is a review of the NTSB accident report of a Lancair ES pilot who lost control of his airplane while flying in … Continue reading →

Posted in Airmanship, Safety, Technology | 27 Comments

When a Kit Aircraft Is Not a Kit Aircraft

Posted on August 15, 2011 by Mac

Until a few years ago the NTSB did not recognize kit aircraft as a “type” and would not record them as a common type in accident statistics. That position is technically correct because each amateur-built airplane is certified as an … Continue reading →

Posted in Aircraft, Airmanship, Mac Clellan's Left Seat Blog, Safety, Technology | 49 Comments

The One in a Billion Rule

Posted on August 4, 2011 by Mac

It was great to visit with Jeff Skiles and Sully Sullenberger at Oshkosh last week. The two heroes of the Hudson are doing a terrific job of keeping thousands of pilots excited about the EAA’s Young Eagles Program, and we … Continue reading →

Posted in Aircraft, Industry & Government, Mac Clellan's Left Seat Blog, Safety, Technology | 12 Comments

Oshkosh Is the Place for Embraer Jets

Posted on July 27, 2011 by Mac

When Embraer launched its first clean sheet business jet design it came to AirVenture. That was six years ago, and the Brazilian airplane manufacturer has returned to Oshkosh every summer since to show off its growing line of business jets. … Continue reading →

Posted in Aircraft, Industry & Government, Technology | 2 Comments

A New Day For An Old Turboprop

Posted on July 27, 2011 by Mac

When Alan Klapmeier announced that a Honeywell TPE331 engine would power the new composite turboprop single Kestrel that is now in development I started trying to think how long it had been since that engine had been selected to power … Continue reading →

Posted in Aircraft, Airmanship, Technology | 2 Comments