Coms

In the same boat

Even fighter pilots get apprehensive

So glad to see even F–16 pilots get apprehensive for long flights (“Flying Carpet: Low and Slow,” July 2017 Flight Training). Really needed to read this as I start planning for my flight from Evansville Regional Airport in Indiana to Orlando Melbourne International Airport. This will be my true long flight of 800 statute miles (with stops).

Shadi Wadi-Ramahi
Evansville, Indiana

Turnabout

I enjoy taking the Final Exam in each issue of Flight Training. However, I must disagree with the answer for question 10 in July 2017, “Which of the following does not belong? A. Cyclone, B. Hurricane, C. Tornado, D. Typhoon” The stated answer is A. Cyclone. I believe the correct answer should be C. Tornado.

Hurricanes, cyclones, and typhoons are the same weather phenomenon, the only difference is where the storm occurs. Hurricanes occur in the Atlantic and Northwest Pacific, typhoons in the Northwest Pacific, and cyclones in the South Pacific and Indian Ocean.

Keith Beem
Talofofo, Guam

Tricky approaches

I enjoyed the short article about landing at Sedona airport in the July 2017 edition of Flight Training. I flew as a bush pilot and often would land at runways that were perched on top of hills and mountainsides. I learned that the optical illusions that come with such approaches can lead to some difficulty when setting up for a stabilized approach.

To assist me, I wrote a program that will do the math for me and show a place where my approach should begin, along with an associated altitude, in Google Earth.

With enough practice, anyone can land at their home airport, but things get a bit dicier when visiting those faraway places. Applying a little math to the problem and presenting it in such a visual format is one way to reduce the problems brought on by nonstabilized approaches.

Glenn Grubb
Waxhaw, North Carolina

Timeless Cub

I must have re-read Julie Summers Walker’s article “Your First Airplane: Piper J–3 Cub” (July 2017 Flight Training) a dozen times. It is a jewel. Concise, humorous, informative, and a perfect tribute to an ageless plane. She told us its history, its pros and cons, and why we should (or should not) fly it. The last two sentences are beautifully written.

Chad Slattery
Los Angeles, California

Happy milestone

Emily Smith took her private pilot checkride on April 2. She flies out of Cynthiana, Kentucky (O18). “Nana-Boo” is what her grandchildren call her.

I obtained my private pilot certificate in September 2013. Emily flew with me, began to take the controls, and became interested in flying as well.

Emily’s path to her private pilot certificate hasn’t been easy. She works full time as a teacher’s assistant, helps me run three businesses, and is a grandmother of six. She was on her pilot path for three years and was on her fifth instructor.

Emily is fully involved in aviation from maintenance, washing, checklist, and “wheels up”—she is not afraid to get her hands dirty. If a man can, so can she!

Will Smith
Harrison, Kentucky

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