This special series is by noted author Anthony Nalli.
Close Calls is a column detailing the “close call” experiences of fellow pilots. Determining a close call can be quite subjective but for our purposes here a close call will be any situation where a pilot suddenly finds themselves in a potentially dangerous situation quite unexpectedly. Personally, I describe a close call as “closer than I’d prefer.” I invite you to contact me at
This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
to anonymously share your stories. The experience shared and lessons learned will be of benefit to all readers. Confidentiality will be assured and I will not use your name or aircraft identity without your permission. If you submission is used in Close Calls you'll receive an official cap of the new TV series The Aviators.
Anthony Nalli is the Executive Producer of the new television series The Aviators (www.TheAviators.TV). Anthony can be reached at
This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
. The Aviators can be seen on PBS in the United States, Global and CHEK in Canada, and Discovery in Asia.
As an interesting footnote, Wings Over Canada, Canada’s longest running aviation TV series, has recognized Close Calls columnist Anthony Nalli as “The most dedicated Canadian pilot: Anthony Nalli for his work on promoting flight safety with Portable Collision Avoidance Systems [supported by his wife Lisa].” He’d like to thank John Lovelace and his Wings Over Canada crew for their support and recognition of his efforts.
Our pilot was working in the pattern on just solo hour
number two working toward her private pilot’s license. She really enjoyed
circuits… the routine of taking off, turning crosswind, downwind, base, final
and then having the wheels touch the runway only to get to do it all over
again.
Our pilot had
departed the airport he was visiting in his high-performance homebuilt on the
80-mile trip home when at approximately 200 feet the gull canopy on the pilot’s
side of the aircraft detached itself from the fuselage. There was a loud bang
and our pilot thought that the canopy had collided with the tail section.
A while back we
explored VFR flight following from the perspective of ATC. This month we take
our discussions on flight following to the next level and we look at flight
safety from the inside out – instrument training. As part of getting the
Private Pilot License in Canada 5 hours of instrument time is required. 5
additional hours are required as part of obtaining a night rating (a separate
rating in Canada NOT included as part of the PPL). The reason for these 5+5
hours is to provide pilots with very basic instrument skills to help them
should circumstances arise where situational awareness becomes impaired (such
as VFR flight into IMC or instrument meteorological conditions).
Well, season
one was a lot of work but also a bunch of fun. And we’re grateful and sometimes
humbled by the response we’ve received by you, our viewers. Here are just a few
of those comments…
Our pilot had 400 hours of
experience in this particular rented Comanche 180 when he and his three
passengers were packed and off Blue Sky City, MT for to a two-day seminar in
higher education. It was a South Dakota beautiful day in December when they
boarded the 180 with a thermos of coffee, full tanks, and plenty of runway 30
ahead of them.
Before we get into this
month’s story I’d like to point out that this article (#48) marks four years of
Close Calls! As we move into year five I’d like to thank our readers for their
loyalty and encouraging words over the years. I’d especially like to thank the
dozens of very generous pilots who have shared their stories with us. It’s an
absolute certainty that their experience has taught many pilots a lesson or two
and may have even resulted in our skies being just a little bit safer for us
all.
On the ground, a bystander
turned to his two friends and said, “Man, I hope those guys see each other!” as
all three were looking up at a Lazair that was on short final from the south
and another plane apparently flying a straight-in approach from the north. “Uncontrolled
airport, low light just around dusk, this could get ugly” they were each
thinking to themselves.
Our pilot was a fairly new
pilot who was going for a winter flight with a friend to a nearby airport for
lunch. Just a short VFR pleasure flight, the kind so many pilots take quite
often. The weather was calm and clear, undoubtedly VFR, and the flight to their
lunch spot was great.
The summer of 2009 had been
fun and interesting for our pilot and his wife, as they "stretched their
wings' and flew longer distances to visit friends and relatives. In mid-summer,
they decided to fly out and visit family in northwest North
Dakota, a drive of more than ten hours. By plane, they could leave mid-morning
and join them for lunch at the local ice cream shop!
The Aviators,
the new weekly magazine-style television series that premieres this September,
has announced that it has partnered with North America’s two largest general
aviation organizations, AOPA and EAA.
Our pilot had about 7
months and 120 hours of experience and was working on his commercial ticket
with dreams of becoming a regional pilot and flight instructor in June of 1974
when he decided to fly a cross country to visit relatives in Laurel, DE. He
thought he might make it a family vacation by bringing along his brother and
two sisters.
Public aviation events such
as air shows, exhibits, and expos are very important to the continued viability
of aviation. They are an opportunity for enthusiasts young and old get up close
and personal with any number of fascinating flying machines, an experience that
stokes the flames of the passion burning within us all.
Our pilot was a student pilot who experienced
his close call during a flight lesson. The occurrence was enough to have him
seriously consider the acquisition of a portable collision avoidance device
immediately… the very next day, in fact, with little time to spare before his
next flight!
As many of you may be aware, for more than a year now I have
been working with my friend and mentor John Lovelace (creator and 10-year host
of Wings Over Canada) on a new
television series entitled The Aviators.
With production now in full swing, I thought I’d
take an opportunity to answer some questions that I’ve been getting with
increasing regularity from pilots and fans of aviation from across North
American and around the world.
Professional pilots are
required to track their duty times in an effort to reduce the risk of errors
that may be brought on due to pilot fatigue. No such mechanism formally exists
for private pilots but then again, seldom do most private pilots fly long
enough to warrant one. But that’s not to say that there isn’t a point where the
skills and attentiveness of a non-professional pilot, not used to a long and
taxing day of flying, might begin to suffer. On any given day, how much flying
is too much?
Our pilot was in the
process of purchasing a Piper PA-22, a classic cloth covered aircraft. After
much research, he found one that had been recently re-covered so he contacted
the seller for more information. Our pilot thought the seller seemed “like a
legit guy with some knowledge in aviation.“ While in town on business a couple
of weeks later, our pilot thought he’d stop in to check out the Tripacer in
person.
Mont Tremblant is a quaint and beautiful resort town in
Quebec. In the winter, Tremblant is famous for it’s skiing, but the area is
also a wonderful summer destination with a host of activities including some
incredible golf. Mont Tremblant International is about a 45 drive to the north
but for private pilots the summer season offers the convenience of a grass
strip right in neighboring St-Jovite only minutes away from the Village.
Up until the afternoon of
the August 13th 2007 our pilot in Great Britain had thought that the
flat spin was the province of much more thoroughbred aircraft than his Tipsy
Nipper. He also believed it was a maneuver that required positive actions to
enter. On both counts he was quite wrong.
This special series is by noted author Anthony Nalli.