Features

The 'dirty dozen' is a term often used to describe the most common human factors precursors of incidents or accidents. We can all play...

Like many of the great leaps forward in aviation history, the contribution of women to aviation manufacture and maintenance was prompted by war. The fabric-covered...

When a world at war cried out for aviation workers, women answered the call.

Training day I was teaching at a flight safety provider that included classroom instruction, a simulator session and 4 hours in the air. My student had...

Michelangelo were alive today, he might not be bothered with a hammer, chisel and block of stone. In the Renaissance, the only way for...

Comfort is too important to be left at home when you fly. What you wear, combined with aircraft ergonomics, optimises your flying experience and...

'Barring a nosedive into the channel, I'll be in Paris in a few days'. – Glenn Miller, in a letter to his brother Herb,...

The pilots of the Bell 212 knew there was forecast moderate turbulence with localised severe turbulence, mechanical turbulence and windshear. It was forecast to...

Amy Johnson flew a Gipsy Moth from London to Darwin, solo, over 20 days in May 1930. Around 10,000 nautical miles, cruising at 74...

Sudden turbulence, unexpected climbs and heart-pounding descents – discover how pilots handle the invisible force of wind shear. Flying in diverse weather conditions brings unique...

The pilot's art is easy to describe but hard to do: project your mind anywhere between several seconds and several minutes ahead of your...

The contributing factors involved in general aviation accidents are no mystery, but avoiding them requires effort and discipline.

The widely misunderstood phenomenon of servo transparency – or jack stall – can turn a helicopter pilot into a passenger – without any warning. It...

Peter Smith: strategist One of the minds that built Australia's modern aerospace industry says the benefits and opportunities of the next aviation boom are potentially...

A new colour vision assessment will allow more pilots to fly safely Luke Zaccaria grew up dreaming of a career flying high above the clouds. Since...

These 5 simple tips will help you fly safely in uncontrolled airspace. Watching a feature film about how to safely and legally fly in non-controlled...

Ten years after 2 appalling aviation disasters, reforms and countermeasures are being put in place. It's been more than a decade since 2 air disasters...

Bell 47 G2, VH-AHF Pitt Street, Sydney NSW,  Saturday 10 December 1966  The crash of a helicopter onto a city street shocked a nation. 'In aviation, there is...

An effective lookout could be a split-second observation between a safe scenic flight and a missed potential hazard. Picture this: you're cruising through the boundless...

Retractable landing gear may mean faster flight and better fuel consumption, but its complexity adds risk. However, there are lessons to be learnt from...

One of the less considered challenges of IFR flying is managing traffic, particularly around non-controlled aerodromes.

Safety in the hangar is an important aspect of aviation safety that is worth brushing up on.

Projects swapping combustion engines for electric power seek to give long-serving aircraft types a second, green career. Clean-sheet aircraft designs require not only huge sums...

Propeller strike is expensive, embarrassing, but not inevitable. The phrase 'prop strike' will make any aviator's gut wrench – from the sound, shock of impact...

If not for sheer luck, the headline here would have been 4 failures and a funeral.

Take-off is no time for wishful thinking. Pilots tend to be optimists. Advancing the throttle(s) for take-off, expectation bias lulls us into 'seeing' all is...

The designers of what is planned to be Australia's first certified advanced air mobility aircraft say technology and safety go hand in hand. Safety was...

It seemed like a good idea at the time, and it saved 200 labour hours, but it turned out to be a human factors...

For private pilots, flying in controlled airspace requires 3 things: preparation, concentration and communication, as the editor of Flight Safety Australia discovered for himself. To...

As Maintenance Month unfolds, we revisit this 2023 article spotlighting the aviation industry's agility in adjusting to the new challenges and opportunities of virtual and augmented reality technology.

As we celebrate Maintenance Month, we revisit this insightful 2019 article shedding light on the crucial yet often overlooked aspect of aviation safety: maintenance practices. Delving into the intricacies of maintenance procedures, it serves as a timely reminder of the vital role maintenance plays in ensuring the safety and reliability of aircraft operations.

Boeing 747-312 VH-INH Sydney (Kingsford-Smith) Airport, 12:22 pm, 19 October 1994 Every accident, no matter how minor, is a failure of the organisation. – Jerome F...

Specific programs for weekend and fair-weather pilots to hone their skills are money well spent. Imagine it's a clear sunny day – perfect conditions. You're...

Automatic dependent surveillance–broadcast (ADS-B) could save your life which is why the government will pay you to fit it. What is ADS-B? ADS-B is a system...

The benefit of flying in controlled airspace is you are no longer alone in the sky but have a team working to keep you...

Kreisha Ballantyne takes a look at the effectiveness of aviation safety awareness campaigns in Australia and overseas. Some days the news seems too awful to...

How thorough flight planning can avoid the trap of VFR into IMC The recent accidents of a Van’s Aircraft flying into cloud and breaking up...

When a flock of birds met a heavily loaded aircraft flown by a newly converted pilot inexperienced in the characteristics of the new type,...

The malfunction of a flight instrument was only one link in a chain of shortcomings that turned a cargo aircraft into a winter inferno. Boeing...

With climate change and now an El Niño upon us, bushfires are set to increase in frequency and severity. The atmospheric effects of these fires are a distinct aviation hazard in their own right.

Flight reviews come around fast and can be a nerve-racking experience – particularly if you’re not maintaining your currency as a pilot. These 7 tips can help you ace the experience.

A 12-factor classification of maintenance hazards remains as relevant as it was in 1993. Gordon Dupont’s' dirty dozen’, identifies manageable distinct safety problems, breaking a huge vague challenge into 12 smaller ones.

The habits and tricks your brain uses to get you through everyday life become a problem when they run riot in the cockpit. To battle your biases you first need to know what they are.

As a professional pilot, you plan for depressurisation and engine failures. Doing this thoroughly means also planning for fuel for the remainder of your...

Is modern desk-based aircraft simulation good enough to get Adrian Park through a check ride (or 2) after a few years away from the...

Should it have been a surprise when an aircraft engine that had not been overhauled for 23 years exploded, sprayed oil over the windscreen and led to a crash that seriously injured the pilot.

When the system that controls a helicopter's engine RPM becomes unreliable, the result can be an uncomfortable period of in-flight anarchy. The pilot was taken...

The pilot had a frightening nickname, and a reputation as a confident, highly skilled rogue. But nothing was done until it was too late. Aerospatiale...

A birthday gift allowed pilot Michael Apps to compare and contrast modern gliding with his early experiences of the sport. Germany was banned from developing...

Ground handling, an often-overlooked corner of aviation safety, is facing post-COVID-19 challenges. Ask a military or general aviation pilot how an aircraft flies and your...

The rules that govern your aircraft's performance envelope are not imposed by regulators, but by nature. Ignore them at your peril. An excerpt from an...

Urbane is the ideal word to describe Julian Fraser. But it's also an ironic term, considering his background. The son of a station manager, he...

Good ones are your best friends, bad ones are treacherous enemies, so sort out your aviation habits, says Kreisha Ballantyne. I was recently asked to...

It remains the most deadly aircraft crash on Australian soil, yet is largely unknown outside the town where it happened. Boeing B-17C, 40-2072, VH-CBA Bakers Creek,...

Some character-building encounters with wind, rain and cloud teach this handful of pilots the perils of optimism. 'Forecast looks good, mate. The hail isn't meant...

It pays to understand the use of PROB on weather forecasts, as it has significant safety and regulatory implications for flight planning.

Gliders don't behave the same as a powered aircraft, so best not to expect them to. Researching this article, I found myself in the front...

Graham Murphy's sixty-year career began in a wood and canvas biplane and took him high into the flight levels, behind the glass displays of...

Striving for accuracy in landings will benefit every phase of your flying. It's fun to be the ace of the base and win a spot...

Understand the threat, and don't wing it through icy conditions this winter. Flying in winter has many perks, such as smooth crisp air and a...

Mast bumping is an instant terminator of helicopter flight, and pilots' lives. It needs to be understood to be avoided. Case study: tested to destruction A...

Margo Marchbank talks to industry professionals on how the powerful combination of automation, human capabilities and human limitations affects uncrewed aviation in unique ways. There's...

Wire strike rarely offers second chances, which means knowledge, planning and abundant caution are your only defences. For most private pilots, the best strategy to...

After years of flying a desk Adrian Park faces the dilemma of how to preserve his skills. Could the solution be in the computer...

Pilatus PC/6 B1 Series H2 Porter VH-SMB Cooma, NSW 10:02 am Thursday 20 May 1976 A single mistake by an experienced pilot led to instant annihilation....

The technologies of virtual and mixed reality are revolutionising aviation maintenance. Simulation has been part of aviation since at least 1929 when Edwin Link built...

To commemorate the disaster's anniversary, Flight Safety Australia revisits our 2018 story on an infamous oil platform disaster which has grim, but abundant, parallels...

Uncertified aerodromes, bush strips and paddocks can be perfectly good landing areas – or traps. It's up to you to find out which is...

Knowing how your aircraft is trending is a refined form of situational awareness that should always be in fashion. Pilots tend to be pretty good...

For pilots, sleep is not a luxury. Your safety in flight depends on being well rested. Once you're a private pilot, you have the luxury...

After an unsettling experience, Angela Stevenson decided to get familiar with parachute operations – and took the plunge. Flying through a military parachute-training drop zone,...

Single-engine aircraft are often operated privately under IFR, but traditionally, charter and air transport under IFR have been limited to twins. Nick Stobie looks...

A terrible danger waited on the spot in the ocean where the real world and the digital world diverged. Sikorsky S-92A, EI-ICR, Rescue 116 Black Rock,...

The operational history of helicopter designs in Australia by Frank Robinson is a case study in how safety comes from the interaction of engineering, training and culture.

In conjunction with the launch of CASA’s pilot safety hub, Kreisha Ballantyne takes a look at flying at controlled aerodromes. Anyone can sing in the...

Uncrewed aerial systems have been at the centre of Dr Reece Clothier’s professional life since it began.

It is the enemy of most metals, never sleeps, loves damp conditions and wants to eat your aircraft. However, if this story had been written 5 years ago, it might well have started with the line that aircraft corrosion is an issue despite Australia being the driest inhabited continent on Earth.

The difference between a safe journey and a dangerous debacle is in the preparation, so make good use of your kitchen table. Before any flight...

Two experienced helicopter pilots, a common training exercise and a freshly paved runway. How did this combination lead to a damaged helicopter and a narrow escape from catastrophe? 

Most of Flight Safety Australia editor Ross Peake's working decisions are made in the office (or home office). So it was a refreshing change and a reminder of the realities of psychological pressure to make a solo flight to outback Queensland.

The after effects of 2 years of COVID-19 continue in aviation in the form of supply chain difficulties. Is this aviation's long COVID? So much for the 'roaring twenties'. Pandemic and war have reintroduced scarcity to economies around the world after years basking in the luxury of just-in-time supply chains in a global marketplace.

The collision of 2 airliners in the US, 57 years ago, is a story of superlative airmanship, and a solemn reminder of the limits of see-and-avoid as a defence against collision.

Pilots should never be afraid of creating a delay if the aircraft is not fit for flight. And passengers annoyed by this might care...

On the evening of 13 May 2021, a … Beechcraft Baron 95-B55 … departed Ceduna Airport, South Australia (SA), for a charter flight under the instrument flight rules (IFR) to Parafield Airport, SA, with the pilot and one passenger onboard. During the flight, the autopilot system did not function as the pilot expected.

A fatal impact during a training flight involving two experienced pilots prompts Adrian Park to consider the relationship between rules, procedures, compliance and human performance. The words that spell out rules and procedures are dead marks on a page until they are embodied and lived out.

With aircraft, as in life, a safe and comfortable journey often depends on a question of balance. It was a question that would prove critical for the occupants of a Beechcraft Baron 95-B55 that left Sydney's Bankstown Airport for Cooma one moonless evening in 1992.

Behind an error that killed 9 people, investigators found an insidious and potent psychological force.

Adrianne Fleming, OAM, pilot, instructor, owner and Head of Operations of Tristar Aviation, member of multiple government industry advisory panels and author of The Left Seat, has been named Australian Aviation's Female Aviation Leader of the Year 2022.

Are you ready? Here comes THE best recommendation for a blockbuster summer read. Forget your James Pattersons and Stephen Kings. We're talking edge-of-your-seat, super-thriller stuff. It's called The Top End wet season Graphical Area Forecast (GAF).

Doing it right could save your life, so why not practise? While no pilot would willingly choose to experience a real-life engine failure after take-off (EFATO), regularly practising simulated emergency procedures alongside circuit training should be a conscious decision. Practice forced landings (PFLs) are not the ones you want to get rusty.

An Australian study reveals an unexpected relationship between pilots, personalities and risk-taking, and provides encouraging evidence of discipline by pilots. Risk-taking and aviation have an uneasy relationship. Taking needless risks is a factor in countless aviation accidents, including inadvertent encounters with instrument meteorological conditions, powerlines, fuel exhaustion and stall speed.

The 53-year-old pilot had a reputation for caution and thoroughness and ‘was always very concerned about safety’ - or so his obituary said. An acquaintance described how he had twice delayed a flight because he was concerned the conditions were beyond his personal minimums.

The morning after, and nine miners were flying back to Kalgoorlie after the previous night’s Christmas celebrations. At a civilised 9.55 am, their chartered aircraft took off from Leinster, outback Western Australia. The flight south to Kalgoorlie was to take about 50 minutes.

The crisis provoked by COVID-19 is a challenge to aviation safety that is not going away soon. But history shows how inspired leadership can turn adversity into improvement. Aviation safety is an extremely emotive topic. Whenever the safety and wellbeing of humans is concerned, there is a high degree of public interest.

The phenomenon' of dynamic rollover is a (sometimes expensive) reminder that helicopters' need expert and careful handling from the moment their rotors' start turning. First Tuesday in November 2013, and racegoers were heading off to Flemington Racecourse for a fun and enjoyable day at the Melbourne Cup.

An inexperienced flyer is an unknown factor, so be prepared for anything if you take one for a ride. Do you remember your first time in a small aircraft? You were in the right-hand seat, with the pilot alongside, taking off, landing and everything in between.

The Good old bad old days Stuart Jones looks back on procedures of times past. I don’t know whether aviation was better in the mid to...

Pilots are instinctively and correctly cautious on the base‑to-final turn but examination of accident numbers reveals another dangerous phase of circuit flight Let’s look at...

One of the first accidents to be dissected by a new theory of causation remains one of that theory’s most telling case studies  By Steve...

Shelley Ross says the safety and operational benefits of this technology make it a must for any category of aircraft FlyDoc25, traffic is C182 ABC,...

Using radio to enhance situational awareness is an essential part of flying safely in shared airspace. On 18 September 2020, an Extra EA-300 aeroplane, registered...

de Havilland Mosquito B.XX, KB 267/AZ-E Steenburgen, Nord Brabant, The Netherlands Tuesday, 19 September 1944 The most important thing of all is this cockpit drill business … All...

Fiona Church has been a bush pilot, Qantas pilot and now a drone operator. Success in these diverse fields has 3 common ingredients, she says...

When you pick up an aircraft after maintenance or repair you are a test pilot, so act like one As I write this, my employer’s...

John Laming remembers some of those who taught him to fly, and shudders Few pilots, professional or amateur, forget the good instructors with whom they...

The lessons learnt from the series of small failures that led to an airliner full of passengers taking off with its pitot covers still...

Knowing when and how to perform a go-around is a perishable skill that needs practice and revision after the enforced groundings of the past...

The misunderstanding that led to a terrible accident also highlighted the need for proficiency in aviation English. Progress has been made but experts warn...

In his previous career as a newspaper reporter, CASA senior media officer Steve Creedy had a first-hand view of one of the most mysterious and...

They are coming to a sky near you, using the features and limitations of their technology to create a new form of aviation Roads? Where we’re...

If you plan shrewdly, a general aviation tour of Tasmania can be a scenic, safe and enjoyable experience So you’ve decided this is the year...

Behind an apparently simple and thankfully, non-fatal crash landing, lay a complex brew of errors, factors and assumptions.  On 19 December 2019, a turbine powered...

Thai Airways flight TG311 Airbus A310-300, HS-TID Langtang, Nepal 31 July 1992 Nothing is easier than self-deceit. For what every man wishes, that he also believes to be true. –...

I can see clearly now the rain is gone I can see all obstacles in my way Gone are the dark clouds that had me blind It’s...

What becomes of aviation in a world committed to carbon neutrality? The answer might not be as grim as it seems, with new technologies...

A New Zealand accident involving two professional instructors and a modern well equipped aircraft is a story of how a combination of individual lapses...

Temptations and biases to attend an event can be powerful but safety of flight must always come first because winds, cloud and rain don’t...

Robert Cassidy remembers a close call of a kind that has killed vastly more experienced pilots than he was at the time From September 1984...

We can’t say for sure if a truck swerving to avoid a kangaroo on an outback road led to the deaths of 13 people...

Uncertain instrument indications are a deceptive threat, but differing pilot response in 2 incidents of pitot blockage led to drastically different outcomes From the first...

Gliding a powered aircraft is a rare and high-stakes exercise. If you have to get down safely without engine power, knowledge and experience will...

The Good old bad old days John Laming revisits an incident that highlights the importance of the maintenance release COVID-19 has seen the closing of world...

Coordinating firefighting aircraft is a complex juggling act of safety-critical decisions, played out in heat and smoke Pick your analogy: a bushfire fighting air attack...

Technology can assist, but not replace, human thoroughness in controlling this foreign object damage hazard Aircraft maintenance is an unforgiving way to make a living.  As...

Be prepared has been a Scout slogan for more than a century but it’s advice that rookie pilots can sometimes overlook. Veteran Rex training and...

Your choice: cultivate this so-called ‘soft’ skill or expose yourself to hard consequences Researching this article, I came across the website FairyGodBoss which declared: ‘Forget...

Can you be brutally honest about your flying skills? If so, here’s a way to help you improve. Most Flight Safety Australia readers probably know...

Electric aircraft aren’t coming: they are here. With them comes a new combination of operating limitations and significant advantages. We take a look at...

World champion air racer Matt Hall puts his flight planning on the record Planning and debriefing are key factors in Matt Hall’s every flight,...

‘To lose one parent may be regarded as a misfortune; to lose both looks like carelessness.’ – Lady Bracknell in The Importance of Being Earnest, by Oscar...

Keeping current in the fundamentals of navigation is vital, even in the digital era It’s been a stunning morning in the air. Two pilots, best...

Stuart Aggs, Virgin Australia Group Chief Operations Officer, is a firm believer in delegating authority to those with the responsibility for safety.  Ultimately, the buck...

A psychological perspective on VFR-into-IMC accidents makes some alarming findings, but suggests new solutions By Anthony Stanton and Robert Wilson One flight lasted just over a...

CASA’s latest Plain English Guide is a bonus that comes with the new Part 91 regulations New flight operations rules began on 2 December, covering...

The air cargo industry escaped the decimation that COVID-19 wrought on passenger aviation. But keeping the goods moving in a time of pandemic has...

Flying near a fire can result in the pilot losing the visual cues needed to stabilise the helicopter As we move into summer, the nation’s aerial...

The good old bad old days The differences between general aviation and air transport aircraft may be vast, but both require airmanship for safe, efficient operation I...

As a pilot, you have an envelope with your name on it – but you’ll never find it in your letterbox.  Like the conceptual envelope...

When air shows take off again, will you have the knowledge and skills to get there by air? Kreisha Ballantyne has some important tips...

The effects of years of organisational amnesia, imprecision and improvisation came to a head one terrible morning over Bass Strait Boeing 707-368C, A20-103, ‘Windsor 380’ Sea...

Operators of firefighting aircraft have to adapt to the emerging hazards of larger and more widespread fires In 2019–20 Australia burned in fires that stretched...

If icing is forecast but your charter aircraft doesn’t have anti-icing equipment, what should you do if the chief pilot insists you ‘go up...

CASA’s new CEO and Director of Aviation Safety (DAS) Pip Spence has a long history of observing and cooperating with the aviation sector. She...

An understanding of your audience and following correct radio rules will give you the best chance of being heard ‘You’re the voice, try and understand...

What could possibly go wrong when a hobby pilot flies into the Outback after lockdown? Yes, many things! So here’s some great advice from...

Years before becoming Roulette Seven, the non-flying member of the aerobatic team, Aimee Heal faced a serious incident with only a small number of...

If you haven’t been flying much over Winter, here are some tips to avoid an embarrassing landing, particularly loss of directional control on the...

When German investigators analysed what appeared to be a straightforward error by a first officer, they discovered a web of human, organisational and mechanical...

The deaths of a low-hours pilot and his passenger in a wilderness less than 90 km from Bankstown Airport involved much more than youthful misadventure If...

Pilots’ core skills are transferrable across the entire sector of aviation Many years ago, I was sent on a helicopter flight for an article about...

This VFR-into-IMC accident, like many others, was the Swiss cheese variety, with multiple factors lining up to produce a familiar result Ten years ago, I...

John Laming on the dangers of incorrect instrument readings during take-off Your first instructor may have told you to keep an eye on the engine...

Over three decades Matt Bouttell has viewed aviation from the maintenance hangar, the dispatch office, the regulator’s ‘ivory tower’ and the cockpit. What struck...

A helicopter that pitched over on the roof of a skyscraper, killing 5 people, had been subject to stresses caused by the cost-cutting practice...

Once realising you are in an emergency condition, it’s easier to focus on decisions that help you safely land I learnt a lot about flying...

An insidious enemy that brought down a tourist seaplane on New Year’s Eve 2017 lurks in every piston-engine aircraft The operator was a well-regarded organisation...

The psychological effects of global aviation’s unprecedented shutdown are emerging, as are strategies for dealing with them There are contrails again in skies that went...

The good old bad old days Dreaming and doing are not as different as they seem: the link is mental practice by Robert L Cassidy Would you...

By Robert Wilson The enduring lesson from this 90-year-old tragedy is most unsettling ‘O you who turn the wheel and look to windward, Consider Phlebas, who...

Commercial space launches require a high-level commitment to safe operations, in every sense By Robert Wilson Counting down again For once the journalistic cliché is accurate –...

Reconnaissance means different things to different sectors but the aim is the same – the reduction of risk By Angela Stevenson Tactical reconnaissance is primarily...

On a dark night, a pilot begins an unnecessary fight with the helicopter’s autopilot, and loses By Brendan Reinhardt In the Disney film Fantasia, Mickey...

A relatively inexpensive unit will help VFR pilots to ‘be seen and avoid’ By Kreisha Ballantyne Aviate, navigate, communicate. Power plus attitude equals performance. See, be...

If not for an experienced engineer’s long and detailed memory, a serious in-flight incident might have remained a mystery By Robert Wilson It’s something not meant...

Go-arounds should be a routine exercise for pilots, but getting them right needs practice By Thomas P Turner When do you fly a go-around? If you’re...

The pilot was overloaded and inexperienced – but this tragedy was also an organisational failure by the operator By Nick Stobie It’s a shocking sight –...

Simulators are changing to test pilots in more extreme situations By Ross Peake The flight crew went to their deaths not quite knowing what was happening,...

John Laming on weather radar and its modern low-cost imitator, the electronic flight bag (EFB) Number 34 Squadron at Canberra operated two Convair 440 Metropolitan...

Accident investigation has embraced the digital age with cameras, phones and tracking systems as witnesses A seaplane carrying tourists dives into a narrow bay, a...

The report into the crash of a historic aircraft in Switzerland in 2018 tells the story of an operator where safety standards drifted. It...

A sudden, strong and uncommanded pitch up immediately after take-off could have destroyed this airliner. Airmanship, teamwork and expertise stopped that from happening. By...

An airline captain makes a coronavirus career change to drones and discovers his training in human factors and non-technical skills is just as valuable on...

What causes some passengers to behave badly and what is the flow-on effect for aviation safety? By Pamela Tomlinson We’ve all heard about them and some...

Planning a flight into a remote area this summer? Proceed with caution, lots of planning and with enough equipment to survive any misadventure. By Nick...

When flying in summer, be extra cautious about calculating density altitude and keeping well away from storms By Thomas P Turner I fly out of 3600-foot...

We take a look at how pilots can maintain their professionalism while grounded during the pandemic By Kreisha Ballantyne While this year has certainly been the...

When it’s time to fly again, make sure your aircraft doesn’t become part of this year’s aviation nightmare By Robert Wilson As if air transport didn’t...

With more drones in Australian skies, mandatory drone registration and operator accreditation are on the way to help make flying safer and more enjoyable...

Margo Marchbank examines how virtual reality technology can help in the workshop A giant turbofan engine hangs suspended in space, seemingly defying the laws...

Over its 100 years Qantas has acquired an enviable reputation for safe operation. It has not lost an aircraft since 1960 and not had...

Avro Lincoln, Mk 31, A73-64 Mt Superbus, Qld 4.14 am, 9 April 1955 A sick baby, a tired crew, a mountain waiting in the mist Ten years of...

Flight test reports tell eloquently of the new capabilities—and new challenges—electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft will bring Whether manned or unmanned, electric vertical take-off...

Scud running implies an intentionally hazardous flirtation with visual flight in near (or actual) instrument meteorological conditions (IMC), a clear no-go. But what of...

The experienced captain made an inexplicable decision to embark on a long overwater flight with a sick engine. About lunchtime, the young first officer found...

As we approach summer, it is time to consider the effect heat has on helicopter performance. The 80s song ‘The Heat Is On’ was...

Can the so-called ‘hazardous pilot attitudes’ be managed to make flying safer? CASA does not make specific reference to what might be considered ‘hazardous pilot...

A runway incursion at Perth Airport reveals how easily the delicate equilibrium of forces, factors and fallibility behind safe operations can be upset It’s no...

The story of a warbird’s starter motor replacement illustrates the challenges and subtleties of keeping vintage aircraft safely in service. In the northern Riverina of...

How do you judge when it’s better to stay on the ground? Of all the aviation clichés in the world, my very favourite is, ‘It’s...

The aviation industry has undergone a tectonic shift during the pandemic and flight crews are seeing their careers abruptly on hold. In what form...

A harmless but disturbing incident highlights how complex systems and procedures can be vulnerable to the effects of misunderstanding and miscommunication. The worst thing that...

Monarch Airlines flight OB301 Piper PA31-350 Navajo Chieftain Young, NSW Friday 11 June 1993 The destruction of a regional airliner 27 years ago revealed widespread shortcomings at the...

Situational awareness, distraction and landing fixation are the themes of three chilling anecdotes. We are all human, so ask yourself: ’would I have done...

By Patricia Green The truth that dares not speak its name in airline travel is that the polite, well-groomed and urbane person serving your food...

Amy Steiger isn’t your typical drone operator. By Dragica Barac She says she fell into the role through a career development scholarship and good timing. Working for...

The cockpit modifications required for using night-vision goggles can lead to misreading of important warning lights. By Brendan Reinhardt The helicopter pilot settles into cruise on...

Kreisha Ballantyne makes no secret of the fact that she was an ill-equipped student pilot. Having no pilots in my family, no technical or mechanical...

Kreisha Ballantyne looks at the factors facing older pilots when learning to fly. As the population of the developed world experiences longer life expectancy, the...

Much of what you read in articles about flying safely revolve around aircraft crashes. We most assuredly must learn the lessons those who have...

How do you find the vital pre-flight information you need when it’s buried deep in a stream of NOTAMs? This frustration, felt by pilots...

Like air itself, culture surrounds aviation. But while you need to wait for good weather, you can create a safe culture Was it just a...

Full-stop landing Suddenly everything stopped. There have never been months like March and April 2020 in the history of aviation. Previous world crises such as...

Many operators in the aviation sector regard the concept of a safety management system (SMS) as just one more headache for their company, another...

Managing mental health issues in aviation is challenging, for pilots and managers By Adrian Park As professionals we have plans and systems for pretty much everything,...

The story of Australia’s first civilian turboprop crash shows how much investigation and analysis have evolved since the 1950s By Robert Wilson Three o’clock is either...

Making sense of the next step change in safety By Robert Wilson Airline transport faces an enviable problem: how does it improve an already impressive safety...

What does it take to stop a passenger reading their newspaper or talking so they can listen to the pre-flight safety briefing? By Patricia Green To...

The inherent instability of a helicopter means even an IFR-rated pilot may get into trouble in cloud By Brendan Reinhardt A typical accident report for...

Managing the ‘unmanageable’ By Margo Marchbank You’re flying a regular public transport (RPT) aircraft on final approach to a major Australian metropolitan airport when ATC...

By Nick Stobie Line Pilot, Royal Flying Doctor Service Western Operations I’ve had the pleasure of flying for the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) Western Operations...

By Thomas P. Turner To recover from a stall, your instinct is to use ailerons to raise a dropped wing. But this could result in...

By Kreisha Ballantyne Joining an air safari will improve your skills—and the journey will be fun In October 2008, when I was a then-GFPT student...

Over the last decade, electronic flight bags have revolutionised general aviation flight planning and put valuable safety features into the cockpits of light aircraft....

A series of incidents at flying schools prompted a study into improving the dynamics between instructors and students. The workload is high when you are...

You’ll find them most weeknights, on their feet, in theatres, clubs or hangars, spreading safety messages that could save your life. Flight Safety Australia...

With the help of a historian who researched the subject over four decades, and a former politician turned award-winning writer, Flight Safety Australia re-examines...

By Adrian Park A captain overwhelmed by lack of sleep loses control of his aircraft On a late August afternoon in 1993, an approach to Runway...

By Nick Stobie Maintenance releases are a seemingly simple document, but does an endorsed defect automatically ground an aircraft? The underlying principle behind the maintenance release...

By Thomas P. Turner We’re taught we should use checklists, but do we know why and how to use them? Air crash investigations frequently cite...

By Alwyn Brice Is there a failsafe way to instil the subject of safety into your workforce? Over the last two decades of editing industry...

In this incident, ATC miscommunication and broader organisational factors almost led to the loss of 353 lives. By Margo Marchbank On 16 December 2016, EVA...

A look inside the hazard-rich world of mustering from the air reveals safety is improving. Chasing animals with helicopters, aeroplanes or gyrocopters is a distinctively...

By Kreisha Ballantyne How do you tell clouds apart and, more importantly, which ones are dangerous? For pilots, clouds are more than a natural wonder—they also...

It is the year 2030 at a busy coastal international airport. From the top of the terminal building, commuter drones taxi incoming passengers to...

Behind what appeared to be an open-and-shut case of human error was a set trap of human and technical factors that was ready to...

by Nick Stobie Almost all Australians are familiar with the Transport Accident Commission’s campaigns against drink driving. They’re prolific, confronting and by many metrics very...

by Thomas P. Turner I was in the right front seat of a Cessna twin en route from Cowra to Archerfield airport near Brisbane. After...

Adrian Park looks at West Air Sweden flight 294, on 8 January 2016 The rapid and total destruction of a night freight jet is a...

The first edition of Aviation Safety Digest in 1953 reported on the runway overrun of a de Havilland Comet 1 in Rome, the previous...

by Brendan Reinhardt A new mental model of pilot-induced oscillation brings insights that might help you stop it happening to you. A hard-working pilot drives home...

by Kreisha Ballantyne In the late 19th century, a Polish ophthalmologist named L. L. Zamenhof created a universal second language called Esperanto. His goal was...

The virtuoso pilot says natural talent or even thousands of hours are no substitute for knowledge, practice and discipline If aviation were music, Matt Hall...

Flight Safety Australia looked at helicopter maintenance in this 2011 feature. The safety fundamentals are unchanged but the prices quoted in the story...

Saudia Flight 163 19 August 1980, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia Lockheed L-1011 Tristar In-flight fire followed by successful landing Passengers: 287 Crew: 14 Survivors:...

Excerpt from the original Aviation Safety Digest Number 1, 1953 Take-off accident—DH Comet at Rome on 26th October, 1952 (Accident No 7009) While taking off from...

‘You can take a pig and teach it to fly, but it will still be a pig.’ This golden comment, uttered to me by a...

Cabin crew contributor Patricia Green points out that human factors and crew resource management are concepts that extend well beyond the flight deck Human factors...

Pilots, maintainers, engineers, ATCs and cabin crew have told us how nothing matches the ‘tea room factor’ of our renowned print edition – so...

The Clutha Pub, 169 Stockwell Street, Glasgow, Scotland 29 November 2013 For a helicopter pilot there are many bad situations, but this would have to be...

Today is the thirtieth anniversary of a crash that demonstrated beyond all doubt that crew resource management (CRM) is a lifesaving concept. On July 19,...

Kreisha Ballantyne interviews formation team The Stooges to discover how specialist training can enhance flight safety Formation flying, along with aerobatics, is one of the...

Contributor Paul Southwick advocates for a safe and enjoyable way to extend your left-seat skills and judgement Pilot safety is never an absolute. The best...

A safer ramp isn’t the stuff of fiction, reckons Alwyn Brice, but there is still a long way to go. When Nick Careen, IATA’s Vice...

If your helicopter starts spinning you will need to analyse, decide and act-quickly, Brendan Reinhardt writes. Even in the simulator a fully developed yaw control...

Exactly 100 years ago tomorrow two pioneers became the first people to experience an aviation-related malady that has since affected millions and remains a...

by Kreisha Ballantyne Many years ago, when I was a student pilot, I planned to rent an aircraft with a friend, a licensed ATPL, in...

The pilot of Qantas flight 32 on the importance of teamwork in aviation Richard de Crespigny never achieved his youthful ambition to be a...

by Nicholas Stobie It’s a common trait amongst pilots. That beaming look on our faces when anyone starts talking about aircraft. It might fade a...

In a matter of seconds, with incomplete information, a flight crew has to make a life-or-death decision  Ameristar flight 9363, Ypsilanti, Michigan, USA, 8 March...

Did you know that in 2018, over 30% of inadvertent search and rescue incidents were caused by a failure to cancel SARTIMEs and failure...

by Thomas P. Turner Pilots justify the cost and complexity of twin-engine aeroplanes for many reasons—payload, speed and cabin size among them. But the primary...

Is to fly well to be mindful? * Kreisha Ballantyne explores whether there’s a place for the ancient art of mindfulness in today’s aviation culture. Last...

American Airlines flight 191, Chicago, 25 May 1979 Adrian Park analyses the deep roots of a disaster that happened forty years ago next month I don’t...

Do you know a person, group or organisation in the aviation industry who should be recognised for their efforts? Do you know someone who’s...

by Kreisha Ballantyne I have a friend, a pilot with much more experience than I, who once shared some valuable advice after sitting in the...

The recurring nightmare that is ground damage doesn’t disappear when day dawns. But is anything being done to mitigate its effects? Alwyn Brice, who...

US journalist Harry Reasoner was renowned for his way with words. Two paragraphs he wrote on helicopters in 1973 have hovered for many years...

Sue Rice has worked in the aviation industry for 43 years and was operational cabin crew for 24 years. She has represented Australia at...

‘It’s a highlight of my career to be with the people at CASA to launch their new Human factors for pilots’ kit. It’s a...

by Nicholas Stobie Every pilot flying twins remembers the mantra driven into them during their initial training: Maintain Control, Mixture Up, Pitch Up, Power Up,...

The mission description in the accident investigation is delivered in the sterile prose so typical of the military … except for the last word: The...

CASA is reviewing how it manages remotely piloted aircraft systems as the sector evolves and grows When Flight Safety Australia first discussed drones, the story...

Have you ever wondered whether, if you had your chance to learn to fly all over again, you’d do it differently? Whether the benefit...

The music of Buddy Holly is everlasting, and so, unfortunately, is the type of aircraft crash that killed him. Sixty years ago, on 3 February...

by Kreisha Ballantyne A father and son are driving along the motorway when they have a head-on collision with another vehicle. The father is killed...

Analysis of the English used by aircrews and controllers shows that it is in some ways a separate language to that spoken on the...

MacRobertson Miller Airlines flight 1750, 31 December 1968 Much has changed over the 50 years since this crash, but the cultural factors behind it remain...

Kreisha Ballantyne takes a look at big-trip planning, with a focus on weather resources. The time is approaching: the endless rain has finally ceased and...

Summertime flying is usually quite attractive, but it brings a number of considerations for pilots. Several are mentioned frequently enough that pilots know about...

Northern Australia is a tempting yet tough environment for aviation, where a scattered population depends on aircraft in the way the people in the...

Brendan Reinhardt looks at why every helicopter pilot needs to be wary of loss of tail rotor effectiveness (LTE) In aviation warning is a...

A low-cost ADS-B system for VFR aircraft has the potential to reduce the ever-present threat of mid-air collision    It’s long been recognised that there...

The pilot was known as extremely capable and meticulous, and ‘an officer and gentleman of truly great distinction’. At age 41, he was chief...

Kreisha Ballantyne looks at how to balance life and aviation I was at the peak of my career, being paid to fly high-performance single-engine aircraft...

The technology behind the cryptocurrency bitcoin is being touted as the solution for managing safety-critical information in aviation. Can this idea fly? Open any information...

It’s where most injuries in commercial air transport happen, so cabin safety needs to be taken seriously, contributor Sue Rice writes. Just consider for a...

An engine explodes, peppering the wings and fuselage of a wide-body airliner with turbine fragments propelled out of its core at Mach 2.6. Some...

How do you build your skills as a pilot without putting yourself and others at unnecessary risk? First accept your limits and then train...

Red is a powerful colour. Over the centuries it has been associated with good fortune, passion, violence, defiance, political ideology—and danger. The colour red is...

Adrian Park reflects on the deep roots of a charter flight tragedy When I was a 23-year-old helicopter pilot in the military, with freshly pressed...

‘A man who knows himself can step outside himself and watch his own reactions like an observer.’ Adam Smith How well do you know yourself?...

Thinking of getting into droning? Wouldn’t mind spending some time flying an aircraft remotely? Is it as fun as it looks? What’s the best...

CASA is overhauling its regulations governing maintenance of aircraft engaged in private and aerial work operations. Any renovator, whether of a house, car or aircraft...

Remotely piloted aircraft systems are adding speed and accuracy to aircraft accident investigation Use the words ‘drone’, ‘accident’ and ‘investigation’ in the same sentence and...

Contributor Brendan Reinhardt begins a series on what crews need to know about the distinctive aerodynamics of helicopters. For a start, they stall when flown at...

Aviation English has borrowed from the French two important terms—Mayday, from venez m'aider, meaning ‘come and help me’, and Pan Pan (from panne, meaning a breakdown). Mayday,...

It seems absurd that something as simple as changing your sitting posture in a vehicle travelling at up to 1200 km/h groundspeed could make...

Contributor Thomas P. Turner reviews the career of a pilot and writer whose words influenced generations of aviation enthusiasts Richard L. Collins changed the face and style...

Adrian Park writes about a crew who rose to the challenge of a confounding fuel system problem ‘Ladies and gentlemen, this is the captain speaking. As...

Air transport is a unique consumer product: up to one-third of its consumers are afraid of it. Cabin crew readily accept that some members of...

An update to global navigation satellite systems will deliver considerable safety benefits—but you need to understand it to prevent dangerous misconceptions. For the future of...

There have been many light-bulb moments in the history of aviation. Unfortunately, some have been anything but inspirational. On 13 January 1969, the nose gear...

An oil platform disaster 30 years ago has grim, but abundant, parallels and lessons for aviation safety. The first sign that something was...

An idiom (not to be confused with ‘idiot’) can be a surprising source of street (and flight) wisdom. Idioms are ‘distinctive expressions whose meanings are...

‘Not until we are lost do we begin to understand ourselves.’ Henry David Thoreau The first part of working out you’re lost is actually admitting it....

‘One should be able to control and manipulate experiences with an informed and intelligent mind.’ Sylvia Plath I make no secret of the fact that...

Knowing how the machine works is widely accepted to be essential for safe flight. Recent developments in neuroscience mean this principle can now be...

May 17 marked the 90th anniversary of a distinctive and remarkable Australian institution, the Royal Flying Doctor Service. Since 1928, it has provided a...

The aviation industry largely relies on post-hoc investigation reports to further our understanding of incidents and accidents. However, it is also important to monitor...

Adrian Park tells the story of a freak weather condition that tested a flight crew on a dark night We pilots would love a weather...