HH Aga Khan Air Race

The few early day Indian aviators who became larger-than-life figures, following their participation in the race. It evokes memories of a time when aviation technology was largely rudimentary, and aviators had to rely on their skills and instincts in their heroic bids to confront the skies.

Put the Delay on Me

There are essentially two types of pressure: actual pressure and self-imposed pressure. The first of course is real pressure, applied directly or indirectly, for the task to be completed in a given time. On the other hand, individuals or teams may feel self-imposed pressure to complete a task within a given time, even when it is not advisable or feasible.

Emotional Distress in Aviation

Through this post I wish to highlight not only the importance of mental health but stark difference between PTSD and Emotional Distress. Distress could be caused by anything non-normal either at work or home. Emotional distress conditions require immediate attention of flight crew, operators and regulators for the simple reason that these situations are more common and their effects are equally overwhelming though for short period of time.

C7 Strategy for Enhancing Verbal Communication: Aviation

Verbal communication is a vital part of aviation operation, despite increased use of hand held and integrated data-link communication and computer interfaces that use non-verbal inputs. The verbal communication is not just between air traffic controllers and pilots, but between a complex team of players including ramp workers, ground-handlers, cabin crew, aerodrome operators, construction workers, airline staff, security, other specialists and members of the public.

Is Muscle Memory for Real?

Unlike octopuses, we don’t have brains in our limbs. So we can’t really “memorize” anything in our arms and legs. But it’s true that once you learn how to do something physical—whether it be riding a bike or swimming – it becomes easier and easier to do it without thinking. It sure feels like your muscles remembers how to do it. But the reality is that the activity is happening in our brains.

Why Spin and Recovery is mandatory in Military Aviation?

A spin is a yaw aggravated stall which results in rotation about the spin axis. The aircraft follows a steep, “corkscrew” like, downward path. Spins can be entered, either intentionally or unintentionally, from any flight attitude and at practically any airspeed. If a stalled aircraft is subjected to a sufficient yaw rate, it will enter a spin. The yaw can be induced by improper use of the rudder or can be a result of the wing drop characteristics of the aircraft in question. In a spin, both wings are in a stalled condition but one wing will be in a deeper stall than the other. The drag is greater on the more deeply stalled wing causing the aircraft to autorotate (yaw) toward that wing. Spins are characterised by high angle of attack, low airspeed and high rate of descent.

Search for Supersonic Transport and its Challenges

In October 1947 Chuck Yeager took the rocket-powered Bell X-1 through the sound barrier. After that humans have not looked back and any new fighter aircraft is naturally assumed to be able to sustanin supersonic speeds. However to date only two supersonic transport aircraft Concorde and Tupolev-144 have seen regular service. The last passenger flight of the Tu-144 was in June 1978 and it was last flown in 1999 by NASA. Concorde’s last commercial flight was in October 2003, with a November 26, 2003 ferry flight being its last airborne operation. Following the permanent cessation of flying by Concorde, there are no remaining SSTs in commercial service.

Aerobatics and Fun!

Aerobatic flight means manoeuvres intentionally performed by the pilot that involve
(a) bank angles in excess of 60 degrees; or
(b) pitch angles in excess of 45 degrees, or otherwise abnormal to the aircraft type; or
(c) abrupt changes of direction angles of bank, angles of pitch, or speed.