EP · 20260511
FlightLogic Brief — May 11, 2026
Two-host conversational walkthrough of today's biggest aviation stories.
Recent 650 articles
An Aircraft Trapped in Ice
A Cirrus aircraft crashed after encountering icing conditions and instrument meteorological conditions during its flight to Altoona, with forecast data indicating light to moderate intensity icing near the accident…
Survival Equipment: Starting Fires Made Simple
Creating fire requires three elements—fuel, heat, and oxygen—but the critical challenge is finding dry tinder, which is why carrying a portable fire starter kit with pre-made tinder and a sparking mechanism is…
Survival Equipment: Signal for Help With Confidence
Survival signaling equipment includes personal locator devices that transmit GPS coordinates to satellites, signal mirrors that reflect sunlight to attract attention, and nighttime devices like strobes and laser flares.…
Survival Equipment: Dress for Success in the Wilderness
Shelter in wilderness survival extends beyond tents and tarps to include clothing and portable equipment matched to the most challenging conditions of a journey. Traditional mylar survival blankets are ineffective…
Accident Case Study: High Desert Disaster
On November 12, 2021, a Zenith STOL CH701 aircraft piloted by a former Navy SEAL crashed near Goler Heights airstrip in California's Mojave Desert, killing both the pilot and his Navy aviator passenger. The National…
Survival Equipment: Without Water, You Die
Water is essential for survival and cognitive function, making it critical for pilots to carry adequate supplies in crash-resistant containers like flexible pouches or 20-year survival bottles rather than standard…
Wise Words From an Internationally-Recognized Survival Instructor
A survival instructor recommends carrying fire starter kits with tinder, one-handed opening knives to account for potential injury, and avoiding certain items that will shred under wilderness conditions. The instructor…
Mental Performance: Breaking Free From Perfectionism
Excessive perfectionism in aviation reduces performance by creating anxiety that prevents timely action, while research shows only moderate perfectionists achieve the highest performance levels in any field. To improve…
Mental Performance: The Power of Process-Based Goals
Process-based goals—daily commitments to specific actions—are more effective than outcome-based goals alone because they provide consistent wins and confidence regardless of final results. Rather than focusing solely on…
Mental Performance: Overcoming Failures and Mistakes
Effective mental performance in high-stakes situations requires treating failures as learning feedback rather than personal definition, responding with curiosity and composure instead of shame and self-criticism. Two…
Mental Performance: Battling Nerves
Nervousness and excitement produce identical physiological responses such as increased heart rate and fast breathing; the distinction lies in how individuals interpret these signals, either as threats or challenges.…
Plane Crashes Just After Takeoff From Crystal Airport in Minnesota
A Beachcraft Bonanza crashed shortly after takeoff from Crystal Airport in Minnesota on April 25, 2026, after entering a left turn during its initial climb. The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the…
Plane Descends at 11,000 Feet per Minute
A Cessna 421C carrying five people crashed near Wimberly, Texas on April 30, 2026, after departing from Riverfalls Airport in deteriorating weather conditions. The aircraft encountered icing that disabled the pitot heat…
Survival Equipment: How to Build an Aircraft Survival Kit
Effective aircraft survival preparation begins with personal protective gear organized into layered kits, starting with pocket-sized containers holding fire starters, signal mirrors, and compasses, and scaling up to…
Aircraft Erupts in Flames After Unstable Approach
The NTSB attributed the crash of aircraft N984LD to pilot error during an unstable approach, where aggressive banking, failure to compensate for unusual wind conditions, and exceeding the aircraft's critical angle of…
Check out the coolest airplanes at Sun 'n Fun!
The 2026 Sun 'n Fun Aerospace Expo in Lakeland, Florida features the AOPA Sweepstakes Aviat Husky, a 2024 aircraft with 200 horsepower and Garmin GFC 500 autopilot, with entries closing June 15th and the winner to be…
We flew the new TBM 980 - are the upgrades worth it?
We're flying a brand new TBM 980. So, one of the features that I like the most, and it wasn't even what I was expecting, is controller pilot data link communications. You probably have heard it in terms of ATC texting…
Super-Rare Twin Navion owned by Mac McMillan
My name's David Singer. I've been a pilot since about 2016 and last couple years I've been learning both sides of working on airplanes and helping to deliver them as well. And this is my mentor's airplane. He's been…
Get an Aircraft Value in Seconds (AOPA Member Tool Explained)
AOPA members receive 12 free annual WinSock aircraft valuation reports as a membership benefit, along with unlimited free preview estimates each month. The WinSock platform generates valuations within seconds by…
What it's Like to Fly a Rare Twin Navion
Pilot David Singer flies his mentor's twin-engine Navion D16A, one of only two known examples still airworthy in the United States. The rare aircraft, restored over five years and powered by Lycoming O-340 engines…
From Cubs to Kodiaks, seaplanes to tailwheel in the Pacific Northwest backcountry
Aviation training companies in the Pacific Northwest operate a specialized network offering instruction in backcountry flying, seaplanes, tailwheel aircraft, and Kodiak turboprops across multiple locations from Spokane…
Check out these seaplane backcountry training experts in the Pacific Northwest!
Three Pacific Northwest aviation training companies—Backcountry, Cortland Seaplanes, and Parkwater Aviation—specialize in seaplane, backcountry, and tailwheel training using aircraft including Super Cubs, X-Cubs,…
From AOPA Scholarship Winner to National Aerobatic Champion
Mia Anderson, an AOPA scholarship recipient and aerobatic glider pilot, became the first female to compete in both powered and glider aerobatics at the 2025 National Aerobatic Championships, placing first in the glider…
From AOPA Scholarship Winner to National Aerobatic Champion
A speaker discusses the importance of spin training and upset recovery training for private pilots, arguing that such training should be more accessible given that pilots are simply given control of aircraft after…
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