A common definition of insanity is to keep doing the same thing and expect a different result. By that criteria, America’s longest war in history is truly certifiable. What is so hard about understanding the difficulty of defeating a determined … Continue reading →
Here is a perfect example of why we can’t get any new weapons systems bought for the military in an efficient, timely, and cost-effective manner. From Congressional Quarterly‘s John M. Connelly: The Littoral Combat Ship, or LCS, is a new … Continue reading →
History tells us that early consideration of using the airplane as an instrument of war had to deal with the question of whether the recoil of a weapon being fired would result in destruction of the airplane. If that seems … Continue reading →
Disclaimer: Posts in the Writer’s Desk Logbook are nothing more than personal observations about my exploration of the fascinating craft of writing. “Grenade in the Room” continues with Part 5: Once again borrowing heavily from Orson Scott Card’s Characters & … Continue reading →
You gotta love this one. According to AVweb, last Saturday the captain of a Moroccan Jet4You flight lost control of his airliner to 137 passengers who banned together to send him and the airline a message: “Hell no, we won’t … Continue reading →
I’ve been unable to rid myself of The Shadow’s constant companionship. That, however, is because I haven’t tried. We’ve become friends, and friendship comes with obligations. Like not turning your back and walking away when things get a bit rough. … Continue reading →
In the three-dimensional world of flight, the word “normal” (conforming to a standard; usual, typical, or expected) is defined in relation to both procedures (a series of actions conducted in a certain order or manner) and maneuvers (a movement or … Continue reading →
This came to me from Bill Schwoeble, a friend and fellow aviator. The account is abridged and edited slightly from the original source, Aviation Week & Space Technology: “Contrails.” I’m publishing it as a visitor story not because the author … Continue reading →
Following my first solo flight in the T-37, I flew a combination of solo and dual sorties. Initially, solo flights were conducted within the traffic pattern, kind of like keeping the chicks close to home. Once cleared for solo flight … Continue reading →
Of all the unwelcome events in aviation, a forced landing is one of the most dreaded, yet unlikely, emergencies a pilot will ever face. To begin your flight at an airport and end it in a hayfield pretty much defines … Continue reading →
