That’s right, episode #2 of the four part series on the Faulty Approach and Landing has been released and is ready for your aviation-viewing pleasure. This episode deals with Timing factors which mainly relate to how a pilot times the flare or roundout during the final portion of an approach. Ballooning, bouncing, floating, and nose-strikes are all hazards that a pilot needs to identify and correct during the flare. Remember, if any of these errors render your approach unstable or just give you that sinking (or floating) feeling, act as a real, competent pilot would and execute a go-around. Enjoy this episode and be ready for episode 3 of Faulty Approaches and Landings which is in the works right now. Also enjoy the photos sent in from Shane Petersen - one is an aerial photo of a sea of ice in the north Pacific Ocean - crazy. Have Fun and Fly Safe!

UND Instructor Mike Lents is at it again. This time Mike has written a script that breaks down the FAA’s new “Faulty Approaches and Landings” topic into small, manageable sections. This first episode will be episode number one in a four part series which breaks down every variable that could cause a normal approach to turn faulty and cause the pilot to make some very serious and timely decisions. Entitled “Faulty Approaches: Energy Management”, this lesson should help to make any pilot more aware of the energy-related threats that are faced during every approach and how to correct for those threats to ensure a consistent, safe and stabilized approach. And don’t worry, we mention it a bunch in the video, but remember that if you are ever flying an approach that just doesn’t feel right and you believe it has become unstable, abandon any attempts at correcting the situation and simply go-around and try the approach again. Landings are never meant to be saved. Enjoy the episode and keep sending in those Fan Photos to undaerocast@aero.und.edu or bottini@aero.und.edu Have Fun and Fly Safe!

The latest HD AeroCast episode is here! As we all continue to tune and perfect complex maneuvers in the Cessna 172, here’s a good opportunity to pause and review a basic, but very crucial fundamental flying skill: The Normal Approach and Landing. Mike Lents, a UND Aerospace flight instructor, has written a script that deals with the procedures that must be solidified in a pilot’s mind in order to master the very landing techniques that you will have to rely on at some point during every flight. These procedures are organized according to UND Standardization guidance and will be a great review for seasoned pilots and a key learning tool for student pilots who are just beginning to tackle the challenge of landing an airplane safely on every flight.

Check out the Fan Photos at the end sent in by Rodolfo from Brazil. He’s taken some great shots of Rio De Janeiro from the air along with an amazing pic of the famed Ipanema Beach. Also, Paula from Grand Forks has sent in some great photos of flying….well…..pretty much everywhere from Florida to Alaska. Good luck on your next flight. Use this latest episode to feel confident on your next landing - especially with passengers watching.

Here’s a big heads-up for all of you UND pilots that keep that Grand Forks airspace busy day in and day out. As you may have noticed, Fed Ex has replaced their old Boeing 727’s with the larger Boeing 757 as their primary cargo vehicle servicing the Grand Forks International Airport. Due to its size, weight and wing design, the 757 has always been a notorious producer of severe wake turbulence. With this in mind, we on the UND AeroCast staff have produced this Video Safety Bulletin to help you, the pilot, refresh your knowledge about wake turbulence and to lend you some guidance concerning the procedural steps that must be accomplished in the event that you would ever encounter wake turbulence during flight. And though we may be attempting to address this specific Grand Forks Airport concern directly, this video applies to any pilot who will ever fly in an environment and in airspace that could possibly pose wake turbulence hazards due to the close proximity of heavy aircraft. Enjoy the video and let us know if you have any questions or comments. Remember, when it comes to wake turbulence, AVOIDANCE is the key to keeping you, your passengers, and your aircraft safe.

Our gratitude goes out to Udo Müller for sharing his great photos of Berlin from the air. If you’re a UND AeroCast fan, we’d love to see and share your photos. Remember, comments on our series and fan photos can be sent to undaerocast@aero.und.edu Thanks for watching, Have Fun and Fly Safe!

Take note of the “Edition 2″ which has been released for the previous “Non-precision Approaches” episode. Edition 2 deals with changes to the UND Aerospace Standardization Manual in regards to callouts which need to be made at different points during the Non-precision Approach profile. New graphics and descriptions have been added to this video to describe the changes and additions to the Standardization Manual.

Yes, its been awhile, but the AeroCast has been on its own ‘Summer Break’. But here we are, back with a huge episode dedicated to teaching the pilot the finer points of flying a Non-precision Instrument Approach. As most pilots know, flying can’t just be blue skies and sunshine. This video has been designed to make you more comfortable with the sequence of procedures that a pilot must follow to get their airplane from the enroute environment, down through the clouds, and to a safe touchdown square on the touchdown zone. For all of you UND Aerospace instrument students, this episode is a perfect primer that should be reviewed before the next meeting with your instructor and before your next IFR flight.

Thanks to Dr. Harro Heilmann all the way from Stuttgart, Germany for sending in some incredible pics of the Swiss Alps, two different German castles and the summit of the Matterhorn - that looks like an amazing place to fly!

Keep those photos coming everyone. Enjoy this episode and keep sending those comments and suggestions to undaerocast@aero.und.edu or bottini@aero.und.edu Have Fun and Fly Safe!

This second Video Safety Bulletin has made use of recent data collected at UND Aerospace and is disseminating this data in a dynamic video to illustrate the risk of possible tail strikes occurring during the takeoff and landing phases. While this risk is prevalent in any UND Aerospace aircraft, even transport category aircraft are susceptible to striking a tail if certain conditions exist. Keep the tips offered in this video in the back of your mind on your next flight and never miss an opportunity to avoid a tail strike by executing a smooth go-around.

The AeroCast staff would like to give a shout-out to Eric Basile from Roscoe, Il and to Attilio De Luca from Rome, Italy for sending in the latest batch of fantastic Fan Photos. Thanks fellas!
Have fun and fly safe!

Day in and day out, UND Aerospace flight operations exercises one of the best safety cultures in the country. As an extension of that commitment to safety, a “Video Safety Bulletin” will interweave with the training topics on the broader AeroCast series as an effective way to promote our safety culture and keep our students and instructors constantly up to date with the latest developments in safety-sensitive flight training issues.

Bulletin #1 deals with converging VFR departures on close parallel runways. All UND Aerospace students and instructors should review this bulletin before their next flight lesson and discuss in their pre-brief the plan to actively mitigate the risks involved with this issue. Enjoy the episode and let us know what you think of this new series by emailing the UND AeroCast staff at undaerocast@aero.und.edu

Also, be sure to check out the great Fan Photos sent in by Jackie Foster, Jason Hanson and Eric Klopfenstein - fantastic as always.